Upcoming Kumbha Mela

[Guest guest]

Upcoming Kumbha Mela

By Panca-pandava dasa

 

Mahaman Prabhu asked me if I would like to help in some way to publicise and

promote the ISKCON camp at Ujjain for the Kumbha Mela. I quickly agreed to

help in whatever way I can and hence I am writing this article.

 

To help promote the ISKCON camp we have produced a website, the address of

which is www.virtualtemple.net/kumbhamela The site has information about

Kumbha Mela, how to get there, accommodation etc., it will also carry

articles from devotees attending the Mela about the activities going on and

their experiences. The site has been quickly put together so please forgive

me for its inadequacies and any faults. If you find any please let me know,

you can email me at my pamho address or at KumhaMela2004 (AT) hotmail (DOT) com which

will be an email address for all enquiries you may have about the Kumbha

Mela.

 

With only five days to go before the first important bathing date on Caitra

Purnima on 5th April, preparations are being made at the ISKCON camp for the

month's Mela. There will be prasad distribution, book distribution,

harinams, classes, question and answer sessions and a whole host of other

activities going on.

 

Some government estimates are saying there may be as many as 35 million

visitors to the Kumbha Mela over the month period. So now devotees from all

over India and the World are making their way to Ujjain to take advantage of

the assembly of saintly persons and to take bath in the sacred River Shipra.

Srila Prabhupada said of Kumbha Mela "No. Kumbha Mela is sat-saìga. If you

go to Kumbha Mela to find out a man of knowledge, then your Kumbha Mela is

right. Otherwise, yad-buddhiù çalile sa eva go-kharaù [sB 10.84.13]. If one

thinks that this çalila, the water, to take bath in the water, is Kumbha

Mela, he is a go-kharaù. But the real..., that "Now there are assembly of so

many saintly persons. Let me take advantage of their knowledge." Then he is

intelligent. [break] ...of highly learned saintly persons. People should

take advantage." So our hope is that many people will take advantage of the

ISKCON camp and take up Krishna Consciousness.

 

While looking through the folio for some quotes about Kumbha Mela I found

the following, which is from BB Govinda Swami's Vyasa-puja offering from

1993. "It was the Prayag Kumbha-mela, 1989. Huge harinämas, book

distribution. One morning a sädhu approached me. He was typical looking-long

matted hair, beard, kaupina, ashes, rudräkña beads. I was very busy and

tried to avoid him, but someone had told him I was one of the camp

organizers. He came directly to me and said, "Please give me a book." To

avoid becoming entangled, I signed a note instructing the book godown to

give him a small two-rupee book. Five minutes later he was back. He looked

me in the eye and in fluent English said, "No, not this small book. I want

Swami Prabhupäda'ñ Gétä." He continued to say, "It is the most brilliant

commentary written on Gétä in this modern age." Immediately, considering

that he might be Närada or Brahmä, I took him by the hand to the nearest

bookstall, reached in my pocket, took out fifteen rupees, and presented him

with a Gétä. Tears came to his eyes. He said, "I've seen and heard

everything in this mela. No one can match what Swami Prabhupäda has done and

inspired your people to do. No one shall ever match his efforts to give

Kåñëa prema to the world." So it is with great anticipation of the immense

preaching opportunity, which Kumbha Mela presents, that I prepare to go to

Ujjain.

A stay at Kumbha Mela will not be without austerities, as is the case with

any worthwhile spiritual activity, but we will do our best to make your stay

as comfortable as possible. So please try to make it to Ujjain for Kumbha

Mela 2004. The Mela runs from 5th April to 4th May, so there is plenty of

time to visit. Further information about auspicious bathing dates can be

found on the website.

 

Any contributions towards running the ISKCON Kumbha Mela camp will be

gratefully received and will bestow the giver great benefit.