Importance of Shree Sarvatobhadra Kumbh Yatra

For over thousands of years, Indians have cherished a beautiful urge in their minds, that is the ‘’Shree Sarvatobhadra Kumbh Yatra”. ‘’Shree Sarvatobhadra Kumbh Yatra” includes filling the water from the river Ganges in Kashi and offering it on the Rameshwar lingam at Rameshwar. Simultaneously, the water from Kanyakumari, at the confluence of the three oceans situated near Rameshwaram, is collected and poured on Kashivishveshwar as an offering. This pilgrimage is known as ‘’Shree Sarvatobhadra Kumbh Yatra.’’ Each and every Vedic person, an Indian Hindu soul aspires to go on this pilgrimage. Sarvatobhadra is a pilgrimage that bestows complete well-being. 

The word ‘’Nath,’’ in the name ‘’Kashivishwanath’’ is always used with reference to Lord Vishnu, whereas, the names, ‘’Rameshwar and ‘’Ishwar’’ correspond to Lord Shiva. As a matter of fact, both ‘’Vishwanath’’ and ‘’Rameshwar’’ are forms of Lord Shiva, Vishwanath is the caretaker, while Rameshwar is the ‘destroyer of the enemies.’ This is a pilgrimage of both (the destinations), Vishwanath as well as Rameshwar. Offering the water of river Ganga to Rameshwaram at the same time, offering the waters collected from the confluence of three oceans at Kanyakumari, is offered at Kashivishwanath. Kanyakumari is a devotee who waits for Lord Shiva, worships Him and eventually unites with Him. This is the unification of a devotee with his God. 

Kalimata bole sange, bole Kanyakumari hi,

Annapurna jyache hati, Dattaguru Ekmukhi.

Annapurna is Lord Shiva’s consort. Whereas, Kanyakumari acts as a bridge that connects a devotee with his God and Kalimata is the true manifestation of Mahishasurmardini. In fact, this is their pilgrimage.  For this reason the ‘Pradakshina Marg’’ is in the shape of ‘’Naam.’’

Structure:

The Sarvatobhadra Kumbh yatra consisted of a water reservoir from the river Ganga in Shree Kashivishveshwar. Alongside was placed the photograph of Shree Kashivishveshwar and a little beyond that was its Shivlinga. Corresponding to this was the water tank from Shree Rameshwaram and a photograph of Shree Rameshwaram with its Shivlinga placed alongside.

Each Shraddhavan who participated in this pilgrimage was given a ‘’kawad’’ also known as yoke or bangy. They filled the bangy / kawad with water from the river Ganga, completed the ‘’Naam Pradakshina’’ and offered this water (abhishek) to Rameshwar and during the offering recited ‘ Parvatipatey, Har har Mahadev.’’

The Virtues: ( Punyafal)

Kanyakumari, while worshipping Lord Shiva waited for Him and finally united with her God; she got immersed into Him.  This (yatra) journey acted as a bridge between a devotee and his God; that unified a devotee with God. During this journey the shraddhavan exerted carrying the water in the yoke (kawad) and offering it to Lord Shivashankar, they forced their minds to act according to their intellect and this is how they unified with their God. The union of a devotee with God is to train one’s mind to obey the commands of pure intellect (wisdom), to transform it and to make one’s mind behave accordingly. This pilgrimage bestowed the shraddhavan with conscience. In order to bring in auspicious and beneficial things, and make our life happy and pleasant, it is necessary to destroy the inauspicious and unfavorable things in our life; which is taught by our conscience; it provides us with conscience consciousness. (Sadsadvivekbuddhi).

This Kumbh Yatra reduces the fears in our minds about the past.