Mahakumbh 2025 – The Sangam of all Sangams

As I stood in the sacred waters, immersing in the sangam, confluence of Ma Ganga, Ma Yamuna and Ma Saraswati at the Mahakumbh, it was not an ordinary moment. The Devas and Rishis were showering blessings. Millions of people had gathered here as they had every generation, opening to the flow of grace.

It was the Sangam of all Sangams – Just as the sacred rivers merged into water, more than 66 crore people (660 million) – young and old, rich and poor, spiritual and religious, Indian and non-Indian, able and differently abled, Devas and Rishis, merged into an ocean of consciousness that transcended many boundaries, creating a world record of the world’s biggest ever peaceful religious gathering, in a temporary constructed township on a river sandbed in just 4 months.

Being a witness to and a partaker of this, I am moved to share the profound significance of atleast 12 other Sangams (confluences) that manifested.

 1. Sangam of Shraddha in Jyotisham – The Triveni sangam continues to flow and merge in Prayagraj every day. Then what made this Magha month (14^th January – 26^th February) particularly auspicious was the alignment and position of Jupiter (the planet of Wisdom), the position of Sun and Moon in Makara Rashi (Capricorn), the deity of which is Saturn creating a powerful spiritual vortex.

These combined effects charged the waters with such tremendous blessings such that even the devas are known to come here to have a dip. It was a demonstration of Bharat’s shraddha in Jyotisham which is not a pseudo-science as the deities of the planets moved us (literally from our places and ofcourse metaphorically) and blessed us.

2. Sangam of Bhakti – Millions expressed their bhakti, loving devotion, gratitude and reverence differently. Many stayed in the Kumbh area for a certain duration (kalpavaasa) to perform their anushthana, religious discipline. Many did their mantra sadhana. Many did parayanam of key texts. Many did extended hours of meditation. Many others attended spiritual discourses of Acharyas of different akharas revelling in wisdom and bhakti. Many collectively sang bhajans and stotrams. Many performed elaborate pujas and yajnas.

    Anyone and every one passing by would chant – Jai Ma Gange, Jai Ma Yamune, Jai Ma Saraswati or Jai  Shri Ram and others would smile in recognition with the same bhakti-bhaava and join in unison. Every single one joined their hands in prayer with their love for Bhagavan creating a sangam of bhakti that uplifted and inspired all and is etched forever in our hearts. This Sangam of Bhakti has created an upsurge of Shakti for Sanatana Dharma.

3. Sangam of all Sampradayas – Different spiritual traditions, lineages, paths, and teachings converged here through the sampradayas, teaching traditions, in a beautiful harmony. From the Aghoris who eat meat as sadhana to the Vaidikas who strictly eat only vegetarian food (no onion or garlic also), From the Akharas whose presiding deity is Shiva (Juna Akhara, Niranjani Akhara etc) to the Akharas whose presiding deity is Vishnu (Nirmohi Akhara, Bairagi Akhara etc), From the sadhus who have learnt Shastra Vidya (the knowledge of wielding weapons) to the Acharyas who have learnt Shaastra Vidya (the knowledge of the scriptures), all showed respect to each other, held by Sanatana Dharma which has upheld coexistence of diversity.

 Private discussions and debates on the way forward for Sanatana Dharma were discussed and actions points were drawn up.  It was a Sangam of all age old Sampradayas, as diverse as they are.

 4. Sangam of Karma – If one wanted to purify oneself physically, a bath or shower in our homes is more than enough. What motivated millions to have a dip was shraddha in the reality of karma framework that shapes our lives.

 Shraddha in Karma is not mere faith, which is a belief subject to verification. Shraddha is a deep implicit trust and understanding in the words of the Guru and the Shastras which reveal the relationship between the person, the world and Bhagavan. Sraddha is the understanding that what is written in the Smriti and Vedas is true, them being the status of ‘pramana’ – a means of knowledge.

 In seeing the law of karma as reality, Shraddha took this form –  

– That Karma aligned or not aligned with Dharma gives both visible and invisible results (punya and paapa) 

That dipping in the sacred waters will bless me with punya and erase the accumulated paapa;

-That Punya and Paapa are invisible to the naked eye (adrashta karma phalam) but are results accumulating in every jiva’s karma account which transform into experiences of sukha, happiness and dukkha, sorrow every day;

-That this rearrangement of punya-paapa will happen at the level of the karana-sharira, causal body leading to an upsurge of blessings for all my life pursuits paving the way for a happy and peaceful life;

– One is responsible for one’s karma and one can choose to perform karma that lifts one out of the karma cycle of birth and death, that millions undertook this yatra from near and far.

– The destiny we experience now are the choices we made in the past and the choices we make today shape our destiny. One can be free from negative effects of past karma and one can perform karma for the future.

Such was the shraddha that the extraordinary effort undertaken by pilgrims to reach here itself was a purifying force, aiding antah-karana shuddhi (purification of the mind).

Much Shaariraka karma was done – Long phone calls for coordination, Leave was scheduled, kilometers were walked, money was spent on train/bus/flight tickets/stay in Prayagraj, Vak karma was done – prayers and mantras were chanted, Maanasika karma was done, especially those who could not make it physically to Prayagraj and were lovingly brought some of the sacred teertha to sanctify themselves and their homes. It was a Sangam of Karma – past, present and future. 

5. Sangam of Tapasya – In response to Arjuna ‘s question about what sannyasa and tyaga is, Bhagavan Krishna says that yajna, daana and tapas are ‘kartavyam’ and should not be given up. Devotees undertook upavaasa (fasting), walking for hours while chanting, going for a dip in the cold waters before sunrise everyday, meditating and praying for hours on end to practicing yoga asanas, kriyas and pranayama, chanting for hours. These sadhanas in the form of Tapasya build a strong spiritual foundation to tackle anything that life brings along.

Yatris were amazed to see sadhus perform tapasyas such as standing for years, having a lifted hand since years etc. In performing Tapasya, one pushes the limits of the body and mind such that one experientially understands that one was always more than the body and mind. Tapasya fulfilled its purpose as millions broke free from the shackles of ‘I cannot do this’ to ‘I can do this’. It was a Sangam of Tapasya – a fulfillment of one’s own and an inspiration to continue.

6. Sangam of Daanam – Some people say, ‘There is no free lunch’. This was proved wrong at the Kumbh. Almost every tent complex had annadaanam, food served free. No questions asked. No conditions placed. Not one of the million yatris slept hungry. Fresh, hot vegetarian food was served tirelessly to all the yatris outside and inside the tents and even for yatris who were just passing through Prayagraj for a day. Many yatris had come to just serve voluntarily in the different tent complexes.

The cab drivers, the boatmen, the sanitation workers, security forces, the locals, the shopkeepers, the local vendors and government officials barely slept but went over and beyond the call of duty to offer their shrama, effort. Daanam of food, wealth, effort requires stepping out of one’s insecurity and thinking of ‘what’s in it for me’? Millions demonstrated this through helping elderly take a bath, assisting people who were lost, serving food, directing people through the tent city etc.

Such an outpouring of daanam, giving especially in a teertha-kshetra like Prayagraj generated a tangible field of shakti that inspired and transformed all who entered it. It was a Sangam of Daanam – a giving of what is helpful which paves the way for giving up what was never truly mine (possessions, dependence on people, situations and identities etc), in the first place.

7. Sangam of Anugraha, Grace – As millions dipped in the sacred sangam, we opened ourselves for anugraha and blessings to flow through us. Everyone without an exception re-discovered the power of surrender to the Divine, touched by the grace that flowed abundantly there.

The grace manifested through unplanned darshan of sadhus, sudden encounters with siddhas, unexpected darshans in temples, finding one’s guru to some being initiated into sannyasa/other spiritual practices and more.

Blessings also manifested through visions of devas and rishis, divine signs for the way forward in life, a clearing of the burden that one had carried in life, renewed clarity and purpose for the way ahead, an infusion of shakti to power through one’s challenges and a steady calm that descended in the midst of everything. It was a sangam of flowing grace

9. Sangam of Seekers and Mumukshus – Never before have so many seekers of liberation gathered here, creating a powerful collective aspiration for moksha or spiritual freedom. While there were the seekers of selfies and instant fame, there were enough blessings for them to recognize that what was being chased was ephemeral. Amongst most, there was no flashy display of wealth nor power nor seeking one-upmanship as the sangam was a great leveller for all. Everyone’s combined spiritual practices and earnest seeking created an atmosphere conducive to deep inner transformation and realization.

10. Sangam of Dharma – Dharmo rakshati rakshitah – Dharma protects those who protect it. Sanatana Dharma found its fullest expression here. Every aspect of the gathering became a living demonstration of principles of ethics and principles dharma – from the politeness and courtesy of the police force to the tireless organization of all services and facilities of government officials; from the forbearance of people who walked kilometers to the peaceful conduct of millions of pilgrims in harmony to the sharing that occured spontaneously among pilgrims;  The efficient organization of this massive gathering and the cooperation between various authorities, organizations, and individuals reveals how Bhagavan conducts his cosmic dance through the framework of Dharma through human instruments.

The Cosmic framework of Dharma was protected because Dharma lived and thrived in the hearts of the Dharmis. It was a sangam of Dharma.

10. Sangam of Moksha  – The battle between the devas and asuras was for the amrtam of immortality. Vedanta teaches us that the unchanging nature of the Atma is Amrtam – na mrtam, not subject to death, which can be known here and now. The bodies will die but what can never die is oneself, the Atma.

The ultimate purpose of life as not wealth nor pleasure but moksha, liberation from the sense of bondage became tangibly present here, for even the wealthiest of people. The atmosphere was charged with the possibility of spiritual awakening with the combined presence of realized beings and sincere seekers. This was a Sangam of Moksha, freedom from the sense of bondage.

Personally, I experienced a major shift in life after the Amrit Snan with the sadhus led by Juna Akhada in Haridwar in 2010 and can vouch for the fact that this sangam snan accelerates one’s progress in the spiritual pursuit.

11. Sangam of Ananda – The unchanging nature of the Atma is Ananda, a fullness that nothing can add to it nor can take away from it. This Ananda on which no conditions can really be placed was manifested in different ways – Delight and cries of Har Har Mahadev by the Sadhus rushing into the waters, the joy of offering prayers at the sacred sangam, a wave of relief of reaching the Sangam, happiness through connection with the devas and pitrs, the peace of being with family and friends and a nameless humanity united in a common experience. It was a Sangam of Ananda

12. Sangam of Shakti and new beginnings for Bharat  – This sacred gathering marked a renewal of Bharat’s spiritual heritage. Each Kumbh Mela reinvigorates the spiritual current that has sustained this ancient civilization, pointing the way forward while remaining rooted in timeless wisdom.

The Lalita Sahasranama reminds us that Devi Lalita is icchashakti-jnanashakti-kriyashakti-svarupini (power to desire/wish, power to know and power to do) present in all beings. Even the humble ant walks towards a sugar crumb (kriya shakti) due to its desire (iccha shakti) and collaborates with other ants (jnana shakti) because it is too heavy to carry. Everyone is blessed equally and at all times with shakti. There is not a single moment when these shaktis are in short supply.  It is this very shakti that was received in the Sangam that have allowed our ancestors and ancients to build the civilization where Sanatana Dharma lives and is practised.

The Shakti of the Hindu comes from his and her sadhana, tapas and a commitment to Dharma. The Shakti of the Hindu comes from knowing that kartvayam, responsibility is taken, not necessarily given. The Shakti of the Hindu comes from harnessing the blessings of the Rishis and Devas allowing the Dharma in our hearts to flow in all our karma.

How will we use the shakti we have received?

The Kumbh is over. Still the question remains – How will we use our shakti to build a better and stronger self, a better life, a stronger community and a strong nation?

May the Sangam of shakti be guided by the last mantra of the Rig Veda which shows us the way forward –

संगच्छध्वं संवदध्वं सं वो मनांसि जानताम् ।
देवा भागं यथा पूर्वे सञ्जानाना उपासते ॥ १०.१९१.२ ॥

May you walk together harmoniously; May you speak together;

May you understand each other’s minds;
Just as gods (wise people) from ancient times, completed their work/job (so you too act).

Har Har Mahadev!

(P.S – This was my third time (2013, 2019, 2025) of participating and partaking of the blessing joy of the Amrtam of Kumbh in Prayagraj and fourth time of a Kumbh including participating in Haridwar in 2010).

– Swamini Brahmaprajnananda Saraswati