Pilgrimage: A Hindu Perspective

- Nimal Namboodiripad

I had an acquaintance in Adi Shankara Institute of Engineering & Technology, Kalady, where I was

faculty for a short period of time, by the name of Theertha Gopinath. She was a student of

Engineering, a petite, dusky, pretty female who always had a gap toothed smile on her face. She was

a commuter in the college bus in which I was the faculty in charge. Early mornings she used to get

into the bus fresh from a shower, water trickling down her lush hair onto the grey churidar top of

her uniform. I disremember whether I had asked her the reason behind her name or whether she or

her parents who named her understood the meaning of it. But I always felt it was a huge

responsibility for her parents to plant on such slender and young shoulders. I will explain why.

Most of us have gone on one pilgrimage or the other. Whether it be to a famous temple or a holy

place, ‘Theerthatan’ has been an integral part of the Hindu lifestyle. But have you ever wondered

what a ‘Theertham’ implies? I have and my inquiry into it amazed me with the depths of meaning it

evoked, something far removed from the image of a pleasant sojourn on holidays and vacations.

The definition of Theertham as I understand it is very simple. Anything that eliminates and cleanses

the impurities or sins that arises out of bad thoughts, words and action is known as a Theertham. A

Theerthatan is done for attaining oneness with God. But on the way you may do service to humanity

or even go about attaining personal desires, those desires that take you nearer to God and not away

from Him. But it cannot be for making money or doing anything else that creates wrong Vasanas in

your mind. When we go on a pilgrimage with the mind clear and the name of the Lord in the

conscious and lips it makes us pure and a ready receptacle to accept the grace of God.

Even in ancient times, according to Hindu epics, when air and water travel was very prevalent,

pilgrimages had to be undertaken by foot. Because when on a pilgrimage we meet with different

people, have different experiences, listen to religious discourses, have an intimate understanding of

how learned Yogis live their life and meet other pilgrims also on the same quest to attain Godhead.

When we observe the beauty of nature during our journey, the structure, symmetry, balance of this

universe and unravel the mysteries of life we move closer to experiencing God. From these we attain

a knowledge and wisdom far removed and exalted from the mundane that you can attain within the

four walls of a school or Gurukulam. For each is a small step in understanding the Absolute Truth,

Eternal Bliss. Indeed the ancients aver that there is no greater university on earth than Nature and

society itself to learn from on your path to Jnana.

India has been considered the holiest of holy places from time immemorial. While other countries

have pilgrim centres, India itself is the Karma Bhoomi and Punya Bhoomi, the place to which people

residing in the Trilokas make their way in devotion and penance. Now that brings us to the next

question, what all are the Theerthams and what is their classification? As per the definition we saw

earlier, anything that takes us nearer God is a Theertham. Which means that there are three types of

Theerthams – Jangamam, Manasam and Sthavaram.

Jangamam, by itself means that which is movable and impermanent. Among the Jangama

Theerthams are Father, Mother, Guru, Husband/Wife, Animals(especially cows) and the

Brahmajnanis. They are all to be respected as Theerthams as they open your way to salvation. A

home with good vibes, peace and serenity is the starting point in your quest for the Supreme and for

this you have to thank your Father, Mother and Husband/Wife. Your Father and Mother by bringing

you into this world itself has done you a great favour, because as the ancient Seers attest and stories

of Devas and Asuras coming down to the earth corroborates it is only after taking birth on this earth

that you can hope to attain oneness with God. The Guru and the Jnanis by their teachings, animals

with their silence and all of them with their life itself provides a path and model for you to follow.

Serving them well is the first step in experiencing the macrocosmic soul.

Maanasam: Manas is the reason for bondage. It is when thoughts are obliterated Manas ceases to

exist. And you attain that highest of all levels, Moksha as at that point the Universe as we see it

becomes no more and you realise that the Macrocosmic and Microcosmic soul are one and the

same. But as a first step towards freedom from this bondage we need to first cleanse mind of

impure thoughts. Only if internal cleanliness is achieved external cleanliness makes sense. And once

that is done it has to be filled with the thought of God - which is the modus operandi for this kind of

pilgrimage.

Ancient texts say that in the river of Athma(Soul), you have to bathe in the water of Satyam(Truth) to

attain Suddhi(cleanliness) which is the greatest Theertha of all. In this endeavour you need the help

of the Ghats of Samyama(Self Control), the banks of good habit and waves of kindness.

Truth, Patience, Kindness, Charity, Bliss, Knowledge, Pleasant Speech, Sense Control, Chastity,

Courage, Tapas all are forms of Maanasa Theertham.

Sthaavaram: Rivers, lakes, holy trees, holy gardens and forests, holy mountains, the ocean all form

permanent Theerthams.

Bharatam as the epics define it, from Lanka in the South to Kailas(in Tibet) in the North, Gandharam

(Afghanistan) in the West to Brahmadesam(Burma) in the East has seen the birth of innumerable

Tapaswis, Siddhas, Yogis and Avatarams. It is graced with thousands of divine rivers, mountains,

temples and forests so much so that ancient texts claim that there are three and a half crore of

Theerthas of different types – Daivam, Asuram, Aarsham and Maanusham. Let us look at some of

the Sthaavara Theerthams.

The 51 Sakthi Peethams, 51 Siddha Kshetras, 4 Dhamas of Dwaraka, Badari, Puri, Rameshwaram,

Saptapuris of Kasi, Kanchi, Mayapuri(Haridwar), Ayodhya, Dwarawati, Mathura, Avantika(Ujjaini),

seven rivers of Ganga, Yamuna, Godavari, Saraswathi, Kaveri, Narmada and Sindhu, the five Sarovars

which include Manasa, Bindu, Narayana, nine Aranyakas which include Dandaka, Naimisha and

Saindhava, 5 Kasis from Uttara to Tenkasi, 60 Sraddha Sthalas from Gaya, Devaprayaga to

Rameshwaram and Thirunelli, Kumbhamela and Arthamela in Prayaga other melas like Amarnath,

Kumbakonam and Pushkar, Jaladharas from Kanchanjunga to Papanasam, Guha temples from

Darjeeling to Maruthwamalai, peaks from Dhawalagiri to Mahendragiri, birthplaces of Mahatmas

like Sankara, Ramakrishna, Buddha and Ramanuja, great temples, Sangamasthan, meeting place, of

rivers and the sea all form the Sthaavara Theerthams. In Kerala we have temples like Kottiyur,

Sabarimala and Thirvairanikkulam which is open only once a year but attracting lakhs of devotees.

Going on a pilgrimage after renouncing everything was considered among the highest of penance

and kings and ordinary people were ever ready to help devotees in their journey. Vaisyas not only

followed their paths and routes for their trade but ensured that they protected the pilgrim centres.

Even now the Chettiar community of Tamil Nadu is very fervent in supporting the devotees travelling

barefoot long distances to glimpse the lotus feet of Lord Muruga at Palani. It is said that those who

help the devotees themselves get the blessings of the deity. In the Melas the Sannyasis conducted

discussions not only on Dharma and God but on Social and Political matters and many were the

decisions that were universally accepted taken in these discussions. As people from different worlds

and countries attended these Melas a common language was needed and Sanskrit also called the

Deva Bhasha was what was used.

Everybody has the right and authority to go on a pilgrimage but certain rules and regulations are to

be followed. Before and after the journey Poojas, Homa and Dana has to be conducted. As much as

possible in each Theertham, Vratam, Snanam(Bath), Darshan, Pooja, Archana, Japa, Sradha and Dana

has to be done. You have to clear Kama, Krodha(Anger), Lobha, Moha, Trishna, Dwesham, Ragam,

Jealousy, Asanthi, all from your mind during the journey. The journey should not be for

entertainment alone and for your ease that of others should not be sacrificed. Even if you have

problems and sufferings other Theerthataks and the Theertham itself should be shielded at all costs.

Theertham to the Kerala Hindu also means the water that is given as Prasada in the temples. It is

usually the water that is used to bathe the deity and has physical and medical implications also

besides the philosophical ones. The deities are made of Pancha Loha, Granite, including Rudraksha

Sila or special kinds of woods. Now the water that is poured over these will contain traces of certain

elements which in microscopic amounts are good for the health. By drinking the Theertham thereby

the devotee is unconsciously absorbing material that is required by the body.

Besides these Theertham will also have either Thulasi (Vaishnava temples) or Vilwa (Saiva Temples)

leaves immersed in it. Both the leaves have medicinal properties and in fact in Ayurveda is used as

ingredients for many a medicine. This taken in daily in small quantities again is very beneficial to

health. Besides by putting the leaves in the water and only consuming the water the amount of the

Thulasi or Vilwa essence that is going in to the devotees’ body is regulated to the correct amount.

These help in the maxim prevention is better than cure by increasing the body’s resistance to

diseases.

Thus it can be seen that Theerthatan is not a superficial activity to be undertaken at leisure and the

concept in Hinduism has a depth of implication that a pilgrimage in any other religion does not have.

Ref: Swami Parameswarananda Saraswathy, Hindu Dharma Parichayam(Mal), Sri Ramakrishna Math,

Thrissur, 2011.