Yatra Dharma: Understanding The Teerth Yatra
*Late Swamini Svatmabodhananda Saraswati*
<https://www.indica.today/author/swamini/> November 9, 2019
Vising holy places as a pilgrimage plays an extremely important role in the
life of a *vaidika* (Hindu) with the primary aim being to elevate the minds
of pilgrims to higher spiritual levels.
The etymological meaning of the word teertha is:* teeryate anena iti
teertham samsaara saagaraat tarana upaaya bhootam* that by which it is
crossed, that which helps the crossing the ocean of *samsara,* a life of
becoming/cycle of birth and death/sukha dukha and also takes one to the
path of liberation.
It is a deliberate effort of purification physically and mentally as Hindus
consider every mountain, hill, the rivers seas and tanks ponds and plains
and forests as sacred. All pilgrim centres are associated with some form of
a deity, temple, which has been consecrated either by devatas, rishis,
kings, brahmanas, or by a community or by the entire village as a place of
worship for Deva yajna, *Pitru yajna*, *Brahma yajna, Bhuta yajna* or an
opportunity to do seva for *manushya yajna* in the form of *annadaanam* and
providing places to stay for pilgrims.
These pilgrim centres are spread all over India, from the Himalayas to
Kanyakumari from north to south, and Somnath to Puri, west to east.
The Puranas, *sthalapuranas* or the local legends tell us these places are
all extremely ancient, closely connected with the persons and incidents
narrated in the Puranas. Places associated with great saints and religious
leaders of a historical period are considered to be worthy of worship too.
During Krta yuga people were capable of doing *dhyanam,* in Treta yuga,
kings encouraged Vedic rituals by conducting big yagas which soon faded out
due to inherent difficulties in performing them. Their place was soon taken
up by *pujas, homas* (oblations into consecrated fires associated with
popular deities), *vratas* (religious vows) and teertha yatras. These were
eulogised as easy to perform but giving equally good and quick results
of *chitta
shuddhi* or purification.
*Kshetra*
A *kshetra* means a field or a place of pilgrimage or cultivation where you
reap the fruits. In a general sense it means an agricultural field where
seeds are sown for reaping a good crop to serve the Jivas for the Annamaya
Kosha.
In the Bhagavad Gita – Chapter 13, it stands for any *upaadhi* (body mind
sense complex) of any jiva (humans, animals, insects, worms, birds,
reptiles, aquatic, the *Deva shareeram* too – since it is through this body
that the fruits of karma – *paapa punya* are reaped, hence Dharmakshetra.
Usually the *manushya shareeram* is called kshetra as we understand in the
literal sense – it is a Dharma kshetra and Karma kshetra being endowed with
the free will to do karma – this is with reference to gaining freedom from
*samsaara.*
The *Deva shareerams* are meant for exhausting their punya alone and cannot
acquire new karma and lesser than animal *shareerams* are meant to
exhaust *paapa
karmas* and to acquire new karma.
Only a human *shareeram* can exhaust paapa and punya and also acquire new
papa-punya because of free will. This includes the five elements
-intellect, sense organs, ahankaara and all the sense objects.
While the human body is subject to disintegration, its purpose is not
merely to disintegrate – or grow or metamorphosis or age but to serve as a
kshetra. It is called kshetra because it can save you from
disintegration. *Kshtaat
traayate* that is, it helps you overcome duhkha, or like a field of
cultivation, this body is also a kshetra since you can reap the fruits of
karma. Whether it helps you save yourself relatively (from the cycle of
birth and death) or absolutely *(moksha),* it is called a kshetra. The
entire physical, physiological, psychological, intellectual emotional
complex including the gross, subtle and causal bodies is called the kshetra.
Shankara defines the etymological meaning of kshetra in the *Gita Bhaashyam*
- *kShataat traanaat iti kshetram* – it protects one from falling into
samsaara
- *kShayaat kShetram* – it undergoes destruction by external forces
- *kSharanaat kshetram* – subject to disintegration natural process
- *kshetratcvaat kshetram* – because one reaps the fruits of one’s
actions through this body, it is like a cultivable land through which one
harvests the crop one has sown
In Hindu astrology, the 12 signs of the zodiac are considered as kshetras
for the seven planets and 27 nakshatras to estimate the effects of the
planets and nakshatras respectively in their multiple combinations.
*Literature*
The literature on *teertha yaatra* is very extensive. There are more than
40,000 verses available on Yaatras in the Mahabharata and Puranasa.
The whole corpus of texts which are considered as part of the Skanda Purana
is grouped in two ways. According to one tradition, these are grouped in
six saṁhitās, each of which consists of several *khaṇḍas.* According to
another tradition, these are grouped in seven khaṇḍas, each named after a
major pilgrimage region or site. The chapters are Mahatmyas, or travel
guides for pilgrimage tourists.
*Teerthas are of three kinds: Jangam Teertha is to a place movable (of a
sadhu, a rishi, a guru), Sthawar Teertha is to a place immovable (like
Benaras, Hardwar, Mount Kailash, holy rivers), Manas Teertha is to a place
of mind (of truth, charity, patience, compassion, soft speech, soul)* –
Skanda Purana.
In Bharata there are many places of worship which have gained sanctity over
the centuries. There are stories in the Puranas and epics associated with
different places where devotees feel the presence of the Lord.
It is one’s attitude called *bhavana* in Sanskrit that makes a place as
sacred. It is only when one visits a place of worship with an attitude of
devotion that one will be blessed. In the fourth Skanda of Devi Bhagavatam,
Sage Ajaavana glorifies this attitude of devotion. He tells Prahlada that
even though many people live on the banks of the sacred River Ganga and
bathe in the holy waters, they do not benefit from it without an attitude
of devotion.
In the Padma Purana it is stated that it is one’s devotion and the purity
of one’s mind that blesses one who visits sacred places. It is because of
this attitude that one is called a pilgrim and the journey to the temple is
called a Yatra or a pilgrimage. There are certain pilgrimages that are
considered important in the life of a Hindu. These may be to a Kula Devata
temple, Pitru yajna temples, or *Parihara sthalas* as *praayaschittam* or
for fulfilling ones *Purushaartha* dharma. All these places are meant for
one’s own external and internal purification.
It is believed that every person owes three debts in one’s life – *deva
runam*, *pitru runam* and *rishi runam.* The first debt is to the Gods for
what one is blessed with; the second debt is to one’s forefathers/ancestors
who have left the legacy of culture, knowledge and this present janma for
us; the third debt is what one owes to oneself for one’s spiritual growth
to the sages. The *Tri-sthala* has been extolled in many puranas including
the Padma Purana, Vayu Purana, Matsya Purana and Skanda Purana.
*The purpose of a Teerth yatra*
*Teertha yatra* has been listed as one of the religious *Saamanya Dharmas* or
common duties of every Hindu Bharatiya in his life time by some of the *shastra
granthas* like the Vishnu Dharma Sutra (2.16.17).
It is supposed to neutralizes the *paapas* and earn *punya* or religious
merits and result in *chitta shuddhi* or purity of mind.
Even the Rig Veda (10.75) Khila refers to the sacredness of the place where
the white and black rivers – Ganga and Yamuna merge at Prayag. A bath here
is believed to enable one to go to heaven. The puranas are replete with
such ideas.
The beauty and grandeur of such places are conducive for meditation.
Besides associating with spiritually advanced *sadhakas,* who might have
been visiting these places earlier and learn from their experiences and
also a host of related ideas have endowed those places of pilgrimage with a
lot of sacredness.
*Classification of teerthas*
The Brahmapurana (970.16-19) classifies the teerthas or places of
pilgrimage into four groups
- Daiva – those that are created by gods
- Asuras – those associated with asuras and demons like gaya
- Arsha – those established by rishis like Vasistha, Prabhasa,
Naranarayana
- Manusha those created by kings, beings like Ambarisha, Manu Kuru,
siddhas, yogis
These four are assigned to the four yugas – Krita, Tretaa, Dvaapara and
Kali. These classifications may be relevant or not relevant depends on the
bhavanaa of the devotee.
Skanda Purana is replete with details – Reva Khanda talks about Naramada
teertha, the entire Narmada 3000 kms are covered. Ujjain is dealt with in
detail with 84 Linga temples specifically in 84 chapters.
Bhakti saints and our Acharyas have travelled extensively irrespective of
the difficult situations and inconveniences of travel. Some of them they
have left behind their travelogue as interesting devotional poetry.
*Eligibility for Teerth Yatra*
One of the questions often asked and discussed in the Puranas and the
Dharma sutras is that of the adhikaari or eligibility for teertha yatra.
This had probably become necessary because study of the Vedas, performance
of the Vedic rituals were restricted to the dvijas, the twice born which
included Brahmana, Kashatriya and Vaishya.
Unlike the study of the Vedas or performance of the Vedic rituals, taking
recourse to teertha yatra is open to all human beings irrespective of their
caste status or condition (Matsya Purana 184.66, 67).
The Puranas go to the extent of declaring that those who take a bath in a
holy river or at a holy place will not only purify seven generations of
their fore fathers and descendants but also find their path to liberation
(Vaman Purana 36.78,79)
Such *arthavaada* (hyperbolic eulogy) was obviously meant to induce and
encourage everyone to undertake teertha yatra. But a few primary rules have
also been imposed for undertaking the teertha yatra:-
- A brahmachari living in the guru’s house had to take his permission.
- Grihasthas were obliged to take their spouses, because dampatyaa saha
would get more punyam, failing which the man or the woman will get the due
merits of the yatra.
- Sanyasis keep moving anyway from place to place as long as the body
permits to travel.
*Disciplined ethical life a prerequisite/precondition:*
Despite eulogising teertha yatra in order to attract people, the sages of
the Puranas did not fail to stress the importance of a moral, religious,
ethical life as a precondition, without which it would become futile.
However, it was also conceded that persons – even transgressors of Dharma
and wrong doers – who undertake the teerth yatra with faith and devotion,
repent for the misdeeds and resolve not to repeat them will definitely be
benefitted by it.
Our Sanatana Dharma gives every opportunity, ways and means to change
transform ourselves, to lead a pure life according to Dharma. While persons
leading a pure life do not need to undertake teerth yatras, they too will
be benefitted in their spiritual evolution if they do. They inspire others
to emulate them.
It is interesting to note that the practice of virtues jnaanam – daivee
sampat (Bhagavd Gita), assimilating which and adopting in our lives, leads
to purity of mind; *kshama* (forgiveness); *daya* (compassion); dama
(self-control) are all called teertha as they are conducive to *chitta
shuddhi,* purity of mind.
These teerth yaatras help the pilgrims to be in satsanga with company of
holy persons who are themselves called *teertha,* whose very presence makes
the place sacred.
Shankara’s instructions on teertha yatra to his disciple Swami
Padmapada(Madhaveeya Shankara Digvijayam, 14th chapter by Swami Vidyaranya):
Verses 1-19
*Once Padmapada approached the Acharya and sought permission to go on a
pilgrimage to holy places. The Achaarya thereupon said to him – the
proximity of the Guru is the real place of pilgrimage, the washings of his
feet are the holy waters, the attainment of Atman through the guru’s
instruction is the real experience of the holy presence which men seek
indirectly through the adoration of sacred images installed in temples.*
*It is better to be near the Guru serving him than to go about from place
to place. When one has walked long distances and become completely
exhausted and sleepy, how can one meditate on the Atman?*
Sanyasa is of two kinds – *Vidvat Sanyasa*, this is the first – the knowing
one, like Yajnavalkya. The second is *Vividhidhaa Sanyasa* – the enquirer
of the Supreme Truth. In order that they may gain the meaning of the *Mahaa
vaakya tat* (Ishvara) *tvam* (Jiva) *asi* (you are that) the enquirer will
always be reflecting on the Supreme. This will be difficult for a pilgrim
to do, for a traveller will always have his mind agitated by thoughts such
as ‘in which place is water available in abundance? In which area there is
water scarcity? Where can a place of rest and stay be available? What would
one do if one is afflicted by fever (infection)?
Even one’s companions will desert one when one becomes incapacitated by
illness to walk or lie down or unable to carry on life independently.
Where shall I bathe in the morning?
Where shall I get a place suited for meditation?
Where shall I get my food today? Where shall I meet a trustworthy person to
be friendly?
Thus the wanderer will have time only to think of shelter, food and safety
and protection.
*Recommended procedures*
The Puranas and Dharma shastras have laid down the procedure to be followed
in teertha yatra. It is summarised briefly here:
1. Observing a fast if possible or fluid diet on the previous day of the
commencement of the yatra.
2. Kula Devataa puja, Ganapati puja, Navagraha puja, Brahmana bhojanam or
annadanam in a temple on the day of the departure.
3. Visit the local temple and offer prayers.
4. Wear yellow coloured vastram.
5. Sankalpa or religious resolve as dictated by the scriptures.
6. Carry minimum luxury during travel.
7. Keep life simple.
8. Recite the namas of the lord, stotra pathanam japa etc.
9. After returning, worshipping the same deities and offer annadanam as
thanks giving.
In the modern context, compromise is inevitable. So atleast offer a simple
puja and sankalpa at home, visit the local temple before going and after
successful completion of the pilgrimage.
*Pratinidhi or proxy system according to the Shastras*
In the olden days it was the ambition of every devout Hindu to visit Kashi
and other holy places at least once their life time. However transport and
communication were extremely difficult, not so convenient, there was no
immunisation against local infections and often if they went for yatra it
would take months before they returned. Even able bodied persons could not
make it so easily then, to say nothing of others in old age and ill health,
handicapped and those without money.
For the benefit of such people the treatises on the teertha yatra have
given a unique method called ‘*pratinidhi kriya*’. According to this, the
person who is unable to perform the pilgrimage should request someone who
is going, to perform some rite like bathing in the river Ganga etc. on his
behalf also.
After reaching River Ganga, the pilgrim prepares the image of the person
with *kusha* grass, immerses it in the water with appropriate mantras
remembering him. The person for whom the proxy rite is performed is said to
get a part of the religious merit which he would have got if he had
personally done it himself (Atri Smriti 50,51)
People both in the ancient, and medieval period were prepared to face all
the hardships and undertake pilgrimages, because of their deep faith in the
system that sustained them in and through their hardships and
inconveniences. Their shraddha in the *Shastra vakyas,* *Guru vakyas*,
their ancestor’s way of life, *Veda vakyas*, and in the disciplined
religious life style and ethics made them ready to undergo difficult
journeys. It has also helped them to attain emotional integrity and
maturity and to develop a cultural and religious harmony with other bhaktas
throughout the country.
Some would chose to live in Kashi until their death. Many families from the
South have immigrated to these pilgrim centres in the north and have made a
living for centuries.
Today with the fast paced advancement of science and technology in the
field of transportation and communication it is possible to reach even the
farthest part of the globe in a matter of hours. This has made pilgrimage
not only easy and comfortable and also enjoyable. Pilgrims should however
keep up the fervour of devotion and should avoid the temptation of making
the pilgrimage a pleasure trip of holiday trips, or tourism promotions or
honeymoon trips, trekking trips, by trying to cultivate the same religious
fervour our forefathers had. { article from a blogger as recd} 1223
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