"Mud mangalmay sant samaju,
Jo jag jangam teerath raju"
"Company of holy saints is like a mobile tirtha"
Baalkand, Ramcharitmanasa
Kabir
STHAVAR TIRTHA AND JANGAM TIRTHA
Everyone knows about TIRTHA or places of pilgrimmage. Tirtha is a physical place made holy due to its association with a saint. Every religion has them. Eastern faiths such as Hinduism, Jains, Buddhist and Sikhs all have many places of pilgrimmage. These are places which are located at a certain place and one has to physically go there to benefit from the positive vibrations that holy places have. These are called STHAVAR TIRTHA. Meaning these are fixed in one physical location.
People want to visit these places of pilgrimage in the hopes of resolving their sins and earn merit. Some people visit them to elevate themselves spiritually. Some people visit them because they want money, boons, material things etc. But not many people can go to the places of pilgrimage because either they do not know about them, they do not have time or the money or simply they are ignorant. Those who do not know about them or those who are ignorant are unfortunate. Even more unfortunate are those who know about them and have the time and the means but do not go. Those are worse than the previous group. Having known about the pilgrimage and not going for it is in excusable. At times there may be valid reasons for not be able to go on a pilgrimage, for example family responsibilities etc.
For individuals who want to go and visit Tirthas or places of pilgrimage but have a good reason for not be able to do that, another form of resource is available. SAINTS who travel from place to place. These are called JANGAM TIRTHA. Jangam menas mobile, one that does not stay at one place. Saints move from one place to another. They never stay at one location for too long. where ever they go their presence creates the same positive vibrations and effects that a STHAVAR tirtha has. By His presence a saint creates the environment, aura and vibrations which offer means to elevate oneself spiritually and experience that unconditional peace that resides within us. It is the experience of most of us that when we go and spend time in the company of a visiting saint, we feel calm and at peace. The place feels so divine and tranquil. One naturally feels like helping others, one feels motivated to do get over the bondage of the material world, it has a purifying effect on our senses, body, mind and intellect. As these are purified the true Self shines through.
Since everyone can not go physically to places of pilgrimage, one should take full advantage of any visiting saint and spend as much time as possible in His or Her company. This is also a form of Satsanga. ( company of SAT or Truth ). Not just any truth but Absolute truth. Truth that is not defined by time or place like other relative truths.
From personal example: I visited the Kerala Ashram of Amritanandmayi ( AMMA) and it felt great and had a super spiritual experience. The whole place had a special sense of calmness, tranquility, love and devotion. This was Sthavar Tirtha. I had to physically go there. I also met AMMA when she was visiting Detroit and their was a spiritual program at one of the hotels. The feeling was the same as when visiting the Ashram. Why ? Because the Saint was there and by Her presence she had transformed that hotel into a Tirtha. Even though it was a hotel but while She was there the place had all the qualities and benefits of a Tirtha. It felt great spiritually and it felt the same as when visiting the Ashram in Kerala. So this was a Jangam Tirtha, brought into existence by the visiting Saint. The place turned into a Tirtha due to the presence of a Saint.
Similar was the feeling when I was in the company of SRI SRI Ravishankar, in whose company I spent time in Texas for few days in the month of April. The place had a different feel before He arrived. After He arrived the whole place was transformed and elevated to an entirely different level, spiritually. The vibrations, the feelings of calm, tranquility and peace were hard to miss. This is another example of Jangam Tirtha created and brought into existence by a visiting Saint.
Lucky are those that can visit places of pilgrimage. but those who can not go to such places, should not despair. The visiting saints offer the same opportunities when such saints are travelling and they happen to come and visit where we are. There is a bhajan which goes like this:
“Bhag bade jahan Sant padharey
ye Santan hai bade upkari
Sharan aye ko lete ubari”
( We are very fortunate that Saints have visited us, these saints are very benevolent and generous, seek their blessings and they will save you from being drowned in this world)
Jo jag jangam teerath raju"
"Company of holy saints is like a mobile tirtha"
Baalkand, Ramcharitmanasa
"Tirath gaye se ek phal,
Sant mile phal chaar….
Sat guru mile anek phal,
Kahe kabir vichaar…"
Kabir
STHAVAR TIRTHA AND JANGAM TIRTHA
Everyone knows about TIRTHA or places of pilgrimmage. Tirtha is a physical place made holy due to its association with a saint. Every religion has them. Eastern faiths such as Hinduism, Jains, Buddhist and Sikhs all have many places of pilgrimmage. These are places which are located at a certain place and one has to physically go there to benefit from the positive vibrations that holy places have. These are called STHAVAR TIRTHA. Meaning these are fixed in one physical location.
People want to visit these places of pilgrimage in the hopes of resolving their sins and earn merit. Some people visit them to elevate themselves spiritually. Some people visit them because they want money, boons, material things etc. But not many people can go to the places of pilgrimage because either they do not know about them, they do not have time or the money or simply they are ignorant. Those who do not know about them or those who are ignorant are unfortunate. Even more unfortunate are those who know about them and have the time and the means but do not go. Those are worse than the previous group. Having known about the pilgrimage and not going for it is in excusable. At times there may be valid reasons for not be able to go on a pilgrimage, for example family responsibilities etc.
For individuals who want to go and visit Tirthas or places of pilgrimage but have a good reason for not be able to do that, another form of resource is available. SAINTS who travel from place to place. These are called JANGAM TIRTHA. Jangam menas mobile, one that does not stay at one place. Saints move from one place to another. They never stay at one location for too long. where ever they go their presence creates the same positive vibrations and effects that a STHAVAR tirtha has. By His presence a saint creates the environment, aura and vibrations which offer means to elevate oneself spiritually and experience that unconditional peace that resides within us. It is the experience of most of us that when we go and spend time in the company of a visiting saint, we feel calm and at peace. The place feels so divine and tranquil. One naturally feels like helping others, one feels motivated to do get over the bondage of the material world, it has a purifying effect on our senses, body, mind and intellect. As these are purified the true Self shines through.
Since everyone can not go physically to places of pilgrimage, one should take full advantage of any visiting saint and spend as much time as possible in His or Her company. This is also a form of Satsanga. ( company of SAT or Truth ). Not just any truth but Absolute truth. Truth that is not defined by time or place like other relative truths.
From personal example: I visited the Kerala Ashram of Amritanandmayi ( AMMA) and it felt great and had a super spiritual experience. The whole place had a special sense of calmness, tranquility, love and devotion. This was Sthavar Tirtha. I had to physically go there. I also met AMMA when she was visiting Detroit and their was a spiritual program at one of the hotels. The feeling was the same as when visiting the Ashram. Why ? Because the Saint was there and by Her presence she had transformed that hotel into a Tirtha. Even though it was a hotel but while She was there the place had all the qualities and benefits of a Tirtha. It felt great spiritually and it felt the same as when visiting the Ashram in Kerala. So this was a Jangam Tirtha, brought into existence by the visiting Saint. The place turned into a Tirtha due to the presence of a Saint.
Similar was the feeling when I was in the company of SRI SRI Ravishankar, in whose company I spent time in Texas for few days in the month of April. The place had a different feel before He arrived. After He arrived the whole place was transformed and elevated to an entirely different level, spiritually. The vibrations, the feelings of calm, tranquility and peace were hard to miss. This is another example of Jangam Tirtha created and brought into existence by a visiting Saint.
Lucky are those that can visit places of pilgrimage. but those who can not go to such places, should not despair. The visiting saints offer the same opportunities when such saints are travelling and they happen to come and visit where we are. There is a bhajan which goes like this:
“Bhag bade jahan Sant padharey
ye Santan hai bade upkari
Sharan aye ko lete ubari”
( We are very fortunate that Saints have visited us, these saints are very benevolent and generous, seek their blessings and they will save you from being drowned in this world)
"Tirath gaye se ek phal,
Sant mile phal chaar….
Sat guru mile anek phal,
Kahe kabir vichaar…"
By Kabir
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