Sandipani Muni’s Ashram
Only 2km from the ancient town of Ujjain is the famous hermitage of
Sandipani Muni, the tutor of the blue god Krishna.
¤ The Ancient Indian Traditiion
Innumerable centres of ISKCON (International Society for Krishna
Consciousness) across the globe are dedicated to exploring the
spiritual path proposed by the Bhagwad Gitawhich was elucidated by
Lord Krishna, himself a student of this hermitage at Ujjain.
The sage instructed Krishna and Balarama, his elder brother, at the
time when Ujjain was known as Avantipura.
According to ancient Indian tradition, students – irrespective
of their wealth or poverty – spent the formative years of their
lives until adolescence, in a gurukul ashram (hermitage). Apart from
various subjects and ancient scriptures, they were taught battle
techniques along with the means to attain spiritual enlightenment. At
the end of the term, the guru was entiltled to a gurudakshina, the
reward in return of his services.
Near the ashram is the Gomti Kund,a stepped water tank where Krishna
supposedly summoned all the holy waters from pilgrim centres so that
his old guru, Sandipani Muni, would not have to travel to these
places. Also nearby is the Ankapata,where Krishna washed Sandipani
Muni’s writing tablets. Sandipani Muni himself is believed to
have engraved the numerals one to 100 on a stone.
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