ART-0529 Ujjain: The Gurukula (school) of Lord Krishna

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Ujjain is one of the main Kumbha Mela sites. See the Teachers’ Book, pages 72, 78 (Sandipani Muni painting) and page 101 (Mathematics). See also STO-320, the story of the turtle incarnation.

According to the Aranya Parva of the Mahabharata, Ujjain is one of the seven sacred cities (dhamas) known as ‘Moksha-puris’ (‘cities that grant liberation’). The other six are Ayodhya, Mathura, Haridwar, Prayag, Kanchipuram and Dwarka. Ujjain is situated on the banks of Shipra River, which is one of the western most tributaries of the Ganges. It is said that one who takes bath in the Shipra will attain moksha (liberation).

Ujjain is where Sandipani Muni instructed Lord Krishna and his brother, Lord Balarama. It was called Avantipura when Lord Krishna studied here. The Bhagavat Purana (10.45.30) states:

“Concealing their innately perfect knowledge by their human-like activities, those two omniscient lords of the universe, themselves the origin of all branches of knowledge, next desired to reside at the school of the spiritual master. Thus they approached Sandipani Muni, a native of Kashi living in the city of Avanti”.

Near Sandipani Muni’s ashram (house) is Gomati Kunda, where Krishna called all the holy rivers so that Sandipani would not have to go on pilgrimage (in order to bathe in them all). The numbers 1 to 100 are found there, believed to be engraved by Sandipani Muni over 5000 years ago.

The Kumbha Mela is held in Ujjain every twelve years and it also takes place at Allahabad, Haridwar and Nasik.

At these four places fell the drops of nectar produced when the demigods and the demons churned the milk ocean with the help of Lord Kurma, and the demigods and demons fought over it. Three million people came here during the last Kumbha Mela.

Ujjain is located about 450 miles north of Bombay.