“ In India rivers are worshipped as mother, matru upasana. Respect to rivers is respect to water as without water there is no life.” – HH Paramahamsa Prajnanananda ji Maharaj on Prachi Parikrama
Story of Prachi River
Prachi Mahatmya in the Uttarakhanda of Padma Purana describes the glory of Prachi River. The puranic origin of river Prachi is from the ashram of sage Kapila.
Prachi Mahatmya mentions that a huge submarine fire, baḍabāgni (great fire), originated from the ocean with the power to destroy the three worlds. Humans, asuras and devas prayed to Lord Brahma to save the three worlds.
Lord Brahma asked everyone to pray together to the lord of the ocean, Sagara. He expressed his helplessness. Then they went to the great rivers Ganga, Yamuna and Rewa. They also expressed helplessness. Finally they prayed to Saraswati. She said “I will be destroyed in the extinguishing the fire, but for the greater wellbeing of creation I will make this sacrifice.”
All the Devatas advised her to go underground and that they would protect her from being completely scorched by the fire. She went underground and originated from the ashram of sage Kapila, who was doing Yagna to protect the Devatas, Asuras and the humans from the fire.
River Saraswati emerged from the place of fire ceremony of Sage Kapila. Though she originally flowed westwards, she changed her direction and flowed towards East, Prācī. This holy river is since then known as Prācī Saraswati. Fulfilling their promise, Devatas reside on her bank.
Prachi Parikrama
Prachi is one of the only two holy rivers mentioned in our scriptures, which have the tradition of being a circumambulatory passage (parikramā) from source to sea and back, on a pilgrimage or yatra. The other is river Narmada.
Under the guidance of Guruji, H.H Paramahamsa Prajnanananda ji Maharaj, Prachi Parikrama was launched on 04, Chaitra, Krishna Paksha, Chaturthi, 2069 Vishvavasu, Vikram Samvat (11/03/2012). Guruji personally leads disciples and devotees around it. He pioneered the project in collaboration with Prachi Parikrama Charitable Trust.
According to the Chairperson and Managing Trustee of the trust, Swami Shuddhanand Giri “The holy journey commences from Andhakapileshwar temple. Source or origin of river has two aspects – one is geographical and the other is spiritual as stated in our Itihasa -Puranas.
A tributary to Mahanadi,…
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