Gyanvapi a symbol of Lord Vishwanath, medium of attaining knowledge: Yogi

Gorakhpur: Referring to Adi Shankar's journey to Kashi for his pursuit of knowledge, CM Yogi Adityanath said that the Gyanvapi well located in Kashi is not just a structure, but a medium of attaining knowledge and a symbol of Lord Vishwanath himself. He mentioned that Lord Vishwanath appeared to Adi Shankar, who had come to Kashi for knowledge, in the form of an untouchable Chandala, and enlightened him about Advaita and Brahmaa.Yogi was expressing his thoughts on Friday during the conclusion of the Shrimad Bhagwat Mahapuran Katha Gyan Yajna, held on the occasion of the 55th death anniversary of Mahant Digvijaynath and the 10th death anniversary of Mahant Avaidyanath at the Gorakhnath Temple.Insisting that no one knows in what form God will appear, Yogi referred to an incident related to sanyasi Adi Shankar, who had set out from Kerala."When he felt that he had matured in the knowledge of Advaita, he came to Kashi, the holy city of Lord Vishwanath, to gain more wisdom. One morning, as he was heading to take a bath in the Ganges, Lord Vishwanath appeared in the form of a Chandala (an outcast considered untouchable) on his path. When Adi Shankar asked the so-called untouchable to move aside, he received a reply: "You are proficient in Advaita teachings. You talk about the Brahmma satya. If the Brahmma within you and me is different, then your Advaita is not true. Do you consider me untouchable by merely looking at my skin?" At that moment, Adi Shankar realized that this was indeed Lord Vishwanath himself, the very deity he had come to Kashi in search of."Yogi said that the purpose of stories is not just to listen to them but to also incorporate their teachings into our daily lives. The Chief Minister mentioned an instance where a leftist leader from Kerala, who had also served as the Chief Minister of Kerala, wrote a comment. He had written that when he joined the Communist Party, he was told that India is not a single nation but a group of nationalities. However, when he travelled across India, from the West to the East, and from the North to the South, he saw rich heritage, monasteries, and temples everywhere. He realized that a monk who set out from Kerala established four religious centres in the four corners of the country. This monk from the South, without any discrimination, initiated a wide-ranging campaign of religious awakening, bringing everyone together in India."It was then understood that what we call monasteries and temples are not merely centres of worship but the foundation of nationality. The soul of India resides in them," he said.The Chief Minister further said that if India was not united as a cultural entity, Jagadguru Ramanandacharya would not have been able to initiate his campaign of establishing religious centres across the country. He brought together devotees from all castes. His disciples included both Ravidas and Kabir. Similarly, Ramanujacharya, who came from the South, led a campaign to unite people across India.CM Yogi said that Maha Yogi Guru Gorakhnath, along with our acharyas, saints, rishis, and sages, strengthened the tradition of uniting India. He mentioned that, on one hand, there was a destructive tradition, referred to as "asuras" (demons), and at different times, we saw examples of this in figures like Ravana, Kansa, or Duryodhana. On the other hand, there was the tradition of sages and rishis filled with divine power, alongside the tradition of religious pilgrimages. He added that it is this tradition of unity that connects India, where a person from the North takes water from Gangotri to Rameshwaram, while a person from Rameshwaram comes to offer water at Kedarnath.The Chief Minister also expressed his gratitude to Kashi Peethadheeshwar Ram Kamal Vedanti Ji, who came directly from America to Gorakhpur to narrate the Shrimad Bhagwat Mahapuran.Yogi also released a book by Prof CB Singh, the outgoing professor of political science at Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Gorakhpur University.