Sandipani Ashram Ujjain

Sandipani Ashram Krishna ki Pathshala

In the Dwapar Yug, Lord Krishna went to Sandipani Ashram in Ujjain at approximately 11 years of age.  Lord Krishna got his education from Guru Sandipani along with his elder brother Balaram and his close friend Sudama. In the ancient beliefs, Lord Krishna, being divine, became an expert in 14 Sciences and 64 Arts in just 64 days.

The ashram complex has the 6,000-year-old Shivling in the Sarveshwar Mahadev Temple and the holy Gomati Kund. It is said Lord Krishna brought the waters of all holy rivers into this kund so that his guru did not have to travel far for ritual washing.

• Best Time to Visit- October to March
• Ideal Visit Duration- 1-2 Hours
• Entry Fee- Free

Unique Fact:

• Origin of Ankapat-  The name Ankapat comes from the Sanskrit word Anka (numbers). It is believed that Guru Sandipani taught counting and mathematics here.
• Ancient Number Stone-  A stone slab inside the ashram displays numbers from 1 to 100. Local tradition says Krishna practised calculations on this stone.
• Link with Ancient Avanti-  The ashram flourished when Ujjain was known as Avanti, one of the most important educational and cultural centres of ancient India.
• Gomti Kund Engineering Mystery-  The kund is fed by underground water sources and remains sacred due to the belief that Krishna brought waters from all holy rivers into it.
• The ancient Nandi- Near Gomti Kund stands an ancient Nandi statue believed to date back to the Shunga period (around 2nd century BCE).
• Vallabhacharya Connection- A lesser-known fact is that followers of the Vallabh Sampradaya consider Sandipani Ashram one of the important places associated with the philosopher-saint Vallabhacharya.

Story for Guru Dakshina 

One of the most popular stories connected with Sandipani Ashram is the story of Guru Dakshina. After completing their study, Guru Sandipani urged Krishna and Balarama to fetch back his missing son. Taking this plea as their Guru Dakshina, Krishna and Balarama started their hunt. They finally reached the house of Yamraj, the God of Death, in Hindu legend. Krishna succeeded in fetching back Guru Sandipani’s son and reuniting him with his family. This deed showed Krishna’s love for his master and underlined the necessity of honouring one’s guru.

A prominent element of the ashram is the 84 Baithak 

These baithaks represent the several educational and spiritual sessions performed by Guru Sandipani for his disciples. Every baithak symbolises devotion, learning, discipline and principles that laid the foundation of Gurukul education. Many people take time to roam about these baithaks and ponder on the traditions of ancient Indian learning. The region gives a glimpse of the flow of knowledge in the Gurukul system.