As Maha Kumbh 2025 commences, drawing over 45 crore devotees to Prayagraj, numerous inspiring spiritual stories are emerging. One such tale is that of Acharya Jaishankar Narayanan, a former IIT-BHU graduate who transitioned from being an engineer to a monk, teaching Vedanta and Sanskrit, reports ANI.
Acharya Narayanan graduated from IIT-BHU in 1992 and initially worked at Tata Steel before moving to the US in 1993. During his time in the US, he encountered his guru, Swami Dayanand Saraswati, whose teachings of Vedanta transformed his life.
"I met Guru Ji for the first time, and after listening to his 'pravachan' I became interested in Vedanta," Mr Narayanan shared.
In 1995, he returned to India and joined a residential course at the Gurukulam, dedicating himself to studying Vedanta. Over the past 20 years, Narayanan has been teaching Vedanta and Sanskrit.
Reflecting on his journey, he said, "When I joined IIT, it felt like a great achievement, but there were so many others like me who had cracked the entrance exam. After some time, it didn't feel like a big deal."
"All achievements feel significant only for the moment, but eventually, they become normal, and you start working toward your next target," he further added.
Maha Kumbh 2025 has also brought several saints into the spotlight. Among them is "Chai Wale Baba," a former tea seller who has been providing free coaching to civil service aspirants for the past 40 years. Similarly, Rabri Baba, also known as Shri Mahant Devgiri of Shri Panchayati Akhada Mahanirvani, is gaining attention for his selfless service. Another notable figure is "IIT Baba," a former aerospace engineer from IIT Bombay.
The Maha Kumbh, held every 12 years, began on January 13 and will conclude on February 26, 2025.
