1. Little Me, Big Words, and a Big Puzzle

Growing up in Kumbakonam, where temple gopurams scraped the sky and the air was rich with the aroma of jasmine and camphor, the Sankalpam was as much a part of life as the Cauvery flowing beside us.

During every pooja or festival, the Sastrigal would arrive, setting up his small silver plate, turmeric water, and darbha grass. With a voice that commanded attention, he would chant:

“Bharatha Varshe, Bharatha Kande, Mero Dakshine Parsve…”

I sat there, a curious boy, cross-legged and wide-eyed. I mimicked his tone, tripping over the big words. They felt heavy, ancient, and important, though I didn’t know why.

Are we giving directions to the gods? Don’t they already know where we are?

This thought nagged me every time I heard the chant. I didn’t have an answer then, but those words stayed with me like a melody I couldn’t get out of my head—a cosmic puzzle waiting to be solved.

2. The First Clue: A Map of the Universe

Years later, I began to piece together the meaning of the Sankalpam. It wasn’t just a chant—it was a declaration, a cosmic address that pinpointed where and when we stood in the vastness of existence.

It Begins With Time:

• Dviteeya Parardhe: We are in the second half of Brahma’s life—an incomprehensible span of billions of years.

• Svetavaraha Kalpe: This Kalpa, or cosmic epoch, is named after the White Boar incarnation of Lord Vishnu.

• Vaivaswatha Manvantare: We live in the reign of the seventh Manu, the cosmic manager of this era.

• Ashta Vimsati Tame Mahayuge: In the 28th Mahayuga, a cycle of four Yugas repeated endlessly.

• Kaliyuge, Prathame Pade: In the Kali Yuga, an age of turbulence, we are still in its first quarter.

Then, It Zooms Into Geography:

• Jambu Dweepe: The Earth is imagined as part of Jambu Dweepa, the central continent in Hindu cosmology.

• Bharatha Varshe, Bharatha Kande: This is the land of Bharatha, our modern-day India.

• Mero Dakshine Parsve: Situated to the south of the cosmic Mount Meru, considered the axis of the universe.

Finally, It Pinpoints the Day and Star:

• It includes the precise Hindu year, season, lunar phase, Tithi (day of the lunar calendar), and Nakshatra (dominant star or constellation).

I was astounded. This wasn’t just a prayer—it was a cosmic GPS. It didn’t just say, “I am here.” It said, “I am here, in this age, in this cycle, in this infinite expanse of space and time.”

3. A Kumbakonam Twist: My Personalized Sankalpam

Being born in Kumbakonam adds a layer of intimacy to the Sankalpam. This sacred town, on the banks of the Cauvery, is woven into its very words. My personalized Sankalpam goes like this:

My Full Sankalpam

• Dviteeya Parardhe: In the second half of Brahma’s life.

• Svetavaraha Kalpe: In the Kalpa of Svetavaraha.

• Vaivaswatha Manvantare: In the reign of Vaivaswatha Manu.

• Ashta Vimsati Tame Mahayuge: In the 28th Mahayuga.

• Kaliyuge, Prathame Pade: In the Kali Yuga, in its first quarter.

• Jambu Dweepe: On the continent of Jambu.

• Bharatha Varshe: In the region of Bharatha (India).

• Bharatha Kande: In the land of Bharatha.

• Mero Dakshine Parsve: To the south of Mount Meru.

• Kaveri Maha Nadya Teere: On the sacred banks of the Cauvery River.

• Kumbakonam Nama Grame: In the town named Kumbakonam.

This wasn’t just a chant anymore. It was a poetic map, connecting my beloved Kumbakonam to the infinite timeline of creation.

4. Ancient Wisdom Meets Modern Science

Years later, I came across modern mapping tools. Zooming out from my home to my state, then to the entire Earth, I was struck by how much this resembled the structure of the Sankalpam.

But the Sankalpam goes even further. It maps not just space, but time itself. It places us in the infinite cycles of creation, preservation, and destruction.

When I read Carl Sagan’s words, it all made sense:

“The Hindu religion is the only one of the world’s great faiths dedicated to the idea that the cosmos undergoes an immense, indeed infinite, number of deaths and rebirths. Its cycles run from our ordinary day and night to a day and night of Brahma—8.64 billion years long.”

The creators of the Sankalpam were more than priests. They were cosmologists, philosophers, and visionaries. Long before telescopes, they had grasped the cyclical nature of the universe—a truth that modern science is only now confirming.

5. Finding My Place in the Universe

Now, every time I hear the Sankalpam, it feels like more than a ritual. It’s a reminder—a grounding moment in the chaos of modern life.

In a world of endless notifications, distractions, and deadlines, the Sankalpam helps me pause. It reminds me that I am a tiny speck in the vast cosmos, but I am not insignificant. My actions, my choices, and my rituals ripple through this infinite web.

It bridges the ancient and the modern, the infinite and the personal. It’s humbling to think that these words, chanted for centuries, still hold meaning in a world filled with satellites and space telescopes.

Conclusion: A Cosmic Connection

The Sankalpam began as a mystery to me—a set of grand, incomprehensible words. Over time, it became my anchor—a cosmic map that connected me to the infinite and reminded me of my roots.

Whether it’s chanting “Kumbakonam Nama Grame” to honor the land I come from or reflecting on Carl Sagan’s insights into the universe, the Sankalpam has taught me that ancient wisdom and modern science aren’t opposites. They’re two lenses through which we see the same truth.

So the next time you hear the Sankalpam, pause for a moment. Think of it as a story—a story of who you are, where you are, and how you’re connected to the universe. Zoom out, and you might just find the same wonder I did.