Every sacred number in the Vedic tradition carries an entire universe of meaning — and the Krittikas are the six who gave fire to the world. A Vedanta scholar and Sanskrit researcher opens this session at Shakti Kumbh 2024 with an exploration of the astronomical, philosophical, and mythological significance of the Krittika star cluster and the Saptarishis.

He unfolds the significance of the number six across Indian knowledge systems — six Darshanas, six Vedangas, six Yoga kriyas, six Ritus, six calamities, six Shadripu — building toward the Krittikas as the six wives of the Saptarishis (all except Arundhati, wife of Vasishtha) who collectively form the Pleiades. The Sanskrit etymology is precise: Krittika means “that which cuts,” in the form of Agnishika — the flame that severs the bonds of ignorance.

The session then opens into a broader meditation on the sacred significance of numbers in the Vedic cosmos — from Saptaswara and Saptaloka to Ashta Disha and Navagraha — inviting participants to explore their own birth dates through the lens of Vedic numerical symbolism.

About the Speaker:
Dr. Gauri Mahulikar is the Academic Director at CIF. Dr. Mahulikar was the Gurudev Tagore Chair of Comparative Literature Professor, former Head of Department of Sanskrit at the Mumbai University. She holds a Doctorate in Sanskrit on ‘Vedic Elements in Puranic Mantras and Rituals’. She is an author, who has published 8 books and over 100 research articles in English, Marathi, Hindi and Sanskrit.