Most of us have heard about the “triveni sangam” of Allahbad, where three rivers Ganga Yamuna and Saraswati meet together which gives this place the religious significance. It is firm belief in Hindus that the one who baths in the “sangam” attains the salvation i.e. out of the circle of life and death. Let’s think again, can it be possible? I know many of us who are afraid of God won’t like to hear anything about it. Because they have firm belief in this sacred place. Let’s change the topic for an instance and talk something else.

Now we are going to discuss the three Nadis(channels) present in our body, viz. Ida, Pingala and Shushumna. These nadis are not the nerves but the channels, literal meaning of nadi is “flow”.

Nadis are thought to carry a life force energy known as prana in Sanskrit or qi in Chinese-based systems. In particular prana (active) is supposed to circulate inside Pingala, while apana (passive) is supposed to circulate inside Ida. The Ida and Pingala nadis are often seen as referring to the two hemispheres of the brain. Pingala is the extroverted (Active), solar nadi, and corresponds to the right hand side of the body and the left hand side of the brain. Ida is the introverted, lunar nadi, and corresponds to the left hand side of the body and the right hand side of the brain (crossing occurs in the optical chiasma). These nadis are also said to have an extrasensory function. ….source wikipedia

“In the East, the symbol of the two serpents twisting on the rod corresponds to the two currents Pingala and Ida which coil around the Merudanda: the first is red, hot and dry, likened to the Sun and the Alchemic Sulphur; the second, Ida, is cold and wet, like the Alchemic Mercury and is correlated with the Moon for its silver pallor.”….source wikipedia.

Let me define these nadis in the simpler language, ida and pingala runs around our backbone(merudanda) like a snake and are coiled together, whereas sushumna is invisible and it runs in between these two nadis but it appears at the point between our eyes on our forehead or at the “third eye”. And those who practise pranayam know that one who starts breathing from both nostrils simultaneously, his sushumna nadi is awakened. Which is referred opening of third eye.

The life force flows through these nadis, and it is believed in the Hindu scripture that holy rivers Ganga and Yamuna are responsible for the life.

Now see, Ida is Ganga, Pingala is Yamuna, and saraswati which is invisible and appears only at the “sangam” is “Sushumna”. These three nadis meet at the point between our eyes or at the third eye. When the person dies and leaves his body through the third eye attains the salvation, and that is why it is so important.

Another city called Varanasi is also considered holy and it is believed one who dies in Varanasi attains salvation. Literal meaning of Varanasi is beyond(vara) nostril(nasi). The same place “the third eye”. Thus it is equally significant place.