Information for Muktinath Dham

[Guest guest]

This is an information for all devotees who would like

to particiate in comming Muktinath Dham Tour. On

Septemper 2002. We well welcome everbody atlest to

have darsan of Lord Muktunda and achive

transencendental libaration from this world.

writen by Bhaktisiddhanta Swami.

 

 

 

Kali Gandaki 2002

 

 

 

After several years of worshipping the Lord in His

shaligram sila form, last February was an opportunity

to go visit a few of His Homes on the Kali Gandaki in

Nepal, from Jomsom , Kanbeni up to the famous

Muktinath which is 1000 meters above the sacred

winding tributary of millions of Supremes. Anyone who

goes or has gone will remember this experience as one

of the highlights of one’s life. It is so humbling to

have darshan of this unequaled setting of the Lord’s

virat rupa of changing skies, snow capped mountains,

and serene townships along the Kali Gandaki providing

a constant abisek of the Lord in one of His ‘most

personal and unique forms’.

 

 

 

Everyone who visits may have a different time

schedule which will determine how long and where you

will go. Remember one trip will invite repeated

visits. Our journey was a 12 day affair leaving and

returning to Vrindaban. If one is going to search for

shaligrams then 5 days or so in the mountain areas is

plenty for ones full satisfaction in finding Lords

along with the demanding exercise involved in looking.

 

 

 

 

Firstly, I flew roundtrip from Delhi to Katmandhu

which cost $290 US(I went alone...no one else could

come) Foreigners pay full fares on these routes. If

you have an Indian body the ticket will be around

$150. We were blessed with some Maoist uprisings in

Nepal, a problem just in certain areas between the

government and rebels which brought no danger to

tourists but in reality scared most away. This was

nice…less people and more nature. Generally February

thru to September can be busy times.

 

In Katmandhu, apart from the temple, is an area

called ‘Tamal’ where the foreigners all go. It is

protective here and provides all kinds of camping and

travel accessories that you may need. The prices in

Nepal are 1/3 what you find in the west with all the

name brands. One can rent a warm jacket or sleeping

bag for around 25 Nrupees a day, eliminating useless

luggage as you visit the dhamas. We spent a few days

there which helped with any needed altitude

adjustment.

 

 

 

Around the neighboring Buddhist temples like

Pasupatinath(near the airport)and market places many

shaligrams are available and of course it is an

offence to place a price or sell a shaligram but there

is no harm if they are given to one as a gift.

 

 

 

Our schedule was to fly the sectors between

Katmandhu-Pokhra-Jomsom by plane(around $60 USD each

sector times 4 plus $28 for the required hiking

permit, airport taxes…approx. $300). This way we could

use all of our available energy for searching. If one

is fortunate to have more time then walking these

routes takes 3-5 days. Arrangements can be made for

horseback excursions also.

 

 

 

The flight from Katmandhu to Pokhra(35 minutes) is

on a 40 seater plane and the one to Jomsom is a 24

seater. This is a change for in the past they used to

have a 12 seater nicknamed the ‘vomit express’. I know

on the Jomsom leg Indradumnya Swami once had a rare

but interesting upside down view from his window of

the area just before landing. But now with the bigger

planes the ride is quite stable and tolerable. In

Pokhra the place to go is ‘Lakeside’. Here with lake

views and the backdrop of snowy mountains is your

first glimpse into a reality. Again you will find the

lodging and whatever hiking supplies one may need.

Many shaligrams will be visible in the market area.

 

 

 

Here is a list of items (if you are going to stay in

a lodge) that should be taken(at least for

February-March)…April through to September is warmer.

 

1 thermos(for herbal teas and hot milk(powdered

milk provided at the lodges)

 

2 warm apparel(long underwear,hat etc.)

 

3 gloves

 

4 gum boots(water resistant for wading through

the water)

 

5 muesli mixes, nut bars etc…

 

6 candles(occasional lighting needs and can even

give a little warmth which can soften the morning

brisk air within ones room)

 

7 map(available in Pokhra and Katmandhu…good

quality and inexpensive)

 

8 goggles(high winds…sand and glare in the

glacier areas)

 

9 camera(your crazy if you don’t record the trip

for the others)

 

10 basic shoes for climbing(if you stick on the

main trail you won’t need hiking boots)

 

11 Decent backpack with suitable pockets to hold

essentials

 

 

 

Then walking from Jomsom to Kanbeni(2½ hour hike…8

hours for river

 

enthusiasts) then a later trek up to Muktinath(2½ -4

hours depending one abilities in the high altitudes…an

elevation of a mere 3,800 meters) and then half the

time in reverse. Quaint lodging facilities are in each

area for 1$ to $2 US dollars a night. I found it

advantageous to rent rooms in all 3 locations leaving

shaligrams and personal items that would aid to light

traveling between the sectors… and of course you can’t

beat the prices.

 

 

 

Leaving the KaliGandaki at Kanbeni to climb up to

Muktinath is a highlight. I felt that it was maya to

leave the Gandaki to go into the mountains but I was

wrong. As one ascends you reach plateau after plateau

where you think that you have reached the summit, but

it just keeps on going. Because of the altitude and

our physical state we had to rest 35 times on the way

up(sometimes after every 100 steps) and only 3 times

on the way down. You were cursing the person who made

these large stone stairs at the closing

intervals(almost like a malicious test). Finally you

do reach the town of Muktinath and above the

town(another 45 minutes) is a Laxmi-Narayana temple

built in a glacier(from where the mountain pan is

taken). There are 108 shower spouts coming from the

glacier on the back wall of the shrine with the best

water that makes the journey a complete success(some

fanatical devotees even shower there). We spent one

night in Muktinath and even though 1000 meters higher

than Kanbeni was warmer because the highwinds on the

river level make it more austere. To our surprise many

special shaligrams were found and given to us by

different pilgrims on the path downward.

 

 

 

What adds a cultural mystique to the mountain paths

and the flat areas of the Kali Gandaki are the teams

of yaks and mules that would traverse the steep slopes

carrying supplies back and forth from each area. The

owner would be behind a team of 6 or more animals that

methodically climb and descend(they could probably

have done it blindfolded), stepping out of the way of

persons who would approach from the opposite way. Each

would wear an enchanting bell(like one of those wind

chimes) which would create a sattvic atmosphere,

especially needed when you round a sharp corner on a

narrow path and if without the bell… without a

warning…well you tell me…you are quietly rounding a

blind corner bend over a 500 meter canyon and suddenly

you come nose to nose with a large personality with

long horns…how would you react? So the bells do

provide tranquility and safe travels. On the pan of

the Gandaki you will note on the bottom right-hand

side of the picture a tiny line of such a team

sauntering along. This gives you an appreciation for

the vastness of the area.

 

One can note that the area north of Kanbeni is

known as Mustang which is a no mans zone and is a

buffer area to the Chinese boarder. It is illegal for

foreigners to go into this region and your trekking

pass does not allow entrance there. This area is less

traveled and leads after many kilometers to the

well-known Damodhar Kund which is one of the quarters

where the shaligrams originate. There are many here

that may be a little rougher than those found in the

other areas of the Kali Gandaki. They become smoothly

featured as they are brought southward through the

naturally winding concourse leading down to Beni.This

Kund can be accessed as long as you are accompanied

with a government guide and a painful permit of $1000.

HH. Indradumnya Swami once took a helicopter to this

hidden site. You would have to ask him Who he found.

The Tibetans and sadhu’s can travel here freely and I

know one devotee in Vrindaban who has the proper

physique and wants to venture up there as a local

sadhu and pray for the Lord’s special darshan.

 

We crossed the boarder of this no mans land in the

Mustang area for one kilometer only. It wasn’t worth

attracting unnecessary attention on such a smoothly

running trip. Many years ago Aindra das had gone deep

into this area and the police with attack dogs came

all the way around the mountain thinking that he was a

spy and coerced him to go to the police station for an

interrogation with the barking dogs nipping at his

heels as he stumbled along carrying a large burlap bag

of Lords. Everything was straightened out but the

realization was that there was no point in flaunting

the laws of the land. Actually during my stay in this

region I met a leading member in parliament for

foreign relations and human rights who is trying to

open up the entire Mustang area for tourists. This

covers miles of the Kali Gandaki where only the

natives can go to find shaligrams and who then bring

Them to the metropolitan districts.

 

 

 

 

Next we went back to Kanbeni for one night to repack

and then to the Jomsom area and the airport. The

return walk was much quicker. Having found so many

shaligrams we had no desire to further agitate the

mind with ‘Who is where’, but just the feeling of

‘enough is enough’. At our hotel we could look at

Everyone and see Who wanted to go and Who wanted to

stay. Many shaligrams were duly returned to the Kali

Gandaki.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Searching Tips and

Highlights

 

 

 

 

 

In looking for the different shaligrams, one will

notice that they will be sporadically found amongst

the many river stones. Some would be clearly visible

 

by color and others would be covered by a whitish film

or calcium coating and would have to be brushed and

rinsed. A well known approach to find shaligrams apart

from proper consciousness is to actually hold a

shaligram in the hand… They attract Each other.

 

 

 

This mantra should be recited again and again:

 

 

dheya sada savitra

mandala madhya-varti

 

naryanah sarasijasana

sannivistah

 

keyuravan makara

kundalavan kiriti

 

hari hiranmaya vapuh

dhrita sankha cakrah

 

 

 

Narayana is the Supreme Personality of Godhead to

be meditated upon in the center of the sun globe. He

is situated on a lotus flower and seated in the lotus

posture. He is adorned with beautiful golden

bracelets, amulets, earrings, necklace and a crown. He

has the golden effulgence and is seen holding the pure

white conch and sudarshan cakra in His lotus hands. Oh

wielder of the conch, disc, club, and other natural

weapons, You are the Lord and resident of the

spiritual realm. Oh indestructible one, protector of

the worlds, oh lotus eyed Lord, please save all of us

who have taken shelter of you and appear before us…...

 

 

 

One will notice that many times the silas will

manifest in veins or sections at a time. I spent most

of my time searching along the waters edge in the

banks of the river on the sides and the middle parts

where the water has carved away giving a clear view of

many layers of silas. Here one can also sift through

the bank and find hidden shaligrams. I wore these

rubber gum boots because one has to wade in the water

sometimes crossing the river at shallow points. The

whole affair became quite hypnotic looking everywhere

at stones and pebbles with the intermittent shaligram

here and there, searching for faces and at night in

dreams the activity was the same.

 

Apart from the above mantra another more personalized

one drew some attention. “This place is freezing

…would Anyone here like to come to the west for warm

baths, curd steaks, chips, sweet rice and burfi?”

After such a select beckoning prayer was presented it

did not fall on deaf ears….at this point some

 

very special shilas came forward.

 

 

 

 

 

One unique sila, a blue Nrsimha sila whose long

slanting head and open mouth manifested, sitting

perched within the wall of one of these banks

(reminded me of some pillar pastime). Later a green

sila, rather plump with one circular ring around the

top also with open mouth manifested and turned out to

be Matsya. Occasionally a perfectly round could be

found amidst the clusters of river stones. At times

you would not be able to find Anyone and then on

occasion there would be thousands.

 

 

 

 

 

Leaving Nepal…The Final Test

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Generally when leaving the country the policy for

customs is that sadhu’s can take a few shaligrams with

them. The main concern for these officials is that

persons don’t take large amounts of shaligrams out for

fear of the selling ventures that could happen as a

result. Technically the shaligrams are viewed as

geological fossils.

 

 

 

My realization was that the final hurdle to leave the

country was based on ones entire attitude in relating

with the residents during one travels. If Krsna wants

to make His appearance that is His mercy. If He also

wants to leave the country then no one can stop you.

If on the trip you respect the pilgrims in the

area(His parts and parcels)then the Lord may make

special arrangements.

 

 

 

At one hotel in Jomsom one Indian pujari from Puri

had to leave behind one giant sila around 70 kilos in

the hotel water fountain because the officials at the

airport would not allow such a Passenger on the plane

due to weight restrictions. Maybe he should have spent

mere $60 dollars and purchased a seat for this Person.

This man did say that he will return someday… probably

to bring the Lord down by horse back.

 

 

 

My situation was not as obvious as his but somehow

or another we had 250 shaligrams(many of which were to

be given later to those who are already worshipping),

large and medium sized to small which collectively

could have raised a few eyebrows…what to do. Our best

course was to place most of the small round ones(70)

in a new sock which was then inserted into a thermos,

part of my carry on. The larger silas were either

carefully wrapped within my sleeping bag and various

small boxes within the check on. Also I had this

anglers vest which had around 20 pockets which could

come in handy for any surplus Personalities.

 

 

 

At the entrance to all the airports because of the

conflict with the Maoist Rebels the government placed

soldiers to frisk and search all who entered.

Fortunately at the hotel (Moms Hotel) that I stayed

in, a boy who lived there also worked for the airlines

and as we passed through the military check point I

was ushered through. Most of the shailigrams had to be

taken as carry on because checked baggage was limited

to 15 kilos.

 

Because the metal detectors were dysfunctional a

body and bag search was required to get into the gate

area. In order to keep the officer absorbed I placed

the heavy bag onto his table and before he asked

started to show him most of the contents within

glorifying what we had. “Tooth brush, tongue scraper,

camera, gloves…flashlight”. He looked at me

quizzically thinking ‘Oh a very excited monk’. He also

began to enjoy the rasa and overlooked two aluminium

cases that had 25 shaligrams in them, but he did pick

up the thermos which for some reason was very heavy

and said “What do we have here?”. In the spirit of the

entire exchange I opened the thermos and pointed to

the bulging sock of shaligrams inside and said…

“Thingy!”(which is a generic Australasian statement

for an item of interest). The officer responded in

full agreement and said “Oh …yes…” and motioned me

through.

 

As the plane took to the air with the Gandaki and

millions of silas shrinking in size, jaw-like mountain

peaks passing by, outstretched rugged woodland below

and then all vanishing…it was like an entrance to and

exit from a spiritual time warp. One could not help

but appreciate the special mercy that has been

allowed, a relationship, a friendship and closeness

with such a place followed by… a desire to return.

 

 

 

Our next challenge was the customs at Pokhra which

went well also but the real test was to get through

the customs at Katmandhu in leaving the country. Again

the metal detectors were inoperative so everyone was

frisked as part of the screening. I was thinking how

we had come all this way….we were so close to

completing our goal. By Their mercy many Lords had

been found. Will They allow Themselves to be carried

out(in reality They are the carriers)? Our consolation

was simply if Krsna wants to go then nothing can stop

Him and if He doesn’t want to go then that is His

Mercy also. Back up plans were in our mind that if

need be to return to Delhi by bus if there is a

problem etc. One thing was for sure it was nice time

to pray.

 

The previous histories went through our mind where

the officials would sometimes allow devotees to take

shaligrams out of the country and at other times not.

What a meditation…the anxiety of a transcendental

smuggler. Ok… well what’s going to happen next?

 

The first security guard felt something round

underneath my shirt(the multipocketed angler vest) and

said “Whats this”. With a little effort I pulled out a

Matsya sila with edges like a samosa and he exclaimed

“Oh shaligram! ” and lets me go…He then breezed

through my bags with no real concern. Nectar. It seems

that this is the final check point. I can’t believe

it…everything is going on so effortlessly. We had

finally made it to the gate and now all we had to do

was walk out to the concourse and get onto the plane.

 

As our flight # was called it was time to go

through the gate down the stairs and then wait in line

as… people were….being searched again… as they boarded

the plane. This was too much. So close but so far. To

speed up the process two lines were made. On the left

the main customs agent was posted and on the right a

female officer. As the line shortened with my turn

approaching, I noticed that this one Swiss gentleman

was stopped by the senior customs official. A billiard

ball was confiscated from his bag and placed on the

floor not to be returned. I guess they were looking

for anything that could be used as a weapon on board.

Here I was 75 steps from my seat, heart thumping, with

the final customs troll standing before me, an

innocent skinny monk, armed with a complete arsenal of

‘Weapons’. Then the female officer waived me over to

her table and began to thoroughly search my bags. The

aluminum containers that were missed at the previous

airports became an immediate curiosity for her. Again

the famous question “Whats in this?”. She reached into

one box and pulled out Lord Nrsimhadeva (He was on His

way to the Melbourne temple) Who was certainly bigger

that a billiard ball and had a fine combed mane

adorning His head. I said “shaligram”. She looked

worried and shook her head. She then held the Lord out

giving an unforgettable darshan to the senior official

who stood behind me with all kinds of contraband items

at his feet and she said “Shaligram…can he take These

on the plane?” He scrutinized the Lord and then

looked at me up and down(all glories to vaisnava

dress) and said “Its Ok” and motioned for me to go up

the stairs…Mission accomplished. The Lords have given

Their sanction to come…That was the most comfortable

plane seat I had ever sat in, a perfect place to take

the ‘Weight’ off your feet.

 

 

 

 

 

Distributing and Receiving

 

 

 

 

By Their design a wonderful victory was at hand. Our

previous exposure to the worship of the shaligram was

with out any experience or knowledge of Their home and

land of play. It was satisfying that They had not

only made Their appearance within our limited world

but had chosen to extend Themselves to others in

different lands. In other words by Their mercy one can

become a medium by which They can enter the life of

another. Some individuals have desired to worship the

Lord in His shaligram sila form but have no access to

Them and can not visit the Kali Gandaki personally.

They have however desired and prayed for the Lord to

come. The deity arranges a maze of avenues to reach

the beckoning sadhaka. Just like in book distribution

the deities in the form of books will search out and

find an individual, who may even be a third party, but

is ready and through the domino effect of ‘special

arrangements’ the bhakta is found. Personally I was

wondering why I had aquired so many silas(my

anticipated plan was 30 at most). So what happened?

 

As hind sight is easier than foresight an

understanding of why was clear. Krsna had His plan to

enliven His dependents with opportunity of service.

This was the major current of His agenda while our own

wave-like motivation was basically limited to the

‘ultimate taste’ in the giving of the shaligram to

another. And of course, I wouldn’t want to omit that

our motivation could have also involved the

consolatory prize of the possibility of worshipping a

number of Lords.

 

 

 

Plane travel always means that the Lords are

physically with you. However in these circumstances

many were in the check on baggage. So despite the

wonderful triumph, things were not over yet. Who has

not had that uncanny feeling as you wait in the

airline baggage terminal pondering is it going to me

to lose my luggage this time? Most the people have

been happily reunited with their belongings and you

have to be amongst the few scanning the rotating

rubber belt as it stops and starts. Do you remember

that punch in the gut feeling when the belt stops and

you are the last one around? And by the way you just

happen to be in India! Well at least this trip to the

Delhi airport did not end in this way but these

thoughts were still crowding my mind. The ecstasy of

seeing that ‘back pack of Lords’ finally come into

view closed the curtain on another drama.

 

 

 

Our realization with respect to the shaligrams is

that everything becomes a colorful and attractive

reality of worship when Krsna in this form is placed

in the center. The puja and discussions(have you ever

witnessed a sevak glorifying his Lords amongst a

captive audience telling tales of how they have all

come?) or just waiting for your bags become a

continual exposure to unending absorbtion.

 

 

 

In finally returning to Vrindaban an unplanned sport

began… to give shaligrams to qualified friends and

brajavasis. In the Padma Purana it is stated that the

giving of a shaligrama sila is the best form of

charity being equal to the result of donating the

entire earth together with its forests etc. For the

aspiring vaisnava the desired wealth is only more

service.

 

I showed Aindra a selection of 25 and 20

mysteriously disappeared into his care(now a total of

400) and others went here and there to persons who

came forward and asked. As Srila Prabhupada once

remarked to a pujari in LA that was absorbed in her

service to the Lord that “the deities dress

Themselves”. Similarly it was a novelty to see how the

deities were ‘distributing Themselves’. I noticed

amongst the brajavasis that having the Lord come in

this way was a ‘special event’. In Vrindaban it is not

difficult to find a shaligram, but the beauty and

rarity is when They are given by someone. Some

shopkeeper friends of mine would immediately place

ornaments on the sila with such devotion and attention

in a way that dwarfed our attempts. One devotee placed

two small rose petals on his Lord’s face making some

beautiful lips. Another took his Lords and gave Them

to his spiritual master who wanted to worship this

form and was so delighted with his disciples gift.

Krsna distributed Himself in His holy dhama followed

by the complimentary affair of loving exchanges

amongst His devotees. Everyone was pleased.

 

 

 

In returning to the west, persons who requested were

sent their silas. Some had dreams previously that a

particular Form would come, others were just thinking

within their minds of Who might come and… indeed They

did. Another devotee wrote me a letter afterwards how

he wanted some Lords with chakras(unkown to me at the

time) and low and behold Several came his way.

 

 

 

In overview of this trip my realization is two fold.

Firstly, how kind Krsna is to appear in this world in

His varied Forms in love for His parts and parcels.

The Supreme adventurer then lures the unqualified to

new horizons. Secondly, in support of the above, how

the Lord is pleased at personal dealings amongst his

devotees not only towards Himself but especially with

one another. This is the slipstream of His Mercy which

will pull one and all along to some ‘amazing places’.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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