Mount Kailash - the abode of Lord Maheswara

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MOUNT KAILASH - the abode of Lord Maheswara

 

Anyone who recognizes the Divine Force implicit in nature and views

its sportive play cannot but praise its glory saying, " You are

omniscient, You are omnipotent, You are behind every miracle of

nature'. It is only when a Sadhaka realises that the whole world is

the stage for God's cosmic play and surrenders to God's will that his

Sadhana will become fruitful - Swami Vivekananda

 

For most people, a trip to Western Tibet is virtually synonymous with

a visit to Mount Kailash. The power of this strange, domed peak has

gripped the imagination of the people of India and Tibet since time

immemorial, with the result that it has long been one of Asia's most

important(and remote) pilgrimage destinations. More recently, Mount

Kailsh's reputation as a sacred mountain as well as a place of

natural beauty has begun to lure travelers and pilgrims from around

the world. Beginning in 1984, when the Chinese authorities first

opened Tibet to the outside world, Western visitors (the first since

Lama Govinda in 1949) have begun to make their way into the area in

trucks, land cruisers, and even a horseback and by foot. Today, it

is still extremely difficult to reach the region, and the obstacle

that people meet in trying to get here are frequently attributed to

the sacred power of the mountain itself, which allows only those with

sufficient spiritual preparation to gain a glimpse of its magical

presence.

 

Mount Kailash is remarkable in that four of the largest rivers in

Asia have their sources within 100km (62 miles) of it; the Indus

flowing to the north, the Brahmaputra to the east, the Sutlej to the

west, and the Karnali (leading to the Ganges) to the south. As a

mountain in this part of the world it is not particularly high, a

mere 6,714m yet it is striking in the way it rises above the

surrounding range and remains perpetually snow-capped. The stunning

image of this white peak against the clear blue sky helps to explain

the mountain's name in Tibetan, Gang Rinpoche, or Jewel of Snow.

 

Each of Mount Kailash's faces reflects different moods. The southern

face reflects majesty or splendour; it is fully covered with snow.

The western face is enveloped in an aura of compassion and

benevolence. The northern face is stark, forbidding and daunting,

while the eastern, only visible from a long way off, is mysterious

and distant.

 

Traditional Buddhist cosmology has often connected Kailash with Mount

Meru, the great mythological mountain that forms the axis of our

world system. As the center of this world system, Mount Meru is

often visualized surrounded by the various continents and adorned

with the sun and moon and then offered to the buddhas and

bodhisattvas as a mandala. In addition to Buddhists, Hindus, Jains

and Bon practitioners all hold Mount Kailash to be sacred. Hindus

most frequently see the mountain as the abode of Shiva and his divine

entourage. A well-known Sanskrit lyrical poem from the fifth

century, The Cloud Messenger by Kalidasa, pays tribute to the

mountain and its surroundings through a message sent by an exiled

denizen of Kailash to his wife via a passing cloud.

 

The Jains, whose own faith was founded at the time of the Buddha in

India, regard Kailash as the place where the first Jain saint gained

emancipation. Followers of the Bon tradition in Tibet worship the

mountain as the spiritual center of the ancient country of Shangshung

and as the place where their founder, Shenrab, descended to the earth

from the sky. Because of these and other religious association,

Hindu, Buddhist, Jain and Bon ascetics and pilgrims have been drawn

to the mountain for thousands of years. Once they arrive they gaze

upon it, circumambulate it and sometimes settle down to practice

austerities and meditation. The 11th century Tibetan Buddhist saint

Milarepa is said to have resided there for 11 years. Padmasambhava is

also associated with the mountain, particularly the valley on the

western side, where he stayed in a cave.

 

" Ratnasanu sharaasanum Rajatadri Shrunga Niketanam

Singinikruta Pannageshwara Achutanana Sayakam |

Kshipradagda Puratrayam Tridivalairabi Vandhitam

Chandrashekaramashraye mama kim karishyati vyiamaha ||

 

In this way, Srimad Shankaracharya in his Chandrashekara Astaka

glorifies the abode of Ishwara - the Holy Mt. Kailash. Even " Yama "

the life taker can not touch the devotees who worship Parashiva he

claims. This is Kubera's living place also. After his brother Ravana

takes control of Lanke and Pushpaka Vimana, Kubera with the blessings

from Parameshwara establishes Alakapuri in Kailash and becomes

Yaksharaja.

 

It is described in the Mahabharatha that Bhagavan Krishna went along

with the Pandavas and Dhoumya Maharshi to Kailas from Badrinath. On

reaching there after fifteen days they were welcomed by Lord Mahadeva

Himself whose darshan and hospitality made them very happy. This is

an example of the fact that Lord Mahadeva gives darshan only to

deserving people.

 

" In Life, one gets what one deserves and not what one desires and He

knows what one deserves - Swami Chinmayananda

 

Our ancients like Vyasa and great ones of recent times like Kalidasa

have described this Kailas as the dear abode of Lord Mahadeva.

 

The Kailas peak full of dark black rocks with head adorned with

glittering white snow stood like a leader amongst the long stretch of

black mountains. " My body experienced horripilation and my mind

immersed in the ocean of bliss was overcome with joy " - Sri Swami

Tapovanam

 

I started walking slowly with my eyes pinned on to the lovely

forehead of the Mount Kailsh. I started walking forward but my eyes,

being rooted on the beautiful forehead of the Kailasa Montain, were

incapable of looking here and there or even determining the path to

be taken - Sri Swami Tapovanam

 

Ye samprapthaha param stanam Dyana Yogarata Naraaha |

Na tesham punravrutti Grore samsara sagare ||

Sarvagra sarvadha shuddha paripurna Maheshwaraha |

Shiva tulya balopethaha param Shivapuram Gathaha ||

Ithtanthena theshu Kailaseshu vastum Shilamasyasthiti Kailasa vasi |

- Shivatatva Rahasya by Chikkeruru Linga Jois

 

It is mentioned in 'Shiva Dharmottra " that there is a separate Loka

called 'Paramashiva Loka' which is accessible to only dyana yogis.

Those dyana yogis who embrace this Paramashiva Loka will not return

to " samsara " sagara. They attain full satisfaction and live in total

Bliss.

 

Yo veda dav svara proktho | Vedante cha pratishtithaha |

tasya prakruti Linasya | Ya paraha sa Parameshwaraha ||

 

Those who the Veda svara's are refering to, those who are proficient

in Vedas, His oneness with Nature, who is GREAT is Maheshwara. When

you visit Mt. Kailash - the Abode of LORD Maheshwara you can

experience this total truth. We have to become one with Nature to get

close to LORD. Mt. Kailash is Shiva and Shiva is Mt. Kailash.

 

Aham Brahmasmi, Shivaha kevaloham - Chidananda Rupam | Shivoham |

Shivoham |

 

MOUNT KAILASH - the abode of Lord Maheswara

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