| Revision as of 12:09, 22 November 2004 view sourceLowellian (talk | contribs)Autopatrolled, Administrators45,290 edits expand religious significance← Previous edit | Revision as of 12:15, 22 November 2004 view source Lowellian (talk | contribs)Autopatrolled, Administrators45,290 edits expandNext edit → | ||
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| ==Religious significance== | ==Religious significance== | ||
| According to Hindu mythology the god ] resides on the summit. | |||
| The ancient ]s referred to Mount Kailas as Meru. They believed that at its peak was the paradisiacal city of ], the ] ]. The path to the city of Indra was the pathway of the stars, where dead souls stood among trees blossoming with flowers, awaiting rebirth. Some of the religious traditions of the ancient Aryans have been incorporated into modern Hinduism. | The ancient ]s referred to Mount Kailas as Meru. They believed that at its peak was the paradisiacal city of ], the ] ]. The path to the city of Indra was the pathway of the stars, where dead souls stood among trees blossoming with flowers, awaiting rebirth. Some of the religious traditions of the ancient Aryans have been incorporated into modern Hinduism. | ||
| According to ] mythology, the god ] resides on the summit of Mount Kailash. The mountain is Shiva's ] and ] below is the ] of Shiva’s wife. | |||
| According to the ], Mount Kailas is the center of the world, and its four faces are made of ], ], ], and ]. It is the pillar of the world, 84000 ]s high, center of the world ], at the heart of six mountain ranges symbolizing a ]. The four rivers flowing from Kailas then flow to the four quarters of the world and divide the world into four regions. | According to the ], Mount Kailas is the center of the world, and its four faces are made of ], ], ], and ]. It is the pillar of the world, 84000 ]s high, center of the world ], at the heart of six mountain ranges symbolizing a ]. The four rivers flowing from Kailas then flow to the four quarters of the world and divide the world into four regions. | ||
| The ] describes how the army of ] battled the ] army at ]. Rama sent his ] companion, ], to find the life-restoring sanjiwini herb, found only on Mount Kailas. Hanuman could not pick out the right herb from all the plants he saw on Kailas, so he picked up the entire mountain and brought it to Rama. Once Rama found the herb, Hanuman tossed the mountain in the direction of the ]s, where it landed in its present location. | |||
| ==Pilgrimmage== | ==Pilgrimmage== | ||
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| ==See also== | ==See also== | ||
| * ] |
* ] | ||
| ] | ] | ||
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Mount Kailash (also Mount Kailas or Kangrinbogê Feng), at 6,718.2m (22,027 ft), is the tallest mountain in Tibet. Kailash is the source of four of the longest rivers in Asia: the Indus River, the Sutlej River, the Brahmaputra River, and the Ganges River. The mountain lies near Lake Manasarowar and Lake Rakshastal.
Name
The word Kailas means "crystal" in Hindi. Tibetans call it Ghang Rimpoche or Khang Ripoche, meaning "precious jewel of snows". Other names for the mountain include Meru and Tise.
Religious significance
The ancient Aryans referred to Mount Kailas as Meru. They believed that at its peak was the paradisiacal city of Indra, the Vedic god of storms. The path to the city of Indra was the pathway of the stars, where dead souls stood among trees blossoming with flowers, awaiting rebirth. Some of the religious traditions of the ancient Aryans have been incorporated into modern Hinduism.
According to Hindu mythology, the god Shiva resides on the summit of Mount Kailash. The mountain is Shiva's linga and Lake Manasarowar below is the yoni of Shiva’s wife.
According to the Puranas, Mount Kailas is the center of the world, and its four faces are made of crystal, ruby, gold, and lapis lazuli. It is the pillar of the world, 84000 leagues high, center of the world mandala, at the heart of six mountain ranges symbolizing a lotus. The four rivers flowing from Kailas then flow to the four quarters of the world and divide the world into four regions.
The Ramayana describes how the army of Prince Rama battled the rakshasa army at Lanka. Rama sent his monkey companion, Hanuman, to find the life-restoring sanjiwini herb, found only on Mount Kailas. Hanuman could not pick out the right herb from all the plants he saw on Kailas, so he picked up the entire mountain and brought it to Rama. Once Rama found the herb, Hanuman tossed the mountain in the direction of the Himalayas, where it landed in its present location.
Pilgrimmage
Every year, thousands make a pilgrimage to Kailas, following a tradition going back hundreds of years. Pilgrims of several religions all believe that circumambulating Mount Kailas on foot is a holy ritual that will bring good fortune. The route is always made in a clockwise direction. The path around Mount Kailas is 52 kilometers (32 miles) long.
There are two schools of thought on walking around Mount Kailas. Some pilgrims believe that the entire walk around Kailas should be made in a single day. This is not easy; a person in good shape walking fast will take some 15 hours to complete the route due to uneven terrain, altitude sickness, and harsh conditions. Other pilgrims believe that the walk should be even more difficult. These pilgrims make the entire walk while performing body-length prostrations: The pilgrim bends down and kneels, rises and prays, and then crawls forward on hands and knees a few feet before repeating the process. Crawling 52 kilometers while performing prostrations is a daunting task that usually demands at least four days in the open. Pilgrims are not allowed to skip difficult parts, like frozen ground or streams. It is believed by the pilgrims that the greater the suffering, the greater the merit gained.