Going to see Shiva
What do you think a pilgrimage is?
Pilgrims are one thing: everyone knows about the ancestors of
so many Americans, the Pilgrim Fathers and Mothers who came from
Europe on the Mayflower and other ships. But a pilgrimage
is a journey, made to a place which is special for some reason.
It may be to some place where there was a great event in your
own life, or which reminds you of some great emotion you felt
there. Or it may be to a holy place, a sacred place, as in our
story today. In most of the countries of the world there are special
spots which have been "colored", so to say, with an
air of the holy and sublime. Such places often get to be that
way due to the presence of a saint, living in or near it. Or,
from one who lived there before. It is also "built up"
by the repeated visits of sages, saints and worshipers, over many
years. Some persons can feel that atmosphere even miles before
they arrive at the place.
One of our Swamis tells this story of his pilgrimage to such a
spot in the Himalayas of India, famous for its holiness; famous,
too, because it is so difficult to reach. The place is called
Amarnath, literally Chief of the Gods, i.e., Shiva.
But let us begin his story.
About 180 years ago a Muslim shepherd discovered the large cave
in the side of this mountain and told local Hindus about it. Thousands
of pilgrims, have visited it, in groups or alone, ever since.
The mountain we were climbing is 18,000 feet high. We left our
horses below and went on foot over a path of worn-out stones,
till we came to a swift river called Amaravati which is
always covered with snow. There we put on hobnail boots and with
staff in hand crossed carefully over a snow bridge. At last we
arrived at the famous mountain cave of Amarnath, at a height of
13,000 feet. Some birds and pigeons were flying around and out
of the cave when we entered there. Inside the cave, water dripping
from the cave roof has formed pillars of ice here and there. One
of them is larger than all the rest. It changes in size from season
to season, but when we saw it, it was about ten feet in circumference
and about five feet tall. Huge!
Regarded as the God Shiva this pillar is worshipped by
Hindu and other pilgrims. They gather wild flowers from the nearby
slopes and lay them and other offerings at the foot of the ice
Shiva. In this way a feature nature-born has been made into a
"shrine," a form of the Formless, Eternal and Infinite
God.
Like other pilgrims we took a bath in the freezing-cold river
(can you imagine it?!) before approaching the Lord to do his worship.
First we walked clockwise all around the pillar by way of honoring
Him. Each of us offered whatever we had brought at the foot of
the ice image. There were guides, priests among the mountain people,
who recited hymns and prayers in the cave.
Afterward we made our way back down the mountain trail. (If you
have climbed any mountains, you probably remember that to go down
is often more troublesome and tiring than to climb up; one has
to step so carefully.) At our base camp the guides had hot water
ready on a stove for us and we had a welcome bath. A simple meal
of rice and curry, and then we could rest our weary bones.
That night the chief guide read to us from a holy book called
Amara Purana which tells of the wonderful features of God
Shiva, hermit of the mountains, who is also known as Mahadeva,
Giriraj and Amarnath. But of that you may hear another day.
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