Virtual Yatra to Himalayas (Part 2)

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font-weight:bold">Sai Ram Brothers and Sisters

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font-weight:bold">This is the “Part 2” of the Virtual Yatra to

Himalayas series …….

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font-weight:bold">MANASAROVAR

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color:blue">Manasarovar is located 20 miles from Mount Kailash.

At an altitude of 14,950 ft above sea level, Mansarovar is the highest body of

fresh water in the world. Stretching majestically over an extensive cradle of

the Tibetan plateau it is with a circumference of about 88 km and a depth of

nearly 90 meters covers an area of about 320 sq. km. By far the most

magnificent and thrilling of one's experience would be in winter when the whole

lake freezes hard, and again in spring when the ice breaks and melts to clear

blue waters. It is only the inspired poet or the divine artist with his magic

colours that can, for instance, describe and represent adequately the beauty

and grandeur of sunrise and sunset on the lake. The holy manas provides fine

caves, camping ground and good sites to pilgrims. At certain places the site is

rocky or sandy. On full moon nights, with the full moon overhead, the scene is

simply indescribable.

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As per the Vedas it

is believed that God Vishnu with Lakshmi live in this place which

is also called Sheesh Sagar. It is a remarkably beautiful site, with

waters that glisten a clear blue near the shores and a deep emerald green in

the centre. Pilgrims flock to this lake to make offerings to their ancestors

and for a holy ceremonial bath. The Hindu scriptures state that those who take

a dip at Mansarovar and complete the parikrama around Mt. Kailashh

are absolved of their sins, and

color:#660000"> liberated from the

cycle of birth and death, and are ultimately united with Shiva. Further,

according to traditional belief there is a giant jambu tree that grows at the

lake's centre. This tree's fruit is believed to relieve all human ailments-both

mental and physical.

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Buddhists associate

Mansarovar with the legendary Anotatta

Lake, where Buddha's mother,

Queen Maya, conceived him. Legend says that the Queen, while in a dream state,

was transported to Mansarovar by the Gods and bathed in the lake's holy water.

When her body was purified and her womb thus ready to receive Buddha, he

appeared from the direction of Kailash riding a white elephant.

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Mount

color:blue"> Kailash

color:blue"> being regarded as the “centre of the spiritual universe”,

believed to be “the staircase from which the gods descended to earth”

this sanctified heavenly mountain and manasarovar has a legend behind it. Lord

Shiva Himself has declared it as the most sacred place in the earth.

Let’s explore this legend briefly.

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font-weight:bold">MYTH BEHIND THE HIMALAYAS

AND MANASAROVER

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color:#003366;font-weight:normal">The lake

Mansarovar, sitting at the lap of

towering Himalayas, is referred in the Manas

Khanda ( Manas chapter) of Skanda Puran (Age-old Hindu Holy Scriptures). The Skanda

Puran states, Sage Dattatreya once went to the Himalaya and asked the Lord

Himalaya to show all the hidden pilgrimage sites of Himalayas.

Thus he was taken to the place “Manas” which was the dwelling of

great sages and yogis. At the center of Sarovar (lake) there is a golden

Shiva Linga. Dattatreya went around the lake and took a dip in it. There he saw

Lord Shiva sitting cross-folded on an elevated place, in a mediating posture. Dattatreya

greeted, prayed and worshipped him. Lord asked Dattatreya if he wanted any

thing or had any wishes to be fulfilled. Then Dattatreya said, "Please

make the Earth inaccessible to me as I don’t want to leave this

site" and further asked which among the parbats (high ranges) is the

holiest site for pilgrimage, and where does the Lord permanently dwells?"

color:#003300;font-weight:normal">Lord Shiva replied, "Oh! Dattatreya, I

live here and Bindhya parbat. Himalaya has

been the holiest and the highest site of pilgrimage for the earthly creatures.

There is no such holiest site as Himalaya on

earth. Himalaya is full of Shiva Linga and the holy Ganges.

Hence, by coming here you have reached the state of salvation".

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font-weight:bold">GEOLOGY OF HIMALAYAS

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color:#003366">According to the geologists, the Himalayan mountain system

developed in a series of stages approximately 50 million years ago. It was

created from powerful Earth movements that occurred as the Indian plate pressed

against the Eurasian continental plate. The Earth movements raised the deposits

laid down in the ancient, shallow

color:#555555">

color:#003366">Tethys

color:#003366"> Sea (on the present

site of the mountains) to form the Himalayan ranges from Pakistan eastward

across northern India, and from Nepal

and Bhutan to the Myanmar (Burma) border. Even today the

mountains continue to develop and change, and earthquakes and tremors are

frequent in the area.

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color:#003366">Continents are the "Scum of the Earth," consisting

mostly of light minerals like quartz, which can't sink into the earth's dense

mantle. For at least 80 million years the oceanic Indian Plate continued its

inexorable collision with southern Asia, including Tibet. By 25 million years ago the

fast moving Indian continent had almost entirely closed over the intervening

ocean, squeezing the sediments on the ocean floor. Since the sediments were

lightweight, instead of sinking along with the plate, they crumpled into

mountain ranges -- the Himalayas.

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color:#003366">Geologists say that over periods of 5-10 million years, the

plates will continue to move at the same rate.

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color:#003366">They further state in 10 million years India will plough into

Tibet a further 180km. This is

about the width of Nepal.

Because Nepal's boundaries

are marked on the Himalayan peaks it said that Nepal will technically cease to

exist. But the mountain range we know as the Himalaya

will not go away.

This is because the Himalaya will probably

look much the same in profile then as it does now. There will be tall mountains

in the north, smaller ones in the south, and the north/south width of the

Himalaya will be the same. What will happen is that the Himalaya will have

advanced across the Indian plate and

the Tibetan plateau will have grown by accretion.

In the process of moving larger boulders appear first, followed by pebbles, and

further south, sand-grains, silts, and finally very fine muds. This can be seen

today when you drive from the last hills of the Himalaya

southward 100 km. In drill holes in the Ganges plain, the coarse rocks are

always on the top and the finer pebbles and muds are on the bottom, showing

that the Himalaya are relentlessly advancing on India.

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color:#003366">This is what the humans (scientists!!) say from their re-search.

But Swami says Himalaya Mountains signify much

more than these. He states -

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font-family:"Comic Sans MS";color:green">“This mighty Himalayas

are in the North of India. Indians should compare these mountains to Sathya,

Dharma and Ahimsa. We must consider Sathya, Dharma and Ahimsa as manifesting

themselves to us in the form of silvery mountains.”

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font-weight:bold;font-style:italic">(From the Summer Showers in Bridavan 1972 –

Chapter : Customs and Character.)

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To be

continued ……..

 

Sai Ram

 

Shivathmika

 

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