Lord Shiva - a.Affiliation: Trimurti  b.Abode: Mount Kailash c. Mantra: Om Namah Shivaya   
d.Weapon: Trident (Trishula) e.Consort: Sati Parvati f. Mount: Nadi (Bull)

It is said that the Holy Himalaya is a Grand palace of the Gods who kept the universe aloof from the sight of evil, witlessness, egotism and misapprehension. It is believed that here, the universe leapt from a deific place whose trailer could demolish all evil. Admired as the focal point of universe, this place is Kailash Mansarovar.

In Sanskrit, Kailash means crystal and according to Hindu Mythology, Kailash is the worldly conceivable appearance of Mt. Meru. It is the dwelling of Lord Shiva along with his companion Goddess Parvati. They reside on the top of this mountain in supreme harmony performing yoga sternness. Whereas, Buddhists confront their own belief about it. They believe that Saint Padmasambhaya gained enlightenment here. So they consider it as heaven on earth. It is also believed that Queen Maya was brought here before giving birth to Lord Buddha. Bonpos consider it as the valuable and exquisite snow mountain or Gang Rinpoche, an enormous Mandal which is the nucleus of all tantric forces. Jains regard this place as the mystical mountain of Astapada where the founder Rishahadeva achieved spiritual deliverance.  Similarly, Sikh scriptures suggest that the founder Guru Nanak Dev studied meditation methods and techniques on the top of this mountain and he is considered as one of the rare people who mounted the peak of this holy mountain.

Lake Manasarovar
If there is something common between the four great rivers of Asia- the Indus, the Sutlej, the Brahmautra and the Karnali (Ganga), then it is the lake Manasarovar which is the source of all these rivers. It is widely believed that a person bathing in this lake or drinking its water is free from all his sins. According to Hindu Mythology, Lord Brahma first created this lake in his mind. So it is named as Manasarovar. In Sankrit, Manasarovar is a combination of two words, ‘Mana’ and ‘Sarovar’, ‘Mana’ means mind and ‘Sarovar’ means lake. Nevertheless, the pilgrimage to this spiritual region is difficult and tiring. Though it is considered as one of the Asia’s most religious yet difficult voyages, this sacred region is one of the most visited places on earth. This region is believed to have invisible magnetic powers that attract people across the world towards it.

LORD SHIVA

Shiva (meaning is auspicious one) is a Hindu deity and is the destroyer or the transformer among the Trimutri, the Hindu trinity of the primary aspects of the divine. He is considered the supreme God within Shaivism, one of the three most influential in Hinduism, where as in the other branches of Hinduism such as in the Smarta tradition; he is regarded as one of the five primary forms of God.

Shiva is usually worshipped in an iconic form of linga. He is described as an omniscient yogi, who lives an ascetic life on mount kailash, as well as a householder with a wife of Parvati, two sons, Ganesha and Kartikeya and a daughter Asoksundari. Shiva has many benevolent as well as fearsome forms. He is often depicted as immersed in deep meditation, with his wife and children or as the cosmic dancer. In fierce aspects, he is often depicted slaying demons.

Shiva the yogi: The worship of Shiva is a pan-Hindu tradition, practised widely across all of India, Nepal and Sri Lanka. Some historians believe that the figure of Shiva as we know him today was built up over time, with the idea of many regional sects of being amalgamated into a single figure. Shiva thus had non-Aryan origin and Aryan manifestations in different forms including that of the Vedic Rudra (the power of destruction) though the original meaning has not yet been lost.

Rudra: Shiva as we know him today shares many features with the Vedic god Rudra, and both Shiva and Rudra are viewed as the personality in a number of Hindu tradition. Rudra, the god of the roaring strom, is usually portrayed in accordance with the element he represents as a fierce, destructive deity. The oldest surviving text of Hindusium is the Rig Veda, which is dated to between 1700 and 1100 BC based on linguistic and philological evidence. Shiva’s rise to a major position in the pantheon was facilitated by his identification with a host of Vedic deities, including Agni, Indra, Parjapati, Vayu, and others.

Attributes: Shiva is depicted three-eyed, the holy Ganga flowing through is matted hair, wearing ornaments of serpents and a skull bracelet, and covered in ashes, and Trisula and Damaru are seen in the background.

Shiva’s forms: Shiva has a trident in the right lower arm, with a crescent moon on his head. He said to be fair like camphor or like an ice clad mountain. He has fire and Damaru and mala or a kind of weapen. He wears five serpents as ornaments. He wears a garland of skulls. He is pressing with his feet the demon Muyalaka, a dwarf holding a cobra. He faces south. Panchakshara itsself is his body.

Third eye: (Trilochana) Shiva is often depicted with third eye, with which he burned desires (Kama) to ashes which occurs in many scriptural sources.

Crescent moon: Shiva bears on his head the crescent moon. The placement of the moon on his head as a standard iconographic feature dates to the period when Rudra rose to prominence and became the major deity Rudra –Shiva. The crescent moon is shown on the side of the lord’s head as an ornament. The waxing and waning phenomenon of the moon symbolizes the time cycle through which creation evolves from the beginning to the end.

Ashes: Shiva smears his body with ashes (bhasma). Ashes represent the final reality that a human being face-the end of all material existence.

Matted hair: His hair is said to be liked molten gold in color or being yellowish-white. A kaparda is a cowrie shell, or a braid of hair in the form of a shell, or more generally, hair that is shaggy or curly.

Blue throat (Nilokantha): Shiva drank the Halahala poison churned up from the Samudra Manthan to eliminate its destructive capacity. Shocked by his act, goddesh Parvati strangled his neck and hence manage to stop it in his neck its self and prevent it from spreading all over the universe supposed to be in Shiva’s stomach. However poison was so potent that it changed the color of his neck to blue.

Damaru: a small drum shaped like an hourglass is known as damaru. This is one of the attributes of Shiva in his famous dancing representation known as Nataraja. A specific hand gesture (mudra) called damaru-hasta is used to hold the drum. This drum is particularly used as an emblem by members of the Kapalika sect.

Nandi: Nandi is the name of the bull that serves as Shiva’s mount (bahan). Bull is his vehicle. This denotes that lord Shiva is the protector of dharma, is an embodiment of dharma or righteousness. Shiva’s association with cattle is reflected in his name Pashupati.

Mount Kailash: Mount Kailash in the Himalayas is his abode. In Hindu mythology, mount Kailash is conceived as resembling a linga, representing the centre of the universe.

Ascetic to householder : He is depicted as both an ascetic yogi and as householder, roles which have been traditionally, mutually exclusive in Hindu society. When depicted as a yogi, he may be shown sitting and meditating. His epithet Mahayogi refers to his association with yoga.As a family man and householder, he has a wife, Parvati and two sons, Ganesha and Kartikey. His epithet Umapati refers to this idea. She is identified with Devi, the divine Mother; Shakti (divine energy) as well as goddesses like Tripura Sundari, Durga, Kamakshi and Meenakshi. The consorts of the Shiva are the source of his creative energy.

HIGHLIGHTS OF MANSAROVAR KAILASH YATRA

Complimentray Darshan of Asthapath and Nandi Parbat
High success rate of Kailash Parikarma
Dedicated Team Of Nepali Trekking Staff and co-operative Tour Guide from Tibet / China side
ENCOUNTERSNEPAL.COM overlooks the accommodation facility at Paryang & Dirapuk. It has its own Fixed Camp at Zhuthupuk.
PERSONALIZED SERVICE

Note:  KAILASH MANASAROVAR YATRA - 2013-2014 Organized by Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India

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