Sri Amarnath & Maata VaishnoDevi - 1

గురు బ్రహ్మ గురుర్ విష్ణుః గురుర్ దేవో మహేశ్వరః

గురు స్సాక్షాత్ పరబ్రహ్మ తస్మై శ్రీ గురవే నమః

శుక్లాం బరధరం విష్ణుం శశివర్ణం చతుర్భుజం

ప్రసన్న వదనం ధ్యాయేత్ సర్వ విఘ్నోప శాంతయే

శ్రుతి స్మృతి పురాణానాం ఆలయం కరుణాలయం

నమామి భగవత్ పాదం శంకరం లోక శంకరం

ఓం నమః శివాయ

I would like to take a small digression from my regular posts and provide you with some information regarding my recent pilgrimage tour to Sri Amarnath and Maata Vaishnodevi. Both the shrines are located in the state of J&K. I shall cover Amarnath in this post and will write a separate post on Vaishnodevi.

Inspite of zero preparation from my side on the physical front the fact that I would be seeing the God in the unique form, put aside all my fears and doubts regarding reaching the top. When we started at 5 am in the morning the people from Bhandaaras started distributing chai, chocolates, candies, chips and other things for the yatra. Having decided to fast till the darshan, we set off with high enthu completely wrapped in Jerkin.

By around 5.30 am there was sunshine and we were on our course. The speed at which we started walking, I thought we would reach the destination and have darshan much before the stated time of reaching the top in 7 hours. Removed the jerkin and dumped it in the bagpack and started walking with just a T-Shirt.

We were walking on these beautiful mountains on a narrow 5-6 feet wide path with lots of stones, pebbles. There was this beautiful Sindh river flowing at the bottom of the mountain with multiple mountains on the other side, one competing with the other in height. At a far distance, there was this majestic mountain with white peak unbothered by the competition. At a distance ahead of us, there were these small snakes like paths with people of the size of ants walking ahead with one common goal. At some places we could see the water flowing in the river and at some other places, the river was covered with ice completely, with water flowing underneath. There were small waterfalls along the path cleaning our feet ensuring that we go with clean feet to the cave. The climate also ensured that our feet don’t stay wet all through and so would get dried up somewhere in between. There was occasional rain, cleaning our bodies and thoughts enabling us focus on Lord Shiva. With every one addressing everyone else “Bhole” (from Bhole Shankar) there was one single language with very few words in its dictionary and all are God oriented. There were these occasional cool drink vendors and military men encouraging everyone that Bhole is not too far off. The returning people, fortunate already after having Bhole’s darshan, would always say that we are almost there (even though we were 8 kms away after 3 hours of walk). The size of the mountains reminded me of the thighs and legs of Hanuma before he set off to Lanka from Mahendra giri parvatham.

Then there were these high energetic and young people walking at a much better speed shouting, “Bam Bam Bhole.” That would give the much needed energy to pull off few more steps before taking a small break.

When a vendor responded with a Rs. 50 cost for a bottle of 250 ml Limca, we were shocked but felt happy on hearing, “Oopar chalo, saat or sathar rupaya hoga. (Go further up and the price will be 60 and 70 rupees for the same bottle)”. That reason was good enough to gulp up that drink.

After about 5 hours of walking when we finally reached the cave mountain and saw the cave at a distance, joy knew no bounds. It was written on wall that I would be entering that cave soon. Little did I realize that the cave is atleast 2.5 kms away and more importantly the walk is on ice from there onwards. Finally, I hit upon this long queue and I realized that the wait is not yet over. Spent around 4 hours in the queue before I started climbing the steps to the cave. Heart started pumping hard excited at the thought of the glimpse of this giant 12 feet shiva. Inspite of desperate attempts to get a sneak preview, there was no success. It was a 10 (probably 15) lane queue that started entering the cave and the crowd would push you onto the next steps with little efforts from your side. The wait was finally over and there I stood in front of the Lord himself standing 12 feet tall with about 3 feet or more in diameter in milk white color with a slightly reclining posture. Because of the rain and the temperature there was hardly any coordination between my tongue and lips and I wanted to profusely thank him for this, but how could I ever thank him with the little dictionary of words I have.

Couple of Photos 

 Information

·         Amarnath cave is at a height of 13500 ft above sea level.

·         There are 2 routes (base camps) to reach the shrine.

o   Baltal

§  This is at a distance of 420 kms from Jammu and 120 kms from Srinagar.

§  From here the shrine is 14 kms away.

§  Altitude of Baltal is 8500 ft above sea level.

o   Pahalgam

§  This is at a distance of 390 kms from Jammu and 90 kms from Srinagar.

§  From here the shrine is 44 kms away.

§  The climb is for 6 kms after covering 38 kms.

§  While going through this route one will cross Chandanwari, Seshnag, Panchtarni. There are steep phases even during this route as well.

·         The helicopter ride will take you upto 6 kms away from the cave.

·         In either of the routes, one can walk or ride on the pony or go by palanquin (Dolis)

Interesting Facts

·         One cannot buy food after the base camps. Some business houses from North set up these food joints, called Bhandaaras, in which food is served free of cost.

·         These Bhandaras run for more than 15-18 hours a day and provide food to any number of pilgrims (non pilgrims too).

·         The food served is of very good quality and most importantly served with great dedication and respect.

·         They provide space for people to sleep and more importantly thick rugs are provided to ensure that people have a nice sleep (all free of cost).

·         These are available enroute Srinagar to Pahalgam/Baltal as well but are available after every 15-20 kms.

·         Everybody out there is addressed as Bhole (after Bhole Shankar).

·         Majority of the shops (there are around 1000 odd shops on the mountain near the cave) are run by Muslims.

Registration

·         Registration is compulsory prior to the yatra. This can be done online on J&K Bank website (www.jkbank.net). But generally the online registrations expire few days after they start.

·         Visiting the bank branch might be helpful but even there they have limited registrations and so one needs to try at the branch during the early days of registration.

·         The registrations generally start around last week or first week of April and the information is provided on various web sites and news papers.

·         In case prior registration is not possible, one can go to Jammu and get the registration. Worst case (to be avoided) one can get the registration done at the base camp as well (Baltal or Pahalgam).

·         Best thing would be to go a place called Bhagavathi (in Jammu) after one lands in Jammu and get the registration done there.

·         Ofcourse there are some people who travel without any registration citing that they have come as a group and the other members have gone ahead J

·         During registration the board gives a date for visiting the shrine, but generally the military personnel allowing you on the yatra do not verify the date. But it is advisable not to rely on this statement, as they might become strict.

·         Medical certificate is necessary for the registration, but generally people don’t pay much attention to this and get some certificate from a local doctor without actually getting medically checked. This is important, because lot of casualties happen as people cannot sustain the oxygen levels at such high altitudes and suffer heart attacks. So, its better that one gets a proper test done to ascertain for himself/herself, that the travel can actually be taken up.

·         Not to discourage, but apparently more than 60 people died during the first 15-20 days of the shrine opening. This included teenagers in the age group of 30 odd as well. I would attribute this primarily to the lack of information and proper understanding of our own bodies.

Our trip

·         We landed in Jammu from Delhi in the morning.

·         Went to this place Bhagavathi (auto takes some 20 mins) and got the registration done. This place has all the facilities, like Photos, Medical certificate etc.

·         Took our shower there (there are some dormitories) and started for Baltal at about 11.30 am.

·         Got stopped by JK Police at about 7.30 pm at a place and we had our food and slept for a while in a Bhandara.

·         Started at 5 in the morning and reached a place called Manikgam where the police once again stopped us for another 2.5 hours.

·         From there reached Baltal by 3.30 pm.

·         Took a tent (bed @ Rs. 200 per person) and rested there for the night imagining about the next days trip to the lord.

·         Woke up at 3.30 in the morning and got ready and started for the darshan at 5 am.

·         Reached the cave mountain by 11 am.

·         Had to wait in the queue for more than 4 hours to get a darshan of Lord shiva.

·         Started our return at 3.30, 4 pm and reached the Baltal base camp by 11.30 pm

For more information, please check http://www.shriamarnathjishrine.com & http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amarnath_Temple

సర్వే జనాః సుఖినో భవంతు

PS: There could be typos and other mistakes in telugu and english, kindly pardon me with big hearts.

Karthavyam (Duty)

గురు బ్రహ్మ గురుర్ విష్ణుః గురుర్ దేవో మహేశ్వరః

గురు స్సాక్షాత్ పరబ్రహ్మ తస్మై శ్రీ గురవే నమః

శుక్లాం బరధరం విష్ణుం శశివర్ణం చతుర్భుజం

ప్రసన్న వదనం ధ్యాయేత్ సర్వ విఘ్నోప శాంతయే

శ్రుతి స్మృతి పురాణానాం ఆలయం కరుణాలయం

నమామి భగవత్ పాదం శంకరం లోక శంకరం

ఓం నమః శివాయ

Once Raavana got killed, Sri Rama had sent Hanuma to get Sita from Ashoka Vanam. Hanuma went to Sita and informed her about the death of Raavana and the victory of Sri Raama over the Raakshasas. There were few female raakshasas around Sita at that point of time too, executing the instructions of Raavana. Hanuma requested Sita to give him permission to take revenge on all those raakshasas who had tortured her all along. But Sita turned down that request and told the following story.

Once a lion started chasing a man in a forest. This man runs fast and climbs a tree. On that tree there lived a bear. The lion sits underneath the tree and waits for the man to come down. The lion speaks to the bear, “Throw that human being down. We both are animals and we will share his flesh.”

The bear responds, “Knowingly or unknowingly this person has come to my abode. He is my guest now. So, I cannot betray him. I shall protect him to the best of my abilities.”

Hearing this, the man feels happy that he is safe. The bear speaks to the man, “I am feeling sleepy. Let me sleep on your lap for some time please.” The man agrees to that and allows the bear to sleep.

The lion now speaks to the man, “You throw that bear down and I will eat that and then will go away (Hunting animals never kill anyone once they fulfill their hunger). You can then go back to your home unhurt.”

Hearing this, the man becomes greedy and pushes the bear down. The bear wakes up from sleep and somehow clings onto one of the branches of the tree and does not fall down.

The lion once again speaks to the bear, “Look at this faithless human being. You protected him and he tried to kill you to save himself. Don’t think twice now, just push him down and we can make merry.”

The bear responds, “Just because the human being did not abide by his karthavyam (duty) does not mean that I got a right to deviate from my duty. I have protected him not by considering his nature but because that’s my duty. I will still not push him.

Sita continued, “This is how one must perform his/her duty (karthavyam). Our duty cannot change based on the responses or reactions. The Raakshasas performed their duty of harassing/torturing me on the order of their king. So, there is nothing wrong with that. The way you have performed your duty on the words of your king, they have done the same. So, they are not liable to be killed on account of that. More importantly, I have given them a word that they would be protected even after the war and so they should not be killed.”

How many times have we heard or said the following statements.

·         I am not going to invite that person/family for this function because he/she did not invite me/us for some function they performed.

·         Last time when I spoke to that person nicely, he/she responded arrogantly. So I will also speak in a rude/arrogant manner with that person.

·         I helped that person when he/she was in need and when I needed help, I was refused. So, this time I am not going to help him/her.

·         I take care of my parents so well, but they keep shouting at me and are biased towards my other brother/sister.

·         I do so many things for my son/daughter but he/she doesn’t listen to the good things that I tell him/her. So there is no point I telling him/her anything.

The above are result of work (duty) done based on expectations.

సర్వే జనాః సుఖినో భవంతు

PS: There could be typos and other mistakes in telugu and english, kindly pardon me with big hearts.

Controlling desires

గురు బ్రహ్మ గురుర్ విష్ణుః గురుర్ దేవో మహేశ్వరః

గురు స్సాక్షాత్ పరబ్రహ్మ తస్మై శ్రీ గురవే నమః

శుక్లాం బరధరం విష్ణుం శశివర్ణం చతుర్భుజం

ప్రసన్న వదనం ధ్యాయేత్ సర్వ విఘ్నోప శాంతయే

శ్రుతి స్మృతి పురాణానాం ఆలయం కరుణాలయం

నమామి భగవత్ పాదం శంకరం లోక శంకరం

ఓం నమః శివాయ

Controlling desires and overcoming our senses is the most toughest thing in the world. Great people like Sri Aadi Sankaraachaarya, Sri Paramaachaarya, Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa, Sri Ramana Maharshi are so great primarily because of their ability to control their senses and desires. For normal human beings the body rules the aatma, whereas for these people it’s the other way round. Controlling inner things is more difficult than controlling external things. That’s why we find fewer sanyaasis (genuine) than the celebrities (Rich people, people with power, fame etc)

Great people have shown how we can achieve this control by exercise and practice than just escaping from it by saying, “God has made me like this.” OR “This is what gives me happiness.” Lets look at one such incident here.

The great Paramaachaarya (known as “Walking God”) used to take Bhiksha (food obtained through begging) as per his sansaaysi aashrama dharmam. During his younger days one day he was having his bhiksha and he asked the cook about the Dal that had been served to him. The cook responded saying that its Totakoora Pappu (“Amaranthus with lentils”). Paramaacharya responded, “Its very delicious.”

The cook was delighted to hear the response. The following day he cooked the same dish and Paramaachaarya ate that and said that it was good. For the next couple of days the cook went on to cook the same dish and Paramaachaarya ate that. The following day Paramaachaarya did not show up for his Bhiksha. Everyone was worried. When peetaadhi pathis don’t show up for Bhiksha, anybody and everybody cannot go and ask them casually about that or remind them about that. They hoped that he would show up the following day. But on the contrary, Paramaachaarya did not show up even on the following day. This continued for more than 5-6 days. People got really worried and following the protocol, appropriate sishyas were sent to Paramaachaarya to find out the reason for Paramaachaarya not taking the Bhiksha.

Paramaachaarya responded, “This tongue of mine attempted at controlling me and so I thought I should teach it a lesson. It longed for the dish yielding to the taste of that Totakoora Dal (Amaranthus lentils). Being a peetaadhi pathi, if I yield to my tongue (one of my senses) then how can I preach others? Also, the word would spread around about my liking for this dish and people would start pouring in with that leafy vegetable. Foreseeing this, over the last few days I have been cleaning my tongue with “Aavu peda” (Cow dung). Cow dung is used for cleaning the floor as it disinfects the floor and kills all the virus and bacteria. Once my tongue is cleaned with that, then it would not long for any specific taste.”

We all know what he has went onto become. He is the only person who never boarded a train or a bus or a vehicle in his life. He either walked or was carried in palanquins, when he was not in a physical condition to walk, all through his life.

Though it is not easy, it is certainly not impossible to control our senses (desires arising out of those) to some extent atleast. For that we have to consciously attempt at doing that. It might a long time, but we have to be patient and constantly be on it. If we analyze, ultimately all worries, angst and problems in a human life are because of yielding to these desires arising out of our senses.

సర్వే జనాః సుఖినో భవంతు

PS: There could be typos and other mistakes in telugu and english, kindly pardon me with big hearts.

Sri Raama's attitude towards enemies

గురు బ్రహ్మ గురుర్ విష్ణుః గురుర్ దేవో మహేశ్వరః

గురు స్సాక్షాత్ పరబ్రహ్మ తస్మై శ్రీ గురవే నమః

శుక్లాం బరధరం విష్ణుం శశివర్ణం చతుర్భుజం

ప్రసన్న వదనం ధ్యాయేత్ సర్వ విఘ్నోప శాంతయే

శ్రుతి స్మృతి పురాణానాం ఆలయం కరుణాలయం

నమామి భగవత్ పాదం శంకరం లోక శంకరం

ఓం నమః శివాయ

Let’s look at some events

·         Raavana’s raakshasa’s were instrumental in the torturing of the rishis and munis practicing dharma. Sri Rama cannot pardon anyone who doesn’t abide by dharma and who torture people abiding by dharma.

·         Sri Raama had to fight with 14000 raakshasas (Khara, Dooshanas)at one go.

·         Raavana abducted Sita in the absence of Sri Raama.

·         Sri Raama was clueless as to what had happened to his most beloved wife sita, after killing Maarecha and returning.

·         Raavana killed Jataayuvu, friend of his father, especially when Jataayuvu attempted at saving Sita from Raavana.

·         Sri Raama had to wander around in the forests searching for Sita without knowing whether she was still alive or not and had to fight Raakshasas like Kabandha.

·         Made friendship with Sugreeva and killed Vaali, in the hope that Sugreeva would help him find out the whereabouts of Sita.

·         Had to wait for 4 full months for sugreeva to return the favor and importantly had to warn Sugreeva before Sugreeva started returning the favor.

·         Had to cross the long ocean by constructing the bridge over that to reach Lanka (Raavana’s abode).

·         Once the war started, Raavana’s army was never ending and multiple times Sri Raama wondered how he could ever kill Raavana to get his wife back.

o   Indrajit shot Naagasthram which made all the army of Sri Rama powerless and Sri Raama and Lakshmana movement less. Hanuma was instrumental in saving them.

o   Vibheeshana warned Sri Raama and Lakshmana that if Indrajit finishes his Homam, then no one can beat him and the war would be lost. So Lakshmana and Hanuma had to fight Indrajit for 3-4 full days to kill him with great difficulty.

o   When Raavana shot a Trisool which pierced through Lakshmana’s chest, Sri Raama was aghast and said that he would not want to continue the war any more, not even for sita, if his brother dies. Again with Hanuma’s help Lakshmana regained life.

o   When Raavana wages an extremely fierce war Sri Raama tries his best to get him down and the war between them went on for days. Everyone else stopped fighting and watched them fighting.

o   At one point Sri Raama tries every weapon in the world but Raavana would not get killed. His heads get chopped off and then return to their position.

o   Sri Raama gets Aditya Hrudayam upadesam from Agasthya maharshi and finally uses a Brahmaasthram which kills Raavana.

So, Raavanas dead body is in front of Sri Raama. After multiple months there is finally some respite for him. All his hardships over the last months, including the separation from his wife, are all because of the guy lying in front of him.

Now, take a break for few minutes and put yourself in Sri Raama’s shoes and imagine what would be your thoughts and what would be the first words from your mouth.

Seriously. Take your eyes of this post and give it a thought.

Now, just compare those with what Sri Raama says

With Vibheeshana on his side, Sri Raama says, “Raavana was a very brave person. Fought fiercely and never showed his back in the war, which is what is expected from a great warrior. I don’t have any enmity with Raavana now, as he is no more. I am not going to think what all he has done in the past. You are my friend. Raavana is your elder brother. Your brother is like my brother. The one and only important thing that you need to do now is that you should perform the last rites comprehensively. In case you are not going to take that up, I would be taking care of those myself.”

Sri Raama never talks anything referring as his thoughts. Whatever he speaks/says is as per dharma and according to the saasthras. So, it’s very important for us to know as to where to draw a line.

సర్వే జనాః సుఖినో భవంతు

PS: There could be typos and other mistakes in telugu and english, kindly pardon me with big hearts.