Hindu Buddhist Cosmology Lake Athvathpaya

Dr UDAY DOKRAS- Indo Nordic Author’s Collective
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The Mythical Lakes and Cosmology
Home to every Hunter and Forager,
Every Hero and Coward,
Every Creator and Destroyer,
Every King and Peasant,
Every Inventor and Explorer,
Every Mother, Father and Child,
Every teacher of Morals,
Every Corrupt politician,
Every Superstar, Saint and Sinner,
Aggregate of our Joy and Suffering,
This tiny mote of dust,
Suspended in a sunbeam,
This is Home, This is Us!- Beautiful words by Carl Sagan
Old stories can be divided into history, myths and legends. History describes events we know
actually happened, whereas myths and legends, though often repeated by generation after
generation, were never actually proven beyond a shadow of a doubt. The difference between
legends and myths is that legends, or saga, tell the stories of heroes and their heroic actions,
whereas myths tell the stories of creatures, divine beings and gods and how they came to be. In
this sense, myths are more like fairy tales told to young children. Water plays an important role
in many legends and myths. There are mythological water beings and gods, stories of heroes that
have something to do with water, and even stories of isles and continents lost below the surface.
This page contains a selection of the most commonly known legends and myths with regard to
water. In the final section we recommend some literature for those who are interested. A water
deity on the other hand is a deity in mythology associated with water or various bodies of water.
Water deities are common in mythology and were usually more important among civilizations in
which the sea or ocean, or a great river was more important. Another important focus of worship
of water deities has been springs or holy wells.
As a form of animal worship, whales and snakes (hence dragons) have been regarded as godly
deities throughout the world (other animals are such as turtles, fish, crabs, and sharks). In Asian
lore, whales and dragons sometimes have connections. Serpents are also common as a
symbol or as serpentine deities, sharing many similarities with dragons.
In this article we consider a real and a metaphysical concept of the lake in the imaginary realm
of Jambudweep in Buddhism and Hinduism. The physical equivalent is the lake Mansarovar near
the Mountain Kailasha which again can be euated to Mt.Meru.

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The Great Himalayan beauty is not just limited to mountains! The Himalayan Lakes are
breathtaking too! Many of these high altitude lakes are freshwater lakes formed by glacial
activity. Some of these stunning lakes are only accessible through difficult treks to these regions
and that’s one of the reason they have managed to retain their beauty and charm! These high
altitudes will take your breath away by not only their beauty but by their unique features! Some
have ever-changing colors and some are the best birding spots.
People might not know about these mesmerising lakes but some determined trekkers trek for
days all the way just to see the beauty of these great Himalayan Lakes! In East Asian
pictorialization of worldview, Maps of Mt. Sumeru, which depict the mountain at the core of the

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world, are often paired with Maps of India, in which the Anavatapta Lake occupies a significant
place. When the concept of the Anavatapta Lake was transmitted from India to China and Japan,
it was understood through the lens of local cultures and ideologies, and the lake was envisioned
as a site spatially connected to various places in China and Japan. As a result, the idea of the
Indian lake located at the center of the human world helped China and Japan formulate their
statuses and positions within the religious and geopolitical discourse of Buddhist cosmology.
Tibetan Cosmological Models :Fundamental to the Tibetan worldview is the artistic and
symbolic representation of the cosmos (or some aspect of it, such as the palace of a specific
meditational deity) called a mandala. Although representing a three-dimensional structure,
mandalas can be two-dimensional paintings on cloth as well as the famous temporary sand
mandalas created for specific rituals. Mandalas can also be generated mentally, or symbolized
through intricate hand gestures called mudras.
In Tibetan astro science, two distinct flat-earth, stationary, geocentric cosmologies are
recognized, both developed in India and later translated into Tibetan. The first is
the Abhidharma system, expounded in the 4th or 5th century Indian
text Abhidharmakosha (Treasury House of Knowledge) by Vasubandhu, and
the Kalachakra system (Wheels of Time), whose root text was translated into Tibetan in 1027
A.D.. Both systems are mandala-like world systems made of concentric oceans and mountain
ranges centered around an axis, Mount Meru. The known world exists on one of the four major
continents (with other minor accompanying continents), the southern continent, called
Jambudvipa. Lake Anavatapta is at the base of jambudweep.
According to Charles Higham (archaeologist), Lake Anavatapta was a "sacred Himalayan lake
imbued with miraculous curative powers to remove human sins. George Coedes states the lake,
"...according to Indian tradition, is located in the confines of the Himalayas, and its waters gush
out of gargoyles in the form of the heads of animals."
Knowledge of the eternal Lake at Time os Ashoka: Ashoka Aśoka, English, also known
as Ashoka the Great, was an Indian emperor of the Maurya Dynasty, who ruled almost all of
the Indian subcontinent from c. 268 to 232 BCE. A grandson of the dynasty's
founder Chandragupta Maurya, Ashoka promoted the spread of Buddhism across ancient Asia.
Considered by many to be one of India's greatest emperors, Ashoka expanded Chandragupta's
empire to reign over a realm stretching from present-day Afghanistan in the west
to Bangladesh in the east. It covered the entire Indian subcontinent except for parts of present-
day Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Kerala. The empire's capital was Pataliputra (in Magadha,
present-day Patna), with provincial capitals at Taxila and Ujjain.Four years after the famous
(Asoka) had won for himself the undivided sovereignty he consecrated himself as king in the city
Pataliputta. Straightway after his consecration his command spread so far as a yojana (upward)
into the air and downward into the (depths of the) earth.
Day by day did the devas bring eight men’s loads of water of (the lake) Anotatta; the king dealt it
out to his people. From the Himalaya did the devas bring for cleansing the teeth twigs of naga-
creeper, enough for many thousands, healthful fruits, myrobalan and terminalia and mangofruits
from the same place, perfect in colour, smell, and taste. The spirits of the air[10] brought

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garments of five colours, and yellow stuff for napkins, and also celestial drink from the
Chaddanta-lake. Out of the naga-kingdom the nagas (brought) stuff, coloured like the jasmine-
blossom and without a seam, and celestial lotus-flowers and collyrium and unguents; parrots
brought daily from the Chaddanta-lake ninety thousand waggon-loads of rice.[12] Mice converted
this rice, unbroken, into grains without husk or powder, and therewith was meal provided for the
royal family. Perpetually did honey-bees prepare honey for him, and in the forges bears swung
the hammers. Karavika-birds, graceful and sweet of voice, came and made delightful music for
the king. And being consecrated king, Asoka raised his youngest brother Tissa, son of his own-
mother, to the office of vice-regent.
Jambudvīpa (Sanskrit: जम्बुद्वीप) is the dvīpa ("island" or "continent") of the terrestrial world, as
envisioned in the cosmologies of Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism, which is the realm where
ordinary human beings live. The word literally refers to "the land of Jambu trees" where jambu
(also known as jamun) is the Indian Blackberry (Syzygium cumini) and dvīpa has two meanings
"island" or "continent" and "planets" situated in the ocean of outer space.
"The planets are called dvīpas. Outer space is like an ocean of air. Just as there are islands in the
watery ocean, these planets in the ocean of space are called dvīpas, or islands in outer space"
(Chaitanya Caritamrita Madhya 20.218, Purport).
Mount Meru (Sanskrit: मेरु), on the other hand, also recognized as Sumeru, Sineru or Mahāmeru,
is the sacred five-peaked mountain of Hindu, Jain, and Buddhist cosmology and is considered to
be the center of all the physical, metaphysical and spiritual universes.
Many famous Buddhist and similar Jain as well as Hindu temples have been built as symbolic
representations of this mountain. The "Sumeru Throne- xūmízuò style base is a common feature
of Chinese pagodas. The highest point (the finial bud) on the pyatthat, a Burmese-style multi-
tiered roof, represents Mount Meru.
Getty Images

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For Hindus and Buddhists, Mount Kailash is the physical embodiment of Mount Meru. Here are
10 of the most interesting, little-known facts about one of the world’s most sacred and
mysterious mountain peak—Mount Kailash.
Mount Kailash—the Stairway to Heaven—is the most intriguing mountain range is the whole of
Himalayas, so we thought of divulging some things that you might not know about it. As a
matter of fact, Mount Kailash is 22,000 ft from the Tibetan Plateau, which is largely considered
to be inaccessible.
• Contrary to popular claims, the pyramid-shaped Mount Meru is the result of the possessed
technical expertise of some superhuman divine beings.
• According to the Buddhist and Hindu scriptures, around the Mount Meru exist ancient
monasteries and caves wherein the holy sages reside in their material and subtle bodies. These
caves can be seen by only a few fortunate ones.
• Every year, thousands of pilgrims enter Tibet for pilgrimage to the holy Mount Kailash. A few
make it to the region and a very few manage to finish circumambulating the hallowed peak. As
for climbing up the summit, some daring mountaineers have attempted to do so, but with no
luck.
Credit:
Getty Images
• Trekking all the way up to the peak of Mount Kailash is held to be a forbidden act among
Hindus for the fear of trespassing the sanctity of the mountain and disturbing the divine energies
residing there. As per a Tibetan lore, a monk named Milarepa once ventured far enough to reach
the top of Mount Meru. When he returned, he forewarned everyone to avoid bothering the God
resting high up in the peak.
• Two beautiful lakes, namely Mansarovar and Rakshas Tal, are located at the base of Mount
Kailash. Of the two, Mansarovar, which lies at an altitude of 14, 950 ft, is considered the highest
freshwater body in the world.

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• While Mansarovar has a deep spiritual significance, its antithesis, Rakshas Tal, was born of the
intense austerities performed by the demon King Ravana to please Lord Shiva. For its close
association with a demoniac entity, the Rakshas Tal Lake is endowed with salty water and
deprived of aquatic plant life and marine life.
• Mount Kailash is believed to be the Axis Mundi aka the cosmic axis, world axis, world pillar,
centre of the world, the world tree. It is the point where heaven meets earth. The Google Maps
vouch for the validity of this fact.
• True to its nature, the water of the holy Lake Mansarovar stays placid whether it is windy or
not. Also, its next-door neighbour, Rakshas Tal stays more or less turbulent.
Credit:
Getty Images
• Do not be surprised if you find your nails or hair grown by a few millimetres after returning
from your Mount Meru trip. Tourists and pilgrims have discovered that the air of this ancient
peak amps up the process of ageing!
• Once a group of climbers of Siberian origin reached ahead of a certain point and immediately
aged by a few decades. Shockingly, all of the trespassers died of old age a year after! 1
Mount Meru is lapis-blue on our side, which explains why it cannot be seen, but instead blends
in with the sky's color.The heavenly bodies orbit around Mount Meru. The cosmic mandala
pictured in the header above shows a bird's-eye view of Mount Meru and the orbits of the planets
(including sun and moon).The world system, with its complex layered base, floats in space, and

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is only one of an immense number of such world systems, termed the trichilicosm (a number
usually considered to be over a billion). The most obvious differences between the two
cosmological systems are geographic and geometric, such as the shape of Mount Meru. Compare
the pictures below for more details.
This process is eternal and without beginning or end, and in a sense defines time itself (as a
series of changes of impermanent reality).Through investigations of both pictorial and textual
sources, this article explores the significance and place that the Anavatapta Lake occupied in
East Asian religion and literature. In the process of transmission of Buddhism from India to East
Asian counties, the idea of the Anavatapta Lake carried layers of meanings beyond its initial role
as a sacred water source located in India. Buddhist cosmology placed India at the center of the
world and at the top of the hierarchy of sacredness. The adoption of this cosmology in China or
in Japan therefore caused tensions with their ideologies that placed China at the center of the
world or that regarded Japan as a divinely protected sacred country. Against the backdrop of
these tensions, the Anavatapta Lake played a crucial role in adapting and adopting Buddhist
cosmology in China and Japan. In the localization of the concept of the lake, the sacred source of
all water in the world became intricately associated, and sometimes believed to even be spatially
connected, with places of cultural, religious, and ideological significance in China and Japan,
such as China’s Yellow River or Japan’s Shinsen’en pond. These conceptual and spatial
connections helped the reconciliation of the India-centered cosmology and the local ideologies in
China and Japan, and reformulated political and cultural visions in East Asia.
But Anavatapata also known as Anottata (अनोत्तत) is a Lake in Himalayas. Anottata is
considered to be the place of origin of Rivers: Ganges, Vakshu, Sindhu River and Sita River,
lying at the center of the world, according to an ancient Buddhist cosmological view. It is often
identified with Lake Manasarovar, which lies at the foot of Mount Kailash in the Himalayas.Also
known as.
 Anavatapta (अनवतप्त)
 Anottata (अनोत्तत) (AS, p.23)
 Anavatata (अनवतत) (AS, p.20)
 Ravanahrada (रावणहृद) (AS, p.796)
The name Anavatapta means "heat-free"; the waters of the lake were thought to be able to soothe
the fires that torment beings. Anavatapta is also the name of the dragon that lives in the lake;
having become a Bodhisattva, it was free from the distresses that plague other dragons, which
are tormented by fiery heat and preyed on by Garuda birds.
_________________________________________________________________________
Mount Kailash facts: mindboggling things you may not know about Lord Shiva’s home
Resham Sengar|Times Travel Editor|SIGHTSEEING, TIBETUpdated : Nov 8, 2019,
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/travel/destinations/mount-kailash-facts-mindboggling-
things-you-may-not-know-about-lord-shivas-home/as61220500.cms

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List of Naga Rajas includes a Naga King named Anavatapta Nagaraja (अनवतप्त नागराजा)
Location: Lying south of Gandhamadana (Perfume Mountain), Lake Anavatapta is said to be
800 li in circumference and bordered by gold, silver, and precious stones. Four rivers issued from
the lake. The earthly manifestation of the lake is often identified with Lake Manasarovar, which
lies at the foot of Mount Kailash (Gandhamadana or Perfume Mountain) in the Himalayas. The
four mythical rivers are sometimes identified with the Ganges (east), the Indus (south),
the Oxus (west), and the Tarim or the Yellow River (north).
imbued with miraculous curative powers to remove human sins. George Coedes states the lake,
"...according to Indian tradition, is located in the confines of the Himalayas, and its waters gush
out of gargoyles in the form of the heads of animals." [
Anavatapata in Cambodia: There are around 4000 temples in Cambodia, out of which most of
them are located at Siem Reap, Battambang, Preah Vihar, and Kampong Thom. Some 72 major
temples or other buildings are found within this area, and the remains of several
hundred additional minor temple sites are scattered throughout the landscape beyond. god
Vishnu.A knowledge of Cosmology of the Hindus was well known to Cambodians at the time
they built Neak Pean.
Angkor Wat is dedicated to the Hindu god Vishnu who is one of the three principal gods in the
Hindu pantheon (Shiva and Brahma are the others). The cause of the Angkor empire's demise in
the early 15th century long remained a mystery. But researchers have now shown that intense
monsoon rains that followed a prolonged drought in the region caused widespread damage to the
city's infrastructure, leading to its collapse. Neak Pean (or Neak Poan ("The entwined serpents")
at Angkor, Cambodia is an artificial island with a Buddhist temple on a circular island
in Jayatataka Baray, which was associated with Preah Khan temple, built during the reign of
King Jayavarman VII. It is the "Mebon" of the Preah Khan baray (the "Jayatataka" of the
inscription).
Some historians believe that Neak Pean represents Anavatapta, a mythical lake in the
Himalayas whose waters are thought to cure all illness. The name is derived from the sculptures
of snakes (Nāga) running around the base of the temple structure, neak being the Khmer
rendering of the Sanskrit naga. "They are Nanda and Upananda, two nagas traditionally
associated with Lake Anavatapta."
Neak Pean was originally designed for medical purposes (the ancients believed that going into
these pools would balance the elements in the bather, thus curing disease); it is one of the many
hospitals that Jayavarman VII built. It is based on the ancient Hindu belief of balance. Four
connected pools represent Water, Earth, Fire and Wind. Each is connected to the central water
source, the main tank, by a stone conduit "presided over by one of Four Great Animals (maha
ajaneya pasu) namely Elephant, Bull, Horse, and Lion, corresponding to the north, east, south,
and west quarters....The stone conduits in the little pavilions are fashioned to represent the heads
of the Four Great Animals...the only exception being that on the east, which represents a human
head instead of a bull's." Originally, four sculptures stood on the floor of the lake. The only
remaining statue is that of the horse Balaha, a form of the bodhisattva Avalokitesvara, saving
sailors from the ogresses of Tamradvipa. The temple on the lake was originally dedicated to
Avalokitesvara. Willetts believed that "this is Jayavarman as he would have wished to have

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appeared to his people".Zhou Daguan refers to Neak Pean in his visit to Angkor in the late 13th
century.
The island temple Neak Pean
Neak Pean
“The entwined snakes”, small temple in the center of the Jayatataka baray
Second half of the 12th century/;King Jayavarman VII
Neak Pean, “the entwined snakes” is a small temple located on an island in the center of the now
dry Jayatataka baray, a water reservoir 3,500 meter long and 900 meter wide. Initially dedicated
to the Buddha, the temple was rededicated to Lokeshvara, the Bodhisattva of compassion.
Much of the temple area is flooded during the rainy season. A wooden walkway over the waters
leads to the central sanctuary, which is fenced off to protect it from further decay.
The Neak Pean was cleared from jungle vegetation in the 1920’s and 1930’s. Restoration works
have been carried out using the anastylosis method in the late 1930’s.
Central pond surrounded by four smaller ponds
The temple area on the island in the center of the Jayatataka baray is enclosed by a square laterite
wall measuring 350 meters wide, in which were contained a number of ponds. While the outer
ponds have gone, the central pond and four surrounding ponds remain.
The central pond of Neak Pean symbolizes lake Anavatapta, a lake located in the center of the
world in Buddhist cosmology. At each of its four sides is a smaller pond (srah) and a chapel
connecting the large central pond with the surrounding ones. The four chapels were used by
pilgrims who would wash away their sins in the cleansing waters of the central pond. In each
chapel there is a stone gargoyle in a different shape, namely a head of a King, an elephant, a lion
and a horse. Through their open mouths flowed water that filled that chapel’s small basins with
the healing waters from the central pool. Each of the chapels contains a base, on which the main
idol stood. Several depictions of Lokeshvara can be found inside the chapels.
Central sanctuary
In the center of the central pond is a circular island with a diameter of 14 meters, on which stands
the sanctuary. The sandstone sanctuary is set on a circular stone base, encircled by two Naga

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snakes, guarding the East entrance of the temple. At the other end (West) their tales intertwine,
from which the temple derives its name; Neak Pean translates to “the entwined snakes”.
Originally the sanctuary had doors on each of the four cardinal directions. At one point three of
them were closed, leaving just the East entrance. The false doors were adorned with large carved
depictions of Lokeshvara, believed to posses the powers of healing. On the pediment over the
East entrance is a depiction of the Buddha. The image of the Buddha that was enshrined inside
the sanctuary is no longer there.
Scattered around the central sanctuary are several lingas (the representation of Shiva), and Yonis
(the female counterpart of the linga). In front of the East entrance stands a statue of the flying
horse Balaha, often partly submerged in the rainy season.
A sculpting of Lokeshvara
The flying horse Balaha
The flying horse Balaha depicts a story from one of the Jataka tales, the stories that tell about the
previous lives of the Buddha. A group of merchants were sailing the ocean, when a violent storm
broke out that wrecked their ship. Clinging on to pieces of wood from the broken ship the
merchants ended up on a beach of an island named Singhala. The island was inhabited by
demons, that took the shape of attractive young women. The sailors were warmly welcomed by
the women, who took them to their homes where they had children and lived as a family.
One night the captain of the ship discovered a house with no doors and no windows from where
loud cries of misery and weeping emerged. Locked inside the house were merchants previously
stranded on the island, who told the captain that the women were in fact demons and that they
had to escape the island while they still had the chance. Once a month the flying horse Balaha
would appear on the island to rescue stranded sailors. The merchants are seen clinging to the

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horse’s manes and tail, escaping danger.The story serves as a reminder not to focus on worldly
matters and temptations and instead reach for lasting happiness by following the teachings of the
Buddha.To meaningfully discuss early Buddhism requires valid sources of information. The
primary sources in Pali, Chinese, Sanskrit, and Gandhari and their translations are indispensable.
The sheer amount of material and the complexity of accessing these languages require
overviews, systematizations and interpretations of scholars who are intimately familiar with the
sources. Among the established scholars of the past decades are Bhikkhu Bodhi, Johannes
Bronkhorst, Roderick Bucknell, Steven Collins, Lance Selwyn Cousins, Harry Falk, Rupert
Gethin, Richard Gombrich, Oskar von Hinüber, Hajime Nakamura, Kenneth Roy Norman,
Nyanatiloka Thera, Lambert Schmithausen, Gregory Schopen, Tillmann Vetter, and David
Williams.
In Buddhist cosmology, a large lake called the Anavatapta Lake lies at the center of the continent
Jambudvīpa, the southern of the Four Continents surrounding Mt. Sumeru. This cosmology was
transmitted from India to East Asia along with Buddhism. The Anavatapta Lake occupies an
important place in this cosmology because it is the source of all water and therefore crucial to all
life. The lake is the sacred abode of a water deity dragon, Nāga, and rivers run from the lake in
all the cardinal directions―to China in the east, to India in the south, to nomadic lands in the
north, and to the Middle East and Europe in the west―bringing water to everywhere in
Jambudvīpa. The significance of the lake derives from this myth, that the water from the lake
nourishes all creatures in the world.
In the process of dissemination of Buddhist cosmology, the concept of the Anavatapta Lake was
understood through the lens of local cultures and ideologies, and the lake was envisioned as a
site spatially connected to various places in China and Japan. Premodern people in East Asia had
access to a vast amount of sources that mention the Anavatapta Lake. This article examines such
sources―a travel journal, Buddhist sutras, narratives, and visual images that describe and
pictorialize the lake―and discusses how the imaginary lake was perceived in China and Japan
while blending with local cultures and ideologies.
One of the most detailed accounts of the Anavatapta Lake is found in Da Tang
Xiyuji 大唐西域記 (Great Tang Dynasty Record of the Western Regions; hereafter Xiyuji). This
twelve-fascicle travel account was written by the renowned Chinese scholar-monk Xuanzang
玄奘 (c. 602–664), who brought a vast amount of Buddhist scriptures from India back to Tang
China and translated them into Chinese. It provides vivid records of the geography and customs
of localities in Western China, Central Asia, and India of the time. Xiyuji also served later
generations who sought authentic Buddhist teachings in India as a guidebook. It expounds
legends and folklores of various regions, legends of the Buddha, jataka tales, anecdotes,
historical accounts, and the like.2
In the center of the Jambu continent is the Anavatapta Lake, meaning “No Trouble of Heat”,
which is south of the Fragrant Mountain and north of the Great Snow Mountains, with a circuit
of eight hundred li. Its banks are adorned with gold, silver, lapis lazuli, and crystal. It is full of
golden sand, and its water is as pure and clean as a mirror. The world-mountain of Sumeru is an
immense, strangely shaped peak which arises in the center of the world, and around which the

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Sun and Moon revolve. Its base rests in a vast ocean, and it is surrounded by several rings of
lesser mountain ranges and oceans. The three worlds listed below are all located on, or around,
Sumeru: the Trāyastriṃśa devas live on its peak, the Cāturmahārājikakāyika devas live on its
slopes, and the Asuras live in the ocean at its base. Sumeru and its surrounding oceans and
mountains are the home not just of these deities, but also vast assemblies of beings of popular
mythology who only rarely intrude on the human world
 Trāyastriṃśa त्रायस्त्त्रिंश or Tāvatiṃsa तावततिंस– The world "of the Thirty-three (devas)" is a
wide flat space on the top of Mount Sumeru, filled with the gardens and palaces of the devas.
Its ruler is Śakro devānām indra, शक्रो देवानाममन्द्रः ”Śakra, lord of the devas". Besides the
eponymous Thirty-three devas, many other devas and supernatural beings dwell here,
including the attendants of the devas and many heavenly courtesans (es or nymphs). The
beings of this world are 1,500 feet (460 m) tall and live for 36,000,000 years (Sarvāstivāda
tradition) or 3/4 of a yojana tall and live for 30,000,000 years (Vibhajyavāda tradition). The
height of this world is 80 yojanas above the Earth.
 Cāturmahārājikakāyika चातुममहारास्तजककातयक– The world "of the Four Great Kings" is
found on the lower slopes of Mount Sumeru, though some of its inhabitants live in the air
around the mountain. Its rulers are the four Great Kings of the
name, Virūḍhaka ववरूढकः, Dhṛtarāṣṭra धृतराष्ट्रः, Virūpākṣa ववरूपाक्षः, and their
leader Vaiśravaṇa वैश्रवणः. The devas who guide the Sun and Moon are also considered part
of this world, as are the retinues of the four kings, composed of Kumbhāṇḍas कु म्भाण्ड
(dwarfs), Gandharvas गन्द्धवम (fairies), Nāgas नाग (dragons) and Yakṣas यक्ष (goblins). The
beings of this world are 750 feet (230 m) tall and live for 9,000,000 years (Sarvāstivāda
tradition) or 90,000 years (Vibhajyavāda tradition). The height of this world is from sea level
up to 40 yojanas above the Earth.
 Asura असुर : The world of the Asuras is the space at the foot of Mount Sumeru, much of
which is a deep ocean. It is not the Asuras' original home, but the place they found
themselves after they were hurled, drunken, from Trāyastriṃśa where they had formerly
lived. The Asuras are always fighting to regain their lost kingdom on the top of Mount
Sumeru, but are unable to break the guard of the Four Great Kings. The Asuras are divided
into many groups, and have no single ruler, but among their leaders are Vemacitrin वेमचचत्री
(Pāli: Vepacitti वेपचचत्ती) and Rāhu.
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The Idea ofthe Anavatapta Lake in India and Its Adoption in East Asia- Yang Gao,Department
of Foreign Languages and Literatures, Tsinghua ,Uiversity, Beijing 100084, China,
2020.Religions 2020, 11(3), 134; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel11030134

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A Bodhisattva of the eighth stage, having transformed himself into a Nāga king by the power of
his resolute will, makes his abode at the bottom of the lake and supplies water for the Jambu
continent. Thus from the mouth of the Silver Ox at the east side of the lake flows out the Ganges,
which after going round the lake once enters the Southeast Sea; from the mouth of the Golden
Elephant at the south side of the lake flows out the Indus, which after winding round the lake
once enters the Southwest Sea; from the mouth of the Lapis Lazuli Horse at the west side of the
lake flows the Oxus, which after meandering round the lake once enters the Northwest Sea; and
from the mouth of the Crystal Lion at the north side of the lake flows out the Sītā, which after
encircling the lake once enters the Northeast Sea, or it is said that it flows by a subterranean
course to the Jishi Mountain, where the water reappears as a tributary of the Sītā and becomes
the source of the Yellow River in China.
The Anavatapta Lake occupies a particularly important place in this geography. The four sides
of the lake are flanked by the four animals associated with the four cardinal directions. On each
side of the lake, a river flows out of the mouth of the animal. The account also states that the Sītā
River is the headstream of China’s Yellow River. I will later expand on this supposed connection
between the lake and the Yellow River. These descriptions show that the Anavatapta Lake was a
geographical concept that connected the imaginary Buddhist cosmology to reality, and in the
course of time, it became so prevalent that it often appeared in various works of literature.
The Map of India in the scroll portrays the Anavatapta Lake in a similar manner to its
description in Xiyuji, as if pictorializing it. India is represented as a continent in the shape of
rounded trapezoid, surrounded by the neighboring countries such as China and Korea.4 The map
does not depict Japan, even on the periphery. The Anavatapta Lake, which is enclosed by a
double square, is drawn in the center of the northern part of India. Subsequent to the Map of
India is the Diagram of the Anavatapta Lake, which shows the lake in close-up at its center
(Figure 1).
Figure 1. A diagram of the Anavatapta Lake from the Harvard scroll. Section from Buddhist
Cosmology (Nihon koku narabini Shumi shoten zu) with text copied by Monk Ryūi; Harvard Art

14
Museums/Arthur M. Sackler Museum, Gift of the Hofer Collection of the Printed and Graphic;
©President and Fellows of Harvard College; Accession Number: 1973.66; Image Numbers:
DDC101828. Figure 2. Passages on the Anavatapta Lake in the Harvard scroll. Section from a
Buddhist Cosmology (Nihon koku narabini Shumi shoten zu) with text copied by Monk Ryūi;
Harvard Art Museums/Arthur M. Sackler Museum, Gift of the Hofer Collection of the Printed
and Graphic; ©President and Fellows of Harvard College; Accession Number: 1973.66; Image
Numbers: DDC101827.
Discussions on the Anavatapta Lake in Buddhist Sutras
Due to the imaginary geography of the Anavatapta Lake, it has several aspects that attracted
discussions. These discussions mostly appear in Buddhist texts, as summarized below.
1. Regarding the Nāga king in the Anavatapta Lake:
The Nāga king is a provisionally manifested form of a Buddhist deity―but there are several
accounts as to what deity it is: for instance, it is the Bodhisattva of the seventh stage 七地菩薩 in
the Avataṃsaka Sutra 大方広佛華厳經 (Jp. Daihō kōbutsu kegon kyō);11 it is the Bodhisattva
of the tenth stage 十地菩薩 in Fozu tongji 佛祖統紀 (Jp. Busso tōki).12
2. Regarding lotus flowers in the Anavatapta Lake:
The lotus flowers in the Anavatapta Lake are in four colors. These flowers were born from
the Nāga king’s vow to save sentient beings.13 There are many setsuwa (tales and anecdotes)
involving the lotus flowers in the Anavatapta Lake. These anecdotes usually center around the
episode of King Ruri’s (Virūḍhaka) massacre of the Shaka (Śākya) people. To take an example,
Shaka women who had been killed by King Ruri attained salvation when Mahākāśyapa, one of
Shakyamuni’s major disciples, poured water contained in lotus of the Anavatapta Lake on them.
3. Regarding the number of the Anavatapta Lake(s)
While the majority of the sources say that there is one lake and that four rivers flow from
that lake,15 one source says that there are four lakes and that sixteen rivers flow from them.16
4. Regarding water in the Anavatapta Lake
The Anavatapta Lake originated not as a real geographic concept, but as a religio-cultural
concept. The Anavatapta Lake continued to be a Buddhist idea, and has become a backdrop for
many religious events. Therefore, as will be seen below, the lake embodies various metaphors in
Buddhist sutras.The Anavatapta Lake is regarded as a sacred site worthy of holy beings:
Medicinal values of its water: The eradication of afflictions brings about many benefits, in just
the same way the ablution in the Anavatapta Lake eradicates sins.
Breathing disorder will be cured if one visualizes the Anavatapta Lake.
Shakyamuni’s fearless mind at his defeat of Māra is likened to the calmness of the full water of
the Anavatapta Lake and to the immovability of Mt. Sumeru.

15
These examples show the ways in which the sacred Anavatapta Lake was used as a
metaphor of dharma and enlightenment.
Naga-Protected Buddha with Avalokiteshvara and Prajnaparamita12th or 13th century- Cambodia-Angkor
.
Lake Manasarovar-Mapham Yumtso
LocationTibet Autonomous Region, China.Coordinates30.65°N 81.45°ECoordinates: 30.65°N
81.45°E
Surface area410 km2 (160 sq mi)/Max. depth90 m (300 ft)/Surface elevation4,590 m (15,060 ft)
Frozenwinter

16
Lake Manasarovar (also Manas Sarovar, Mapam Yumtso; Wylie: ma pham g.yu mtsho;
Sanskrit: मानसरोवर ; Chinese: 玛旁雍错) is a freshwater lake in the Tibet Autonomous Region,
China, 940 kilometres (580 mi) from Lhasa. To the west of it is Lake Rakshastal; to the north is
Mount Kailash. It lies at 4,590 metres (15,060 ft) above mean sea level, a relatively high
elevation for a large freshwater lake on the mostly saline lake-studded Tibetan Plateau.
Despite claims to the contrary, there are hundreds of higher freshwater lakes in the world,
including a larger and higher freshwater lake at 4,941 metres (16,211 ft) above sea level and 495
km2 in size, Angpa Tso (also known as Chibzhang Co, Migriggyangzham Co, East Chihpuchang
Hu), further east on the Tibetan Plateau at 33°24′N 90°17′E. The largest freshwater lake of its
size (290 km2) over 5000 meters elevation is Pumoyong Tso (also known as Puma Yumco, Po-
mo Hu, Pumuoyong Tso), also on the Tibetan Plateau, at 28°34′N 90°24′E at 5,018 metres
(16,463 ft) elevation.
Lake Manasarovar. is relatively round in shape with the circumference of 88 kilometres (55 mi).
Its depth reaches a maximum depth of 90 m (300 ft)[citation needed] and its surface area is 320
square kilometres (120 sq mi). It is connected to nearby Lake Rakshastal by the natural Ganga
Chhu channel. Lake Manasarovar is near the source of the Sutlej, which is the easternmost large
tributary of the Indus. Nearby are the sources of the Brahmaputra River, the Indus River, and the
Ghaghara, an important tributary of the Ganges.
Lake Manas Sarovar overflows in to lake Rakshastal which is a salt-water endorheic lake. These
lakes used to be part of the Sutlej basin and were separated due to tectonic activity.
.
The word "Manasarovara" originates from Sanskrit, which is a combination of the words
"Manas" "sarovara" manas meaning mind and sarovara meaning lake. According to the Hindu
religion, the lake was first created in the mind of the Lord Brahma after which it manifested on
Earth.
Religious significance

17
View from Chiu Gompa
Satellite view of lakes Manasarovar (right) and Rakshastal with Mount Kailash in the
background.
In Hinduism
In Hinduism, Lake Manasarovar is a personification of purity, and one who drinks water from
the lake will go to the abode of Shiva after death. He is believed to be cleansed of all his sins
committed over even a hundred lifetimes.
Like Mount Kailash, Lake Manasarovar is a place of pilgrimage, attracting religious people from
India, Nepal, Tibet and neighboring countries. Bathing in Manasarovar and drinking its water is
believed to cleanse all sins. Pilgrimage tours are organized regularly, especially from India, the
most famous of which is the yearly "Kailash Manas Sarovar Yatra". Pilgrims come to take
ceremonial baths in the cleansing waters of the lake.
Lake Manasarovar has long been viewed by the pilgrims as being nearby to the sources of four
great rivers of Asia, namely the Brahmaputra, Ghaghara, Indus and Sutlej, thus it is an axial
point which has been thronged to by pilgrims for thousands of years. The region was closed to
pilgrims from the outside following the Battle of Chamdo; no foreigners were allowed between
1951 and 1980. After the 1980s it has again become a part of the Indian pilgrim trail.
According to the Hinduism, the lake was first created in the mind of Brahma after which it
manifested on Earth. Hence it is called "Manasa sarovaram", which is a combination of the

18
Sanskrit words for "mind" and "lake". The lake is also supposed to be the summer abode of the
hamsa. Considered to be sacred, the hamsa is an important element in the symbology of the
subcontinent, representing wisdom and beauty.
In Buddhism
Buddhists associate the lake with the legendary lake Anavatapta (Sanskrit; Pali Anotatta) where
Maya is believed to have conceived Buddha. The lake has a few monasteries on its shores, the
most notable of which is the ancient Chiu Monastery built on a steep hill, looking as if it has
been carved right out of the rock.
The lake is very popular in Buddhist literature and associated with many teachings and stories.
Buddha, it is reported, stayed and meditated near this lake on several occasions. Lake
Manasarovar is also the subject of the meditative Tibetan tradition, "The Jewel of Tibet". A
modern narration and description of the meditation was made popular by Robert Thurman.
In Jainism.
In Jainism, Lake Manasarovar is associated with the first Tirthankara, Rishabha.
I have come to learn the fact that the idea if maha meru is not only included in the buddhist
canon but in many other beliefs and cultures which are not Buddhist.
I know that this has nothing to do with nirvana but i am curious of this and i also read this
I guess i want an answer to the question "While all other things are logical and also even
scientific, why this (Maha meru) makes no sense?"
As per my understanding in listening to Dhamma the maha meru is the mount Himalya. The
anawatapta lake is located in the maha meru as per the scripts & now it is found hat this lake
exists in the Himalya range. Hope you will be able to find the stories about Maha meru more
logical of you read articles on Himalya region, earth's structure, universal physics etc.
Mt. Kailash as we refer to it in the present day is the Mount Meru of yesteryear. It is in the
region around Mt. Kailash that Pacceka Buddhas will reside at a time just before a Supreme
Buddha is born to this world. That is when the eminent coming of a Supreme Buddha is talked
about amongst the general population of that time.So Mt. Kailash is a very storied mountain, the
equally storied lake and the storied flower in it. Mt. Kailash is the mythical Mt. Meru. Read
about it in the "Saptha Suryodgamana Sutta" The Sermon of the Seven Suns (Anguttara Nikaya
VII. 62). In it the Buddha explains in detail about the events that would unfold, and in it, this
monarch of mountains will get consumed and burnt, that neither ashes not soot will remain.
The Lake Anavatapta is said to be so sheltered and covered that the direct rays from the sun
would not fall and the lake would not dry up until the day this world would come to an end, as
per the Saptha Suryodgamana Sutta. In this "Sermon of the Seven Suns" the Supreme Buddha,
tells us about the end of the earth due to the expansion of the dying sun.In the Manual of
Buddhism by Spence Hardy he has this to say about Mt. Kailash & the Lake Anavatapta - in
page 42:
"The great forest is in the northern part of Jambudwipa, which, from the southern extremity,
gradually increases in height, until it attains an elevation of 500 yojanas, in the mountains of
Gandhamadana, Kailasa, Chitrakuta, and others, there being in all 84,000.. These mountains
are inhabited by an infinite number of dewas and yakas, and are beautified by 500 rivers, filled
with the most delicious water, and by the seven great lakes, among which is the Anotatta-wila.

19
This lake is 800 miles long, and as many broad and deep; and there are four places in it in which
the Budhas, Pase-Budhas, rahats, and rishis are accustomed to bathe; and six other places
where the dewas from the six inferior heavens bathe.”
..... On the four sides of Anotatta are four mouths or doors, whence proceed as many rivers; they
are, the lion-mouth, the elephant, the horse, and the bull. The banks of these rivers abound with
the animals from which they take their name. The rivers that pass to the north-east and west flow
three times round the lake without touching each other, and after passing through countries not
inhabited by man, fall into the sea. The river that runs to the south also passes three times round
the lake, then rushes from the midst of a rock, and flows in a straight line 60 yojanas.. It then
strikes against another rock, and rises into the sky, like a mount of gems 12 miles in size, flows
through the sky for the space of 60 jojanas, and strikes against the rock Tiyaggala. This rock it
has broken by its immense force; and after this it violently rushes on a further space of 60
yojanas, after which it flows on an inclined plane, strikes and breaks the ponderous Pansu-
parwata or Five Mountains, and again passes on 60 yojanas. It then flows 60 yojanas further,
through a cave, strikes the four-sided rock Wijja, and is lastly divided into five streams, like five
fingers, that are the five great livers (Ganga, Yumuna, Acirawati, Sarabhu, and Mahi), which,
after watering Jambudwipa, fall into the sea."
The five great rivers of India: the Ganga, the Yamuna, the Aciravati, the Sarabhu, and the Mahi,
is said to have its beginning in Lake Anavatapta & around Mt. Meru.
Himalaya is defined as Buddha.
Buddha called Himalaya Pabbatarāja, ‘the lord of mountains’. (S.II,137). The exact meaning of
the name Himalaya is uncertain. It may have been formed from the words hima and mala
meaning ‘garland of snow’ or from hima and alaya meaning ‘abode of snow’.
But when speaking about cosmology and "Maha Meru" You can see all Viharas, Chorten or
Buddhist temples are built in five layers that are defining "Maha Meru" or "Cosmology".
The Buddha said this about the body of living being (quoting the 7th point at the bottom of page
131 in The Buddha and His Dhamma by Dr B. R. Ambedkar):
The body of a living being consists of the combination of four great elements, viz., earth, water,
fire and air, and when this combination is resolved into the four component elements, dissolution
ensues.
Abhidharma describes Mount Meru/Kailash as a cosmological system; similar descriptions found
in Kalachakra Tantra.The tradition of Bon calls the mountain Yungdrung Gutsek; the
surrounding realm is termed Tazig Olmo Lung Ring. Olmo Lung Ring is not a location on the
Earth; rather, a kind of meditational

20
Anavatapta on a Buddhist world map (1710)
Anavatapta (Sanskrit अनवतप्त "the Unheated", Chinese: 阿那婆達多; pinyin: Ānàpó-
dáduō; Japanese pronunciation: Anabadatta, also
called Chinese: 無熱(悩)池; pinyin: Wúrènǎochí; Japanese pronunciation: Munetsu(nō)chi "the
Pond without Heat") is the lake lying at the center of the world, according to ancient Indian
tradition. The name Anavatapta means "heat-free"; the waters of the lake were thought to be able
to soothe the fires that torment beings. Anavatapta is also the name of the dragon that was said to
live in the lake; having become a bodhisattva, it was free from the distresses that plague other
dragons, which are tormented by fiery heat and preyed on by garudas.
According to Charles Higham, Lake Anavatapta was a "sacred Himalayan lake imbued with
miraculous curative powers to remove human sins." George Cœdès states the lake, "...according
to Indian tradition, is located in the confines of the Himalayas, and its waters gush out of
gargoyles in the form of the heads of animals."
Lying south of Perfume Mountain, Lake Anavatapta is said to be 800 li in circumference and
bordered by gold, silver, and precious stones. Four rivers issued from the lake. The earthly
manifestation of the lake is often identified with Lake Manasarovar, which lies at the foot
of Mount Kailash (Gandhamadana or Perfume Mountain) in the Himalayas. The four mythical
rivers are sometimes identified with the Ganges (east), the Indus (south), the Amu Darya (west),
and the Tarim or the Yellow River (north).
Anottata is a Lake in Himalayas. Anottata is considered to be the place of origin of
Rivers: Ganges, Vakshu, Sindhu River and Sita River. ] Anotatta is the lake lying at the center of
the world, according to an ancient Buddhist cosmological view. It is often identified with Lake
Manasarovar, which lies at the foot of Mount Kailash in the Himalayas.
The name Anavatapta means "heat-free"; the waters of the lake were thought to be able to soothe
the fires that torment beings. Anavatapta is also the name of the dragon that lives in the lake;
having become a Bodhisattva, it was free from the distresses that plague other dragons, which
are tormented by fiery heat and preyed on by Garuda birds.
Lying south of Gandhamadana (Perfume Mountain), Lake Anavatapta is said to be 800 li in
circumference and bordered by gold, silver, and precious stones. Four rivers issued from the

21
lake. The earthly manifestation of the lake is often identified with Lake Manasarovar, which lies
at the foot of Mount Kailash (Gandhamadana or Perfume Mountain) in the Himalayas. The four
mythical rivers are sometimes identified with the Ganges (east), the Indus (south),
the Oxus (west), and the Tarim or the Yellow River (north).
imbued with miraculous curative powers to remove human sins.
George Coedes states the lake, "...according to Indian tradition, is located in the confines of
the Himalayas, and its waters gush out of gargoyles in the form of the heads of animals."
Lake Manasarovar or Manas Sarovar, also called Swan rimbonche is a high altitude
freshwater lake fed by the Kailash Glaciers near Mount Kailash in Burang County, Ngari
Prefecture, Tibet Autonomous Region, China. The lake is revered as a sacred place in four
religions: Bön, Buddhism, Hinduism and Jainism.
The Sanskrit word "Manasarovar" (मानसरोवर) is a combination of two Sanskrit words;
"Mānas" (मानस्) meaning "mind (in its widest sense as applied to all the mental powers),
intellect, intelligence, understanding, perception, sense, conscience" while "sarovara" (सरोवर)
means "a lake or a large pond".
Geography
Mount Naimona'nyi (Gurla Mandhata) and Lake Manasarovar
Lake Manasarovar lies at 4,590 m (15,060 ft) above mean sea level, a relatively high elevation
for a large fresh water lake on the mostly saline lake-studded Tibetan Plateau.

22
Lake Manasarovar is relatively round in shape with the circumference of 88 km (54.7 mi). Its
depth reaches a maximum depth of 90 m (300 ft) and its surface area is 320 km2 (123.6 sq mi). It
is connected to nearby Lake Rakshastal by the natural Ganga Chhu channel. Lake Manasarovar
is near the source of the Sutlej, which is the easternmost large tributary of the Indus. Nearby are
the sources of the Brahmaputra River, the Indus River, and the Karnali, an important tributary of
the Ganges.
Lake Manasarovar overflows into Lake Rakshastal which is a salt-water endorheic lake. When
the level of Lake Rakshastal matched that of Lake Manasarovar, these (very narrowly) combined
lakes overflowed into the Sutlej basin. Stranded beaches around Lake Rakshastal at 4586 meter
would indicate that decrease in inflow and/or increase in evaporation are the cause of this lost
connection to the Indus basin rather than tectonic activity.
In May 2020, India inaugurated a new 80 km long motorable road from Dharchula to Lipulekh
Pass on India-China border [under geostrategic India-China Border Roads project] to the Kailas-
Manasarovar in Tibet.
Mount Meru (Sanskrit: मममम), also recognized as Sumeru, Sineru or Mahāmeru, is
the sacred five-peaked mountain of Hindu, Jain, and Buddhist cosmology and is considered to be
the center of all the physical, metaphysical and spiritual universes.
Many famous Buddhist and similar Jain as well as Hindu temples have been built as symbolic
representations of this mountain. The "Sumeru Throne" 須彌座 xūmízuò style base is a common
feature of Chinese pagodas. The highest point (the finial bud) on the pyatthat, a Burmese-style
multi-tiered roof, represents Mount Meru.
Etymologically, the proper name of the mountain is Meru (Pāli Meru), to which is added the
approbatory prefix su-, resulting in the meaning "excellent Meru" or "wonderful Meru" Meru is
also the name of the central bead in a mālā.
In other languages, Mount Meru is pronounced:
The dimensions attributed to Mount Meru, all references to it being as a part of the Cosmic
Ocean, with several geographically vague statements that say
"The Sun along with all the planets circle the mountain"
make determining its location most difficult, according to most scholars.
Some researchers identify Mount Meru or Sumeru with the Pamirs, northwest of Kashmir.
The Suryasiddhanta mentions that Mt. Meru lies in the middle of the Earth ("bhuva-madhya") in
the land of the Jambunad (Jampudvīpa). Narapatijayacharyasvarodaya, a ninth-century text,
based on mostly unpublished texts of Yāmal Tantr, mentions-
"Sumeruḥ Prithvī-madhye shrūyate drishyate na tu"
(Su-meru is heard to be in the middle of the Earth, but is not seen there).
There exist several versions of cosmology in existing Hindu texts. In one of them,
cosmologically, the Meru mountain was also described as being surrounded by Mandrachala
Mountain to the east, Suparshva Mountain to the west, Kumuda Mountain to the north
and Kailasa to the south.
Buddhist cosmology and Mount Meru (Buddhism)

23
According to Buddhist cosmology, Mount Meru (or Sumeru) is at the centre of the
world and Jambūdvīpa is south of it. It is 80,000 yojanas wide and 80,000 yojanas high
according to the Abhidharmakośabhāṣyam and 84,000 yojanas high according to the Long
Āgama Sutra. Trāyastriṃśa is on its peak, where Śakra resides. The Sun and the Moon revolve
around Mount Meru and as the Sun passes behind it, it becomes nighttime. The mountain has
four faces, each one made of a different material—the Northern face is made of gold, the Eastern
one is made of crystal, the Southern one is made of lapis lazuli, and the Western one is made
of ruby.
According to Jain cosmology, Mount Meru (or Sumeru) is at the centre of the world
surrounded by Jambūdvīpa, in form of a circle forming a diameter of 100,000 yojans.
There are two sets of sun, moon and stars revolving around Mount Meru; while one set
works, the other set rests behind Mount Meru.[26][27][28]
The 24th and last Tirthankara, Lord Mahāvīra was taken to the summit of Meru
by Indra shortly after his birth, after putting his mother Queen Trishala into deep slumber.
There he was bathed and anointed with precious unctions. Indra and other Devs
celebrated his birth.
.
You can see in the map, that Rakshas Tal is called “Lanka Dhe” – The Lanka Lake.

24
And then in 1812, the William Moorcroft, a Britisher, visited Maanas. He was the first Britisher
to do so (Those days, there were restrictions on westerners visiting Maanas. So he disguised
himself as a Gosain, an Indian trader pilgrim, and went across). His map of the Maanas region is
shown below…
In the above map, we see that Rakshas Tal is called Rawan Hrad… The Lake of Ravana…
We can say that Rakshas Tal, from whatever written history is there for us to access, has
definitely been associated with the memory of Ravana – and has been variously known as Lanka
Deh, Lanka Dhe, Lankadh, Raavan Hrad, Ravan Sarovar, Rakshas Sarovar, Rakshas Tal…
And so deep is the memory of Ravana etched in the subconscious of Indo-Tibetan peoples, that
he finds mention in the Tibetan Buddhist lore as well. In that context, Ravana is said to have
carried away three statues of Buddha to Lanka. In order to have a worthy altar for the statue, he
decided to carry Mount Kailash away. At that time Lord Budhha came flying there, along with
500 arhats. Alighting on Mount Kailash, he pressed his feet on four sides, pinning down the
mountain. Ravana was unable to lift the mountain. Then Buddha sat there and first taught
Dharma to Anavatapta, the Lord of Lake Manasarovar. He then taught Lankavatara Sutra to
Ravna, and blessed him (Source: Book “The Life of Shabkar – The Autobiography of a Tibetan
Yogin” by Zabs-dkar Tshogs-drug-ran-grol)…
To this day, marks are shown on Mt Kailash, which the locals say are made by the rope of
Ravana, as he tied it around Kailash, attempting to uproot the mountain…
In the previous post, we saw a mention of the famous hymn of Ravana – the Shiva Tandava
Stotram… Given below is a link to another youtube video of that hymn… Very well rendered…
Do have a look and listen…
`

25
`
My good friend Ashutosh, on reading the previous post wrote to me and gave me some very
interesting information… Some quotes from his mail – “There is popular rendition of Shiv
tandav strota in one breath in Rajasthan and MP. If you ever get to hear it, its mind blowingly
awesome. Its without music but very very powerful…I happened to meet to someone who chanted
it, it seems to be very popular among gaur brahmins of Rajasthan. They call it rudrika… and
then you might already know the choice of ट vargas by Shri Ravana in this stotra….Apparently,
the liberal use of Ta varga of varnamala called the shiva characters, is to put tongue in kechari
mudra. Murdhanya consonants.. if you chant it fast in one breath you can notice yourself,
tongue hitting the palette like a snake for the ta varga consonants and tongue moving seamlessly
inside the oral cavity for the rest…”
That was about the great Rakshasa King Ravana, who is associated with Rakshas Tal…
So it is that we have these twin lakes, Maanasarovar and Rakshas Tal, side by side, just a few
kms from each other…
Rakshas Tal is to Manasarovar as Yama is to Yamuna… Rakshas Tal and Maanas being twin
children of Kailas, and Yama and Yamuna being twin children of Soorya (Sun) …Rakshas Tal is
eerie, as is Yama. Maanas is all cleansing, as are the dark blue waters of Yamuna… The water of
Rakshastal is salty, in contrast to the pure freshness of Maanas. It’s waters are colder than that of
Manas, the lake is stormier, the shape is crooked… As different as they are, the forces of the two
lakes, however, go together… Indeed the two lakes are not separable. It is said by Geographers,
this was one lake, which got separated by land upheaval in the dim distant past.
From a spiritual point of view, if Maanas is inextricably linked with the story and the way of
Rama, the Rama-Charita-Maanas, then Rakshas Tal is inextricably linked with that of Ravana,
the Ravana-Charita-Hrad. And Rama and Ravana are two forces that appear together. Rama
represents Soorya Vamsha – the lineage of the Sun. And Ravana, after his great penance at
Kailasa, was rewarded by Lord Shiva with a crescent-moon shaped sword – the name of which
was Chandrahaas – the Laughter of the Moon…. Maanas is the Solar force, and Rakshas-Tal the
lunar force…
Lama Anagarika Govinda, sheds light on these forces, in his great work – “The Way of the
White Clouds”… Below are some quotes from that book –
“And as every Indian temple has its sacred water-tank, so at the southern foot of Kailas there
are two sacred lakes, Manasarovar and Rakastal, of which the former is shaped like the sun and
represents the forces of light, while the other is curved like the crescent moon and represents the
hidden forces of the night , which-as long as they are not recognised in their true nature
and directed into their proper channels-appear as the demonic powers of darkness….
…
These sun and moon symbols are used in every Tibetan scroll-painting (thang-ka) in which
Buddhas, deities, or saints are depicted. Sun and moon signify the two streams or currents of
psychic energy, which move upwards to the right and to the left of the central channel or
‘median nerve’ of the spinal column. In Yogic meditation these two currents are integrated in the
central channel and rise through it from one psychic centre or level of consciousness to the
other, until the integrated stream reaches the highest multi-dimensional level of an enlightened
consciousness. As Mount Kailas corresponds to the spinal column, it represents the axis of the
spiritual universe, rising through innumerable world-planes (indicated by the actual horizontal

26
stratification of the mountain , which is as regular and distinct as that of an Indian temple), from
the human to the highest divine level, while the two lakes are looked upon as the reservoirs of the
two streams of psychic energy.
…
It is interesting to note that even the geographical position of the two lakes corresponds to their
relationship to light and darkness, day and night. Manasarovar is in the east, at the beginning of
the day, Rakastal in the west, at the beginning of the night. In Tibetan Manasarovar is called
‘Tso Mapharn’, the lake of the invincible forces of the Buddhas (who are also called ‘Victors’),
while Rakastal is called ‘Langag Tso’ or, more correctly, ‘Lha-nag-Tso’, the Lake of the Dark
Deities .
Consequently the Tso Mapham is surrounded by a number of monasteries and retreats, while the
other lake is completely deserted of human habitation, and in spite of its scenic beauty a strange
and uncanny atmosphere seems to hover over it. Though it is held in fear, it is as sacred as its
sister-lake, because even those powers which appear to us terrifying and destructive, or hidden
in the darkness of the depth, are as divine as those which we worship as embodiments of light
and goodness.
The interrelationship of these forces-solar and lunar energy, conscious and subconscious forces,
the principles of light and darkness, male and female energies, action and contemplation,
emptiness and form-is the great discovery of Tantric philosophy. He who realises its truth is fit to
worship the awe-inspiring Master of Kailas, whether he sees him in the form of Shiva, the
destroyer of this world of illusion, or in the form of Demchog, who like Shiva tears asunder the
elephant-hide of ignorance and whose twelve arms signify the twelve links of the formula of
dependent origination, taught by the Buddha Sakyamuni.
Only he who has contemplated the divine in its most awe-inspiring form, who has dared to look
into the unveiled face of truth without being overwhelmed or frightened-only such a person will
be able to bear the powerful silence and solitude of Kailas and its sacred lakes, and endure the
dangers and hardships which are the price one has to pay for being admitted to the divine
presence on the most sacred spot on earth.”
Story/legand; Ravana, the ten-headed Rakshasa King of Lanka, is in Kailasa region. He has just
defeated his own uncle Kubera who lives here. Having captured the aircraft Pushpaka-Vimana
from Kubera, Ravana is flying about. Suddenly his aircraft stops mid-air. On enquiring he comes
to know from Nandi, the mount of Shiva, that he is trespassing the region of Lord Shiva. Ravana
in his arrogance decides to defeat Shiva. With that in mind, he tries to uproot Kailasa – the very
mountain on which Shiva resides. So strong is Ravana, that he manages to shake the mountain at
its very base, sending all deities, even Paravati, the consort of Shiva, into fear. Lord Siva, seeing
this, playfully presses the mountain with his toe, and Ravana’s hands are caught in a crush
beneath the mountain. Seeing that he has been overpowered by Shiva, Ravana seeks to atone,
does immense penance in that state, and composes and sings many a hymn in praise of Shiva.
Tradition has it that one among them is the song of Shiva’s Dance – Shiva Tandava Stotram –
the only song of Ravana that is now available to us.
He begins the song –
`
The waters flowing down from Siva’s matted locks, flowing down from Kailasa mountain,
finally fall into a lake… That is Rakshas Tal (pronounced Raakshas Taal), the twin lake of

27
Maanasarovar. As per ancient tradition, this is the place of penance of Ravana, as he propitiated
Siva.
Here’s a google earth picture of the twin lakes. The oval, disc shaped Manasarovar, in contrast to
the crooked, chicken-leg shaped Rakshas Tal – labeled as Lan’ga Co, in the picture… Maanas is
next to it. And Hanuman Tal on the far right…Lan’ga Co is the Tibetan name for Rakshas Tal…
Also ‘Langag Tso’ or, more correctly, ‘Lha-nag-Tso’, which means the ‘Lake of the Dark
Deities’… Known in common parlance, as the “Ghost Lake”.
^
`
Here’s a NASA satellite photograph of Rakshas Tal (Source Link, Click here )
`
`
Date : 1/July/2013
Today, we are leaving Manasarovar and are on our way to the base camp for our Kailasa trip. On
the way we halt at Rakshas Tal…
Here is a view of the lake, on the ground… Click on the picture to get a larger view…

28
Isn’t it beautiful!
`
`
A very-very short video of Rakshas Tal, that Soota managed from the bus…
`
`
As one stops at this lake, one cannot help noticing the stark contrast between this lake and
Manas. One saw no aquatic bird at all in Rakshas Tal. At the time we went there, the whole lake
is deathly still – in contrast to the lively vibrancy of Maanas nearby…A salt water lake, in
contrast to the sweet fresh waters of Maanas. The next picture is a carving in Kailasanatha
Temple in Ellora… This is of Siva and Parvati in Mt Kailasa, while the ten-headed twenty-
handed Ravana below is trying to uproot the mountain..
`
`
And the second photo is of Nataraja `

29
(Source Link : Click here)
`
In the far west of Tibet lies the holy mountain known as Mt. Kailash. Standing like a giant
Egyptian pyramid amidst the barren landscape of the Tibetan Plateau, this sacred mountain is an
important pilgrimage destination for thousands of travelers every year. Known to the locals as
Kang Rinpoche, the mountain is sacred to the believers of four separate religions - Hindu,
Buddhist, Jain, and Bon. Around this sacred mountain lie five Buddhist temples, each one
shrouded in centuries of mystery and legend. Located just 15 miles away from Mt. Kailash is the
serene Lake Manasarovar, which is another important site for pilgrims who wish to cleanse their
past sins by taking a dip in its pristine natural waters. The exceptional natural beauty of this
unscathed region makes the Kailash Manasarovar Yatra one of the most sought after pilgrimage
journeys through rural areas of Tibet, where love and peace have prevailed since eternity.
Considered to be one of the most beautiful mountains in China, Kailash is a divine mountain,
with four almost symmetrical sides, its snow-capped peak glistening white in the sunlight.
Bounded by the religious virtue and spiritual ethos of several religions, the Kailash Manasarovar
Yatra is believed to be one of the most sacred pilgrimage journeys, which takes pilgrims to the
revered site of Mt. Kailash and Lake Manasarovar in Tibet. Each year thousands of pilgrims
decide to go on a journey towards the consecrated lands, with ever more enthusiasm for the
eccentric virtue of belief and hope that they can relinquish their past deeds and cleanse out their
sins.

30
A devout pilgrim is doing Kailash kora with a prayer wheel
Standing at a high elevation of 6,638 meters above sea level, Mt. Kailash is considered to be the
center of the universe. Blessed by the geographical and mythological significance of Mt. Kailash
and Lake Manasarovar, pilgrims are consistently astounded by the pure magnificence of this
sacred pilgrimage journey. Believers of Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism and Tibetan Bonpo accept
the primarily belief that the journey to Mt. Kailash renounces their spirits and gives them a
chance of experiencing divine intervention during this lifetime.
The Tibetan religion of Bon believes Mount Kailash to be their ancient spiritual seat of power.
Meanwhile, in Jainism, Kailash, referred to as Mount Ashtapada, is the place where the creator
of their faith, Rishabhadeva, attained freedom from the cycle of life and rebirth.
The peak of the mountain is almost always enveloped in clouds, and it is believed by the locals
that anyone who gets to view the peak clearly will be very lucky. Mt. Kailash has been an
alluring site for pilgrims for centuries, and many explorers have traveled to the region to
investigate this holy site. However, to date, no one has ever made it to the peak, due mainly to
the devout religious significance of the mountain.
The area of Mt. Kailash and Lake Manasarovar is also the source of four of the major rivers in
Asia, the Sutlej River, the Brahmaputra River, the Indus River, and the Ganges River. All four
rivers have their sources within 100 km of the mountain, and are the habitats of many local
species of birds, wildlife, and plants.
Why Lake Manasarovar Yatra?
Lake Manasarovar is Tibet’s holiest lake. It is located in far western Tibet, not far from the
sacred peak of Kailash. Lake Manasarovar - known in Tibetan as Mapham Yum Tso, or
“invincible turquoise lake” - is Tibet’s holiest lake. Located in far western Tibet’s Ngari
Prefecture, it is over 1,200 kilometers from Lhasa. The lake is only 32 kilometers from Mt

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Kailash, Tibet’s most sacred peak, and sits at an elevation of 4,950 meters. While it is not even
the highest lake in Tibet, it is the highest freshwater lake in the world, and is widely regarded as
one of the most beautiful lakes in China. Surrounded by massive Himalayan peaks to the south,
including Gurla Mandhata, Manasarovar is a major pilgrimage destination for Buddhists, Hindus
and followers of the indigenous Tibetan religion of Bon.
Buddhists consider Lake Manasarovar to be associated with the legendary lake Anavatapta,
which is where the mother of Buddha (Maya) is believed to have conceived Buddha. Another
version is that Queen Maya was bathed in Lake Manasarovar by divine beings before she gave
birth to Buddha. Either way, Manasarovar is the holiest lake to Tibetan people.
Drinking Lake Manasarovar's water can wash away all the sins of one’s life
Lake Manasarovar is another Tibetan location that draws in pilgrims from all over the world, and from different
religions. Hindu pilgrims have been going to the lake for well over 1500 years, as they believe the god Brahma created the
lake. According to Hindu mythology, Manasarovar was first created in the mind of Lord Brahma hence justifying its
name - “Manas” meaning mindand “Sarovar” meaning lake. It is believedby the Hindu religion that Mount Kailash was
the place where Lord Shiva resided and is therefore considered as the earthly demonstration of heaven.
The well-known Sanskrit poet Kālidāsa, in the 4th century wrote that the water from the lake was
“like pearls and that to drink them erases the sins of a hundred lifetimes”. It is common to see
Hindus wade or swim in Lake Manasarovar as well as drink some of the water. It is believed
that bathing in the lake or drinking its water can wash away all the sins of one’s life, leaving you
clean and pure again.
Situated at the southern base of Mt. Kailash, Lake Manasarovar is celebrated around the world
for its uncommon magnificence and has been stunning the world for a number of years. Looking
at the historical backdrop of Mt. Kailash and Lake Manasarovar, without much stretch of the

32
imagination we can presume that they both have been a noteworthy piece of numerous religions
for many centuries.
Join-in Most Recommended Tibet Kailash Small Group Tours
How to Take Mount Kailash Kora
In Tibet, the most famous pilgrimage tour is the Kailash Manasarovar Yatra, which takes place
every year and atttracts thousands of pilgrims. Kailash Manasarovar Yatra is known for its
religious value, cultural significance, physical beauty and thrilling nature. Kailash Mansarovar
pilgrimage tour is one of the most demanding and challenging of treks for pilgrims in the world.
This is a route opening up unending stretches of barren land, lush green valleys, snow capped
peaks and pristine blue lakes. It is absolutely an experience of a lifetime.
Every year, thousands of pilgrims throng to the Mount Kailash. Some pilgrims even venture a
much more demanding regimen, performing body-length prostrations over the entire length of
the circumambulation. To some extent, Kailash Mansarovar Yatra is an ultimate destination for
every pilgrim.
Part of the Yatra is to walk the kora around Mt. Kailash, and many thousands of travelers and
pilgrims do this during the months of the Yatra. This holy ritual is believed to bring good
fortune, both now and for future generations, and help them to better attain enlightenment. If is
believed that anyone who completes the kora will clear away the sins of a lifetime, and those
who walk it 13 times will be brought to enlightenment within their lifetime. It is also believed
that anyone who can complete the kora 108 times continuously will attain instant enlightenment.
The different religions have different beliefs about the circumambulation of Mt. Kailash. Hindu
and Buddhist pilgrims complete the kora walking clockwise, while those of the Jain and Bon
religions walk around the mountain counter-clockwise. This belief stems from the legend of the
battle between Milarepa and Naro Bonchung, who fought for control of the sacred site. After
defeating Bonchung, Milarepa wisely allowed the Bon followers to continue to worship at the
mountain, but they would have to walk the kora backwards, and to this day, they still do so.
However, the length for kailash kora is about 56km and the average altitude is 5,000 meters. The
terrain is quite dangerous and rough. All pilgrims need to complete the kora on foot, so tourists
need to get over altitude sickness and strong physical fitness is required. In remote areas of Tibet,
tourists should be prepared for the poor accommodation, food and other services of local facility,
which cannot be compared with the same services in Lhasa.

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(Simple click to enlarge the map)
Time-honoured pilgrimage route around holy Mt. Kailash

34
Kailash and Manasarovar offers you astounding scenery of the Tibetan landscape
Manasarovar Yatra.
Photos taken on Kailash Manasarovar Yatra
The
north face of Mt. Kailash

35
Breathtaking scenery of Lake Manasarovar
Devout
pilgrims are prostrating themselves towards Holy Kailash

36
Lake Rakshastal a lake in Tibet Autonomous Region, China, lying just west of Lake
Manasarovar and south of Mount Kailash. The Sutlej River (also known by the Tibetan
name Langqen Zangbo in this area) originates at Rakshastal's northwestern tip. Despite its close
proximity to Lake Manasarovar (about 3.7 kilometres or 2.3 miles), Lake Rakshastal does not
share the historic religious significance of its eastern neighbor.
The name of the lake literally means "lake of the demon" in Sanskrit. It is also known as Ravan
Tal, as it is considered to be the place of severe penance by Ravan, the demon-like King
of Lanka in Hindu theology.In Buddhism, Lake Manasarovar, which is round like the sun, and
Rakshastal, shaped as a crescent, are respectively regarded as "brightness" and "darkness".
Rakshastal is a saline lake. There is a short river named Ganga Chhu, which connects Lake
Manasarovar with Rakshastal, believed to be created by rishis to add pure water from
Manasarovar.
There are four islands in Rakshastal, named Topserma (Dose), Dola (the two biggest), Lachato
(Nadzhado), and Dosharba. The islands are used by local people as winter pastures for their yaks.
In the Tibetan language, the lake is known as Lagngar Cho or Lhanag Tso, which means "the
dark lake of poison".
Religious significance: According to Hindu scriptures, Rakshastal was created by Ravana for
the express purpose of garnering superpowers through acts of devotion and meditation to the
god, Shiva, who resided on Mount Kailash. It was upon the banks of a special island in this lake
that he would make a daily offering with one of his ten heads as a sacrifice to please Shiva.
Finally, on the tenth day, Shiva was moved enough by his devotion to grant Ravana his wish to
obtain superpowers.
As there are no plants or wildlife around the lake, its lifeless surroundings caused the Tibetans to
refer it as "the Ghost Lake". Visitors who approach the lake must be respectful to avoid
inauspicious mishaps.
Rakshastal covers a total area of 250 square kilometres (97 sq mi), at an altitude of 4,575 metres
(15,010 ft). Though absent of nearby grasslands, the white cobbles, the hills and the island
colored with dark red, and the deep blue lake water present another distinctive picture absent
from many of the places more frequented by visitors.
Adi Kailash, also known as Shiva Kailash, Chota Kailash, Baba Kailash or Jonglingkong
Peak, is a mountain located in the Himalayan mountain range in the Pithoragarh
district of Uttarakhand, India.
Both Adi Kailash and Om Parvat are considered sacred by Hindus. The Adi Kailash and the Om
Parvat and are not one and the same.
The Adi Kailash or Chota Kailash is located in a different direction, near Sin La pass and near
Brahma Parvat, the base camp of Adi Kailash is 17 km from the Kutti village at sacred
Jolingkong Lake with Lord Shiva temple.

37
Om Parvat can be viewed in route to the Kailash Manasarovar Yatra from the last camp
below Lipulekh Pass at Nabhidhang India-China border post protected by the Indo-Tibetan
Border Police also has Public Works Department guest house on the Indian side. Many trekkers
to Adi Kailash often make a diversion to view Om Parvat. Om Parvat is located near
From Sept 19th to Oct 14th 2002 the first attempt, which was abandoned 200 m (660 ft) short of
the summit because of very loose snow and rock conditions, was made by an Indo-Aussie-
British-Scottish team including Martin Moran, T. Rankin, M. Singh, S. Ward, A. Williams and
R. Ausden. The climbers promised not to ascend the final 10 metres (30 ft) out of respect for the
peak's holy status.
On 8 October 2004, the first successful ascent of Adi Kailash was by the British-Scottish-
American team composed of Tim Woodward, Jack Pearse, Andy Perkins (UK); Jason Hubert,
Martin Welch, Diarmid Hearns, Amanda George (Scotland); and Paul Zuchowski (USA), who
did not ascend the final few metres out of respect for the sacred nature of the summit.
The Adi Kailash Yatra Circuit begins by going up the Darma Valley and then going to Kuthi
Yankti Valley (India) via the Sin La pass to join the Mount Kailash-Lake Manasarovar Tibetan
pilgrimage route down the Sharda River.[6] Motoroable Route to Adi Kailash is via Gunji. While
approaching Gunji from Dharcula and the rest of India, the route along the western bank
of Sharda River (also called Mahakali River) at Gunji forks into two separate motorable routes,
one goes north to Kailash-Mansarovar and another to the west to Adi Kailash.[8] In July 2020,
India also opened a newly constructed road in this area from Gunji to Limpiyadhura Pass
(Lampiya Dhura Pass on India-China border) which has reduced the trek time to Adi Kailash to
two hours. Earlier in May 2020, India had inaugurated a new 80 km long road
from Dharchula via Gunji to Lipulekh Pass on India-China border [under geostrategic India-
China Border Roads project] to the Kailas-Manasarovar.
Early Interactions Between South and Southeast Asia: Reflections on Cross ...edited by
Pierre-Yves Manguin, A. Mani, Geoff Wade
Indianisation is a trans-cultural process.

38
Mount Meru: A Mandala of my mind
Time and space are more nebulous in the Hindu world. Atop Meru is Swarga, the heavenly city
of Indra, Vedic god rain and storm, “a paradise “furnished with heavenly flowers and fruit and
covered everywhere with bright gold dwellings[2]”
“According to ancient religious texts, the abode of creator Brahma is called Brahmaloka, the
abode of Lord Vishnu is called Vaikunta ad the abode of Lord Shiva is called Kailash. Of the
three, one can only go bodily and return in this life from Kailash having experienced
divinity.[3]”
With its four facades facing north, east, south, and west, Mount Kailas looks like an enormous
diamond. Seventy-five percent as high as Mount Everest, the mountain is one of the tallest peaks
in the Himalayas. Nearby is the source of the Indus, Sutlej, and Brahmaputra Rivers. The source
of the Ganges is not far away. On its southern face, a vertical gash crosses horizontal layers,
creating the image of a swastika. The word comes from svastika, Sanskrit for well-being and
good fortune. Buddhists regard the mountain as a mandala -— the sacred circle from which the
sacred rivers flow like the spokes of the eternal wheel.”
– Colin Wilson[1]
At 6714 metres it is dwarfed when compared to Everest, but hidden behind a sea of Himalayan
mountains, and seen from a distance, its isolated snow capped beauty, overlooks the blue-green
emerald of lake Mansarovar and the Rakshas TaI, in the south, evokes a sense of the infinite
cosmos that embraces our minute world. It brings men to their knees as if before divinity in
solid form.
Each face has its own moods: snowy splendor to the south, compassion and benevolence to the
West, stark foreboding to the north, and distant, inaccessible mystery to the south. Within 100
kilometres, flow Asias four largest rivers: the Indus flows to the north, the Brahmaputra to the
east, the Sutlej to the west, and the Karnali to the south, leading to the Ganges.
The Jains believe Rishabhanatha, the first of our ages twenty-four saviors, was enlightened on
Kailash,. Nearby, Shenrab, the legendary founder of Bon, taught and meditated. Sikhs revere
Hemkund, a mountain lake near the source of the Ganges, as the place where Guru Gobind
Singh, the last of their ten principal teachers, meditated in a previous life. Here, the Tibetan yogi
Milarepa, attained enlightenment.

39
THERE ARE ALSOUNIVERSAL THEMES:
Metaphysical Meru, or Tise, was believed manifest on earth as Kalais (the crystal), or Kang
Rinpoche (Jewel of Snows). Claimed the navel of the earth ( a term used by Jews of Jerusalem,
and Olympus by the Greeks), axis of the universe, and source of Asia’s four great rivers, the
hidden source of the Ganga, Sutler, Indus and Brahmaputra were revealed behind the ramparts of
the Himalayas.
Four great rivers?
Kalais appears the Olympus of the East and seemed to improbable to believe in. So the Western
world preferred Ptolemy’s cartography.
Tibetans claim a compassionate Bodhisattva cut an outlet through the Himalayan peaks to form
the Tibetan plateau. Geologists claim the plateau preceded the mountain wall forced up from
clashing continental plates and eroded down over eons.
The lofty peaks can easily be imagined a home of the gods. The Aryans described the abode of
snow, Himavant, Himachala, or Himalaya. In the cosmology of Meru, it is a mountain of blazing
appearance. In the Mahabhrarata the ranges are “kissing the heavens by its height” “shining like
the morning sun and like a fire without smoke, immeasurable and unapproachable by men of
manifold sins.”
Navel of the earth, and the axis of the universe, from where water flowed into a mountain lake,
four rivers flow. The Himalayan was to south, and west deserts of Takla Makan to and Gobi to
north and east.
The world made of seven continents with seven oceans. From centre island rises Meru “like the
pericap of a lotus’ that sits between three mountains to the north and three to the south, claims
the Vishnu Purana.
Eighty- four thousand leagues high, with four faces like crystal, ruby, gold and lapis lazuli. From
the big toe of Vishnu’s left foot comes ‘the stream that washes away all sin, the river Ganga,
embrowned with the unguents of the nymphs of heaven, who sported in its waters.’ After

40
washing the inner orb, circling the mountain, it divides into for mighty rivers t each corner of the
earth: Sita, Alaknanda, Chaksu and Badra.
The first, flowing upon the tops of the inferior mountains on the east side of Meru, flows upon
their crests and passes through the country of Bhadrashva to the ocean: the Aleknanda flows
south, to the country of Bharatha and, dividing into seven rivers on the way, falls into the sea:
the Chaksu falls into the sea after traversing all the western mountains and passing through the
country of Ketumala: and the Badra washes the country of the Uttara Karus and empties itself
into the northern ocean.’
This image is mirrored in the Jain swastika mantra, the tantric mandela of Tibet, the Hindu
yantra and the upturned bowl of Sanchi’s great stupa, crowned with its symbolic tree. The yogi
mentally places himself within the image his spinal column at one with meru, deepened into an
earth consciousness. He achieves union of opposing forces of earth water, male and female,,
light and dark,what Taoists call , yin and yang; Tibetans call yab and yum, and the Shaivite
Tantra calls Shiva-Shakti .
Modern scholars suggest that as the Aryans pushed eastward the Ganges became the most vital
and sacrosanct of rivers. As the form of mother goddess Ganga Mai , she provides for 1/3 of
India’s population. The Jaganmatri, or Divine Mother has so many forms: Parvati, with smooth
and clear skin under her veil. Ouma is also called Parvati, daughter of the Himalaya, literally
“abode of the snows”. She can also turn into Kali for victory.
The dwelling place of God Siva, the Supreme Yogi, naked and smeared with ashes, sits on a tiger
skin, matted hair coiled o his head in meditative bliss. Though the supernatural power of his
third eye he calmly surveys the illusion of life’s and is able to destroy the illusion binding us to
the cycle of death and rebirth. j When He rises to dance, He takes on the functions of Brahma
and Vishnu and creates and preserves the universe itself.
Here, the King of the mountains, Himalaya, lives with his queen, the Goddess Mena, in a palace
of gold, attended by divine guardians, maidens, and magical beings.
It is hard to imagine a more potent symbol of inspiration. he Himalayas stretch 1,500 miles rising
from the monsoon- drenched jungles north of Burma to sweep its great arc along the borders of
India and Tibet, through Bhutan, Sikkim and Nepal, up to the glaciers of the Karakoram on the
remote desert between Pakistan and China.
Millions of years ago the summit of Mount Everest lay beneath an ancient sea, called Tethys,
separating Asia from India. Over eons the tectonic plates collided to fold and thrust up the peaks

41
of the Himalayas and the Tibetan Plateau, The fractured crust filled magma, and glacial action,
formed walls and peaks of granite and preexisting rivers have cut through the range creating the
deepest valleys in the world. The Kali Gandaki Valley between Annapurna and Dhaulagiri in
central Nepal is nearly four miles deep.
“The Earth’s most dramatic features, mountains are to Hindus the abode of Gods, the haunt of
holy sages and the supreme pilgrimage destination.
Viewed through the eyes of a Buddhist or Hindu, mountains are mystical realms of Gods,
heavens, spirits and spiritual masters.
– Edwin Bernbaum
The ancient poets and sages regarded the range as an earthly paradise sparkling with streams and
forests set beneath snowy beautiful peaks. Above this earthly paradise lie the heights of heaven..
To die on her banks and be caste in her waters is to be delivered to heaven. Dip 3 times under the
waters is to be cleansed of all sins.
As devotees bathe, change into a a clean dhoti , they are for at least that moment changed into a
new person , who has completed a turn in the wheel of life, death and rebirth.
High caste Hindus in 4th final stage of life begin their final pilgrimage from Ganga – Dwara. So
inaccessible are holiest of places a pilgrim places their life in the lap of the gods and to free them
self from the cycle of rebirth.
They shave their head and beard, conduct their own funeral and take on pale ochre robes
symbolising their purification in a funeral pyre.
“One of the greatest and most austere pilgrimages, Mount Kailas, Himalayan abode of Lord
Siva, is sacred to five religions. Pilgrims perform a three-day, 33-mile circumambulation of the
peak. At the foot of Kailas lies Lake Manasarovara, symbolizing a quieted mind, free from all
thought. Kailas is the Mount Meru of Hindu cosmology, center of the universe. Within 50 miles
are the sources of four of India’s auspicious rivers.[5]“
MERU AS A MODEL OF THE UNCONSCIOUS MIND AND HEALING
Religion imbues meaning to space: think of Jerusalem, Mecca, Rome, Karbal, or Kailas. For
place is an idea, consciously and deliberately constructed, then propagated in an ordered fashion
an imposed on the physical landscape .
We also map these values onto our bodies and on time: certain body parts are purer, certain times
more auspicious, so some places are charged more with energy.
Kalais is mapped for great meaning as a mandala for the souls pursuit of enlightenment.
The Buddhist mandala of Demchog on Kailas portrays the universe as a circle of mountains,
oceans and continents arrayed around a mountain Meru at its centre. Called Sumeru by
Buddhists and Meru by Hindu’s.
As the divine access of the cosmos, it is important to both Hindu and Buddhist thought. Brahma
is said to live on its summit with other deities surrounding him.
In the early texts, Kalais and Meru are separate peaks bt later traditions merged them into one
idealized peak.
Some devotees say the Kailash is the Shivalinga; others that it is Mount Meru, the presence of
eternal in time.

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Today both there are Tibetans and Indians view Kailas meeting of earth and divine, where the
heavenly Meru meets the earthly plane. A pilgrimage to Meru is a journey to the center of the
universe, where all begins and ends.

43
“As dew is dried up by the morning sun so are sins of men dried up by the sight of the
Himalaya, where Shiva lived and whee the Ganga falls from the foot of Vishnulike the slender
thread of a lotus flower. There are no mountains like the Himalaya, for in them are Kalais and
Manasarovar.”
Astonished travelers, passing below that inaccessible peak, view afar a vast snow formation
resembling a palace, with icy domes and turrets.
The Kailas peak full of dark black rocks with head adorned with glittering white snow stood like
a leader amongst the long stretch of black mountains. “My body experienced horripilation and
my mind immersed in the ocean of bliss was overcome with joy” – Sri Swami Tapovanam
The yantra to circle Kalaish can be performed in three days, a walk of around 50 kilometers,
paying homage to Siva or Demchog, makes contact with something deep within themselves to a
vision of the supreme reality that infuses our cosmos. Every step is rich with prayers and praise
of those who have walked the way for eons before them .
Tibetans make three, five, or thirteen circumambulations of Mount Kailash, or even more.
Sometimes they prostrate themselves, rising to walk the length of one prostration only, then once
again falling to the ground. To circle the mountain in this way may take up to four weeks of
patient and meditative movement. These pilgrims may then turn and return, rapt in their
awareness of the eternal. The way has no beginning and no end.”
– Jennifer Westwood[6]
Hence, to many Hindus and Buddhists, the pilgrimage to Kailas is is the most ardous and sacred
journey in the pursuit of enlightenment.
Many believe at Kalaish, the Ganges, holiest river of all, cascades from heaven to first touch the
Earth and course invisibly through the locks of Siva’s hair before spewing forth from a glacier
140 miles to the west.
Source: Thetrellingworld.com
Nearby is Lake Mansarovar, Lake of the Mind . Hindu myth claims the lake was first created in
the mind of the Lord Brahma. Myths claim it was the summer home of swans, considered sacred
and wise. Buddhists link it to Anotatta Lake, where legend claims Queen Maya conceived the
Buddha.

44
Annually during the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra the hardiest of Hindu pilgrims take the dangerous
journey over high passes to bathe in Manasarovar’s icy waters and cleanse their minds of sins by
ancient monasteries, like Chiu Gompa Monastery built into a hill as if carved from the rock.
Interestingly in South India, the Tamil Sangam spoke of a legendary continent Kumari Kandam,
named after a gentle maiden, the Divine Feminine. So perhaps we imagine our collective mind
and its archetypes, not as an iceberg, but as the Himalayan plateau, eroded by Yugas of time.
MAKING LIFE A SACRED EXPERIENCE
To many the Indus and Ganges are the cradle of life. We could say India’s great gifts are her five
great rivers that cradled life to civilizations.
From mountain abodes of eternal snow along the long Indus, carry mineral sediment and the rites
of mourners from Tibet, to the Bay of Bengal and the Arabian Sea. As environmentalists battle
over what is sacred, I am struck in in grief for the earth
Faced with a problem
Paramahansa Yogananda reminds us “Mythological tales in the Purana say that the Himalayas
are the abode of Shiva …” explaining “Parvati, Kali, Durga, Uma, and other goddesses are
aspects of the Divine Mother of the World, variously names to signalize particular functions.
God or Shiva in His para or transcendental aspect is inactive in creation. His shakti (energy,
activating force) is relegated to His “consorts,” the productive “female” powers that make
possible the infinite unfoldments in the cosmos.
The duality of sun and moon, ireinds me of the bridge between heaven and earth. A scientist
knows particle, energy, time-space, and electro-magnetism are interwoven, they are useful as
separate concepts. Similarly, a man sees in his lover the feminine in himself, as the moon reflects
the sun and on earth the divine finds a reflection of our own personal experience of heaven at
Meru.
Women emphasize process, inner world connectivity inner weaving are as important the fullness
not just the outcome. Men seem outcome driven.
India, like her ancient rivers have a beautiful feminine quality, and how will it merge with the
overpowering masculinity of economic demand?
The coniunctio as a harmonious balance between heaven and earth, like the moon and sun, and
man and woman. What is unknown in our self is found in completeness of union of the other in
love. Meister Ekhart called it the marriage of the sacred masculine and divine feminine.
Meru offers devotion and contemplation of divine love.
It allows us, in the words of poet Mary Oliver “to love what is mortal; to hold it against your
bones knowing your own life depends on it; and, when the time comes to let it go, to let it go.”
To look deep within and find what we know from somewhere deep within. To love, and to let go,
in the cycle of life.
3
3. https://reflectionsofindia.com/2014/11/18/mount-merumandala/
See also VARMA, ROMMEL. “Meru and Kailasa: Exploring a Paradigm and Its Model.” India International Centre
Quarterly, vol. 20, no. 4, 1993, pp. 139–158. JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/23003696. Accessed 10 Jan. 2021.

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