The Kailāsa Mountain

There are many Mountains and rivers mentioned in the Matsya Purāṇa , but the description of the Kailāsa Mountain and the river Gangā (Ganges) in the chapter 121, have particularly enriched the geographical aspect of India. Mount Kailās is according to mythology a very sacred Mountain where the abode of Lord Śiva. From the past this Mountainhas been considered as a special pilgrimage site. Not only Hinduism but this is sacred place for Buddhism but this is a sacred place for Buddhism and Jainism as well.

There are huge descriptions of Kailāsa Mountain in the verses 1 to 25 of chapter 121. According to the Purāṇa in the middle of the Himālaya Mountains, there is a Mountain named Kailāsa^[1]. From the Kailāsa upatyakā a lake has appeared named Mandodaka , whose water is very pure and cold. It is said that the water is so bright as curd. The prosperous divine Mandākinī river flows from the same lake. There is a divine and great forest called Nandan on the banks of that river. In the northeast direction of the Kailāsa is a Mountain named Chandraprabhā , which is bright like a gem. It is decorated with all kinds of metals and are spread to divine Subel Mountain, riched with many kinds of fragrant. Near the mount Chandraprabhā there is a divine lake known as Achchhoda (Achchhavata ), from which a holy divine river named Achchhodika (Achchhoda ) has emerged. On the banks of that river is a divine and beautiful great forest called Chaitraratha . The prosperous Mandākinī and holy Achchhoda –both these rivers have been found in the ocean flowing through the middle of the Earth-circle. In the south-east directionof Kailas , there is a huge Mountain named the Hemaśṛnga . It extends to the divine Suvel Mountain. Luster of the Mountain is full of all kinds of medicines and is full of metals called Maiśil . There is a huge celestial lake named Lohit in its foot land. It is the origin of a great river called Lohitya (the Brahmaputra ). On the banks of that river is a divine and vast forest called Viśoka .^[2]

In the northwest direction of the Kailāsa , there is a Mountain called Kakudmān , on which all types of medicines are accessible. It has three beautiful black peaks like Kājal (eyeliner)^[3]. At the same time there is a very great Mountain named Vaidyuta , which is full of all metals. The Vaidyuta Mountain extends to the Trikuta Mountain. There is a holy, divine, great lake in the fool-province of the Mountain. The lake is called ‘Mānas Sarovar ’, from which the great river Sarayu is originated. On the coast of the Sarayu river there is a divine forest name Vaibhrājya^[4]. In the west direction of the Kailāsa , there is a heavenly Mountain called Varuṇa , full of all the medicines. It is said that this Varuṇa Mountain is the top Mountain which is adorned with gold, beloved of Lord Mahādeva and rich in golden divine rocks. It looks like the Mountain is touching the sky with its thousands of golden shining peaks. There is a great divine Mountain named Śṛngavān , which is prosperous and inaccessible. It is said that Lord Mahādeva resides on that Mountain. In the Mountainous region of that Mountain, there is a lake named Śailoda . From that lake the river Śailodaka flows. The river also called Cakṣuṣi . It has drifted between the two Mountains to the west sea. In the north direction of the Kailās is a huge Mountain named Hiraṇyaśṛnga , which extends from Haritala to Gaura Mountain. Many divine medicines are obtained on this Hiraṇyaśṛnga Mountain. In its plant, there is a very beautiful celestial lake named Bindusar which is enriched with golden sandstone.^[5]

The Kailāsa Mountain is located near Lake the Manasarovar and the lake Rakṣāstal close to the source of some of the longest Asian rivers. The exact location of the Mountain in present time is Tibet Autonomous region, China. According to the Jain scriptures the Kailāsa Mountain is a holy place for the religion. The first Jain Tīrthaṅkara , Ṛṣabhadeva attained the ‘Mokṣa ’ (To heaven and back–Times of India Articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com, 11 January 2012) in the Aṣṭāpada , the Mountain next to mount Kailāsa . For Buddhism this is also a holy sacred place. In the Buddhist text Mountain Kailāsa is known as mount ‘Meru ’ [Robert E Buswell (2004). Encyclopedia of Buddhism: A–L Macmillan Reference. P.P. 407-408. ISBN 978-0-02-865719-6).

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

Matsya Purāṇa, Ch.–121/1, 2

[2]:

Matsya Purāṇa, Ch.–121/4-13

[3]:

Matsya Purāṇa, Ch.–121/14

[4]:

Matsya Purāṇa, Ch.–121/16, 17, 18

[5]:

Matsya Purāṇa, Ch.–121/19–25