The first divine trip to Kailash Manasarvor by 37 spiritual aspirants chosen and led by Babaji Shivananda commenced on 17th June from Kathmandu with the group being back in Kathmandu by 26.June, 2019.
The trip began with devotees assembling in Kathmandu from the beginning of June, 2019. From 3rd to 07th June, the 37 devotees of the Yatra assembled in Kathmandu, with the hope that the group visa to commence the Yatra would be issued by 7th June. There were delays with the Visa. Despite these, the days were filled with divine joy as the members were engrossed in deep Sadhana (spiritual practice) every day that included Rudram Chanting, Kirtans and holy bath(Abhisekham) to Shiva lingams. Babaji granted personal interviews during those days of Sadhana leading the participants to enhanced devotion and showed the path from I -> WE – > He. Those intense sadhana days lead everyone realizing that each one of us were the primordial source of energy that Babaji is.
Click here to view the Kailash Manasarovar trip highlights video.The uniqueness of this Yatra led by Babaji is that all the members completed the Parikrama of the Holy Kailash despite uncertain and extreme weather conditions. Babaji reinforced in practice the sermon that each one of the Yatra member were Shiva himself and the circumambulation of Holy Kailash was towards onself.
The Yatris now look forward to Yatra the next year, recalling memories of the Divine trip with Shiva Himself and the difference this trip has made in their Sadhana.
Click here to read all the discourses given during this Yatra.
Devotee Experience: “We all have heard this common phrase “Man proposes and God disposes”, in this Kailash Yatra we experienced God proposes and He only disposes. All we need to do is play along on his roller coaster ride with utmost faith in our hearts. Every moment of the journey was custom tailored by the divine consciousness. It is now, when we reflect back on our journey, we recollect all the ups and downs that we collectively and individually went through was all for a reason. Reason unknown then, but now it can be best appreciated.
In my opinion, the journey was designed to break our own generated myths and conclusions that we draw out of day to day experience. The expedition was to exhilarate the feeling of oneness, not just within our group members but with the environment we were going to dwell in during the Yatra. My myth that was broken was that we should not consider ourselves separate from the external. From river stream to huge mountains to God. We are all one and the same, we all are mere projections of the divine, hence we all are divine. Acknowledging and accepting this also took time. Second thing I learned about time. Time is the best healer and best guide. All we need to do is, be aware of ourselves. Awareness brings alertness, this helps us in experiencing and appreciateing the gift of life.
The Kailash Yatra was a spiritual journey to know ourselves in the abode of Mahadeva. — N
II Sairam II II Om Namaha Shambhave II II Om Shri Gurubhyo Namaha II
My humble pranaams at the Lotus feet of Babaji! Please find a short description of the Kailash Yatra herewith.
Kailash – In God’s Abode
People come to Kailash for several reasons. Some want extraordinary experiences. Some want to see Shiva. Yet others see it as a test of endurance. For most, it is a journey to rid oneself of the consequences of past actions (karma). I did harbour a desire to visit Kailash myself, but never identified with any of the aforementioned reasons. I just knew there was a certain pull, and someday the journey would happen.
The 19th of April will always remain a memorable day. An interview with Swami happened. And, out of the blue, came Swami’s invitation for the Kailash Yatra. I left the interview room a little dazed, unable to fully comprehend the depth or purport of the invitation or my instant response of saying ‘Yes Swami, we will come’. Little did I know then, that this was an invitation to freedom. ‘I am finally going home’ was the singular, overwhelming feeling in my heart when the invitation to visit Kailash came.
My family and I have been followers of Shri Bhagwan Ramana Maharishi. My acquaintance with Swami is just over a year old. I never saw His Holiness Shri Satya Sai Baba in the physical form, had never visited Puttaparthi, and I don’t even know if we ever had a picture of theirs in our home. I knew about Baba, nothing more, nothing less. Hence my first ever interaction (in the subtle form) seemed surreal. It was hard for me to Trust this form and slowly surrender. In hindsight, I feel so blessed to have been brought into His fold. As Mooji says, ‘When Grace has picked you up, nothing can overwhelm you’. I had read those words seven years ago. Today, my heart understands the meaning.
Going to Shiva’s abode is special. What is even more so, is Shiva coming with you every step of the way. Meeting Babaji and spending time in His presence was the real Kailash Yatra. Walking to the base of the mountain was incidental. It is true, that every step of the journey was filled with miracles and extraordinary experiences. I have chosen not to chronicle them. Because any experience, no matter, how beautiful implies a certain degree of separation – between the experience and the one who undergoes that experience. In this yatra, the real miracle was the absence of the experience and the person undergoing the experience. They had become One.
I can never forget the special Grace that God bestowed upon me. My body was worn, my ego was crushed and my mind was still. And I discovered deep joy and peace within. As I narrate the journey to friends and colleagues, people sometimes ask me ‘Did you see Shiva’? My answer is a resounding Yes! Yes, I met Shiva. I met Shiva within and without, simultaneously. I cannot put it into words – only remain Silent. And perhaps, that Silence is the most eloquent way of narrating the journey. What benevolence! What Grace! What Love! No tears of gratitude are enough to thank the Lord! Thank you for bringing me Home. I was trapped in the smallness of the mind until You showed me the way of the Heart. In my quest to find You, I found myself. You were in me all along, and I in You We are One. — Much Love & Affection, H
A mere pilgrimage to an extravagant journey inward !
II Om Namah Shambave II
The first thought of a pilgrimage to the holy Kailash was sown in my mind by Babaji when I first met him in April 2017. In Nov 2018, Babaji mentioned about the Kailash Yatra to happen in June 2019. Took the opportunity with the sole intention of going with Babaji to this holy Yatra which I otherwise would not have even dreamt off.
Started the journey from Melbourne to Kathmandu on the 2nd June with Gratitude to Babaji for this opportunity only to hear on the 3rd that the whole Yatra is likely to be postponed by 8 days. It was an emotional me, backed up with courage from my husband to finish the Yatra having gone all the way that encouraged me to stay on at first. However, It was the assurance that Babaji is coming on the 5th and we will together do sadhanas and satsangs that calmed me and got me looking forward to the Yatra. Having waited for 2 years to meet with Babaji, the extended Yatra was an opportunity that presented itself to me to spend more time with the lord.
Come 5th June and Babaji’s arrival, there was no looking back. Each day was filled with Anandha through early morning prarthana’s, Linga Abhishekam amidst chanting, Namasankeerthans, bhajans, temple visits, paadha pooja’s, satsangs and introspections. Each Satsang was so profound in preparing us for not just the journey to Kailash but the journey of our lives ! Babaji explained to us the importance and purpose of this Yatra, our purpose of life and helped us prepare on how we should approach the Yatra- Just Be, clean state and baggage-less ! It opened me up and I said to Bhagawan “I am ready for this journey, I’m ready to be ripped apart to get me to realise my purpose”. However, wasnt sure if I understood what clean state or leaving baggage behind really meant. The words just continued to resonate.
This Yatra also presented to me a whole lot of beautiful and divine souls. As I got to know them better, I truly felt ‘nothing’ in front of each of them. I learnt what ‘true surrender and faith’ was from each of them and felt enormously blessed just being with and observing them.
The best moments were ofcourse an opportunity to speak to Swami and Babaji one to one. These conversations with the divine revealed so much to me. It brought about clarity in aspects I repeatedly questioned myself and felt immensely blessed. It put me in perspective, I learnt how much of compassion, love and attention to detail from Bhagawan goes into making each of us a person we are today. Oh Compassionate Mother, thank you for keeping me in your fold always is all I could say but could not comprehend who I was and why I was being so immensely blessed for I have done nothing to deserve it.
Immersed in bliss, came a day we were to start our journey and were all blessed by Babaji with a sacred thread tied around the ankle and a rudraksha Maala before we left for the Yatra. I was given 2 extra sacred threads for someone in need later point in time as Babaji’s seva. On the Day we were to cross the China/ Tibet border, Indian passports hadn’t arrived and collective prayers did the trick- they arrived by Helicopter!
With immense joy, we saw our brothers and sisters from India cross the border and realised just a few minutes later the foreign permits were expiring the next day and we couldn’t join our group. Choked with emotions of being detached from the group for sometime, suddenly everything calmed down recollecting Swami’s and Babaji’s words “I’ve brought you to this Yatra, then why worry. I will lead you through with my hands”. The nights satsang on video call got me tying the extra thread to 2 of my fellow yatris who were kept back with me. Realised at this stage every action was his, well planned and perfectly executed by the lord. I said I was ready for this and here it goes, a test of surrender!
Day 2 and 3 away from group were critical in me realising “I am nothing, there is no I and it is only Him, Him and Him”. What a moment to understand what clean state was and to realise everything is but his action. Then arises the question “Who am I” !
Day 4 flowed smoothly despite missing Manasarovar and Day1 parikrama and being on the verge of returning back to our respective countries. Reassured myself, It was Swami and Babaji who have brought us to this Yatra and promised to lead us through. But if returning back without a dharshan was their wish, so be it. May be disappointing for some time but Perhaps I’m not ready yet and lots to let go ! By now, it was a complete role reversal and i was a surprise package to my family.
Collective prayers on divine advice and assurance finally helped us cross the border on day 5 but with further hurdles at the border and post crossing the border. We learnt we were missing Day 2 parikrama too and when we reach the next day late night, our group is ready to return back the following morning. But the urge to just join Babaji and all was the only thing on my mind.
Everything came together on Day 6 ! An army permit signed off in just 20 mins on a Sunday, a 16 hour journey shortened to mere 10 hours, a surprised guide at our ability to cope with different altitudes on a single day, all just happened ! Everything was but his work and we knew it all for sure! The attitude to all this was absolute gratitude for guiding and helping us pass each step, one at a time with complete surrender and faith. This to me revealed myself and was the true experience of the Kailash Yatra.
With jubilation on meeting Babaji and our group, we got blessed by Babaji with a Kailash dharshan planned with just the 3 of us the next morning on an auspicious Shiva Monday. No words to express our love and gratitude again, he just made it happen and kept the promise as always.
Dharshan of Kailash and the abundant blessings of Babaji and Swami was bliss, unexplainable how it all happened but everything picture perfect and ended gracefully! The VVIP dharshan (As Swami called it!) in just a day, with each of us blessed with something unique was Least expected and filled our hearts up to its brim. Not sure what I prayed for or how earnest I was in my prayer at the vision of the holy Kailash, but surely can say it was nothing but gratitude all through this..
Further Blessings continued with conversations with the divine that explained the whole journey- why the drama, where we stood at the divine test, significance of what we’ve been blessed with, how we should continue to make progress once we get back to the unreal world. It was just the start of the journey accompanied by the lord. I was completely filled! Sincerely wish and pray we all continue to grow in our spiritual journey accompanied and guided by the lord himself. For each one of us reading this, wish we experience his Love for there is nothing greater than this!
If not for the satsangs, the experiences, the divine conversations and the yatris surrounded by, the Yatra would have been a mere pilgrimage and my life continued as a mere existence of being a good human. Utterly beautiful a journey it has been ! Deepest gratitude, Love and Pranams is all I have to offer at his feet.