Mount Kailash
Ngari, Tibet
The mountain Sadhguru describes as a living library, where Adiyogi deposited all he knew, and which Hindu, Jain and Buddhist traditions each hold sacred.
What the texts say
- Lineage text
Sadhguru says that when Adiyogi found that each of the seven sages had grasped only one aspect of what he knew, he deposited all of it in Mount Kailash so it would be preserved in one place. That, in his reading, is what "the abode of Shiva" means.
“the greatest mystical library on the planet”
Shiva: Ultimate Outlaw, Sadhguru, "Kailash – Mystic Mountain"
- Lineage text
He adds that realised beings have gone to Kailash for thousands of years to leave their knowing there, and names the traditions that hold it: South Indian mysticism places Agastya on its southern face, Buddhists say three of their main Buddhas live in the mountain, and Jains say Rishabh, the first Teerthankara, came there.
Shiva: Ultimate Outlaw, Sadhguru, "Kailash – Mystic Mountain"
- Lineage text
The book retells the lore of Ganapati and Kartikeya racing to circle Mount Kailash for a mango: Kartikeya sets off at once, while Ganapati circles his parents and says that they are his Kailash.
Adiyogi: The Source of Yoga, Sadhguru and Arundhathi Subramaniam, "MYSTIC PROGENY"
What tradition holds
Kept apart from the texts on purpose. These are held with respect, and they are not the same as a written source.
- Pilgrim tradition
Kailash is held sacred by Hindus as the abode of Lord Shiva, and is also of religious importance to Jains and Buddhists.
Held by: Hindu, Jain and Buddhist pilgrims, as the Ministry of External Affairs notes
What you will find today
- Getting there
- In Tibet (China). For Indian citizens, the Ministry of External Affairs organises the Kailash Manasarovar Yatra every year by two routes: Lipulekh Pass in Uttarakhand, which takes about 22 days, and Nathu La in Sikkim.
- Permits
- The Ministry's yatra is open to eligible Indian citizens with valid Indian passports, and yatris are chosen by a computerised draw.
- Best season
- The official yatra runs from June to August or September.
Last checked via Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India (https://kmy.gov.in/?lang=en). Conditions change; confirm before you travel.
A practice for this place
On the parikrama, walk a stretch each day in complete silence and without a destination in mind, letting the mountain stay in the corner of your eye. When you stop, sit facing it for ten minutes with your eyes open. At that altitude, go slowly and keep the breath easy.
We visit this place on our Kailash Mansarovar Yatra. Details here.