Muktinath
Encyclopedia
Altitude
Altitude or height is defined based on the context in which it is used . As a general definition, altitude is a distance measurement, usually in the vertical or "up" direction, between a reference datum and a point or object. The reference datum also often varies according to the context...
of 3,710 meters at the foot of the Thorong La mountain pass (part of the Himalayas
Himalayas
The Himalaya Range or Himalaya Mountains Sanskrit: Devanagari: हिमालय, literally "abode of snow"), usually called the Himalayas or Himalaya for short, is a mountain range in Asia, separating the Indian subcontinent from the Tibetan Plateau...
), Mustang district
Mustang (kingdom)
Mustang is the former Kingdom of Lo and now part of Nepal, in the north-central part of that country, bordering the People's Republic of China on the Tibetan plateau between the Nepalese provinces of Dolpo and Manang...
, Nepal
Nepal
Nepal , officially the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal, is a landlocked sovereign state located in South Asia. It is located in the Himalayas and bordered to the north by the People's Republic of China, and to the south, east, and west by the Republic of India...
. The site is close to the village of Ranipauwa, which sometimes mistakenly is called Muktinath as well.
The Hindus call the sacred place Mukti Kshetra, which literally means the "place of salvation". Mainly the temple is with a predominant Sri Vaishnava origin and worshipped by Buddhists. This temple is considered to be the 105th among the available 108 Divya Desam. The ancient name of this place, before Buddhist origin is known as Thiru Saligramam. This houses the Saligrama sila considered to be the naturally available form of Sriman Narayana
Narayana
Narayana or Narayan or Naraina is an important Sanskrit name for Vishnu, and in many contemporary vernaculars a common Indian name. Narayana is also identified as the original man, Purusha. The Puranas present divergent views on Narayana...
- the Hindu God HEAD. It is also one of the 51 Sakthi peetams. The Buddhists call it Chumig Gyatsa
Chumig Gyatsa
Chumig Gyatsa is one of the 24 Buddhist Tantric places.Chumig Gyatsa means 'Hundred Waters' in Tibetan.It is the local name for the pilgrimage site Muktinath, a sacred place both for Hindus as well as the Buddhists, located at an altitude of 3,710 meters, at the foot of the Thorung La mountain...
, which in Tibetan
Tibetan language
The Tibetan languages are a cluster of mutually-unintelligible Tibeto-Burman languages spoken primarily by Tibetan peoples who live across a wide area of eastern Central Asia bordering the Indian subcontinent, including the Tibetan Plateau and the northern Indian subcontinent in Baltistan, Ladakh,...
means 'Hundred Waters'. For Tibetan Buddhists, Muktinath-Chumig Gyatsa is a very important place of Dakini
Dakini
A dakini is a tantric deity described as a female embodiment of enlightened energy. In the Tibetan language, dakini is rendered khandroma which means 'she who traverses the sky' or 'she who moves in space'. Sometimes the term is translated poetically as 'sky dancer' or 'sky walker'. The dakini, in...
s, goddesses known as Sky Dancers and one of the 24 Tantric
Vajrayana
Vajrayāna Buddhism is also known as Tantric Buddhism, Tantrayāna, Mantrayāna, Secret Mantra, Esoteric Buddhism and the Diamond Vehicle...
places. They understand the murti
Murti
In Hinduism, a murti , or murthi, or vigraha or pratima typically refers to an image which expresses a Divine Spirit . Meaning literally "embodiment", a murti is a representation of a divinity, made usually of stone, wood, or metal, which serves as a means through which a divinity may be worshiped...
to be a manifestation of Avalokitesvara
Avalokitesvara
Avalokiteśvara is a bodhisattva who embodies the compassion of all Buddhas. He is one of the more widely revered bodhisattvas in mainstream Mahayana Buddhism....
.
The central temple
The central shrine of Sri Muktinath, predominant among all 108 Hindu SriVaishnava Divyadesam is considered one of the eight most sacred shrines for Hindu Vaishnavas known as Svayam Vyakta KsetrasSwayambhu
Swayambhu means Self-manifested or that which is created by its own accord.-Vaishnavism:Based on details in Bhagavata Purana and Matsya Purana, Narayana or Krishna is said to be the Self-manifested Swayambhu form of Brahman as the first cause of creation...
, the other seven being Srirangam
Srirangam
Srirangam , Old name is Vellithirumutha gramam and Tamil name is Thiruvarangam , is an island and a part of the city of Tiruchirapalli , in South India....
, Srimushnam
Srimushnam
Srimushnam is a panchayat town of the Cuddalore district in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu located about west of Chidambaram and south east of Vridhachalam...
, Tirupati
Tirumala - Tirupati
Tirupati is a major pilgrimage city located in the Chittoor district and seventh biggest city of Andhra Pradesh, India. It is located at the foothills of the Eastern Ghats at a distance of south of Hyderabad, the capital of the state, east of Bangalore, and north of Chennai.Tirupati is famous...
, Naimisharanya, Totadri, Pushkar
Pushkar
Pushkar is a town in the Ajmer district in the state of Rajasthan, India. It is situated at 14 km North West from Ajmer at an average elevation of 510 metres , and is one of the five sacred dhams...
and Badrinath.
The temple is very small. Muktinath is one of the most ancient Hindu temples of God Vishnu
Vishnu
Vishnu is the Supreme god in the Vaishnavite tradition of Hinduism. Smarta followers of Adi Shankara, among others, venerate Vishnu as one of the five primary forms of God....
. The murti
Murti
In Hinduism, a murti , or murthi, or vigraha or pratima typically refers to an image which expresses a Divine Spirit . Meaning literally "embodiment", a murti is a representation of a divinity, made usually of stone, wood, or metal, which serves as a means through which a divinity may be worshiped...
is of gold and is tall enough to compare with a man.
The prakaram
Prakaram
A Prakaram, also spelled Pragaram or Pragaaram) in Indian architecture is an outer parth around the Hindu temple sanctum. These may be enclosed or open and are typically enclosed for the inner most prakaram....
(outer courtyard) has 108 bull faces through which water is poured. It is of freezing temperature. The sacred water that flows in 108 pipes around the temple complex denote all sacred Pushkarini waters (Temple Tanks) from all 108 Sri Vaishnava Divya Desams
Divya Desams
Divya Desams refer to 108 Vishnu temples that are mentioned in the works of the Tamil Azhvars . 105 of these are located in India, 1 in Nepal, while 2 are located outside of the Earthly realms. 'Divya' in Tamil language indicates premium and 'Desam' indicates place or temple.The two major deities...
including Srirangam
Srirangam
Srirangam , Old name is Vellithirumutha gramam and Tamil name is Thiruvarangam , is an island and a part of the city of Tiruchirapalli , in South India....
, Tirumala, Vaikunta
Vaikunta
Vaikuntha , Param Padam , or Paramapadam is the abode of Lord Vishnu. It is believed, in the tradition of Vaishnavites, to be the place of eternal bliss, exclusive to the Lord, His eternal consort, the Goddess Lakshmi, and the three-folded Serpent Sesha Naga, upon whom the Lord, and His Shakti ,...
, where the devotees take their sacred bath even in the freezing temperatures. There is an old Buddhist monk present in the temple. The worship is conducted by Buddhist nun
Nun
A nun is a woman who has taken vows committing her to live a spiritual life. She may be an ascetic who voluntarily chooses to leave mainstream society and live her life in prayer and contemplation in a monastery or convent...
s.
Legend
The Tibetan Buddhist tradition states that for this reason Guru Rinpoche, also known as PadmasambhavaPadmasambhava
Padmasambhava ; Mongolian ловон Бадмажунай, lovon Badmajunai, , Means The Lotus-Born, was a sage guru from Oddiyāna who is said to have transmitted Vajrayana Buddhism to Bhutan and Tibet and neighbouring countries in the 8th century...
, the founder of Tibetan Buddhism
Tibetan Buddhism
Tibetan Buddhism is the body of Buddhist religious doctrine and institutions characteristic of Tibet and certain regions of the Himalayas, including northern Nepal, Bhutan, and India . It is the state religion of Bhutan...
, had meditated at Muktinath on his way to Tibet
Tibet
Tibet is a plateau region in Asia, north-east of the Himalayas. It is the traditional homeland of the Tibetan people as well as some other ethnic groups such as Monpas, Qiang, and Lhobas, and is now also inhabited by considerable numbers of Han and Hui people...
. This temple is praised by many saints of Hindu
Hindu
Hindu refers to an identity associated with the philosophical, religious and cultural systems that are indigenous to the Indian subcontinent. As used in the Constitution of India, the word "Hindu" is also attributed to all persons professing any Indian religion...
tradition. The scripts narrating the importance of this temple is available in Vishnu Purana
Vishnu Purana
The Vishnu Purana is a religious Hindu text and one of the eighteen Mahapuranas. It is considered one of the most important Puranas and has been given the name Puranaratna...
with the Gantaki Mahathmya.
The waterway downstream from Muktinath along Kali Gandaki is the source of all Sila
Sila
Śīla or sīla in Buddhism and its non-sectarian offshoots, is a code of conduct that embraces self-restraint with a value on non-harming. It has been variously described as virtue, good conduct, morality, moral discipline and precept. It is an action that is an intentional effort...
s or Shaligrams that are required to establish a temple of Vishnu
Vishnu
Vishnu is the Supreme god in the Vaishnavite tradition of Hinduism. Smarta followers of Adi Shankara, among others, venerate Vishnu as one of the five primary forms of God....
anywhere in the world. It is considered to be one of the holiest places of pilgrimage of Hindu
Hindu
Hindu refers to an identity associated with the philosophical, religious and cultural systems that are indigenous to the Indian subcontinent. As used in the Constitution of India, the word "Hindu" is also attributed to all persons professing any Indian religion...
s, Buddhists, and Vaishnavas. It has 108 water springs and this number carries great significance in Eastern philosophy. In Hindu astrology, there are 12 zodiac or Rashi and 9 planets or Graha, giving a total of 108 combination. Also there are 27 Lunar mansions or Nakshatra
Nakshatra
Nakshatra is the term for lunar mansion in Hindu astrology. A nakshatra is one of 27 sectors along the ecliptic...
s which are divided in 4 quarters or Padas each giving a combination of 108 Padas in total.
Sri Murthy Mahatmyam
This is the only place on earth where you can find all five elementsClassical element
Many philosophies and worldviews have a set of classical elements believed to reflect the simplest essential parts and principles of which anything consists or upon which the constitution and fundamental powers of anything are based. Most frequently, classical elements refer to ancient beliefs...
from which everything is made, according to the Buddhist and Hindu tradition: fire
Fire
Fire is the rapid oxidation of a material in the chemical process of combustion, releasing heat, light, and various reaction products. Slower oxidative processes like rusting or digestion are not included by this definition....
, water
Water
Water is a chemical substance with the chemical formula H2O. A water molecule contains one oxygen and two hydrogen atoms connected by covalent bonds. Water is a liquid at ambient conditions, but it often co-exists on Earth with its solid state, ice, and gaseous state . Water also exists in a...
, sky
Sky
The sky is the part of the atmosphere or outer space visible from the surface of any astronomical object. It is difficult to define precisely for several reasons. During daylight, the sky of Earth has the appearance of a pale blue surface because the air scatters the sunlight. The sky is sometimes...
, earth
Earth
Earth is the third planet from the Sun, and the densest and fifth-largest of the eight planets in the Solar System. It is also the largest of the Solar System's four terrestrial planets...
and air at the same place together in their own and distinct form. This place is near Jwala Devi temple.
The entire river bed has Shaligram stones which are used to worship Lord Vishnu.
According to Sri Vaishnava philosophy it is considered to be one of the Divya desam (108 in total) or holy places of worship of Lord Vishnu
Vishnu
Vishnu is the Supreme god in the Vaishnavite tradition of Hinduism. Smarta followers of Adi Shankara, among others, venerate Vishnu as one of the five primary forms of God....
praised by Alwars in a compilation called the Nalayira Divya Prabandha.
It is said that one has to be gifted to get the darshan
Darshan
or Darshan is a Sanskrit term meaning "sight" , vision, apparition, or glimpse. It is most commonly used for "visions of the divine" in Hindu worship, e.g. of a deity , or a very holy person or artifact...
of Lord Sri Murthi and Goddess Sri Devi Thayaar.
Prasad
A local nun manages the pujas in the temple. Pilgrims who go there should offer prasadPrasad
Prasād is a mental condition of generosity, as well as a material substance that is first offered to a deity and then consumed...
to the deity.
Darshan, sevas and festivals
The most suitable time to visit Muktinath is from March to June, as the weather conditions would not be safe enough to travel in other months. The journey passes through many archeological sites and temples.Sri Vaishnavaitic Reference
Thirumangai AlvarThirumangai Alvar
Thirumangai Alvar or Tirumangai Alvar or Tirumankai Alvar or Thirumangai Mannan is the last of the 12 Alvar saints of south India, who are known for their affiliation to Vaishnava tradition of Hinduism. He is considered one of the most learned Alvar and the most superior Alvar in the context of...
could not reach Muktinath, but had sung from nearest place in praise of Lord Sri Murthy. Periyalvar
Periyalvar
Periyalwar or Periazhwar is the first of the 12 Alvar saints of South India, who are known for their affiliation to Vaishnava tradition of Hinduism...
had sung in praise of Sri Murthi as "Salagramamudaiya Nambi". Recently the pontiff of Srivilliputtur (the most venerated Srivaishnava pilgrim centre in Tamilnadu in India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
), 'Sri Manavala Mamunigal Mutt' H.H 23rd peetam Sri Sri Sri Satakopa Ramanuja Jeeyar Swamiji has made the installation of the idols of Andal
Andal
Andal is the the only female Alvar of the 12 Alvar saints of South India, who are known for their affiliation to Vaishnava tradition of Hinduism. She is credited with the great Tamil works of Thirupavai and Nachiar Tirumozhi that are still recited by devotees during the Winter festival season of...
(Sri Gotha Devi), Ramanuja
Ramanuja
Ramanuja ; traditionally 1017–1137, also known as Ramanujacharya, Ethirajar , Emperumannar, Lakshmana Muni, was a theologian, philosopher, and scriptural exegete...
, and Manavala Mamunigal
Manavala Mamunigal
Manavala Mamunigal was a Hindu religious leader, who during the 15th century in Tamil Nadu, with the help of his eight disciples helped spread Vaishnavism...
in this sacred place of predominant Sri Vaishnava origin. This is considered to be one of the mile stones in the History of Muktinath by the devotees. A large crowd of Sri Vaishnava Devotees pay their visit to this most sacred Sri Vaishnavaitic Shrine where the lord resides in the form of Sri Paramapatha Nathan with His divine consorts of Sri, Bhoomi, Neela and Gotha Devis. The importance of this place is very high that even Buddhism
Buddhism
Buddhism is a religion and philosophy encompassing a variety of traditions, beliefs and practices, largely based on teachings attributed to Siddhartha Gautama, commonly known as the Buddha . The Buddha lived and taught in the northeastern Indian subcontinent some time between the 6th and 4th...
worships this Lord Sriman Narayana of Muktinath for attaining Salvation Mukti. The sacred water that flows in 108 pipes around the temple complex denote all sacred Pushkarini waters from all 108 Sri Vaishnava Divya Desams
Divya Desams
Divya Desams refer to 108 Vishnu temples that are mentioned in the works of the Tamil Azhvars . 105 of these are located in India, 1 in Nepal, while 2 are located outside of the Earthly realms. 'Divya' in Tamil language indicates premium and 'Desam' indicates place or temple.The two major deities...
including Srirangam
Srirangam
Srirangam , Old name is Vellithirumutha gramam and Tamil name is Thiruvarangam , is an island and a part of the city of Tiruchirapalli , in South India....
, Tirumala, Vaikunta
Vaikunta
Vaikuntha , Param Padam , or Paramapadam is the abode of Lord Vishnu. It is believed, in the tradition of Vaishnavites, to be the place of eternal bliss, exclusive to the Lord, His eternal consort, the Goddess Lakshmi, and the three-folded Serpent Sesha Naga, upon whom the Lord, and His Shakti ,...
, where the devotees take their sacred bath even in the freezing temperatures.
Travel access
Access is difficult because of tough weather conditions. One can fly from Kathmandu to PokharaPokhara
Pokhara Sub-Metropolitan City is the second largest city of Nepal. Pokhara is city of close to 350,000 inhabitants in central Nepal located at 28.25°N, 83.99°E, which is the centre of the country from east to west or from north to south, 198 km west of Kathmandu or 90 km west of Mugling, and...
and then from Pokhara to Jomsom Airport
Jomsom Airport
Jomsom Airport is an airport serving Jomsom, a town in the Mustang District of the Dhawalagiri Zone in Nepal. It is known as one of the world's most dangerous airfields and is a particular favourite of flight simulator fans.-Facilities:...
. From there, one can either trek all the way or take a jeep to Muktinath. Some tourists are also known to charter a helicopter all the way to Muktinath which takes around forty five minutes to reach. The helicopter can be hired only when the weather permits.
Arriving by helicopter for a longer period of stay is not recommended because of the risk of acute mountain sickness. Accommodation is available in Ranipauwa, Kagbeni
Kagbeni
Kagbeni is a 2008 Nepali movie, loosely based on W. W. Jacobs's 1902 horror short story The Monkey's Paw. Kagbeni is the directorial debut of Bhusan Dahal...
or Jomsom
Jomsom
Jomsom , also known as Dzongsam or New Fort, is a town located at an altitude of 2800m in Mustang, Nepal. It extends over both the banks of the Kali Gandaki River. Along the banks of Kali Gandaki river there are rocks holy to the Hindus. The soaring peaks of Dhaulagiri and Nilgiri form a backdrop...
.
Other temples
- Bajrayogini TempleBajrayogini TempleBajrayogini Temple is a famous Tantrik temple of Kathmandu valley. It is also well known as Bodhisattva's temple....
- Guhyeshwari TempleGuhyeshwari TempleGuheswari Temple Kathmandu, NepalGuheswari temple, also spelled Guhyeshwari or Guhjeshwari temple is one of the revered holy temple in Kathmandu, Nepal. This temple is dedicated to Goddess Parvati. It is believed that Lord Shiva wandered the world carrying the body of Sati after she burned herself...
- Pashupatinath templePashupatinath templePashupatinath Temple is one of the most significant Hindu temples of Lord Shiva in the world, located on the banks of the Bagmati River in the eastern part of Kathmandu, the capital of Nepal. The temple served as the seat of the national deity, Lord Pashupatinath, Nepal is a secular country...
, NepalNepalNepal , officially the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal, is a landlocked sovereign state located in South Asia. It is located in the Himalayas and bordered to the north by the People's Republic of China, and to the south, east, and west by the Republic of India... - Changu NarayanChangu NarayanChangu Narayan is the name of the deity enshrined in the Changu Narayan Temple, located near the Changunarayan village in Kathmandu Valley, Nepal. The temple is one of the oldest Hindu temples of the valley, and is believed to have been constructed in the 4th century. Changu Narayan is the name...
- Janaki MandirJanaki MandirJanaki Mandir is a Hindu temple which is at the heart of Janakpur, Nepal. It is dedicated to goddess Sita.It is an example of 'Hindu-Rajput' architecture. This is considered as the most important model of the Rajput architecture in Nepal.-History:...
- Shree PashupatinathShree PashupatinathShree Pashupatinath is an incarnation of the Hindu Lord Shiva. He is revered throughout the Hindu world, but especially in Nepal where he is regarded as the national deity.- Etymology :...
- Budhanilkantha Temple, Sleeping Vishnu
External links
- http://www.tirupatiholidays.com/tour/Muktinath.htm
- http://www.muktinathtour.com/muktinath.html
- Clickable Map of Muktinath
- UN map of the municipalities of Mustang District
- More backgrounds on Muktinath-Chumig Gyatsa
- Images from Muktinath (non-commercial website)
- Muktinath Trek Travelogue
- Muktinath Photo Gallery
- http://www.ramanuja.org/sv/bhakti/archives/sep97/0045.html
- Napal Muktinath
- Pashupati Nath Darshan
- Muktinath Tour