Benefit of Pilgrimage

[Ms Tercy Lonan]

Benefit of Pilgrimage

You will find a description of Oertel’s treatment in books on medicine, for certain cardiac
affections (heart-troubles). The patient is asked to climb up hills slowly. So, the Kailasa trip,
besides the spiritual benefit, removes many kinds of minor heart-troubles. The heart is invigorated
and strengthened. The whole cardiac-vascular, nervous, pulmonary, alimentary, integumentary
systems are thoroughly overhauled and purified. There is no necessity for Kuhne’s steam bath. You
perspire profusely during the march. The whole body is filled with fresh, oxygenated blood. The
gentle breeze blowing from the tall pine trees all over, surcharged with natural oil of pine, disinfects
the lungs and a consumptive is cured of phthisis when he returns. The excessive fat is reduced. A
Kailas trip is the best treatment for reduction of obesity in corpulent persons. Many kinds of
stomach troubles, uric acid troubles and various sorts of skin diseases are cured. You will not get
any disease for a period of 12 years, as you are charged with new electrons, new atoms, new cells,
new molecules and new nuclei with renovated protoplasm. This is no Arthavada (glorification).
You get two birds by throwing one stone. The Kailas trip brings spiritual blessings and good health.
Hail! Hail to Sambhu, the Lord Siva who dwells in Kailas with His Sakti, Parvati, who gives Mukti
to His devotees and who is known by the different names, Hara, Sadasiva, Mahadeva, Nataraja,
Sankara, etc.
The goal of life is God-realisation which only can free us from the miseries of Samsara, the
wheel of birth and death. The performance of the daily obligatory rites, Nitya-Naimittika Karmas,
Yatras, etc., unselfishly, leads to the acquisition of virtue. This leads to the destruction of sin, which
in turn results in the purification of the mind. This purification of the mind leads to the
comprehension of the true nature of Samsara or relative existence, its false and worthless nature.
From this results Vairagya (renunciation), which arouses a desire for liberation. From this desire
results a vigilant search for its means. From it comes the renunciation of all actions. Thence, the
practice of Yoga, which leads to a habitual tendency of the mind to settle in the Atman or Brahman.
This results in the knowledge of the meaning of such Sruti passages as ‘Tat Tvam Asi’, which
destroys the Avidya (ignorance), thus leading to the establishment in one’s own self. Thus you see
that Yatra like Kailas trip is a Parampara Sadhana for God-realisation, as it causes Chitta Suddhi
and Nididhyasana. Dhyana is a direct Sadhana. Householders who are shut up in the world amidst
various sorts of cares and anxieties, find a great relief in a Yatra. Their minds get quite refreshed by
a Yatra. Further, during the travel they come across Sadhus and Sannyasins. They can have good
Satsanga. They can clear their doubts. They can get various sorts of help from them in spiritual
Sadhana. That is the main object of Yatra.

Let me bring to your memory, once more, the last word of the Vedas, Upanishads—‘Tat
Tvam Asi’, my dear readers. Om Tat Sat, Om Santi, Peace be unto all beings.