Girnar’s sacred trails, a testament to Lord Dattatreya’s timeless guidance and the pilgrimage to the self.

Climbing Girnar: A Path of Surrender and Grace

Article by – Sathya Shivakumar

The Climb Begins: Overcoming Fear and Embracing Surrender

In Mohanji’s words, “A visit to Girnar is not an ordinary journey. It is a surrender and commitment to the Tradition. Unless you have deep commitment and conviction, you may not be in this land. Many people may visit not fully knowing why as in some instances, Lord Dattatreya could be their family deity, etc. However, for people who are consciously going, it reaffirms their deep conviction on the path of Avadoota. In fact, there is no better place more powerful and more relevant than Girnar for a true spiritualist on the path of Avadoota (total dissolution). We aren’t talking about Enlightenment or even the Path of Siddha here – this is much beyond human realms or thinking. In fact, even today, the nine naths and 84 siddhas visit Girnar in Sookshma form, chant, and pray for Darshan of Lord Dattatreya, who continues to guide them. Only grace alone can bring an individual to this land, and grace and surrender alone will help one complete this holy pilgrimage. Jai Gurudev Datta!”

The Guru, the moon illumines our life, much like the moon that guided our pilgrimage to Girnar. On this sacred day of Guru Purnima, let us delve into the profound experience of the Girnar journey, where each step was bathed in the ethereal light of divine wisdom and grace.

After being energized by a simple Satvik meal at the ashram, we started the climb to Girnar. A volunteer from the ashram offered to guide us to the starting point of the climb and arranged for Dholis for our parents. When my mother expressed concern about whether Sharada could climb, he assured us, “No need for a Dholi for this child! She can climb.” Placing his hand as if to bless her, he said, “You climb!”

Sharada was wearing the “Guru Light!” T-shirt, bought on Achan’s (Mohanji’s father) birthday on May 21st. She had left it in the car pocket and forgotten about it. When the car was serviced in November, we pulled out the T-shirt. “Vertical Time!” is so mysterious—the T-shirt was being inaugurated for the most arduous and challenging Girnar mountain climb!

We all gathered at the starting point. Appa and Amma waited for the Dholi, while Radha, Sharada, and I started to walk. Soon, the paths parted. I knew from our experience at Vaishno Devi that Radha would continue solo after a while. For a few steps, we walked together, then Radha moved ahead, with Sharada keeping pace with her. It was pitch dark, unlike Vaishno Devi, which had a well-lit, covered path with many fellow travelers. Here, the path was very dark, even though it was around 9:30 at night. Veto had mentioned, “Follow the stars!” and they would guide you. That was so true! It wasn’t a starlit night, but the moon shone, providing some guidance.

I adopted a strategy to walk ahead of them, so I wouldn’t lose enthusiasm if I lagged. I’d walk ahead, take a break, and start climbing when I heard the larger group. This worked for a while, but then the group took a bio break and tea. I accelerated my pace, but after walking a long time, I didn’t see the group. I recognized an old lady from the group who never sat down even when the younger women did. The only sounds in the dark night were our sticks.

As I ascended, the moon seemed closer. In the dark, a man with a dark complexion signaled for me to walk a path. Though his face created fear, I decided not to judge, thinking he might be boosting my confidence.

A while later, the old lady was gone. Two paths diverged, and I felt I was descending. My mother had mentioned the trek involved initial ascent followed by descending steps. Assuming I was on the right track, I continued walking with a sense of surrender. Mohanji’s words flashed in my mind, boosting my energy, “Walk! At least make one step! Sometimes you have to walk alone!”

Instead of counting steps, I focused on non-stop movement. The descent was easier. Suddenly, I heard the familiar sound of the old lady’s stick—I was not wrong! I also saw people coming back, wondering if they had finished the Darshan of Lord Dattatreya.

Now I was ascending a narrow, winding path. I made it! I saw Radha and Sharada at the top. It felt like Mohanji eased the latter half of the journey—I was carried by the wings of grace! When the journey seemed exasperating and difficult, I had arrived!

Radha shared her experience:

Sharada and I enjoyed a breezy walk that reminded me of our pilgrimage to Kailash with Mohanji, where people offered help without being asked. Some even waited for us, and a person who had visited Girnar before was sent to guide us. We walked in total love and bliss, feeling the presence of Dattatreya in every stone along the path. We soaked in the vibes of the temples adorning the path.

Our eyes took to the moonlit path, and our ears cherished the chants from the villagers – “Jai Girnari, Jai Gurudev Datta.” Our breath was filled with the fragrance of the mountains, our mouths joined the chorus chants that energized us, and our entire beings were immersed in the presence of Dattatreya and our Guru Mohanji. The sacred atmosphere and the divine presence uplifted our blessed journey with every step. Sharada walked with boundless energy, and before we even realized it, we had reached the top. We were the first to arrive, and some villagers who had joined us stayed for only a couple of minutes before leaving. This left Sharada and me to soak in the serenity of Dattatreya outside the shrine, basking in the peaceful solitude.

It was only 2 AM, and we were there. Some fellow travellers made the final ascent, peeped through the iron railings, probably glimpsed the Lord’s feet, and retreated. Did they take such an arduous journey just for a peep? Perhaps they had to catch a bus back to the village, or it was one of the places on their itinerary. But the Lord stands as a witness even behind the veil, and his grace surpasses all efforts!

Reaching the top, we had sufficient time before the Aarathi. Radha, Sharada, and I hugged each other to brace against the cold wind. Radha told me I was pretty fast; they had reached only half an hour earlier. Like a child, Radha and Sharada shared the one shawl I had carried, trying to save themselves from the cold. I wore an extra layer from my bag. I asked Radha, “Shall we do Kriya?” She replied, “First, we will catch up on our sleep! It is too cold!”

As we alternately dozed off on each other’s lap, Appa and Amma arrived. The Dholi wala had made them climb most parts. Amma told me the Dholi wala took a break and slept, while she stayed alert, averting trouble from animals. My shawl now came to their rescue. Appa adjusted to the cold wind and rendered the bhajan “Guru Dhyayi!” One lady was understanding, letting my father descend a few steps to sit comfortably.

After a few hours, there was a sudden bustle—the priest was coming. People said he would come from a nearby hill, near Dhuni. As the priest approached, officers asked us to go down. We moved hurriedly, leaving our slippers by a corner. I realized my earring had fallen, but we couldn’t move a bit and waited patiently. The moment arrived! The priest came, went inside, and as I read in blogs, my mind visualized the magnificent Aarathi. I felt lucky to be among the first few, expecting a comfortable position close to Lord Dattatreya.

The priest rang the bell and offered dhoop to the Girnar mountain. We watched as the dhoop was waved to the hill. Still, my mind expected a grand finale of an Aarathi with many lamps. The Aarathi was great. We were let into the sacred space. The Aarathi we witnessed from outside was the actual Aarathi. It took time to register that. I had to stay present; otherwise, I would miss seeing the Lord. We had to be quick—many were waiting outside. We saw Lord Dattatreya, the stone charan padukas, and the wooden padukas. The priest gave my father a piercing look, smiled nodding his as a sign of welcome and accepted the sandalwood paste he had ground with devotion and Shradha! The priest later anointed the Padukas with reverence. That was an affirmation!

Before we knew it, we circumambulated and were ready for the exit. No time for thoughts. As we descended, Radha found my lost earring and gave it to me—it felt like Dattatreya had blessed me. Sharada also found the missing slipper, pushed away from where we left them. Mohanji’s words came to our minds: “There is no destination! It is all about the journey from yourself to yourself!” The Girnar pilgrimage gave us a practical realization of this. In our minds, we had many expectations about the experience at the sanctum, but the journey was the important part! The dhoop Aarathi was the culmination. This journey taught us that even after Guru arrives in our life, we don’t realize, “This is it!” We keep looking for more, carried away by our own expectations. Mohanji always stresses that this journey is one of going back home. We are not going anywhere! Then what is the path about ?

You Are Meeting Yourself

The path of Raja Yoga seems simple but very difficult to understand the dimensions. It cuts at the root of our expectations!

During the way back down the mountain, we were free of the emotions that we had while climbing up. One was the feeling of having accomplished the task, and the other of feeling blessed. Now, we were just going back to our room, with no agenda and no ambiguity.

After descending a few steps together, Appa and Amma told us that they would get back with the Dholi or try the rope car. Radha, Sharada, and I climbed down. A lady told us that we should visit the Akhand Dhuni and take Prasad. We went to the hill nearby and visited the Akhand Deep Mandir. The priest asked us where we had come from and blessed us with the holy ash (Basmam). We saw the murthy of the Guru and spent some quiet moments there. We came out and had Prasad: Churma Ladu and Dhokla. We ate some and packed a bit for the others.

On the way, I left some Dhokla for the squirrels. An eagle that was not flying was perched near the cliff! It looked like Jatayu! Was it wounded or was it burnt by the rays of the sun? My prayers for the bird!

As we climbed the steps from the Akhand Dhuni, it again seemed like a feat! Going there felt easier! The ascent is always the toughest! Descending is easier! The Girnar journey combines both! It is ascent and descent. The descent comes as if to rescue!

I was wondering if the same would apply in the spiritual journey as well! Would we huff and puff our way up and suddenly find ourselves being carried on by wings of grace? Otherwise, there is no way I can make it!

As thoughts raced, I decided to apply the best teaching of the day: To stay and savor the present.

I AM WALKING WITH YOU  💚 Focus on your purpose; keep going. I’m with you. I’m walking with you, and when I say this, I’m telling you this, with conviction, with perfect conviction. Just keep moving. Don’t stagnate, don’t stop, and do your best

Mohanji

On the way back, Sharada treated herself to a lot of chocolates and juice from the wayside shops. It was quite amusing to see the monkeys waiting for the opportune moment to snatch the food! The heat was increasing, and what seemed easy in the beginning was becoming challenging due to the rising sun. We quenched our thirst with fruit juice along the way.

Coming down, we visited the Ambaji Mata temple, a powerful shrine of the Goddess and a Shakti Peeth! The priest took the Aarthi, and we received the Prasad. I sat down to do Kriya, and we also took turns ringing the bell. The energy was so palpable!

As we descended, we found an intriguing scene. Some men and women were crawling into a tiny cave and coming out to witness the open sky. We had read about the Gorakshnath cave that opens out to the sky, so we decided to try the feat. Even fat ladies squeezed their way through the cave. I have experienced this at Tiruvannamalai before; it is called the Idukku Pillayar. It is similar to the womb experience. We go in, shrinking our bodies, and emerging from it gives us a sense of triumph. When we finished, there was a queue lined up for the exercise. We also went inside the Gorakhnath Mandir. Particularly striking was the cot of Gorakhnathji and other divine paraphernalia.

Halfway down, we visited the temple of Neminath, a revered shrine for Jains. We had to wear head scarves to enter the temple, so we took the ones provided for that purpose. The big shrine of Neminath Mandir had the unique aura of Jain temples. As we circumambulated, we noticed the immaculate surroundings. Radha and Sharada used the restroom, and later we came to the main shrine. In contrast to the white settings, I was surprised to see the murthy of Neminath shining in a black hue. He, of course, absorbs the darkness of all and gives us the brightness. This I found unique in the temple.

With gratitude welling in our hearts, we continued walking. We understood that our parents would have taken the ropeway from there. On the way, we saw many powerful shrines that we had missed in the night. When we returned early, many onlookers asked if we had climbed during the night. Some of them were taking up the climb in the morning and negotiating with Dholis halfway through, with husbands negotiating for their wives to be carried by Dholi. Even the shops that were closed in the night were now buzzing with activity. I noticed men carrying gas cylinders for their shops up the hill. My God, what a difficult exercise! Here I find it tough even to climb, and there is a man lifting heavy weight. Such is life!

Concluding Reflections: Embracing Divine Orchestration and Preparing for Dwaraka

After soaking in the divine vibes of the each Mandir that we visited, we descended the steps and headed to the shop to return the walking sticks we had purchased. After our Vaishno Devi trip, we had even taken the walking sticks on the flight, carefully packed with special permission. However, slowly imbibing the teachings of Mohanji, we realized that we cannot possess all items, however lofty they may be. We have to savor the present and let go with gratitude in our hearts. This stick, once returned, may help another person’s journey. We returned the sticks and headed to the ashram.

With gratitude welling in our hearts, we continued walking. We understood that our parents would have taken the ropeway from there. On the way, we saw many powerful shrines that we had missed in the night. When we returned early, many onlookers asked if we had climbed during the night. Some of them were taking up the climb in the morning and negotiating with Dholis halfway through, with husbands negotiating for their wives to be carried by Dholi. Even the shops that were closed in the night were now buzzing with activity. I noticed men carrying gas cylinders for their shops up the hill. My God, what a difficult exercise! Here I find it tough even to climb, and there is a man lifting heavy weight. Such is life!

Concluding Reflections: Embracing Divine Orchestration and Preparing for Dwaraka

After soaking in the divine vibes of the each Mandir that we visited, we descended the steps and headed to the shop to return the walking sticks we had purchased. After our Vaishno Devi trip, we had even taken the walking sticks on the flight, carefully packed with special permission. However, slowly imbibing the teachings of Mohanji, we realized that we cannot possess all items, however lofty they may be. We have to savor the present and let go with gratitude in our hearts. This stick, once returned, may help another person’s journey. We returned the sticks and headed to the ashram.

We circumambulated and had a close look at the Dhuni. One of the sacred essences of the Nath tradition is the veneration of the Dhuni, symbolic of the path of Fire. We had Darshan of Ambaji Mata and Gorakhnathji at the ashram. Jayashree Mohanji Acharya’s blog served as a reminder to keep our room clean. We swept it clean before handing over the keys. Amma often recollected the blog mentioning the importance of maintaining discipline and cleanliness at the ashram. She also recounted how Mohanji had encouraged Jayashree to walk the Girnar mountain: “Shinde can do it!”

We returned the keys to the head of the ashram, thanking them profusely for their hospitality and service. We made a contribution to the ashram before heading out. All the boxes had been taken down. Appa was searching for Mohanji’s eyecard. He returned to the room to check and realized he had kept cash and other things in the drawer. The card was safe, and we found the other items by chance. Mohanji was orchestrating everything!

My father  also conducted a quiz before leaving: “What is the most significant thing you see with the Nath Gurus?” I remarked, “Dhuni!” He asked, “What else?” Amma ended the test by saying, “Trishul!” Indeed, it was another eye-opener. Appa further elaborated that in South India, especially in Tamil Nadu, the worship of the Vel and Sudarshan Chakra holds significant prominence. While, in North India, particularly in the Nath tradition, the Trishul worship plays a pivotal role. This highlights the rich diversity in Sanatana Dharma, where different regions and traditions emphasize unique aspects of the divine.

Meditating on Lord Dattatreya with His “Shula Hasta” and offering our prostrations to the mighty Girnar Mountain, radiating His divine presence, we reflected on how the journey in microcosm mirrors life as a journey in macrocosm.