This is a letter from an ex-Purusha friend about his travels in India. If you want to read Part 2 and did not receive it, let me know. - David
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Good Morning
I'm in Delhi for a few days to get some good western food, see Dr. Raju, dentist, plan my trip east to Puri and just take in the chaos of this wonderful city.
Here is the story of my adventures on Char Dham. It reads like a travel guide for tourist, but it was the best I could at this time. I've not been able to include most of my experiences because it all happen so fast and I'm still absorbing them. I'll be sending some pictures soon. You can share this story with friends.
Friday I travel to the holy city of Puri stopping at Jyotirlinga number 10 on the way. I don't know how long I'll be there for there is a large Surya temple on the beach that has been pulling me for months...On occasion I feel like I have control over my life - Ha Ha Ha Ha!!! I have no control. Events keep coming my way that change my direction...that seems to be my life at the moment. Here is my story.
Cradled in the Lap of the Himalayas - Char Dham - 27 September - 11 October 2005 Bill Dunn and John Stieber
I've just competed one of the holiest of holy spiritual journey's - Char Dham, an adventure that took me into the lap of the Himalayas to visit Yamunotri, the source of the Yamuna river, Gangotri the source of Ganga, the Jyotirlinga at Kedarnath that was established by the Pandavas and is also the source of the Mandakini River and finally to Badrinath, the home of Vishnu, Lord of the Universe and the source of the Alaknanda River and then to many other holy places along the way.
I did this trip with an old purusha buddy and one of my best friends, John Stieber (the Chief. Maharishi gave him this name.) I knew I could not do this trip alone, so I ask Chief to join me and before I knew it he's in Rishikesh and we're driving towards the mountains. My only request of him was that I get the entire back seat to myself so I could recline in comfort. Our journey took 15 days, traveling about 1,000 miles at an average speed of 20 mph. Shiva was once again our charioteer.
Early one fine morning, the three of us blessed Ambassador and then departed for Yamunotri arriving at the end of the road late in the afternoon. At 7 am next morning I was singing "Back in the saddle again" for the final 5 km up the steep mountain to Yamunotri. Chief walked as he did up every mountain. I was on the first mule to arrive that morning. My mule handler looked at me, smiled and said what seemed the only English he knew "parking" He parked the mule and I walked the last few hundred yards followed 10 minutes later by Chief. We did puja at the temple, meditated, then above the temple we went down to the river where I said my prayers then touched Her. This river had consciousness, she was awake and I could feel Her. Then the crowds started to arrive so we headed back down the mountain to our guest house.
Early the next morning we headed for Uttar Kashi for the night. Next morning we drove to Gangotri. I spent two full days meditating in my room, at the temple or on the banks of the Ganga while Chief made his way to Gaumukh. Upon leaving I had a very sweet experience with Ganga. Often when you leave a town there well be a sign that says "Thanks for the Visit" and if in the south a line will be added "Y'all come again". That's kinda what the experience was though more intimate. There was an appreciation for the effort we made to visit her at the source. Then a two hour drive to Gangnani to visit Parashara's temple. For about an hour before reaching the temple to an hour after leaving I could feel Parashara within me. Then back to Uttar Kashi for the night.
Next morning before leaving for Kedarnath we visited a very ancient Shvia temple in Uttar Kashi. The darshan from this temple caught me by surprise...Shiva and Chief waited in the courtyard until I could stop crying.
Late that afternoon we stopped at a nice guest house 5 km short of Gaurikund which is the start of the 14 km trek up the mountain to Kedarnath. Gaurikund is where the story of Ganesh losing his human head and getting a new elephants head took place. By 7:30 the next morning I was on my pony for the 3 1/2 hour ride to the top. Chief took 5 hours which was a great time for some people take as long as 12 hours to make the climb.
At Kadernath a very sweet event took place. I ran into a Sadhu that I net a year ago at Mani Mahesh. At Mani Mahesh I camped on the hill side right behind the row of Sadhus. Every morning around noon when I would emerge from my tent, they would cheer me. When I confirmed it was him, then told him that I was there also, he immediately recognized me, made the sign of a tent, big smile, vigorously shook my hand then went down the street shouting about me to his other Sadhu friends. An intimate connection was made between us. Later he asked if I could buy him and his friends some rice...Well, I bought them a weeks worth of food and for the first time felt a connection with that part of Indian tradition of supports Sadhus. It brought me great, great bliss. After we took a picture together he blessed me and then we parted.
Above the temple, Chief and I sat by the river to meditate and found it difficult to move. The river was pulling us inward. This river had soothing power. I could only sit for a short time but Chief was stuck there for a long time. After wards we did puja at the temple, meditated, then early the next morning we headed back down the mountain - I rode.
There Shiva, who was waiting for us as a father waits for his children drove us another 13 km straight up a mountain through thick, lush green forest to the temple where Shiva and Parvati were married way back in Treta yuga. We meditated at the spot they were married and was very surprised how deep the meditation was. Then we were allowed to place a piece of wood on their marriage fire which has been burning since that day. The pundit then took ashes from the fire pit and made the mark of Shiva on my forehead...Chief waited for me until I could stop crying.
Then a short drive to the guest house below Deoria Tal lake. Another early morning found the three of us trekking up the mountain to the lake. I had visited this lake a month ago. I spent the rest of the day meditating under my tree.
Then came the day of days. At 6 am the next morning we drove the short 30 minute drive to Chopta where we trekked to the top of the mountain - Chandrasila at almost 13,000 feet (actually I rode a pony the first 4 km then trekked the last 1 km and we still made it to the top at the same time.) This is the same mountain I climbed last year and meditated in the snow by the small temple. On a clear day the view of the Himalayas is magnificent, but on this day we were in a cloud. No matter, we sat to do our morning program. About 10 minutes into program a light hail started to fall...and then a short time later it happened...the earth started to shake. At first I thought it was me, I felt my heart and body for any internal trembling, but no, it was the earth trembling, it was 9:20 am. After meditation we speculated that the tremor may have come from a larger earthquake elsewhere in the Himalayas. It was not until that evening that we learned just how right we were. It is almost unbelievable to realized that during the largest earthquake to hit the Himalayas in over a hundred years, we were there, on top of a mountain in meditation...Moving on to Joshimath that afternoon for the night.
Another very early morning found us driving to Badernath where we received darshan at the temple, meditated and also received the blessings from the Alaknanda River. Then we drove another 3km to Mana.
Mana is as far north as civilians are allowed to travel for Tibet is only about 25 km above Mana. We came here to visit a very holy cave for in this cave Vyasa dictated the Mahabharata to Ganesh. We first meditated in Ganesh's cave where he took dictation then to Vyasa's cave. But before you reach his cave and located right next to it was Chai stand called "India's Last Tea Shop". I wonder if Vyasa and Ganesh every took a break for Chai?
When I walked into the cave the first words out of my mouth was "Oh My God" then I started crying. I sat next to the pundit and cried during the short puja and during meditation. I cried most of the time I was in this cave. The pundit was so sweet, he kept rubbing my back. This cave had power...I sat in the cave where Vyasa dictated the Mahabharata and other aspects of the Vedas!!!!!!!!!!! I still get emotional just thinking about it. When I left the cave I felt this spiritual journey I was on - Char Dham was completed.
The next two days was down hill to Rishikesh.
Next morning I once again visited Trotaka's cave and Guru Dev's house. At that time many Maharishi Pundits were setting up for chanting in the room where Guru Dev had his throne. Then on down the road to Devaprayag for the night.
The last day of our journey started at Devaprayag where the Alaknanda and Bhagirathi rivers merge to create the Ganga, a very holy and powerful place. When the Ganga leaves Gaumukh it's called the Bhagirathi River. At Devaprayag where the Alaknanda merges with the Bhagirathi it becomes the Ganga. We had a short puja for long life preformed for us there.
The last stop was Vashishta's cave and a short meditation on the banks of the Ganga...then our journey was completed.
It was almost like a wonderful dream. So much happen in such a short period of time. It was completely effortless moving from one holy place to another. Chief said he felt Ganesh was with us the entire time. I felt I was guided from place to place and given the experience that I needed. Most of the experiences will take a few months to unfold for so much happen in such a short period of time. But to sum up these 15 days, it was like I was tenderly cradled in the lap of the Himalayas and completely nourished.
Jai Guru Dev
Love
Billy
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