Editing Mount Meru (section)

== In Hinduism ==
{{main|Hindu cosmology}}

[[File:The cosmic tortoise, and Mount Meru.jpg|thumb|The cosmic tortoise, and Mount Meru]]
Hindus believe Mount Meru to be a stairway to ''[[Svarga]]'', a heaven where the [[Deva (Hinduism)|devas]] reside.<ref name="Allen">{{cite book|title=A Mountain in Tibet|first=Charles|last=Allen|year=1982|publisher=Futura Publications|isbn=0-7088-2411-0}}</ref> Meru is considered as the center of the universe and is described as 84,000 [[yojana]]s high, about {{cvt|1082000|km|mi|-3|abbr=on}}, which would be 85 times the Earth's diameter. One [[yojana]] can be taken to mean about 11.5 km (9 miles), though its magnitude seems to differ over periods — for example, the [[Earth's circumference]] is 3,200 yojanas according to [[Varāhamihira|Varahamihira]] and slightly less so in the ''[[Aryabhatiya]]'', but is said to be 5,026.5 yojanas in the Suryasiddhānta. The ''[[Matsya Purana]]'' and the ''[[Bhagavata Purana]]'', along with some other Hindu texts, consistently give the height of 84,000 yojanas to Mount Meru, which translates into 672,000 miles or 1,082,000 kilometers. The Sun and Moon along with all the planets revolve around Mount Meru which connects the earth with the under world and heaven with Shiva residing on top of the mountain at [[Kailasha]].<ref name="Chamaria">{{cite book|title=Kailash Manasarovar on the Rugged Road to Revelation|first=Pradeep|last=Chamaria|year=1996|publisher=Abhinav Publications|isbn=978-8-170-17336-6}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|last1=Chandra|first1=Suresh|title=Encyclopaedia of Hindu Gods and Goddesses|date=1998|publisher=Sarup and Sons|isbn=978-81-7625-039-9|page=93|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=mfTE6kpz6XEC|access-date=6 September 2023}}</ref> Gods and [[Deva (Hinduism)|devas]] are described as frequenting Mount Meru.<ref>{{cite book|title=Hindu Gods and Goddesses|first=Sunita Pant|last=Bansal|year=2005|isbn=978-8-187-96772-9|publisher=Smriti Books}} </ref>

According to the ''[[Mahabharata]]'', Meru is located amidst the ''Himavat'' range between Malayavat and Gandhamadhana mountains. Some scriptures indicate that Shiva resides in a horn of the mountains called as ''Saivatra''.<ref name="Chamaria" /> ''Mahabharata'' further states that the mountain gleans of gold when the rays of the sun fall on it and is said to contain lovely woods, lakes, rivers adorned with fruit trees, precious stones and life saving herbs. It also describes Meru as the means to reach heaven and only a being without any sins would be able to scale it.<ref name="Chamaria" /> Meru is also said to be the residence of [[Kubera]] who lives near a golden gate with a lake called ''Alaka'' adorned with golden lotuses and sweet tasting water from which [[Mandakini river]] arises.<ref name="Chamaria" /> As per the ''Mahabharata'', the [[Pandavas]] along with their wife [[Draupadi]], traveled towards the summit of the mountain as a means to reach the heaven but only [[Yudhishthira]] who was accompanied by a dog, was able to make it.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://news24online.com/india/mysteries-of-kailash-what-are-these-9-foot-tall-entities-found-in-mansarovar-mkir/177672/|title=Mysteries of Kailash: What Are These 9-Foot Tall Entities Found In Mansarovar?|work=News24|date=4 October 2023|access-date=1 December 2023}}</ref>

The Hindu epic ''[[Ramayana]]'' describes Kailash and [[Lake Manasarovar]] located in the Mount Meru as places unlike anywhere in the world.<ref name="Chamaria" /> Mount Meru is also said to be kingdom of King [[Kesari (Ramayana)|Kesari]], father of [[Hanuman|Lord Hanuman]].

''[[Vishnu Purana]]'' states that Meru is a pillar of the world, located at the heart of six mountain ranges symbolizing a [[Nelumbo nucifera|lotus]]. It also states that the four faces of Mount Kailash are made of crystal, ruby, gold, and lapis lazuli.<ref name="Allen" /> It further talks about Shiva sitting in a lotus position, engaged in deep meditation within the confines of the mountain.<ref>{{cite journal|last1=Mohan|first1=T.S.|title=Kailash Yatra|journal=Hinduism Today|date=Jan–Mar 2012|volume=34|issue=1|pages=18–33|url=https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=a9h&AN=70696022&site=eds-live&scope=site|issn=0896-0801|id=70696022}}</ref> The mountain is home to four lakes, whose water is shared by the gods and four rivers that originate from the [[Ganges]] and flow to the earth. The ''[[Vayu Purana]]'' describes similarly with the mountain located close to a lake consisting of clear water with lotuses and lilies decked with water birds.<ref name="Chamaria" /> ''[[Bhagavata Purana]]'' places Kailash as located south of Mount Meru. ''[[Skanda Purana]]'' mentions that the mountain is located amongst the highest peaks, perpetually covered with snow.<ref name="Chamaria" /> Mount Meru was said to be the residence of King Padmaja Brahma in antiquity.<ref name="autogenerated3" />

This mythical mountain of gods was mentioned in the [[Tantu Pagelaran]], an [[Old Javanese]] manuscript written in the 15th-century [[Majapahit]] period. The manuscript describes the mythical origin of the island of [[Java]], as well as the legendary movement of portions of Mount Meru to Java. The manuscript explains that [[Batara Guru]] ([[Shiva]]) ordered the gods [[Brahma]] and [[Vishnu]] to fill Java with human beings. However, at that time, Java island was floating freely on the ocean, always tumbling and shaking. To stop the island's movement, the gods decided to nail it to the Earth by moving the part of Mahameru in [[Jambudvipa]] (India) and attaching it to Java.<ref>{{cite book | last =Soekmono | first =Dr R.| title =Pengantar Sejarah Kebudayaan Indonesia 2 | publisher =Penerbit Kanisius | year =1973 | location =Yogyakarta, Indonesia| page =119 | isbn = 979-413-290-X}}</ref> The resulting mountain is [[Mount Semeru]], the tallest mountain in Java.