The Essential Pilgrimage And Holy Company

Faith Mysticism

oi-Staff

Friday, October 16, 2009, 12:24

Pilgrimage and holy company are extolled for spiritual inspiration and self-purification. Scriptures and traditions emphasize them as vital prerequisites for spiritual enlightenment. In some traditions, visits to places of pilgrimage and company of the holy are mandatory.

Pilgrimage consists of visiting holy places where a great prophet or saint was born or lived; visiting temples or sanctuaries where the spirit of God is considered most manifest; taking a ceremonial dip in the waters of a river looked upon as sacred; and visiting holy mountains or mountain caves where prophets and saints have practiced austerities from generation to generation. Each religion has designated places of pilgrimage where seekers of God go to perform ceremonial worship and austerities, such as fasting, chanting of sacred texts, contemplation, meditation, and prayer. It is believed that a visit to such holy places awakens and purifies a pilgrim's mind. Faith traditions believe that there is a presiding spirit in each such holy place that out of compassion removes doubt from a pilgrim's mind and frees the pilgrim from all sins and imperfections.

Association with holy persons is regarded as indispensable for a seeker of God. Faith in God is difficult to achieve. God's existence cannot be proved or disproved by reason. Scriptures fail to describe the nature of God. Philosophy is mere speculation about God. Those who know God fall into silence. Unless one meets and associates with a knower of God, one cannot have real faith in God and God's divine grace. The 'Uddhava Gita' (21.26-31) states that association with illumined souls is one of the means to attain devotion and knowledge. Knowers of God are regarded as moving temples because they carry the Lord in their heart. Therefore worship of these great souls pleases the Lord. Just as the sun dispels eternal darkness, the company of knowers of God dispels the darkness of the mind and illumines the soul.

The questions that often trouble the mind of a spiritual seeker are the following: Do pilgrimage and holy company really bring spiritual awakening and devotion to God? Is pilgrimage just physically visiting a holy temple, a holy mountain, or a holy river? Do mechanical observances of rituals and ceremonies generate spiritual longing and intensify knowledge and devotion? What does holy company really mean? Is it merely meeting and conversing with a holy person?

About the author

Swami Adiswarananda (1925-2007) was the Minister of Ramakrishna-Vivekananda Centre, New York. His books include 'Meditation & Its Practices' and 'The Vedanta Way to Peace and Happiness', among others. The present article, hitherto unpublished, was found among his papers at the Ramakrishna-Vivekananda Centre, New York and was sent to us by Swami Yuktatmananda, the present Minister of the Centre.