This is the yatra (journey) to become amar (immortal). It starts from Chandanwari, moves to Pissu Top, then reaches Sheshnag, goes to Mahaganesh, climbs down to Panchtarni and then reaches the cave of Amarnath. Historically, it is told that while on the way to the Amarnath cave, Lord Shiva left the moon at Chandanwari, the various ghosts and disembodied souls at Pissu Top, the snake at Sheshnag, Ganapati at Mahaganesha and Ganga at Panchatarni before reaching the cave where he taught Parvati MA about immortality.
Chandanwari (Chandan ne warvu). Chandan means beautiful. Beautiful means moh (attachment). Thus the first step is to remove moh.
Pissu top: Pissu means pishach (vampire, disembodied souls). Pisach means vikaar (vices). Thus next step is to give up vices. Since this is the hardest thing to do, it is the steepest slope but it is the smallest distance.
Sheshnag: Shesh means prime. Nag means snake. The prime snake in us is ego. Next step is to give up ego.
Mahaganesha: Next step is Ganesha. Ganesha means the God of gunas (good quality). It means to give up all traits and become nirguna (without any trait). Mahaganesha is the highest point in the yatra. When you achieve this stage, you get the first glimpse of divinity.
Panchtarni: Panch means five. Tarni means to let go. It means to let go of the body identification of I. This body is made of 5 elements. When you rise above the physical body identification, then only can you merge in God.
- These are inner secrets of various spiritual places as described by Para.