Behind Kailash - Sumeru side, in front -
side of the Sita river. On her right side
there is a great country of Shambhala.
Panchen Lama VI
Now there is no Shambhala; soon it will manifest itself.
Now you will not see her or hear her, but when her time comes
Promotional video:
it will manifest itself physically
Dalai Lama XIV
G. Zinabazar. Bronze statuette of the future Buddha - Maitreya. Mongolia of the 17th century, casting, gilding
The legend of Shambhala, the sacred Pure Land, is inextricably linked with the Kalachakra Tantra and is significant in Buddhism for its connection with the future. It is predicted that the army of Shambhala will win the last battle on Earth with the forces of evil and ignorance, after which the future Buddha, Maitreya, will come to earth from the Pure Land of Tushita, and the Kalachakra teachings will spread throughout the earth.
The history of a mysterious country, into which only "those whose thoughts are impeccably pure" could penetrate, and the mystery of its location still excites the imagination of scientists and attracts researchers. The mention of Shambhala, the holy land of the highest wisdom and blissful happiness, can be found in the scientific research of orientalists and in the diaries of travelers across the Asian expanses, in theosophical writings and ancient Buddhist books of Tibet. Mystics argue about Shambhala, the followers of Nicholas Roerich write, famous religious figures say. In the essay “Shining Shambhala,” Roerich himself in a poetic form set out the basic information about Shambhala: “When you read many books about Shambhala, partially translated into other languages and partially obscure, do not get confused in the great symbols. If you know that Shambhala is here on earth, if you know,that everything can be achieved here on earth, then the reward will come here, on this very earth and in this incarnation."
What is Shambhala?
The most successful, in our opinion, definition of Shambhala is given in the book by A. I. Klizovsky: “Shambhala is the most sacred word in Asia, which embodies all the best human expectations and aspirations. This is the era, the doctrine, and the area."
In the encyclopedia of mystical terms, Shambhala is designated as “a mythical land first described in the Kalachakra Tantra; is located north of the Sita River, surrounded by eight snowy mountains resembling lotus petals. Shambhala is ruled by the kings-priests; she is the center of the mystical teachings of Kalachakra and, possibly, the secret center of the entire world. In the folk legends of Tibet and the Himalayas, Shambhala is a kind of paradise on earth; it is a country of powerful Mahatmas, or Great Masters, who control the destinies of humanity."
In Buddhist iconography, Shambhala is depicted as divided into eight areas. In the plan, the land of Shambhala exactly repeats the shape of the * Wheel of Teaching *. This symbolizes that the land of Shambhala itself is the source of knowledge. Panel, XIX century.
According to the sacred texts, the kingdom of Shambhala will eventually establish contact with our world by itself.
As Panchen Lama VI states in his Paths to Shambhala, “the legendary land of Shambhala is actually three completely different things: the yogic symbol of the state of attaining Kalachakra, a pure land and a real physical place.
It was the role of Shambhala as a pure land that most conquered the hearts of Central Asians. In the minds of both experienced yogis and simple shepherds, Shambhala remains the most excellent place where people with a pure heart and positive karma can be born again in happiness and enlightenment …
Thus, at one level, Shambhala is (or was) an ordinary country inhabited by people; but on a different level, it is pure land, occupying the same space as mundane Shambhala, but existing on a completely different etheric frequency. Adherents of pure karma from this world can come into contact with the inhabitants of this dimension, and with the creation of appropriate conditions, the mystical heroes of Shambhala will appear and help to overcome the forces of evil."
Archaeologist and prominent orientalist A. Stein wrote: “In the Tibetan minds, Shambhala is the refuge of the gods and vidyadhara - a kind of superhuman endowed with special knowledge, and most of all in magic. This idea, apparently, was the reason for the emergence of the occult tradition and the popular idea of Europeans about Tibet as the dwelling place of immortal sages who keep the main secrets of the world."
"Land of immortals", "Kingdom of magicians", "Country of Great Masters", "hidden center of the world", "oasis of cosmic culture", "heritage of a disappeared civilization", "hinge of time", "Country of the Great White Brotherhood", "abode of light - lost paradise on earth”,“a world of harmony and perfection, where all human dreams come true”,“forbidden territory in the center of the Gobi”,“a well-organized community of sages in the heart of Asia - this is a far from complete list of epithets that Shambhala is awarded in various written sources. …
Three versions of Shambhala
Most of the leading Oriental scholars at present are inclined to identify earthly Shambhala with the inland country of Shang Shung - Olmo Lungring in Tibet, located in ancient times near the sacred Mount Kailash and Lake Manasarovar.
The ancient ruins of Shang Shung - Guge in the valley of the river. Sutledge. In the foreground is Kyunglung.
Shambhala (Tib. SHAMBHALA, Shambhala) in translation from Sanskrit means "kept by the source of happiness." In the historical annals of the 15th century. “Jagfar tarikh”, compiled by Bakhshi Iman, says: “The name“Jam”or“Sham”also goes back to the ancient word“Yam”(God and the entire Universe) and the word“Sham”means“marked or kept by God”. Among linguistic scholars, there is also a version of the translation of the word Shambhala as "The country kept by Shiva" ("The country (which) was held by Shiva"). "Shambu" comes from the name of the Tibetan god Shampo (the Tibetan epithet of Shiva). Of all the above translation options, the most common in texts about Shambhala is an abbreviated translation from Sanskrit - "the source of happiness", although in the full version of the translation the correct sound is "kept by the source of happiness", i.e. guarded by God, Shiva. In this regard, attention is often drawn to the fact thatthat Mount Kailash is considered the seat of Shiva, and therefore the land "kept by Shiva" is located nearby.
Gobi Desert.
The followers of the Theosophical movement adhere to a completely different version. In their opinion, there is a lot of repeated evidence of the location of Shambhala in the Gobi Desert. However, the primary sources that prompted authoritative scientists and writers of the 19th – 20th centuries are still unknown. it is reasonable to assert that in ancient times the spiritual center of humanity was located in the Gobi Desert, called by various authors the White Island, Shambhala or Agharti. Among the famous people who share this statement are the founder of the Theosophical Society E. Blavatsky, theosophists R. Steiner and A. Besant, the writer F. Ossendovsky, travelers N. Roerich, the Mahatma Kut-Humi, the American clairvoyant Edgar Cayce, the German scientists Escard and K. Haushofer (Thule Society).
The third common statement: Shambhala is inaccessible in the physical world, its location in the subtle world is constantly changing and depends on the spiritual needs of a person. For those who wish well, this is a heavenly place, for those who strive for power, it is the focus of dark forces. Himalayan yogis and Tibetan Bon teachers, who are well acquainted with the geography and tradition of Tibet, unanimously declare: there is no earthly Shambhala anymore.
With the passage of time, Shambhala began to be identified in Tantric Buddhism with the "pure land", in which all true Buddhists strive to be reborn. They began to talk about Shambhala as a place located in another reality or in another dimension, accessible to the eye only by spiritually developed individuals. The doctrine of the spiritual sphere of Shambhala took center stage in the secret Tibetan doctrine of Kalachakra. The search for the spiritual sphere of Shambhala (a special quality of the spirit) is the ultimate goal of all students of Kalachakra, the essence of which can be grasped only through complex meditative practices, reaching an enlightened state of mind.
It is believed that only a select few, truly believing Buddhists, who have undergone preliminary purification and have achieved certain success in religious practices, can get to Shambhala. Numerous searches for Shambhala in the Himalayan mountains did not lead to anything, therefore it is generally accepted that Shambhala has now become invisible and moved to another world, but the sages of Shambhala still maintain contact with their chosen representatives of humanity.
Where is Shambhala located?
Archaeologists have not found any material evidence of the existence of Shambhala in the past, therefore, it is still not possible to determine the location and accurately identify the mystical country.
Despite numerous written testimonies, travelers and expeditions did not manage to find any confirmation of the real existence of Shambhala. Existing according to historical chronicles up to the XIV-XV centuries. the Himalayan kingdom of Shambhala, north of India, left no trace of itself on earth. The ruins of the cave cities of Shang Shung, in particular, the capital of Kyunglung in the valley of the river. Garuda, it is still impossible to relate with certainty to the capital of Shambhala. No commemorative steles with inscriptions have been found to support this hypothesis. Only mentions of Shambhala in the Kalachakra Tantra, Bonn texts and stories about it in Tibetan myths have survived.
The ancient Indian epic "Mahabharata" mentions "the village of Shambhala, the beautiful abode of the Brahmins," where, according to the prophecy, a twice-born named Kalika will appear.
Buddhist panel depicting Olmo Lungring.
Well-known Tibetan scholars believe that Shambhala means some real country to the north or northwest of India. This opinion is shared by Yu. N. Roerich (Shambhala is Shang-Shung-gi-yul, i.e. the country of Guge in Western Tibet), the Italian professor-Tibetologist G. Tucci (Shambhala is located near the Sita River) and A. Stein (Shambhala is the country of Olmo Lungring, near Mount Kailash, in Western Tibet), and others. According to J. Tuchi, R. Sita is the Tarim River in the north of the Taklamakan Desert in Chinese Turkestan; according to B. Kuznetsov, b. Sita is the Brahmaputra river; according to the American E. Bernbaum, the author of the book "The Way to Shambhala", the Sita River may mean the Amu Darya or Syr Darya, and possibly the Indo-Tibetan Sutlej River. The elder brother of the 14th Dalai Lama, Norbu, like A. Stein, believes that Shambhala in ancient times was the land of Shang Shung.
Nicholas Roerich in his essay "Shining Shambhala" reports on "That Place, which is located to the north of Kailash …", in his opinion, Shambhala is located there. The sixth Panchen Lama says: "To the north of India lies the legendary land of Shambhala, with the jewel, the city of Kalapa, in the center." Among the khotons (Muslim Turkestans) living in the north-west of Mongolia in the Kobd district, according to legend, the soul of the deceased went to the joyful region of Shambhala, which lies in the far west.
Similar ideas about the location of the “promised land” in the west, where the saints are saved and the righteous are reborn, are widespread in China.
Many descriptions of Shambhala emphasize the location of Shambhala among extremely high mountains, north of India, respectively west of Mongolia and China. In Buddhist tantric texts, in the list of neighboring places of power near Shambhala, the country of the gods is often mentioned - Uddiyana, the sacred Himalayan peaks of Shambu and Mount Kailash, i.e. area coinciding with the territory of modern Tibet or close to it.
In the historical Tibetan chronicles there are references to the country of Shambhala, located north of India: "the road there is incredibly difficult and takes about four months to travel."
In the historical Tibetan chronicles there are references to the country of Shambhala, located north of India: "the road there is incredibly difficult and takes about four months to travel" from the middle reaches of the Ganges. Most likely, this difficult road in four months was required in order to cross the Himalayan ridge and reach Western Tibet, at best to reach Uddiyana in Pakistan.
Shambhala is mentioned in the Buddhist books of Tibet "Ganjura" and "Danjur", the astrological work "Vaidurya-karpo" ("White Sapphire", XVI century, where the list of the rulers of Shambhala is given), in the Blue Annals ("Blue Chronicle" by Goy-lotsava Shonnupel, 1478), the composition of the Panchen Lama VI Lobsan Baldan Yeshei "The Way to Shambhala". All written sources speak of Shambhala as a country surrounded on all sides by high mountains. The capital city Kalapa is surrounded by mountains at a yojana distance (15 km). Shambhala is divided into three regions and is located on the right side of the Sita River. The inhabitants of Shambhala speak Sanskrit, wear white robes and turbans.
Buddhist panel depicting Kalapa - the capital of Shambhala.
The first news of Shambhala in Europe appeared in 1627 from the letters of the Jesuit missionaries Stephen Casell and John Cabral. During their visit to Bhutan, they learned about the existence of the country of Shambhala, located somewhere in the north or northwest, and which borders on another country called SOGPO (Tartary). “There is a country here,” writes Stephen Casell, “very famous in these parts, which is called Shambhala, the borders of which are also called SOGPO, but the king could not provide any information about the faith of its population. I think that it can be a part of Katay, since it is very large, and the border country SOGPO can be the kingdom of the Tatars, which is completely within the boundaries of Katay.
In a second letter in 1628, Stephen Casell clarifies: “This is not Katai, but the territory that is designated as Great Tartary on European maps” (ie Russia). This letter later served as the basis for the hypothesis that this northern Shambhala could be located in the center of the southern part of the former Soviet Union, on the territory of the Central Asian republics. Stephen Kassel even tried to reach this mysterious country - from the publications of B. Dandaron it is known that S. Cassell reached Shigatse in Tibet and lived there for twenty-three years, until his death in 1650.
In 1827-1830. Hungarian scholar, founder of modern Tibetology Choma de Keres, based on the study of Buddhist writings in Tibetan monasteries, came to the conclusion that the legend of Shambhala reflected the existence in the first centuries of our era of Buddhist centers in Central Asia, which were then destroyed during the Arab conquest of this region in the VII century. In a small article published by him in 1833 in the journal of the Asiatic Society of Bengal, C. De Keres indicates its relatively exact coordinates: between 45 and 50 degrees north latitude beyond the Sita River or Yaxartes (Syr Darya). The author mentions the capital of Shambhala, Kalapa, “a magnificent city, the residence of many brilliant kings, located across the Sita River, or Yaxartes, where the length of days from the vernal equinox to the summer solstice increases by twelve Indian hours,which is four hours and forty-eight minutes on our account. " Thus, Keresh correlated Shambhala with the legendary country, the location of which he determined north of the Syrdarya River. This region at different times and among different peoples was called differently: Western Territory, Bactria, Tokharistan, Turkestan. The rapid prosperity of this "merchant civilization" over the past two millennia was associated with the northern route to China, passing through Hami, Turpan, Karashar, Kucha and Aksu. Iranians and Greeks, Kushans and Chinese, Tibetans and Uighurs, Arabs and Turks, Mongols - appeared one after another as the dominant force on the caravan routes and established their protectorate over this territory.the location of which he determined north of the Syrdarya river. This region at different times and among different peoples was called differently: Western Territory, Bactria, Tokharistan, Turkestan. The rapid prosperity of this "merchant civilization" over the past two millennia was associated with the northern route to China, passing through Hami, Turpan, Karashar, Kucha and Aksu. Iranians and Greeks, Kushans and Chinese, Tibetans and Uighurs, Arabs and Turks, Mongols - appeared one after another as the dominant force on the caravan routes and established their protectorate over this territory.the location of which he determined north of the Syrdarya river. This region at different times and among different peoples was called differently: Western Territory, Bactria, Tokharistan, Turkestan. The rapid prosperity of this "merchant civilization" over the past two millennia was associated with the northern route to China, passing through Hami, Turpan, Karashar, Kucha and Aksu. Iranians and Greeks, Kushans and Chinese, Tibetans and Uighurs, Arabs and Turks, Mongols - appeared one after another as the dominant force on the caravan routes and established their protectorate over this territory. Turpan, Karashar, Kuchu and Aksu. Iranians and Greeks, Kushans and Chinese, Tibetans and Uighurs, Arabs and Turks, Mongols - appeared one after another as the dominant force on the caravan routes and established their protectorate over this territory. Turpan, Karashar, Kuchu and Aksu. Iranians and Greeks, Kushans and Chinese, Tibetans and Uighurs, Arabs and Turks, Mongols - appeared one after another as the dominant force on the caravan routes and established their protectorate over this territory.
The kingdom of Shambhala is constantly mentioned in Tibetan historical writings and extensive literature on the Kalachakra system. There the Kalachakra teachings were transferred from India shortly after their first presentation by Buddha Shakyamuri to King Suchandra in 878. BC. according to the Tibetan chronology (483–380 BC according to the European chronology). The texts say that “to help the inhabitants of ninety-six regions of his country, King of Shambhala Suchandra went to India and asked the Buddha for the Kalachakra teachings. Therefore Kalachakra has a special connection with Shambhala. " Under the "ninety-six regions of their country" can be understood as cities, which at that time were called city-countries.
The spiritual leader of Tibet, the XIV Dalai Lama, writes about this event as follows: “King Suchandra was from Shambhala, whose location is prof. G. Tucci defines in traditional places near the Sita River (Tarim?), I.e. in East Turkestan. After listening to tantra, the king returned to Shambhala, wrote an extensive exposition of it, and proclaimed the Kalachakra teachings as the state religion."
In the essay on the geography of the world by the Tibetan scholar Manchul Hutuktu, who lived in the first half of the 19th century, the famous kingdom of Shambhala is assigned the supreme role. In the description, it is located far to the north and contains 96 kingdoms, including Tszambaka, monkeys, golden-eyed, Rugma, Burmatma, Golden. The given names are difficult to identify with any known ones, but an association with the 90th head of the Mongol-Tatar horde, described in the Tatar epic "Idegei", whose borders extended to Turkestan, suggests itself.
In iconography, Shambhala is depicted like lotus petals. The outer region of Shambhala is divided into eight regions (regions), each of which contains twelve regions (provinces, principalities-cities), their total number is ninety-six.
The path to Shambhala
The inhabitants of the kingdom of Shambhala were practitioners of Buddhist tantras, mainly Kalachakra tantra. Having achieved significant success in this, they developed the teaching, which then spread from Shambhala to India and Tibet. According to the Tibetan chronicles, before receiving initiation into the Kalachakra Tantra and achieving success in its practice, the kings and inhabitants of Shambhala were ordinary people, and the country itself was a real physical country, where one could freely get with a merchant caravan. After receiving the initiation, the inhabitants of the country, and then the country itself, became inaccessible to ordinary people.
From Tibetan historical chronicles, a list of twenty-five Kulik-emperors of Shambhala is known, who ruled from 878 BC. to 1727 The names from the list cannot be identified with ancient rulers known from history. The correctness of the calculated time of the reign of the emperors of Shambhala is questioned, since according to the list, each of the twenty-five emperors ruled for exactly 100 years, which suggests that this list was somewhat artificial.
There is a special type of literature dedicated to describing the path to Shambhala. Treatises of this kind are known as LAMYIG, lam-ig (description of the road). One of these guidebooks was found in Ganjur, another in the Tibetan fund of the library of the Himalayan Research Institute and dates back to the 13th century.
The most famous description of the kingdom of Shambhala is “Shambhala Lam-ig” in the work of the Panchen Lama VI Lobsan Baldan Yeshei * (1738 – gg.), Translated in 1915. into German prof. A. Grunwedel. The treatise bears the title "The Source of Ten Million Wonders - Explanation of the Great Place of the Siddhas in the Land of Shambhala and Description of India", the date of writing is 1775. Practically all the sources about Shambhala available by that time were used here. The treatise itself consists of three parts and contains a description of the route of travel, a description of the situation and conditions of life in the country, as well as a description of how the king and the Holy teaching are. In addition to written sources, Lobsan Baldan Yeshei refers to the oral reports of the pilgrims.
In modern publications about Shambhala, in addition to the "Path to Shambhala" of Panchen Lama VI, the most often mentioned is the "Blue Chronicle" (1478) - the most famous essay on the history of Buddhism in Tibet, written by the Tibetan historian Goy-Lotsawa Shonnupel (1392-1481 biennium). From the analysis of the text of the "Blue Chronicle" it follows that Shambhala is a small Himalayan principality in the north of India, to which Buddhist pilgrims freely traveled with merchant caravans in those days; its only difference from the surrounding principalities was the presence of complete commentaries on individual sutras of the Kalachakra-tantra. To study these sutras, the monks traveled a long way through the Himalayan mountains to the principality of Shambhala. The text of the "Blue Chronicle" indicates that the Shambhala principality was not the most important spiritual Buddhist center, in the first place in importance was the country of the gods - Uddiyana,which was located in the valley of the Swat River in Pakistan (the spiritual significance of Uddiyana for Buddhists is evidenced by the records in the Chinese annals, marking a huge number of Buddhist shrines and temples in Uddiyana).
The biography of Padmasambhava, who arrived in Tibet at the invitation of King Trisong Devtsen (Khri-srong Lde'u-bstan, reign 755-780) indicates that Padmasambhava spent different years of his life alternately in Uddiyana, Shang-Shung, Shambhala and on Mount Kailash.
The number of references to Shambhala in historical texts is so great that it leaves no doubt about its real existence in antiquity.
Shambala N. K. Roerich
The dissemination of information about Shambhala in Europe was facilitated by the publication of the reports of the First American Central Asian Expedition of 1925–1932. under the leadership of the outstanding Russian artist and researcher Nicholas Roerich, who was the founder of a philosophical movement that still has many followers all over the world and causes ongoing disputes.
The most significant are Roerich's essays “The Heart of Asia”, “Shining Shambhala” and “Shambhala”, in which N. Roerich reflected on the importance of the concept of Shambhala for the peoples of Asia: “… This is the place where the earthly world comes into contact with the highest state of consciousness … In the legends about Shambhala, in legends, traditions and songs, perhaps the most significant message of the East is contained. Whoever knows nothing about the vital significance of Shambhala should not claim that he has studied the East and knows the pulse of modern Asia … Shambhala is the most sacred word in Asia. In the essay “The Heart of Asia” he wrote: “On the peaks of Sikkim, in the Himalayan spurs, amid the aroma of balu and the color of rhododendrons, again a lama, similar to a medieval statue, pointed to the five peaks of Kanchenjunga and said:“There is the entrance to the sacred country of Shambhala. By underground passages through amazing ice caves, a select few even in this life reached the sacred place. All wisdom, all glory, all splendor are gathered there …
Does this mean that both the Azars and Kuthumpa belong to Shambhala? Yes.
And the great Mahatmas and Rishis? Yes.
And the host of Rigden-jyepo? Yes.
And much of the Geseriad cycle? Yes.
And of course Kalachakra? Yes.
And Aryavarta, where is the Kalki Avatar expected from? Yes.
And Agharti with underground cities? Yes.
And Ming-ste? And the Great Yarkas? And the Great Holders of Mongolia? And the inhabitants of Kama? And the Altai Belovodye? And Shabistan? And the Laodzin Valley? And a black stone? And the Grail, LapisExilis, the wandering stone? And Chud underground? And White Island? And the underground passages of Turfan? And the hidden cities of Cherchen? And underwater Kitezh? And White Mountain? And the suborgan of Khotan? And the sacred valley of Buddha's initiation? And Agni Yoga? And Dejung? And the book of Utaishan? And the Tashi Lama? And the place of the three secrets? And White Burkhan?
Yes Yes Yes! All this came together in the view of many centuries and peoples around the great concept of Shambhala. As well as the whole bulk of individual facts and indications, deeply felt, if unsaid."
In the essay "Shining Shambhala" N. Roerich gives his conversations with lamas: "Lama: … Great Shambhala is located far beyond the ocean. This is a mighty heavenly domain. It has nothing to do with our land. How and why are you earthly people interested in her? Only in some places, in the Far North, you can discern the shining rays of Shambhala.
Roerich: … We know the reality of this inexpressible place. But we also know the reality of earthly Shambhala. We know how some high lamas went to Shambhala, how they saw ordinary physical objects on their way. We know the stories of one Buryat lama, how he was accompanied through a very narrow secret passage. We know how another visitor saw a caravan of highlanders carrying salt from lakes located on the very border of Shambhala. Moreover, we ourselves saw the white border post, one of the three posts of Shambhala. Therefore, do not speak to me only about the heavenly Shambhala, but also speak about the earthly; because you, like me, know that earthly Shambhala is connected with heavenly. And it is in this place that two worlds unite.
Roerich: Lama, how did it happen that earthly Shambhala has not yet been discovered by travelers? Many expedition routes can be seen on the maps.
Lama: Just as these people cannot find treasures, so a person is not able to reach Shambhala without a call! You have heard about the poisonous streams flowing around the mountains. You may have seen people die of gas when they get close to them. You may have seen how animals and people begin to tremble as they approach certain areas. Many people try to reach Shambhala uncalled. Some of them are gone forever. Only a few of them reach the holy place, and only when their karma is ready.
Someone's unknown hand inscribed drawings on the stones and carved the Kalachakra letters on the rocks. Truly, truly, only through Shambhala, only through the Teaching of Kalachakra, can the perfection of the shortest path be achieved. … “Kalagiya, Kalagiya, Kalagiya! Come to Shambhala!"
In the book “Shambhala” the author reflects on the location of the sacred country: “Many assumptions have been made about the location of earthly Shambhala. Some of the assumptions place this place in the far north, saying that the northern lights are the rays of this invisible Shambhala. The assignment of Shambhala to the north is easy to understand … In Tibet, Shambhala is called Chang-Shambala, that is, Northern Shambhala. This epithet is quite understandable. The manifestation of the teachings took place in India, from where everything on the other side of the Himalayas is obviously northern. To the north of Benares is the village of Shambhala, associated with the legend of Maitreya. Thus, it becomes clear once again why that Himalayan Shambhala is called Northern Shambhala. Some indications, obscured by symbols, indicated the location of Shambhala in the Pamirs, Turkestan and Central Gobi … Relativity of indications and many misunderstandings
Shambhala's geographic location has its own reasons. In all the books about Shambhala, in oral legends telling about the same place, its location is described in highly symbolic expressions, almost inaccessible to the uninitiated."
Based on the information he received from the lamas, N. K. Roerich was convinced of the reality of the existence of Shambhala, lost somewhere in the Himalayan mountains, north of Kailash. In the diaries of Dr. KN Ryabinin, a member of the expedition of Nicholas Roerich, Shambhala is also repeatedly mentioned: "The concept of Shambhala is quite real and this place has its geographical position on the map of Tibet in the region of high mountains, at an altitude after 11,000 feet" (3350 meters).
Before N. K. Roerich's publications about Shambhala at the end of the 19th century. was briefly mentioned by the founder of the Theosophical Society, H. P. Blavatsky. She owns the definition of Shambhala in the "Theosophical Dictionary": "Shambhala is an extremely mysterious place due to its connection with the future. The city or village mentioned in the Puranas, from where, as the prophecy proclaims, the coming Messiah will appear. Some orientalists identify modern Muradabad in Rohilkand (northwestern provinces of India) with Shambhala, while occultism places it in the Himalayas. However, in the "Secret Doctrine" H. P. Blavatsky transfers the location of Shambhala to another place - in the Gobi, and calls it "the now" fabulous "Shambhala in the Gobi desert".
***
The number of printed testimonies about Shambhala is so great that the fantasies of the writers are intertwined with historical facts and are now often perceived as a true story.
It is possible that subsequent research by scientists will reveal the secret of Shambhala. But for now, like Atlantis, it remains a legendary country, the ruins of whose cities have never been found, and more and more expeditions rush to find it in the Himalayas.
Author: Sergey Volkov