Mount Waialeale is one of Kauai’s greatest natural marvels, rising from the island’s emerald heart (more technically the island rises from its heart) and cloaked in near-constant mist. Its name means “rippling waters” or “overflowing water,” a reference to the countless waterfalls and ancient bogs that spill from its summit. Known as one of the wettest spots on Earth, Waialeale is revered in Hawaiian culture as a sacred wao akua, a realm of the gods, where clouds gather, nourish the land, and sustain life downstream. Its blue-green cliffs and perpetual rain have long inspired respect, marking the mountain as a living temple of water, fertility and spiritual presence at the center of the island.
We live with it daily and watch it change from hour to hour as the clouds come and go, as the setting sun sets it on fire. Gurudeva envisioned a futuristic coffee table book which would show all of its moods, and we share a few of those in today’s TAKA, taken by various monks over the years.
In December of 1968 Gurudeva brought 32 Innersearchers to Kauai and on the second day we hired Larry rivera, the island’s legendary singer/composer, to regale us all with his song about Waialeale. Larry warned us, as we gathered around what is now the temple pool, that the song makes it rain more often than not. We nodded politely, and asked him to continue. It rained before he ended!
Want to hear him sing it right now? Go here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0voBezB05cw
It is an ever astounding experience to stand on the lookout just South of Kadavul Temple and gaze at the Wailua River rushing down towards the ocean with the magnificence of Mount Waialeale in the background. If it were a national park it would be impressive but the seat of a Hindu Monastery makes it transcendental. Then of course Iraivan Temple stands sparkling off in the distance. The stuff of story book paintings from ancient days? No – a living reality that takes your breath every time.
Here is an interesting comment from AI on the significance of mountains in Hindu Culture:
“In Hindu culture, mountains are sacred sites symbolizing divine connection, strength, and spiritual ascent. They are considered the literal or metaphorical homes of gods, such as Lord Shiva on Mount Kailash in the Himalayas, and are revered as places of immense power, transformation, and meditation. Sacred mountains are central to the spiritual landscape, representing the link between heaven and earth and the path to enlightenment.”
I was watching a documentary the other day on Kauai and they disclosed the fact that (maybe everyone knows but I was surprised) Mount Everest is 8,848.86 meters (29,031.7 feet) tall, – however Is it the tallest mountain on earth? No – Some of Hawaii’s Mountains are taller than Mount Everest.
AI “Mauna Kea vs. Mount Everest: The Tallest Mountain Debate
Yes, Mauna Kea, a volcano in Hawaii, is taller than Mount Everest when measured from its base on the ocean floor to its summit. While Everest is the highest mountain above sea level, Mauna Kea is the world’s tallest mountain by total height because a significant portion of it is submerged beneath the Pacific Ocean.
Measured from its base on the ocean floor, its total height is nearly 33,500 feet, making it taller than Mount Everest. “