We have had an amazing retreat and Sun One, full of light and Gurudeva's love and presence. Above is the key moment of the Maha Samadhi puja performed on October 24th, Chitra day, here at the Aadheenam. Satguru Bodhinatha Veylanswami pours the waters from the Kumbha onto Gurudeva's paduka, returning the power of Gurudeva's presence back to the shrine for another year.
Our Beloved and Revered Satguru Sivaya Subramuniyaswami
Attained Maha Samadhi on November 12th, 2001
Click to read for Details.
This Janahan Balasingham who we brought to Kauai to perform the ceremony. He also performed the rites for Gurudeva's actual Maha Samadhi in 2001 and also for last year's observances.
Bodhinatha's Sun One Video. Most Recent update: September 12, 2003. Bodhinatha speaks on Ahimsa, noninjury, yama #1, which is noninjury in thought, word and deed. The law of karma decrees that it is wise not to harm or hurt others, for we will then receive harm and hurt in exchange in the future. 12 minutes, 29 seconds.
Janahan, Yogi Mahadevan, Yogi Japendranatha and Sadhaka Jivanandanatha all together performed the puja.
A kumbha is established in front of the shrine and a through many powerful mantras, Gurudeva is invoked to take up residence in the Kumbha.... The devotees have brought mountains of flowers.
Throughout the ceremony, Janahan stops and explains in English the significance of the rites he is about to perform and asks for the devotees to all join him in chanting some of the mantras: "Aum Hreem Nama Sivaya, Sivaya Nama Aum Hreem, Aum..."
The participation of the whole group and the conscious awareness of the process on the part of everyone present helps to build the power.
Everyone chants the 108 names of Gurudeva.
Slowly the atmosphere fills with energy....
The presence of Gurudeva fills the room...
The Kumbha is then carried around the temple and each devotee touches it and received the presence and blessings of Gurudeva into his or her being.
Then Bodhinatha comes forward for the final rites, beginning with pouring the water from the Kumbha on to Gurudeva's sandals, returning the power to the shrine.
Final Arati....
Gurudeva's murthi is immersed in flowers.
And the devotees are immersed in bliss.
Special children these must be, to have the good karma to be present for grace filled moments.
Coming forward for prasadam.
Adi Srikantha prostrates....
Here is a good picture of Janahan. He hails from the Sri Vidya tradition and has been trained by Hari Haran, who some may know, the priest of the Rajarajeswari temple in New York and Hari Haran's Guru who lives in India. They follow the Sri Vidya tradition, which has an in-depth understanding of the relationship between the rituals, the chakras and the inner worlds, all of which must be understood, visualized and experience by the priest who performs them.
Afterwards devotees come for darshan with Bodhinatha.
Mr. and Mrs. Manickam Senthivel from Vancouver, Canada.
Another devotee...
The morning of Maha Samadhi day ended with a dance by Devika Ajaya. She lives in California and has developed her talents and cultural abilities through the years, even amidst the distractions of western world culture of "Bhoga Bhumi." This is an important day for her as it could be her last performance here for sometime as she will be going to Malaysia next year to get married and live there. She is looking forward to living in the midst of a Hindu community, where there is more Hindu culture and temples and Hindu activity, and Malaysia can look forward to receiving one of Gurudeva's brightest jewels.
Yesterday was "Guha day" on our retreat schedule and a group of the monks took the opportunity of a clear evening to sit through a Waialeale sunset light show... of course nothing can capture the actual breath taking beauty of the last ten minutes when all the clouds and sky shift through a series of incredible pinks, blues and orange hues.
It was also, by the way, the first day of Skanda Shasti and a number of the monks began the traditional six-day fast.
Today was day two of Skanda Shasti.. the morning homa was extra special with several samskaras and vratas.
Bhajana Deva Param, the young man on the left sits quietly, about to have his Karnaveda... ear-boring Samskara.
Sannyasin Saravananathaswami performs the ear-piercing. Bhajana hardly flinched at all.
Meanwhile Bodhinatha sends a mountain of prayers through the sacred fire to the devas.
Next, 5-year-old Jeyendra Param draws the letter A in a plate of rice for his "Beginning of Education" samskara.
Bodhinatha signs the official certificates for the samskaras. The practice Gurudeva instituted as a formal way to bring forward to the modern ear the important Hindu practice of samskaras.
Next 16-year-old Tiru Srikantha takes his Brahmacharya Vrata, vowing to be pure and chaste until marriage.
Bodhinatha ties the Brahmacharya cord around his waist.
Yogi Mahadevan continues to complete the homa.
The final offering.
All the participants offer a tray of flowers and fruits into the fire.
Bodhinatha continued his "work" on the Yamas and Niyamas today by delivering his complete introductory talk on this theme. This plus a few more talks as supplementary material will be used as part of the teachers resources he is developing.
The stars of today show: Jeyendra on the left and Bhajana on the right.
His mother asked for "teeth" but our camera gave us trouble when he smiled.
Bhajana with his new ear-studs. "Did it hurt?" we asked him... "Just little." he said....But he was a very happy lad.
|
