Taka Archives

Join us at 7am (Kauai time) on September 6th, for Kauai Aadheenam's live stream of our Chaturthi abhishekam.

Our monks are currently still in Malaysia on a mission attend youth workshops, bringing our Path To Siva lessons to Malaysian teenagers and students. Here are the things they have mentioned to us about their trip:

"Swami and I left the hotel at 6:30 am. Today's workshop was held at the Sri Subramuniya Swami temple in Kajang, 53 students attended. One of the instrumental organizers of today's event is Padma a Bramachari, who is also a Master Course student. He was the MC for this event. He distributed fliers for the event, reached out to friends and other students, then spoke to each individual student and their parents to invite the students to today's event.

"Swami followed the same pattern as last Path to Siva workshop. This group of students was a little more shy when asking questions. They slowly warmed up, and the questions started to flow.

"The workshop went quite well. Just like the first workshop, Vasana Daha Tantra was a big hit that every youth felt created a change in their life. One young man age 19 approached Swami wanting to become a monk. He will be emailing the monastery soon to inquire more about monastic life.

"It was another inspiring day."

Yoginathaswami worshiping Ganesha before starting the day with the beautiful mission of spreading the teachings to youth

Nandi!

Yoginathaswami with our members.

Yoginathaswami with the temple committee.

Here the next generation of the Hindu fold

Another sessions of Vasana Daha Tantra!

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Each year at this time we create a special flyer which serves as an appeal for support for our most urgent needs. This year Satguru Bodhinatha Veylanswami chose The Garden Path as our focus. It is a special 8-foot-wide path surrounding Iraivan Temple that serves as a mud-free walking entry for pilgrims and also as a maintenance road for our electric vehicles, allowing the team to bring supplies to the pujari, maintain the landscape, and such. It's a big project, and costly, more than $500,000 due to the special engineering required for water control (so important on our high rainfall island) and the quality installation which will give the impression of a cobblestone path.
We commissioned Baani Sekhon, our artist in Chandigarh, North India. She just submitted the finished art, and we thought it would be interesting to take you behind the scenes to see the process, which takes weeks to complete. Follow the steps in the slideshow.

The finished art showing the Garden Path and the quartzie apron leading from the entry staircase to the temple steps.

Taking a recent aerial photo, we showed Baani the grasses and boulders that are in place. Notice that the temple is coomplete and the landscaping is rich on all sides, but there is a dirt swath that remains to tie them all together and make it a one whole.

There she is, in her home studio.

Then we indicated where the quartzite is to be installed and how it intersects the Garden Path.

Next we took the engineers\

plan and roughly outlined the placement of the path, adding images to show her the form and color of the entry apron (left) and the path design. '

A few weeks later, Baani submitted an accurate but rough sketch for approval.

Then she sent the path in position using photoshop.

We sent her this watercolor to give her the typical architectural style we were wanting to achieve.

She implemented our ideas and sent this partial canvas for approval before she completed it.

We approved and ten days later the art arrived, just in time to be the major graphic for the 2024 Year-End mailing to be seen by thousands of supporters.

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Satguru Bodhinatha Veylanswami gives his weekly upadesha in Kadavul Temple at Kauai’s Hindu Monastery in Hawaii. It is part of a series of talks elaborating on the inspired teachings of Satguru Śivaya Subramuniyaswami as found in his book Merging With Śiva.

"To the awakened mystic, there is only one mind. There is no “your mind” and “my mind,” just one mind, finished, complete in all stages of manifestation. Man’s individual awareness flows through the mind as the traveler treads the globe. Just as the free citizen moves from city to city and country to country, awareness moves through the multitude of forms in the mind."

Yoginathaswami and Sadhaka Tejadevanatha completed the first Path to Siva workshop, visited with SSC sishyas at the hotel and in their homes, and also the offices of Kauai Aadheenam supporter Dato Vijay Eswaran. Here are some notes Sadhaka made about it--

Today was Swami's first workshop, hosted at a Brahma Kumaris meeting hall. Between 90 and 100 students age 16 to 22 were in attendance. We first checked out the hall, then had a meeting with the manager. Our Mc, Aravindraj, opened the event with a short explanation about the monastery, then gave a few words about Yoginathaswami, and his experience on taskforce. We honored two of the Brahma Kumaris with a small gift.

A short video was played, " All about Kauai's Hindu Monastery". Next Swami dove into Path to Siva. The subjects began with the Four main Hindu denominations, three types of Karma, Reincarnation, God is everywhere and in everything, the importance of being a vegetarian, Temple worship, Bhakti/devotion will soften Karma, daily 5-minute sadhana, attending the temple once a week, pilgrimage to a far off temple once a year and the importance of a Satguru to go deeper into spiritual life.

We played a video about our monastery life. All the students and teachers really enjoyed it. Swami opened up for Q&A.
A few of the questions:
Where did the name Siva come from?
Why are there so many Gods?
How does one qualify to be a monk?
Is God real?
What made you believe in Siva?

Swami then discussed Vasana Daha Tantra at great length and the students were provided with paper to perform this very powerful tool. Positive affirmations were discussed and how exactly to utilize the power of affirmation to create change in one's life. Three phase of the mind, 5 states of mind and How to meditate were discussed.

We had one more Q and A. Swami Gave out Vibhuti to all in attendance and I gave a Kauai rudraksha to each student and a few of the teachers.

Swami asked if any young men were interested in monastic life, one young man raised his hand and during one of the breaks another two young men spoke to swami about monastic life.
Another subject that Swami discussed was the importance of celibacy and transmutation. He spoke of how many youth fall into the trap of being sexually active because of peer pressure.

Swami touched on the subject of suicide and how it is not the answer to solve one's difficult life. Suicide will complicate your evolution, creating more karma. It is best to ask for help and work through your challenges in life.

My impression was the students really appreciated the workshop. Swami explained the high philosophy in a way that all the students could comprehend. He weaved stories into the talk in both English/Tamil and he threw in a few Malay words which everyone loved. Swami's understanding of the local culture really captivated the audience.

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Aum Namah Shivaya

Recently, our traveling monks landed in Malaysia after many hours of plane rides from Hawaii to Japan and on to Malaysia. Upon arrival, Sannyasin Yoginathaswami and Nirvani Tejadevanatha were greeted by Malaysian shishyas at the airport. After some much-needed rest, the two enjoyed private meetings and meals with member families and students.

Greeted at the airport Malaysia

Take off from Kauai

They\

re flying in ANA\'s turtle plane, which regularly ferries Japanese tourists to and from Hawaii'

Goodbye Kauai, see you in a few weeks!

Our team finally arrives in Malaysia after their long flights

A view from the hotel

Travel shrine included

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A walk through the garden today brings us to the Rishi from the Himalayas murti where two stunning Arenga pinnatas are blossoming again. This is the first time we have captured the early protective sheath that covers the inflorescense, and also its removal to reveal the flower buds.

When you visit Siva's Sacred Garden, you must stand in front of this Sugar Palm, a true gem of Southeast Asia, especially revered in Indonesia and the Philippines. Towering up to 20 meters, this majestic palm boasts large, feather-like leaves that dance in Kauai's tropical breeze. More than just a scenic marvel, every element of the sugar palm is utilized by local communities. The sap is tapped and transformed into sweet sugar and aromatic alcohol (called arrack). Its fibers are woven into durable ropes and rustic brooms, while the broad fronds find a second life as robust roofing materials. This versatile palm is a cornerstone of sustainability and a testament to the ingenuity of traditional practices in harmonizing with nature.

Here you see it (actually there are two of them side by side) behind Rishi\

s murti.'

The sheath is slowing working its way loose from the massive inflorescence.

Now they can breath freely and bask in the island sun.

The buds take months to mature into flowers and more months to develop into seeds.

The young seeds look like dreadlocks!

And develop into this monster, which is more than six feet tall.

Soon the purple flower buds will open.

There are many hundreds, maybe thousands, on a single inflorescence. Oddly, our tree has not given seedlings yet. It should, because these trees have both male and female flowers, so is self-pollinating. This palm is another of Siva\

s Remarkable Creations. A billion human bio-engineers working for a thousand years would not be enough to create the complexity of such a living creature. Jai to the Great Architect.'
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Early this morning Yoginathaswami and Sadhaka Tejadevanatha departed for Malaysia to conduct several Path to Siva seminars for Malaysian youth. Their goals include presenting the option of monastic life to young men there.

Satguru Bodhinatha Veylanswami has visited temple groups in North Carolina and Missouri US states over the last few days, and returns to Kauai this afternoon. A group in North Carolina has a grand plan for a Murugan temple and more on a 130-acre site--
https://carolinamurugantemple.org/

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