Taka Archives

Some 40 years back we planted two Naga Pu trees from India and they grew in the shade of some tall Poincianna trees, so did not flower as expected. This year they did flower and here we see Sadhaka Shankaranatha harvesting the flowers. Commonly called the Cannon Ball Tree after its spherical brown fruit that can be the size of a human head, it is known in India as Naga Pu or Serpent Flower. As the slideshow reveals, the intricate structure of the flower holds a structure that looks like a cobra's hood hovering above a yellow circle which has in the middle a tiny white Sivalingam. The tree is planted in temple compounds throughout India and the flowers are a special offering to Siva. Sadhaka took his bag of blossoms to Siva's Feet.

Sadhaka on a tall ladder, needed to reach the sacred flowers high above ground.

Back on the ground, he holds the open flower to reveal the shape. The white and yellow bristles are the cobra\

s hood. '

Close-up of the lingam protected by the serpent above.

Elsewhere in today\

s garden, a happy orchid dances near the drinking fountain. This family is known as Chain Orchid.'

First year our massive sansevieria \"Macho\" is giving seeds.

Closeup of a palm frond designed by the Great Architect. In Sanskrit Siva is refered to as \"architect of the universe\" or Vivasya Sthapati.

One of His morning paintings, the bark of a Rainbow Eucalyptus tree, this one near the Wailua River bank.

The Dragon Fruit flowers near Kopi Kadai and the kitchen.

A giant philodendron clammers up a tree out near Iraivan Temple.

This Grape Orchid (Yes, smells just like grapes) is blooming near Dakshinamurti today. It\

s a sun-loving terrestrial orchid native to Malaysia. While most orchids grow in trees, there are many (about 30%) that grow in the ground. '

An arid euphorbia enjoying the tropical sun over by the Kadavul Temple pool.

Palm frond, close up.

Frond of a fishtail palm, Caryota mitis, a super rare and hand-painted variegated form. This one is hiding in the bushes over near Bodhinatha\

s office. Maybe he\'s afraid an avid collector will dig him up and take him home. '
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Aum Namah Sivaya

Over the last few days we've captured a view quick timelapses of the sunrise over Iraivan Temple, so we'd thought they might make a nice little video. And we might as well have Suno AI generate a song for it, right? It might not have made something in a very traditional genre, but for a song generated in 10 seconds flat, it's pretty good.

Your browser does not support the video tag.

Music from Suno Ai, generated with the prompt "melodic song about the monks of Kauai's Hindu Monastery at sunrise"

[Verse]
Upon the cliffs of Kauai's crest
Where sun and sea in union rest
The monks with silent steps
They rise
Beneath the ever-changing skies

[Verse 2]
With chants that blend with morning’s light
In robes of saffron
Pure insight
They greet the dawn with quiet grace
The sacred glow upon each face

[Chorus]
Oh
Kauai’s whispers
Ancient tales
In the morning mist
Where silence prevails
Harmony in every breath and prayer
Monks of sunrise
Souls laid bare

As you may know, some time back we started making property signs with aluminum for better durability. We recently found out from the manufacturer that it's easy for the signs to be cut in more than just a square or rectangle shape. Here are the first two examples, just installed.

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During these few weeks of Sadhua Paksha, the monastics have been enjoying a different morning routine. Instead of their usual group Siva puja and meditation they are rising before the sun to walk through nature and perform their sadhana. These are a few images from their mystical wanderings.

"God can only be discovered by God" - Yogaswami

Iraivan at sunrise, and after an over-abundance of digital adjustments to really make the sunrise pop!

Our daily heavenly Hawaiian horizon

\"My God is the melter of my heart of love. Let all adore my God, the Lord of primal love, first of beings, my iva, who again and again melts my heart. May He render me His love in foremost measure! Praise Him but once, the Pure and Holy One, and He will be your escort to heaven. He, Lord iva, decked in honeyed konrai blooms, sits enthroned in my love, steadfast and free.\" Tirumantiram274-275\"

Remain still, with the conviction that the Self shines as everything yet nothing, within, without and everywhere.

Let what comes come. Let what goes go. Find out what remains.

We need the devotional practice of religion so that the philosophy doesnt make us even more proud or arrogant than we were before we studied it. - Satguru Bodhinatha Veylanswami

The happiness we are seeking, is actually accepting what is.

A person can achieve everything by being simple and humble.

There is force in the universe, which, if we permit it, will flow through us and produce miraculous results.

A ship in harbor is safe, but that is not what ships are built for.

The purified, integrated mind, so perfected in its own understanding, lives in close communion with the soul radiance so that light becomes the constant companion of the mind. -Satguru Sivaya Subramuniyaswami

Don\

t explain your philosophy. Embody it.'

Silence is the language of God, all else is a poor translation.

Only those who attempt the absurd can achieve the impossible.

Peace is your natural state. It is your mind that destroys it.

The Self indeed is below. The Self is above. The Self is behind. The Self is in front. The Self is to the south. The Self is to the north. The Self, indeed, is all this. Chandogya Upanishad, 7.5

When we look at the world as providing our happiness, life is a constant series of emotional ups and down. When we derive our contentment from within, life is joyous, and we can share that joy with others. - Satguru Bodhinatha Veylanswami

Raise your words, not your voice, it is rain that grows flowers, not thunder.

No matter where one is on the path, spiritual advancement comes from learning from ones mistakes in life. - Satguru Bodhinatha Veylanswami

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On the auspicious occasion of Guru Purnima, the trustees of the Alaveddy Subramuniya Temple Trust, with the blessings and approval of Satguru Bodhinatha Veylanswami, have appointed Mr. Sathananthan Kanistan as a new trustee of our Alaveddy Subramuniya Temple Trust.

By appointing Mr. Kanistan, we are bringing in the next generation to carry forward Gurudeva's legacy in Sri Lanka on into what he loved to call "the future of futures."

The current trustees are:

Mrs. Sivalosany Kanagaratnam
Dr. Aru Thirumurugan
Mr. Sathananthan Kanistan

Kanistan is 22 years old and has been associated with our Subramuniya Kottam since he was five years old. He studied at our Kottam school, conducts pujas, and is actively involved in all of the Kottam's educational and community outreach activities.

He managed the accounting for the new Alaveddy Temple project and has proven his abilities and dedication. He is deeply committed to our Guru Parampara.

The monks in Hawaii celebrate this new appointment and know Kanistan will add his youth, intelligence and spiritual dedication to the task.

The Sri Subramuniya Temple in Alaveddy. Inside the four satgurus are installed, making it the central shrine in Sri Lanka honoring Kadaitswami, Chellappaswami, Yogaswami and Gurudeva.

Dr. Thirumurugan wraps a traditional shawl around the new trustee\

s shoulders.'

The signing ceremony is held on the porch of the Sri Subramunyam Kottam in Kopai. Here Amma Kanagaratnam signs the document.

A copy of the signed appointment.

Thondunathan congratulates the newest trustee.

The trustees attend a small arati at the Gurudeva Shantilingam shrine, seeking his blessings in their important duties and shared responsibilities.

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We're finalizing the Oct/Nov/Dec 2024 issue. After uploading all the pages to our printer's website, Quad Graphics, then we download a "Proof" and print it out. The monks responsible for specific articles do a final check for errors. After entering a fix, that page is re-uploaded to Quad.

Spot the misspelling that we need to fix

Bi-weekly Pradosha Puja for Nandi at Iraivan a few days ago

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Jai Satguru Bodhinatha Veylanswami!

On July 19th we celebrated Guru Purnima at Iraivan Temple. While there was a live stream, we though it would still be nice to share some belated photos of the event.

"Upon the connection between Guru and shishya, the spirit of parampara travels, the spirit of sampradaya travels. It causes the words that are said to sink deep. They don't just bounce off the intellect, the message goes into the individual. Spiritual force doesn't just happen." - Gurudeva

Kularnava Tantra: \"As in the vicinity of fire, butter gets melted\"

\"so in the proximity of the holy Sivaguru all bad karmas dissolve.

As lighted fire burns up all fuel, dry and moist,

so the glance of the Sivaguru burns up in a moment the karmas of the sishya.

As the heap of cotton blown up by a great storm scatters in all the ten directions,

so the heap of negative karmas is blown away by the compassion of the Sivaguru.

As darkness is destroyed at the very sight of the lamp,

so is ignorance destroyed at the sight of the holy Sivaguru.

I tell you now that there can be no Liberation without diksha, initiation.

Nor can there be initiation without a preceptor.

Hence the dharma, the sakti and the tradition come down the line of masters, called parampara.

Without a Satguru all philosophy, knowledge and mantras are fruitless.

Him alone the Gods praise who is the Satguru

keeping active what is handed down to him by tradition.

Therefore, one should seek with all effort to obtain a preceptor

of the unbroken tradition,

born of Supreme Siva.\"

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Over the past two months, the Ganapati Kulam has been working on a cabinet that will support a 115-gallon display aquarium. The cabinet is made from Formosa Koa and patina copper. It is made from the exquisite wood originating from the same tree as the Cedar Room table, and displays the same beautiful, curly grain. The cabinet is joined together through the use of floating tenons, and has been built strong enough to withstand the 1000+ pound weight of the filled aquarium it will support.

The wood has been finished in a hand-rubbed style using six coats of polymerized tung oil and wax. The resulting surface of the wood is silky smooth and is almost as reflective as a mirror. A heavy bronze medallion will be affixed to the back side. We are excited to see it come together to completion in the next few weeks!

A Sketchup software rending of the cabinet and aquarium tank

Smooth enough to easily see your hand reflection

This will hide piping

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