Taka Archives

Jai Gurudeva! Jai to the Kailasa Parampara! Aum Namah Sivaya! Recently we celebrated our monthly padapuja to Sivaya Subramuniyaswami during the timing of the Chitra nakshatra. Sannyasin Tillainathswami and Yogi Haranandinatha performed the puja while other mathavasis chanted Sri Rudram. Local members and devotees brought an abundance of beautiful flowers and enjoyed the peaceful contemplation of Gurudeva's wisdom. Aum.

"To the Saivite Hindu, all of life is sacred. All of life is religion. Thus, Saivite art is sacred art, Saivite music is devotional music, and the Saivite's business is not only his livelihood, it is his service to man and God."

MWS 297: \"Each lineage has within it a nada of a different velocity of sound, varied in pitch and depth.\"

This is Hindu mysticism. This is the magic of Hindu oneness. This is sampradaya.

This is parampara. This is what I want you to do: in the beginning, don\

t try to hear your nada. Try instead to hear mine. You will know you are hearing my nada, and not your own, when it is slightly louder.'

This is nada-nadi shakti.

This is your first siddhi.

It will bring many good benefits into your life, smooth out the karmas, bringing you from future to future, keep you inspired and on the subtle path, strengthening your psychic protection, strengthening your personal force field and that of all the loved ones connected to you, whether they themselves hear nada or not.

I\

m hearing the nada now, as I speak, that of my satguru, Yogaswami; his satguru, Chellappaswami; and his satguru, Kadaitswami, and that of innumerable rishis, back to Tirumular and his satguru, Nandinatha'

and those beyond and beyond and beyond, to the beginning of time, for there has never been a time on this planet or any of the earths the same distance from other suns in our galaxy or any of the others when our Nandinatha Sampradaya has not existed.

Nadais always present and within divine lineages of Sanatana Dharma, the eternal path, the eternal religion, the eternal truth,

more advanced than modern science, but not conflicting in any way with the discoveries of science, as these good souls penetrate into Sanatana Dharma and unravel its mysteries.

Teachings can then be conveyed on these rays, as long as guru and disciple are in harmony.\"

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On July 19 the monastery and all devotees on Kauai will celebrate Guru Purnima with a parade to Iraivan, a homa and blessings from Satguru Bodhinatha Veylanswami (who is on his way home from a week in Edmonton, Canada at their Ganesha Temple kumbhabhishekam).

We will soon celebrate the day, as millions will and as billions have over the millennia. But equally, we celebrate the miracle of having a Satguru in this life--something that is rare indeed in the 21st century.

A devotee in California sent this work of art that he had prepared by a team in Indonesia, a delightful and creative image of Bodhinatha holding the silver Nandi danda of the Nandinatha Sampradaya that represents his authority as head of Kauai Aadheenam.

We quote from Gurudeva's Master Course trilogy:

Before books were invented, the traditional way of conveying information was through the spoken word. This is called sampradaya. Sampradaya, verbal teaching, was the method that all satgurus used. A satguru can only give his shishya as much as the shishya can hold in his mind at any one time. If the shishya comes with an empty cup, the cup is filled by the guru. But if the shishya comes with a cup that is already full, nothing more can be added by the guru. Many satgurus work with their devotees in unseen ways. They have the ability to tune into the vibration of a devotee anywhere his physical body might be on the planet, feel how he is feeling and send blessings of protection and guidance.

The guru-shishya system of training is personal and direct. Much is unspoken between them, so close is the mental attunement. The traditional observance of brahmacharya helps to stabilize this relationship. An advanced shishya is one whose intuition is in absolute harmony with that of his satguru. This harmony does not occur in the beginning stages, however, when the devotee is probing the subject matter of the guru's teachings for answers.

Only after he has conquered the fluctuating patterns of the thinking mind does an inner flow of harmony begin to become apparent to both guru and shishya. The shishya is expected to cultivate his inner life as well as his outer life. The more sincere and consistent he is with his inner work and his inner friends--God, Gods and guru--the more safe and secure and blessed he will be. Your relationship with your guru is growing stronger even now as you come to better know yourself and proceed in your study of these daily lessons. Hindu temples sustain Hinduism around the world.

The sun rises on Kauai, shining its life-giving rays on the Earth, as the Satguru shines his grace on the world.

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Satguru was invited as chief guest for the Edmonton Mahaganapati Temple (mahaganapathytemple.com) kumbhabhishekam rejuvenation ceremonies. On the final day he reported, "At the temple from about 9 AM 1 PM. Started up on the roof with the auspicious moment at about 9:30 AM for pouring the kumbhas on the temple spire (they have just one spire). This was followed by pouring the many kumbhas on the various Deities, a prathistha ceremony for the main murti of Ganesha and a final puja. The temple was packed wall to wall with devotees."

He also took the occasion to sign many books, as we are retiring the "Canada Minimela" book storage facility in Edmonton.

Outside of the temple, with scaffolding on left for pouring the kumbhas on the vimanam

Visual dress code

Starting the final kumbhabhishekam rites

Satguru gives a upadesha on \"The Significance of Mahakumbhabhishekam\"

signing miscellaneous books, especially Guru Chronicles and Weaver\

s Wisdom'

Posing with priest, Sri Waran Kurukkal, and his family

Getting ready to lift up to the roof

Pouring kumbha on dvajasthambha

Pouring kumbha on side shrine

Main sanctum for Lord Mahaganapathy

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This morning we received an email from a Sivathondar in Australia, sharing that he has finished bringing all 68 lessons of the catechism for youth into video form, and posted the series on YouTube. Venkatesh Nagarajan, who lives in Australia, worked closely with the monks as he conceived, designed, tested and executed the project. Inspired by his six-year-old son, Adi, he has transformed the traditional catechism into engaging, bite-sized videos, each about five minutes long. These videos utilize AI voices for narration, ensuring clarity and variety while making them accessible and engaging for young learners.

Venkatesh's innovative approach, which took about a year to complete, makes these lessons a perfect tool for teaching Saivism to our youth. The use of appropriate images alongside easy-to-follow voiced instructions helps to maintain the attention of young minds, making learning both effective and enjoyable.

This digital transformation of the catechism into a series of concise lessons is not just a welcome (and unexpected) achievement but also a practical resource for educators and parents. Whether you're teaching in a classroom setting or guiding learning at home, these videos are a ready-to-use educational toolkit to help pass on the values and teachings of Saivism to the next generation.

Explore this series for your classes or personal growth by accessing the full playlist here, or scan the QR Code on the last slide for direct access.

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLeEp57jcBSjqqpxGZuV9L3t6UOk88Baa8

Chat4o imagines Venkatesh at work in Sydney, with son Adi providing consulting services for his generation.

The cover of the printed hardbound book, and Venkatesh\

s homage to the Satgurus whose teachings are the substance of the lessons. '

Lesson 9, on the left in its book form. Each one-page lessons translates to five minutes of video.

Lesson 9 in the YouTube format.

The entire text is displayed on screen in small segments.

Gurudeva has a quote in each lesson.

This QR Code takes you directly to the YouTube playlist with all 68 lessons listed.

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Jai Ganesha!

For those that haven't found it already, Hinduism Today's July 2024 issue is now available online for free at hinduismtoday.com.

The issue explores many wonderful topics, visit this page to find out more.

From This issue's Quotes & Quips:

One can't command compassion. Before compassion comes love. Compassion is the outgrowth of love. Love is the outgrowth of understanding. Understanding is the outgrowth of reason. Satguru Sivaya Subramuniyaswami

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Here are some photos of noni fruit sheets coming out of the dryer and ready to be pulverized into powder.

Also, after many years of service, a trailer bed that holds the noni picking platform started to falter one too many times. We've hired a welding team to replace various metal parts on it so full strength is present again.

Recently pulverized

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Many of us are familiar with Nimu, the Ganapati Kulam's avian mascot. Recently, Nimu has been aspiring towards Mantra Diksha, hoping to bless himself with the inner authority to chant the Namaḥ Śivāya mantra (SEE BELOW VIDEO). He sets a good example for us all.

Listen to Nimu's chanting voice:

African Greys are extremely intelligent, considered to be the smartest birds on Earth.

From Merging With Siva:
LESSON 161
Pañchākshara is Perfection
Aum Namaḥ Śivāya is such a precious mantra because it is the closest sound that one can make to emulate the sounds rushing out of the Self into the mind. Chanting it is profound because it is a sound channel which you can follow to get close to the Self of your self—sort of like following a river upstream to yourself. Aum Namaḥ Śivāya can be equated with Śiva’s drum of creation, called damaru. When Aum Namaḥ Śivāya is repeated, we go through the chakras, Na-Ma Śi-Vā-Ya Aum. The Aum is in the head chakra. Within Namaḥ Śivāya is each of the elements—earth, water, fire, air and ether—which in the mind are transmuted into all-pervasive consciousness, and that is also transmuted into the great chakra way above the head at the end of the Aum. In just the breath, the space of time between the next repetition of “Aum Namaḥ Śivāya…Aum Namaḥ Śivāya…Aum Namaḥ Śivāya,” the prāṇas, having reached Paraśiva, fall back into the spiritual, mental, astral and physical worlds, blessing them all with new energy, new life and new understanding. “Namaḥ Śivāya Aum, Namaḥ Śivāya Aum, Namaḥ Śivāya Aum, Namaḥ Śivāya Aum” is the constant process of life. It is the essence of life itself. We must realize that at any given moment we are a complete Paraśiva-Satchidānanda jīva, only working on the “Maheśvara part”—on the jīva’s becoming Śiva. Paraśiva is there. Satchidānanda is there. The maturity of the purusha, of the jīva, the embodied soul, is not. Therefore, Aum Namaḥ Śivāya takes us into the reality above and beyond the relatively real. To know it is to experience it, and to experience it is to become initiated. ¶I have been performing Aum Namaḥ Śivāya for over fifty years. At first it had no meaning other than, “Wonderful, at last I got my mantra, and an assignment from my guru to perform japa regularly.” As the japa progressed, all the inner worlds opened, all the doors of the mind. All the spiritual forces were unleashed, and the ability to control them came naturally. You see, Namaḥ Śivāya Aum brings the totality of the individual to the forefront and makes it manifest in daily life. This most pragmatic mantra is found at the center of the Vedas, in the hymn known as Śrī Rudram, and Śiva is at the center of Namaḥ Śivāya Aum. As the center of the Vedas, it blends Vedānta with Siddhānta, fusing them together with the fire of realization. So, I and all Śaiva Siddhāntists are a fusion of Vedānta and Siddhānta, with all doors open of understanding of the fourteen windows, the chakras of the mind, and even more than that. ¶My satguru, Siva Yogaswami, placed great emphasis on japa, repeating the name of Śiva with concentration and feeling. This great Nātha jñānī explained, “May we not forget that mantra is life, that mantra is action, that mantra is love, and that the repetition of mantra, japa, bursts forth wisdom from within. Japa yoga is the first yoga to be performed toward the goal of jñāna. In the temple perform japa. Under the sacred tree, perform japa. I performed japa all of this life as a silent sādhana, and it is automatic now.” Siva Yogaswami enjoined his devotees: “Wear rudrāksha beads, repeat the Pañchākshara, let your heart grow soft and melt. Chant the letters five, and in love you will discover Śiva’s will. Chant so that impurities, anxieties and doubts are destroyed. All hail Namaḥ Śivāya.”

Photo: Nimu exploring the outdoors. African Grey's are generally cautious in nature, as they spend much of their time near the ground, drinking from clay mud puddles.

Today we pay homage to Gurudeva's classical inspired writing on the mystical experience which he called The Clear White Light. It is a story worth telling, and we quote now from The Guru Chronicles, taking up the story in August of 1967.

"In Ascona, Switzerland, he spent two weeks at Casa Eranos, Carl Jung's charming summer chalet on the shore of Lago Maggiore, a massive mountain lake shared by Italy and Switzerland. Meditating, giving upadesh and browsing through Jung's personal library, Master discovered the famed psychologist's penchant for Indian philosophy and his deep engagement with kundalini.

"One morning a young monk asked the guru to describe the inner light. A few words of response came, but suddenly Master grew pensive, excused himself and retired to his room. After some hours, the monks knocked tentatively on the locked door to invite him to lunch, but he told them he was busy. Hours passed, and again they knocked, with no response. Though they were loath to disturb him, this was so unusual the group began to worry aloud whether they should intervene.

"While those deliberations were underway, Master unlocked and opened his door, calling them all to join him on the open stone patio that overlooks the lake. It was late afternoon. With them seated around, he brought out a yellow pad of paper, the kind lawyers write on. Beaming and clearly happy about something, he repeated the morning's question about the light, then revealed that he had 'brought through' a small book during those solitary hours. He announced the title The Clear White Light, then proceeded to read the manuscript, a profound explication of the mystical experience. Aside from Cognizantability, it was to be the only major work he ever wrote in his own hand, all others having his inspired talks and dictations as their source." Here is an excerpt (the slideshow has two pages of the original hand-written manuscript).

'It is a great new world of the mind that is entered into when first the clear white light dawns, birthing a new actinic race, immediately causing him to become the parent to his parents and forefathers. When living in an expanded inner state of mind, he must not expect those living in materialistic consciousness to understand him. On this new path of "the lonely one," wisdom must be invoked to cause him to be able to look through the eyes of those who believe the world is real, and see and relate to that limited world in playing the game as if it were real, thus maintaining the harmony so necessary for future unfoldments. To try to convince those imbedded in materialism of the inner realities only causes a breach in relationship, as it represents a positive threat to the security they have worked so hard to attain.

"First we had the instinctive age, of valuing physical strength and manly prowess, followed by the intellectual age, facts for the sake of facts, resulting in the progress of science. Now we are in an age of new values, new governing laws, an actinic age, with new understanding of the world, the mind, but most of all, the Self. Understanding is preparation for travel, for it is an age of the mind, and in the mind, much more intense than the speed of light, exist spheres which seers are only willing to speak of to those who have the inner ear with which to listen.'"

For those wanting more, you can listen to Satguru Bodhinatha Veylanswami read the talk and make comments to guide our understanding of these advanced states of mind. Here is the link:

https://www.himalayanacademy.com/view/bd_2007-06-02_clear-w-light

Here Gurudeva is with his shishyas in Ascona, Switzerland, during the Innersearch Travel-Study Program on which he wrote The Clear White Light.

This is page one of the mystical text, dated August 13, 1967

Here we have page two.

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