Blog Archives

Cybertalk: The first question comes from Holland where a cyber devotee wishes to know Hinduism Today's view on genetic engineering. Gurudeva says that a lot of in depth study and research goes into an article before we print it and that there are many unknown factors in this area and we still need more opinions and research to be done. Another cyber cadet asks if one can have two gurus? Gurudeva says that it is traditional in Sanatana Dharma that a family has one guru. A cyberspace devotee asks how can one get into the astral plane? Gurudeva says that the astral plane is a duplicate of the physical plane and that those on the spiritual path go into the astral plane during sleep to study from great masters there.

Cybertalk Ends"
For more information about listening to Gurudeva's talks online and to hear them in other formats, click here.

Do you have questions for Gurudeva? Send to questions@hindu.org.

transcription begins

Transcription of One of Gurudeva's CyberTalks
Date: January_06_2001
Title: 2001, 75th Jayanthi Talk, Part 2
Category: Change and Transformation
Duration: 2 min., 52 seconds
Date Given: January 05, 2001

When two vertebra in my spine went in different directions, it caused a great pain. The Ayurvedic doctor, the Medical doctor, the Chiropractic doctor told us that, for a human being, this pain is the worst kind of a pain to have. I took this to mean that I had entered Kavadi, a state of penance.

As we all know, we are not the body, we are not the mind, we are not the emotions. We are the divine soul living on this planet to make the planet a divine planet. The divine in me tells me, "You are not this body, Gurudeva. I am very happy that you are not my body because of this great pain." So, I went through the years of my life, seventy five years. "What did you do, Gurudeva, to acquire such great pain in your karma?"

Well, I have been very much involved with my ashram in Alaveddy and the mission Satguru Yogaswami gave to me. He mentioned, "No pain, no gain." I have been involved in the conflict in Sri Lanka. I have offered my services to the Norwegian Government, talked to the Minister who is now talking to Prabhakaran about a cease fire and harmony in the country in the name of Lord Muruga.

You remember last year and the year before? I explained that Lord Muruga is the God of war, traditionally. That doesn't mean He begins wars. That means He is the God that brings wars to an end, brings conflicts to an end, to a win-win situation where everyone is happy and secure in the future of futures of futures of futures for generations and generations and generations to come.

Now, I have not forgotten the mantram in English to be said mentally, six words from Lord Murugan, that is the solution to many, many problems of the past. Many, many problems won't come up in the future, if this mantram is used.

First, I would like to commend the Tamilian community in Mauritius for holding a conference for Lord Muruga, so that the peoples of the world will better understand this great God.
transcription ends

A view of the ocean where Gurudeva is staying.

An out-of-this-world looking flower, close up. Who needs abstract art when you can take photos like this?

Thambynathan Nutanaya with Sannyasin Sivakatirswami. It's an important day for we just received the "proofs" back from our Hinduism Today printer in Missouri. These are the cover pages and "gang job" (extra items) for the next issue of Hinduism Today. The printer sends "samples" back for us to check before printing the actual magazine. The up-and-coming issue has an indepth article on the famed Sringeri Mutt in Karnataka, original home of Adi Sankara, originator of the renowned Mayavada school of monistic Advaita Vedanta philosophy.

For the technocrats who may have any knowledge or interest in such matters:
Our magazine is produced 100% digitally on G4 MacIntosh computers using Quark Express, Photoshop and Illustrator. Pages are digitized and postscripted here in Hawaii and sent to Banta Publications in Kansas City, Missouri via the internet. . .now on our T1 line. It takes between 10-12 hours during the night to send all the files. We use no film, paste up, art boards, veloxes or any kind of "mechanical" typesetting in the process.

Today Nutanaya helped Sivakatirswami to postscript the corrected pages and send them back to the printer via the internet. Nutanaya was fascinated. "You mean the computer is calling Missouri?"

We were one of the first magazines to go "computer to plate" with Banta, which means that all film, conventional stripping and plate burning by negatives are eliminated. Our files go direct from the computer to a machine that "prints" huge metal plates, ready for the press.

This is the March April issue which will go to press next week. On top is the cover. . .it is dull as this is just a "speed check" proof and nothing like the real thing. Next to the cover we print our special items. . .here you see four cards: two with beautiful art and two with images of Ganesha and Muruga. These will be later part of Gurudeva's "Jnana Dana" program. "Dana" means "giving" and the classical act of service is "anna dana" which means "food giving" or feeding the mendicants, the poor and one's guests. Gurudeva coined the term "Jnana Dana" (knowledge giving) for his program of printing and giving away small pieces of free literature, of which we have printed literally millions through the years.

Stay tuned for more about this tomorrow and how you can participate!

An eleven acre site in Bangalore, India, where 75 Indian families live and daily carve the sacred white granite edifice of Iraivan Temple which will soon begin to be assembled on the island of Kauai

Close up of the rings again. This is not in its final form yet. Lots of finishing touches have to be given to the rings.

Gurudeva's other monastery in the island country of Mauritius
in the Indian Ocean near South Africa

Raju Boyjoonauth and his sister, Roopa Devi, attended several seminars with Gurudeva's swamis several years ago and it has been a strong infuence in their lives. Raju is now studying in England and Roopa Devi is in South Africa. They came with their younger brother and sister who are still students in Mauritius, and with Vishargen and Vikash, who are schoolmates of Raju in England.
Here they are pictured with giant statue of Lord Shanmuga (Six Faced God).
From left to right: Reshma, Roopa Devi, Roopesh, Rakesh, Raju, Vishargen and Vikash.

Here's Azagen and Usha Renghen with Sadhaka Jothinatha. Azagen is a long time supporter of the Spiritual Park. He's also the cousin of our gardener. He and his wife walked through grounds today and bought a copy of Dancing with Siva and an Aum Namasivaya bracelet.

A few days ago the monks drove down the coast road. There's a colorful temple on a small islet in the lagoon at Post de Flacq about 10 kilometers to the south of our monastery. A popular spot for visitors to Mauritius, some of whom can be seen here wading through the water. We thought you'd all enjoy some religious "postcard scenes" from Mauritius so we include the photo here.

Roadside shrines are located everywhere throughout Mauritius. This one is located next to the oldest temple in Mauritius. We'll tell you more about that tomorrow.

This day last year was a retreat. No page was archived.

"How to Become A Hindu"! Gurudeva's latest book release is now available Hot Off the Press! Visit the Himalayan Academy Book Store Web Site get the book and read the incredible testimonies of the early pioneers from the west who chose to make a full and complete conversion to Hinduism, legally change both their first and last names to Hindu names, change their lifestyles, sever their formal connections to previous faiths and joyously face the challenges in joining the tribe of the Sanatana Dharma

Visiting Kauai's Hindu Monastery
If you are planning to visit Kauai, please go first to our our visitor's page. Thank you.

Click here for information about Gurudeva's travels. He is presently staying on Kauai and has not immediate travel plans.

And

2001 EUROPEAN INNERSEARCH

12 Glorious Days, 8 Enchanting Countries
and One Chance in a Lifetime!

Imagine spending 12 days with one of the greatest spiritual leaders of this century. Satguru Sivaya Subramuniyaswami will be leading this exotic educational and spiritual voyage himself combining the mystical path of Indian spirituality with a superlative retreat from it all.

Take advantage of this one chance to be in close proximity with a living master. Come with us on an inner and outer voyage to Northern Europe and Russia.

www.innersearch.org

SIGN OUR GUESTBOOK AND RECEIVE A FREE GIFT

Sign our guestbook and we will send you a free issue of our global full-color bi-monthly magazine, Hinduism Today.

THANK YOU, GURUDEVA

For those who have been touched spiritually by Gurudeva's work, his books, his guidance, his inspired life and example and even his website, the "Thank You, Gurudeva Fund" has been established within Hindu Heritage Endowment.

Proceeds from this fund last forever; they're not a one-time gift. So gifts to this fund have eternal gratitude built into them. They live on in perpetuity.

Each month Gurudeva receives the income from the fund to be used at his own discretion to promote his work and mission around the globe. He loves this, for he knows that it comes from all the good souls who have met him and studied with him, traveled with him or just talked with him over the years. A contribution to this fund is tax-deductible.