Blog Archives
Gurudeva speaks in Dancing with Siva of the beliefs behind the Hindu attitude of tolerance, even in the face of heinous behavior.
“The Hindu is thoroughly convinced that violence he commits will return to him by a cosmic process that is unerring. He knows that, by karma’s law, what we have done to others will be done to us, if not in this life then in another. He knows that he may one day be in the same position of anyone he is inclined to harm or persecute, perhaps incarnating in the society he most opposed in order to equalize his hates and fears into a greater understanding. The belief in the existence of God everywhere, as an all-pervasive, self-effulgent energy and consciousness, creates the attitude of sublime tolerance and acceptance toward others. Even tolerance is insufficient to describe the compassion and reverence the Hindu holds for the intrinsic sacredness within all things. Therefore, the actions of all Hindus living in the higher nature are rendered benign, or ahimsa. One would not hurt that which he reveres. The Vedas pronounce, “He who, dwelling in all things, yet is other than all things, whom all things do not know, whose body all things are, who controls all things from within–He is your soul, the Inner Controller, the Immortal.” Aum Namah Sivaya.
Prem Chandiramani from St Georges, Grenada in the Caribbean was one the “elegant elders” of our Innersearch. Born in Sind, which is now Pakistan, at the time of the partition of India, his father and mother were forced to leave their ancestral estates and traveled to India with nothing but the clothes on their backs. He was just a boy then. But as with many other Sindhi people who lost everything, they were resilient and resourceful. Families stuck together through think and thin and made a success of their lives. Prem went to Singapore and later was invited to join others in his family in the Caribbean where today he is a successful businessman. He has a deep wisdom and spiritual outlook on life born out of his life of broad experience. It was great to have you with us Prem! We look forward to coming to visit you in Grenada one day.
Bodhinatha’s next journey is brief, on the weekend of April 3-4 in the San Francisco Bay Area of northern California. He will visit with Saiva Siddhanta Church members and Himalayan Academy Students.
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Carole Kahn of Kauai. Carol, a long time resident of Kauai, along with her husband Marty, has been a strong supporter of Kauai’s Hindu Monastery for many years. You can always depend on her if something is really needed. Carol has always been deeply devoted to Gurudeva and his teachings for many years. She and her husband are successful art dealers and if you ever come to Kauai, don’t miss a visit to the Kahn Galleries!
Carole also has a great eye from her camera and we’ll bring you some of her work in the days ahead.
Thank you Carole for your strong, bright presence through the journey!
At home on Kauai today… it was the last day of the phase and we had about 50 visitors for tour day.
Another news article about the monastery was released in the New York Times. Four guests arrived today inspired by that story.
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End of Phase Notice
This is the last day of this phase.
This edition of TAKA
will remain posted until
Dasami Tithi, Sun 1, Monday, March 15th.
We are never quite sure what brings them as many are more interested in our botanical gardens than the temple! But even a brief darshan of Kadavul Temple has a spiritual effect on everyone.
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Iraivan Temple Progress Update |
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| New Beautiful 2004 Calendar Now Available. Seeing out fast! | ||
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At the Iraivan Temple, work continues on the placement of the base stones of the pillars for the Chinna Gopurams.. the small side archways around the main sanctum.
This long home made wooden straight edge and a modern level are used to accurately set the grade for two adjacent base stones.
After determining the required adjustments, the silpis will either carve on the base of the stone, or in this case, since it sets on the foundation, they may carve a depression in the foundation to lower one or another as necessary.
Of course, this is all done very carefully, slowly and with much consideration. There is no “Oops! we carved off 1/2 too much!” options, when are working with stones that may have taken a year or more to carve in India before being shipped to Kauai.
Pieces of one of the Chinna Gopurams which will eventually be raised aloft.
The Vimanan capstone will be gold plated with a special technique that will bond the gold directly onto the stone itself.
Gurudeva’s spiritual center in the island country of Mauritius
in the Indian Ocean near South Africa
After some time incommunicado because a Trojan virus attacked mail servers in Mauritius, our center there is once again able to send us news….
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This is the first Sunday of March 2004. A Special Homa is conducted at the Spiritual Park to Lord Pancha Mukha Ganapati. As usual it is a special pilgrimage to the Park on the first Sunday of every month for the Hindus of the island. At 10.30 am the ceremony is about to start. The Ganesha Mandapam is a filled with devotees. This month the homa is sponsored by the Mardemootoo and Pallanee kutumba
Four elders, kulapaties Manon Mardemootoo, Siven Koothan, Kulagan and Pallanee are seated around the homa to make offerings of grains and ghee to the inner worlds through the sacred fire.
Everyone is comfortably seated, singing bhajans while devotees keep coming with offerings of fruits, sweets and flowers that are carefully placed at the Holy Feet of Lord Ganapati. The atmosphere is filled with the sweet fragrance of incense sticks and happy voices singing at the beat of the mrdangam.
As usual hundreds of notes are burnt into the fire. These contains prayers written in black ink by devotees. Many prayers are answered in this way.
The monks will be knowing Parmeswaran Ramsamy from Henrietta in front.
Everyone is listening to the inspiring testimony of Kulapati Mougam Pareatumbee who attended the 2004 India Odyssey. Kulapati talked about the wonderful moments he spent with Bodhinatha and all the Inner Searchers. He said he remembered one beautiful thing Bodhinatha quoted from Gurudeva in one of Bodhinatha’s talks there: ” Some people teach us what to do and some people teach us what not to do.”
The number of devotees attending the Ganesha Homa is increasing each month but the Mandapam inside sitting capacity remains the same. Some ladies are happy to sit on the lava rocks steps outside. They, however, still have a closer view of the ceremony.
Yadevi Mooshiram (middle) from Curepipe is coming to the Park with her family for the first time. They are very happy to be here and will come a larger group the next time. They really enjoyed the ceremony.
Devaraj Moothoosamy (second from left) is the newly enrolled Himalayan Academy who came to know about Gurudeva’s teachings from the Internet. He emailed Kauai for enrollment and today he has come to the Spiritual Park with his family to get copies of Gurudeva’s Trilogy. Devaraj is leaving Mauritius soon for higher studies abroad.
This is Himalayan Academy student Vishnu Ruthnum. He looks handsome in his new kurta! Vishnu has never missed a Ganesha Homa ceremony.
Kulamata Sornumbal Mardemootoo (middle) with two dedicated ladies busy serving prasadam to the guests in the shade of the mango trees.
Mokshada Ahotar is coming to the Spiritual park for the first time. She is very much impressed by the peaceful and uplifting atmosphere prevailing there. She is a young university graduate who occupies an important post in the island.
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Himalayan Academy Travel Study Programs |
2004 Indian OdysseyJanuary 19, 2004 – February 5, 2004 |
From the Dasan Mahadevan collection, here we are at the Bangalore worksite, January 21st. What a wonder and a joy to see the carving work right up front and personal.
The Innersearchers are amazed to learn that it may take two years to finish a single stone!
The silpis, the wives and children are all dressed in their finest clothing to put their best forward to Satguru Bodhinatha Veylanswami and his entourage from around the world. The kids are having a great time!
Bodhinatha inspects some intricate work on a Lion pillar, moving the ball carved within its mouth.
Bye…. Have a wonderful retreat… See you on Monday.
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2005 Indian Odyssey
The 2004 Indian Odyssey was a great success. Ninety pilgrims spent 21 days together with Bodhinatha in Malaysia and South India. Our next Himalayan Academy Travel Study Program is planned to be a 10-day cruise on the South side of the equator, with ports of call in New Zealand and Australia, and events with local Hindu communities there. We expect this to be held in the fall of 2005, in October or November, depending on ship routes. There have been three Innersearch cruises, all very focused on classes. If you would like to get to know Satguru Bodhinatha Veylanswami and Gurudeva’s remarkable metaphysical teachings first hand and explore the Hindu spiritual tradition with Gurudeva’s monks and with others on the path, start saving now to join us. Send a message to our coordinator, Sadhaka Dandapani, to put your name on an advance notice list to make sure you get details as soon as they are out. |
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From Our Gurus' Teachings
Archives are now available through 2001. Light colored days have no posts. 1998-2001 coming later.
