Blog Archives
Today is the last day of a six-day phase… we had our tour day but no photos, as our photographer is traveling. At home the Aadheenam is deep in renovation karma… a new roof going on top of the main Aadheenam building and the Pilliyar Kulam office is being completely renovated on the inside… so here there is lots of carpentry and painting going on… Meanwhile the big news is with Bodhinatha in Asia and we bring you more pictures from the Ganesha Chaturthi in Mauritius and step back in time to Malaysia to catch up on important events there…
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END OF PHASE
Today is the last day of our phase
This edition of TAKA will remain posted
Over our coming two-day retreat,
Until Dasami Tithi, Sun One, Thursday, Sept 23th
Don’t Miss the Show! Join Us for the
Gala Cultural Iraivan Temple Benefit
Click for more Info…
Ganesha Chaturthi is public holiday in the island of Mauritius and Hindus of all denominations worship Lord Ganesha with a special puja at the various temples on that day. Local radio would be airing songs on Lord Ganesh… This festival is looked forward to every year at the Spiritual Park by devout Hindus all over Mauritius. It is also an opportunity for the whole family to pilgrimage to the Park.
The presence of the enlightened Satguru at the homa is really a great event!
TRAVEL NEWS! Bodhinatha’s next travel is September 8-23: Malaysia, Singapore and Mauritius. See travel page for more information.
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Click for most recent TAKA page with an Iraivan Temple progress update. |
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Bodhinatha welcomes all those devotees who are present at the Ganesha Mandapam..
The Mandapam hall is packed to capacity and visitors are queuing up outside to make their offerings to Lord Ganapati
Hundreds of notes from devotees have been burnt to the inner worlds on that day through the holy hands of Beloved Bodhinatha. Burning prayers in the homa to the devas is one of the major spiritual practices at the Park.
The children are singing devotional songs which they have been rehearsing for several weeks.
Bodhinatha’s talk of the day was entitled: ‘Places of Peace’. Talking about the Spiritual Park, Bodhinatha said:
“Our Mauritius Spiritual Park is humble in appearance compared to this exquisite marble mandir ( Houston Temple) but it still accomplishes the same inner purpose of inspiring those who visit to uplift themselves and experience some of that inner peace that is within each of us, that is our soul nature, that is our very essence. Individuals who experience peace at a temple carry it back into their home and make their home a more harmonious place. They also carry it out into the community and help the community be more tolerant of one another and be more united.”
Here devotees are lined up near the Mini Mela waiting to have their books signed by Bodhinatha. Visitors were able to buy their books inside the Mini Mela as well as at a special stall set outside by Selvaraj Sanjeevee.
Here is the Nathoo family who have been lovingly supporting the Muruga Mandapam project at the Park.
Book signing was one of the main activities for Bodhinatha on that day. Here Bodhinatha is signing a Loving Ganesha book. Bodhinatha said in His talk:
“Besides being an excellent place of spiritual peace, our Mauritius Spiritual Park also provides regular satsang. Participating in satsang, a gathering of “good souls”, on a regular basis is very stablizing to our religious life. We are influenced more than we realize by those we associate with at work, at school and elsewhere. As Tiruvalluvar says in the Kural, “As water changes according to the soil through which it flows, so a man assimilates the character of his associates.” “Even perfect men, possessing the mind’s full goodness, are fortified by pious fellowship.”
A view of the crowd inside the main tent where food was being served.
Many volunteers from Rempart village mainly from member Paramasiven Canagasaby family volunteered to help in the preparation of food on that day. Here is one food station.
All through the day people kept coming to the Mandapam to worship Lord Pancha Mukha Ganapati, over 3,000 people or more. The Spiritual Park is one of the main island centres for Ganesha worship. The message of Bodhinatha reminds us of another objective of the Park:
“Our Mauritius Spiritual Park is also influencing this and future generations of children. With most schools focusing solely on secular studies, there is a need for children to learn traditional values in a religious setting such as this. In other words, it is not enough to simply learn to read and write, children also need to learn what to read and write.
And the concept of what it means to be a successful adult needs to include not only wealth and family but also the principles of a pious life of virtuous conduct, fulfillment of duty to family, community and country and regular worship of God and Guru at the temple and in the home shrine.”
Satguru Bodhinatha Veylanswami
Gives Initiations in Malaysia
Priest performs archana under Satguru’s name for Lord Ganesha at the Pudo Kottu Malai Pillaiyar Ganesha Temple. A small but famous and powerful shrine, known throughout Malaysia as a place where Lord Ganesha has granted the prayers of many in miraculous ways. Innersearchers may recall our visit there in January this year.
Satguru takes the Arati then.
The priest garlands Satguru after the archana and hands him the archana prasadam.
Satguru is then escorted around the temple…
Bodhinatha takes his seat and gives an upadesha on Lord Ganesha.
Kulapati Appasamy translated Satguru’s Upadesha into Tamil
Everyone listens intently….
Four Shishya’s received their first Diksha today
Brother Gunasegaran was one of them…Bodhinatha give the mantra in the right ear, then blesses the devotee with his hands on their head and then gives vibhuti.
Bodhinatha also signs the Diksha booklet that was prepared for them.
Next came Brother Balu Devadoo…
Satguru Initiates him..
Signing his Diksha document.
Sarkuna was the third one to go…Placing the garland on
Satguru
Uttering the Panchanchara Mantra into her ears…
Initiating her …..
She signs the booklet, just like others…
Last Shishya, Annapoorani receives her Diksha
and is blessed by Satguru
The ceremony is over and the other devotees come forward
for Satguru’s Darshan..
Satguru is presented with a Ganesha portrait as a token of
appreciation by the temple committee.
Satguru, ever ready to pose for us, Just like Gurudeva!..
Adjourning for lunch with members a local restaurant.
And here we are at the restaurant…Smile Satguru, another
photo for Taka!
Satguru seems to be enjoying the company of his devotees. It was a truly blessed day…
As one of the new initiates said:
“Satguru, I feel so uplifted and energized after the initiation. Its beyond words, the experience.
It was so beautiful at the Kottu Malai Pillaiyar temple. I am still visualizing the experience and its still fresh in my mind. I have gone through the booklet and it is wonderful. I will try all steps and lessons given.”
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Color Trilogy Complete! We are happy to announce that the new edition of the enormously popular Dancing with Siva is now available in hard back with all new color artwork. It’s truly an amazing and beautiful work, with more art than any of the collection. This completes the fulfillment of the vision that Gurudeva had of his Master Course Trilogy being produced in full color. In addition, Bodhinatha is taking pro-active steps to bring Gurudeva’s teachings out in a new forms that can be broadly disseminated in the mass mind. With this in mind we, are also pleased to announce that the Dancing with Siva pocketbook is also available. Keep the three-pound book in your shrine room, and take the little one with you on the airplane or subway! How little? It’s just 3″ by 4.5″ — truly pocket-sized, and just over half an inch thick. Yet it is a full 375 pages, containing ALL of the 155 sutras. Available now at our online store. The complete Trilogy is being offered at a discount. |
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From Our Gurus' Teachings
Archives are now available through 2001. Light colored days have no posts. 1998-2001 coming later.
