We start off a new phase with this great picture of Bodhinatha being blessed in India.

Saravananathaswami performed the Sun 1 Homa today.

Om Sivaya, Svaha!

Writing prayers….

Kulapati Durvasa Alahan and Brahmachari Rajadeva Alahan…

Bodhinatha gave number 1 of 12 talks he is preparing for Mauritius to be delivered to the gathering there at the monthly homa and also to be printed in a local journal. The focus is on things you can actually do in your life. Today’s guidance: Practice the ahimsa of speech: speaking only that which is true, kind, helpful or necessary. This does not mean you have to give up talking with others, but give up harmful joking, teasing, gossip and backbiting. If you are ever unsure… just check what you have said against the four guidelines Gurudeva us… was it kind? helpful? necessary? true?

Sadhaka Adinatha listening intently.

The Maha Spatika Lingam….

Kumbha

Aloma Wehi, left, with Gary & Marian Shimabukuro.

Gary Shimabukuro, president of Laulima Pacific, Inc., a nonprofit organization dedicated to combatting drug use, visited the Aadheenam today. He is an international drug treatment and prevention consultant who gives talks to schools, businesses and government agencies. He toured the grounds with his wife and Aloma Wehi of New Zealand, and spoke with the monks about the monastery’s modest efforts to help the county with the problem of use of illegal drugs. Gary said that children as young as 9 years old were using hard drugs like crystal methamphetamine, and that a substantial portion of the abuse was related to unstable family situations.

Checking in with our Siddhidata Kulam today… beautiful cabbages in the garden… surrounded by mulch… not a weed in sight.

The team recently work on a new frame to hold up the garden water tank..

Of the many kinds of squash and pumpkins available, the most successful has been the “Mauritius Pumpkin”… seeds were from Mauritius and they produce a giant pumpkin… the key feature of this variety is the tough shell that forms when they are very young, thus preventing the fruit flies from stinging the fruit, which is what happens to most other squashes we try…

Well, this is not really a construction update… but a retrospective on yesterday’s Ayudhya puja…which was held at the temple site…. we start our walk from the Ganesha mound ….

Arriving at the south end of the temple…

The silpis have the altar set up to Goddess Sarasvati and Gurudeva… and all their tools

Some decorations at the temple entrance

Satguru Bodhinatha Veylanswami arrives.

Paramacharya Palaniswami…

First we go to the patrai… the forge, to start the fire and make the first offering of the day.

Today is the day we bless all out tools and thank God for the blessing of the work and the tools we have for our work, which is our livelihood, our life.

Bodhinatha performs arati…

In India this is a very big day… also known as Vijaya Dasami, the tenth day after the 9 days of Navaratri… worship of the Goddess…

People will bless their taxis, their computers, their cars…

The silpis have all tools on the altar, chisels, hammers etc.

The monks have brought some of their tools as well.

The final rites are the ceremonial chi
pping of the stone by everyone present… Sthapati draws the line for the carving…

Our monks watch intently… Acharya Kumarswami

Bodhinatha makes the first chip on this stone…

then… chandanam and kumkum…

each of the monks in turn…

Then Sthapati does an arati to the main sanctum…

Then he does a puja to the whole group.

The puja concluded, the silpis come forward for blessings…

And give Bodhinatha prasadam from the puja.

Bodhinatha give each of then a new veshti and cash bonus.

Jai to the stone carvers of India!

Then the silpis take this opportunity to feed everyone…

Sweet rice and chick peas. An auspicious way to start the day!