Bodhinatha with our elder brother… Swami Bua Maharaj… he is somewhere around 114 years old….

Siva’s followers all believe in the Mahadeva Karttikeya, Son of Siva-Shakti, whose vel of grace dissolves the bondages of ignorance. The yogi, locked in lotus, venerates Murugan. Thus restrained, his mind becomes calm. Aum.

Lord Murugan was created by God Siva’s shakti and given a vel of spiritual discernment, a lance of divine intelligence. Pray to Lord Murugan to unravel the great mysteries of the universe. Pray to Lord Murugan to make you a spiritual person. Pray to Lord Murugan to release you into the arms of Lord Siva by teaching you more about your Saivite religion.

The lancelike vel wielded by Lord Karttikeya, or Skanda, embodies discrimination and spiritual insight. Its blade is wide, long and keen, just as our knowledge must be broad, deep and penetrating. Aum Namah Sivaya.|

The shakti power of the vel, the eminent, intricate power of righteousness over wrongdoing, conquers confusion within the realms below. The holy vel, that when thrown always hits its mark and of itself returns to Karttikeya’s mighty hand, rewards us when righteousness prevails and becomes the kundalini serpent’s unleashed power thwarting our every effort with punishing remorse when we transgress dharma’s law. Thus, the holy vel is our release from ignorance into knowledge, our release from vanity into modesty, our release from sinfulness into purity through tapas. When we perform penance and beseech His blessing, this merciful God hurls His vel into the astral plane, piercing discordant sounds, colors and shapes, removing the mind’s darkness. He is the King of kings, the power in their scepters. Standing behind the temporal majesty, He advises and authorizes. His vel empowering the ruler, justice prevails, wisdom enriches the minds of citizens, rain is abundant, crops flourish and plenty fills the larders. The Tirumurai says, “In the gloom of fear, His six-fold face gleams. In perils unbounded, His vel betokens, ‘Fear not.'” Aum Namah Sivaya.

The Bhadra pillars of Iraivan look awesome.

Sannyasin Yoginathaswami will be leaving with Bodhinatha on a teaching mission to Malaysia on the 18th. He’s working hard to make sure the temple crew has everything the need in place during his absence. Normally he is on call for anything the need, nearly 24-7…

Looking up from the northeast corner we see the stone lattice work of the small gopurams on the sides of the main sanctum.

We will see you next phase… in the meantime, enjoy our Kauai sunset…

Aum Namasivaya!