We begin another phase with Homa.

Our two young brothers, Tandava and Nandi left for their East Coast homes over the retreat. It is traditional for those departing to share thoughts on their visit during their last lunch with us. Nandi offered a poem he had written for Bodhinatha which we share with you today.

Aum Sri Satguru Bodhinatha Veylanswamine Namah

Gurubrahma guruvisnu gurudevo mahesvarah, gurusaksat
parambrahma tasmai sri gurave namah.
I meekly offer this petition of praise unto the sweet lotus feet of my beloved gurunathan, Bodhinatha.
With eyes of radiating luminescence,
   it is he who peered into the depths of my very being, and declared it Siva.
With smile of tenderness supreme,
   it is he who molded my hardened mind into an empty vessel and filled it with sweet nectar.

With deportment of elegant refinement,
   it is he who invoked veneration in this minion for such a salient paragon.
With darshana of oceanic humility,
   it is he who revealed to me the value of the cherished gem called modesty.
With profundity of utterances brief,
   it is he who kindled in me a burning thirst for That which never changes.
With deeds of olympian compassion,
   it is he who elucidated to me the way of loving all and despising none.
With grace of subtlety paramount,
   it is he who illustrated to me the art of approaching all things with balance.
With heart of Kailasa grandeur,
   it is he who caused me to weep upon the very sight of his effulgent thiruvadi.

With wisdom of lofty simplicity,
   it is he who infused in me the practice of withdrawing and ascending.
With attainment of knowledge unknowable,
   it is he who stressed unto me that It is neither this nor that.
With devotion of heart melting reverence,
   it is he who exemplified to me the expansiveness of Siva’s love.
With evenhandedness of a poised swan,
   it is he who taught me to neither favor nor shun, but to see Siva everywhere.
With demeanor of enstacy abiding,
   it is he who seized my heart and established permanent residence.
With munificence of blessings unbound,
   it is he who granted me an infinitesimal hint of his replendent glow.

For this, I am ever beholden to my beloved gurunathan, Bodhinatha.

It was tour day today. Over 120 souls joined us over both morning tours.

Janava Dharmadeva brought his family on a pilgrimage to Kauai Aadheenam. Janava (right), his son Michael (14 yrs), daughter Daraneerat “Ruby” (10 yrs), and his lovely wife Raitana. Their mainland home is Taos, NM; however, five months of the year is spent in their other home in Nongbualamphu, Thailand.

Janava remembers his first pilgrimage to India with “Gurudeva,” H.H.Sivayasubramuniyaswami in 1972 and another pilgrimage to India with Gurudeva in the early 1980’s. He has always found these sacred pilgrimages to be Spiritually uplifting, positively life-changing, and tremendously beneficial. He now looks forward to the pilgrimage to Cambodia, South India, and Malaysia with H.H. Bodhinatha Veylanswami in January 2008.

Santosha and Nandita Sharma are visiting for the first time. Santosha lives in Vancouver, Canada and is visiting her daughter, Nandita, who is a Professor of Sociology at the University of Hawaii on Oahu.

Ramakrishnan, Meenakshi, Sudharman and little Sukriti returned today for a tour of the Iraivan Temple and grounds. Ramakrishnan said he could not stay away from this beautiful spiritual place and wants to come back here again and again. Originally from New Delhi, they now reside in Nashville, Tennessee.

Mary Hirsch (left) and Lisa Seed with Miyoko (1 + yrs). Lisa and Mary were longtime friends in Oregon. Both now live on Kauai. They really enjoyed their visit to the Iraivan Temple today, although Miyoko was not sure what all the fuss was about!

Mary remembers the early days when the sanctum was filled with sand and was so surprised to see how far along the temple building has advanced since then.

Visitor often have wonderful things to share with us.
Yesterday a visiter came, a lady who now lives on the Big Island. Ula shared two quotes she fondly recalls, things Gurudeva said to her in year past.

“The whole world can be changed by a glance.” Yogaswami said that to me.

Ula: “Gurudeva, what exactly is enlightenment?”
Gurudeva: “Well, Ula, you could think of it like this. The entire universe comes together in the same point for a split second. The trick is to not loose track of that nanosecond.”