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Gurudeva’s Statement — Attack on America
Gurudeva resuscitated, renewed and breathed fresh new inspiration into many aspects of Hindu culture that were being slowily dispensed with over time. One of these traditions was living one’s life in tune with the forces of nature and astrology and the annual cycle of the calendar. Gurudeva grouped the six seasons (“ritau” in Sanskrit”) of India into three seasons of the year on the modern solar/lunar annual calendar. Today we pass from the “Jivana Ritau” (fall season) into the “Moksha Ritau” the season of winter and early spring.
Bodhinatha meets with Chandran, the grandson of astrologer Pundit Navaratnam of Melbourne, Australia (on the left). He came to Hawaii for holiday from University education with his two friends (brother and sister) Abirami and Umesh. They were all born in Sri Lanka, but came to Australia when just babies with their families just after the civil war broke out.
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Gurudeva worked hard to document everything for the sake of future monks and in the Saiva Dharma Shastras, the Book of Discipline of Saiva Siddhanta Church. he carefully outlined the focus of each season. During the time of the Moksha Ritau the monastery works on its inner life, training of the monastics, purification practices and raja yoga… Years ago, he had the monks get a 60-foot flag pole to fly what he called the “Hindu Dvaja” the Flag of Hinduism.
We arrive at the flat just as the sun breaks over the eastern horizon of trees.
It is a simple but very joyful ceremony. First the flag of the previous season is lowered.
The color for this season is a “coral” pink. It is a color one rarely sees unless you look up at sunset on certain days and this coral pink will be spread across the mountains of Kauai.
Up, Up, Up goes the new flag.
Satguru Bodhinathaswami smiles as he watches the 20-foot flag go up the pole.
It was very auspicious as the moment the flag reached the top of the pole so did the sunshine and the wind.
Excerpt from the Saiva Dharma Shastras:
“The third period of the year, Moksha Ritau, the cool season, is from mid-December to mid-April. It is the season of dissolution. The key word is resolution. Merging with Siva: Hinduism’s Contemporary Metaphysics is the focus of study and intense investigation. The colors of this season are coral-pink, silver and all shades of blue and purple�coral for the Self within, silver and blue for illumination, and purple for enlightened wisdom. High above flies the coral flag, signaling Parashiva, Absolute Reality, beyond time, form and space. Moksha Ritau is a time of appreciation, of gratitude for all that life has given, and a time of honoring elders, those in the sannyasa stage of life. Moksha Ritau is excellent for philosophical discussions, voicing one’s understanding of the path through an enlightened intellect. In finance, it is the time for yearly accounting and reconciliation. On a mundane level it is a time of clearing attics, basements, garages, sheds, warehouses, workshops and desks, getting rid of unneeded things, of pruning trees, of streamlining life on the physical plane�of reengineering.”
More from the Saiva Dharma Shastras:
“The major festival of Moksha Ritau is Mahashivaratri. It is at Kauai Aadheenam, as are all other gatherings, not a public event but a private one, due to the special sacredness of this sanctuary and its Iraivan moksha koyil. Church members, Academy students and special guests by invitation are all who attend. This and all other gatherings at the Aadheenam are restricted in size in keeping with a covenant with the county of Kauai in respect to the surrounding residential area. From December 21-25, the Pancha Ganapati festival is enjoyed in Church family homes worldwide, and the resulting joy and peace is felt even by strangers. During this holiday season, in years when the need is felt, an open house is held at Kauai’s Hindu Monastery to which friends and neighbors are invited. We do this to express goodwill and appreciation for their kindnesses throughout the year. Satguru Jayanti is always celebrated at Kauai Aadheenam and wherever the guru chooses to be on that day. All shishyas gather to participate. Often, if he is outside the US, it will be conducted in his presence as a grand public event. The Aadheenam realms of this season are: 1) San Marga Iraivan Temple, a hand-carved, white-granite edifice seated upon a lava-rock plinth, golden tower shining in a rainbowed sky; 2) Tamil Nayanar Neri, the 1,300-foot-long path that winds around ponds, banyan trees, tropical plants in seven distinct botanical habitats, with seven shrines to the great Saiva saints of South India, and 3) Kauai Aadheenam central, with its offices, publications facilities, kitchen, library, workshops, monks’ quarters, aviaries and cloistered gardens.”
Today was the monastery’s first regular day after sadhu paksha retreat and turned out to be a busy guest day with pilgrims from many parts of the globe. Among them here on the left is our good friend and Vedic astrologer Chakrapani Ullal and his wife from Los Angeles.
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Innersearch postponed
Due to the horrific tragedies of September 11th, Himalayan Academy has indefinitely postponed the Canadian Innersearch scheduled to leave next July. Please be assured, we will re-schedule the Innersearch, but only when the present insecurity around the world settles down. Until then, if you are planning to go on a future Innersearch program, continue to set aside a little income each month in a special fund. |
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From Our Gurus' Teachings
Archives are now available through 2001. Light colored days have no posts. 1998-2001 coming later.
