Sadhu Paksha Day 1

It is spring Sadhu Paksha at the Aadheenam. There are phasely group tours and TAKA will be a bit more “quiet.”

A lovely picture of Iraivan follows and after that slides from a visitor’s camera.

Troy Burns and Lisa Johnson would not allow a steady downpour to deter them from visiting the Iraivan Temple this morning. They were last here three years ago and were “amazed” at the progress of the temple.

Troy, an artist who works with stone, was “overwhelmed” by all that he saw. After watching the silpis working with such intense concentrated dedication and patience, felt “humbled” by them. “They are very special, you can see it in their faces” he said. Lisa also felt “this place is so spiritual, our souls are deeply touched.”

It’s Sun Three today. The Pillaiyar kulam gave news. Shanmuganathaswami has been working in the HT subscription area. He said that there were about 900 entries in the web guest book over the last 4 months. Many of these will get a free copy of Hinduism Today. He said that sevak Sivaneswaran in Malaysia, who helps with the Hindu Heritage Endowment online web site just posted the most recent news letter. Check out how well the endowment is doing.

Muruganathaswami described his efforts to get the names and addresses of 100 of the nations top newspapers. He will be sending out copies of What Is Hinduism to all of these. Almost all of them have been receiving Hinduism Today for years, so our publications will be well known to the religion editors.

Sumit and Zahra Agrawal from Palo Alto, CA attended the Puja at the Kadavul Siva Temple and then visited the Iraivan Temple this morning. Both remarked upon the incredible spiritual energy and absolute peacefulness of this sacred oasis.

Sumit is an Eye, Ear and Nose doctor and Zahra is a Radiologist. Both are working on their Fellowship at Stanford University respectively and are here attending a Medical Conference on Kauai.

An amazingly beautiful Iraivan Inner Sanctum stone all handcarved in blue-black granite.

Beautiful flowers abound throughout the temple gardens.

The Venezuelan Rose grows right out of the limb of the tree and is in full bloom for just a day.

Decorative Pineapples are in their glory for a few months . . .

. . . but are not edible.

A beautiful orchid spills over the edge of its hanging basket high in a tree.

Highly perfumed and very beautiful, the Cochuliostema Jacobiana from Eucador nestles amongst the tropical bromeliades along the Pali path.

Lynda and Joel McClanahan went on the last innersearch to India with us. Today they have darshan with Bodhinatha before returning home.

They are very active in pursuing their spiritual lives. Lynda is currently teaching Yoga Philosophy at a yoga center that is offering certification. She had a lot to say about how western “yogis” react to learning that Yoga has anything to do with God. But, it is a required part of their course. She will be doing a piece for Hinduism Today on this subject.

Joel has for decades served in the social services sector of the goverment, working with the Medicaid program. He’s semi-retired but continues in the work of serving people. Most recently he’s been helping with refugee settlement in Ohio. For example, many people from war torn Somalia are arriving on our shores. He helps with the programs to get oriented. It is quiet a challenge, as many do not even know what a door knob is.

Sadhaka Dandapani our new pligrim host, took them for a tour this morning.

They were very interested in our vegetable gardens. Here they are at Anna Purna gardens with Sadhaka Adinatha.

Cabbage on the way

Bok Choy behind screens to protect from chickens

If you ever wondered why they called those long purple things “Egg Plant” well here’s the original variety. It does very well here. The chicks just pop out from the bottom, then you know it is ripe and ready to eat.

The Siddhidata Kulam grows lots of temple flowers as well.

It was a very warm winter this year and marigolds are germinating way ahead of schedule.

Back in the Ganapati Kulam, the talk with Arumugaswami about the phenomenon of yoga in America. Lynda says, not everyone is ready to hear about the religious and spiritual roots of yoga.

Dr. Lida Chase arrived for her sixth visit to the Aadheenam today. However this is her first visit to actually see the Iraivan Temple. “Oh Wow!” was her initial reaction upon entering the temple complex. As a lecturer on sacred Art, she was amazed by all of the exquisite stone carvings of the Iraivan Temple. She watched with great interest as Chelliah worked on his final floral panel around the sanctum and asked all the right questions.

Lida previously lectured at Stanford University and is currently the Dosant at the Honolulu Academy of Arts. She periodically travels and gives lectures on art on the Norwegian Ships. Lida is also a World Masters Champion swimmer and competed for the United States recently at Stanford University.

On Sunday 24th the Himalayan Academy had its monthly Bodhinatha’s MC Students Gathering at Flacq at the residence of our enrolled student Manisha Curpen. The topic of the day’s event was Bodhinatha’s teachings on Part Seven: Ashtanga Yoga in-Depth. The seminar is emphasizing on asana or posture and pranayama or breath control. There was also an introduction on the Shum four perspectives. Activities were mainly centered on correct siting posture and learning to control the breath.

Reference is made to Paramaguru Sivayogaswami:
“Yogaswami made reference to this event in one of his sayings in the book oWords of Our Master/ which states: oIf you think of the state of Siva, which is beyond all attributes, it won’t come. It will come by itself. One day, when I was in that state, a bird came and sat on my head. Even yogis and jnanis can’t understand that state./ Of course, Yogaswami is speaking of the state of nirvikalpa Samadhi, which we will look at in depth at the end of this section of the talk.”

“Sivayogaswami was a great yogi and he would sit for hours, even days in deepest meditation. He would also stress the importance of meditation to his devotees and formulated a key teaching, or mahavakiyam, to help them meditate: Tannai ari – Know thyself.”

Time for a break on the terrace ……

Mahadeven (middle) is enrolling in the Master Course. He is the son of Sishya Selvaraj Sanjeevee. Mahadeven has been attending all the classes on SHR at the Park in his youth. Now he is at High School and can study on his own.

Roshan and Vandana from Floréal. They are both completing their Level One soon. Vandana wants to teach at our Saivite Hindu Religion classes. ” It has always been my dream to teach”, she said. The Himalayan Academy will this year run workshops in Theory and Practice for trainee catalysts in Mauritius for the teaching of Bodhinatha’s children series Saivite Hindu Religion.

Back to our topic of he day:
Yogaswami didn’t give us a hundred odd works to do. Only one. Realize the self, yourself, or know thyself, or find out who you are, in Tamil thannai ari. You can’t find the truth in a thousand books or by listening to people talk. You must realize the Self by yourself.

Artee and and Mrs. Sirolmani (right). Mrs. Sirolmani’s children attend SHR classes at the at the Park. She has been invited to attend our seminar at Flacq. She is enrolling for the Master Course today.

Three couples, the Mootoocurpens, he Nathoos and the Soopramaniens are studying with Satguru Bodhinatha. They have barely missed any seminar. They are all seriously planning to formally join the Guru’s organisation after completing their Master Course.

Those in Mauritius/ Indian Ocean region wishing to study with Bodhinatha through the Master Course correspondence Course, kindly contact us at spark@hindu.org

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.”

Announcement: The talk given on Sun One this phase, has today been posted. Many of the sishya have been looking forward to this day. Thanks to Hitesvara Saravan, who is doing the transcription of these so promptly, we have finally met this goal and we are now back to where we were years ago where the Satgurus Inspired talk is available to everyone right away without delay, with the complete transcript available also at the same time for those who may not have the band width to listen to the audio.

Here is Bodhinatha, somewhere in the world, giving a presentation on Saiva Siddhanta. As travel season is coming up, Bodhinatha is working hard on a major keynote presentation on “What Is Hinduism?” which both he and Paramacharya Palaniswami will use independently in different countries.

It is Sun Five today and the Ganapati Kulam gave their report. Paramacharya Palaniswami continues to get ready for his five-week journey to India, Mauritius, Hong Kong and China. Part of that work involves working on the above-mentioned presentation which comprises a five-part, highly graphical 2.5-hour instruction to be presented to seminar participants in Mauritius.

Arumugaswami, Sivakatirswami and Sadhaka Satyanatha are hard at work on Hinduism Today articles. Sadhaka has also helped Yogi Japendranatha with the transition to our new computers.

Yogi Japendranatha has been handling a vast amount of small details that attend the computer upgrade. That has been his full-time job this phase. And our task force helper, Tandavan, also helped him and Arumugaswami as well, preparing photos for the incredible story on Thai Pusam in Malaysia that is coming in the next issue.

On the left is Tandavan (Robert Brown) and Nandi (Scott Falzon) who are returning home after having served so diligently for the past six months. That is the maximum time someone who is not under vows may stay at the monastery.

All the monks join to thank them both for their humble spirit of selfless service, dynamic, quiet push and initiative in putting their shoulder to the wheel of all the many mission projects here. And last but not least, for their exemplary behavior and spiritual presence which has uplifted everyone and been an inner boost to the whole monastic order. Both will go home now and consider their futher pursuit of monastic life.

We wish them well.

Posing with Paramacharya Palaniswami are visitors Ashok and Carol Gorwara from Maryland. Ashok is President and CEO of his own Company, PMI Industries, Inc., and Tom and Natalie Mahoney are ardent mariners from Honolulu.

And finally a short slide show of Iraivan to close this phase.

At lunch today, the Siddhidata Kulam reported on the on-going work at the temple; our efforts to get visas for the next silpi team; and the constant work on Anna Purna Gardens which supplies so much of our fresh food.

We really have to give a big thanks to the team for their constant work in caring for all the equipment and keeping a flow of abundance from the land going along so well!

Two lovely young families came today.

Ramakrishnan and Meenakshi with their two young children, Sudharman (4 yrs) and Sukriti (14 months). Ramakrishnan said he had waited so long to make this trip to see this temple and he is so glad to be here. Originally from Delhi. They moved to Chennai and then to Nashville, Tennessee.

Originally from Calcutta, Pranab and Deepa Chakraborty now live in New Jersey with their young son, Soumik (age 21 months). They are here for several days and will return to visit the Iraivan Temple.

In the Arjun and Ellen Natesan with their two beautiful children, Sanjana and Rajiv. Originally from Madras, they now live in Redwood City, California.

With motherly attention Sanjana (age 6) poses with her young brother Rajiv (age 2) near silpi Pandi as he carves a border of beautiful flowers in stone.

Sadhaka Satyanatha has recently entered into a formal training to join the Hinduism Today editorial team and get his regular complement of page assignments for each issue and help carry the load of what Gurudeva called, “The Prow of the Ship” Hinduism Today magazine.

It is a rite of passage that has been going on in the Ganapati Kulam for 30 years: a new member inducted into journalism training. Sannyasin Arumugaswami, our managing editor is guiding him.

One of his is page assignments this issue required taking photos of the silpis at Iraivan. For this they decided to use the new Nikon SB-600 camera, which is surprisingly inexpensive, but takes really incredibly good shots. It is slated to go to India eventually to take shots of the 500,000 ola leaves in Pondicherry, but, in the meantime we thought to put it to use.

If you had a tight budget but wanted a fairly high end tool this might be a good choice.

One rarely gets this kind of focus and clarity from a “point and shoot” camera.

You would need to see the full resolution image to get an idea of the amazing resolution and sharpness the camera delivers.

Cats sleep 16-18 hours a day. Puli is making sure he stays well within those specifications.

He asks: “Do you need something? Oh, just another photo? OK. I ready, go ahead, shoot!”

Now back to business. Hmmm where was I?

We have more from today’s shoot at Iraivan coming to you in a slide show tomorrow.

Sun Three… Today’s news was from the Pillaiyar Kulam. Shanmuganathaswami shared his work on book inventory. It’s an ongoing dance, with printers in Malaysia, our main distribution center in Michigan, our own little gift shop here Kauai, and soon a distribution center in India! He has also been training Dharmaraj in Hinduism Today subscription management, which is another big world in itself.
Muruganathaswami shared some book reviews of What Is Hinduism which are just now going out to the public. He also reported on a spike in new Hinduism Today subscriptions arriving by mail this past few days.
Sadhaka Jothinatha has been involved in event promotion, working in advance to set up helpers to be present at melas, festivals etc. that are on the horizon across the country during the coming year.
Dharmaraj has been continuing with his training and diligent work in keeping all the hundreds of small items that come in for minimela sales carefully stored and marked.

Iraja Sivadas poses outside the “Press Shop” with Sadhaka Jothinatha and Sadhaka Satyanatha. Iraja is a longtime devotee of Gurudeva’s and Bodhinatha’s and is here visiting on vacation with some family members.

(right to left) Vinesh Sorel from Arizona, Kanna Krishnan from Oakland, Calif, and Sundari Dembe from Layfayette pose between the two Bhadra pillars that were put in place just one week ago.

Vinesh Sorel with his wife, Nirali and their two sons, Ravi 8 yrs old and Vash 2 yrs old pose for a photo on the Northern side of this beautiful all-hand-carved white granite Chola-style Agamic Siva Temple. The first of its kind in the Western hemisphere.

. . . and in front of Dakshinamurthy, the South-facing aspect of God Siva, and also represents the Silent Guru.

(left to right) Rudy and Joan Gerusa (Rudy was celebrating his 79th birthday today), and Bonnie and Bob Wolf. All from Southern California. They read about the Hindu Temple in a Guide Book “Kauai Reveals.”

They felt their visit to the Aadheenam was both “spiritually uplifting and very educating.”

Megan and Jessy from Alberta Canada were very impressed by the Silpis’ creative and sacred hand carved stone work. They had never seen anything like it before and found it all “absolutely wonderful.”

Isabelle Decauwert, a recent visitor was thrilled with her visit and sent a few photos (Isabelle if you are looking in, not all your photos could be opened…)

Here is the Tiruneri path leading up to the monastery. A first time visitor has no idea what unusual sites are about to open to to them.

Lord Shanmugam under the banyan tree

The temple tank outside of Kadavul temple.

This is a photo from Hitesvara Saravan on the Big Island. He is a plant lover and grows some incredible hybiscus varieties. Hitesvara is our most diligent transcriber and thanks him you are now getting Bodhinatha’s latest talks shortly after they are given. Watch the side bar to see if the talk from this Sun One or the last one has been posted.

Saravananathaswami sends us his list from lunch announcements of Ekadanta Kulam activities:

* More visitor phone calls and coordination
* briefing Sadhaka Dandapani on various Ekadanta Kulam matters, now that he is back
* packaging Master Course donation receipts
* scanning more worksheets and other documents
* making Stewards Minutes
* sending letters to various groups

We now bring you two movies from our new hi-definition video camera. We hope you can view them, one is our Sun One homa and the second is the sea shore off the east coast of Kauai.

The area around the Ganesha Mandapam is undergoing a few new developments these days. The tall trees in front have been cut down, thus allowing a clear view of the of the building.

The newly varnished bridge is not yet opened to the public. Works are still going on at the base….

New concrete blocks to be placed on both sides of the main path leading to the Mandapam from the main entrance.

While works are going on devotees are coming everyday to worship at the Holy Feet of Lord Ganapati

These bells are loudly rung at the peak of the puja on Homa days…

Some thirty new mats have been purchased to replace the old ones which have been completely worn out. They are softer for the youth learning Hatha Yoga at the Park.

Sun One and it was also tour day. Bodhinatha signs copies of “What Is Hinduism” for guests.

Saravananathaswami is the homa priest today.

Iraivan is looking magnificent. Just to stand among the pillars, fills one with an ancient, timeless awe.

Christopher Zauner (right) is just 10 years of age and has been a vegetarian since birth. His mother, Jill, revealed that her son loves all of God’s creatures and would never hurt any of them. He is against any type of violence or killing. His mother was born on Kauai and lives in Wailua.

His father Robert is from Denmark. The whole family are vegetarians. Christopher and his mom have visited the Aadheenam on many occasions and love the peacefulness of this sacred place.

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Below is a short time lapse movie of our young ones making pizza on the retreat. Robin Jesse, Teja Falzone, Tandavan Brown, Joe Cekiar, and Sadhaka Satynatha. Boy are the fast!

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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 Dvitya Tithi, Sun One, Friday, March 20th.

Uday and Gita Sagi with their two children, Rahul age 9 and Ajay age 2 +, and Sri Devi Penmatcha, Gita’s mother. All originally from Hyderabad, India and now living in Dallas, Texas.

Uday read about the Iraivan Temple and the Aadheenam on Internet and decided to bring his family on a pilgrimage to Kauai to visit the temple.

It is more expedient to cover the 51 acre property on the people mover when time is a factor or during inclement weather.

We bring you two slide shows today. The Ganapati Kulam has been much involved this phase with computer upgrades and our first slide show shares some of this with you.

Join the 2008 Asian Odyssey for your opportunity to study personally with Bodhinatha the way of the ancient Hindu mystics.

The Spiritual Park, Saiva Siddhanta Church, Mauritius, is very quiet other than the Ganesha Homa days. On such days visitors come for personal worship at the Ganesha Mandapam.

Our youth are there for their Saivite Hindu Religion classes. There is a short break in between sessions. Here are a few who are around for a photo near the pond. They have just had a lesson on Yama 1, Ahimsa. They played a nice game where they were presented with several currents situations drawn from their home and school life and had to react in the light of Yama 1. They were then given an assignment to practice at home from Merging With Siva, where Gurudeva said:

‘Judge every action that you make, judge every word you speak, with this law: ” Is it true? Is it kind? Is it helpful? Is it necessary?”

The next session is on Hatha Yoga….

Gurudeva developed a set of asanas or postures to tune and prepare the body for meditation.

The cobra posture…

In this posture they are to visualize purple color ….

The head-to-knee pose ….

The lotus posture or padmasana…. Young Mevin sometimes fidgeting in class is learning to stay still and calm.

Nileivani and Giradevi ….

Everyone sits thus still for a few minutes.

We leave the Park……Now we are in Quatre Bornes in the centre of the island, at the residence of Ananda Mootoocurpen. His wife and himself are studying with Satguru Bodhinatha through the Master Course. They have organized a religious ceremony at their place to which their relatives and also Church members and students were invited.

They are putting a new granite Ganesha murthi in their yard and a Sivacharya has been hired to perform an elaborate ceremony..

The photo of Bodhinatha is placed near the kumbhas and the priest chants special mantras for the family Guru.

A stone peedam with water running at the base has been built for the Ganesha murthi.

Many of our Church members were present singing devotional songs to Lord Ganesha.

Kulapati Moorghen was invited to give a talk for the occasion. He talked about the Pancha Ganapati at the Spiritual Park and how every month devotees come forward to give testimonies about how Ganesha is helping them in their life.

Ananda, Anandi, and their two sons. The family is planning to join the Church membership after completing their Master Course studies with Sat Guru Bodhinatha.