Our video told the story of Satguru Purnima, but in the past many have requested copies of the very special darshans that come on this most auspicious day. This slide show includes a large version for each photo. If you click the full screen icon, you will be loading the large image. Note this may take a lot of time on some machines. Once loaded, right click to "Save Image As" or "Save Link As" if you want the photo to be saved on your computer. Hit Escape to return to regular view.

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Bodhinatha's Latest Upadesha: "Awareness, Meditation, Work" (June 21,2016)

The mind doesn't move; awareness moves. We have control. Sitting still, restraining the mind, nirodha of the vrittis, is what's changing subconscious from the inside out. Being spurred on by the guru, strive for improvement, seeing progress. Look inside, find happiness and then share it. When not in meditation work to refine every attribute of your nature. Be in the world and be fearless. Face what you need to do and do it well.

Master Course Trilogy, Living with Siva, Lesson 99.

Click here to go to an index of all of Bodhinatha's and Gurudeva's online audio.

On the auspicious day of Guru Purnima, Satguru Bodhinatha Veylanswami invited Sadhaka Dayanatha to take the next step in his monastic life by becoming a Natyam. Sadhakas who have completed two years in the monastery, four years of brahmacharya and who otherwise qualify may apply to be a natyam, and be recognized as a candidate to potentially become a yogi tapasvin, which would be then be the training period to eventually qualify to receive sannyas diksha from his Satguru.

A compilation video of Kauai Aadheenam's celebration of Satguru Purnima on July 17th, 2016. Occurring on the full moon of July, Guru Purnima is for devotees a day of rededication to all that the guru represents. It is occasioned by padapuja, ceremonial worship of the guru's holy feet. This year's event began at 6:00am with a parade down the San Marga pathway to the Swayambu Lingam square. There monks and devotees performed a padapuja to Satguru Bodhinatha Veylanswami.

httpvh://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mblSzouTDk8

For the last few days, female sishya and students of Saiva Siddhanta Church have been attending what is simply called their "Ladies' Retreat." Some years ago, a few of our women sishya asked Satguru if they could, amongst themselves, organize such an annual event. Upon approval, they began their yearly visit to the Aadheenam, at which they receive various classes from Satguru and our swamis on subjects such as self inquiry, meditation, jyotisha, devotional singing, hatha yoga, etc.

During the midst of this year's Ladies' Retreat, Suselah Periasamy and Toshadevi Nataraj received Mantra Diksha from Satguru today. Initiated into the daily sadhana of chanting Panchakshara, they move from this day on inward and upward to further reveal their innate divinity for themselves by themselves. Panchakshara means "five letters" in Sanskrit, and is used as a name for Namah Sivaya. Na, Ma, Si, Va, Ya.

Satguru sends us this report:

The morning event at temple started at 9:30am. First was a purification of thirteen of the priests and next puja and nyasa with chanting of the kumbhas and finally a homa, veda parayana and the final arati. The picture shows Pichai Gurukal seated on Shanmuganathaswami's left. He was sharing a few items with us in English. Gurukal started Pillaiyar Pati Veda Agama Pathasala in 1980. He has graduated a total of 2,700 students. Many are in countries outside of India such as the UK, US, Canada, Australia and Singapore and they all stay in touch and share photos and news. At 6:30pm was the kuthuvilakku puja to Lakshmi. The main chanter was Bharani Gurukal who came to our Gurudeva Mahasamadhi one year as the second priest. What a great chanting voice! It was all followed by usual conclusion of a homa, Chathur Veda Parayana, Thirupuhal and final arati.  
 
Aum Namah Sivaya

We present photos from Satguru's recently completed visit to the United Kingdom from start to finish. Our full story today was written by Arulsishya Ramai Santhirapala of London.

Ramai's summary:


Between 28th June and 5th July, London had the immense boon of welcoming Satguru Bodhinatha Veylanswami. This was His first official visit since 2005 and one that was much anticipated. London has been gently walking towards Satguru's Holy Feet over the past decade, and inner doors opened as Hinduism Today reported on London's Saivite temples last year. A somewhat unanticipated and delightful sequelae of reporting this article were the many stories which emerged from those who had met Paramaguru Siva Yogaswami , Satguru Sivaya Subramuniyaswami and Satguru Bodhinatha Himself. In short invites were aplenty requesting earnestly for the presence of Satguru in London bringing joy to the hearts of the Saivite community and beyond.

The visit was a gracious opportunity to visit a selection of London's Saivite Temples whilst spending time with the growing Europe satsang group of Himalayan Academy students and sishyas. Cordially Kulapati and Kulamata Veeragethiyar, London's only kulapati, held a satsang at their home to commence this blessed visit. The pada puja was vibrant and Satguru's talk on our Saiva Samayam was enjoyed by all. That evening heralded the start of the temple tour across London, first being London Sri Murugan. Satguru and Shanmuganathaswami received a warm vanakkam with a powerful Guru mantra chant with good friend Pitchai Kurukkral in attendance. Sri Murugan Temple and the close by Saiva Munetta Sangam have previously received Satguru Bodhinatha and Sivaya Subramuniyaswami in the past and this was a beautiful moment to build on this acquaintance. Satguru Bodhinatha's talk on ‘Saivism is Not Well Understood' was received with immense thanks from devotees, especially as it was read out in English and Tamil.

The next morning the Europe satsang group organized a visit to Kew Royal Botanical Gardens which provided an opportunity to stroll through the tree-lined vistas, find a little Kauai in London in the Palm House and visit the newest feature entitled ‘The Hive', the latter being an educational and audio-visual delight mirroring a real beehive at Kew. That evening Satguru and Shanmuganathaswami visited Enfield Nagapoosani Amman Temple where currently in construction is London's first all granite temple to which Satguru has been invited to its Mahakumbhabhishekam next year.

Continuing on this journey the following morning was a visit to ‘Shanti Nilayam'; a small building dedicated to Siva Yogaswami established by long term devotees. The owners sought Yogaswami's tiruvadi and most humbled as Satguru blessed them with a wonderful puja. Natchinthinai were sang and we heard a beautiful poem from an elder, now in his 80s, who spoke of the wonders of our Guru parampara. Lunch was served at the Jananayagam home, most well known for their multiple generation association with Siva Yogaswami. Yogaswami seemed the common thread as that evening, Highgate Hill Murugan celebrated its monthly katthigai puja in Satguru's presence ending with an auspicious inauguration of a picture of Paramaguru Siva Yogaswami. The Ganesha murti at this temple was gifted by Gurudeva and it was interesting to hear of devotees connection with Gurudeva, Satguru Bodhinatha and Kauai Aadheenam.

The unique and boon of a workshop on Saivism was held at Shree Ghanapathy Temple on the third day of the visit. This was immensely well received as Satguru Bodhinatha gave a talk he has written on ‘What is Saivism?', Participants found it very useful to flow from the mystical aspects of Lord Siva and Saivism through to pragmatic wisdom on implementing this to everyday life in a city. We flowed onto visit the home of London's Thiruchendur Murugan, the first Hindu murti in London, at Sri Rajarajeswari Amman Temple that evening where we witnessed a wonderful abhishekam, violin and mridangam recital.

The musical theme continued as the next morning Satguru was invited to London Sivan Kovil. London's othuvar, Samy Thandapani, amazed us with his precise recitals of Tamil thevarans and songs dedicated to Lord Siva and the Nayanmars. Interspersed were recitals by London's Pan Asai group alongside a flute recital. All the while Lord Siva received a wonderful abhishekam. This was a suitable close to the temple visits, all of which received a beautifully worded upadesha on Saivism by Satguru Bodhinatha and gifted with gems from the writings of our our beloved Gurudeva. To close five days of dynamic travel across London filled with activities, a satsang was held at the Santhirapala home where vratas were taken under Satguru's brilliant radiance. Prior to departing London, Satguru and Shamuganathaswami blessed the satsang group with an Aloha Dinner which took place in the riverside and greener side of London, Richmond-Upon-Thames.

Overall a blessed and vibrant time as all felt immensely grateful and blissful in the light of Satguru's grace. His words of wisdom and joy in His smile captured the hearts of many who look ahead to the next visit whilst also planning a visit to Siva's little island of Kauai. It is with the humblest of nandris to the love and dharsan from Kauai Aadheenam that this visit manifested and we very much felt the love from the international family; Siva's Sambandham. All is indeed His Dance.

Aum Namah Sivaya

httpvh://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SEoH5m6TrNk

During Satguru's time in London, he visited the Shree Ghanapathy Temple in London where he gave a presentation he created entitled, "What is Saivism?" The purpose of the presentation is to clarify Saivism's uniqueness from other Hindu schools of thought, mostly in an effort to have the distinction between it and the prevailing idea of Sankaracarya's Advaita Vedanta clear in the mind of practicing Saivas. Part One of Five is embedded above, which shows the heartfelt welcoming of Satguru at the temple. Below, we offer links to the remaining four sections in which the actual presentation is contained. The YouTube channel on which these videos are posted is London Hindu Temples, which hosts a collection of beautiful videos of the many festivals and other events happening in and around London's Sri Lankan Tamil Hindu community. We encourage you to watch other videos on their channel and subscribe. Part 2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XSW_r9hFg_4 Part 3: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1gNVEjpsOn4 Part 4: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oQ5i6UJdyZc Part 5: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FDd4_nzHsso

On the evening of June 30, Satguru attended the Sri Nagapooshani Ambal Temple in Enfield, a borough of London. The head priest, Kamala Sivacariyar, is a friend to Kaua`i Aadheenam and is grateful for the work done here. Photos in this slideshow include current construction of the garbha griha (innermost sanctum) which is in black granite, along with black granite pillars in the main structure's hall. When completed, it will be an impressive sight. The temple is scheduled next year to have its kumbhabhishekam, to which Satguru has already been invited.

Some additional background:
The Enfield temple is of the Sri Lankan Tamil tradition, and is very much actively involved in giving back to that community back in their homeland. The amount of charity that is performed, administered, and overseen is nothing short of impressive. Please visit their website here: www.ambaal.org
The temple owes its origins to the famous Nagapooshani Amman Temple on Nainativu island, just off the coast of northern Sri Lanka, which is a highly significant temple for Sri Lankan Tamils. It is mentioned in Tamil texts from over 1,500 years ago as well as being dubbed one of the 64 Shakti Peethams by Adi Sankaracarya in the 6th century C.E. The original temple suffered the fate of many temples in the nation, having been completely destroyed by the Portuguese in the 17th century. The current temple is from the mid-18th century. For example, the Nalloor Kandaswamy Temple, the majorly significant temple in Yogaswami and Chellappaswami's lives, was built, destroyed, and rebuilt four times over its history. Such is the tenacity of the Hindu spirit. Despite a multitude of powerful and negative forces, Hindu temple culture persists.

We conclude with this quote by Gurudeva from Living with Siva:

"If all the temples were destroyed, the gurus would come forth and rebuild them. If all the scriptures were destroyed, the rishis would reincarnate and rewrite them. If all the gurus, swamis, rishis, sadhus, saints and sages were systematically destroyed, they would take births here and there around the globe and continue as if nothing had ever happened. So secure is the Eternal Truth on the planet, so unshakable, that it forges ahead undaunted through the mouths of many. It forges ahead undaunted through the temples' open doors. It forges ahead undaunted in scriptures now lodged in nearly every library in the world. It forges ahead undaunted, mystically hidden from the unworthy, revealed only to the worthy, who restrain themselves by observing some or all of the yamas and who practice a few niyamas."

This past Thursday, students and devotees took Satguru out for a visit to the spectacular Kew Royal Botanical Gardens in Surrey. The Gardens are spread out over 350 acres, containing some trees over 300 years old.

Following Satguru's 10am satsang at the Veergathiyar's home, He and Sannyasin Shanmuganathaswami began their evening at the Sri Murugan Temple in East Ham. Satguru was happy to see Pichai Gurukal there who was on his way to the Maryland Murugan Temple kumbhabhishekam. He has seven of his students at this temple as priests. After arati, Satguru gave a talk about the importance of temples, with Mrs. Santhirapala translating in Tamil. Satguru then visited the Saiva Munnetra Sangam where the priest did a long and beautiful puja to their Deities, which are the same as at Chidambaram: Nataraja, Ambal and Rahasiyam. Satguru gave a spontaneous upadesha to end the evening. Om Namah Sivaya

An excerpt from Satguru's talk on temples:

The first of the three worlds is the physical world called the Bhuloka. The second is the astral world called the Antarloka. It is where we reside in between physical births. The third world is the Sivaloka and is where God Siva, Deities such as Lord Ganesha and Murugan and great souls who have achieved moksha reside.

The purpose of the puja is to create an inner link with the Sivaloka which allows the Deity being worshipped to reside temporarily in the murti. Ajita Agama has a simple description of this process: “Siva lingam puja is for the purpose of invoking the presence of Sadasiva in the lingam.”

My guru, Sivaya Subramuniyaswami gave this description of murti worship: “We worship God Siva and the Gods who by their infinite powers spiritually hover over and indwell the image, or murti which we revere as their temporary body. We commune with them through the ritual act of puja.”