Bodhinatha will be visiting Adelaide on December 11. We invite you to attend if you are there. If not, invite your family and friends in or near Adelaide.

The Aadheenam began its day with an early morning homa, which included a formal diksha for a pilgrimaging devotee. After years of study and preparation, Sivanathan Batumalai, here with his family from Malaysia, received his vishesha diksha, which is the second of two dikshas that all Saiva Siddhanta Church sishyas prepare to receive. He has now completed his full entrance into Sri Subramuniya Gotra and is known as Chela sishya.

Saiva Siddhanta Church shishya all gathered to celebrate Satguru Bodhinatha Veylanswami's 71st Jayanti.
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Yesterday the monastery celebrated our beloved Satguru Bodhinatha Veylanswami's 71st jayanti. Before retiring for a very tasty and healthy meal with the monks, Bodhinatha met with local church members who had prepared gifts for him. Some of the gifts included mangos, garlands, chocolates, two beautifully decorated cakes and a Kauai-made mala of rudrakshas.

"When the entire universe is looked on as pervaded by the
Sivaguru, what mantra can fail to achieve its purpose for the shishya?
When the Satguru is present, no tapas is necessary, neither by fasting nor
observances, neither pilgrimage nor purificatory bath. What he speaks is as
scripture.
"Feel one with your guru and not separate from him, and do good to all as your
own. Whatever is beneficial to yourself, term that beneficial to him.
Whether moving or standing, sleeping or waking, performing japa or making
offerings, carry out only the injunctions of your guru with your inner being
dwelling in him.
"As in the vicinity of fire, butter gets melted, so in the proximity of the holy
Sivaguru all bad karmas dissolve. As lighted fire burns up all fuel, dry and
moist, so the glance of the Sivaguru burns up in a moment the karmas of the
shishya. As the heap of cotton blown up by a great storm scatters in all the ten
directions, so the heap of negative karmas is blown away by the compassion of
the Sivaguru. As darkness is destroyed at the very sight of the lamp, so is
ignorance destroyed at the sight of the holy Sivaguru."
- Kularnava Tantra, chapter 3

Bodhinatha, Shanmuganathswami and Siddhanathaswami arrived home yesterday after their mission to the mainland.

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

Satguru Bodhinatha Veylanswami reads his editorial from the Oct/Nov/Dec 2013 edition of Hinduism Today magazine. "By consciously connecting the home shrine to the temple, the family sustains tradition and strengthens relationships."

A poem from a dear devotee, who was inspired after viewing the Pada Puja video from Guru Purnima:

All hands are blessed equal
some are more blessed than others
these are the hands that serve
that serve God, Gods and Guru
So close to those they serve
how blessed they be!

 To soak in that darshan
a Presence that floods and cleanses
the heart, mind and five senses
To touch the form of stone
and that of flesh and bone 
how blessed they be! 

What penance performed
brought forth the voice
that speaks His names
so loud, so clear
What deeds of love
allowed the ears
to hear His call and respond
how blessed they be! 

Aah ... the fruit of devotion
with taste that quickly permeates
each cell, each pore
To tap into that, to hold
and to pass it on
how very blessed they be!

 And, how grateful we be
for these blessings that flow
unending, manifold
from His Feet, so sweet
so still, clear and pure!

Today we celebrate Guru Purnima, basking in the blessings of our beloved satguru. Thank you, Bodhinatha!
As our fluctuating lives ensnare us, move us and uplift us,
You, as the Self, remain constant and free.
The Ocean to which all our rivers flow, and the humble depths by which all of them are guided.

"Driven by the guru parampara, we will all reach Siva's feet. Guided by the guru parampara, we will unfold the secrets of the Vedas and Agamas. To be merely touched by the guru parampara, is to inherit the universe. Illumined by the guru parampara, our path will be joyous and our dharmic missions fulfilled."

An Excerpt From the Kularnava Tantra:
When the entire universe is looked on as pervaded by the Sivaguru, what mantra can fail to achieve its purpose for the sishya? When the Satguru is present, no tapas is necessary, neither by fasting nor observances, neither pilgrimage nor purificatory bath. What he speaks is as scripture. Feel one with your guru and not separate from him, and do good to all as your own. Whatever is beneficial to yourself, term that beneficial to him. Whether moving or standing, sleeping or waking, performing japa or making offerings, carry out only the injunctions of your guru with your inner being dwelling in him. As in the vicinity of fire, butter gets melted, so in the proximity of the holy Sivaguru all bad karmas dissolve. As lighted fire burns up all fuel, dry and moist, so the glance of the Sivaguru burns up in a moment the karmas of the sishya. As the heap of cotton blown up by a great storm scatters in all the ten directions, so the heap of negative karmas is blown away by the compassion of the Sivaguru. As darkness is destroyed at the very sight of the lamp, so is ignorance destroyed at the sight of the holy Sivaguru. I tell you now that there can be no Liberation without diksha, initiation. Nor can there be initiation without a preceptor. Hence the dharma, the sakti and the tradition come down the line of masters, called parampara. Without a Satguru all philosophy, knowledge and mantras are fruitless. Him alone the Gods praise who is the Satguru, keeping active what is handed down to him by tradition. Therefore, one should seek with all effort to obtain a preceptor of the unbroken tradition, born of Supreme Siva.

Bodhinatha will be in Maryland on August 9th and 10th. Join in the festivities!