This morning the mathavasis and local members celebrated the Chitra nakshatra with our monthly padapuja to Gurudeva's paduka in Kadavul Temple. Nirvani Tejadevanatha and Natyam Jayanatha performed the abhishekam while other monks chanted Sri Rudram.

"The vibration of darshan knows no time or space. You see darshan when the satguru is around, and you can feel his darshan when he is miles away, even at times stronger. Look at darshan as great wires of communication, much like an open telephone line, enabling you to pick up the receiver and always find someone at the other end of the line." - Gurudeva

After several months of hard work we are happy to finally release this year's Gurudeva Mahasamadhi gift. For 2015 we decided to make a digital offering to keep alive the presence of our beloved Satguru Sivaya Subramuniyaswami in our daily lives. Through the years, the top of TAKA with changing images of and quotes from Gurudeva has continuously received Five Star ratings for inspiration. Though the selection is based on a random algorithm, many have given testimony on how the quote seemed to speak directly to them and issues they were facing.

Gurudeva.app takes this paradigm to new level with over 270 images of Gurudeva and more than 2,500 quotes. You may view quotes and images chosen at random, share the quotes and app link by email ( and later, on Twitter and Facebook) and read the quotes in different categories. In addition, eight audio files have been included in the app and can be listened to even if you are not connected to the internet. If you do have an internet connection, a "Surprise Me" link will stream a randomly selected audio file from our web server.

Go to this page to download the app for your Android or iOS device:

http://www.himalayanacademy.com/apps/gurudeva

The monks designed and built this app from the ground up and when a fully functional prototype was completed we hired an expert to help bring the final touches to the code, especially for the Android version. If you have any issues with the app, please use the feedback you will find on the help screen inside the app itself. We want to thank our Digital Dharma donors whose donations helped make this possible. And, please, share the app with your friends, spread the word. When you are looking at a picture and quote, click the share icon and email will be invoked with the quote and a link to the app. (Twitter coming next and then Facebook later). Spread the word! Perhaps it will go viral and 1000's will get to have the blessings too!

On the final day of our 2015 Gurudeva Mahasamadhi celebrations, pilgrims enjoyed a morning class with Satguru Bodhinatha Veylanswami. Satguru gave a fascinating presentation about Siva's 10 shaktis. Each pilgrim was also gifted a copy of our newly released Character Workbook, featuring 64 character qualities that we can strive to develop within ourselves.

After lunch and a short rest period, everyone gathered in Kadavul Temple at 3:00pm for the final event. Kumar Gurukkal precisely performed an elaborate homa which was followed by an abhishekam to Gurudeva's tiruvadi.

Click to hear a talk by Gurudeva

Om Namah Sivaya

On our third day of the celebration of Gurudeva's gargantuan greatness, we began by enjoying another 6am padapuja. Later that morning the day's class was held with Paramacharya Sadasivanathaswami. Pilgrims gathered in the Media Studio to greet him--a nice setting, it seems, in which to hold such events. He read some of his Gurudeva-inspired poetry and gifted everyone a copy of his poems. He then showed a short movie of James George, who had met Yogaswami long ago, and who articulately explained the presence and spirit behind the sage's words. Following that, Paramacharya told some wonderfully entertaining stories about Gurudeva.

That afternoon, everyone gathered for a parade out to Iraivan, Dakshinamurti and to the Path of the Saiva Satgurus. At each place a short worship was performed.

"The understanding is that within every man the germ or cell of his total affinity with God exists as the perennial inspiration of his spiritual quest and wellspring of all revelation. This enduring sense of an ever-present Truth that is God within man is the essence of the Sanatana Dharma. Such an inherent reality wells up lifetime after lifetime after lifetime, unfolding the innate perfection of the soul as man comes more fully into the awakened state of seeing his total and complete oneness with God." Gurudeva

The Aadheenam continued its 2015 Mahasamadhi celebrations on Day 2 with an early morning padapuja for Gurudeva in Kadavul Temple. After having breakfast together, many of the attending pilgrims enjoyed the 9am Siva puja before attending a class with Paramacharya Sivanathaswami. Swamiji centered his class around the varied dimensions of consciousness. A very fascinating and deep topic. That afternoon, Kauai's heavy rains caused us to cancel our outdoor event. Pilgrims were then able to enjoy the afternoon to themselves, absorbing and processing the many experiences they'd had so far. Om Namah Sivaya. Jai Satguru Sivaya Subramuniyaswami!!!

"To live positively in the conscious mind each day, exercise at least a half hour. Keep the vital energies of the body high and healthy. Eat simply and follow a vegetarian diet, feeding the stomach rather than the mouth. Be considerate of others always and live inconspicuously, almost transparently, by not ruffling your surroundings, by keeping the home neat and clean, by passing through a room or place and leaving it in a nicer condition than before you arrived. Seek fresh air and learn to breathe deeply. Get out in the sun. Move the physical body, walk briskly, dance, keep the energies vibrant and buoyant. Be close to nature. Grow food. Develop an art or craft so the hands are active, creative. Of course, being neat and attractive in personal appearance keeps the thoughts of others toward you positive. This is the way to live in the conscious mind. Try to live life as though you are walking in the rain without getting wet, or carefully writing on water. No ripples, no disturbance, no reactionary residue that has to be faced at some future date.” Gurudeva

Jai Satguru Sivaya Subramuniyaswami!

Yesterday we enjoyed Gurudeva's 2015 Mahasamadhi celebration. Shishya from all over the world have arrived on Kauai to join in the festivities. The day began with a Siva homa to get the energies flowing, then after a delicious breakfast, pilgrims attended a class on hatha yoga with Muruganathaswami. After lunch together, everyone had a midday break and that afternoon attended a gathering in the Media Studio. Each member of the Ganapati Kulam gave a presentation about a different area of service that happens in their small, but beautifully designed building.

Jai Gurudeva!

Early this morning the Aadheenam celebrated the Chitra nakshatra with our monthly padapuja to Gurudeva's granite tiruvadi in Kadavul Temple. Natyam's Mayuranatha and Rajanatha performed the abhishekam. The prana from the milk, yogurt, honey and other substances is absorbed into the point of worship to be reformed and released as blessings, easily felt by those with attentive devotion. Just one month until Gurudeva's Mahasamadhi celebrations and one can already feel the increasing potency of his warm and loving presence. Aum Namah Sivaya.

Jai Gurunathan!

This morning the monastics and island members gathered in Kadavul Temple once again to honor and remember Satguru Sivaya Subramuniyaswami, the founder of Kauai's Hindu Monastery and the catalyst to so many souls going back to Siva, from whence they came so long ago. Thank You Gurudeva.

Aum Namah Sivaya Everyone, the monks worshiped Gurudeva on this auspicious day of Chitra nakshatra. Our pujaris were Sadhakas Jayanatha and Dayanatha.