Yesterday the monastery celebrated the chitra nakshatra with a padapuja, connecting with our beloved Gurudeva. Natyam Nandinatha and Natyam Rajanatha performed the puja, which was scintillating with Gurudeva's pervasive love and his roaring silence.

"Recognizing that all experience is but a fading dream, you are closer to the permanence within you that never changes. You can sense it. It is God. It is Siva. It has never changed. It will never change." -Gurudeva

This morning the monks gathered to celebrate this month's Chitra puja, invoking Gurudeva's blessings, love and guidance.
Jai Gurudeva! Aum Namah Sivaya!

Today Nigel Sivam and his family are in Jaffna, Sri Lanka, pilgrimaging to the holy source of our Guru Paramparai. It was in a thatched hut in May of 1949 that Yogaswami touched Gurudeva's soul and changed our lives forever, so we asked Nigel to take some offerings, including the traditional lime given to saints and sages (we think because in the old days they could squeeze the juice into their kamandalu, the water pot sadhus carry on their peripetatic treks). Nigel made the offering on all of our behalf.

A note and some photos today from him:

"Jai Ganesha. My dearest Swami,

It is a wonderful day. The lady who takes care of Yogaswami's Colombuthurai hut asked us to visit today---on Yogaswami's Aayliam guru puja day, which happens once a month and a priests comes over to do abishekam to His thiruvadi (holy feet) once a month. 

You can see the lime that I took on behalf of all the monks, and the crystal sivalingam there too; the rudraksha japa mala is hidden behind the flowers (You can see a bead in one of the photos).  After the abishekam and puja to Yogaswami's thiruvadi, the priest gave the line, the crystal sivalingam and the rudraksha japa mala to Ragavan (our son).  The lady does not like to keep anything with Yogaswami's thiruvadi in the shrine (only His thiruvady, that is the way it has been ever since His samadhi, she said), that is why the priest returned everything; but, the crystal sivalingam and the rudraksha japa mala were kept with Yogaswami's thiruvady during abishekam and the whole puja after words (the lime was kept with the thiruvadi during the puja), and we have got all three with us, which makes us very blessed.

The two young boys helping there said that the lady is very strict and will not like anyone taking photos.  Well, while I was sitting in front of Yogaswami [His huge photo], I asked Him first; then I asked the lady permission to take photos so that I can send them to the Kauai's Hindu Monastery.  She said yes!  I know that this will not surprise You; it didn't surprise me either.

In front of Yogaswami's photo, You see a small raised marble platform.  At this place there was a wooden plank, and Yogaswami usually sat on this plank and did meditation (we are standing in front of this marble platform)-

We were asked to put everything on the place where Yogaswami did meditation everyday; the priest then took them inside Yogaswami's thiruvadi shrine.

There is a Ganesha temple and a school right across the street.  Within the school compound, there is a small shrine of Chellappaswami's holy feet.  Everyday, Yogaswami crossed the street and went to this shrine and did puja to His guru's thiruvadi.


With love,
Siva (Nigel)

We offer today a few choice quotes from our dear Gurudeva, who guides us now through Bodhinatha and the parampara. Let us ever cling to his feet, follow his orders, bathe in his love, discover the Self he taught us to pursue.

"Those who know wisdom's ways have overcome the 'I'm getting old' syndrome, a mantra no one should ever repeat, even once."

"The whole world can be changed by a glance." Yogaswami said that to me.

"Wealth grows slowly like the building up of a mountain, but dissipates quickly like the melting of a mountain of snow."

We were looking at his hands, and he noted one thumb nail was a little dented and remembered as a boy he caught it in a car door!

From 1997: "The hand that slaps a child starts the war." Said while reading his old inspired talk The Hand that Rocks the Cradle Rules the World.

12/1/93:
"Do not get so involved in your daily work that you forget the inside. 
When you forget the inside, instinctive emotions start to well 
up such as frustration and worry. You worry about time. As 
you go through the day, always be listening for the inner voice. 
It does not talk to you as I am, but comes as a deep knowing 
like a breath of air--you just know the best solution to a 
question of the external mind, you just know what to do next. 
By doing this, your day will be much smoother. Your work will 
be more efficient and creative. Think about this today."

Today the monastery and countless people worldwide honer Gurudeva, along with the joy, beauty and simple divinity that he brought to all of our lives. The monks perform today's chitra puja, bathing his tiruvadi in milk, ghee, yogurt, vibhuti and more. His loving energy and wisdom filled the temple.

Jai Gurudeva!

He taught me humility, infused in me the light of devotion, granted me the grace of His feet. After holy interrogation, testing me entirely, He revealed to me the Real, the unreal and real-unreal. Undoubtedly, the Siva-Guru is Iraivan, the worshipful Lord Himself.
Tirumantiram 1573

Gathering the strands of my fetters, he knotted them together and then wrenched them off. Thus freeing me from my fond body, straight to mukti he led me. Behold, of such holy potency is the presence of my guru divine!

Tirumantiram 1574

Yesterday the monks performed a pada puja for our beloved Gurudeva. His presence is always strong in our hearts. Thank you Gurudeva for the life-changing blessings which you bring to countless people everyday.

O Gurudeva!
How good it is to see you again
in this your new form
Magical are the chosen hands that crafted
holy, pure
how blessed to hold you close!
Patiently you allowed
all the twists and turns
flames and burns
beatings many too!
Now you call us loud and clear
It is your vibrant voice we hear -

"Rise, rise, rise!
Come on over
to where Heaven meets Earth!
O! What I would do
for you to glimpse
so beauteous a place
for you to taste
true love, joy and grace!

I can see, though,
from the smile on your face
the song in your heart
the wet eye, the warm flower
how ready you are
to journey on
explore, uncover, realign
to what is true, what is real!

Come, come ... I wait
I am here for you
always was, always will be
just do your one bit and
I will do mine
maybe, even nine score and nine!
Resolve, rise, reclaim your right
the time now is for action
and soon will come a time
when you too can stand
seemingly frozen in metal or stone
when all you came to do this time around
is complete, perfect and whole!

Rise, rise, rise!
Come on over
to where Heaven meets Earth
where I stand quietly in wait
at Iraivan's Glorious Feet!"

Infinite love and eternal gratitude

Aum Namah Sivaya!

A Siva Bhaktar

On the day of Mahasivaratri, Gurudeva's bronze was unveiled at the monastery. A short puja was performed by Natyam Nandinatha after an introduction by Sadasivanathaswami. Gurudeva was then uncovered with the help of Holly Young, the wax sculptor and the statue's creator. Three guests were then honored. Martin Mosko whom is helping with the Iriavan landscaping, Ava Waits who is a sister to one of the monks, visiting the Monastery for the first time, and then Holly.

On March 1st the Monastery celebrated Gurudeva with a chitra puja. It was a lovely way to start the day. Many memebers attended, feeling Gurudeva's rose-like energy permeate the temple. Jai Gurudeva!

"There are only two things you can really depend on: one is the changeableness of life, and the other is the unchanging Self within you."
-Satguru Sivaya Subramuniyaswami