Come on an artistic journey with us.

Many are familiar with the three faces of Siva, called Trimurthi, where He is depicted as Creator, Preserver and Dissolutioner (Yes, it’s in the Fictionary.)

Fewer know the Five Faces of Sadasiva, also called Pancha Brahma. It is a mysterious, profound depiction of the Divine One, which the monks are preparing a major article in Hinduism Today for Twenty-Eleven. The faces are named Isana, Tatpurusha, Agora, Vamadeva and Sadyojata.

This form of Siva adds two faces to the better-known Trimurthi, and two cosmic powers or potencies: Concealing Grace and Revealing Grace. These five faces are often seen on lingams, with four facing the cardinal directions and the fifth facing upward.

These five faces and powers are central to the Agamas’ understanding of the cosmos, a hidden key to worship and puja, and our sculptors in India are just finishing making five of them in metal, to adorn the five niches surrounding the Iraivan sanctum. Here is the architectís drawing of Vamadeva, and the resulting metal murthi.

The world is celebrating the passing of 2010 and the beginning of 2011. And though we live in the Eternal Now, where all past and present mix and mingle, still the annual journey around the Sun is worthy to celebrate, bringing with it the cultural opportunity to set new patterns in life, make plans never made before and visualize how another 365 days might look if the soul were in charge. And the external fireworks in the sky tonight can be a reminder of the internal light of the soul, Siva's Light, brighter than ten million Suns. We rejoice with all of you tonight and wish you a blessed 2011, full of spiritual progress, artistic and cultural peaks, strengthened relationships, lessons learned and hurts forgiven and forgotten, new realizations descending, new aspirations ascending. Siva within all. Infinite Goodness within all.

A work of art we commissioned for a Hinduism Today article later this year. Siva as Aghora. He is dissolving 2010, so 2011 can be born and new possibilities opened to our lives. Here is a quote from Gurudeva's Living with Siva on this New Year's Night: "This is a wonderful key for setting the tone for the coming yearof harmony and peace, which leads to abundance and happiness. We call this anahata yoga, cleansing the heart chakra, bringing up that true love for one another. It is the process of bringing up all those things that were not settled before going to sleep, to retrieve those seeds before they get ploughed under and produce another crop of sorrow in the coming years. It is bringing up little things that each one said or did that hurt the other and were not resolved. It is time to extend apologies, and make promises and New Year's resolutions to set the course of the future on the path of dharma, which is based on ahimsa." "Close your eyes and visualize a river flowing into the sea, and see yourself holding on to the bank of the river, and the river flowing on past you. Now let go of the bank of the river and flow down with the river and merge into the sea of life. Feel yourself, right at this instant, living in the here and now. Holding on to the river bank, we hold the consciousness of time and space. Holding on to the banks of the river of life is to recreate within you fear, worry, doubt, anxiety and nervousness. Detach yourself from the banks of the river and again be free. Love the banks as you pass, with a love born of understanding, and if you have no understanding of the bank, study your attachments until you do. Learn to concentrate the mind so that you can study not from books, but from observation, which is the first awakening of the soul. Learn to study by practice. Learn to study by application. Become a student of life and live life fully, and as you merge into the sea of actinic life, you will realize that you are not your mind, your body or your emotions. You will realize that you are the complete master of your mind, your body and your emotions."

http://himalayanacademy.com/resources/panchangam/

Panchangams for over 240 cities are now available in both pdf and iCalendar formats. iCalendar panchangams may be imported into iCal and Google calendars for your computer, laptop, iPad or iPhone. Visit the source above to download a sample page or the full introduction to the Hindu calendar or to find a link to order a Hindu birth chart.

With so much misinformation, even disinformation on Hinduism abounding, it is deeply important to have accurate online resources on Hinduism–as many as possible. Congratulations and thanks are due to the monks of Kauai's Hindu Monastery. Not only do they maintain and continually expand an astonishing compilation of news, information and insight, it's presented in cutting edge media: from ink on paper to digital print to numerous audio/visual media, all with world-class graphics and writing: at once fresh, lively, profound and thought-provoking. Oh, and gorgeous.
The venerable monks present their own cherished Saivism in full, as well as an abundance of material on general Hinduism; history, current events and issues, health, scriptures, arts and culture, temples, and best of all, practical observations on spiritual life skills, yoga and sadhana by a realized satguru. This is the most comprehensive, insightful, well researched and accurate, and visually delightful window into the Sanatana Dharma you'll ever find anywhere–digital or analog. And, with our help, it's absolutely free.
Jai to the monks of Kauai's Hindu Monastery! We are forever indebted to you.
Mrs. Gayatri Rajan
Canyon, California

Some news from our 18-day trip that might inspire everyone. So many doors opened, and so many engaging connections with our members and students. First time Bodhinatha and I spoke to an audience of 23 million (live Ashta TV), so that's a new benchmark. My strongest impression came from the team in Delhi which is seeking to publish an Indian Edition of Hinduism Today. This is not your ordinary publishing group. They are five top national leaders in their fields, and each is a mature, informed and devout Hindu. Together they make a most impressive force and if anyone can make the magazine succeed in India, they can. They have known and read Hinduism Today since 1993 and their love of the magazine was only exceeded by their appeals to allow them to print an edition in Bharat, which would have some Indian news not now found in our International Edition.

Why? They described at some length how Hinduism has become divided and fragmented in India, sects vying for followers, groups fighting and competing with one another. They deplore the lack of unity and cooperation, and they are convinced that Hinduism Today can create a new model, bring the many Hindu fellowships together, inspire a higher conversation, communion, cooperation and instill a shared purpose. In short, they told us that Hinduism Today, in their opinion, offers the best hope for a powerful and positive future of Hinduism in their nation. They firmly believe that a strong Hinduism means a strong India. And, they stressed, it would be the only English language religious publication in the entire country! How happy our Gurudeva would be to see this appreciation for his little magazine. He created something unique, something remarkable which he called "the prow of our ship,", and it is now, after 32 years, being embraced as Hinduism's "best hope." Let us see where it all goes and if they can sustain and fulfill their eagerness. Yes, Hinduism Today is free online. One of our digital gifts to the world.

We could not resist posting this cover of Newsweek.

Nitya Nadesan who sent it to us, echos the sentiments of many of us:

“Vanakkam and Aloha,

Please see attached. I find it fascinating the way the media appropriates our Hindu iconography.

Aum Sivaya,

Nitya”