Today was the auspicious occasion for Archana and Divyesh Pillay, who took their Brahmacharya Vrata in front of Satguru Bodhinatha Veylanswami.

This vow of celibacy remains in place until marriage at which point it requires the two to be faithful to their partner. The fundamental reason for observing Brahmacharya before marriage is it creates a stronger, more mature relationship between husband and wife. Those who are promiscuous prior to marriage are susceptible to impulses of anger, have undefined fears, experience jealousy and other instinctive emotions.
Gurudeva explained the mystical reason behind this quite beautifully, he states that, "In virgin boys and girls the psychic nadis, the astral nerve currents that extend out into and through the aura have small hooks on the end. When a boy and girl marry the hooks straighten out and the nadis are tied one to another and they actually grow together. If the first sexual experience is premarital and the virginity is broken, the hooks at the end of the nadis also straighten out but there is nothing to grow on to, if the partners do not marry. Then when either partner marries someone else, the relationship is never as close as when a virgin boy and girl marry because their nadis dont grow together in the same way. In cases such as this, they feel the need for intellectual stimuli and emotional stimuli to keep the marriage going."
For monks and other single individuals intent on pursuing deeper realizations and higher consciousness, Brahmacharya is important for another reason. Gurudeva explains that, "Containing the sacred fluids within the body builds up a bank account through the years that makes the realization of God on the path to enlightenment a reality within the life of the individual who is single. This is called transmutation of the sexual energy. If Brahmacharya is broken through sexual intercourse, this power goes away. Therefore trying to pursue the higher goals of meditation without practicing celibacy, will clearly not lead to success."

An artist friend of Vani Chenganna painted one of our church shishya, Ramai Santhirapala as a gift organized by the whole Europe satsang. The painting depicts Ramai receiving a final flower blessing from Satguru Bodhinatha Veylanswami. This moment begins the Arul Shishya dedication! We found the photo from the event by happenstance and thought it fun to post the juxtaposition. Enjoy.

The women of Saiva Siddhanta Church get together every year to devoutly discover their rich heritage together. Enjoy this late slideshow from the 2015 pilgrimage.

Our Mauritius Mission music lovers met on 19th March, for our 74th Workshop gathering where Natchintanai and bhajans are learnt and polished. Taking a few hours from their Sunday rest/ leisure time, a wonderful group was already at the Spiritual Park by 8.30 a.m On the menu was learning new bhajans and introducing a new Church standardised Natchintanai tune . This group meets regularly at our Spiritual Park where main focus is learning our Paramaguru's Natchintanai , which contains the essence of our lineage's Saiva Siddhanta philosophy : "Singing to the Gods is a powerful form of sadhana, an expression of bhakti that opens the heart, lifts the spirit and directs our energies toward the Divine."

A reminder to all that Saiva Siddhanta Tiruchabai, Malaysia devotees will conduct, Ekadasa Rudra Homa in November 26th, 2016, in Kajang. Ekadasa Rudra Homa is the chanting of Sri Rudram for 11 rounds and mystically meaningful form of worship of Lord Siva, the very source of cosmic energy for entire creation. Shiva has eleven forms of Rudra and in this Homa all the 11 Rudras are worshiped. It is considered to be one of the most powerful and effective among homas performed in the world. Sri Rudram occupies a central role in vedic literature and in the practice od Sanathana Dharma. The Yajur Veda decrees that Sri Rudram Homa acts to shield the world from harm and negativities of all kind. By performing this homa in the strict and traditional way, complete with high-minded intentions, the world and individuals in it will be protected and rewarded. The event is open to the public. Please join us!

• Date: November 26, 2016 (Saturday)
• Time: 7.00am to 12.30pm
• Venue:Sri Subramaniya Swami Temple, Kajang
• Priest: Chief Priest Sri Subramaniya Swami Temple, Kajang

Presided over by
His Holiness Satguru Bodhinatha Veylanswami
Guru Mahasannidhanam of Kauai
Aadheenam and the 163rd
Preceptor of Kailasa Parampara, Hawaii, USA
Publisher of Hinduism Today

7.00 am
    Registration

7.30 am
     Ganapathi Pooja/ Punyavasam/ Sankalpam (name, rasi and nakshatra of participants)
    Ekadasa Rudra Homa
    Purnahoothi
    Special Rudra Sanggu Abhishekam Pooja (Kaasi Vishvanathar)
    Satguru Bodhinatha’s Upadesha (with Tamil Translation)
    Aarti/Pushpanjali

12.30 noon
    Darshan/Vibuthi prasatham
    Lunch served

Contacts:
    Mr. Kailasam: 019-2235180
    Mr. Esan: 019-3788771
    Mr. Arumugam Alagan: 012-2357200
    Mr. Roshan Sivayogam: 012-6925280

Kodiswara Selvanathan from Malaysia has just finished his five-month upakurvana taskforce program at Kauai Aadheenam, so he took the opportunity to become a Vidyasishya during our early morning Siva homa in Kadavul Temple. He first took the brahmacharya vrata, then voiced the Yama-Niyama Pledge and Ten-Minute Sadhana Vigil Pledge from the Vidyasishya document. The practices given in these two pledges help provide a balanced life throughout the schooling years, especially when away from home in university.

Before leaving, Kodiswara gave a wonderful testimony to all the monks about how much he enjoyed his stay, noting that he had thought monastic life was mainly worship and meditation, when in fact most time is spent working really hard. We have word that Kodiswara has arrived home safely, and hope his time spent at the Aadheenam working with the monks will give him a solid foundation for the future.

Aum Namah Sivaya. Sivaya Namah Aum

Saiva Siddhanta Tiruchabai, Malaysia will conduct, Ekadasa Rudra Homa in November 26th, 2016, in Kajang. Ekadasa Rudra Homa is the chanting of Sri Rudram for 11 rounds and mystically meaningful form of worship of Lord Siva, the very source of cosmic energy for entire creation. Shiva has eleven forms of Rudra and in this Homa all the 11 Rudras are worshiped. It is considered to be one of the most powerful and effective among homas performed in the world. Sri Rudram occupies a central role in vedic literature and in the practice od Sanathana Dharma. The Yajur Veda decrees that Sri Rudram Homa acts to shield the world from harm and negativities of all kind. By performing this homa in the strict and traditional way, complete with high-minded intentions, the world and individuals in it will be protected and rewarded. The event is open to the public. Please join us!

• Date: November 26, 2016 (Saturday)
• Time: 7.00am to 12.30pm
• Venue:Sri Subramaniya Swami Temple, Kajang
• Priest: Chief Priest Sri Subramaniya Swami Temple, Kajang

Presided over by
His Holiness Satguru Bodhinatha Veylanswami
Guru Mahasannidhanam of Kauai
Aadheenam and the 163rd
Preceptor of Kailasa Parampara, Hawaii, USA
Publisher of Hinduism Today

7.00 am
    Registration

7.30 am
     Ganapathi Pooja/ Punyavasam/ Sankalpam (name, rasi and nakshatra of participants)
    Ekadasa Rudra Homa
    Purnahoothi
    Special Rudra Sanggu Abhishekam Pooja (Kaasi Vishvanathar)
    Satguru Bodhinatha’s Upadesha (with Tamil Translation)
    Aarti/Pushpanjali

12.30 noon
    Darshan/Vibuthi prasatham
    Lunch served

Contacts:
    Mr. Kailasam: 019-2235180
    Mr. Esan: 019-3788771
    Mr. Arumugam Alagan: 012-2357200
    Mr. Roshan Sivayogam: 012-6925280

We present a complete slideshow of the Siddhidata Kulam's creation of Satguru Bodhinatha Veylanswami's new procession chariot which was first used on this past Satguru Purnima. The ensuing weeks before the big day involved *a lot* of work on the part of the Siddhidata Kulam to ensure it would be completed in time. For them, we are thankful.

On July 17th, the California Gold Gate Mission members of Saiva Siddhanta Church held Guru Purnima in the downstairs hall of the Concord, Shiva Murugan temple. The event was presided over by resident priests, Ananth Sivachariar, and Sathish Gurukkal who are now serving at the temple.

Devotees performed the pada puja, chanted Gurudeva's names, bhajans and Natchintanai. The priest guided the puja with their powerful chants.

The two priests are disciples of Sr. Dr. K. Pitchai Sivachariar from Pilliyar Patti. Ananth Sivachariar knew Gurudeva well and attributes his service now in this temple to Gurudeva's vision and support for the Sivachariar priests.

As most watching TAKA know, this temple was migrated from Gurudeva's original Palaniswami Sivan temple in San Francisco. It was later managed as Himalayan Academy, California branch, by our monks and devotees and then given over to the Hindu community when Gurudeva consolidated all his teaching activities at Kauai Aadheenam.

Ananth Sivachariar gave a short talk at the event recognizing the work of all the devotees who were the "original founders of this temple" and urged everyone to come and participate more. It was inspiring to see the spirit of the Kailasa Paramapara honored here on this day.

You can read about the priests here at this temple web page

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.