The Golden Gate Mission arrange a special visit to the Shiva-Murugan Temple in Concord, California. The new temple is moving quickly as a team of silpis, both plaster and granite, make the shrines. After a wonderful puja and visit to Gurudeva's shrine downstairs, we were taken on what is said to be the very first tour for visitors. We met the silpis, toured the cultural center and spent some time with Mr. Patel, the project supervisor. The temple will take another 18-24 months to complete, and when it is finished will be one of the city's most rich cultural and architectural gems.

Golden Gate Mission members arranged a sweet picnic on a reservoir in Layaffette, under the only shade trees, for which they had to get up at dawn to reserve since it was Labor Day! One of our monastic candidates, Alex, flew in from Washington state to meet the monks for the first time. Lots of "talk-story" ensued. Then a satsang at the home of Janaka and Bhavani Param, with singing and inspired talks by Paramacharya and Tillainathaswami.

It is said in India that nothing makes a Śivabhaktar happier than being with other Śivabhaktars. So it will not surprise that the home of Suresh and Shanthi was aglow with love of Śiva filled with the sweet sounds of the Guru Parampara Vandanam. Tillainathaswami gave an astute tour of the seven dimensions of the mind, the five states, all to enhance a great talk he shared where Gurudeva speaks of the nature of odic and actinic force fields and how to manage them. Paramacharya shared some recent visual drone shots of the Aadheenam and activities there, then offered thoughts on karma, especially the importance on the spiritual path of accepting all things that happen to us as our own creation. He urged everyone to embrace karmas fully, and to not project our problems, our conflicts, our troubles into the outer mind, but to take them within and work them out inside ourselves. He offered that we can't change the world, but as Gurudeva said, the ability to change ourselves lies in the palm of our hand. On the way to the satsang, perhaps not coincidentally, there were two large billboards for some film, saying "The battle is won within." Most engaging were questions from the young ones, brave questions about karma and the soul and the Hindu view on various ethical issues. All enjoyed a South Indian feast afterwards. Stay turned for the further adventures of our swamis on the Very Big Island!

Paramacharya Sadasivanathaswami and Tillainathaswami flew off this morning for the west coast in the US mainland. They plan to spend time with formal and informal devotees at satsangs in California and Oregon, visit the construction site of the Shiva-Murugan Temple's new traditional building in Concord, California, and visit the bronze foundry team in Colorado who cast our Hanuman and shilpi metal statues.

The highlight of Satguru's recent trip the mainland was his attendance of the kumbha abhishakam at the Hindu Temple of St. Louis, which was built 36 years ago by Ganapati Sthapathi and Selvanathan Sthapathi. While there Satguru also gave two talks which were well received by attendees.

Here is the description of a Kumbha Abhishekam from the temple's website:

A Temple is a home of the Divine, meant for collective spiritual benefit and upliftment. The omnipotence of the supreme is manifested into Idols by Mantra Sakti at the time of consecration (PrathiSthapana) through a precise process ordained by the scriptures called Agamas, thereby making the Idols into Deities.
Kumbhabhishekam is derived from the Sanskrit words Kumbha (meaning metal or earthern vessel) and Abhishekam (sprinkling of holy water). Kumbhabhishekam literally means pouring of sacred water (from holy rivers or ritually purified) from the vessels over the Vigrahas (Deities) and the temple Gopurams (towers). Proir to this, the divine energy and spirit are invoked through religious rituals and homas, and transferred to the kumbhas containing the holy water.

At the start of Maha Kumbhabhishekam, the divine power of the main Deities (Moola Vigrahas) is temporarily transferred by the priests, following procedures of Agama, into holy water (Mantra Jalam) collected in Kalashas (Pots). These Kalashas are initially brought into a makeshift temple called Balalayam. Between May 11th and 15th, 2022, the Kalashas are relocated into Temples Yagashala, where offerings are made into the holy fire, and daily worship, rites, and other special ceremonies are undertaken. Until the final stages of Maha Kumbhabhishekam, the Deities are worshipped in the Kalashas. Upon completion of Temple renovations and replacement of Ashta Bandhana (to secure Idols to peetams), the divine power in the Kalashas is transferred back to the Moola Vigrahas by pouring the Mantra Jalam (holy water preserved in Kalashas) on Temple Vimanams and Gopurams, while chanting elaborate mantras. This process is called Maha Samprokshana and Ashtabandhana Jeernodharana - together, called as Maha Kumbhabhishekam.

Aum Namah Sivaya
Yesterday Satguru Bodhinatha Veylanswami and Sannyasin Shanmuganathaswami left for the airport to begin their short, 7-day journey to the mainland, US. This will be Satguru's first trip in over two years. Their main event will be attending the Mahakumbhaabhishekam at the Hindu Temple of St. Louis, May 15-17. Aum.

Aum Namah Sivaya

Satguru's travels continue. After making his way up to Bengaluru, he and Sannyasin Shanmuganathaswami visited the Rajasankara's home and adjacent carving site. While there they got to see the remaining red-granite pots which will sit upon Iraivan Temple's perimeter wall. These are almost finished and will eventually be shipped to Kauai. Next, our travelers took a flight to Malaysia.

Several Days ago, Satguru visited JSS Mutt in Mysuru, Karnataka. Satguru was there to attend the Mutt's annual celebration of Jatra Mahotsava, to their founder, Adi Jagadguru Sri Shivarathreeshwara Shivayogi Mahasamji. Thousands of people from around the area were there to pay their respects to this great being, and to celebrate the lineage and all its wonderful works.

Aum Sivaya,

For the past few days Satguru has been in the Bay Area. Satguru attended Satsang with members in Concord as well as with the Bhajanai group, a group of Sri Lankan who have been gathering together for some 15 years. Aum.

Recently, Satguru Bodhinatha Veylanswami and Sannyasin Shanmuganathaswami left on their next adventure. This time Satguru will be visiting San Francisco, India and Malaysia. See more details about their destinations on our travel page