Stone bells are a rare artifact in Hindu temples. Such bells exist today in older temples like the Kailasanathar Temple in Kanchipuram, Virupaksha Temple in Hampi, and the famed Pashupatinatha Temple in Kathmandu, Nepal. However, none are known in the Western world.

That changed yesterday when the monks formally installed a 510-pound granite bell. A small shrine was designed and built by the monks, with help from Taskforce. The structure was made of clear redwood donated by Thamby Kumaran and was felled years ago in the presence of the swamis at Thamby's home in California. A full puja was performed, as per the Agamas, to bless the felling of the two trees, complete with honey on the tree feller's chainsaw and prayers to the devas that the trees (removed due to their dangerous proximity to the home) would have a new destiny.

The Bell Tower is placed near the Silpi Bronze Pavilion to show pilgrims another remarkable creation of the silpi sculptors. The bell is rung with a hardwood mallet and produces a distinctly metallic sound. Keep in mind, this was sculpted from a 1,200-pound piece of granite which typically would not make any sound other than a muffled thud. Making the granite sing is making the impossible happen.

All present rang the bell, which is said to have several meaningful features, including invoking a divine presence (the devas are said to be pleased by the sound), warding off negative spirits, purifying the environment, helping to focus the mind and drive away distractions momentarily, and, of course, it serves as a call to worship. Some say it symbolizes the Pranava Om, the eternal and original sound, the primordial sound of cosmic creation that can be heard internally by the meditating yogi.

Jai to all who made this possible, including God Siva who created the granite mountains of India!

Click below to hear the bell ring.

For those who are subscribed to the Master Course trilogy daily lessons, you'll notice that the first audio narration appeared in yesterday's Merging with Siva lesson. For a while it will be Gurudeva's digital voice clone narrating, then it will switch to his late 1990s personal narrations for some time.

After we finishing creating narration for Merging with Siva, we'll proceed to the other books.

To subscribe to the Master Course daily lessons and other inspiration on email, go here-- https://www.subscribepage.com/hinduism

There are some 80 million souls who speak Telugu and so it was natural that we would create an edition of Path to Siva, our catechism for youth, for them and their children. It took most of a year to have a team in Madurai translate the 68 lessons, then a Kauai devotee, Voleti Chaudhari volunteered to proof it, then inputting the corrections and finally, yesterday we put the PDF on our site. You can download it here:
https://kauaishindumonastery.com/books/path-to-siva-telegu-2/

This week, Acharya Kumarnathaswami has been working to add the tile roofing to the Redwood Bell Tower. As you may know, this hand-built masterpiece will house the granite bell that was carved with Iraivan Temple. Visitors will be able to ring the bell with a wooden mallet.

See this post for earlier work on the project: https://www.himalayanacademy.com/blog/taka/2024/02/13/granite-bell-tower-installation-part-1/

Fruit trees are to be given extra nutrients right when new fruits start forming, a boost for vigorous growth. A lot of mulch from local tree trimming projects is delivered to us regularly, so after it breaks down for a while, the Siddhidata Kulam applies a pile of this dark, nearly-soil material around the base of each tree. They are running several weeks late due to soggy ground, but now it's dry enough for the tractor to drive through the orchards without creating ruts (which would then make things difficult for the lawn mower).

Aum Namah Sivaya

Over the last few days, Swami Prabhakarananda Saraswatiji from Kerela and Brahmachari Senthuraan Ponnampalam from Jaffna have been visiting the Aadheenam on a short pilgrimage. Swami said that many years ago, he had arrived in Jaffna just as Sivaya Subramuniyaswami had finished his stay there. Swami was inspired by Gurudeva and his teachings, and says they inspired him to travel the world spreading dharma. Today they met with Satguru and discussed many topics, including projects Swami is working on back in Kerala.

"Service leads us to understanding. Understanding leads us to meditate deeply and without distractions. Finally, meditation leads us to surrender in God. This is the straight and certain path, the San Marga, leading to Self Realization--the inmost purpose of life--and subsequently to moksha, freedom from rebirth." - Gurudeva

Devi Marks arrived from Santa Cruz to visit Sadasivanathaswami, her brother. She is having a rich stay, with lots of talkstory, picnics with Paramacharya, tours of all the new things since her last visit, joining the morning meetings with the Ganapati Kulam, practical time planting things in the garden and more. But she especially has enjoyed her own quiet time as part of the beautiful pujas and homas in the temple. She did not plan it, but her timing allowed her to enjoy the monthly Krittika Homa iin Iraivan, and yesterday, the Ardra Abhishekam in Kadavul Temple. Time with island members is rounding out her experience. Welcome, Devi!

We also have a wonderful swami here from Kerala, Swami Prabhakarananda Saraswathy, the Maha Mandaleshwara of the Akhile Bharata Sanyasi Sabha in Kerala. He learned of Gurudeva in Colombo in 1991, and has been wanting to visit Kauai Aadheenam since 1997, so today was a giant fulfillment for him.

Satguru Bodhinatha Veylanswami gives his weekly upadesha in Kadavul Temple at Kauai’s Hindu Monastery in Hawaii. It is part of a series of talks elaborating on the inspired teachings of Satguru Śivaya Subramuniyaswami as found in his book Merging With Śiva.

"The average person who is not a mystic lives two-thirds in the external area of the mind and one-third within himself. The within of himself can be, and sometimes is, very foreboding. He doesn’t understand it. He is a little afraid of it and prefers to involve himself with external things. Possibly he’s had some inner experiences, some emotional unhappinesses, and he shuns anything that is inner. The mystic lives, and is taught to live, two-thirds within himself and only one-third in the external. In learning how to do this, the mystic is taught to become consciously conscious, or aware that he is aware. He learns to separate awareness from that which he is aware of. The person who is not a mystic, living two-thirds in the external mind, says, “I am happy,” meaning, “I am aware of a state of mind called happiness, and I am in that state, so that is me.” Or, “I am unhappy. Unhappiness is me.” The mystic living two-thirds within says to himself, “I am flowing through the area of the mind that’s always unhappy.” He doesn’t change; he is a pure state of awareness.”

We start with showing beautiful Iraivan Temple Nandi from yesterday afternoon's bi-weekly Pradosha Puja.

The subsequent photos illustrate framing of the new second-floor offices for the Siddhidata Kulam in the Hale Hana metal building. Local contractors are moving quickly and will soon attach plywood to the framing in preparation for the next stage of drywall.

Aum Namah Sivaya

On Swami's recent visit to the aadheenam, he and his entourage had time to explore the many areas around the property, including our temples, the Wailua River, the publication's offices, the gardens, the rudraksha forest and more. Swami was also able to attend Vaikasi Visakam while here as well as have lunch with the monks.