Aum Namah Sivaya

Recently the silpis and monks observed Ayudha Puja, a time when we bless our tools and craft items for the work they help us perform. This year's Ayudha Puja included a special blessing for the Sanctum Doors of Iraivan Temple which have now been installed.

Jai Satguru Bodhinatha Veylanswami!
On the day of our Guru Jayanthi celebrations, our monks also acquired the official Certificate of Occupancy for Iraivan Temple. The temple had been Kauai county's longest standing, open construction project and they were happy to see it finally conclude. This occupancy permit is an important step as we begin to finish the last remaining stages of Iraivan Temple's construction over the next few years. Also, Satguru ceremoniously received the large key to Iraivan Temple's sanctum doors which have now been fully installed (more in a future post).
Aum Namah Sivaya. Sivaya Namah Aum.

Aum Namah Sivaya!
Jai to the Nandinatha Sampradaya!
Jai to the Kailasa Parampara!
Jai Satguru Bodhinatha Veylanswami!!!

Today We celebrate Satguru's 79th Jayanthi. Feel free to send him your loving messages in the comments below.

"Many are the gurus who, like lamps, offer light in a house. But rare is the Satguru who illumines the village like the sun. Many are the gurus who are proficient to the utmost in the Vedas and shastras. But rare is the Satguru who has attained Parasivam. Many are the gurus on earth who give what is other than the Self. But rare is the Satguru who brings the atma to light. Many are the gurus who rob sishyas of their wealth. But rare is the Satguru who removes the afflictions of the sishya. He is the Satguru in whose very presence there flows the supreme bliss called ananda. The intelligent person will choose such a one as Satguru and none other." Kularnava Tantra

Satguru Bodhinatha Veylanswami gives his weekly upadesha in Kadavul Temple at Kauai's Hindu Monastery in Hawaii. It is part six of a series of talks elaborating on the inspired teachings of Sivaya Subramuniyaswami as found in his book Merging With Siva. Here, Satguru discusses "The River of Life," a talk given in 1957.

Jai Ganesha!

This week we celebrate the installation of some of the final ornamental additions to Iraivan Temple's Nandi Mandapam. The silpis have completed the installation of the Karna Koodu, the twelve capstones that adorn the mandapam's roof. They've also installed the eight stone parrots that sit upon the corners of the roof. With all that completed, the silpis were then able to place the stone chains into their positions underneath the mandapam's eave. Aum.

Our artist, Suresh Mutthukulam of Kerala, recently finished one more of the ten paintings he is doing to illustrate Satguru Bodhinatha Veylanswami's commentary on Patanjali's Yoga Sutras, a book we plan to publish next year. Suresh is without a doubt one of India's most accomplished artists with a powerful graphic vocabulary of ideas. He often paints murals on Siva temples. Here he takes the famed story of Buddha under the banyan tree, assailed on all sides by threats, temptations, desires, distractions and fascinations of all sorts. Yet, he is not moved, but remains summa, still, centered on God Siva within. The story speaks of a few of the enticements.

Not many visitors to Kauai's Hindu Monastery realize that a few dedicated monastics, along with a small hired crew have worked diligently over the past 20 years to plant and maintain a 100 acre forest of hardwood trees across the river, just a stones throw from the monastery. The trees now range from five foot saplings to fifteen year old trees up to 60 feet tall with plans to plant and/or replant a few more acres in the coming year.

Much of the land was originally covered with Koa and other native trees before it was cleared for sugar cane. Sugar cane became unprofitable and the land became available to the monastery in 2000. A small experimental planting took place following the 2002 celebration of Gurudeva's Mahasamadhi and in 2004 a long term lease was granted by the state of Hawaii and the large scale planting began.

Native Hawaiian Koa and large leafed mahogany are the two primary species grown with a few other varieties including teak and Narra planted here and there. Two aggressively invasive species of plant, guinea grass and albezia trees make maintenance of the trees mandatory and much more difficult that would otherwise be.

Eventually some of the trees will be judiciously harvested and either sold or used for monastery projects such as shrines and temples. Some of the most beautiful trees may be left for future generations and the harvested ones will be replanted with new trees.

Of special interest is an anticipated planting of especially tall, straight and mature teak trees which can be used for future kodimaram (traditional temple flagpole) installation and replacement for the monastery temple and other temples across the nation.

Satguru Bodhinatha Veylanswami gives his weekly upadesha in Kadavul Temple at Kauai's Hindu Monastery in Hawaii. It is part five of a series of talks elaborating on the inspired teachings of Sivaya Subramuniyaswami as found in his book Merging With Siva. Here, Satguru discusses "The River of Life," a talk given in 1957.