Today at Kauai Aadheenam

Satguru holding the Purnahuti

Yoginathaswami showing the final arati to Nataraja

Panaromic shot of the big rainbow we spotted

Aum Namah Sivaya!

On January 12th, we celebrated Maha Ardra in Kadavul Temple. We began the day at 5.30am by performing a homa, which empowered a Siva Kumbha to later be poured over Nataraja during the finale of the abhishekam. Yoginathaswami was the main pujari for the day and conducted the homa with Satguru and our monks and devotees present. Following the completion of the homa, we then began the abhishekam at 9am. During the abhishekam Yoginathaswami, Siddhanathaswami, Saravanathaswami and Mayilnathswami were helping in the main shrine. Outside the sanctum, Satguru along with Tillainathaswami, Arumuganathaswami and Muruganathaswami were chanting Sri Rudram. Other mathavasi were passing abhishekam items like curd and honey into the shrine. When the coconut abhishekam was about to commence, all the mathavasi stood in a chain to pass the coconuts into the sanctum and out again. It was very well orchestrated. Once done with the abhishekam, the alankaram took around 30 minutes for the complete decoration of Nataraja, and the was followed by the final portions of the puja. Overall it was a very uplifting and vibrant event. All the monks and devotees present on that day could easily feel Siva’s darshan. Since we weren’t able to take photo or do live streams of Lord Nataraja, we at least got some pictures of the homa for you to enjoy. Aum!

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.

“If both husband and wife are on the spiritual path, the householder family will progress beautifully and deeply. Their love for one another and their offspring maintains family harmony. However, the nature of their sādhana and unfoldment of the spirit is different from that of the sannyāsin. The family unit itself is an odic-force structure. It is a magnetic-force structure, a material structure, for they are involved in the objects and relationships of the world. It is the family’s effort to be “in the world but not of it” that gives the impetus for insight and the awakening of the soul. The struggle to maintain the responsibilities of the home and children while simultaneously observing the contemplative way, in itself, provides strength and balance, and slowly matures innate wisdom through the years.“

Satguru’s Publisher’s Editorial from the January/February/March, 2025 edition of Hinduism Today Magazine

A small portion of our large coconut. supply

Vel helps pick coconuts

Garlands are prepared at the new shop

Jai Ganesha!

Coming up on the 12th of January the monks will be celebrating Maha Ardra in Kadavul Temple! This festival is an important event for Nataraja, as it is the worshiping of Siva in form, as opposed to Mahsivaratri, which is for the Formless Absolute. For this, the mathavasi have been making garlands and preparing 108 coconuts, ten different types of prasadam, panchamirtham, 108 gallons of milk, yogurt, citrus juice and more, all for the abhishekam. Everything will be done on a grand scale. All the offerings will be prepared by the monks and taskforcers, apart from the prasadam which will be done by our Head Chef, Mani. Satguru will preside over the event while Yoginathaswami will be the head pujari and all the other mathavasi will help with the puja, the chanting and the abhishekam—especially the passing of 108 coconuts into the sanctum. Every year a great deal of planning and preparations goes into this event by the monks, as it’s one of the biggest pujas of the year. We won’t be able to do live streaming of the event since we can’t take video or photo of Kadavul Nataraja but we encourage you to connect in mind and spirit from your home shrine during the puja. We hope everyone has a great time on this auspicious day. Aum Namah Sivaya!