We started the day with Rudram, a short puja and chanting Gurudeva ashtottara. This time we were joined by two Sivacharya priests who will be conducting the main mahasamadhi puja tomorrow. A third priest arrived later in the day.
Later in the morning, Satguru gave a upadesha to the small group of pilgrims, and in the afternoon pilgrims attended our bi-weekly Pradosha Puja at Iraivan Temple. The just-arrived third priest, Arun, joined in from the start and the others participated later when we came into the garbhagriha.
Sadhaka is given instructions for chanting the Namah Shivaya Mantra
And a blessing to begin
Next Niraj, visiting from London, takes his Vratashishya vows
Aum Namah Sivaya
The next morning we hold another short padapuja in Kadavul Temple to start the day
In the late morning, pilgrims gather to plant a sandalwood tree
It’s a clear day
But once we begin the planting it rains heavily
Thankfully the rain stopped once the planting was concluded
Some fertilizer is added
and some more water
Jai Gurudeva!
Our 2024 Annual Founder Event continues. Yesterday morning we observed several diksha ceremonies. The first being for Sadhaka Shankaranatha who received his Samaya Diksha, or “Mantra Diksha” by which he is expected to chant the Panchakshra Mantra, “Namah Shivaya” every day. Following the diksha, Niraj, who is visiting from London, sat before Satguru to take his vows as a vratashishya of the Kailaisa Parampara after many years of preparation. Jai!
Today we began at 6:00am in Kadavul Temple with another padapuja to Gurudeva, performed by Sannyasin TIllainathaswami and Nirvani Tejadevanatha. Later in the morning, pilgrims traveled out to San Marga with Paramacharya Sadasivanathaswami to plant a sandalwood tree near Muruga Hill, is a small grove in which we intent to have several such trees. The group worked together to add the perfect mixture of soils and to place the little tree in the ground, during which time the clouds opened up for a heavy rain. After the planting was completed, the sun came out and a small blessing was performed for the tree.
Today is the first day of our Annual Founder Celebration which marks the 23rd anniversary of Satguru Sivaya Subramuniyaswami’s mahasamadhi. During this event, it is an auspicious time to inwardly connect with Gurudeva. We began the day at 5.45am starting with a padapuja. Following the puja we had a 15-minute silent meditation. Once concluded, prasadam was distributed for everyone to enjoy. There will be continued celebrations throughout the following four days. This puja is a reminder that, even for those who are far away, Gurudeva is always with us with love and light. During this time of year that connection is even stronger, so continue with your deep meditations! Stay tuned for more updates and events. Aum Namah Sivaya.
Mauritian members and students gathered in the new mandapam to wish our Satguru a joyous 82nd
Under a beautifully crafted wooden ceiling, good souls pose for a family portrait following the jayanthi celebrations
A small shrine is built for the event
Rajen Manick sent news from one island to another:
Mauritius sishyas met at the Spiritual Park on Sunday 13th to celebrate Guru Jayanthi in a very devotional spirit enhanced by Natchintanai singing, pada puja and cake cutting for Bodhinatha. Everyone present felt uplifted. Bodhinatha sent the following message to be read to the shishyas: “Certain times of the year cause us to be more reflective about our lives. For some, it could be the new year and the idea of a new year’s resolution. For others, it could be their birthday. For married couples, it could be their anniversary.”
Bodhinatha’s Message: I often mention the importance of practice for making spiritual progress. Patanjali uses the term abyasa for consistent daily practice. Gurudeva, of course, prefers the term sadhana and stressed we are on the sadhana marga which our lexicon defines as: “Coined by Siva Yogaswami to describe the way he urged serious aspirants to follow—a path of intense effort, spiritual discipline and consistent inner transformation, as opposed to theoretical and intellectual learning.”
In Hindu organizations that focus on spiritual advancement, a trend for devotees is to be dynamic in their practice at the beginning but over the years to put less and less effort in their inner work until they reach the point where the organization is more a social group of like-minded individuals. Gurudeva strove to offset this trend by the practice of an annual rededication to the sadhana marga. A second trend again, for those who have been with an organization for many years, is to maintain their current level of attainment without an effort to deepen it. For example, you see the inner light as a faint glow in our head and that is good enough. There is no effort to go more deeply into it.
This is where the idea I mentioned at the beginning comes into play—taking advantage of the days of the year we are more reflective about our life. On such a day, it is good to think about where we are on the spiritual path and choose one or more areas to improve during the coming year.
This is taking the idea of regular practice once step deeper. Not only are we practicing regularly, we are working on our nature. We are changing who we are. We are refining ourselves. We are committed to the serious process of becoming a more spiritual person. As Gurudeva said, even if you are a guru, even Chellappaswami, Yogaswami, they never stopped becoming a more spiritual person. Even Gurudeva kept becoming a more and more spiritual person, developing new abilities.
Have a wonderful Jayanti celebration. Om Namasivaya.”
Bodhinatha’s special message is read aloud. See full text above. Vel Mahalingam performs the aartiAarti flame is passedAll prostrate to the SatguruThe young ones sing special songs written for the occasionKulapati and Kulamata cut the cake togetherThe cake that says “Happy Birthday”
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 mystic, while in the beginning stages, tries diligently through his sādhana to extract his awareness from the thinking area of the mind while simultaneously trying to perceive without thinking about what he has perceived. It is the overview of what has been perceived that the mystic endeavors to superconsciously grasp in a series of flashes. He well knows that thinking is the more externalized strata. The mystic constantly, through every waking moment and even during sleep, endeavors to strengthen his acute observation through perceiving the overview of thought strata rather than thinking through them. My guru often said, “There is a chair at the top. Sit in it and look at the world from that perspective.” The mystic constantly sits in this chair, looking at mind from the threshold of the Absolute.”
Today our monks performed the special monthly abhishekam to Lord Nataraja in Kadavul Temple. We can’t photograph the event, but here’s a few photos taken around the monastery recently.
First is a collection of images from our newly producing dragonfruit cactus near our kitchen. It gives incredible flowers, followed by equally as wonderful fruits. Next we take you to the afternoon Muruga puja in Kadavul Temple. And finally, off to our small culinary mushroom growing initiative, to see them go from sawdust block, to kitchen to lunch-plate.
The amazing dragonfruit flower. It blooms for one day only
A few weeks later you get some lovely fruits
Yum!
A few days ago Vel arrived at the airport
This afternoon he and Kodiswara are attending the Muruga puja
A great way to start your afternoon
Next, inside our humble gourmet mushroom operation. Where temperature, airflow and humidity must be closely controlled. These are otherwise sterile blocks of growing mushroom mycelium. Once the bag is opened and exposed to air, light and a drop in temperature, they grow mushrooms.
The summer had been too warm to grow much, but these chestnut mushroom give a small flush
A few days layer they turn a bright orange.
Our lion’s mane mushrooms are also content to fruit this time of year
Chestnut mushrooms are similar to Shiitake mushrooms
The day’s fresh, homegrown ingredients: Eggplant. Roma Tomato blend, green beans, chestnut mushrooms, bell peppers, okra, dill, rosemary, parsley and thyme.
A mediterranean chickpea dish to go with the salad and green beans
And of course, a mushroom risotto using our chestnut mushrooms
