Click here for description and photos of the 50th Mahasamadhi Anniversary puja

Over the retreat, the monastery celebrated the chitra nakshatra with our monthly padapuja to Gurudeva's tiruvadi in Kadavul Temple. Local members joined the monks for the silent abhishekam. As milk, yogurt, honey, coconut milk, rose water and more were poured over Gurudeva's sandals, His loving energy permeated the temple and the minds of those present. Sadhaka Jayanatha and Natyam Rajanatha performed the ceremony.


"Because sound is the first creation, knowledge is transferred through sound of all kinds. It is important that one listen to the highest truths of a sampradaya from one who has realized them. The words, of course, will be familiar. They have been read by the devotee literally hundreds of times, but to hear them from the mouth of the enlightened Rishi is to absorb his unspoken realization, as he re-realizes his realization while he reads them and speaks them out. This is Saiva Siddhanta. This is true sampradaya--thought, meaning and knowledge conveyed through words spoken by one who has realized the Ultimate." Gurudeva

In 1997 Gurudeva had two statues of Yogaswami made. One these was destined to go on a world pilgrimage and finally go home to Sri Lanka. This month Yogaswami arrived in Jaffna and a huge celebration was conducted to officially welcome the statue of Yogaswami back to his home on the occasion of his 50th Mahasamadhi on April 10th

This year Bodhinatha was invited to attend three Yogaswami's 50th year Mahasamadhi Guru Puja in Canada. This first puja was at the Richmond Hill Ganesha Temple, Toronto, Ontario. 
After a formal welcoming ceremony at the temple Bodhinatha was brought to the temple hall for Yogaswami Guru Puja and satsang

Today we celebrate the beginning of the Hindu Year of Jaya, 5115, the year of Victory. Sadhu Paksha ended yesterday for the monks and this morning, monks and local devotees paraded out to the flagpole. The coral pink flag of the Moksha Ritau was replaced with the bright orange flag of the Nartana Ritau.

Nartana Ritau, the season of Dancing with Siva, begins on Tamil New Year. This is the period of creation, the warm season, from mid-April through mid-August. The key word of this season is planning. The colors are orange, yellow-gold and all shades of green–orange for renunciation, yellow-gold for action, and green for regeneration.

High above, the main Hindu flag flies the color orange, heralding the Nartana Ritau throughout this season, symbolizing sadhana and self-control. The other colors adorn smaller flags. This is the season of giving special attention to those in the grihastha ashrama. It is a time of awakening, renewal, review. The emphasis is on seeing ahead, planning for future years. It is a time of planning retreats and other activities for youths and adults for the entire year. During this time of looking forward, the Church's six-year plan is updated by the Guru Mahasannidhanam and stewards and another year added.

The Saiva Dharma Shastras are studied; and any needed additions in supplementary manuals, representing new growth, are made. The practical focus is completion of unfinished projects. Secular holidays to observe among the families include Mother's Day in May, Father's Day in June and Grandparent's Day in August.

This season of harvest and new growth is also the time to review and reestablish picking and planting routines for the gardens. It is a time for ordering seeds and plants for the year, of planting trees, fragrant vines and the annual crop. Review is made for scheduling the care of all nine realms of the Aadheenam's acreage. Kadavul temple and the Guru Temple are cleaned and renewed during this season, and the adjacent grounds receive special, abundant attention. Karma yogis are invited to help in this and other areas with planting and weeding, digging, fertilizing, fence repair and more.

The daily sadhana is the Sivachaitanya Panchatantra: experiencing nada, jyoti, prana, bhakti and darshana. In Sanskrit, it is a time of learning new slokas and mantras. In the family community, prasnottara satsanga is held for one and all to attend. Families plan for their annual pilgrimage. Shrine rooms are renewed and redecorated for the year, and the clothing of all is renewed in the Hindu style of the current fashion. It is a time of doing things for others, religious outreach. It is a time of hatha yoga and philosophical teaching.