Happy second day of Pancha Ganapati!

The monastery keeps moving forward in our duties as usual, but Ganesha’s joyous shakti is in the air.

“Day two of Pancha Ganapati is devoted to creating a vibration of love and harmony among neighbors, relatives and close friends and presenting them with heartfelt gifts. The sadhana of the day is to offer apologies and clear up any misunderstandings that exist.”

Here is our special shrine established for these five days, lavishly decorated by Sadhaka Nandinatha, who celebrates by offering an arati to Lord Ganesha.

“On this day relatives and friends in far-off places are written to or called, forgiveness is sought, apologies made and tensions released.”

Gurudeva designed Pancha Ganapati a few decades ago, and it has been growing more popular ever since.

”Winter solstice has always been a festive time among Hindus especially,” Gurudeva explained, “and a traditional season for the worship of Lord Ganesha. Pancha Ganapati is the Hindu expression of this natural season of worship, gift-giving and celebration.

It is a time to light up the house, share gifts and have a good time with children, family, friends and neighbors. Ganesha presides from the home shrine, blessing us all.

Read more about Pancha Ganapati here.

Also today in our monastery we began a new landscaping project. A big excavator began to cut back the hau bush, a very aggressive and invasive plant that is a problem on Kaua’i. Paramacharya Palaniswami guides the driver.

We have quite a few landscaping projects for the next few days, clearing up paths, opening areas for better sightseeing and even creating a pond.

It’s our duty, as humans, to work together with the Devas in making Kauai Aadheenam the most sacred and beautiful place it can be.

We have the help of Keoki — that’s the Hawaiian phonetic version of “George” –, an unbelievably skilled operator of this heavy excavator. He is a bit of a legend, really, in how much he can achieve with the machine, and there are abundant stories and first-hand accounts. No slope too steep for him.

Jai Ganesha, who guides us always along the right path!

Pillayarpati is one of Lord Ganesha’s greatest temples on Earth. Nearby, Picchai Gurukkal, Hindu of the Year 2005, has his priest training school. We prepared a surprise for his 60th birthday.

Mark Boyer took several weeks off from his New York projects to fly to India and help Bodhinatha and Arumugaswami, and he was our envoy to Pillayarpati.

Mark volunteered to drive all the way to Pillaiyarpatti and present the gift on behalf of the monastery.

The painting is an exotic and masterful rendition of Siva giving the sacred Agamas to Devi, who gave them to Nandi, who passed them to rishis and finally to Picchai Gurukkal.

Mark explains the meaning of each section of the art.

Gurukkal with his wife, proudly displaying the art.

All gather for the group photo. All around the hall, Mark reports, are photos from Gurukkal’s life, including several of Gurudeva, Bodhinatha and the monks.

Jai and happy birthday, Gurukkal.

Afterwards, a private lunch, South Indian style.

The art is based on the Agama verses which describe how the scriptures were revealed to manking. In the first panel, Siva hands the leaves to Parvati.

She in turn conveys them to Nandi.

Nandi graces a living Rishi with the precious spiritual texts.

The Rishi hands them to Picchai Gurukkal.

Who in turn, presents them to humanity. It is Gurukkal’s life mission to do just that, so the painting depicts the deepest purpose of his work. Thank you, Mark.