After a week of highly auspicious events, this phase opened with yet another uplifting moment. Rajita Sivananda, formerly Judith Cornell, enter the Saivite Hindu religion through the name giving ceremony known as the “Namakarana.”
Rajita sits before the sacred fire….
Then she reads out her oath of allegiance to the Hindu Faith, which we copy below in full.
Aum Ganesha
Namakarana Samskara
Hindu Name-Giving Sacrament
I, Rajita Sivananda, formerly known as Judith Cornell, having declared of my own volition acceptance of the principles of the Sanatana Dharma, and having formally severed all previous non-Hindu religious affiliations, attachments and commitments, hereby humbly petition entrance into the Saiva sect of the Hindu religion through the traditional namakarana samskara and plead for recognition by the community of devotees witnessing this sacred rite of this irrevocable adoption of or conversion to Hinduism. I have completed a study of the Hindu teachings and hereby proclaim my acceptance of the following nine beliefs of Hinduism and my promise to fulfill to the best of my ability the pancha nitya karmas: worship, upasana; holy days, utsava, virtuous living, dharma; pilgrimage, tirthayatra; and rites of passage, samskara. I now avow to the nine beliefs by reading them aloud. Aum.
1. I believe in the divinity of the Vedas, the world’s most ancient scripture, and venerate the Agamas as equally revealed. These primordial hymns are God’s word and the bedrock of Sanatana Dharma, the eternal religion which has neither beginning nor end.
2. I believe in a one, all-pervasive Supreme Being who is both immanent and transcendent, both Creator and Unmanifest Reality.
3. I believe that the universe undergoes endless cycles of creation, preservation and dissolution.
4. I believe in karma, the law of cause and effect by which each individual creates his own destiny by his thoughts, words and deeds.
5. I believe that the soul reincarnates, evolving through many births until all karmas have been resolved, and moksha, spiritual knowledge and liberation from the cycle of rebirth, is attained. Not a single soul will be eternally deprived of this destiny.
6. I believe that divine beings exist in unseen worlds and that temple worship, rituals, sacraments as well as personal devotionals create a communion with these devas and Gods.
7. I believe that a spiritually awakened master, or satguru, is essential to know the Transcendent Absolute, as are personal discipline, good conduct, purification, pilgrimage, self-inquiry and meditation.
8. I believe that all life is sacred, to be loved and revered, and therefore practice ahimsa, noninjury.
9. I believe that no particular religion teaches the only way to salvation above all others, but that all genuine religious paths are facets of God’s Pure Love and Light, deserving tolerance and understanding.
Signature: former name: Judith Cornell
Hindu name: Rajita Sivananda
Satguru Bodhinatha Veylanswami signs Rajita Namakarana Certificate.
It is Hereby Certified that this devotee, Rajita Sivananda, was at a namakarana samskara held at the temple known as Kadavul located in Hawaii on the auspicious day of November 17th, 2009 duly given a Hindu name in accordance with the traditions of Sanatana Dharma before the Deity, the Mahadevas and the devas and the congregation of devotees. This person is thus bound eternally and immutably to the Hindu religion as a member of this most ancient faith with full rights of access to all public Hindu temples, shrines and institutions throughout the world from this day onward. Through this magical Vedic ceremony guardian devas have been invoked from the Antarloka to protect, guide and defend this devotee.
Rajita writes her name on a tray of rice which is passed over the flame and the devotees all pronounce in unison
“Let this devotee’s name be established! Tad astu!”
“Let this devotee’s name be established! Tad astu!”
We all welcome Rajita to our global Hindu family!
Tad Astu!