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A Message from the Editors About Our Digital Dharma Drive


As you might imagine, creating and sharing an articulate and graphically elegant repository of Hinduism is neither easy nor without costs. Yet there has never been a greater need, with youth learning their spiritual ABCs online and millions discovering Hinduism digitally. That’s what our annual fundraising campaign is all about. It’s a chance for you to help us to help Hinduism globally.

Those of us who create free content know the challenges. And one of the challenges is funding. Last year, a few astute donors to our new Digital Dharma Drive brought to our attention that it may appear to many who see fund-raising reports throughout the year for our other projects that we are bringing in plenty of money and that we could just as well spend some of it on our websites and online initiatives rather than having a separate fund-raising drive. But the truth is, we can’t simply reallocate funds given to us for a different project to this one without taking away from those projects, and from our promise to the donors who gave for them. Most activities at Kauai’s Hindu Monastery operate on a donation basis, and when we need money for a project, we raise funds for it. We are strict in the usage of those funds; contributions are only used for the projects for which they are given.

For many years, we have operated under the guiding principle that our many Hindu resources will all be available digitally for free. Yes, we could charge for them, but many who might find them inspiring or needed would simply not pay. But free to the world is not free to us. We have significant costs in running some of Hinduism’s leading websites. Plus we want to grow a little, provide Gurudeva’s teachings in an ever-growing list of new formats, maintain and upgrade the websites and engage some professional assistance to help make all of this possible in today’s rapidly advancing field of digital technology. These goals all come with a price tag. It’s a modest one, but it is real.

We are committed to providing it all without charging for downloads, without showing advertisements on our sites, without commercializing our mission. Without these revenue sources, we turn to you for help.

Last year we received $60,000, and the 2011 goal is $70,000. Our two-month-long Digital Dharma Drive ends on December 31. Many have given, but our goal is still not in sight. We hope you will join in helping us meet our goal. In the right hands, and leveraged by the unsalaried work of the monks, these funds will have a profound impact on the future of Hinduism around the world. Please make a donation today to keep our sites strong well into 2012.

Warm greetings this holiday season,

The Editors
Kauai’s Hindu Monastery
Himalayan Academy Publications

Moksha Ritau Begins


Today the seasons changed. We head into the Moksha Ritau, winter. Here are reminders from Gurudeva, from his Saiva Dharma Shastras, on the significance and sadhanas of this inner season.

112 Introduction
Beginning with Hindu New Year in mid-April, three seasons of the year divide our activities into three great needs of humankind--the learning of scripture in the first season, Nartana Ritau; the living of culture in the second season, Jivana Ritau; and the meditating on Siva in the third season, Moksha Ritau. Thus we are constantly reminded that our life is Siva's life and our path to Him is through study, sadhana and realization. In ritau one, we teach the philosophy; in ritau two, we teach the culture; and in ritau three, we teach meditation.

120 The Third Season: Moksha Ritau
The third period of the year, Moksha Ritau, the cool season, is from mid-December to mid-April. It is the season of dissolution. The key word is resolution. Merging with Siva: Hinduism's Contemporary Metaphysics is the focus of study and intense investigation. The colors of this season are coral-pink, silver and all shades of blue and purple--coral for the Self within, silver and blue for illumination, and purple for enlightened wisdom. High above flies the coral flag, signaling Parashiva, Absolute Reality, beyond time, form and space. Moksha Ritau is a time of appreciation, of gratitude for all that life has given, and a time of honoring elders, those in the sannyasa stage of life. Moksha Ritau is excellent for philosophical discussions, voicing one's understanding of the path through an enlightened intellect. In finance, it is the time for yearly accounting and reconciliation. On a mundane level it is a time of clearing attics, basements, garages, sheds, warehouses, workshops and desks, getting rid of unneeded things, of pruning trees, of streamlining life on the physical plane--of reengineering.

122 Festivals and Realms of the Third Season
The major festival of Moksha Ritau is Mahashivaratri. It is at Kauai Aadheenam, as are all other gatherings, not a public event but a private one, due to the special sacredness of this sanctuary and its Iraivan moksha koyil. Church members, Academy students and special guests by invitation are all who attend. This and all other gatherings at the Aadheenam are restricted in size in keeping with a covenant with the county of Kauai in respect to the surrounding residential area. From December 21-25, the Pancha Ganapati festival is enjoyed in Church family homes worldwide, and the resulting joy and peace is felt even by strangers.

Archives are now available through 2001. Light colored days have no posts. 1998-2001 coming later.

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