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Monastery Twitter Updates for 2011-04-07

  • Flying to Midland, Texas, this morning. #
  • Arrived Midland. Back in Texas after just making the flight after an exciting run through Denver airport! #
  • Upon arriving in Midland, we were whisked to the beautiful home of the Drs. Patel for a delicious Gujarati feast. #
  • On our way to the Catholic church for the landmark interfaith event in Midland, Texas. #
  • Speakers at the interfaith event are interviewed by the press http://t.co/WhWMRzZ #
  • Bodhinatha reviews his prepared remarks on his iPad before the event begins http://t.co/wDwOxUS #
  • Bodhinatha answers the first panel question, on evil and suffering http://t.co/7QXUMpl #
  • Extremely successful #interfaith event in Midland, Texas, first time in the Permian Basin! #

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Gurudeva's Podcast Regenerated

Years ago we had a collection of 365 talks by Gurudeva. These were the best of his TAKA upadeshas in answer to Cybercadet questions along with his recordings of Merging with Siva. The RSS feed was to roll-over and start again each year, but it did not. We finally have it working again. For those who are facile with RSS use this URL in your favorite reader to play the latest “episode”

http://www.himalayanacademy.com/audio/podcasts/gurudeva_taka_mws.rss.irev

If you are not facile with RSS you can listen to these on your computer and also get a different image of Gurudeva every time you load the talk. (quicktime required on your machine)

Just download our small application to your desktop. And we also have a linux version, finally!

Inspired short talks by a Mystical Master

RSS Feed

This podcast features short daily episodes, from one to seven minutes long, of talks given by one of the most influential and inspiring spiritual leaders of our time. Satguru Sivaya Subramuniyaswami’s discourses range from deeply esoteric subjects to everyday human concerns, always revealing the enlightened perspective of a Hindu mystical master.

Gurudeva’s Daily Podcast player: A small application that plays Gurudeva’s Podcast for the day.

These are newly issued apps and we have tested the Mac and Linux versions, if you are a windows users, we have made a proper Windows Installer. We would appreciate feedback that it is working well or not. Please email “studyhall@hindu.org” with your comments. Be sure to tell us what system you are using.

We are not making mobile apps at this time. Android users may be able to just run the RSS feed. Right now these talks are not available at the Apple store. When they do become available there we will let you know and you can get them on your iPod. Meanwhile the above application will get the day talk for you on your desktop.

Vasaant trains at the monastery dairy

Vasaant has been helping the Pillaiyar kulam this past week. One of his morning activities is to begin the work day at the monastery dairy farm. For the past three days Vasaant has been learning how to milk. Vasaant is a quick-learn, and after observing Shanmuganathaswami for one day, and on the second day he went through the milking routine by himself, with some coaching. Here he is on the third day with our lovable little Jersey Anu, having quickly caught on to the milking process. Vasaant said "I would not have had the chance to do this in Singapore. There are no dairy farms in the CBD." (Central Business District for those who don't live in Singapore.)

Part of the morning cow milking routine is to feed the seventy-plus wild birds who come like clockwork for their breakfast. Our youngest Holstein Teji does not understand why Vasaant is not giving her some of the seeds. Please give me some…

Vasaant, being a kind-hearted and compassionate soul, offers Teji a scrumptious cube of alfalfa hay which she eagerly grasps from his hand. Cows don't reach for grass or hay cubes with their teeth, they use their looong tongue and pull the food into their mouth and swallow it (well, maybe a couple of chews for taste). Later they will bring the grass or hay cube up from one of their four stomachs a piece at a time and chew on it. It is called "chewing their cud." Teji is also a big fan of oranges and grapefruits as she fully realizes the importance of vitamin C in her diet, especially in the cold and flu season.

Vasaant is now the best of friends with sweet, little Anu, and Anu thinks Vasaant is her "BFF." She has big, long horns but never uses them to show her "might" to the other cows or to her human friends. In fact, she thinks she is a person, always has been since she was a keiki (Hawaiian for child), and wonders why the humans don't eat and enjoy the grass and hay cubes like she does. "How come you only eat the oranges?"

No shortage of delicious grass here. Anu has been milking for about eight months and gives about four gallons of milk each day which the monks use for yogurt, cream for coffee and abhishekam for the temple Deities. Being a math wizard, Vasaant quickly determined that she has given at least 960 gallons since her calf, Mela, was born in June, 2010. The monastery dairy is one of only two dairy operations we know of on Kauai. The dairy is partially funded by the Cows of Kadavul and Iraivan Temples (Kovil Maadu) Endowment (fund #77), one of 84 funds with Hindu Heritage Endowment.

Nandi Mandapam Carving Update from Bangalore

Our Nandi Mandapam is highly ornate. For those who have been to temples in places like Courtallam, we aspire to come close to these exquisite carvings.

Kulapati Jiva Rajasankara sends this update today.

Here are photos taken during Selvanathan Sthapati’s visit to Bangalore.

The sunshade is being marked so that ornamental carvings can begin.

See the details as to how original markings are drawn with charcoal and then inked with red oxide.

One may wonder why they are using charcoal like pencil. It is simple. When a wrong line is drawn, you just have to tap your hand twice and the markings are gone. Your hand is an “eraser.”

You can see in detail how measurements are taken using a thin bamboo stick. No rulers are required.

Using the same procedure the entire sunshade will be marked and carving will begin.

Stiff paper stencils are also used in the process.

Mauritius Ganesha Homa April 2011-Spiritual Park

Welcome to the Spiritual Park of Mauritius! Every month it's a unique family spiritual experience with the Ganesha Homa ceremony which mystically uplifts everyone attending the event.

The flowers and garlands speak of themselves, expressing a living testimony of love offerings from thousands of devotees.

Mantra chanting pervades the whole place while four kulapaties officiate the ceremony.

Devotion is high…

Lord Pancha Mukha Ganapati at the centre of the Mandapam!

Our ladies arranging piles of written prayers that would be sent into the sacred fire.

The monthly public talk from Bodhinatha's teachings reaches everyone through loudspeakers over the Park.

Families gathered at the Sivalingum for personal worship.

Devotees enjoying a beautiful sea view at the waterfront.

The Ganesha Shrine where devotees line up to patiently to offer their tray of offerings.

Here too Lord Ganesha is highly decked with homemade garlands lovingly woven by families.

Worshippers at Lord Siva Dakshina shrine.

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

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