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Bodhinatha in Chidambaram/Pondicherry

Happy Guru Purnima everyone!

Bodhinatha and team moved on to Pondicherry. Here is Bodhinatha’s executive summary, followed buy a poem by one of the attendees of the events in Chidambaram.

Om Sivaya, everyone,

Jai Ganapati.

Over 60 devotees participated in the Guru Purnima celebrations at Chidambaram. It ran from 6:30 AM to about 2 PM. First was a pada puja followed by my talk with Tamil translation read by Dr. Manickavel. Next was vibhuti blessings followed by breakfast. Events were held at the Akshaya Hotel meeting hall.

Next we walked to the temple and receive a special Head of monastery blessing at the entrance. On to Nataraja’s shrine for a 1,008 names of Siva and Parvati archana. After a long stay in the sanctum for the archana everyone was uplifted by Nataraja’s blessings.

Next we moved up to an elevated area behind Nandi that faces Nataraja. There we held the five vishesha dikshas– it was quite magical with the large bells ringing through most of the initiations. Finally, at we attended the 11 AM sphatika lingam abhishekam and ruby Nataraja puja. Back to the hotel for lunch then some closing short speeches. After packing we drove off to Pondicherry.

That evening in Pondicherry we had a small gathering with two representatives from the Yogeeswar group from Kerala and GK Nair (Hinduism Today correspondent in Kerala) and wife.

Om
Bodhinatha

Impressions from Guru Purnima, 2011, Chidambaram

You cannot take your eyes off
you are transfixed
a magnet so strong
you are drawn
held in a space
suspended in time
all is blank, everything still

His energy seems to change
am i hallucinating
he moves his head, slightly, twice
is that the lion whose roar we hear
in the deepest depths of our heart ….

a firmness sets in, almost stern
is that the sage so merged into his Source
only few dared be near
yet all were held so close ….

how tall he is now, oh
almost rising and ready to walk
his fingers rolled in a fist

is that a smile, is that a stare?
is that a light so soft? or a sound so bright?
this or that? who or when?
does it really matter?
so many changes, so many forms
giving you a chance
to remember, to connect, to return

in a flash
there He is, our Beloved
Swayumbhu, Nataraja, Dakshinamurti
many forms, many names
or just Space
Sivasiva, Sadasiva, Siva, Siva
All Siva, only Siva

That is this, here and now
that is all the mind truly knows
That is Love, eternal, full
and the heart silently explodes
gratitude and thankfullness
quietly fill the space

A blanket of Grace
with Love as its lining
its color that of His Light
now draws us close

what more of a blessing can a Guru give
he who is born only to give
even his very breath is not for him
he has already died, so we can live
he donned orange, he withdrew
to become our support, our center,
our very core
he knows what life in the world can churn
knows where we can be thrown, be burnt
he also knows, in that is our growth
our only way to return to Source
he works to change the soil
pull the weeds, flick the worms
water, food and light he provides
never missing a turn
all the hard work is his
the rewards however, all ours

when words fail to testify
when only tears remain
sweet as nectar, pure and fresh
we celebrate a birth, this birth
a chance we’ve been given
to end a thousand more
or maybe even more
what an honor, what a blessing
exhilaration, bliss

We love you, dear Satguru
we love you,
O! how we love you
May that be our redeeming grace
when all else fails
May our flaws, our imperfections
be flooded out
May we emerge energised
a tiny, but true, reflection
of your essence
charming, innocent, humble
sweetly humorous too!
May you look at us and say –
“Is that me? or, you?
I am He and so are you!”

Aum Namah Sivaya Aum
Aum Namah Sivaya Aum

GK Nair and his wife from Kerala. Mr. Nair is a journalist and has been in close contact with the editors of Hinduism Today for nearly two decades.

Bodhinatha met with Mr. Venu Kumar and Dr. Suresh of the Yogeeswara Kshema Sabha of Kerala. The Yogeeswara community numbers about 30,000 in Kerala and trace their origins back to Kashmir and Saiva Siddhanta. Venu Kumar and Dr. Suresh are interested in establishing a closer relationship with Bodhinatha and getting his advice on the future of their community. Originally a brahmin group, they have dispersed into other occupations, and some have even converted to other religions. Venu Kumar said they were in need of guidance.

The next day (July 13 in India) Bodhinatha writes:

The day was a combination of shutting down our physical operations at the French Institute and School of the far East and meeting with devotees at the hotel. Included was a meeting with members of the San Marga Trust coordinated by Nellaiappan to update them on the successful completion of the digitization phase of the Saiva Agama project.

Evening was a gathering of staff from the two institutions for an appreciation reception and dinner, some forty plus individuals attended at Atithi.

~~~~~~~~~~~
END OF PHASE
Today is the last day of our phase.
This edition of TAKA will remain posted
over our coming three-day retreat,
until Tritiya Tithi, Sun One, Sunday, July 17th.

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