It is a powerful, clear morning on Kauai. The pre-dawn fire ceremony conducted by Natyam Tyaganatha was so sweet and deep, and all the pilgrims here from Canada and Los Angeles sat and stood entranced. Afterwards Gurudeva sat on the white tile steps near the homa pit and spoke to us all. One of the pilgrims was taking his family back to his home town of Chidambaram in India, the center of the Saivite universe. Amazingly, he told us that the priests at Siva's Home in Chidambaram have asked him to bring to them sanctified abhishekam water from Siva's Kadavul Temple on Kauai, which they plan to use for special rites at Chidambaram! Such wonderful ways the Hindu temple of the world are cooperating. Gurudeva spoke of temples this morning:

"There are so many temples in the US now and through them Hinduism is spreading across the nation swiftly, which means that the consciousness of the world is changing, for the better, people's consciousness is raising and they want to know about the deeper things of life. Many who go to the temples in America and Europe are Hindus in the hearts, Hindus because they believe in the presence of God in all things."

"They also believe in karma and reincarnation as the natural law. Those who believe these concepts are not members of any of the Abrahamic faiths. They are by virtue of how they see the world followers of Sanatana Dharma."

Having transcended the desire for sons, the desire for wealth, the desire for worlds, they go about as mendicants. For the desire for sons is the desire for wealth, and the desire for wealth is the desire for worlds. All these are nothing but desires. He, the atman, is not this, not this.

On August 30th the publications team wrapped up the November issue of HT. The main subject is Vedic astrology in America. It's a wonderful set of articles. We also heard that Swami Pragyanand from Delhi is about to visit Kauai Aadheenam for a few days. He's celebrating his birthday by coming to visit Gurudeva. A special homa in Kadavul Temple will commemorate his birthday.