"We have completed our talks addressing the issue of drug use. But the issue really is helping people make a decision, educating them to make a decision. If youth know the consequences of getting starting on illegal substances, if we can make them really understand the disaster they are headed for, then they will make a decision to say no. And this applies to life in many other ways. I know people who are 30 years old and are still 'looking at options.' Their lives are useless. They haven't made any significant decisions. You should make a decision and then move forward. If you want to re-visit the decision and change it, OK, but that should also be another deliberate decision. In this way we can move forward positively in life."

Gurudeva

We had pilgrims today from Texas: Mr. Halekote N. Kumarashekara (left), his wife Lalithamma (center) and their friend Dr. Vasanthi Rao (right) came from San Antonio. He and his wife and Mrs. Rao pilgrimiged to Kauai to the temple and to meet Gurudeva. Mr. Kumarashekara is former chairman of the Hindu Temple of San Antonio and a current member of the board of trustees. He knows Gurudeva from Gurudeva's previous trips to Texas and has been a long time reader of Hinduism Today. He and Lalithamma have been reading HT since it was called "The New Saivite World." That makes them readers for over 20 years! " He says, "It was a wonderful experience to visit the temple location here and meet Gurudeva in person, and more than anything, to see what goes on behind the scenes on Hinduism Today. I think this will make me a regular pilgrim to Kauai. I hope to return as often as I can." speaking about the progress in Texas, Mr. Kumarashekara says, "We have about 2,000 listed on the mailing list and a regularly attending weekly congregation of about 100 families. Our most recent project is the Maha Lakshmi hall and auditorium. We are about to start the foundation. This an $800,000.00 dollar project. After Gurudeva came to visit our temple in about 1992 for our 3rd anniversary, he offered to send us an Ardhanarisvara murthi. We installed this in its own small temple adjacent to the main temple. I think that San Antonio is the only temple that has an Ardhanisvara temple. If any one is interested in visiting or contacting or participating in the temple activities in San Antonio, you may email Mr. Kumara at kumara@flash.net

Today was Sun Six and a special homa was performed for our guests from Kashi Ashram earily in the morning. Homa begins with sankalpa chants and a small camphor flame.

The temple is very quiet in the early morning. Here is Madhava from Florida watching as the homa begins.

An extremely rare photo of the temple, usually unavailable, with the home pit, the crystal and Nataraja in the far back sanctum.

The homa now is in full progress. Our brothers from Florida were honored as the chief participants.

Offering trays being held by each one to put into the fire for the final Purnahuti.

The homa is completed as all stand for the final arati.

Gurudeva asked Swami Durga Kali Jaya Das, and Swami Ramayana Kali Baba to come up to sit with him and offer their thoughts to all the devotees. They were full of gratitude for the opportunity to come to Kauai and thank ful to Gurudeva and Ma for having brought us all together like this.

Gurudeva also asked the Brahmacharis to come up for a short speech and then he gave them some gorgeous shawls from India. First Soo Se Shiva.

Then Madhava and Shiva Kali.