Gurudeva meets with Kulapati Deva Katir and Deva Seyon and his Ekadanta Kulam staff. Gurudeva reviewed with them details for an up-and-coming retreat for young ladies that will be held on the island later this year.

Title: Greatest Religion in the World Category: Hinduism and Tradition Duration: 1 min., 48 seconds

The San Marga Iraivan Temple Project, a traditional Chola style Siva temple being hand carved in India and assembled on Kauai.

Cybertalk: Here's a talk from our Guru Purnima celebrations in July from a devotee of Swami Bua who was visiting for the festival. He asked Gurudeva about a statement he had heard about Hinduism being the Greatest religion in the world. As we know, Gurudeva is not shy in claiming the greatness of Hinduism, so he had some fun with his answer.

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Transcription of One of Gurudeva's CyberTalks
September_18_2000
Title: To Bury Or Burn?
Category: Hinduism and Tradition
Duration: 56 seconds

A question coming in from a cyber cadet wondering about burying the dead opposed to cremating like the Hindus do. What significance is there is burying the dead?

The Abrahamic religions bury their dead because they believe that the dead is going to raise up out of the grave at one time in history and that is the significant reason that they bury the dead. As far as I know Hindus cremate the body because they know that they're going to reincarnate into another body. Hindus discard the body like old clothing. But the other religions want to keep it as long as possible and they believe that they are going to use it again.

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The Rig Veda says:

"The Sage of men, the Lord of human races, pure, purifying Agni, balmed with butter, Him the Omniscient as your Priest ye stablish: he wins among the Gods things worth the choosing."

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Ganesha worship at the Banyan tree. Here is an excerpt from Loving Ganesha:

"Once a psychic connection is made with Lord Ganesha--
the Deity who manifests in several forms, including the elephant-headed Lord of Categories and Remover of Obstacles--one is brought slowly into the mysteries of the Sanatana Dharma. Such an inner connection, which can be as subtle as a feeling, as tenuous as a dream or as bold as a personal visit, is also an entering into one's own mûlâdhâra chakra, governed by the planet Mercury, for every opening into a new chakra is also an introduction to the Deity who governs that state of consciousness and the planet to which that chakra is connected."

Quick Photo Hop to Singapore

In the middle is Sivakumar who was on Task Force here at Kauai Aadheenam earlier this year. Sadhunathan write:

"Vanakkam, Swamaji

Kulapati Dohadeva Sanmugan suggested I send you this photo of us all together this morning at the Murugan temple. It was a joyfull visit, they are the most gracious of hosts.

Aum Sivaya
Sadhunathan"

An eleven acre site in Bangalore, India, where 75 Indian families live and daily carve the sacred white granite edifice of Iraivan Temple which will soon begin to be assembled on the island of Kauai

Gurudeva's other monastery in the island country of Mauritius
in the Indian Ocean near South Africa

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