 Satguru Siva Yogaswami Jaffna, Sri Lanka  Satguru Sivaya Subramuniyaswami Hawaii, USA |
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 Satguru Bodhinatha Veylanswami Kauai's Hindu Monastery, USA 
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April 7, 2002
April 7: Dhanishtha until 12:00PM HST April 8: Satabhisha until 2:51AM Tue HST Hindu Year 5103: Vrisha, the "Year of Fulfillment" |
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 Gurudeva loved to honor the sthapatis, silpis and temple builders of the world. Here he is with the team at the first stone laying ceremony of Iraivan Temple.
Our Beloved and Revered Satguru Sivaya Subramuniyaswami
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Cybertalk: The Master Course lesson of the day and the sutra are on the senior monastics accepting new monastics for training. We have a duty to pass the wisdom of our years, everything we know, to the new generation of mathavasis. The same applies to families.
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And click here for an Index to All Past CyberTalks.
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Though the monastery is on retreat, the temple is still open. Mr. and Mrs. Rajesh Tugnait and their boy, Ishaan, of England chatting with Kulamata Amala Seyon of Kauai (seated). Amala comes to the information center adjoining the monastery twice a week in the spirit of karma-yoga to help manage Hinduism Today subscriptions. She has been particularly busy this past month fulfilling the many orders for the very special Gurudeva memorial issue, the April-May-June 2002 issue. If you would like to order copies of it, or subscribe to Hinduism Today, contact us at subscribe@hindu.org.
The drum is one of Siva's instruments and the monks use them to play along with singing and the thavil in front during festivals and special pujas and parades. The rhythm of the universe, the sacred tandava dance of Lord Siva, the impulse of creation, the pulse of manifestation, the beating of the heart, the patter of rain, the pattern of the flowers, the rhythmically cooing of the doves and roosting birds at sunset, the beat of time sounded silently by the circling sun... everywhere a sacred drum.
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Saiva Siddhanta Church
Malaysian Mission's Young Adults Take a Lead!
The second project of the Youths of Saiva Siddhanta Church (SSC) Malaysia was the Hindu youth seminar held in Panniru Thirumurai centre last Sunday, March 17 2002. Headed by our astounding Project Chairman, Aravind Raj, the one-day seminar aimed at introducing the Trilogy books and how Hinduism can be practiced in our day-to-day living. The place was arranged by Bro Kailasam.
We bring you photos from some of the sessions:
Left: Annapoorani's session was on the subject of devotion, temple and Lord Ganesha. Her mode of presentation was simply marvelous. All were laughing throughout the session. She also passed on the key to communicate with God effectively, LOVE!!!
Aravind held this session and gave a very interesting talk as to how Yamas and Niyamas, the Hindu guidelines lines for conduct, are similar to natural laws and cannot be changed. He further emphasized the beauty of how these Yamas and Niyamas work and act as the Natural Law of Universe how to control and make them work for us to build a successful life.
Balu Devado pointed out the power of affirmation, and how it helps one to achieve ones aspiration. All eyes were fixed on the board as he explained the way of overcoming negative thoughts and tuning into positive thoughts of affirmation, to achieve what one wants to achieve.
Barathy Sockanathan focused on steadfastness, dhriti. This was a very beneficial session, which aided the youths to be courageous to face the obstacle that comes along their way in pursuit of their goals and not to be defeated by these temporary setbacks.
Participants learning how to breath diaphragmatically.
Our devoted Gowri Nadeson discussed taking lessons from experience and Maha Vasana Daha Tantra. She imparted her knowledge in such an excellent manner that all would have ran back home just to do their Maha Vasana Daha Tantra.
The whole group at the end of the Session.
Kulapathi Guhan gave an opening speech as to how the young hearts have put their efforts together to materialize this event. He further told the importance of this seminar to the youths in this modern world and how each lesson taught in this day would be beneficial for both daily and spiritual life for these students. His final words, which concluded the opening speech was, " Be proactive, relax and enjoy yourself and participate vigorously!"
The lady organizers take a break together.
The youth seminar was held from 9.00 am till 5.30pm in the evening, with 12 sessions, timed at 20 minutes each session. Attended by the members and students of SSC, this seminar turned out to be a very successful event for the Malaysian youth of SSC. It was our second program.
Lalitha gives a presentation.
The number of participants was in the region of 34, consisting of 21 youths, 7 teachers and the remaining 6 from the organizing team.
An exercise session led by Sivaneswaran with the help of Gurudasanatha and Rohini. This session taught the youths how to focus and concentrate on a flower. All had great fun giggling away as each told their testimony as to how effective they could concentrate.
Burning their sub conscious impressions away.
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Study Gurudeva's teachings.
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Date: March_20_2002
Title: Mahasivaratri Part 3 Realizing the Self
Category: The Ultimate Goals of Life
Duration: 10 min., 6 seconds
Date Given: March 11, 2002
Given by: Bodhinatha
There is a wonderful 'Living with Siva' lesson which talks about Parasiva. It came out some time in the last few days. I thought I would read it. It is called 'The mission of the Mission'.
"A legacy of devas from the entire parampara accompanies our monastic order, providing silent, unseen inner guidance and
protection for old and young alike. As long as at least one person within the entire group of mathavasis is going into and coming out of Parasiva once a day, the doorway to the Third World remains open to the hereditary entourage of devonic forces that has been building up for over two thousand years. This is because the brahmarandhra, the door of Brahman at the top of the head, remains open when Parasiva is daily experienced within a mathavasi community. It could be the oldest monk or within the youngest. This great realization occurring time and time again within someone day after day keeps the door of Brahm open for the entire prana chakravala of monastics, keeping vibrantly strong the inner, actinic connection with all gurus of our parampara, as well as the other sadhus, rishis and saints who have reached these same attainments, and with the sapta rishis themselves who guide our order from deep within the inner lokas."
This huge amount of wisdom is just sitting there, in the 'Living with Siva' lesson that has multiple facets. Of course, the one that stands out the most is the idea that someone needs to realize Parasiva everyday within the monastic community. It shows the importance of having meditations to try and do that. It also shows that it does not just fall upon one person. It does not even mention the Guru here. It says, "It might be the senior monastics or it might be the youngest monastic." It is everyone's duty to give it a try. We all share in this responsibility of trying to realize Parasiva every time we have a morning meditation. We have a morning meditation on our kulam days from about six to seven in the morning. It is during that time we all try to realize Parasiva and we hope at least one made it. Two or three is safer in case one fell asleep or something!
It puts a different perspective on Parasiva. It doesn't look that optional or it doesn't look that far off or doesn't look like the end of the path. It looks like this is something we should be doing everyday like cooking lunch. This is an important part of monastic life. It is not something special.
It puts it in a very nice perspective and then it shows how much help is going on on the inside. It is interesting, one of the sishya wrote in recently. He asked for some advise and I gave him some advise. He was reflecting on it and he said, "You know, it is starting to feel like I have two gurus. Is that okay to feel I have two gurus, Gurudeva on the inside and you in the first world?"
I said, "Sure, that is fine but why stop at two? You can keep counting, you know. Yogaswami is still there and that is at least up to three. If you keep going, you will get four or five." How many are there actually on the inside working with each of us? That is a very good question, something we haven't thought about a lot. Of course now, we are.
This points out in a very broad sense that there is a lot of help going on, on the inside, that comes along with the Parampara. As long as the monastic community upholds its disciplines and keeps the Aadheenam's vibration up, all this help on the inside will be there, not for just the monks but for everyone who is participating in the Parampara to benefit from in their lives, both spiritual and material.
It goes on, "My Saiva swamis, or Natha swamis, are distinguished by their orange robes, gold Natha earrings and three strands of rudraksha beads. They are the Saiva Siddhanta Yoga Order, known as the Saiva Swami Sangam when they gather in ecclesiastical conclave. The sangam does not follow the protocol of unanimous decision. Rather, it works in intuitive
one-mindedness to carry out instructions from the Kailasa Peetam, our spiritual seat of authority, to better the Saivite mission and the individuals dedicated to its success. These sannyasins are not looked upon as individuals so much as an integrated council, assembled and working in unison to perform a holy work as Sivanadiyars, servants of God Siva. Guided by the satguru, the Saiva Swami Sangam forms the ecclesiastical body of our Hindu Church which works in a humble way to protect the purity of the faith among all Hindu sects, through inspiring publications and other means of encouragement. Specifically, our Order's mission is to protect, preserve and promote the Saivite Hindu religion as embodied in the Tamil culture, traditions and scriptures of South India and Sri Lanka. Our monastic order follows the cenobitic pattern in which monastics live in community and work together toward common objectives. Sannyasins of this order are not wandering sadhus or silent contemplatives, known as anchorites, rather they are members of a brotherhood working closely and industriously with their satguru and with their brother monastics. At the time of sannyasa diksha, each has accepted the mission of the Kailasa Parampara as his own: to protect and perpetuate Saivism; to serve Hindus the world over; to provide, teach and disseminate scripture, religious literature and practical instruction; to promote temple construction and to exemplify the dignity and enlightenment of our Nandinatha Sampradaya. Living under lifetime vows of renunciation, humility, purity, confidence and obedience, these sannyasins are bound to fulfill their unique role in the Saivite culture of religious exemplars and staunch defenders of the faith. Their ideal is to balance outward service, Sivathondu, and inward contemplation-realization, Sivajnana, for a rich, fulfilling and useful life."
That gives a very nice description of our tradition and one reason I read it was we have the privilege of accepting two yogis this evening. You may have noticed some yellow being worn. Yogi Mahadevan and Yogi Japendranatha have taken up the Yogi staff of tapas, in preparation for, possibly, sannyas.
It is a wonderful pattern that Gurudeva has established of working together. It is one of the reasons we are able to do so much, and one of the reasons even Gurudeva was able to do so much because he had a good support team. It is the reason we are able to continue on all our activities. There is twenty-four of us working together very closely to fulfill the different aspects of the Mission that Gurudeva set in motion.
Last but not least, "Now is the time". Now is the time for what? When it comes to realizing Parasiva and even Satchidananda, now is the time. We tend to put it off and say, "I am not ready. I am unworthy. I am too busy. We tend to put it off. But it doesn't work in the way that something matures. In other words, it is independent of the maturity of the soul. It doesn't correspond in a direct way. Something happens in your karma and you have a realization. You can't predict it. So we want to be careful not to put it off by thoughts like, "I am not ready. Well, maybe when I am older, maybe when this happens, maybe when that happens ..."
Now is the time, could be this very moment. Maybe it just happened. You don't have to put it off. It needs a different attitude than we are used to in spiritual life, where we tend to think, "Well, I am making slow and steady progress. Everything is going along nicely and this is good, this is great." That is just a spiritual soul body maturing, going along quite steadily, making progress, this is good.
When it comes to realization, it doesn't work that way. For the deeper realizations you step out of time. It is not maturing, it is there all the time in the essence of the soul, if we can somehow claim it. If our meditation is intense enough, our mind is pure enough and we can claim it, why not claim it now? Now is the time.
Aum Namah Sivaya.
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Innersearch 2002 in Hawaii! Our next Innersearch Travel-Study program will be held right here on the island of Kauai in the summer of 2002. It's the first such program on the Garden Island since 1974! From July 17 to July 22 we will enjoy daily classes with the swamis, join in the annual Guru Purnima festival, be inspired by local culture, explore the lush tropical island in exciting and non-touristy ways, and more. Be prepared for a wonderful spiritual experience in paradise with meditations, seminars and sacred ceremonies at the Siva temple of Kauai's Hindu Monastery. Many have applied already, and there is a limit of 50 participants, so we recommend everyone apply as soon as possible. Interested? Please request an application from pilgrim@searchbeyond.com |
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