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"It is up to you to make the teachings a part of your life by working to understand each new concept as you persist in your daily religious practices. As a result, you will be able to brave the forces of the external world without being disturbed by them and fulfill your dharma in whatever walk of life you have chosen. Because your daily sadhana has regulated your nerve system, the quality of your work in the world will improve, and your mood in performing it will be confident and serene." --Gurudeva

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End of Phase Notice
Today is the last day of this phase
This edition of TAKA will remain in place
throughout our 3-day full-moon retreat, until
Dvitiya tithi, Sun 1, Friday, September 12

Our Beloved and Revered Satguru Sivaya Subramuniyaswami
Attained Maha Samadhi on November 12th, 2001
Click to read for Details.

We are pleased to announce the web release of Satguru Sivaya Subramuniyaswami's monumental work on Hindu culture and lifestyle:
Living with Siva.
Click here for the entire text and artwork, now on-line!

Here is Bodhinatha at the Master Course Trilogy book launching event, made possible by the completion of Dancing with Siva in color. Here he is giving a copy of the trilogy in a special box that was carved in Indonesia to a Malaysian elder.

This event was several days ago... as we write, Bodhinatha and his new team of monks are in Singapore....

Bodhinatha's Sun One Video. Most Recent update: August 21, 2003. Bodhinatha speaks on Brahmachariya, purity, yama #4, describing the harnessing of the instinctive and sexual nature. He also give a pre-mission overview of his coming journeys to Mauritius, Malaysia and Singapore. 25 minutes, 23 seconds

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Here is our first tag team back from their journey. Sannyasin Muruganathaswami and Sadhaka Jivanandanatha, in excellent health and full of inspiration and stories from the time in California and Mauritius and Malaysia.

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Saravananathaswami sends these captions of events and darshan meetings in Malaysia.

Sishya of the Parampara: Sivanathan family. From left to right: Nandi Devi, Potriyan, Ganesh Kanth and Kulamata Saraswati

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Sishya of the Parampara: Sivananda family. From left to right: Shivaani, Lavanya Deva, Kulamata Lalitha, Kulapati Dhasan, Komaldeva

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Himalayan Academy students, Arumugam Paranthaman and family.

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Sishya of the Parampara: Brahmacharini Shanta Devi Muniandy.

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Shanta Devi with parents and also Master Course student Vinod Nair on the right.

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Sishya of the Parampara: Recently married: Sivaneswaran and Vennila Sockanathan

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Sishya of the Parampara: Four young ladies: Sarkunavathy Sockanathan, Annapoorani Ganesan, Nalakini Niranjana, Barathy Sockanathan.

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Next, a series of photos of the Master Course trilogy book launching ceremony at the Klang Subramanya Temple. Bodhinatha presented gifts of the trilogy to VIPs. The man receiving the shawl here, is Sri Aathimoolam of the Panniru Thirumurai Valarchy Mandram.

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Dr. S.M. Ponniah about to receive MC trilogy gift in hand carved wooden box. Three Kulapatis in background.

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Dr. S.M. Ponniah has been a leading spokesman for Hinduism in Malaysia for decades.

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Dr. Arjunan Subramaniam joyfully receiving the gift.

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Bodhinatha signs copies of books being sold

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Boys who put on a little skit during the book launching

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Sishya Gurudasanatha on the right, with other friends who helped create the book launch event.

They had a creative presentation where the room suddenly went dark... then a spot light shined up on the ceiling and the young boy dressed as God Siva above, was magically lowered down to Bodhinatha on a platform, to present him with a set of the Master Course trilogy in a box with theater smoke billowing around. It was a remarkable effect: the teachings of Gurudeva coming down from the Sivaloka.

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Long time devotee, Rohini Kumar with his daughter Jushtara Devi to his right.

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Gurudeva's spiritual center in the island country of Mauritius
in the Indian Ocean near South Africa

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Here we are back in Mauritius on the day of departure... our dedicated reporter writes:

Goodbye Mauritius! Au revoir l'ile Maurice! Bodhinatha is now leaving for the airport to take the flight for Malaysia. The Satguru's visit in the island has been a wonderful event, especially for the sishyas. Bodhinatha will be back in 2004 for Ganesha Chaturthi celebrations at the Spiritual Park.

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Before leaving for the airport, Bodhinatha met the sishyas at the residence of Brahmachari Vel Mahalingum in Mahebourg for a very short talk. Bodhinatha announced that many sishyas have happily come forward and rededicated themselves to the Kailasa Parampara as active sishyas. Bodhinatha's public Temple talk for 2004 will be in the centre of the island, most probably in the town of Rose Hill.

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Bodhinatha also stressed on the idea of promoting the teachings of Gurudeva among the youth of the island. This would have to be the priority activity of the sishyas of the island. Bodhinatha also briefly commented on previous talks given.

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Here is a very happy group of sishyas seated in the front ....

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In a previous talk to the sishya, Bodhinatha talked of Karma Management:

"As we all know life can give us difficult situations to face. We are treated unfairly. Our friends seem to turn against us and no longer be trustworthy. Our feelings are hurt by how we are spoken to and treated by another. It is easy to be happy and content when we are not facing difficult situations. The challenge is to find a way to be happy and content even in the midst of difficult situations.

Handling difficult situations without emotion and with wisdom is the key, and the principles of Karma Management can be quite valuable in doing so."

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Here is Kulapati SK Moorghen having an important document signed by Bodhinatha before the Guru leaves. Kulapati SK Moorghen is the coordinator of the Finance Committee of the Spiritual Park which is responsible for all financial matters relating to the Park. Kulapati has long years experience in handling financial documents and business ventures.

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Brahmacharini Indranee Veerasamy of the Mardemootoo Kutumba having her book of songs signed by Bodhinatha.

Back to one of Bodhinatha's previous talks for the sishya:

"First Principle: Forego Retaliation.

There is no need for us to be the instrument to return a karmic reaction to someone. For example, an individual is really nasty to us, so we feel the need to retaliate and be nasty to him. If we follow that tack, we create a new karma for us to face. Better to let someone else be the instrument to return that karma. Then we do not generate a new negative karma to face in the future."

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Suguntha Caremben, son of Mukya Moorghen Caremben from Rempart too wants to have his book of songs signed.

"Second Principle: Accept Responsibility

Our karma manifests through other people and thus it is easy to see the other person as totally responsible for what happens to us. For example, you are attacked by a mugger who strikes you and steals your valuables. You are quite upset with the malicious thief. However, the mystical perspective is to see yourself as responsible for whatever happens to you. You are, through your actions in the past, the creator of all that you experience in the present. You caused your loss; the thief is just the instrument for returning your karma to you," Bodhinatha.

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Mukya Kumaren Moorooven, building contractor and adviser to matters relating to constructions at the Park....

"Third Principle: Forgive the Offender Take as an example a teenage boy on the way home from school. One day a gang teases him for being different in some way and beats him up. A common response is for the teenager to feel angry at the boys who attacked him and harbor ill feelings toward them for years. This is problematic as it helps keep the lower emotions of anger constantly present in the boy's subconscious mind.

Gurudeva often told the story of Swami Sivananda's being attacked by a man who hit him forcefully in the head with an axe during evening satsang at his Rishikesh ashram. Swamiji's outraged followers soon subdued the man. The next day Swami Sivananda met with his attacker, giving him a train ticket home, several spiritual books and money. Swami said, "Thank you so much for being the instrument to bring this karma back to me. Now I am free of it." He felt no anger toward the man whatsoever," --Bodhinatha.

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Now Bodhinatha is leaving Brahmachari's home for the airport. Nanda Thungavello from Beau Bassin offers Him a flower.

"How can we know if we are harboring unresolved situations in our mind? We can know by watching out thoughts and looking for situations we regularly remember. If we remember a situation regularly it means there is unresolved emotion involved. How can we resolve these disharmonious conditions? By talking them over with the other person in a calm, courteous and understanding manner," -- Bodhinatha.

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A few sishyas waiting outside for a last photo. From the right we have Kartigeyan Manick, Kulapati Amba Valayten, Sanjeevee, Navind and Nuckiren.

"We are currently a few weeks into the Jivana Ritau which as we know is the time of year to give extra study to the Nandinatha Sutras both at home and at the Mission Satsang. As part of that study take time in self-reflection to look for any major unresolved misunderstandings with family, friends or other sishya and come up with a plan as to what you need to do to resolve them," --Bodhinatha.

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Back home at Kauai aadheenam... our weekly small but very bright group of tourist/visitors. Have a wonderful full moon retreat. According to the panchangam, these are very good days for profound meditation and communications with the inner worlds.

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Today's Inspired Talk
Title: The Yama of Brahmacharya, Yama #4 Category: Yamas and Niyamas Duration: 9 minutes, 45 seconds Date Given: August 21, 2003 Date Posted:September_08_2003 Given by: Bodhinatha

Cybertalk: Bodhinatha spoke on the yama of brahmacharya, purity and chastity, today. He described it as the harnessing of the instincts, including sexual desire, stressing the value of remaining celibate until marriage. When this is done, a marriage is more secure, the bond between man and wife stronger than if promiscuity has been experienced before marriage. The key to following brahmacharya is not to think of members of the opposite sex as sexual objects, rather men should think of women as their sisters and mother, and women should think of men as their brothers and father. Good also to avoid sexually explicit movies and literature, porn on the web, etc.

For more information about listening to Gurudeva's talks online and to hear them in other formats, click here.

And click here for an Index to All Past CyberTalks.

Study Gurudeva's teachings
every day. Visit the Master Course site!

Bodhinatha will be happy to hold "Prasnottara Satsang" -- "Questions and Answers" over the telephone with any Hindu religious societies, Hindu youth groups, Radio talk show hosts etc. All you need is a phone with a speaker and an enthusiastic audience. Arrangements may be made in advance by sending email to Sannyasin Saravananathaswami

If you are experiencing any problems listening to the audio, please to go our Audio FAQ page and follow the directions there.

FULL INDEX OF 650+ CYBERTALKS

Transcription of a Past CyberTalk Appears Below

Study Gurudeva's teachings. Visit the Master Course site!

Date: July_19_2003
Title: The Niyama of Astikya, Faith
Category: Yamas and Niyamas
Duration: 11 min., 8 seconds
Date Given: June 23, 2003
Given by: Bodhinatha

Good Morning, everyone! Happy to have Jiva with us this morning. Welcome, Jiva.

Continuing our series on 'Good Conduct', up to niyama four today.

Today's lesson on 'Good Conduct' is on the fourth niyama of Astikya, which is to cultivate an unshakable faith. Believe firmly in God, Gods and Guru and your path to enlightenment. Trust in the words of the Masters, the scriptures and the traditions. Practice devotion and sadhana to inspire experiences that build advanced faith. Be loyal to your lineage, one with your Satguru. Shun those who try to break your faith by argument and accusation. Avoid doubt and despair.

Let us look at some examples illustrating the practice of this niyama.

The first example - As a child, we attended the temple with our parents but never thought much about Hindu beliefs and practices. However, when we were a teenager we read a number of books about holy men and women, the stories of their lives and their wise sayings. Reading about the experiences of these great souls noticeably deepened our conviction in the truths of Hinduism.

Second example - As a young adult, we attend a lecture of a visiting Swami. His presence is radiant with spiritual light and his talk increases our faith in the Hindu path and inspires us to intensify our religious practices.

Third example - When on pilgrimage to India, while worshipping at an ancient shrine of Lord Ganesha, we have a brief vision of Ganesha. He walks out of the shrine, stands in front of us giving blessings and then walks back into the shrine. This personal experience of Ganesha convinces us through and through of the reality of the Gods.

Fourth example - Though we meditate every morning, we do not go in that deeply. However, one particular morning we find ourselves going in and in and in and staying there a long time. When we come out, we find ourselves in the perspective that God is a consciousness permeating all and that we are that consciousness. The belief that the soul is God takes on new meaning to us.

All of the niyamas focus on expressing the refined soul qualities within each of us. In the case of Astikya, Faith, the divine quality we are expressing is an unshakable belief in the existence of God and the soul and the spiritual path through which the soul matures and achieves eventual realization of its oneness with God and liberation from rebirth on earth.

In Hinduism, faith starts out as a belief in what has yet to be experienced. This eventually leads to the experience which in turn transforms our faith into a belief in what we have experienced.

Gurudeva explains this deeper aspect of faith by referring to an old saying favored by practical, experiential intellectuals, "Seeing is believing." He then states that a more profound adage is, "Believing is seeing." He goes on to explain that the scientists and educators of today see with their two eyes and pass judgments based on what they currently believe. The rishis of the past and the rishis of the now and those yet to come in the future also are seers. This seeing is not with the two eyes. It is with the third eye, the eye of the soul.

Here is a story to further illustrate Astikya. In September 1995, Hindus saw first hand 'The Milk Miracle', where in temples around the world devotees offered milk to the murthi of Lord Ganesha and it was drunk by Him. It all began on September 21st, when one man in New Delhi had a dream that Ganesha craved a little milk. In the early morning, he went to a nearby temple where a skeptical priest allowed him to offer a spoonful of milk to the small stone image. Both watched in astonishment as the milk disappeared, magically consumed by the God. Within hours news has spread across India that Ganesha was accepting milk offerings. Tens of millions of people of all ages flocked to the temples and had the same experience. Hindus in other countries soon heard of this and started offering milk. In Southeast Asia, Europe, North America and else where. The event was reported on Reuters news service, which in their report quoted Anila Premji, "I held the spoon out level, and it just disappeared. To me it was just a miracle. It gave me a sense of feeling that there is a God, a sense of Spirit on this Earth."

Indeed, 'The Milk Miracle' increased the faith of many Hindus in the reality of God and the Gods.

The Tirukural in its Chapter 36, 'Knowledge of Truth' contains a number of verses on faith. In verse 353, the Kural focuses on the centrality to the first stage of developing faith, of ridding oneself of doubt, "Heaven is nearer than earth for those who dispel all doubt and know the truth."

In verse 352, the Kural talks about the blissful experiences that comprise advanced faith. "For those of undimmed perception, free from delusion, darkness departs and rapture rushes in."

In verse 357, the Kural shows that faith includes faith in realization and liberation. "Having thought profoundly and realized fully That which is, one need never think of being born again."

The cultivation of faith can be compared to the development of a large tree. When the tree is just a sapling, it can easily be uprooted. Just as, when our faith is based on belief without a sound philosophical knowledge, it can be easily destroyed. Faith based on philosophical knowledge is like a medium-sized tree, strong and not easily disturbed. Faith based on personal experience of God and the Gods is like a full grown tree, well-established and impervious to the environment.

Let us look more closely at these three stages of the development of Faith.

Faith in its initial stages, is simple belief without the support of either knowledge or experience. Keeping our belief strong at this stage depends heavily on the companionship we keep. We need to keep company with spiritual companions and avoid worldly and non-religious people. Attending a weekly satsang with like-minded devotees is quite helpful at this stage. Having the darshan of visiting Swamis and Hindu religious leaders helps keep our faith strong, as we see them as living examples of the beliefs in which we have faith.

Faith in its second stage is belief strengthened by a good understanding of Hindu philosophy. Gurudeva comments on this process in saying that a clear intellectual understanding of the philosophy is the bedrock to sustaining faith. Study Hinduism in a systematic and consistent manner and increase your knowledge about Hindu beliefs and practices. Compare Hinduism to the world's other major religions and see in which ways they are the same and which ways they are quite different. This not only makes you a knowledgeable Hindu but is also the most effective protection against the efforts of other religions to convert you to their beliefs.

Faith in its third stage is where personal experience supplants belief. Gurudeva refers to this as advanced faith. This is cultivated through the regular practice of devotion and meditation which leads eventually to personal experiences of the Divine. Pilgrimages, for example are an effective way of deepening the experiences we have at the temple of the personal Deity.

In 'Living with Siva', Gurudeva explains that there are two kinds of faith. The first kind he says is, "Faith in those Masters, adepts, yogis and rishis who have had similar experiences and spoken about them in similar ways, unedited by the ignorant. We therefore can have faith that some truth was revealed from within themselves, from some deep inner or higher source."

Gurudeva then states that the second aspect of faith is, "one's own spiritual, unsought for, unbidden flashes of intuition, revelations or visions, which one remembers even stronger as the months go by. More vividly than something read from a book, seen on television or heard from a friend or philosopher."

Gurudeva stresses that, "These personal revelations create a new superconscious intellect when verified by yogis and rishis and the sadhus have seen and heard and whose explanations, centuries have preserved. These are the old souls being educated from within out, building a new intellect from superconscious insights. Their faith is unshakable, undaunted for it is themself, it is just who they are at this stage of evolution, the maturation of their soul."

In conclusion, cultivate an unshakable faith. Believe firmly in God, Gods, Guru and your path to enlightenment. Trust in the words of the Masters, the scriptures and the traditions. Practice devotion and sadhana to inspire experiences that build advanced faith. Be loyal to your lineage, one with your Satguru. Shun those who try to break your faith by argument and accusation. Avoid doubt and despair.

Aum Namah Sivaya.

MORE UPLIFTING THINGS		2004 Indian Odyssey Join Satguru Bodhinatha Veylanswami on an 18 day Innersearch to South India, from Jan 19 to Feb 5, as we pilgrimage to ancient monasteries, magnificent 1,000 plus year old sacred temples and meet with India's holy men in a life-transforming adventure. Click on the above link for more details.
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