Gurudeva's Routines in the Monastery with His Monastics
S. Rajam
a. Each day Gurudeva shared lunch with all the monks, his seat flanked by two teak elephants. The monks sat below, on the brick floor, eating with their hands in traditional style and sharing news with their guru and brothers. b. Each morning before dawn, Guru deva sat on his lion seat in the Guru Pitham. With the monks seated facing him, he would guide their yogic meditation for an hour, all in the Shum language. c. Following the daily pre-dawn meditation, it was common to find Gurudeva walking along Siva’s garden paths, coffee in hand, greeting monks and visitors alike, reminding one and all of their innermost Self. d. For decades Gurudeva worked closely with his senior acharyas to guide the Church’s global mission. In 1995 he declared they would succeed him in order: Bodhinatha Veylanswami, Sadasivanatha Palaniswami and Sivanatha Ceyonswami. e. Dikshas marked key milestones in the monastic fellowship. From his traditional lion seat Gurudeva would offer blessings, sandalwood paste, vibhuti and home-grown rudraksha malas.