The Monastery Celebrates Siva's Great Night
March 10, 2013Aum Namah Sivaya
Last night we celebrated Mahasivaratri. The night began with Bajans then a potent Homa. The Kumbha was then paraded around Nandi and brought into the inner sanctum to be poured over the Lingam by Bodhinatha at the end of the abhishekam. Following the Homa everyone was led through a guided meditation towards Siva consciousness. After listening to a beautiful recorded talk by Gurudeva, Bodhintha give insight into the devotee's role in the intensity of their experience of divinity, through worship and darshana.
A rare glimpse at the Siva Lingam in the inner sanctum
The paths to the temple are lined with torches
A bonsai sits beside the temple tank
The paint inside was just redone and the Aum is now clear and colorful
Nandi sits patiently awaiting the start of the festivities
Those who arrived early sang many wonderful bajans
The temple was soon flooded with people as the Homa began
Saravnanathaswami was the pujari for the homa
offering ghee
Parading the Kumbha
The flaming coconut is passed before the kumbha
symbolizing the ego, the coconut is thrown to the ground, cracking into peices
The kumbha is brought to the inner sanctum
The night\
s stars. A view off the edge of a planet, into Siva\'s perfect universe.'
Bodhinatha gives his upadesha, discussing darshan, the exchange of energy between the God and the devotee. He pointed out that the depth of devotion of those present is an important factor in the strength of the darshan that comes through the puja.
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