Blog Archives

In fulfillment of Gurudeva's vision... Here Satguru Bodhinatha Veylanswami signs the Namakarana Certificate for Uma Sivanathan, who received her Namakarana ceremony today.

We share with you the text of the pledge and certificate.

Namakarana Samskara

Hindu Name-Giving Sacrament

I, Uma Sivanathan, formerly known as Gale Mariah Martin, having declared of my own volition acceptance of the principles of the Sanatana Dharma, including a firm belief in all-pervasive Divinity and the Vedic revelations of karma, dharma and purvarjanma [reincarnation]....

Uma is sitting with her husband, Tandu Sivanathan....

".. and having severed all previous non-Hindu religious affiliations, attachments and commitments, hereby humbly petition entrance into the Saivite sect of the Hindu religion through the traditional namakarana samskara.

I plead for recognition and acceptance of this irrevocable conversion to Saivite Hinduism by the community of devotees witnessing this sacred rite.

Signature of devotee:

Uma Sivanathan

It is Hereby Certified that this devotee was, at a namakarara samskara held at Kadavul Hindu Temple on the auspicious day of January 1, 2006, duly given a Hindu name in accordance with the traditions of Hinduism before God, Gods and devas.

"This person is thus bound eternally and immutably to the Hindu religion as a member of this most ancient faith with full rights of access to all public Hindu temples, shrines and institutions throughout the world from this day onward."

Witnesses:

Officiating priest:

Satguru Bodhinatha Veylanswami

A very auspicious beginning for our phase and for 2006! Welcome to Uma Sivanathan!

Following the morning homa, Bodhinatha gave the State of the Church address which he normally gives on Gurudeva's Jayanthi day, January 5th...

Acharya Kumarswami observing from underneath the luminous, gold-leafed Tandava statues.

Later in the morning.... It's less than 24 hours before our first Innersearch team departs... packing literature in bundles that just fall under the airline weight limits is standard procedure...

Two of the staff: Saravananathaswami and Sadhaka Jivanandanatha.

Each suitcase, carefully packed...

During the retreat, Larry "the crane man" came for another stone lift....

Sunshade pieces and roof beams going aloft...

The silpi team and Yoginathaswami topside on the West Gopuram

More roof beams waiting their turn...

Narayana and Sarojini Rao, staunch supporters of Iraivan and all the Aadheenam mission activities writes from India:

"Namaskaram and Happy New Year from Bangalore, where Sarojini and I are now, having travelled extensively in India, since our arrival in New Delhi on December 5.

Please convey our best wishes for the new year to Bodhinatha and all the monks. Yesterday, we visited the Iraivan Temple Carving Site and met with Jiva Rajasankara. Attached are two pictures:

1. Panchamukha Ganapathi with the two of us on either side

2. Panchakshara Steps, with the letters