Blog Archives

Cybertalk: A cyber devotee asks if it is alright to meditate in the shrine room during the 31 day retreat after a death in the family. Gurudeva says that meditation is fine during ths period but one should not go to the temple, perform arati in the shrine room and visit holy men and women. Gurudeva also says that traditional Hindus would meditate in another room and not the shrine room.

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

Do you have questions for Gurudeva? Send to questions@hindu.org.

transcription begins

Transcription of One of Gurudeva's CyberTalks
Date: January_25_2001
Title: Liberal Hinduism, Retreat after Death
Category: Hinduism and Tradition
Duration: 2 min.,34 seconds
Date Given: January 21, 2000

A cyberspace devotee is very interested to know, "What is the definition of, or a little more explanation on, liberal Hinduism?"

Liberal Hinduism, in my way of looking at it, is a new Indian creation to sort-of be a Hindu and sort-of not be a Hindu. Most liberal Hindus will say, "Oh ... I'm a Buddhist, I'm a Jew, I'm a Christian. I'm a little bit of everything and I guess, a little bit of nothing." You have heard this, you know. They are totally unable to explain Sanatana Dharma and yet they want to blend in with each and everybody. Of course, the Jews know they are not a Jew, the Christians know they are not a Christian and the Buddhist know that these people are not Buddhists. Muslims know of course, that they are not members of Islam.

This liberal Hindu, watering down of the great Sanatana Dharma, is a result of Christian-educated Indian kids, who grow up and get influenced by Communism but still, want to hang on a little bit to Hindu roots.

Radha Raman asks, "We want to observe the 31-day retreat after a death in the family. But what do we do during these 31 days?"

It is not what you do, it is what you don't do, that is important.

What you don't do is go to the temple, worship in your shrine room, visit Swamis or Holy men or women. You cover your Deities and religious pictures at home with a white cloth and you live your normal life. You can do japa, you can do sadhana, you can read religious books and things of that nature.

This is a very ancient custom to adjust the inner psychic part of your being, your astral being as well as your soul, to the transition that your loved one is going through for a 31-day period. After it is over, have a big celebration. Take the white cloths off the Deities in your shrine room and your religious life continues as usual.
transcription ends

Sadhaka Nilakantanatha after several years of monastic life has recently been granted the opportunity to serve in the temple. He takes the 3-6 PM Ganesha vigil on the retreats. It is such a blessed duty! After performing the arati at 3:00 PM he sits for meditation.. . . .carrying on with an 30-year long unbroken tradition of the monks here at Kadavul temple: keeping vigil in the temple 24 hours a day in 8 three-hour "shifts."

We recently increased the "class and study time" for our resident guest task forcers, now that the Jayanti festival is over and the demands of the Siddhidata Kulam are somewhat reduced. They are doing their daily studies here under the mango tree, and Vasana Daha Tantra. Other classes include the daily question and answer session with Gurudeva just before lunch time (now conducted by phone), early morning hatha yoga, and a class in Saiva Siddhanta philosophy with Paramacharya Bodhinathaswami in the afternoons. Saravan on the left, Arvindraj on the right.

An eleven acre site in Bangalore, India, where 75 Indian families live and daily carve the sacred white granite edifice of Iraivan Temple which will soon begin to be assembled on the island of Kauai

We continue up our "Jayanti documentary" on the silpis with a series of photos featuring all the carvers who posed with Gurudeva's photo after the Jayanti festival. These are the wonderful souls who are carving the monumental Iraivan temple.

All the silpis and the helpers decided to pose beside Gurudeva's photo. Standing from left are Gunasegaran, Arumugam, SP. Pandy (silpi) and Girish. Seated are Vellaisamy and Chinnathamby.

Standing from left are C.Supramani, R.Chellaih, Sevagan and V.Raman. Seated are helpers Loges and Balraj.

Standing from left are U. Adaikalam, Sundaramachari, Chidambaram and Sankaran. Seated are Periakaruppan and silpi CT. Kannan

Standing from left are M. Chelliah (blacksmith), Adaikalam, Mayandi and helper Ramesh. Seated are helper K.Supramani and Tipyantra ( a Nepali boy working as helper)

Gurudeva's other monastery in the island country of Mauritius
in the Indian Ocean near South Africa

The Gengadhoo family came to visit the Spiritual Park and brought their friends Dave and Pooshpa Riley from England. Another friend, Mrs. Mauree was especially interested in the Positive Discipline book and even bought one to send as a gift to a friend in England. Nadarajen, the young man on the left, was still inspired by the youth retreats held by our Swamis which he attended several years ago.

Dave and Pooshpa showed keen interest in participating in the Northern European Innersearch with Gurudeva in August of this year. Sadhaka Jothinatha is seen here explaining the Innersearch program to them.

The Peerthy and Seedhari famililies came together to visit the Spiritual Park. The two wives are sisters and have spent a great deal of energy in raising their children with a clear understanding of dharma and its importance in their lives, as can be seen in the bright smiling faces of the children.

A friend of the park, Vega Mooten, on the left, brought his friend from Australia, Vasan Pyneeandee. Vasan is especially interested in meditation and purchased Merging with Siva.

One of the many social dynamic and progressive social programs which are an active part of the social fabric of this small island nation are Senior Citizens groups which have provide activities for the older members of the community. Many such groups come each year to visit the Spiritual Park and today nearly 100 members of the Pellegrin Trianon Senior Citizen's Association came to worship and enjoy the beauty of the park.

The Mauritius government has honored all the different peoples of the island by creating holidays for each. Today was Spring Festival, a national holiday which celebrates the Chinese New Year. (Three percent of the population is of Chinese heritage.) The entire nation gets the day off from work so it was a perfect opportunity for 200 people to visit the park today

This wonderful letter to the letter of Hinduism Today came recently and it was so inspiring we wanted to share it with our TAKA viewers:

To Satguru Sivaya Subramuniyaswami:

Thank you for bringing such an enriching publication into existence. The Publisher's Desk alone supersedes the cost of the magazine. It brings me great happiness when I come home and find a new issue at my door. Although I don't consider myself a Hindu, I don't consider myself not one. I have always had an interest in Indian culture, and found its beauty powerfully attractive. The interest started early in my childhood. No, it was more than an interest. I wasn't just curious about some exotic land. In fact, it didn't seem exotic to me at all. I had some kind of connection. A connection that allowed me to leave it, only to have me return to it. And each encounter occurred with greater intensity and deeper meaning. Each time, I was ready to receive a little more than before. O, how many times we have to circle something until we see it! When I was young, I would read old encyclopedia books to get my information for school reports. I was always drawn to reading about India. The images of spiritual men in loin cloths with long scraggly beards and unkept hair, the images of hundreds of people washing themselves in a river, the pictures of women dancers, the weddings, the body decorating, the temples, idols--all of it fascinated me. The pictures promised some hidden wisdom that the people in my life were apparently not letting me in on. But to my disappointment, the words offered nothing but facts and bias. They were matter-of-fact statements, and often not pleasant. Captions that described yoga postures as "tortuous exercises" and statements like "..massive economic, social and political problems.." left me unsatisfied to say the least. I was turned off by what I had read. It seemed that the authors of these books looked down on these people. I wouldn't accept it. I knew that in what I had seen there was something to be glorified. I wasn't, however, going to get it from reading those old books. They were attempts to satisfy the petty curiosities of 'civilized' people. And if I may add, not very good attempts at that. It seemed that any information I received was filtered through American lenses. I was unsatisfied with that. I knew that I needed to go to the source. During one of my years as an undergraduate in college, I had the opportunity to take a class on oriental philosophies. I was already becoming dissatisfied with western philosophy. Most of what I was reading seemed soulless or incomplete. I was amazed by the great intellect of the western minds, yet it didn't seem enough. Western thought created more questions. I wanted answers. Reading western philosophy always made me feel that I was witnessing an elite group play games that most people couldn't understand. I had no time to waste with games! "Have my intellect. If that is what it gets me, take it!" I thought. The Oriental Philosophies class was the contact I needed. I had already been investigating, but the class pushed me past interest into involvement and helped guide me to better sources. Until then, flint kept knocking against stone with nothing to catch the spark. Although it was merely an overview, I was thrilled. I grabbed onto the chain and haven't let go since. I have found the pull and began moving towards it. I was, however, still aware of my American setting and was cautious about diving too deep into the Indian culture. I had long desired to take a yoga class. People told me that it would be too difficult for me. They told me that I couldn't do the poses and sit in them for an hour. At first, I was discouraged. For some reason, I accepted what they said. They only had a perception of what yoga was and even though my own perception was not totally correct, it was closer to reality than theirs. It was a couple of years later my wife and I signed up for a beginning yoga class. When I finally found that there were other "Americans" with interest in eastern thought, I was thrilled. During our classes, I soon found a modern magazine on the contemporary yoga scene. This helped me bridge the link between America and India. I saw all sorts of people who looked similar to me talking about Bhagavad-Gita, Hinduism, etc. At that moment, I didn't care what people would think of me. I knew that there were people of all sorts heading to the same place. Yet I still wasn't satisfied. I found that the magazine had much of an American flavor. They try to do a good job, but it isn't complete (not that any one magazine could be). I wanted to get beyond the 'sport' of yoga! A few months later, I came across your publication in a bookstore. I was thrilled to see it. I took it to the table with me to read as I relaxed with a cup of coffee (which has since changed to enjoying a glass of milk or the occasional decaf). I knew after skimming over the first few pages that I had to get it. And I've been getting it ever since. My wife purchased a years' subscription as a present for me. Whether by subscription or newsstand, I will continue to read your superb publication. It has helped me many times. One issue that I continue to see in your magazine is that of conversion. I am always upset to hear the horrible things that religious sects are doing to each other. I wish they would understand that attacking another religion is so anti-religious. It is preaching hate. No one would ever tolerate hate of race or sex. Why do they tolerate hate or violence toward religion. It is that very issue that people see and is why many people are turned away from a spiritual life.

They think "Why do I need to join a church if it is going to damn me and everyone else to hell if I don't do what they say?" And that is exactly why India holds, and will always hold, the key to spiritual life. There are no answers anywhere else. The Vedas have the answers. Everywhere else there are rules! The Hindu can ask why. That seems silly to the Hindu, because for him why is where it all begins. It also seems silly to the Christian, but in a different sense. "Why? Because that's the way it is. Who are we to question it?" replies the Christian, as if not being able to understand is a lack of faith. The Vedas are the true, eternal words. Other sects cannot destroy them. The reason why people of the west have been seeking the east is this--understanding. If India only has on thing, it is this, her very core, understanding. Every time there is a Hindu being converted to Christianity, there are ten leaving Christianity in search of something more. That something more can only be found through the Vedas. Have no fear of dwindling numbers in sects. Each man should see and act on his own path. If that were to happen we would all see that we all strive for the same universal truth. Stop stepping from side to side calling yourself this or that. Step out of it! Detach yourself. Get beyond the looks. Witness how the world is one swirling mass moving towards God. It appears not to be only by those stuck in its whirlpool. There is not one face that you could use to represent all of humanity, or all of life, or all of existence. If one tries to say that God does not look like this or that, he is then saying that something other than God exists. Everything is an aspect of God. People have got to arrive at the understanding that no individual comprehends things in the same manner. Religious intolerance is really intolerance of thought. I have only ever heard of acceptance in "Hindu" teaching. Other religions try to do good by tolerating or ignoring the sins of the sinner. Acceptance, not tolerance comes out of the True Love. Do what you do, however, keep in mind that there will be consequences. That is Karma. You won't go to Hell for eternity. You won't be excommunicated. You won't be shunned from your family. Your actions will create your consequence. You are living in what you created for yourself. You played with matches and got burned--just what your father warned you about. He still loves you. He only informed you so that you wouldn't have to experience the suffering of being burnt. That's how the Vedas work. Here is how you can be free of these horrible experiences. But, instead of accepting that, we say it is possible another way. And, eventually we burn ourselves and cry to Father. When we've had enough experience, we will turn to Him and accept His wisdom. We are all working out our own experiences whether consciously or not. Accept where you are, where everyone else is. That is where all progress starts. And the moment you refuse to accept, you are again stuck in the mud.

We may go great distances and sink to great depths, but there is no place beyond the reach of God.

Again, thank you for your graceful publication. May it be discovered by all."

Hinduism Today Reader

Click here to view this day last year.

"How to Become A Hindu"! Gurudeva's latest book release is now available Hot Off the Press! Visit the Himalayan Academy Book Store Web Site get the book and read the incredible testimonies of the early pioneers from the west who chose to make a full and complete conversion to Hinduism, legally change both their first and last names to Hindu names, change their lifestyles, sever their formal connections to previous faiths and joyously face the challenges in joining the tribe of the Sanatana Dharma

Visiting Kauai's Hindu Monastery
If you are planning to visit Kauai, please go first to our our visitor's page. Thank you.

Click here for information about Gurudeva's travels. He is presently staying on Kauai and has not immediate travel plans.

And

2001 EUROPEAN INNERSEARCH

12 Glorious Days, 8 Enchanting Countries
and One Chance in a Lifetime!

Imagine spending 12 days with one of the greatest spiritual leaders of this century. Satguru Sivaya Subramuniyaswami will be leading this exotic educational and spiritual voyage himself combining the mystical path of Indian spirituality with a superlative retreat from it all.

Take advantage of this one chance to be in close proximity with a living master. Come with us on an inner and outer voyage to Northern Europe and Russia.

www.innersearch.org

SIGN OUR GUESTBOOK AND RECEIVE A FREE GIFT

Sign our guestbook and we will send you a free issue of our global full-color bi-monthly magazine, Hinduism Today.

THANK YOU, GURUDEVA

For those who have been touched spiritually by Gurudeva's work, his books, his guidance, his inspired life and example and even his website, the "Thank You, Gurudeva Fund" has been established within Hindu Heritage Endowment.

Proceeds from this fund last forever; they're not a one-time gift. So gifts to this fund have eternal gratitude built into them. They live on in perpetuity.

Each month Gurudeva receives the income from the fund to be used at his own discretion to promote his work and mission around the globe. He loves this, for he knows that it comes from all the good souls who have met him and studied with him, traveled with him or just talked with him over the years. A contribution to this fund is tax-deductible.