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Cybertalk: Gurudeva shares with a cyberspace devotee the difference between becoming a Hindu and just studying the religion.

Cybertalk Ends"
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Date: April_24_2001
Title: Nandinatha Sutras
Category: Hinduism and Tradition
Duration: 2 min., 19 seconds
Date Given: April 12, 2001

A very interesting question from a cyberspace cadet about the Nandinatha Sutras, 365 sutras of how we should live our life. "How closely should we follow them?"

The Nandinatha Sutras were created about 10 years ago at the request of the Jaffna Tamil elders, who in diaspora moved to various parts of the world. They said, "Gurudeva, our people don't listen to us anymore, even though we are the elders. At home in Sri Lanka, we lived a very strict and disciplined life. Even though it was strict and disciplined, it was easy-going and natural. But now, they have gone just that far the other way." I suppose to rock-and-roll, and roll-and-rock.

These elegant elders visit us here at Kauai Aadheenam from various parts of the world, every month. If you were to ask any of these grandmothers and grandfathers, "How do you live up to these 365 sutras?", they would say, "What? Live up? It is our way of life, documented. This is how we live."

There are those who live a double standard. One way at home behind closed doors, another way when guests are visiting. One way in the temple and another way in the marketplace. Only those who live a double standard look at the 365 sutras as hard and fast rules, difficult to live up to. But, when you adjust your lifestyle, your thinking, your intellect and your spirit to everything within the sutras, they are a joy rather than a great challenge.
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Sze Chin (on the left) will become Lavanya Saravan tomorrow morning when she has her Namakarana Samskara. As a young Chinese Singaporean, she was raised without a religion of any kind, as are many young people in the world today. So tomorrow she will become a Hindu.

Lavanya was very encouraged while on Kauai to meet many other Hindus who were not born Hindus but either adopted or converted to Hinduism. Singapore has mostly born Hindus and coming to America and seeing that there are other Hindus like her who come from many different backgrounds gave her a new positive perspective on her life changing decision.

Here she and her husband Sivakumar Saravan are making a big decision to sponsor one of the pillars of the Iraivan Temple. Thambynathan Nutanaya performs an arati to bless the auspicious occasion.

A single pillar is US$21,000.00 so this is a big committment for the young couple!

But, what better way for newly weds to honor and set their marriage in stone! They will make monthly donations over a period of years to meet the pledge.

The pillar they are sponsoring will have a special carving of Ardhanarishvara--Siva depicted as half male, half female. It so happened that we had a photo of Gurudeva taken in Germany where he was standing in front of a huge poster of Ardhanarishvara, a perfect gift for the couple.

The Rig Veda has this beautiful hymn to water, which is the nourishing, purifying Divine Element:

1. O Waters, source of happiness,
pray give us vigor so that we
may contemplate the great delight.

2. You like loving mothers are
who long to give to children dear.
Give us of your propitious sap.

3. On your behalf we desire, O Waters,
to assist the one to whose house you send us--
you, of our life and being the source.

4. These Waters be to us for drink;
divine are they for aid and joy.
May they impart to us health and strength!

5. You Waters who rule over precious things
and have supreme control of men,
we beg you, give us healing balm.

6. Within the Waters, Soma has told me,
remedies exist of every sort
and Agni who brings blessing to all.

7. O Waters, stored with healing balm
through which my body safe will be,
come, that I long may see the sun.

8. Whatever sin is found in me,
whatever wrong I may have done,
if I have lied or falsely sworn,
Waters, remove it far from me.

9. Now I have come to seek the Waters.
Now we merge, mingling with the sap.
Come to me, Agni, rich in milk!
Come and endow me with your splendor!

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