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"I, Lavanya Saravan,
formerly known as Foo Sze Chin, 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 punarjanma, [reincarnation] 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. "

Cybertalk: A cyberspace devotee in Maryland shares with Gurudeva that he finds it difficult to tithe. Gurudeva says that all the money comes from Siva and when you give Him all that you earn he will give you back 90 percent.

Cybertalk Ends"
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Date: April_25_2001
Title: Natural Disaster, Gangs in School
Category: Karma
Duration: 3 min., 50 seconds
Date Given: April 12, 2001

A cyberspace devotee remarks on the earthquake in Gujarat, India and asks, "How do we look at natural disasters, such as a hundred children being killed so quickly? In the moving of a village to new land, what about the temple?"

Well, when a large group of people pass on to the inner world, drop off their physical body unexpectedly through a natural disaster, it is called a group karma. They were all born to have this experience at the same time in togetherness.

In creating a new village, first the relocation of the temple must happen. Traditionally, this is what must be done. Locate the temple or temples or other places of worship of other religions. Get them settled first and then the village comes up around the places of worship. It is not the other way around.

A cyberspace devotee in Kuala Lumpur remarks that, "Gangsterism and gangs in our country are more and more prevalent. Even the police are coming to the schools and talking to the students."

I know for a fact that school students have been beaten by their parents out of their homes, afraid to go home for more beatings out of anger, not out of discipline. The police should be lecturing to the parents. The students are innocent by-products of the crimes of the parents and grandparents.

Children start out in life very innocent, very pure and they are molded by what they see the elders do. Aunties and uncles and grandfathers and grandmothers and their mothers and fathers, older brothers and sisters. These young people who form gangs are hurting on the inside. They have been injured and damaged by those at home. They should not be blamed. The crime is on the side of the parents, the aunties and the uncles, who are living in anger, living in jealously, living in competition and making life miserable for the new generation coming up. In a mature and stable society, the parents are held responsible for the actions of their young people.

I could tell you many stories of what happens in homes in Malaysia. Why? Because I have e-mail and the young people have hotmail. With the two coming together, I know their stories, their sadness, their hurts and fears.

The weakness of the community is that no one is standing up for the rights of young people to be raised without being harassed mentally, emotionally, and without being hurt physically. That is the weakness of society.
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"I plead for recognition and acceptance of this irrevocable conversion to Saivite Hinduism by the community of devotees witnessing this sacred rite."

Lavanya read her vow and invocation three times and the congregation responds after each repetition with loud "Tada Astu!" or "so be it!"

A formal certificate was prepared and isigned by Lavanya and witnesses of the congregation and entered into the temple record. It reads at the end:
Signature: Lavanya Saravan:

It is Hereby Certified
that this devotee, born in Singapore on August 19th, 1973, was, at a Namakarana Samskara held at Kadavul Hindu Temple on the auspicious day of April 29, 2001, duly given a Hindu name in accordance with the traditions of Hinduism before the Deity, the Mahadevas and the 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: [signed by swamis and devotees present and]
Satguru Sivaya Subramuniyaswami of
Saiva Siddhanta Church

She writes her name in a tray of rice which is passed over the sacred fire.

After this she took her three vows by reading each one twice before the holy Vedic Fire, Agni, the silent witness and Messenger of her committment to the Gods:

Lineage Vow, Parampara Vrata

""I believe in You, the one Supreme God, Lord Siva, and the Gods of our Saivite faith, and in the Saiva Dharma. In love and trust I recognize Your goodness in providing for my every material and spiritual need. I wholeheartedly accept the spiritual guru lineage of siddhas of the Nandinatha Sampradaya and the principles of the pancha nitya karmas. As an act of faith, shraddha, I am resolved this day to be loyal and abiding to the Hindu faith and vow my full dedication to the holy lineage of preceptors of the Kailasa Parampara�Maharishi Nandinatha, Rishi Tirumular, Rishi from the Himalayas, Siddha Kadaitswami, Satguru Chellappaswami, Sage Yogaswami and Satguru Sivaya Subramuniyaswami."

Vegetarian Vow, Shakahara Vrata

"I believe in You, the one Supreme God, Lord Siva, and the Gods of our Saivite faith, and in the Saiva Dharma. In love and trust I recognize Your goodness in providing for my every material and spiritual need. I accept the principle of shakahara as the method by which I may acknowledge my compassion, my karuna, for all living beings. As an act of dedication, I am resolved this day to begin (continue) the regular practice of eating a strict vegetarian diet and not eating meat, fish, shellfish, fowl or eggs."

Tithing Vow, Dashamamsha Vrata

"I believe in You, the one Supreme God, Lord Siva, and the Gods of our Saivite faith, and in the Saiva Dharma. In love and trust I recognize Your goodness in providing for my every material and spiritual need. I accept the principle of dashamamsha (giving one tenth of my gross income) as the method by which I may acknowledge my gratitude to you, Lord Siva, and share in helping You fulfill and perpetuate Your work on earth. As an act of dedication, I am resolved this day to begin (continue) the regular practice of tithing."

Sivakumar, Lavanya's husband, also changed his family name Meyyappan to Saravan.

Gurudeva throws flowers on the couple who left today to go back to Singapore.

Lavanya joins the ladies of the Kauai Mission after the ceremony. We hope everyone in Singapore will give her a grand reception when she comes home!

Before departing Sivakumar and Lavanya meet with Acharya Palaniswami to discuss ways and means to sell art in Singapore to help raise funds for Iraivan.

Sivakumar Saravan is an accountant with the offices of a multi-national firm in Singapore. He is a Vrata Sishya of Saiva Siddhanta Church, which means, in addition to the three Vratas Lavanya took above, completed his Himalayan Academy studies and he has pledged to uphold all 365 of the Nandinatha Sutras.

Lavanya was formerly a Certified Public Accountant, but has decided not to work anymore now that she is married. And with her professional budgetary skills Sivakumar says the family finances are in perfect order! Lavanya, now with more time on her hands is going to learn the Montessori method of teaching, along with Positive Discipline so that she will be better equipped to raise her own children. She will also help with Hindu Press International and gather and process new clippings on Hinduism and send them to Kauai.

We all welcome Lavanya into our Hindu family with a joyful Namaste!, Aloha! Namaskara!

Seven guests came today for tour day, the final day of the phase. One couple flew over from Honolulu just to come to the temple.

Later in the morning Suri and Mala Raman with their happy daughter Nithila arrived from Sammamish, Washington. Both Suri and Mala are originally from Chennai, and Suri now works for Microsoft.

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