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August 16, 2001 
All is quiet from the Innersearch team as they travel the North Sea to Sweden. Here is the very beautiful painting of Gurudeva, by Indra Sharma which we call "The Lion of Dharma" painting. Mount Waialeale is depicted in the back with Iraivan temple below. Gurudeva holds in his hand the magnificent silver Trisula, gifted to him by the great sage, who has since passed on, Sri-la-Sri Chandrashekara Shankaracharya of Kanchipuram, Tamil Nadu, India.
And please note that this is our third year anniversary of these TAKA pages which began on August 16th, 1998. We want to thank everyone who has participated in the grand team that has put this all together day after day including photographers in other nations, our transcribers, Asha and Sheela, Uncle Sadhunathan and is incredible patience and dedication and those on his team handling audio, Tiru Srikantha and many others. Thank you!
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transcription begins
Date: January_28_1999
Topic: Maintaining Harmony
Category:
Duration: 4 min., 10 seconds
A question that is normally always asked is "How is it possible to have a harmonious ashram?"
Well, there are various ways and it is possible. An ashram is a big home. All those in charge should show no favoritism. Father and mother in charge of the home, should know no favoritism, make one child special over another. This causes division, hurt feelings, neglect. The one who is neglected therefore, often does bad things, to gain the attention of the mother and father.
It is no different within an ashram of 50-60 or 100 people. Favoritism is division. Treat everybody the same. The same noble spirit is within everyone. If one can do this, harmony takes place. An ashram doing religious work, is a one, big mind of many minds blended together in a oneness, performing a mission - the mission of the ashram. Of course, the mission goals must be clearly defined, absolutely clearly defined, of what the institution stands for, and what it is going to do, is doing and will do in the future. These goals must be clear in everyone's mind, so that all are pointed in the same direction and all are working together, in a oneness, co-operating with each other. This means that every single ashramite helps all the others. So, everyone is helping the entire group. This is called religious service.
If everyone is not helping the group, and is forming likes and dislikes - "I like this person and that person, better than the other 49 people." That makes division. That begins to break up the mission of the mission. No wonder if the ashram is not fulfilling its total goal. No wonder it is not as successful as it should be. Why? Not because the mission statement was wrong. It was because wrong people are living in the ashram. They have to be taught, just as children at home and mothers and fathers, that working with togetherness is a creative force, working with favoritism is a destructive force and also liking one or two people, more than others, making friends. Obviously, enemies are made at the same time.
We hope this answers the question of how to make an ashram harmonious. It is the same as a harmonious home and a great extended family or a joint family, living together in one house, who bring success upon themselves or failure upon themselves, simply by the policies that are implemented by the leaders - be it a mother or father, swami or guru, minister or priest. Doesn't matter. The principle applies to every group of human beings.
See you again tomorrow. Aum Namah Sivaya.
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We have a most honored guest here today from Fiji, Swami Bhaktirupananda, the current president of the Ramakrishna Mission in Fiji, Swami has just arrived from Fiji yesterday and this is his very first visit to the US. He has heard much about our small monastery in the middle of the Pacific and is a reader of Hinduism Today. Swami has been in Fiji for three years, having been posted there from India. He is on a tour of all the Ramakrishna centers on mainland USA of which there are 20 or more. Swami has years of experience behind him, haviing served at various RK mission centers throughout India over the years.
This morning was the "changing of the seasons" as we pass from the Nartana Ritau to the Jivana Ritau. We paraded out to the flag pole to raise up the "fall colors" of the Hindu Dvaja -- the Flag of Sanatana Dharma.
Sannyasins Yoginathaswami, Shanmuganathaswami and our silpis pull the rope. It's a really big flag!
Jai Sanatana Dharmaki Jai!
After many years of training in Gurudeva's office, Sannyasin Saravananathaswami is now serving there as the coordinator for the Master Course area of Himalayan Academy and corresponding with all the new students and those interested in becoming students.
He is working here these past few days on getting some of the Master Course programs prepared for the Internet... stay tuned for the new Master Course home page.
Gurudeva's spiritual center in the island country of Mauritius
in the Indian Ocean near South Africa
Almost every week we have large groups of pilgrims visiting the Spiritual Park. Some prefer to stay here for a whole day like these ladies led by Mrs. Rajendri Coopamah of Quatre Bornes, who are enjoying the peaceful atmosphere pervading the Mandapam.
The ladies singing devotional songs to Lord Pancha Mukha Ganapati...
The mango trees around the Ganesha Mandapam are in full bloom and swarms of bees are happily buzzing around. In a few weeks one will be able to see green mangos all over these trees. Mangos when ripe are sweet tropical fruits associated with Lord Ganesha who says: " It was given to Me from Lord Siva's own hand after performing My first wisdom act. It represents the highest spiritual fruition."
Jacquesson Claude and his wife, lovers of green tourism live in Paris and work for France Telecoms. On their drive in the north of the island they saw the signpost of the Dharmasala and were curious to know what this place looked like. "We are happy to not see so much concrete here. Mauritians should continue to preserve the natural beauties of this island. This is an ideal place for eco-tourism!" they said.
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