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November 21, 2002 
Gurudeva was always a picturesque subject for the media and he always knew what to say. Here he is in Trinidad.
Our Beloved and Revered Satguru Sivaya Subramuniyaswami
Attained Maha Samadhi on November 12th, 2001
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Welcome back to TAKA after a three day retreat. Here is Bodhinatha speaking this morning in the temple after our Sun One homa. He read from Gurudeva's teachings and gave a very insightful talk on the temple and Lord Ganesha as primary tools
We bring you today a series of photos going backward in time to our Iraivan day on the first day of our retreat.
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Title: Malaysia Conference |
Cybertalk: Bodhinatha speaks about an event he has been invited to by the Malaysia Hindu Sangam called "Hindu Renaissance Event," scheduled for January 26, 2003 in Kuala Lumpur. Hindus in Malaysia are faced with the problem of fraudulent evangelical conversion, and the intention of this event is to rally and educate Hindus to prevent their being so unethically converted to Christianity.
Cybertalk Ends"
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Today's Sun one homa was special as we witnessed the Namakarana Samskara of Shaila Pushpa Sendan
The fire danced brightly today as Bodhinatha put prayers into the fire. With Shaila, her mother Vasuki and grandmother Valli at the fire, he jokingly said at lunch today "There was more Shakti than Siva at our homa this morning!"
The young family make their offerings into the fire.
The father, Jothi, whispers in his daughter's right ear:
"Oh child, thou art born of the family Sendan
So thy name is also Sendan
And thy given name is Shaila Pushpa"
Now Jothi says three times so all can hear:
"Oh Divine Ones, we beseech your blessings,
In the sacramental name-giving of this Saivite Hindu soul.
We vow to raise this child according
To the principles of the Sanatana Dharma.
Please bless this child,
Whose family name is .Sendan
And whose given name is. Shaila Pushpa"
After each repetition the congregation responds "Tat Astu"
Then the child's name is written in a tray of rice and the tray is waved over the fire.
Bodhinatha signs the certificate, Lord Agni is the Divine Witness as are all the devas and Mahadevas of the inner planes who were powerfully present.
Welcome to the Saivite fold, Shaila Pushpa Sendan.
These certificates and the formalization of the samskaras was one of Gurudeva's key innovations in bringing forward this tradition. Many credit his work in this area as an historic strategic move that has solidified this important Hindu tradition for generations to come. This certificate, for a new born Saivite Hindu, reads:
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Namakarana Samskara (Certificate)
Hindu Name-Giving Sacrament
Shaila Pushpa Sendan,
Having been born into the Hindu religion to devout
Hindu parents, who hereby declare they will raise this child
according to the principles of the Sanatana Dharma, Jothi Sendan and Valli Sendan
now bring forth this child to formally receive a Hindu name and
to sanctify this irrevocable entrance into Saivite Hinduism.
It is Hereby Certified:
that this devotee, born in Kauai, Hawaii on October 5, 2002 was, at a namakarana samskara held at the Kadavul Hindu Temple on the auspicious day of November 21, 2002, duly given a Hindu name in accordance with the traditions of Hinduism before the Deity, the Mahadevas and the devas.
Shaila Pushpa Sendan
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:
Satguru Bodhinatha Veylanswami
Saiva Siddhanta Church
Shaila is growing up big and strong! She was wide awake and alert to the camera man, with an intelligent curious look, as if to ask "Who are you?"
Moving backward in time now to the third day of our retreat, it was a joyful moment when we heard the murthi of our beloved Gurudeva was about to arrive at the front entrance of the monastery. We all waited patiently at the Puakenikeni Mandapam's Nepali Ganesha, who is the first to greet visitors.
Our stalwart young Sadhakas wheel in the box from the truck.
Oh look! It's a fragile new brass swami from India!
Let's see who he is!
Jai Gurudeva!
We carefully set the beautiful murthi of Gurudeva on a palanquin
He looks magnificent, very shiny, seated in lotus posture with a big smile.
Parading to the temple.
Arati upon reaching the temple door.
The kumbha full of sacred holy waters that carry the presence of the Parampara from the powerful puja held during our Mahasamadhi observances, is poured over the murthi. Priest Janahan said this would be symbolic of the entire Parampara greeting Gurudeva at the doorway of the temple to bring him to his new shrine.
Conches are blown.
Arati...
And now Gurudeva is seated in the beautiful shrine in the back eastern corner of Kadavul temple.
The shrine has a very powerful presence of Gurudeva who is now more than ever, palpably present with us on the inside.
Stepping back into the second day of our retreat.... everyone is busy with small projects here and there. One of these was installation of screen in the Publications building given by a generous benefactor who also provided a projector.
We tested it with the Iraivan multi-media CD and it looks fabulous! (if you are contributing to Iraivan and would like to do fund raising in your area and inform others of this project don't hesitate to write and ask for a copy of the CD. Send your email request to iraivan@hindu.org
The Iraivan Temple from the west side. By the end of 2003 we will be seeing pillars and the roof extending out from the sanctum.
Meanwhile Lord Siva has His own art projects underway. And no one can beat this!
Finally back to day one of our full-moon three-day retreat, the day we call Iraivan Day ...
Usually various monks are working on a variety of projects, but today everyone is on deck for a mailing fest. The year end mailing consists of 9000 names and addresses. 7000 in USA and Canada and 2000 overseas.
Acharya Kumarswami here with a typical set up at a "stuffing station." Year end report, return envelope and label carrier address sheet go together in an envelope. It is a simple and light weight mailing. It is the one time of year we reach out to a very broad audience of everyone who has given or might give to the project.
Gurudeva always said to "put your prana into each piece." and Bodhinatha encouraged everyone at the morning coordination meeting that day: "Fund raising is done with the mind. So, as you do the mailing visualize Iraivan temple, keep your conversation and thoughts focused on building Iraivan."
This is the stamping station. We purchase stamps from the post office and put them on the envelopes by hand. This is first class mailing. The goal is to get the North America mailing out early as it is the usual practice of charitable giving to occur near the end of the year.
On the retreats our monks take a break from hosting guests and different members of the Kauai Mission are on hand to sit in the temple and speak to visitors. Today Kulapati and Kulamata Deva and Tara Katir are on hand. They are also helping with the mailing. Deva comes to pick up a box of supplies to take to the Banyan Mandapam.
Tara and Deva pitching in, sealing envelopes. Give generously when you get your mailing!
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transcription begins
Date: November_13_2002
Title: Gurudeva's Mahavakya Part 2
Category: Hinduism and Tradition
Duration: 19 min., 9 seconds
Date Given: October 30, 2002
Given by: Bodhinatha
Moving on to Gurudeva, we have grouped them. We have five groups, if we have time to get through them all. We had six but I felt for sure we would not get through six groups, so we have five groups.
The first group starts appropriately with Self Realization. The mahavakyam is - The purpose of life is to realize the Self.
Sound Good? The purpose of life is to realize the Self. Gurudeva goes on to say, "The ultimate reason we are here on earth is to realize the timeless, formless, spaceless Self God within."
In commenting on each of these, I wanted to comment on it in a way which brings out its uniqueness. In other words in our Parampara, you know everyone is saying the purpose of life is to realize the Self. It is not supposed to be a new statement, it is just a key statement. But Gurudeva's uniqueness is the description of the Self. The precision of his description of the Self is a unique statement. Timeless, formless, spaceless. Sometimes, he would add causeless. Timeless, formless, spaceless, causeless. An emptiness which is a fullness. It helps you get a sense of what It is. Otherwise, if you say, "Realize the Self," What is the Self? Well, the Self will mean something different to each person. Because it is not just a specific term. But, when you say, "Well, we are talking about the Absolute, the Transcendent, That which is timeless, formless, spaceless, which as no cause, which always is," isn't that wonderful? We have a sense of it. It helps us move towards It. It helps us eventually realize it because we have a better sense of what we are trying to experience here.
Moving on to the second one in the group. The group again is Self Realization - We are in truth the Truth we seek.
That is the mahavakya. We are in truth the Truth we seek.
The uniqueness is you are already that which you seek. It is not a question of something happening in the future which makes you that. We are in truth the Truth we seek. So it is distinguishing between becoming and being. Part of us is becoming Siva, the soul body is maturing. There is a process here which takes time. We are spiritually evolving. We are becoming in our soul body more and more like Siva. But there is a part of us which is identical with Parasiva, with the Self and always has been and always will be. It is not a case of becoming, we don't have to wait. We have to go through this and this and this ... for something to happen. No, it could happen right now, because we are always the Self, we are always Parasiva. It is a question of claiming that identity. Isn't that a unique emphasis? This idea of, "No, you are already That." Just realize that which you already are.
Group two, The Nature of God - God Siva is Immanent Love and Transcendent Reality.
That is worthy of being called a mahavakya. The uniqueness is Gurudeva not only speaks of the Transcendent Reality but brings us into an understanding of that aspect of God Siva which is all pervasive and he describes it as Love, which is very helpful. We can see Siva as an all pervasive Love that permeates the entirety of creation. It is inside of us, it is outside of us, it is everywhere yet we cannot see it. What a mystery! But someday, we will. Understanding it is a second and distinct a aspect of God Siva and having the nature of love brings forth a new concept, an important concept to complement that of the Transcendent Reality, which you cannot describe as love. You cannot describe it as anything.
The next mahavakyam again on the Nature of God, Group two - God Siva is the Life of our life.
Oh, what a great mahavakyam, God Siva is the Life of our life. This has the uniqueness of stepping down the experience of God to something so simple. It is so unique in that sense. All we have to do as Gurudeva taught us, is look into someone's eyes deeply, look beyond their external personality, look beyond their intellect. Look deeply in their eyes and see the life and you have seen God. Gurudeva says it so beautifully I want to quote it here.
"Look beyond the individual's personality. Go deeper than his or her intellect and see the pure life energy as Supreme God Siva Himself." Such a powerful phrase, I wanted to read it. "The pure life energy as Supreme God Siva Himself."
So, everyone can experience God, isn't it so simple. Who has made it so simple? God is the Life of your life. I mean, it is a Tamil word, uyirukkuyir. It is there, it is not a new concept. But to step it down into this idea of just looking in the eye, seeing the pure life force, the Supreme God Siva Himself is truly unique.
Moving on to Group three, the Nature of Man - Man is not man, man is God.
That is the mahavakya. Again Gurudeva has a unique approach which takes us step by step from wherever we are and moves us forward toward this identity.
Lots of times people have a negative self concept and that is where we are starting from, "I am a terrible person, I am unworthy. Everyone else is better than I am. I am hopeless. I should not even go to the temple, I might defile it, you know" etc ... We have this negative self concept. That may be where we are starting from. Well, that is all right. Gurudeva says, "Well, okay! Let us create a positive self concept," and gives us tools for doing so in 'Merging with Siva'. Lots of specific tools to move from a negative self concept to a positive. Maha Vasana Daha tantra, flower offerings to parents, positive affirmation, understanding the philosophy and so forth. Lots of great tools there to move forward one step.
But, he does not stop there. Once we have a positive self concept and we feel, "I a worthwhile person, I am contributing. If I go to the temple, that is all right, " then we can move even deeper and identify with our soul. We are a divine being, truly a spiritual being. That is our soul nature. "This is who I am, my soul inhabits a physical body and I have a personality and an intellect. But who I am is the soul, I am a spiritual being." Okay, but we don't stop there. We keep going one more step because the mahavakyam is, "Man is not man, man is God." So, we have not got there yet. We are the soul. Then Gurudeva teaches us, "Well, look at the essence of the soul. It is Parashakti and Parasiva, which is All-pervading Consciousness and Transcendent Reality. identify with that." Then, man is not man, man is God.
Next mahavakyam on the Nature of Man - There is no intrinsic evil.
Very important. This is again focusing on helping us see each person as a divine being, no matter what they do. A very practical approach to relating to people. No matter how wrong they act, no matter how harmful a person they are, they are still a divine being. A person who does everything right and is helpful and the person who does everything wrong and is harmful, are both divine beings. This is a helpful perspective in terms of relating to other people, because it gives us a positive way of interacting with everyone. Everyone is on the spiritual path whether they realize it or not. Some people are on it consciously and others, most people, are not consciously on the spiritual path. But that does not mean they are not. Everyone is progressing spiritually. Looking at everyone as a divine being is a helpful way of relating to them and helping them move along in their spiritual progress, by improving their behavior. That is in our next Publisher's Desk. All of those on the island have helped me, for a couple of weeks now, prefect that talk. It is called, "Making spiritual progress through improving your behavior."
Moving on to Group four. A joyful, peaceful life is the topic. We will start with a classic mahavakyam. I am alright, right now.
Isn't that a great one? I mean, it is just so simple, so charming. I am alright, right now. The story goes that Gurudeva created it when he was twelve years old, coming home in the snow, afraid he was going to be late for his favorite radio program. Some Green Hornet or something back there ... Oh, Captain Midnight! Okay. I even predated the Green Hornet! This is before television. He was afraid, he was going to miss his program and he was worried about the future. But being a mystic, he said, "I am worried about the future, this is ridiculous. Here I am in the present, worried about the future which is lessening my experience of the present. Isn't that ridiculous? I am alright, right now."
Learning how to be content in the present and not worrying about the future. So many people these days are worried about the future. Even Hindu pilgrims who come here are worried, you know terrorism and this and that, what is going to happen?
It is very important to not worry about the future. But to live happily in the present by feeling that, "I am alright, right now." Gurudeva calls that, "the eternity of the moment", which expands beyond that. Not think too much about the past because that can also be burdensome. Not to worry about the future, not to regret the past but to live happily in the present moment is the goal.
Again, Gurudeva gives us tools to learn how to do that. He just does not give us the theory. But in 'Merging with Siva', helps us think less about the past, helps us worry less about the future. So that is an alright, right now.
Of course, when it comes to a joyful, peaceful life, the mahavakyam is - Life is meant to be lived joyously.
We have to put that in there, right? Life is meant to be lived joyously. This is important to remember because in being strict, in doing our sadhana, in being serious about making spiritual progress we can get too serious. We can get somber. We can get unpleasant to be around, we are so serious. You know we never laugh, we never smile, children run from us, whatever. This reminds us that we can be strict without being somber, without being unsmiling, not showing happiness. Life is meant to be lived joyously, so it is okay to smile and laugh. In fact, it is important to smile and laugh and to have fun. Particularly in the family, for the family to have fun and be a joyful place, a playful place and not to get too strict with a lot of rules. You don't want to do that. It has to be a joyful, happy, playful environment first and foremost and any rules be secondary to that.
The last one in this section, a joyful, peaceful life. The mahavakyam is - For world peace, stop the war in the home.
Lots of people talk about world peace, lots of approaches to world peace. The United Nations hopes for world peace. Religious leaders hope for world peace. Some people chant at yagnas for world peace. Gurudeva's approach was about as practical as you can get. Okay, let us start in the home. Let us make the home peaceful, one home at a time, starting in a very down-to-earth, practical way. It is nothing abstract, there is no generalization. If there is children-and-spouse abusal in the home then, there is no chance for world peace. We have to eliminate it in the home, so that those who live together don't hurt each other. There is no beating in the home, no punishment of that kind. There is no just abuse which is even worse taking place.
There is a nice story. It was after September 11th and Gurudeva was attending a meeting with some island leaders. Everyone was concerned, of course, about terrorism and discussing terrorism and chemical warfare. So Gurudeva said this idea, "Well, when it comes to world peace and terrorism, we start at home. The chemical warfare we are dealing with on this island is, of course, drug abuse, a big problem among children. So we need to focus on our drug abuse on the island. That is how we combat the chemical warfare that is going on. The terrorism we fight is children being terrorized by their parents, wives being terrorized by the husband. We need to eliminate that on the island to make progress." Again, he brought it right down to the local level, nothing general about it.
The last group, Group five, Hinduism - Hindu solidarity, a unity in diversity.
Very important mahavakyam. Gurudeva put it in a practice for many, many years through Hinduism Today and through attending lots of conferences with Hindu groups or visiting Hindu Swamis. It is the idea that Hindus need to stand together as a force to be strong. But in standing together as a force, we don't have to give up our differences. All the sectarian differences that we have we can maintain them and still be united. Just by respecting the fact that we are different. We have differences, We are four major denominations, each one is distinct from the others. Some in very, very specific ways, diverge a lot. But despite those differences we are all Hindu. So we can stand together as a united group and be strong and fight problems that come up in the various countries of the world that Hindus are facing, all the Hindus.
In Malaysia, for example, we work with the Malaysia Hindu Sangam and they go on that basis that all the Hindus in the country are uniting and standing up against problems. For example, there is a Christian fundamentalist conversion problem that they are dealing with now and "Hindu solidarity, unity in diversity" is a good concept which allows Hindus to band together, set aside their differences and work for the common good of all Hindus.
That was all the time we had, otherwise we would create more mahavakya. We have two or three or four to go. But we knew we could not finish them in time.
That is our opening talk on 'Mahasamadhi and Mahavakya'.
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MORE UPLIFTING THINGS |
Innersearch 2003-4 in India!
We just completed the July 17-23 Kauai Innersearch, 2002. Bodhinatha will lead the next Innersearch to India, between Dec 2003 and Jan 2004. We will visit Bangalore and the Iraivan Carving Village, and settle in the South in Tamil Nadu, Click on the above for details on what will be an inspiring journey to our holy land of Bharat! |
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Check our children and youth section for new items for the young and young at heart! | |
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1. SIGN OUR GUESTBOOK and receive a FREE GIFT |
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| 2. Newest Book: LIVING WITH SIVA | ||
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3. Visiting KAUAI'S HINDU MONASTERY |
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4. Contribute to THANK YOU, GURUDEVA FUND |
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|
MORE UPLIFTING THINGS |
Innersearch 2003-4 in India!
We just completed the July 17-23 Kauai Innersearch, 2002. Bodhinatha will lead the next Innersearch to India, between Dec 2003 and Jan 2004. We will visit Bangalore and the Iraivan Carving Village, and settle in the South in Tamil Nadu, Click on the above for details on what will be an inspiring journey to our holy land of Bharat! |
|
|
|
Check our children and youth section for new items for the young and young at heart! | |
|
1. SIGN OUR GUESTBOOK and receive a FREE GIFT |
||
| 2. Newest Book: LIVING WITH SIVA | ||
|
3. Visiting KAUAI'S HINDU MONASTERY |
||
|
4. Contribute to THANK YOU, GURUDEVA FUND |
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