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Someone on Kauai is writing a book about getting the joy back into life. She said that whenever she comes to the monastery, she sees that joy in all the faces of the monks.

Today is another small but historic moment as the April-May-June edition of Hinduism Today is complete and ready to go to the printer in Missouri. We always have our Satguru bless the package and also have it blessed in the temple before DHL, the courier service, takes it off to the mainland.

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End of Phase Notice:
Today is the last day of this phase and this edition
of TAKA will remain up until February 2nd.

Bodhinatha's Sun One Video. Opens in separate Window. Quicktime 6.0 required to view this 30 minute MP4).

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Here is Sannyasin Natarajnathaswami and Sannyasin Sivakatirswami who have been working hard this past phase wrapping up all articles and printing out all the proofs of this edition. It is a culmination of three months work coordinated by Sannyasin Arumugaswami, our managing editor, with input from correspondents in various parts of the world, of reading and editing and page creation by all members of the Ganapati Kulam and reading and editing by the Acharyas. Today we finished creating the PDF files that will travel during a 10-hour transmission during the night by the internet to Banta Publications, while the physical proofs go by courier.

This edition has some great articles. Here is on one on the controversial question of caste in Hinduism. And wow is this issue filled with gorgeous photos and graphics. We can tell because the total volume of PDF's for this one issue is over one gigabyte!

We had sent Rajiv Malik to Mauritius to be there when Bodhinatha was there last year, and his research along with help by our members and a lot of work by Natarajnathaswami have resulted in a really beautiful feature story on "The Hindus of Mauritius." Don't miss it!

Meanwhile alongside the cover of the magazine we print other useful things at the same time. Here is the San Marga newsletter "shell" which we print blank and send back to Kauai for use each month for the temple fund-raising newsletter to donors.

Below that we have the next Innersearch 2004 Brochure with all details on the up-and-coming India Innersearch, which will be mailed to people in the months to come. These are printed out on a large 36-inch, wide 11-inch tall single file called the "Gang Job" that Sivakatirswami puts together from files prepared by monks in other kulams.

Sadhaka Dandapani prepared the Innersearch brochure.

He invites you to join Bodhinatha on the 2004 Indian Odyssey.

Stepping back in time a bit we have here the "Gurudeva Proclamations" given to Paramacharya Palaniswami at the Lydgate Gurudeva Memorial function last week. This one is from the County Council and reads:

"The Council of the County of Kauai hereby presents this Certicate to the late Satguru Sivaya Subramuniyaswami.

This Certificate is to recognize and honor the late Satguru Sivaya Subramuniyaswami, affectionately known as Gurudeva, for the contributions that he made to our Kauai community and for his belief in the visions of "Aloha: It's Kauai's Spirit" and "One Island, Many Peoples, All Kauaians".Gurudeva, who is the founder of the Kauai Hindu Monastery, was a key member of Vision Kauai 2020, a small group of community leaders that met to fashion the islands future based on moral and spiritual values. Gurudeva spent his life promoting peace and harmony, and in the year 2000, he received the United Nations UThant Peace Award and shared his message that peace in our hearts and homes must preceed world peace and participated in the United Nations World Peace Summit. We remember Gurudeva for his remarkable achievements and visions and are grateful for the many contributions that he made to Kauai and the world."

Signed by Council Members

Office of the Mayor
County of Kauai
Proclamation.

Gurudeva Day

WHEREAS Gurudeva brought to Kauai the traditions and customs of Sri Lanka and India and established 32 years ago a community of monks in the Wailua homesteads, thus adding a new color to our island rainbow; and

WHEREAS he worked effectively for over 30 years to unite people and bring peace to families around the world, urging nonviolent solutions to human problems and especially seeking to bring peace to every home by freeing children from corporal punishment ad spouses from neglect and abuse; and
WHEREAS his achievements towards in peace inspired world leaders to invite his participation in international forums on human survival and spiritual values and also earned him the prestigious year 2000 UThant Peace Award at the United Nations in New York; and
WHEREAS those same gentle, tolerant and wise values were brought by him into our island community as he met for five years with Kauai leaders to forge a culturally rich and secure future for us all through the establishment of the Kauai Aloha Endowment, the Kauaian Days and a Drug Free Kauai program, offering the island generous resources to make these all a reality.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, BRIAN J. BAPTISTE, Mayor of the County of Kaua'i, state of Hawaii do hereby declare January 25, 2003 to be designated as

GURUDEVA DAY

Throughout the county of Kaua'i, and urge all citizens of Kaua'i to join hands to honor the ideals of peace, justice and unity for which Gurudeva devoted his life.

(signed)
Brian J. Baptiste

The last day of the phase brought our phase end tour group in the morning, which included some bright, white-turbaned devotees of Yogi Bhajan.

Out at San Marga we have these murthis of Lord Ganesha and Lord Muruga which are smaller replicas of the same murthis in Kadavul Temple.

Many have said that if you stand in front of this image of Ganesha you will have a strong blessing granted.

Om Sri Ganeshaya Namaha!

On the right of the path that enters onto the area where the outdoor San Marga Sivalingam resides is Lord Muruga.

Vetri Vel Muruganukku!

Om Saravanabhavaya Namaha!

After the tour, the mini-meal gift shop is open for visitors.

This is Clarence and Barton from Oregon and their friends Leland and Olga Barnes from Idaho. They heard about the monastery from a friend of theirs that lives on the island and were amazed to see how the temple is being carved.

Sadhaka Haranandinatha is on hand to help guests with their purchases of books, rudrakshas, posters and other beautiful items from our little shop.

Later in the morning monks gathered in a group mailing of the San Marga monthly newsletter. It is always a joyful occasion for fellowship among the brothers and helps Sadhaka Haranandinatha get a big job done at the same time.

The newsletter now carries a lovely very colorful image of the painting by a local artist that captures, in an impressionist style, the temple in our tropical context with Gurudeva presiding from within.

Our monks begin lunch together at 1:00 PM every day with the Anna Purne chant.

The Remarkable Vision	Iraivan Temple Progress Update	Join this historic undertaking. Please contribute generously. Sponsor a stone today! Monthly Report Sponsor a stone Iraivan Wonders
	Order Sacred Rudrakshas or Gorgeous 2003 Iraivan Calendars with Hindu festival days on them. Great for Gifts! All proceeds go to the building fund.

Out at the Iraivan site the anticipation is building as we prepare for the raising of the first pillars. The bases around the main sanctum for the pillars have been set.

We have had a light rain these past few days, keep the site fresh with and clean.

The first four pillars are those immediately adjacent to the main sanctum along the east side of the temple.

Sundaram Achari prepares the top of one of the pillars.

Shanmugam Sthapati guides everything along with a gentle voice and a long vision of what must be done today for things to fit perfectly in the months ahead.

Adaikalam has almost finished the top of this pillar. As you can see, a small square is left that will fit into the hole of the potagai at the top, locking the pillar in place preventing any motion from side to side.

transcription begins

Date: January_27_1999
Title: Maintaining Concentration
Category: Meditation and Yoga
Duration: 2 min., 9 seconds
Date Given: January 27, 1999
Given By: Gurudeva

Today at Kauai Aadheenam, January 27th. Greetings to each and everyone in cyberspace. We are very happy that you have selected our Cyberspace Ashram.

Early morning in the temple, our sadhana of the day was given to all of the mathavasis here, Swamis, Yogis, and Sadhakas. To remain centered inside the spine. This means to sit at the computers, to do our work all day with our consciousness within the center of the spine from the top to the bottom. In this way, past and future become now.

Try that this very moment. Sit up straight, do your work, be conscious of your spine and you are automatically conscious of the eternity of the moment. Now slump over just a little bit, bend the back, and you can easily be conscious of the past looking very big and the future full of desires looking very tempting. Sit up nice and straight now and feel the middle of the spine. Past and future collapse into the moment. That is actually all we have, the moment. In the moment, we are blissful, we are happy, we are secure, we are content. All the fine qualities of life are there.

This is our cyberspace message of the day. Be content and happy and fulfilled by holding awareness in the center of the spine, from the top to the bottom of it. We will be back again tomorrow.

transcription ends

MORE UPLIFTING THINGS		Innersearch 2004 in India! Bodhinatha will lead the next Innersearch to India, January, 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