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"In the perfection of Siva's Will, which can be perceived by the realised seers on the edifice of immaculate purity, illumined Truth, and beatific grace, there lies the award of eternal Love and serene Peace. Yogaswami declares it as the state of "Summa Iru--Ellaam Nan" [Be Still -- All is I (myself)] Mauna Niraive." -- Silence is Fullness--Natchintanai 380.

The liberated Anma (Atma-Soul) realises that there can be no intrinsic evil, that absolute is Truth, and from everlasting to everlasting is the vibration of Aum Tat Sat--That alone is Real. Swami's reflections thus communicate a tranquil peace which has a transcendental and numinous value, unknown to those who have not been infused by the purifying waters of the Guru's Grace."

We are pleased to announce the web release of Satguru Sivaya Subramuniyaswami's monumental work on Hindu culture and lifestyle:
Living with Siva.
Click here for the entire text and artwork, now on-line!

Bodhinatha signs books for pilgrims...

Bodhinatha's Sun One Video. Most Recent update: September 12, 2003. Bodhinatha speaks on Ahimsa, noninjury, yama #1, which is noninjury in thought, word and deed. The law of karma decrees that it is wise not to harm or hurt others, for we will then receive harm and hurt in exchange in the future. 12 minutes, 29 seconds.

				Live Web Cam Pix!

Dancing with Siva in full color is an amazing work... We only have a few copies but you can look forward to getting yours in December.

Here is one of the opening pages of one of the mandalas of Dancing with Siva. On the left facing page is a selection from the artwork of S. Rajam in India. We bring you today this story from Chennai where Narayan Venkatakrishnan and his wife Sheela are helping to "liase" with the artist there who is working on more paintings for future books. Sheela writes these notes and also sends the personal note written by the artist himself:

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

{Sheela writes:]

It is with hearts overflowing with gratitude to Gurudeva and all at the Aadheenam that we write this note. We are truly 'Dancing with Siva'! The morning's visit to Sri. Rajam with this Treasure of treasures was so moving!

Sri Rajam was just so delighted with "the gift" sent to him! You could truly see the joy that comes from knowing that so much of what one did in this life has not been in vain! Repeatedly, he expressed how grateful he was that the Aadheenam had not just bought his artwork but had made it available in a form that it is now in the hands of so many people around the world. He said, "So many people asked how much I had been paid for my art. There are always people like that. So what if some rich man had paid many times as much? What would have happened to these paintings? They would have been one man's possession and probably lying in some corner after his time. But, look at what the Aadheenam has done. They published it so perfectly in order that people all over the world may partake of what I experienced when I painted each one of them. I am so grateful."

Aum Namah Sivaya!

Sheela

_________________

[S. Rajam writes:]

Dear Swamiji,

Hail to Ganesha! My pranams to all high souls there.

Words fail to express my amazement at the first printed 'Dancing with Nataraja', full colour version, handed over to me by Narayan and Sheela. I am highly honored in the Gurudeva's introduction in this edition. This is all the blessings of our Gurudeva.

All the colour prints of my paintings plus the colouring of my other drawings have been finely brought out, and this remarkable book supplies all the aesthetics of our Sanatana Dharma, from language to many religious details, symbols explained and dates of the important happenings of the world. All in our hand, like Saint Agasthya's ocean in the drop of water in his palm. The work left by Gurudeva is meticulously carried out by the successors, and it is the pride of our souls.

Ending with pranams to your good self and other elites there.

Thanking you,

S Rajam.

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In the west wall of the Guru peedam where the monks sit for meditation every day, there is a large colony of honey bees that come and go all day. Years ago the lived up higher in that wall near the roof and renovations required they be removed. But bees are considered very auspicious, and Gurudeva said that he hoped one day they would return, which they have. Contrary to the general imagery conveyed in the mainstream media, bees are quite benign and only attack when threatened. Here we are just two feet away from the entrance and they are quite uninterested in our presence. It has been raining quite heavily for a week or so, and this afternoon's clear sunny weather has given them an opportunity to go to work to bring home as much pollen as they can before sunset. All is well.

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Date: September_08_2003
Title: The Yama of Brahmacharya, Yama #4
Category: Yamas and Niyamas
Duration: 9 min., 45 seconds
Date Given: August 21, 2003
Given by: Bodhinatha

We are getting ready for a trip. Leaving tomorrow for a three-week trip to California, Mauritius, Malaysia and Singapore. Going the wrong direction, so we can be at Venita Katir's Arangetram. The family invited us and they said there would be five hundred Hindus there and a wonderful chance to meet them all. So we said, "We will go, even though it is the wrong direction!" Looking forward to that journey.

This morning, we are continuing our talks on 'Yamas and Niyamas', Hinduism's code of conduct, the twenty principles for good behavior. And, lo and behold today's topic is 'Brahmacharya'. How can that be? Isn't that amazing? There are twenty possibilities right? Actually there are more, there are a few extra talks in this series, probably twenty-six possibilities. So that means, the percentage chance is about 4% that this talk would be on the day we had a brahmacharya vrata, which of course, is quite rare at Kadavul Hindu Temple.

Today's lesson on 'Good Conduct' is on the fourth yama of Brahmacharya, which is to practice divine conduct, controlling lust by remaining celibate when single and faithful in marriage. Before marriage, use vital energies in study and after marriage in creating family success. Don't waste the sacred force by promiscuity in thought, word or deed. Be restrained with the opposite sex, seek holy company, dress and speak modestly, shun pornography, sexual humor and violence.

Let us look at some common examples of not following this yama.

First example. We regularly use the internet to access pornographic sites to stimulate us, a common problem.

Second example. As a college student, we choose to have sexual relations with those we date.

Third example. As a middle aged married man, we flirt with the women at work.

Fourth example. We regularly watch movies that include explicit sexual acts.

As we know, all of the yamas focus on harnessing a tendency of the instinctive mind. In the case of Brahmacharya, divine conduct, the instinctive tendency we are focusing on harnessing is of course, sexual desire.

The Tirukural addresses the need of controlling lust in Chapter 15, 'Not Coveting Another's Wife', verse 147 puts forth the ideal. "He is decreed a worthy householder who holds no desire for the womanly charms of another's wife."

Let us look first at the reasons for observing Brahmacharya.

The fundamental reason for observing Brahmacharya before marriage is it creates a stronger, more mature relationship between husband and wife. Those who are promiscuous prior to marriage are susceptible to impulses of anger, have undefined fears, experience jealousy and other instinctive emotions.

Gurudeva explains the mystical reason behind this quite beautifully, He states that, "In virgin boys and girls the psychic nadis, the astral nerve currents that extend out into and through the aura have small hooks on the end. When a boy and girl marry the hooks straighten out and the nadis are tied one to another and they actually grow together. If the first sexual experience is premarital and the virginity is broken, the hooks at the end of the nadis also straighten out but there is nothing to grow on to, if the partners do not marry. Then when either partner marries someone else, the relationship is never as close as when a virgin boy and girl marry because their nadis don't grow together in the same way. In cases such as this, they feel the need for intellectual stimuli and emotional stimuli to keep the marriage going."

For monks and other single individuals intent on pursuing deeper realizations and higher consciousness, Brahmacharya is important for another reason. Gurudeva explains that , "Containing the sacred fluids within the body builds up a bank account through the years that makes the realization of God on the path to enlightenment a reality within the life of the individual who is single. This is called transmutation of the sexual energy. If Brahmacharya is broken through sexual intercourse, this power goes away. Therefore trying to pursue the higher goals of meditation without practicing celibacy, will clearly not lead to success."

Let us look next at some of the keys to successfully practicing brahmacharya before marriage.

First key. Do not look at members of the opposite sex with any idea of sex or lust in mind. Do not indulge in admiring those of the opposite sex or seeing one as more beautiful than another. Boys must foster the inner attitude that all young women are their sisters and all older women are their mother. Girls must foster the inner attitude that all young men are their brothers and all older men are their father.

Second key. Do not attend movies that depict the base instincts of humans nor read books or magazines of this nature. Above all, avoid pornography on the internet, on TV and in any other media.

Third key. Be very careful to mix only with good company, those who think and speak in a cultured way. So that the mind and emotions are not lead astray and vital energies needed for study used up.

Fourth key. Get plenty of physical exercise. This is very important because exercise sublimates your instinctive drives and directs excess energy and the flow of blood to all parts of the body.

Fifth key. Do not tell or even listen to sexual jokes or stories.

Sixth key. Avoid arousing the sex instincts by understanding and avoiding the eight successive phases - fantasy, glorification, flirtation, lustful glances, secret love talk, amorous longing, rendezvous and finally intercourse.

Seventh key. Take a pledge to remain celibate until marriage, the brahmacharya vrata, before your parents.

For those who are married, here are a few suggestions for remaining faithful, from Gurudeva, of course.

The first suggestion. Never hug or touch another's spouse. Hard to do in Hawaii!

Second suggestion. Always dress modestly, not in a sexual arousing way.

Third suggestion. Observe the eight-fold celibacy towards everyone but their spouse.

Fourth suggestion. A married man should not hire a secretary who is more magnetic or beautiful than his wife. Very practical suggestion from Gurudeva!

Finally, let us look at the practice of celibacy for those who are married. There is another form of sexual purity, though not truly brahmacharya, followed by faithful family people who have a normal sexual life while raising a family. They are working towards the stage when they take their brahmacharya vrata after 60 years of age, when the sexual forces naturally become quiet. Thereafter, they would live together as brother and sister, sleeping in separate bedrooms. This, of course, is for the purpose of intensifying their spiritual progress and having deeper spiritual experiences. During their married life, they control the forces of lust and regulate instinctive energies and thus prepare to take that vrata later in life. But if they are unfaithful, flirtatious and loose in their thinking through life, they will not be inclined to take the vrata when they are older.

In summary: Practice divine conduct, controlling lust by remaining celibate when single and faithful in marriage. Before marriage, use vital energies for study and after marriage in creating family success. Don't waste the sacred force by promiscuity in thought, word or deed. Be restrained with the opposite sex. Seek holy company. Dress and speak modestly. Shun pornography, sexual humor and violence.

Aum Namah Sivaya.

transcription ends

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