Beginning a New Year with the Nartana Ritau

Several days ago the monastery observed a homa and a flag raising to welcome our new season, the Nartana Ritau. This also marks the beginning of Vikari, our new year. Aum Namah Sivaya.

Nartana Ritau, the season of Dancing with Siva, begins on Tamil New Year.

This is the period of creation, the warm season, from mid-April through mid-August.

The key word of this season is planning. The colors are orange, yellow-gold and all shades of green

orange for renunciation, yellow-gold for action and green for regeneration

High above, the main flag flies the color orange, heralding the Nartana Ritau throughout this season

symbolizing sadhana and self-control

The other colors adorn smaller flags. This is the season of giving special attention to those in the grihastha ashrama.

It is a time of awakening, renewal, review.

The emphasis is on seeing ahead, planning for future years.

It is a time of planning retreats and other activities for youths and adults for the entire year.

The Saiva Dharma Shastras are studied

and any needed additions in supplementary manuals, representing new growth, are made.

The practical focus is completion of unfinished projects.

Secular holidays to observe among the families include Mother\

s Day in May, Father\'s Day in June and Grandparent\'s Day in August.'

This season of harvest and new growth is also the time to review and reestablish picking and planting routines for the gardens.

It is a time for ordering seeds and plants for the year

of planting trees, fragrant vines and the annual crop

Review is made for scheduling the care of all realms of the Aadheenam\

s acreage.'

Kadavul temple and the Guru Temple are cleaned and renewed during this season

and the adjacent grounds receive special, abundant attention.

Karma yogis are invited to help in this

and other areas with planting and weeding, digging, fertilizing, fence repair and more.

The daily sadhana is the Sivachaitanya Panchatantra:

experiencing nada,

jyoti,

prana,

bhakti

and darshana.

In Sanskrit, it is a time of learning new slokas and mantras.

In the family community, prasnottara satsanga is held for one and all to attend.

Families plan for their annual pilgrimage.

Shrine rooms are renewed and redecorated for the year,

and the clothing of all is renewed in the Hindu style of the current fashion.

It is a time of doing things for others,

and religious outreach.

It is a time of hatha yoga

and philosophical teaching.

Aum Namah Sivaya

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