Our Mighty Murugan is Celebrated

The monastery recently celebrated Thai Pusam, the Kartikkeya-focused festival practiced around the globe. We enjoy this Mahadeva's shakti force as sweet items are poured over His temporary granite body. With Satguru present, and all the island members and devotees, all felt blessed and fulfilled.

Lord Skanda dwells in his Kadavul shrine, irrupting with a dense fog-like darshan. Those who know Skanda await his shakti force with as much anticipation as a naval ship embarking for war. This glorious God can hardly be looked-over and can grab you in His cloak of eternity.

Siddhanathaswami makes the offerings with the help of Natyam Mayuranatha

Rudram chanters line up and begin belting their chants of praise for their General

Honey is poured all over the Vel. Imagine this astral sword slicing through all of your burdens.

Muruga almost disapears under a wave of thick honey

Meanwhile the slaves of Muruga dance to the left and right, inside and out. Nirvani Tejadevanatha leads the monks in a rapid-fire pouring operation that requires strength and diligence. This train does not stop!

Only fire pauses this locomotion of love. Everyone takes a deep breath in and holds in wonderment of what comes next.

Precision pouring

Satguru chants the mind-altering Sri Rudram during the abhishekam. Satguru has had several Rudram disciplines throughout his life, one of them being to chant it daily while in India.

\"Oh Rudra, My salutations to your anger and to your arrows. My salutations to your bow and to your two hands. Rudra is always known to be easily pleased and through the praise contained in Sri Rudram the fierce Rudra is calmed and becomes ready to grant us every conceivable blessing as requested in the Chamakam hymn.\"

\"Nourished by the sacrifice, the gods will bestow on you the enjoyments you desire. But he who enjoys their gifts without offering to them is merely a thief.\"

\"My Lord who dwells on Mount Kailas and confers gladness to all! You, who fulfills your vow of protecting all who serve you and take refuge in you; that arrow of yours which you hold ready to let fly, withhold it and make it tranquil and auspicious. \"

\"Lord of Mount Kailash of the Vedas! We pray to attain you by our auspicious words. We ask that for all our days, this entire world will be free from ills and discord, and that we may live in amity and concord.\"

\"Let Him intercede on my behalf and speak in my favour, even Rudra, that foremost one, held high in honour by the gods, the physician. Let him annihilate the enemies of mine like scorpions, snakes, and tigers, and the unseen enemies like the Rakshasas, spirits and demons.\"

\"This Sun who is copper-red when he arises, then golden-yellow, this highly auspicious and beneficent one is truly Rudra. These other Rudras who are quartered round about in all directions of this earth, may I ward off their anger by my praise.\"

\"You having a thousand eyes, and bearing a hundred quivers, after loosening your bow, kindly blunt the edges of your shafts. Assume your peaceful and auspicious Siva form and become well-intentioned towards us. \"

\"Let the bow of Kapardin, Rudra of the matted locks, be without its string. Let there be no arrows in His quiver. Let His arrows lose their capacity to strike and pierce. Let His scabbard contain little power. \"

\"Let my salutations be to that great God who is the Lord of the universe; the great God who has three eyes and who destroys Tripura, the three Asura cities. \"

\"Salutations to Him who has created the world and spread it broad, the creator of riches and lover of those who are devoted to Him; to the Lord of all vegetation, salutations. \"

\"Salutations to Him of the fearsome war cry, who causes His enemies to weep. To the leader of the foot-soldiers, salutations.\"

\"Salutations to Him who stands prominent, the wielder of the sword; to the prince of thieves, salutations.\"

\"Oh Lord Rudra! By that form if your which is peaceful and auspicious, more highly auspicious since it is a panacea for human ills for all days, most highly auspicious since by the grant of knowledge and illumination, it utterly uproots ignorance and the entire misery of samsara, by that gracious form of your make us lead a full and happy life. \"

}
];