Vatshalan Takes His Supplicancy Pledge

On January 5th, just following the Ardra Darshanam abhishekam, Brahmachari Vatshalan entered the Guru Pitham to sit before the monastics and take his Supplicancy Pledge. With Satguru currently in India, Vatshalan's Sacred Pledge was sign by he himself as well as by the monastic witnesses present. Having already taken the vow of purity, he now takes on two more vows, the vow of Humility and the vow of Confidence. This pledge declares his intention towards a life of monasticism, as he now begins the final process, by which he will ready himself for the life of the Postulant. From the Sacred Pledge:

"The supplicant's foremost objective is to strive for mastery of the charya marga, or path of service. This begins with the avoidance of wrongful actions and the overcoming of base instincts and emotions as he learns to transmute worldliness into the higher states of devotion and selflessness. At this stage on the path, the Saivite devotee is content not to strive for profound spiritual attainments but to work diligently with the faults and flaws that are stumbling blocks on the path, learning at the same time to depend not only on his own resources but on the limitless abilities of the Gods to resolve all difficulties and dissolve all obstacles. The Supplicancy is a time of profound worship of Lord Ganesha, Lord Murugan and Lord Siva and of deepening commitment and service to Saivite Hinduism and to the Church. It is also a time of study, challenge and inner change. The supplicant is encouraged to strive for the perfection of service and for the monastic ideals of humility, industry and responsibility, renouncing personal needs for the benefit of others. In this service, he should strive for transparency, that quality of anonymous virtue in which the premonastic lives in full harmony with others, remaining centered within and not standing out or disturbing the surroundings. It is this ancient tradition of unseen service and unperturbable stability that the supplicant seeks to emulate, realizing that serving in unheralded ways and renouncing the fruits of even good deeds averts the pitfalls of the spiritual ego and nurtures the state of unpretentiousness. By putting great energy into premonastic life and by serving tirelessly for the benefit not of himself but of others, the supplicant opens himself to the inflow of Lord Siva's grace." Aum Namah Sivaya.

Presenting Sivanadiyar Vatshalan

Just following the grand Ardra abhishekam, several of the monks join Vatshalan at the guru pitam.

Vatshalan reads aloud from his vows

He then signs each one

Vatshalan is given the vestments of the Sivanadiyar, including white robes to wear.

After some traditional veshti tying lessons his outward appearance will begin to reflect his new, inner life.

The monks sign his pledge as witnesses. Satguru will append his signature upon his return. Aum Namah Sivaya

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