Kauai Aadheenam

Left side shows old edition, right side is our update of the same spread.
The second chapter is on life-giving rain.

The part spread on Virtue.

The appendix shows Tiruvalluvar composing the amazing couplets to guide humanity to follow a virtuous, wise and joyous life.

The conclusion now shows a watchman closing up the temple doors at day’s end. Good night!

Instructed by Gurudeva, Satguru Bodhinatha Veylanswami and Sadasivanathaswami spent 24 years (not full time!) translating the verses of the Tirukural into modern English. Several editions have been published, and it continues to be a popular book, so much so that we have only 11 copies left.

So the Ganapati Kulam went to work and created a new edition, in full color and using, for the first time, the 108 paintings done by S Rajam back in 2002. We also added proper paintings where we had simple black and white patterns earlier. The slide show displays four spreads to give an idea of the comparison of the old and the new.

The monastery cherishes its role in serving the people of Kauai, always striving to foster amity, cooperation, and good-neighborliness across the island. One such effort took shape recently when we were invited to restore a Peace Pole we originally crafted and installed at Lydgate Park in 2009. That same year, we also created a Peace Pole for the SPARK M. MATSUNAGA INTERNATIONAL CHILDREN’S GARDEN FOR PEACE in Hanapepe—each a quiet testament to the aloha spirit and global unity (a famous one is at the Gandhi Smriti in New Delhi where Gandhi was martyred.

The International Peace Pole Project was launched in post-war Japan by Masahisa Goi, who envisioned a world united under the prayerful message, “May Peace Prevail on Earth.” From that humble beginning, over 250,000 Peace Poles have since been planted around the world, standing silently as beacons of harmony across nations, faiths, and generations.

Upon inspection of the Lydgate pole, we found it better to create a new one. Just days ago, we milled a Eucalyptus robusta log into a beautiful six-sided sculpture. In just four hours, the raw log, still clad in bark, was transformed into a smooth, golden-reddish Peace Pole. The slideshow captures the story of this transformation.

Next, the original wooden language panels will be restored and carefully mortised into the new pole. Stay tuned as this symbol of island peace and unity continues its journey.

The log is super dense and heavy. The tree is also called Swamp Mahogany.

First cut.

Acharya carefully guides the blade.

Precision is a must if it is to be six-sided

So hard is the wood the blade needs resharpening after two cuts

It worked!

Now to assemble the six language panels and mortice them into the pole.

Deep in shady Asian forests, the Amorphophallus konjac sprouts a curious secret — a single, spooky flower smelling faintly of old socks or (some say) dead rats. While its cousin the corpse flower grabs headlines, konjac quietly changes the world. Its underground tuber becomes silky noodles, jellies, and even facial sponges! Blooming only once every few years, konjac’s weird beauty hides its superpower: feeding millions and inspiring some of the coolest plant-based products on Earth.

It is blooming today and it really does stink! But the design is astonishing. And the size impresses, fully four feet tall and seems to be made out of a crinkled taffeta or crushed velvet.

ChatGPT imagines Konjac’s admirers today.

Siva’s Garden is a daily wonder, reminding pilgrims of the beauties of life, the soft nurturing that surrounds us if we can just be still enough to see it. Today we bring you a small collection of the botanical creatures that live with us here at the monastery and are showing off, trying to impress pilgrims, to remind them of Siva’s infinite, and sometimes odd, forms.

Kavi Kat finds a quiet corner among the Calocasia Green Shield under the Bilva tree

A new arrival, Philodendron Gloriosum,

It is one of the most sought-after rarities in the botanical world today and we are working to make more copies.

Licuala cordata, a palm with almost perfectly round fronds

The Gold Rain tree in full bloom

New plantings along the San Marga path. Not impressive today, but they will be.

The leaf of a large anthurium

The purple is Petrea volubus or Queen’s Wreath Vine, with palm grass in the front.

It’s name tells the story of its abundance of flowers

Wow! A False Fruit tree shows its other-worldly look.

Looks so ancient

Such great engineering!

A devotee in Australia has been inspired to bring the monastery’s teachings to the youth, inspired by the needs he sees in his own children. His latest work is now available on YouTube. He calls it “Bedtime Podcasts for Kids, Parents and Teachers.”

He has taken the wonderful book that Satguru Bodhinatha Veylanswami inspired and used a special AI to narrate the text. There are 11 stories in all, and they render as podcasts of 18 to 30 minutes. Each is a life lessons for a teenager. The topics are real-life issues, problems and challenges faced by young ones these days. They all teach teens how to cope. Great for sharing with teens in your community. In the video below is the first chapter, called “Friendship Endings.” If you want to see the entire playlist, click on the small hamburger icon on the upper right corner.

The playlist on YouTube accessible with the link above.

The book cover

It’s a hardcover book now. You can order the book at Minimela.com. printed by Amazon.

Inside spread.