Bodhinatha gave a great seminar this morning in the Guru Peedam, using his Mac hooked up to a hi-definition plasma screen on the wall to present the teachings.

The day began with an early morning pada puja to Gurudeva.

Chanting the 108 names of Gurudeva. The blessing that he gave us all, his gifts to the world, the power and strategic insight he brought to the mission of his own Guru and our Parampara, and the love he showered on each one of his devotees… are all beyond reckoning.

“He moved amidst us as Sivam–all pervasive,
He beheld every thing as the Divine will of Siva.
He gauged the true nature of time and space,
And is One with the Supreme in serene Santam.”

Saint Tirumular

It is said that to take human birth is a rare opportunity. To then be blessed to be on the spiritual path is even more rare, and to have the opportunity to find a true Satguru, the rarest boon of all. Every day we awaken, our hearts full of gratitude for what he has given us. Tirumular says it so well:

“He who is beyond the worlds, He dwells
In the hearts of the saints in benign grace
So that all may attain liberation.
He is the speechless Guru, the immaculate Sivam.”

“The Beauteous boon of ‘Siddhi and Mukti,’
The upright way of Grace and Truth,
The wealth of Wisdom and Bliss divine,
Can be attained by Grace of God with Form.”

Thambynathan Nandi has arrived back from the world. He completed his task force here earlier this year, went home, changed his name and settled his affairs and is now back to take his first steps on the monastic path.

Sadhaka Nilakantha is our pujari today and Sadhaka Satyanatha, his assistant.

More wondrous words from Tirumular which so well describe the feelings we have:

“In Siva was he rooted: Sivam did he see everywhere.
In the will of Siva did he discern all things,
Transcending consciousness of past present and future,
And duality ceasing did he realize sweet serenity.”

“He who is beyond the visible universe, came down on earth
As a Guru to abide in the hearts of the virtuous,
And illumined them by His grace and made them His own.
The peerless Siva is the priceless Sat Guru.”

The Guru indeed is Siva,
He is the kingly splendour too;
He is beyond the wisdom of the Vedas.
He is beyond all finite consciousness.

If not for the grace of Siva who came as the Guru,
The import of the scripture,
The way leading to liberation,
The reality of Truth cannot be understood by man.

Endowing me with equanimity, the power of Grace
Descended as the Guru and purged my dross,
And enlightened me from the sway of my ego.
Thus freed did I commingle with Siva.

When you meditate on the form of thy Guru
Then all the bonds that bind you
To this prison house of the body
Shall give way and make you free in Siva.

“Siva Peruman did I invoke and adore whence,
He came down as my Guru in the form of a sage.
The majestic Lord did overpower me as my Guru,
And I pay my homage to this Lord of the universe.

Sternly did my Guru chastise my ignorance;
He placed his holy hands on my head,
And his beauteous Feet lit up
The secret chambers of my heart.”

All sit quietly savouring within themselves Gurudeva’s divine presence.

Meanwhile, outside in front of Kadavul we have two marvelous wooden sculptures of Ganesha and Muruga from India on either side of the doors. For years we had
“Tiki Torch” lights. These have been replaced with new lights and small shrines over both sculptures. They were just installed over the past retreat. Acharya Kumarswami brings us the story in this slide show:

The Front Door Shrines of Kadavul Temple

Bodhinatha gave a seminar this morning in the Guru Peedam.

He was in bright form with many practical anecdotes to bring out the meaning of Gurudeva’s teachings.

We have pilgrims here from across the US and Canada.

Bodhinatha’s talk today was on one of his favorite subjects: Nine Qualities to Cultivate in Children.

Here he talks about how to develop a positive concept of oneself, which is a key foundation for a young child to grow up with a healthy mind and proper orientation to life and others.

Questions and answers

We hope to have some audio of his class for you in the days ahead.

Shyamadeva from Alaska…