"It is darshan vibration that makes a human being a holy person. When we say someone is holy or saintly we are feeling the radiations of that divine energy flooding through him and out into the world. The inner life of a devotee has to be stabilized, cherished and well protected by the guru. The guru is able to do this through his well-developed facilities of darshan, even if his devotee lives at great distances from him. Unless the inner vibratory rate of the devotee is held stable, he will not come into his fullness in this life. If a plant is transplanted too often, it won't come into its full growth. If the bud is picked before it blooms, it will not flower or give forth its redolent fragrance. Yes, the grace of the satguru fires the ability to meditate in the seeker." -Gurudeva

On the 3rd day of our recent celebrations of Gurudeva's Mahasamadhi, we began the day with a MahaGanapati Homa, the first ceremony held in our recently created yagasala. The two priests chanted beautifully as they invoked Ganesha's benevolent grace, sanctifying the space and preparing for the next 30 or more hours in which the final Gurudeva Pujas and homas could now take place unhindered. The day continued with a satsang with Satguru Bodhinatha, and afterwards some time for pilgrims to explore the grounds and do sadhana before the evening's worship began.

As the sun lowered towards the horizon the priests invoked within the yagasala's 108 conch shells, 108 different deities as prescribed by the Saiva Agamas. Each of the deities are manifestations of Siva's various attributes. At the peak of the arrangement is a Siva Kumbha, in which sits Lord Siva. In this particular puja however, Gurudeva was invoked in the Siva Kumbha, having become the Self of himself. On the final day of the celebrations the 108 conches are poured over Gurudeva's paduka. Both priests expressed their joy that they were being given the time to perform the full agamic rite. Something which rarely, if ever happens in temples today. It resulted in a peerless and powerful ritual, the likes of which we may not see again for a very long time.

Each year Sadasivanathaswami sits during the final four-hour Mahasamadhi abhishekam and homa and writes a garland of words to place around Gurudeva's neck, a poem to express our enduring bhakti to Gurudeva. 
This was the twelfth year, and they say it is special. It certainly felt special.

"Earth took twelve turns while Jupiter took one
In timely circles 'round our Central Sun,
Since your Great Departure's mystic heights;
They both returned to see what you have done.

"Seldom one sees such pure Agamic rites,
Redolent of the scented days and nights
When Sivacharyas took souls safe and sure
To Siva's Feet in fiery, mantric flights.

"Priests paired before the flame tender runes pure,
So subtle beings and consciousness' high state
Would rush to mingle here and thus conjure
Your advent in our midst with sweet allure.

"White conches strictly laid, one hundred eight,
Five times the sacred mountain they surround,
Each safeguards a cherished Siva name--wait,
Each illustrates your life, your work, your gait.

"It's been a year of richness, gifts abound,
A flood of boons and goodness to astound,
Of watery wealths, of trees and grants and sod,
As your hand moved, all hindrance to impound.

"A year your written wealth spread far abroad,
A year your temples rightly honored God,
A year your monastery swelled inspired,
A year your shishyas' path was soundly trod.

"And as we ponder all that has transpired,
Each gift, each windfall, each good boon acquired,
We sit here chastened--while we did take part,
T'was all in your mind's furnace forged and fired.

"Faces fondling Earth, we hug you to heart,
Nine dozen conches poured on feet impart,
Nine dozen names intoned your graces sum,
You leave us not as we your shrine depart."


Aum Namah Sivaya