Satguru Bodhinatha Veylanswami gives his weekly upadesha in Kadavul Temple at Kauai’s Hindu Monastery in Hawaii. It is part of a series of talks elaborating on the inspired teachings of Satguru Śivaya Subramuniyaswami as found in his book Merging With Śiva.
“Through darshan power, the guru is able to communicate with his disciples. Information is passed on these rays of darshan. Unfoldment is guided on these rays of darshan. A beginning student cannot feel the darshan. That means he is not inwardly connected or “hooked in.” He does not have that open line. That is why the satguru often puts out some sort of intellectual book or pamphlets, to hold the intellect in check until the student goes deeper within. After deep study of the guru’s works, they then begin to feel his darshan occasionally from a distance, but not all the time.“
On the coming October 26 we will be celebrating Skanda Shasti in Kadavul Temple along with pilgrims and devotes. For those who can’t attend we will be doing a live streaming for you all to enjoy it. Above is the link for the live stream. Aum!
Sadasivanathaswami and Tillainathaswami each shared insights for the women who make the Spiritual Park work so well
Sharing appreciation, one on one
There was a lot of love in the room as sweet words were exchanged.
Each one came forward to receive a golden Rudraksha bead and a small piece of precious cloth from Gurudeva’s robes
On October 1, a rare and uplifting Ladies’ Workshop was held at the Spiritual Park, bringing together the amazing women who form the heart and sustaining force of Gurudeva’s and Bodhinatha’s mission in the island nation. The gathering focused on issues close to their lives—how to lovingly guide children who do not follow our path, how to balance the many daily tasks at home and at the Park, and how to find precious time for meditation amidst it all.
After the presentations, Paramacharya invited everyone to pair up and share their often-unspoken love and appreciation for one another. He began by expressing his gratitude to Premila Manick, who then responded in kind. Inspired by their example, the women turned to those beside them, offering heartfelt thanks to their friends for simply being part of their lives. The space soon filled with laughter, gentle hugs, hand-holding, and tears of joy as each felt seen and cherished.
The event concluded with vibuthi blessings. Paramacharya had brought from Kauai 23-karat gilded Rudraksha beads and a small piece of the robes Gurudeva had worn in life, presenting each woman with these sacred and deeply meaningful gifts.
Testimony
Om Namasivaya Paramacharya,
I wanted to write to you on how AMAZING it was to hear and see you during the Ladies workshop today. I will most probably remember this for the rest of my life. There were so many teachings – some conscious, some unconscious.
When you said that it is important for women to know that they are seen, heard and loved for all that they do, it suddenly occurred to me that it is exactly what my mum requires. She is emotional most of the time these days, and I think it is because she does not feel seen, heard and loved. I came home today and I had a different response to her. I was more present, tolerant and understanding. All thanks to YOU. You are really untangling my karmas!!
I also really appreciated the way you demonstrated appreciation and gratitude to Kulamata Premila. There are so many profound lessons in those moments that I will love to go back to this memory and draw inspiration from it again and again.
I have changed today, I am deeply humbled by this experience and I want to convey my deepest gratitude to you.
Lord Panchamukha Ganapati, known by nearly all Mauritians as simply “The Big Ganesha”
Arrival at the Spiritual Park on the morning of the homa
Parading to the main mandapam
Vel lights the camphor arati
The homa is then lit
Kulapatis tend the flame while Swami burns the prayers
Next, a silent meditation with all present
Paramacharya gives an upadesha
Rajen translates to creol
An award from the Mauritian Department of Health
Final offerings
Pancha Arati. Jai!
Some wonderful bhajans to end the event
Our deep gratitude to everyone in Mauritius for the increadible stay! Aum.
Jai Ganesha!
On October 5th, the final day of Paramacharya Sadasivanathaswami’s and Sannyasin TIllainathaswami’s journey in Mauritius, the two had a wonderful time attending the monthly Ganesha Homa at the Spiritual Park. The day happened to coincide with a massive event at Ganga Talao, the island’s sacred hilltop lake, so only the staunchest Ganesha bhaktars were in attendance. This reduced the morning’s usual crowd of several thousand. When our swamis arrived they were greeted and garlanded at the entrance to the park, then paraded to the feet of Lord Panchamukha Ganapati. An arati was performed by Vel Mahalingam, the homa was kindled, and thousands of paper prayers were added to the flames. Following the homa was a silent meditation and then a talk by Paramacharya about the joys of Hinduism. An award was also presented to the Spiritual Park by the country’s Minister of Health, for the massive success of the blood donations that take place just outside the park during most monthly Ganesha homa days. Next was a final arati, followed by bhajans, and a loving farewell to our traveling monastics. Aum.
The youth gather at the end of the morning to take an all tribes photo.
Tillainathaswami speaks on the nature of consciousness.
The tribes made 8 circles for their discussions.
Each tribe’s spokes person gave a report on their shared conclusions.
Our new monk from Mauritius, Arinien, with his father, Ananda, waiting at the Murugan Temple for the arrival of the swamis.
Arinien signs his Aspirant Agreement in a family shrine room, affirming his decision to follow the Saivite monastic life
On October 4, in the island nation of Mauritius, some forty under-25 seekers gathered at the Spiritual Park for a two-hour workshop that joyfully spilled into overtime. Sadasivanathaswami spoke on the nature of real spirituality, sharing the story of a fraudulent magician who, during the 1982 Innersearch pilgrimage in India, pretended to possess mystical powers—an act that aroused Gurudeva’s ire. Paramacharya then outlined Gurudeva’s practical tools for overcoming all kinds of fear. Tillainathaswami followed with mystical teachings on the nature of the mind and a guided meditation that everyone deeply enjoyed.
The real excitement came after the tea break, when the group was divided into eight “tribes” of five and asked to sit in informal circles to discuss two topics:
The place of AI in Hindu spirituality—including Zoom pūjās, digital gurus, and online Hindu studies; and
How can we help our elders perform their duties better?
Brave themes indeed, which the youth tackled with intelligence and enthusiasm. Each group then appointed a spokesperson to report back on their tribe’s conclusions. It was a wonderful morning—filled with friendship, lively discussion, and new bonds formed with the swamis from Kauai.
One of the participants, Arinien Mootoocurpen, shared with the traveling monks his decision to come to Kauai to become a monk. He has the full blessings of his parents, who raised him in our fellowship from birth and had long hoped this day would come. He signed his Aspirant Agreement in the home shrine of Mougam Pareatumbe and his wife Amutha, in the presence of his parents. Arinien, is presently on pilgrimage in South India with his family while the monks prepare his U.S. visa application. As you might imagine, the monastery is joyfully celebrating this happy turn of events. There are photos of him at the end of the slideshow.
