Today is the first full day of our new season, the Jivana Ritau. Early this morning, monastics and sishyas gathered in Kadavul Temple for a short puja (monthly Krittika Homa at Iraivan Temple was on the day prior) and then listened to a past upadesha from Satguru, who is traveling right now. Following the upadesha they proceeded out the the Aadheenam’s flagpole to fly the dvaja for the new season.
Excerpts from Saiva Dharma Shastras about the this time of year: “Beginning with Hindu New Year in mid-April, three seasons of the year divide our activities into three great needs of humankind the learning of scripture in the first season, Nartana Ritau; the living of culture in the second season, Jivana Ritau; and the meditating on Siva in the third season, Moksha Ritau. Thus we are constantly reminded that our life is Siva’s life and our path to Him is through study, sadhana and realization. In ritau one, we teach the philosophy; in ritau two, we teach the culture; and in ritau three, we teach meditation.
During Jivana Ritau, the rainy season, from mid-August to mid-December,Living with Siva: Hinduism’s Contemporary Cultureis the primary text. The key word of this season is work. The colors are rust, copper-maroon and all shades of red rust for earthy preservation, copper-maroon for fulfillment and red for physical energy. The Aadheenam’s flag pole flies the rust-colored dhvaja, symbolizing environmental care. Copper-maroon and all shades of red adorn our smaller flags. This is the season of honoring and showing appreciation for those in the vanaprastha ashrama, life’s elder advisor stage. The focus is on preserving what has been created, manifesting goals and fulfilling plans made in the past. Inwardly the emphasis is on direct cognition and caring for the practical details of the external world. Practicality is a word much used this season.”
The original concept for the shrine in the Siddhidatta Kulam’s new office, started many years ago after acquired a set of murtis for the new building. The kulam’s monks considered building one themselves or buying a pre-made shrine, but neither option was feasible at the time. That’s when they reached out to Kanda Alaha, a skilled cabinet maker and a longtime devotee of Gurudeva and Bodhinatha. Kanda happily stepped forward to help. With dimensions and drawings from Yoginathaswami, he began constructing the shrine.
After a year of dedicated work, the shrine was finished, crated and shipped all the way from California to Kauai! It arrived three days ago, and the monks were thrilled to unpack and assemble it. The shrine is truly special, with a carved Aum on the storage drawer and a beautiful section of black granite—which was an extra piece that had been originally made for Iraivan Temple.
We are so grateful to Kanda for his time, his talent and his hard work.
We are coming to the end of Sadhu Paksha and getting ready to start a new season. Our monks walked around the monastery and took some beautiful photos. Today, we are happy to share them with you. Aum.
Today we explore Tayumanavar a bit more, the 16th century Saivite poet and mystic who authored the book the Ganapati Kulam is working on intensely and which contains his 1,454 songs. For those unfamiliar, when Yogaswami was a boy he learned by heart many Saivite hymns, including those of Tayumanavar. The saint’s deep understanding of the core truths shared by Vedanta and Siddhanta resonated with him throughout his life. And below we share one time he sang such a song for a senior devotee. The slideshow shows artist S. Rajam’s take on the meeting of Gurudeva and Yogaswami and also a couple of the works of art that ChatGPT and the monks are working on for the book.
Cover of the book about our sampradaya.
Yogaswami serves grape juice to the young visitor from America who would become his successor one day.
Yogaswami loved to sing and Tayumanavar’s songs were a favorite, full of spiritual passion, human frailty and deep love for God Siva.
Tayumanavar’s message of samarasa was a call for goodwill and religious unity. Here he addresses Vedantins seated to his right and Siddhantins to his left. With clarity and warmth, he urges them to focus on their many agreements rather than their few differences.
His foot bandaged from months of walking barefoot, he scolds Siva for not appearing in his inner vision.
Tayumanavar climbs up to the Murugan temple where he composed many of his songs.
From “The Guru Chronicles”
It was about 7 pm when they arrived at Yogaswami’s hermitage. The sun had set, and a full moon illumined the landscape. The lamps were lit, and the evening had brought devotees to Swami. The atmosphere was electric—charged with the presence of the satguru. About fifteen people were sitting with him. No sooner had the screeching of the cart wheels stopped than Swami’s voice from the hut was heard loud and clear, “Come, come, come. I am waiting for you.” Vinayagamoorthy recalled:
As soon as we opened the gate and entered the ashram, Yogaswami asked Robert in a loud voice, “Did you see me anywhere?” Robert replied, “Yes, at the Nallur Temple,” and the following conversation took place. Yogaswami: “You are in me.” Robert: “You are in me.” Yogaswami: “I am in you.” Robert: “I am in you.”
The devotees present were astounded. No one had ever talked in such a way with Yogaswami since the days of Chellappaguru. Usually if he said to a devotee, “I am in you,” the person would respond humbly, “Yes, Swa- mi.” Or he might begin singing a song that Swami had composed. No one ever responded the way Robert had. He spoke as confidently as Swami himself, and he echoed Swami’s very words.
At that point Swami eased the intensity of the moment and asked his visitors to enter. “Come and sit with Jaffna’s old beggar.” Robert knew the protocol and once Swami was seated moved forward to prostrate. But Swami indicated he should not, and invited him to sit on a nearby mat that had been laid down for this unusual visitor.
Yogaswami was in a jolly mood that night, smiling and laughing as people came before him. It felt like a special holiday. There were large bunches of grapes on a tray in front of him. He called to a devotee, Pundit
A.V. Mylvaganam, and asked him to take them and make some juice for the three visitors.
While awaiting the refreshments, Yogaswami asked his guest if he had read it. In fact, it was the only book he had really studied during his early training. He had read and practiced it for years. Yogaswami tossed a few penetrating questions about the pithy classic. Robert answered quickly and clearly. Recounting this experience later, he said that the answers came immediately, not as an intellectual memory, but from within.
Then Yogaswami asked about the difference between advaita and dvaita. Robert answered that both are true, depending on one’s perspec- tive. Yogaswami smiled, obviously enjoying the way in which the disciple had grasped that it is not one and not two. Swami, well familiar with the controversy between the two schools of philosophy, was satisfied. Dr. S. Ramanathan later provided the following insights:
Swami once told me that the mahavakya “Aham Brahmasmi” is not correctly understood by people who criticize Advaita Vedanta. He had high regard for the Advaita Vedanta of Sri Shankaracharya as well as for the Siddhanta Shastras. One day when I was going to the ashram at Columbuthurai, I was thinking of the debate between Vedanta and Sid- dhanta. The minute Swami saw me he sang a line from the work of Tayumanavar: “We belong to the group of learned mystics who have understood the complete agreement and equality of Vedanta and Siddhanta.” Then he placed his hands on his chest to indicate that it was the firm truth.
Acharya Kumarnathaswami and Sadhaka Shankaranatha assembled the four front panels of the aquarium base cladding. The photos show the panels clamped in place after the initial assembly. They are now fine-tuning the joints by sanding them and preparing to oil the stiles and rails. The panels already had their finished coat prior to the assembly.
Each season during Sadhu Paksha, the monks of Kauai Aadheenam enter a period of retreat and quiet reflection. Morning routines shift from the usual group worship and meditation, to include silent walks through the monastery grounds or other personal sadhana. It gives us a time to observe and connect with our natural surroundings. This timelapse offers a glimpse of today’s warm, tropical sunrise.
“We are divine souls on a wondrous journey. We came from God, live in God and are evolving into oneness with God. We are, in truth, the Truth we seek.“
