We're beginning to think about the upcoming first anniversary observance of Gurudeva's mahasamadhi. Bodhinatha tells us of the phase full of activities we'll be having for the many pilgrims who are coming at that time. Many other groups are also preparing to observe Gurudeva's mahasamadhi, such as the Saiva Siddhanta Manram in Canada, which is publishing a special edition of their journal, Anbuneri (Tamil for "Path of Love"), in honor of Gurudeva.

Unedited Transcript:

Otherwise in our Universe, we are starting to give thought to the Mahasamadhi observances. Hesitant to call it celebration or a festival, we are calling it an observance. It is a neutral word, seems to be. Don't know how someone will look at it. So, if you are in a really sorrowful mood, you can't call it a festival. So it is an observance. It works, no matter how you are looking at it.

We are starting to plan out a phase of activities. Quite a few people are coming and they are starting to let us know. Many members, students, devotees from all over the world have told us they are planning to come and we are collecting up an RSVP list. So, we have a good sense of how many will actually be here so we can plan our activities accordingly, because this is the first time we have done this.

We are starting to get messages in from other groups who are also planning to honor Gurudeva on the first Mahasamadhi. One of them is the Saiva Siddhanta Manram in Canada. Mr. Vishva Lingam wrote that they are planning to publish a special story in their magazine, 'Anbuneri' about Gurudeva and they are going to release it in November. Mr. Vishva Lingam plans to be here, present it to us here and release it here as well at the Mahasamadhi ceremony. So they requested a message and I was thinking about it.

You know 'Anbuneri'. The concept, Anbuneri, is worth about a couple hours of talks. Just that one concept captures the whole essence of Saiva Siddhanta. I was thinking, "Oh, there is so much you can say. Well, I have got to turn to the Daily Lesson." I turn to the Daily Lesson and this is what it said. I am trying to explain the Path of Love, right?

Gurudeva starts out, "God is love, and to love God is the pure path prescribed in the Agamas." Can you believe it? The Path of Love is describing Anbuneri. Couldn't believe it.

"Veritably these texts are God's own voice," meaning the Agamas, "admonishing the samsari, reincarnations wanderer, to give up love of the transient and adore instead the Immortal. How to love the Divine, when and where, with what mantras and visualizations and at what auspicious times - all this is preserved in the Agamas. The specific doctrines and practices of day-to-day Hinduism are nowhere more fully expounded than in these revelation hymns, delineating everything from daily work routines to astrology and cosmology. So overwhelming is Agamic influence in the lives of most Hindus particularly in temple liturgy and culture that it is impossible to ponder modern Sanatana Dharma without these discourses. While many Agamas have been published, most remain inaccessible, protected by families and guilds who are stewards of an intimate hereditary knowledge. The Tirumantiram says, "Nine are the Agamas of yore, in time expanded into twenty eight, they then took divisions three, into one truth of Vedanta-Siddhanta to accord. This is Suddha Saiva rare, and precious. Aum Namah Sivaya."

Isn't that amazing! I mean, the Path of Love, there it was in the Daily Lessons. So that is going to be the message from me for their magazine.