The Source of the Cosmos Sri Chakra Sri Chakra Sri Chakra Sri Chakra Sri Chakra

The Journal of the Sri Rajarajeswari Peetam, Rush, NY

Blossom 12 Petal 3

September 2008 Photo courtesy Kathy Allen

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ThoughtsThoughtsThoughtsThoughtsThoughtsOurOurOurOurOurOurOurOurOurOur

ThoughtsThoughtsThoughtsThoughtsThoughtsDear Devotees,If ever there was reassurance and/or absolute proof that a celestial power does indeed exist, it’s the

overwhelming size and brilliance of all things that are not manmade. It’s everything from a family of slugssitting on the temple house steps first thing in the morning, to the rustle of the wind across the back field inthe middle of the night.

We usually group all these occurrences together in convenient words such as “nature” or “theenvironment,” and too often think of them as things that are just there. They’re not really relevant to ourdaily lives in comparison to going to work, cleaning the house, doing the laundry, feeding the kids andsqueezing in a little puja… the thing known as “nature” simply sits there in the background of our lives.

It’s really too bad that too few of us realize how just observing the physical world around us will tellus endless things about our internal worlds, and eventually offer insights into the astral world. Loving aplant or a tree isn’t much different than loving a dog or cat; it simply requires a higher level of sensitivityand the refusal to take one’s physical world for granted.

Not noticing Devi’s gifts around us reminds me of a funny scene I once saw on a TV show called Joan ofArcadia, about a teenaged girl who had regular conversations with God. When she first started to see Godcoming to her in the forms of different animals and people she asked Him to show her a miracle. God, in theform of a young man, pointed to a tree. Joan said, “That’s not a miracle, it’s a tree!” to which God replied, “I’dlike you see you make one.”

Seeing everyday objects as pieces of divinity is a true gift. More importantly, it’s a gift that you don’tneed to be born with, and can easily develop by focusing your mind. To see the miraculous spirit of a tree ora creek and to be able to identify with it as an extension of yourself and the Mother is a great leap forward inspiritual progress—it is the same as witnessing the untouched evidence of Devi’s grace and Her creative forceon this Earth.

When the weather is warm, we all like to go outside and eat our lunches on the Ganapathi deck, buthow many people go there during the day (or to Kashi for that matter) and really sit in silence when there’sno one else around? Not enough. Some of the few who do pay a visit usually only stay for a few minutes,which is a shame because they miss the chance to see and hear things that are truly divine.

Aparna Hasling, who temple regulars lovingly call “the crazy tree lady,” has turned this process ofobserving and appreciating nature into an art form. Her connection to the environment is no less powerfulor beautiful than that of a mother’s connection to her newborn child. Aiya has even said her work with thetemple property translates into spiritual benefits, as “the shovel is her udhrini and the wheel-barrow is herpancha-patram.”

As you’ll read in this issue, Aparna has recently alerted several people (including Aiya) about theveritable flow of a tree’s blood through its veins. The lucky few who went with her and Aiya down to thetemple’s wetlands saw and heard for themselves how holy the Earth can be in its natural state. Spendingsome time sitting amid the trees is not only a return to our basis as a species, but also an exercise inappreciating the long journeys each of souls have made.

Because, as the Nayanmar Maanickavasagar wrote in the Shivapuranam, all of us have been blades ofgrass, shrubs and trees, even before we had animal cells. In that light, connecting to the divine outdoors isnothing more than simultaneously viewing a plethora of different steps in the path of the Atma.

Sri Gurubhyo Namaha!The Sri Chakra staff

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Since the last issue...

Past Events

The first week of June was rifewith preparations for thewedding of Abhi and Muralee,which happened without a hitchon June 6. Later that same month,Aiya performed asashtiabhapurthi, and thenheaded off to Arizona for a coupleof days at the beginning of July.

On the 9th, Aiya spoke at theIndia Community Camp (ICC),and some of those kids visited theRajarajeswari Peetam a few dayslater. After Aiya spoke thereagain at the end of July, a secondbatch of kids came to our templeon the 29th.

After Aadi Amavasya on July31, the temple’s Vibhuti ShaiviteImmersion took place fromAugust 2 to the 9th. Aadi Puramalso happened during that sameweek, and SriShangaranarayanan of theMatangi peetam in Chennaipresided over a Chandi homamwith Aiya on that day.

August 15 marked Varalakshmivratam day, and Aiya led severalsimultaneous pujas at the templethat evening. Four days later, heand Amma left for England for oneweek, where Aiya performed awedding as well as a Gowri puja.

Immediately upon returningfrom Britain, Amma and Aiya lefttown again to fly to Vancouver,British Columbia. There, theyvisited two temples—one wherethe main deity was Murugan, andanother where the deity wasDurga.

Also in B.C., Aiya presided overthe arangetram of a multi-

SeptemberSeptemberSeptemberSeptemberSeptemberNewsletNewsletNewsletNewsletNewsletterterterterterNewsletNewsletNewsletNewsletNewsletterterterterter

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Guru Poornima, July 17

This year marked the first timeGuru Poornima was celebrated inthe new auditorium hall. Aiyaand Amma were welcomed in themid-afternoon, and the festivitiesincluded their guru puja, theirdevotees’ puja to them, and theirmeeting and greeting all thestudents who came from far andwide for this special day. Theevening even held a unique treatfor all comers—a Bharatanatyam

dance number that featured thetemple girls and which wasorganized by Devi Suhir. A malar(which is now on the temple’swebsite) was also released, andthe night concluded with dinner.

Vibhuti Shaivite Immersion(camp), August 2-9

by Kamya Ramaswamy

Devi graced a whopping 95 kidswith the chance to attend campthis year, with some coming fromas far away as Europe! The newcabin was used for the first timeto house most of them.

The week included art, bhajans,stories, an outdoor activity day,question time with Aiya,chanting, and for the first timeever, Bharatanatyam lessons.

By the end of the week, all thechildren had learned PurushaSuktam, and were initiated intothe Chandi and Annapurna mulamantras by Aiya.

Aiya and Amma watched an elaborate Guru Poornima programme,complete with a dance session put together by Devi Suhir and thetemple girls. Photos by Suhir Ponncchamy.

Aadi Puram, August 3

This festival marks the day thatDevi first became a woman, and itwas made doubly special thisyear by its coinciding with camp,

talented young man namedKowmaranRanjitanathan.During asingleperformance,he debutedhis skills inbothBharatanatyamand playingthemrudangam!

A series ofpujas anddifferentlectures made up the rest ofAmma and Aiya’s itinerary inVancouver.

A few hours after their returnflight landed back in Rochester,Aiya and Amma headed straightfor the temple, where heperformed the wedding ofAmma’s brother, Saddanathan.

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The Sri Rajarajeswari Peetam ~ 6980 East River Road ~ Rush, NY 14543 ~ Phone: (585) 533 - 1970

Devi wasinvoked intoa largedeepam,and Aiya didpuja to Herin thecentre oftheyajnashala.Photo bySubaJeyaratnam.

Upcoming Events

Devi willing, the next issue ofthe Sri Chakra Magazine will beup on the temple’s website(www.srividya.org) at thebeginning of December 2008.

This magazine cannot keeppublishing withoutcontributions from devotees!Articles, poems, stories, and thelike about any spiritual topic arewelcomed.

Please e-mail us with yourfeedback about this issue atsri_chakra_mag@srividya.org byNovember 9 or talk to Abhi orKamya at the temple. We want tohear from you!

Sri Gurubhyo Namaha!

In Three MonthsVaralakshmi Vratham, August15

The temple was aglow with themarried ladies who visited thisevening, as well as the deepamsthat were at the centre of theirpuja sets.

Aiya walked them all throughthe puja to Sri Vara Mahalakshmiand volunteers helped throughoutby making sure everyone had allthe items they needed.

The end of this evening sawAiya make a very specialannouncement—the engagementof Gratus Devanesan and SubaJeyaratnam, who will be marriedat the temple next year!

as well as a Chandi homam andthe exalted presence of SriShangaranarayanan.

Aiya and SriShangaranarayanan told thoseassembledabout theefficacy of thenew, gleamingsilver rk and srk(see page 10)that were usedfor the first timein that day’shomam. Later,Devi receivedabhishekam,alankaram andnaivedyam,thereby concluding the festival.

Ganesha Chaturthi, Sept. 3

Although thisyear ’sChaturthi pujawill fall on aWednesday, thetemple hopes asmany people aspossible willattend thefestivities.Typically,celebratingGanesha onthis dayinvolves a

Vancha-kalpa Ganapathi homamwith 1008 laddus or modakamsoffered into the fire. The UtsaGanapathi murthi will also becarried around in procession withSiddhalakshmi beside him. Later,the sponsors will carry the festivalkalasam around, and the day willconclude with the alankaram ofthe Lord.

Aiya has already announced thatthe theme for Navarathri this yearwill probably be Kubera homamson each day. However, there isalways a chance this may change.

Every day of the festival willdefinitely include a full kalasa-sthapanam, homam andalankaram for Devi in the morning,as well as a Navavarna puja in theevening. Every third night, UtsaRajarajeshwari will go around thetemple as Durga, Lakshmi andSaraswati, respectively. The lasttwo days will consist of the water-cutting ceremony and Kulurthi.

Sharada Navarathri, Sept. 29-Oct. 11

A biA biA biA biA big thank-yg thank-yg thank-yg thank-yg thank-you to this issue’ou to this issue’ou to this issue’ou to this issue’ou to this issue’sssssvolunteers: Aiya; Kathy Allen;volunteers: Aiya; Kathy Allen;volunteers: Aiya; Kathy Allen;volunteers: Aiya; Kathy Allen;volunteers: Aiya; Kathy Allen;

Corinne Dempsey; GratusCorinne Dempsey; GratusCorinne Dempsey; GratusCorinne Dempsey; GratusCorinne Dempsey; GratusDevanesan; Cristina, Nando andDevanesan; Cristina, Nando andDevanesan; Cristina, Nando andDevanesan; Cristina, Nando andDevanesan; Cristina, Nando andLaxmi Diaz; Suba Jeyaratnam;Laxmi Diaz; Suba Jeyaratnam;Laxmi Diaz; Suba Jeyaratnam;Laxmi Diaz; Suba Jeyaratnam;Laxmi Diaz; Suba Jeyaratnam;

AparAparAparAparAparna Haslinna Haslinna Haslinna Haslinna Hasling; Suhirg; Suhirg; Suhirg; Suhirg; SuhirPonncchamy; Sri S.Ponncchamy; Sri S.Ponncchamy; Sri S.Ponncchamy; Sri S.Ponncchamy; Sri S.

ShanShanShanShanShangggggaranaraaranaraaranaraaranaraaranarayyyyyanan; Dranan; Dranan; Dranan; Dranan; Dr. A.. A.. A.. A.. A.Somaskanda; Vimalan AnandSomaskanda; Vimalan AnandSomaskanda; Vimalan AnandSomaskanda; Vimalan AnandSomaskanda; Vimalan Anand

Sothinathan; Shivani SritharanSothinathan; Shivani SritharanSothinathan; Shivani SritharanSothinathan; Shivani SritharanSothinathan; Shivani Sritharanand Anita Uthayakumaran.and Anita Uthayakumaran.and Anita Uthayakumaran.and Anita Uthayakumaran.and Anita Uthayakumaran.

Aiya holds up the jewel-studded srk asSri Shangaranarayana talks about it

Kedaragowri vratham begins onthe day when Navarathri officiallyends—Vijayadasami. Marriedwomen may observe this three-week vow for the well-bring oftheir husbands, the same way that

Kedaragowri vratham, Oct. 28

Parvati observed severepenances to merge with Shiva.

The last day is alwayscelebrated on a grand scale, witha final puja done to LordArdhanareeshwara, completewith the festival kalasam circlingthe temple. Prasadam and asharadu (thread to be worn on thewrist) will be given to eachwoman who sponsored the puja.

Muruga and his consorts aregiven abhishekam and puja oneach of the six days of thisfestival. The last day on Nov. 3will see their procession, finalabhishekam and alankaram, andthe slaying of Surapadman.

Skanda Shashti, Nov. 3

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Each year, the first week of August gives me something to lookforward to—camp. The Vibhuti Saivaite Immersion provides endlessexperiences of excitement and enlightenment.

Over the course of the week, we were exposed to a whole new worldof opportunities. As CITs (Counselors-in-Training), we took on greaterresponsibilities than campers as we attempted to learn exactly what ittakes to be a counselor.

In addition, we took it upon ourselves to complete three projects: anew bench on the edge of the parking lot, a pathway around theParasurama Lingam and a tree planting. A major obstacle weovercame as a group was moving the boulder which was in the way ofbuilding our bench. We were determined to move this boulder withour own hands.

Although seemingly impossible at first, with the help of some greatteamwork, we were successful in moving the giant rock. Not only didthis bring the group closer together, it also symbolized our ability toovercome any obstacle as long as we try.

The CITs learned to work together as one, solid, unified group. Ratherthan finding these as hard tasks, we actually found ourselves wantingto complete them. It was a time for us to have fun while working on acommon goal. Many of the things involved in our projects were new tous, but each day we learned and helped others learn.

By the end of the week, we had planted a tree, made a pathway andhad built a big bench. We also found ourselves enjoying camp more andmore as the days went by. We typically spent our mornings learning to

VVVVVibuthi ‘08!ibuthi ‘08!ibuthi ‘08!ibuthi ‘08!ibuthi ‘08!The Shaivite Immersion ExperienceThe Shaivite Immersion ExperienceThe Shaivite Immersion ExperienceThe Shaivite Immersion ExperienceThe Shaivite Immersion Experience

VVVVVibuthi ‘08!ibuthi ‘08!ibuthi ‘08!ibuthi ‘08!ibuthi ‘08!

Clockwise from above: The CITs got theirhands dirty under Path uncle’s dedicatedsupervision; Pravin anna got the gang readyto move the giant boulder in their way; thebeautiful finished product was ready for“CIT”-ting on before the week was over.Page 5-6 photos courtesy of Kathy Allen.

by Shivani Sritharan

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chant the Purusha Suktam while Aiya taught us about Sri RamanaMaharishi, the Shiva Puranam and more.

This year, from boys to girls, and campers to counselors,everyone at camp learned Bharathanatyam. While some foundthemselves discovering their hidden talent for the art and othersfound it to be a rigorous workout, we all had a lot of fun doing it.However, the dancing didn’t stop there. Bhajans were a popularevent at camp.

With the melody of the bhajans and the beating of the tablas andmridangams, everyone was on their feet dancing the night away.Another favourite was the evening we all did Holi, as the entirecrowd was coloured from head to toe after having been hit withcolourful powder.

Whether it was sports, chanting, art or bhajans, everything atcamp this year was amazing. Most importantly we all feltcomfortable in the temple environment and had a great timelearning new things about both religion and ourselves. As theweek came to an end, it left nearly everyone wishing it had lastedlonger. The experience of being at camp is unlike any other. We canall look back on this experience fondly after having learned newthings, made great friends and made wonderful memories.

Clockwise from bottom left: The CITs pose in front of theParasurama lingam where they built a new pathway; Sahanaanoints the tree in the centre of the new CIT bench; the CITs withtheir newly planted tree; the camp kids got to sit in on the Chandihomam on Aadi Puram day; Nemili (age 9-12) kids painted aGanapathi mural in sections of one square foot each that Priyangaakka and Anita akka later put together; Madhurai (age 13-15) did aShiva mural during art class; the CITs painted their own campbanner.

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One family’s path toOne family’s path toOne family’s path toOne family’s path toOne family’s path tothe SVTS templethe SVTS templethe SVTS templethe SVTS templethe SVTS temple

by Cristina, Nando and Laxmi Diaz

I think the error happenedbecause my Sri Lankan relativesall referred to the Sri VidyaTemple as the “RochesterTemple.” Nando and I werelooking for a Hindu temple whenwe moved to New York State. Our cousin Tony said, “Oh, youmust go to the RochesterTemple—it’s wonderful. Mrs.Sabaratnam is in charge of justabout everything and the priestwent to school with my sister inJaffna.”

And so we Googled “HinduTemple of Rochester” andeven brought our nephewfrom Mexico to see it. Wefound a temple located inPittsford, a suburb ofRochester. We went inthe temple and the firstthing that struck uswas the emptiness. We began to ask someyoung girls if theyknew Mrs.Sabaratnam but theyall gave us blankstares.

So then weapproached the priestand asked him whetherhe knew our cousin Tonyand his sister in Jaffna.The priest truly must nothave wanted to disappointus, so he just nodded.

Our nephew from Mexico(who had never been to a Hindutemple in his life) said, “So, this iswhat a Hindu temple is like?” Wecouldn’t explain it to him, but wesaid, “Well, this is one Hindutemple and each temple isdifferent.” It was a nice way ofexplaining to him that we didn’tfeel the normal warmth of aHindu temple.

Much later, we chatted with ourcousin Tony, who asked us howwe liked the Rochester temple. “Isn’t it wonderful?” he asked. Wecouldn’t truly use the adjective“wonderful”—it was justalright. “And did they allknow Mrs. Sabaratnam?” heasked. “You know, that’s a reallystrange thing,” we said. “No oneseemed to know of her.”

“How about Haran?” cousinTony asked. “Did you tell himthat my sister went to samecollege in Jaffna?” We said we did,but it was strange that he didn’tseem to acknowledge anythingbut just nodded. But we still didnot realize that we had gone tothe wrong temple.

Nando and I felt a bitdisillusioned—not to say thatthey were not gracious at thattemple… they were, but it wasn’tthe Sri Lankan warmth we areused to.

But of course, Ma Devi knewwhere we must go. We werethinking once again of going totemple but a feeling deep inside(which we now know was theDivine Mother calling us) told usto Google “Hindu Temple NYState.” It was then that we sawRush, NY. We did not knowwhere Rush was, but on the mapit certainly looked closer thanRochester. When the Divine

Mother showed us the way there,She also showed us that weneeded to have a bit more respect. We did not realize that aprocession (outdoors) wasunderway and Aiya kindly askedus to remove our shoes and thenShe pulled us in to the templewith an embrace that neverended.

Now, this is the temple towhich we belong. We did not

realize that sometimes Ma Devitests Her devotees. She

tested us in a very subtleway. We have been infinancial difficulty for awhile with not one buttwo houses to sell intoday’s diminishingreal estate market. Wekept asking Ma Devito help us see thehouses. Then I readsomewhere that wemust never givecommands and wechanged the prayerto say “Please, MaDevi—lead us out ofthis darkness as a

Mother leads ahelpless child to

light.” Suddenly wesold one house, which

helped us immensely payoff the bills of the other.

Also, we both hadvivid dreams in which Ma

Devi was telling us to move toeither Pittsburgh, Pennsylvaniaor Houston, Texas. And bothplaces seemed quite logical—better paying jobs, moreopportunities for our daughter tolearn Indian classical dance andsinging… but these were both justtests to see where our loyalty lies.

We also realized that She neverwanted us to move away—it wasa test of loyalty, and we havedecided with all our hearts to staywhere we are and remain withthe Sri Vidya Temple. We want tocontinue to appreciate the storiesof Aiya and love of Amma, thewarmth that is an integral part ofSri Vidya Temple and, mostimportantly to trust Ma Devi justto lead us out of darkness.

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CCCCCooooonnnnnccccc eeeeerrrrr tttttby Dr. A. Somaskanda

The 2008 grand and festiveannual Prathistapana Utsavam atSri Rajarajeswari peetam saw thereturn of the prodigious Carnaticvocalists Shashikiran and Ganeshwho gave a thrilling bravuraperformance on May 17th. Thenewly constructed hall that caneasily seat upwards of 400 peoplewas the venue for this concert.

Endowed with intricatelylayered and texturedcompositional voices that meld inharmony and pirouette across thetenor, baritone and bass rangeswith effortless ease, the duo held

the audience spellbound for hoursby their virtuosity. The concertformat was decidedly moreinformal and interactive,accommodating a number ofrequests from the audience.

Staunch devotees of their guruChaithanyananda (Aiya), and hisself-effacing consort Gnanamba,the duo averred that the entireconcert would be dedicated toDevi and their beloved Aiya andAmma. As is the norm in mostCarnatic concerts, theycommenced their recital with anelegant varnam

“Chaithanyananda NathaSaraswathi” in Raga Bageshri,extolling Goddess Rajarajeswari,Chaithanyananda andGnanamba. It was a deeplymoving panegyric rhapsody anda delightful musical piece, jointlycomposed by Suhir Ponnuchamy,Ravikiran, and Shashikiran. Todate, I have not heard anyvarnams in Raga Bageshri. It wasa measure of their virtuosity thatthey could tweak and manipulatea raga that does not readily lenditself to elaborate alapana andswaraprasthara, into a veryimpressive varnam.

Next was a liltingly cadentcomposition in Raga Nattai,“Anantha Narthana Ganapathi”by Oothukadu VenkataSubbaiyar. Nattai, a sampoornaaudava raga usually sung at thebeginning of the concert, creates ahighly charged musical ambienceand triggers frissons of delight inceaseless waves.

The Carnatic singers Shashikiranand Ganesh in the middle of theirperformance at the temple on May17th. The concert took place in thenew auditorium.

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Following a pleasing kriti “ArulaVendum” in Saramathy raga byDandapani Desikar, the duo sang aKamakshi Navavarna Kriti,“Sakala Loka Nayaki,” in RagaArabhi, by Oothukadu VenkataKavi. A popular Janya raga,Arabhi is an Audava Sampooranaraga with Ri, Ma, Dha as the Jeevaand Raga chaya swaras. Thearchitecture of the NavavarnaKriti is incredibly complex anddauntingly elaborate, requiringsuperior vocal culture andvirtuosity possible only for themost accomplished artistes. Ithink the duo more than provedtheir mettle in this beautifulrendition.

For the ragam, thana, pallavi(RTP), they chose Raga Saraswatiand the composition was in praiseof, and dedicated to, SriRajarajeswari andChaitanyananda. Lasting close to70 minutes, this compositionentailed a spirited exploration ofthe dizzying labyrinths of thisornate raga strewn with sizzlingprathyahata gamakas. RTP alsogave scope for a brilliantthaniavarthanam by the teenagemridangam prodigy RajnaSwaminathan.

The 17-year-old from Marylandis the student of SriUmayalpuram K. Sivaraman, andthe only female percussionist toshare the stage with him. She isalso one of few femalemrudangam players in the world,

and has played in several placesin the US and abroad. In additionto performing with Shashikiranand Ganesh today, she hasaccompanied other famed artistssuch as the flutist Shashank andDr. N. Ramani.

In this concert, I think thegroup’s rendition of the “ManameGanamum Maravade” byPapanasam Sivan in RagaBhimplas lost some of its lusterdue to their choice of a slowertempo (vilambita kala). Mostmusicians that I have listened to,render it in a much faster, stirringtempo.

Their essay of the very popular“Bho Shambo” by DayanandaSaraswati in Raga Revati and“Nagumomu” by Thyagaraja inAbheri, was outstanding. TheirThillana in Raga Bhindu Maliniby Ravikiran was a delightful

surprise. Having come intoprominence through thecompositions of Saint Thyagaraja,this upanga raga admits ofenchanting sallies of tristhayiswara sancharas.

HK Narasimmamoorthy on theviolin was graceful in his bowingand provided excellent butunobtrusive support to themusicians. His swara ripostesand solo versions were very wellexecuted. Percussive support bythe budding prodigy RajnaSwaminathan was a stand-out allthe way.

Clockwise from bottom left: RajnaSwaminathan is among only ahandful of female mridangamartists in the world; the full groupplays in the concert hall;Shashikiran and Ganesh laterperform the jadhi before Devi’schariot makes its procession.

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The use of the Rk in any yagnahas a specific purpose. Generally,rks are made from Athi, Pala,Arasu and Purasu, which are allmilk bearing trees. Differentmeasurements are prescribed fordifferent types of rks.

For the first time ever, a rk madein pure silver and studded withgems, was used in the ChandiHomam held at the RajarajeswariPeetam on Aug. 3, 2008.

The mouth is designed with theface of a gaja (elephant), yazhi orNandi, as one might desire. TheNandi face is the mostappropriate one, because it has itsown inherent values andcommunicates the means andmethods to merge with theUltimate God. Below are some ofthe salient points one shouldponder and try to become a Nandiin respect of interaction forintegration with the Lord.

1. The breathing of Nandi isvery powerful and soothing to theLord. It is always continuous,soft, melodious, and purely filledwith the power of all aksharas(letters/sounds).

2. Nandi offers his breathing toLord Shiva and Parvathi seatedon a jula (swing), always facingthe Lord, and by the force of itsbreathing the jula is made to goforward and backward.

3. When the jula comes forwardthere is a feeling of nearness andwhen its goes backward the

by Sri S. Shangaranarayanan

The Rk and Srk: Interaction & IntegrationThe Rk and Srk: Interaction & IntegrationThe Rk and Srk: Interaction & IntegrationThe Rk and Srk: Interaction & IntegrationThe Rk and Srk: Interaction & IntegrationThe Rk and Srk: Interaction & IntegrationThe Rk and Srk: Interaction & IntegrationThe Rk and Srk: Interaction & IntegrationThe Rk and Srk: Interaction & IntegrationThe Rk and Srk: Interaction & Integration

feeling of separation sets in. Butby Nandi’s offering his ownbreathing to the Lord, he alwaysremains in continuous soul-to-soul contact with the Lord.

4. The Lord out of hiscompassion, always accepts thebreathing of Nandi and takes it asan offering without any motivesor expectations. He merges thesame with His own soul andbreathes back to Nandi. Thisprocess is called interaction.

5. By this process of exchange ofbreathing, the Lord and Nandibecomes one. That is whyeveryone visiting Kailas,irrespective of status, is expectedto take the permission of Nandi tovisit Lord Shiva. Shiva is in turnlatent energy and always incommunion with NandiBhagwan. It is therefore ordainedthat this state of “Being” and“Becoming” should not bedisturbed by anyone, unlessNandi Bhagwan wishes so.

6. The Rk is also designed toallow the ghee to flowcontinuously as “dhara,” which ispleasing to the Lord. Whatfurther testifies to the process ofinteraction for integration, is thefact that the sacred fire whereGod is invoked in havan (yajna)also becomes God itself. Thehomam therefore sheds itsidentity as a carrier—this is whythe flow of ghee is continuous, asis one’s breathing.

7. Keeping all these factors inmind the Rk has been designedwith the lovely face of Nandi

Bhagwan, with Chandra andSurya inscribed on his forehead,representing the Ida and Pingalanaadis. These details are used forinteraction and integration in theprocess of offering one’s soul(breathing) to the Lord (Guru) andthe hamsa mantra “Ham” and“Saha” are inscribed as such.When Nandi breathes out, thesound of “Ham” emanates andwhen he inhales the sound of“Saha” emanates—it representswhen “I” and “you” became “we”and we become “I.” The devoteealways becomes the Lord by thisprocess of merger.

8. Furthermore, the 51 matrukaaksharas which are the totalcombination of all the mantras inthe universe, are also inscribed onthe body of the Rk, and representthe fact that Nandi Bhagwan is anepitome of all mantras and hisentire body always vibrates withecstasy. In other words, NandiBhagawan always offers all themantras and its results to LordShiva and His consort.

9. To enhance the beauty of theRk it is studded with selectedgems to represent the panchaboothas (the five elements).

It is to be acknowledged byeveryone, that but for theblessings of Haranji, this couldnot have become a reality. LokaSamasta Sukhino Bhavanthu.

Aiya getsready for thefinal purnahutiof the Chandihomam,where acontinuousstream ofghee isrequired topour out of theRk, throughthe mouth ofNandi.

Ghee pours in a unbroken stream from the jewel-studded Rk, which is designed with Nandi’s face because it isthe form that is most appropriate for the worship of Lord Shiva and Devi. Photos by Vimalan Anand Sothinathan.

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by Gratuz Devanesan

Nayanmar

6363636363NaNaNaNaNayyyyyanmarsanmarsanmarsanmarsanmarsThirukuripputhondar

september 2008 2008 2008 2008 2008

6363636363NaNaNaNaNayyyyyanmarsanmarsanmarsanmarsanmars

“On a really clean table cloth, thesmallest speck of dirt annoys the eye.”

In Kanchi once lived awasherman of great devotion toSiva, called Thirukuripputhondar.Sri G. Vanmikanathan points outthat, “Pride in craftsmanship is onething, vanity in one’s craftsmanship isanother.” It would seem thatThirukuripputhondar, during theyears of his excellent service as awasherman, had developed asense of vanity about his skills.Shiva, ever watchful of hisdevotees, saw that this wouldmost surely be an obstacle torealization and decided it wastime for an intervention.

During a severe cold season,Shiva approached, disguised as apoor man in a very dirty garment.Seeing the touch of sacred ashsmeared atop his forehead,Thirukuripputhondarimmediately approached, handsfolded, head lowered out ofrespect and love, hopingthat he could do this Shiva-bhakta a service bywashing his garment theway only he could do.

Shiva, always playing hisrole ever so well, hesitated,claiming that the extremecold would not be a goodtime for him to be separatedfrom his garment. Hefurther claimed that he wasgetting old and that thisgarment was absolutelynecessary for his health.

Thirukuripputhondar, however,pleaded with him, that he wouldnot only clean this garment, butalso that he would have it readybefore sunset.

Shiva reluctantly relinquishedthe garment, having obtainedThondar’s word that it would bereturned to him, cleaned anddried later that same day.

Thondar then went off withgreat haste to the washing ghat.He washed it, beat the dirt out ofit and was about to begin thesecond round of washing, whenclouds filled the sky. Thondarlooked at the sky and saw theclouds fill the blue sky, and hebegan to fear the he would not beable to uphold his word. Nosooner had the clouds approacheddid the rain begin.

Still he hoped that the unceasingrain may stop, the clouds clearand the sun appear again – but as

time went on and nothing butrain was seen, soon tears formedon his eyes and he began cryingabout the solemn promise he hadgiven a poor Shiva-bhakta, whichhe could no longer uphold. All hecould see in his mind was theShiva-bhakta, who told him thatthe cold would hurt his old bones,and all he could feel was extremesadness for having disappointedthis bhakta so deeply.

Meanwhile, the sun had set,although the rain did not subsideand Thondar lost all hope. Hedeclared, “On this stony slab onwhich I smite the clothes to rid them oftheir dirt, my head I shall smite tosmithereens.”

As he was about to hit his headagainst the rock the rain showertransformed into a shower offlowers, while the Lord riding onthe Bull ever accompanied by theMother of the Universe, stood

above him. Thondar, eyesin tears, joined palms andworshipped him dearly.

The Lord spoke: “Wehave made known yourstatus to the three worlds;from now on do youunpartingly dwell in theage-old eternal world.”

Having said this, theLord vanished intoEkambaram. And so,Thirukuripputhondar ’svanity was slain, leavingnothing but a spotlessdevotee.

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G A R D E NG A R D E N

The end of summer marks a special time at the temple thatnot a lot of people know about—harvest time. There’s a patchof land right beside the temple house that has a wealth ofhidden treasures, a few of which are pictured on the oppositepage. All of these containers of cherry and plum tomatoeswere picked over a period of just two days! Our squashesand pumpkins grow as large and ripe as can be found inany supermarket or farm. And as you can see, Devi’s bellpeppers, green chilis and capsicums can grow past thelength of an average adult’s hand.

Shiva akka is the one who does the bulk of the work inthe garden’s regular upkeep. Most of the veggies on thenext page were picked at the end of August. Later in thefall, we’ll be going back for the spinach, collards,

pumpkins, squash and eggplants. Not to mention waaaaymore tomatoes and peppers!

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MelMelMelMelMelodyodyodyodyody

by Anita Uthayakumaran

It is an open secret amongthose of us who make up thecommunity of Templevolunteers that Aparna Akkais someone totally wedded tothe splendour of nature. Weall understand very well hertotal devotion to the trees andshrubs and birds and bees. Ihave always listened withamazement and amusementto a few of her stories abouthearing the tree-sap flowingup and down the tree trunkand many other ones in thesimilar vein; and I haveadmired the way shedescribes the symphony ofmusic arising from themultitude of trees in that

forest on the outskirts of ourTemple property.

Yet, none of us were quiteprepared for what we were toexperience on that quiet Fridayafternoon in July. It was on atotally different plane! That is theday Aparna Akka took us all,including Aiya, on a trip ofexploration (or should I call it apilgrimage!) through the lengthand breadth of the property.

The enthusiasm was boundless.And why not? We were all goingto meet the trees that talk to us (atleast, that is what they weresupposed to do in the parlance ofAparna Akka). Little Dhanya whoisn’t even five years old yet washolding my hand fast. I coulddetect the same enthusiasm andexpectation brimming in her eyesas was the case with everyoneelse.

The trip started auspiciouslyenough through a well-

demarcated trail, the sides ofwhich were lined up withcolossal pine trees that seemedto be saluting us in an honorguard formation as we brisklymarched past. But that didn’tlast long—there were thoselittle shrubs to jump over thatbrought out the innate child inall of us! There were thosedrooping little branches oftrees that were ready to smackus in the back if we didn’t talkto them the way Aparna Akkadid!

We walked and walked, weturned right and walked, weturned left and walked, andthen we walked and wecontinued to walk. But thenagain, it wasn’t a typicalboring walk at all. We hadthose mosquitoes singing inour ears and telling us littlethings about caring andsharing. There were thoselittle insects under the grassand under the shrubs trying towarn us in their chirpy voicenot to trust the cunningmosquitoes!

andandandandand

HarmonyHarmonyHarmonyHarmonyHarmonyininininin

NaNaNaNaNaturetureturetureture

MelMelMelMelMelodyodyodyodyody

HarmonyHarmonyHarmonyHarmonyHarmonyininininin

NaNaNaNaNaturetureturetureture

andandandandand

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All along, there was plenty tosee, there was plenty to enjoy,there was plenty to grasp and wewere picking up plenty by way ofthe rudiments of that language—yes, that language Aparna Akkauses in her everydayconversation with nature, whichwe were prepared to learn nowfor the first time. Finally, wereached the wetlands. It wasindeed a sight to behold! So greenand so fresh! Finally, I began tounderstand what keeps AparnaAkka ticking!

Now that we were at the placewhere we were supposed to be,Aparna Akka went up to a tree,soothingly petted it and put herear against the moist bark. Asher face radiated with a smile, wecould figure out that somethinglively was happening inside thattree! Then she stared straightinto our expectant eyes andinvited us all to experience thesame!

The next thing I noticed wasthat everyone had already falleninto a nice little queue. There wewere—for the next little while—tapping the trees and hearing thejuice of life running up and downthe xylem and phloem. For theinformation of those who maynot yet be initiated into the world

of Aparna Akka, water anddissolved minerals travel up a treethrough something called thexylem. Dissolved food substances,which take the form of sugaryfluids, travel down a tree throughthe phloem. Even little Dhanyawas very busy listening to thetrees. Admiring all that wasaround us, I was wondering howwe were able to ignore so muchfor so long.

Finally we all returned to theTemple with our Dhanya in thelead. Her eyes were filled withamazement. I could swear thateven though she was physically

present at the temple, her heartand soul had been left behind inthe wetlands—and who canblame her? It’s not everyday thata young child will have thechance to listen to the trees andhear the life running throughthem. As for me, I was awestruckby all that I had been witnessingall around me; and I am sure thatby the end of the day, all of us haddeveloped a new respect for thesplendor of nature.

Most of thepeople onAparna’s naturewalk had nevervisited thetemplewetlandsbefore, evenafter years ofcoming to thetemple. Thewalk was bothfun andeducational forall. Thanks toCorinneDempsey forthese photos.

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NaNaNaNaNature’s Choirture’s Choirture’s Choirture’s Choirture’s ChoirNaNaNaNaNature’s Choirture’s Choirture’s Choirture’s Choirture’s ChoirThe Navarath-tree MiracleThe Navarath-tree MiracleThe Navarath-tree MiracleThe Navarath-tree MiracleThe Navarath-tree Miracle

by Aparna Hasling

While researching the 2004Navarathri malar, I discovered alink between Sri Vidya andNature. I started to appreciate thesacred act of identifying andcollecting plants for ritual use.And when I finished the malarand offered it at Aiya’s feet, heinformed me that Mother waspleased and I would experiencedivine consciousness through thetrees. It was at that time that Ibecame affectionately known asthe crazy tree lady. I oftenskipped puja and explored the 64acres of temple property, climbedtrees, followed the creek,identified invasive species,tracked deer prints in the snow,and sat meditating near fox holes.

When I learned that the templeowned a state-protected forested/meadow wetland, I blazed a trailthrough the spruce forest, theland linking the templegrasslands to the wetlands, and Ivisited there in all seasons, tophotograph and observe. Thecattail and sounds of the aspentrees led me step by step. I lostmy way in a field of goldenrodand brush, and I imagined beingan explorer like Lewis and Clarkbefore civilized man obliteratedthe untouched forests of America.But eventually, the Devi led me tothe singing trees.

“Have you even gone outsideafter a rainstorm to hear waterflow up through the roots of atree?” When my physical motherasked me this question, I was notsure if such a thing were possible,or if this was just another one ofher idiosyncrasies. But as I

hugged more trees, I took time tolisten, waiting to hear theirrhythmic life-affirming sound. Iasked many people about theirexperiences with trees, and only ahandful confirmed it was possibleto hear the sap without astethoscope.

So one sunny afternoon, after arainstorm during Navarathri2006, I journeyed to the wetlands.I leaned against a tall tree, in a

grove of red and silver maples,ironwoods and swamp oaks. I saton a fallen snag, comforted by thegreen blanket of shrubs andstarred into a small pond ofstagnant water. I did not seeBlanding turtles orsalamanders… but I did hear myfirst tree grumble. It was likewater running through largepipes.

These pictures of the temple wetlands were taken by Aparna during colderweather, when the trees had already exfoliated and the grass had lost itscolour. But those who visit the area in the spring and summer will seenothing but acres of greenery. Photos by Aparna Hasling.

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An aerial view of much of thetemple property, includingparts of the wetland areaand how to get there:

1. Temple2. Ganapati deck3. Bhairava tree4. Kashi5. Pratyangira homam pit6. Entrance to trail7. Meadow wetlands (noneed to walk through there)8. Entrance to forestedwetlands and SINGINGTREES9. Wetlands pond (onlypartially on temple property— telephonelines are property line)10. Highest peak onproperty for great view11. Railroad creek

The Devi wasrevealing the pulsatinglife of nature in theabandoned jungle,proof that trees areliving beings, and theirheartbeat is not sosecret after all.

Biologically, it isdifficult for the tallslender trees to live inthe standing water ofwetlands. And so aftera rainstorm, they mustwork overtime to bringnutrients up the trunkand dry some of thewater. But under theright circumstances,this photosyntheticprocess creates asymphony of sound.

At first I thought itwas a fluke to hear it injust one tree, but withincredible excitement Ijumped from one tree tothe next, pressing myear against each tree—

they were ALL singing! I was standing in the middleof nature’s symphony! This was my Navarathriepiphany! Just at that moment I heard the sound ofthe conch announcing the end of the puja, I ran backto the temple to share my discovery.

But for some reason, it took another year for me toclear the trail enough for others to follow. And itwasn’t until the weekend after Guru Poornima 2008that Aiya and a group of devotees finally heard thisfor themselves and realized that my tree whisperinggift was not unique after all. They were awed. Aiyawas excited. Hearing the vibrant flow and the feelingthe vibration of the flow is a unique experience.

While many people may theoretically understandthe function of the xylem and phloem (see the bottomof Anita’s article on page 13), it is a natural wonderwhich must be heard firsthand to fathom theimplications of the living nature. A tree is not aninanimate block of wood; it is living tissue. Theground we walk upon is not impenetrably dense; it isthe foundation of our existence, constantly giving upminerals needed to sustain life. Our own physicalbody is not solid; it is mostly water, part of a cosmicpulsating vibration—and Mother Nature is in chargeof it all.

Aiya says that if you meditate on this sound, youcan go more deeply within. And so with thisspiritual encouragement, we invite you to walk tothe wetlands. However, when you arrive, please be

respectful of the habitatsof unseen creatures. Stayon the trail and beware ofpoison ivy. Try not towalk through thewetlands unnecessarily—the weight of our feetdestroys the magic, andthere is danger of gettingstuck in the mud.

Let this space be anextension of the temple, atraditional sacred grove.Let the trees initiate youinto the rhythm ofnature, and allow theirwisdom to influence youas you make daily choicesin the world regardingfood, shelter, travel andcommerce. It is allconnected. Sri Vidya isthe knowledge that unitesthe heavens and theearth—and teaches us tolive in harmony withnature. Walk gently onthe earth, honor the trees,and smile.

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Sri Gurubhyo Namaha