ANAHEIM, CA, USA, December 19, 2008: At an informal gathering recently at the Chinmaya Mission center,Satguru Bodhinatha Veylanswami, head of the Kauai Hindu Monastery, met with members of the mission and exchanged some thoughts with Swami Ishwarananda, the head acharya of CMLA.
Swami Bodhinatha who oversees among other things the well acclaimed magazine, “Hinduism Today” spoke to the gathered group that welcomed him with lamps, the chanting of the Guru Stotram, poornakhumbam and garlands, and addressed issues that become an impediment in how Hinduism is perceived by the larger audience.
He said that there are several schools of thought within the faith and it was important for each religious leader or swami to clearly identify where their allegiance lay so it would not confuse the lay listener. He also spoke of the dangers of relying on websites that publish material that focus on the story telling aspects to the detriment of any philosophical understanding.
The visiting monk also spoke of the challenges of raising Hindu children in America and praised Chinmaya Mission for having well informed teachers who can speak on why for instance, the faith has multiple Gods.
In continuing his guru’s task of establishing Hinduism in the west, Swami Bodhinatha is also overseeing the construction of the Iraivan temple in Kauai, the first hand carved, all granite temple in this continent.
Swami Bodhinatha belongs to the ancient Nandinatha Sampradaya and was initiated into its teachings and practices by his guru, Satguru Sivaya Subramuniyaswami, the founder of the Monastery in Kauai.