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There are many people in this world who claim to be sadhus and saints. In this dark time, how are we to recognize the true teachers from the fakes? When a disciple of Shree Ramakrishna asked, “How can one recognize a true sadhu?” Shree Ramakrishna said, “They are real if they know that God resides […]

Samasti Chandi Draft Page

New Book Available in Print! Secret Bīja Mantras of the Chaṇḍī PāṭhaḥBījamantrātmaka Tantra DurgāSaptaśatyā Guhyabījanāmāvalī The Samasti Chandi Tantra Bijamantratmaka series of books contain all of the mantras of the Chandi Pathah and the Tantra Bijamantratmaka Guhyabija Namavali. The translations of the Bijas are included in our new printed book entitled: Secret Bija Mantras of […]

Navagraha Sankalpa to Heal the Earth Mother

Shree Maa asks if you like to help to pray for Earth Mother to please pray to planets with us. Take a sankalpa to pray to one or more or all the planets with japa and homa as per your capacity and the following system. You can do it in one asana, in one day […]

Shiva Worship Questions

Advanced Shiva Puja: Bahya Matrka Nyasa Question: In the Advanced Shiva Puja, when one is doing the bahya matrika nyasa “backwards”, should all the actions be in reverse, i.e., om ksam namah…..throat to sternum? Swamiji Says: Yes, they are done in reverse in both the bahya nyasa and in the matrika nyasa in the chakras. […]

Shakti Pithas

~~OM~~ When Sati, the wife of Shiva, sacrificed herself at the Yajna performed by her father Daksha, a very distraught Shiva started dancing with her body. He was dancing the dance of destruction. And the gods said, “Oh, we are doomed! Shiva is dancing the dance of destruction. How are we ever going to to […]

Story of Daksha’s Yajna

~~OM~~ Daksha decided he would have a Yajna. Remember he was going to have the Yajna by which he would initiate the new creation. And he invited Brahma, he invited Vishnu, and he invited all the Gods and all the Munis, but he didn’t invite Shiva. He said, “I’ll show that Shiva is nobody. He’s […]

Kali – Understanding the Divine Mother

From Swami Satyananda Saraswati’s introduction to Kali Puja ‘Kal’ means Darkness; Kali takes away that Darkness. She takes away the darkness from every individual who strives in the path of perfection by performing the spiritual disciplines of purifying austerities. Just as all the colors of the spectrum mix into black, yet still black remains black, […]

Dance of Chamunda

In grand style, the magic of Chandi, She Who Tears Apart Thought, has come alive at the Devi Mandir with elaborate celebrations of Navaratri, the nine day festival of Durga worship. The Goddesses have been busy battling the forces of duality that operate within us so that we may become the shining ones, or the […]

Devi Mandir Diary – Shivaratri 2007

February 19 – February 25 Shivaratri 2007 Early in the morning of Shivaratri, we saw our beloved Swamiji sitting in asan by the sacred fire and chanting many, many scriptures – the Chandi, Rudri, Shiva Sahasranama. For 24 hours, the fire was blazing with the offering of various mantras, especially “Om Namah Sivaya�.” The temple […]

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How to Recognize a True Sadhu