Devi Mandir

Temple of Divine Mother


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Sam Gacchadvam

The Sam Gacchadvam mantra can be found in the Advanced Shiva Puja text.  In the past, Shree Maa has asked us to chant this mantra as part of a sankalpa for world peace.

How to Recognize a True Sadhu

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 […]

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 […]

Devi Mandir Diary – Holi 2007

February 26 – March 11 Holi 2007 In early spring each year, the festival of Holi is celebrated in many parts of India. It is a called the festival of colors and people greet each other by smearing different color powders on each other and also pouring water and bursting balloons. It is a day […]

Story of Ekalavya

~~OM~~ >Double Click the Video to Play< I’d like to tell you story about Ekalavya. And Ekalavya was a tribal boy. And he wanted to learn archery from Dronacharya. Dronacharya was the Guru for both the Pandavas and the Kauravas. He was the primary instructor of the king’s children. How could a tribal boy learn […]

Story of the Happy Guru

~~OM~~ I want to tell you a story. There was a guru, and he was always happy. He was so filled with joy, that everyday nothing could shift him from his center. And he passed his entire life that way. When he grew old and he was lying on his deathbed, all the disciples gathered […]

Story of Sukadeva

  ~~OM~~ Sukadeva was born from the Divine Fire when Veda Vyasa was making Yagya. Sukadeva came out, he bowed down to his father and said, “Father! What shall I do?” And the father said, “Go learn the Vedas, study with Brihaspati.” Sukadeva studied with Brihaspati for many years and he became expert at Veda […]

Chandi Class Transcripts and Notes

The following transcripts and notes from Swamiji’s Chandi Path classes contain extremely valuable information. Just a fore note, their Sanskrit vocabulary and general content will be best suited for advanced practitioners who are familiar with the story and the practice of the Chandi Path. Transcripts of Swamiji’s classes on Chandi Path Introduction and Table of […]

Story of Vindhya

  ~~OM~~ Vindhya is the name of a mountain range which indicates knowledge, which begets humility. Because remember, Vindhya, he had a very interesting story, he did tremendous tapasya. He said to Shiva, “I want to be taller than Mount Meru.” And Shiva said, “What would you want that for?” And he said, “Well I’m […]