Shiva Shiddhanta

Shiva Siddhanta

Founder and History of Movement

Occasionally such an individual is born who, by following his tradition correctly and completely, approaches perfection and becomes a symbol to the world. Satguru Sivaya Subramuniyaswami was such a man, a living example of awakening and wisdom, a leader recognized worldwide as one of Hinduism's foremost ministers. Gurudeva Suvaya Subramuniyaswami was the foremost exponent and teacher of Saiva Siddhanta in the West, a self-realized Western spiritual master of an age-old Saivite tradition. The name Subramuniya is from Sanskrit and is formed from subhra meaning, light; intuition, and muni, silent sage. Ya means restraint; religious meditation. Thus Subramuniya means a self-restrained soul who remains silent, or when he speaks, speaks out from intuition. Saiva Siddhanta, the name of the Gurudeva's Church is from the Sanskrit language as well and could be roughly rendered in English as The Church of God Siva's Revealed Truth.

Subramuniyaswami as born on January 5, 1927, in Oakland, California, and grew up near Lake Tahoe. He was orphaned by age 11 and raised by a family with deep connections to India. In his teenage years he was trained in classical Eastern and Western dance and in the disciplines of yoga, becoming the premier dancer of the San Francisco Ballet by age 19. Increasingly drawn to a spiritual life, he renounced his career at its height and sailed to India and Sri Lanka in 1947, on the first ship to sail to India following World War II. There he intensified his spiritual training under renowned yogis. In 1948, in the mountain caves of Jalani in central Sri Lanka, he fasted and meditated until he burst into enlightenment. Soon after that God Realization at just 21 years old, he met his satguru (teacher), Yogaswami, in Jaffna, Sri Lanka. The 72-year-old sage gave him his Hindu name, Subramuniya, and initiated him into the holy order.

Yogaswami, his teacher lived in Jaffna, Sri Lanka during the first part of this century, making his transition to the inner worlds in 1963. During his life Yogaswami gave out his wisdom spontaneously in songs and sayings. He also carefully edited his journal called The Sivathondan (The Servant of God) which was published by his devotees. People of all ages and all walks of life, irrespective of creed, caste or race, went to Yogaswami. They sought solace and spiritual guidance, and none went away empty-handed. He influenced their lives profoundly. Many realized how blessed they were only after years had passed. Yogaswami's infinite compassion never ceased to impress.

For over five decades Subramuniyaswami, the loyal student of Yogaswami and affectionately known as Gurudeva, has taught Hinduism to Hindus and seekers from all faiths as his teacher had before him. In the line of succession, he was the 162nd Jagadacharya (world teacher) of the Nandinatha Sampradaya's Kailasa Parampara (lineage of teachers) and Guru Mahasannidhanam of Kauai Aadheenam (also known as Kauai's Hindu Monastery), a 458-acre temple-monastery complex on Hawaii's Garden Island.. The monks of Kauai Aadheenam live their cherished vision, following a contemplative and joyous existence, building a jewel-like white granite Siva temple, meditating together in the hours before dawn, then working, while rainbows fill the sky.

Two traditional Saivite Hindu temples are located on the monastery's 458 acres, Kadavul Temple and the new San Marga Iraivan Temple, a massive white granite Chola-style temple currently being carved in Bangalore, India, and whose stones are now being shipped to Hawaii and are now being assembled here on Kauai. Right in the midst of the monastery complex is the renowned Kadavul Nataraja Temple where an exquisite six-foot tall, 250-year-old bronze image of Lord Nataraja is enshrined. Hindu pilgrims have been coming to the temple from around the world for over 30 years, to worship and seek audience and worship with the Guru Mahasannidhanam Monastic life is strict but joyous, a life of renunciation but full of bliss. This daily spiritual center and activity is the anchor for the coming day of service to dedicated spiritual seekers and the Hindu world at large through books, the Master Course and Hinduism Today. The stated goal of the monastery is to promote the Sanatana Dharma together through four areas of service: Saiva Siddhanta Church, Himalayan Academy, Hindu Heritage Endowment and Hinduism Today international monthly magazine

Saiva Siddhanta Church is a disciplined, global fellowship of family initiates, monastics and students who follow the sadhana marga, the path of inner effort, yogic striving and personal transformation. The Saiva Dharma Shastras is the central text of the Church, setting forth the theology, doctrines, customs and policies by which the members of the Church are guided and governed in their service of the supreme God Saiva. Gurudeva was the hereditary guru of 2.5 million Sri Lankan Hindus. He also established a seven-acre monastery in Mauritius, which includes a public Spiritual Park. Mauritius is a small island located off of Southern Africa, in the Indian Ocean, east of Madagascar. Gurudeva oversaw more than 50 independent temples worldwide. Missionaries and teachers within the family membership provide counseling and classes in Saivism for children, youth and adults.

The Saiva Siddhanta Church, founded in 1949, was incorporated under the laws of the United States of America in the State of California on December 30, 1957, and received recognition of its US Internal Revenue tax exempt status as a church on February 12, 1962. Among America's oldest Hindu institutions, it established its international headquarters on Kauai, Hawaii on February 5, 1970. From this Garden Island in the Pacific Ocean, northernmost of the Hawaiian chain that forms the world's most remote land mass, the Church broadly serves the one billion-strong Hindu faith (fully one-sixth of the world population). The Church's ministry is dedicated to nurturing the membership and local missions in four continents and to serving, primarily through publications, the community of Hindus throughout the world.

Over the last nearly half-century, the Church has created a swami order and a theological seminary to train young men from many nations and mold them into religious leaders. They have nurtured an extended family membership that upholds and sets new standards of personal dedication, inner effort, home culture and public protocol in these contemporary times when the lives of Hindus have brought them to nearly all countries of the world. The monastic order, their close family members