Event Highlights: Sri Vidya Pooja, Los Angeles USA - 29 September 2007

There was a mood of festivity and celebration at the Vedic Temple in Los Angeles today. Swamiji announced inauguration of Nithyananda International Vedic Science University and that Vedic Temple in Montclair, CA will be inaugurated from Nov 7 to Nov 11, 2007. To mark the beginning of this 10 million project, a masters gift to mankind, the beginning of a new Era, Sri Vidya Puja was performed to the Vedic chants of Swamiji. The University would stand for the rich Vedic tradition and spread this science to the world, by facilitating further research and development in Vedic sciences. The Temple would be one of a kind by having largest and tallest idols in North America, not to mention the largest number of idols in one single sacred space. This new place would serve as city center and temple for all spiritual services of the mission.

Swamiji explained in detail each step of the Sri Vidya Puja for all the devotees present and for all the devotees who performed the puja under the guidance of Swamiji. In His talk Swamji said, "The Vedic Rishis have created millions of techniques and methods to connect with the divine. However the most beautiful and sweetest way is to relate with the divine as a mother. Its a complete path that can lead one to enlightenment by itself." Having said that Swamiji lead everyone through a meditation to connect with the physical mother thereby creating an inner space where one is ready to receive and connect with the cosmic mother.

The Sri Vidya puja is performed with the Maha Meru or the Sri Chakra (a mystical construction representing the mother energy) which has 43 seemingly simple but intricate triangles in it. There are 43 energies inside a human body like the energy to breath, see, feel anger, fear or desire etc. If one integrates all these 43 energies to one single point, one becomes enlightened. During the Sri Vidya Puja we invoke all 43 energies. When we intensely pray to Devi, they start opening up. As they open up, we realize the Devi within us, and become Devi - the cosmic mother. This is the science behind Sri Vidya Puja.

The puja and Maha Arati were followed by individual blessings to everyone present from Swamiji and then the Maha Prasad.

Click here for photos from the event.