Sri Shirdi Sai Baba Temple of Austin - Ground Breaking

Cosmic Story: Groundbreaking Report From my View - by Craig Sastry

Groundbreaking, which took place last Sunday, was a grand success! Activity began early in the morning at the temple land, and got into full swing with about a dozen ladies making leis for Baba at 8:00 am. By 9:00 various pujas in the main tent were in full swing. At 10:00 installation of the shanku began. The previous week, we had dug a six foot hole in the ground in the exact spot where Baba's murthi will sit in the inner sanctum. (This was quite a job -- after about 18 inches of rock and topsoil, the earth became solid limestone!) In this hole, three pundits and myself climbed, while two other pundits chanted the Vedas facing east on the top of the pit, which was about five foot square.

Offerings were then made to the nine planets, which control our destiny here on Earth. The shanku was then installed. The shanku is a specially shaped, one foot long stick made of a special wood. It was placed exactly underneath where Baba will sit. The shankustaphana, done at this muhurth (time) especially selected for the occasion, is meant to rectify the vaastu (placement) of the land and remedy any negativity on the land. The ceremony brings prosperity and happiness to those on the land.

It was quite interesting, sitting in this hole, six feet down, performing the ceremony under the hot sun, with hundreds of well wishers sitting and standing above me on every side of the hole, while the Vedas were being chanted. I would describe this as a very blessed event. For many persons it had special significance. It is not every day a temple is being inaugurated. For many it will be a once in a lifetime event.

Following the shankustaphana ceremony, bricks were carefully lowered into the hole to secure the shanku, which was then cemented in. Many persons had sponsored a brick and made a donation towards the success of the future temple.

After this, the start of the homa (fire offerings) began. The priests started the fire in the traditional way, by rubbing two special sticks together. It works like this. Two pundits on either side of each other attach ropes to a special short wood pole between them. Together, they tug on the ropes, causing the wood to quickly move back and forth against another piece of wood placed beneath it. Meanwhile, a third pundit applies weight on top of the wood so that as much friction as possible is created. When a little charcoal is produced, "hair" from a coconut is added to the hot coal to produce a flame. Getting a fire started this way took the pundits about 20 minutes. Loud applause broke out when the fire was started.

We then transferred the small fire to the homa kunda. This is a special brick enclosure we constructed. It was 3 feet in depth and 3 feet square on each side, per traditional Vedic formula. We then began the first of six homas planned for the day. We offered 1008 modaka balls, a special desert, to Ganapati, who is always worshipped first in these ceremonies.

Towards the end of the Ganapati homa, the police arrived. Unfortunatey some of the announcements made over the PA system had disturbed the neighbors, and a noise complaint was filed. When the police saw the homa (fire), they called the fire marshall, who told us to shut down the fire due to the drought conditions and risk of the fire spreading. Fortunately, while I was negotiating with the Fire Marshal, the pundits had the good sense to briefly perform each of the next five yagnas, and I performed purnahuti (the final offerings) before the fire was extinguished by pouring milk over it.

We then returned to the main tent, where the pundits continued chanting the same mantras that would have been used in the remaining five homas. It was extremely blissful to listen to them! The pundits really do have the power to invoke the energies of the devatas (gods) and bring down heaven to Earth.

I then gave a (very) short talk, telling those in the main tent that they were sitting where the Temple would be in the future and where the other buildings would be placed. I said our dream was that the Temple would be a place of refuge, where people could come and at least temporarily lay aside their problems and find peace and contentment.

We concluded with afternoon aarati to Sai Baba, followed by more Vedic chanting (mantra pushpam), and then everyone offering flowers to the images of Ganapati, Mahalakshmi and Sai Baba on the altar constructed for the ceremony. Dakshina (payment) was offered to the priests, and then everyone broke for lunch prasad.

Everyone seemed very happy, even elated after the event. The most common compliment was how well organized it all was. Well, yes! So many volunteers! About 60 ladies, along with three restaurants - Teji's, Bombay Express, and Ranjoli's - donated food. 40 - 50 or more persons worked on various committees - land clearing, parking, refreshments, kids entertainment, audio visual, and many others. Quite a team.

Of course, everyone wonders why Baba (God) allowed the homa to be shut down. We don't know why anything happens. I find it helps to have a good sense of humor when things go "wrong". I particularly laugh when I think of myself, dressed in a white dhoti (a rather delicate dress) having to run across the hot dirt and sand in bare feet, to and from the homa kunda to my nearby home, in the 100 degree heat, to meet with the police and then the fire marshal. After my second or third trip back and forth, the bottom of my dhoti was all in a tangle! I was doing my best to tuck it back in between my legs to avoid embarassment! Baba, what a jokester you are on Craig!

All the six homas were performed in miniature, and the purpose of the sankalpam (intention announced at the beginning of the yagna) was fulfilled. But if the opportunity presents itself we'll re-perform these particular homas in the Fall or the Spring for all the sponsors who looked forward to this event which was cut short. The yagnas are very blissful and any excuse to perform them again will be a good thing!