BAPS swamis and devotees from the BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha, led by Pujya Brahmaviharidas Swami, visited the renowned Kauai Hindu Monastery in Hawaii for a spiritual and interfaith exchange.
Founded in 1970 by Satguru Sivaya Subramuniyaswami, the Kauai Hindu Monastery serves as the global headquarters of the Kailasa Parampara, known for its spiritual discipline, publishing efforts, and the construction of the Iraivan Temple, the first all-stone Hindu temple in the Pacific.
Pujya Brahmaviharidas Swami was warmly welcomed with garlands and Vedic chants. The visit began with darshan at the monastery’s Kadavul Temple, followed by a meaningful meeting with the monastery’s head, Satguru Bodhinatha Veylanswami, at the Guru Pitham. The conversation reflected on the monastery’s global outreach, its dedication to Hindu values, and the long-standing relationship between Satguru Sivaya Subramuniyaswami and His Holiness Pramukh Swami Maharaj, dating back to the 1990s—a bond marked by mutual admiration and shared spiritual visions.
During the dialogue, the swamis from the Kauai Hindu Monastery described the BAPS Hindu Mandir in Abu Dhabi as one of the most historic mandirs in the world, acknowledging it as a vital symbol for advancing global peace and harmony. They also fondly reflected on their recent visit to the BAPS Swaminarayan Akshardham in Robbinsville, New Jersey, calling it a radiant lighthouse embodying the same universal values of peace, love, and harmony that BAPS shares with the world.
Paramacharya Sadasivanatha Swami then led the visiting group on a guided tour of the monastery’s sacred gardens and the hand-carved Iraivan Temple. The visit concluded with a stop at the monastery’s Media Studio, where swamis from both organizations exchanged perspectives on Hindu publications, youth engagement, and spiritual education in the modern world.
Pujya Brahmaviharidas Swami expressed deep gratitude for the monastery’s decades of ongoing efforts in publishing Hinduism Today, a globally respected magazine that presents Hinduism with remarkable clarity, authenticity, and research. The swamis acknowledged how the publication has long served the Hindu community with truth, dignity, and justice.
The visit highlighted the profound unity between two Hindu institutions—friends and spiritual brothers—working across continents to preserve and promote Sanatan Dharma through disciplined living, seva, and dialogue.