A Message from the Editors

November 1, 2023

Imagine this: For almost three decades, every day, Gurudeva and his dynamic duo of monks clocked in for their unique “editing rendezvous” between 3 and 6 or 7pm. This wasn’t any ordinary meeting spot— they chose an RV with a prime ocean view in Kapaa, with playful whales and serene green turtles as their neighbors! And this wasn’t just any RV – it was a Winnebago decked out with the latest editing gear, a cutting-edge mini-publishing network. Together, in this tropical island setting, they fine-tuned Gurudeva’s treasure trove of enlightening talks and writings. Rain or shine, if he wasn’t traveling Gurudeva immersed himself in every sentence, refining it over and over until, with a nod of satisfaction, he’d turn to the monks and say, “That’s good.”

Picture this: It’s the 1950s, and there’s Gurudeva, passionately cranking out his yoga lessons by hand using a Mimeograph machine at the San Francisco Temple. Fast forward to a quiet afternoon in 1984 in the laid-back town of Kapaa. Gurudeva strolls into a quaint Apple store, gets his first glimpse of a Macintosh, and after a mere 15 minutes of dabbling with MacPaint and MacWrite, he’s striding out with a brand new Macintosh 128K tucked under his arm! Before long, every monk got their own shiny Mac, and the era of digital typography began for them. Ah, the LaserWriter! Memories, right?

Come 1997, when the digital waves of the Internet washed ashore on Kauai, Gurudeva was all in. “Let’s start a blog!” he proclaimed. And just like that, “Today at Kauai Aadheenam” or TAKA was born. One of the pioneering blogs of its time, it’s been a daily fixture ever since. How’s that for keeping up with the times?

Visualize this: Gurudeva, beaming with pride, seeing the fruits of today’s digital age. With a simple touch on a mobile device, his teachings now reach every nook and cranny of the world, without costing readers a penny. Remember the days when printing a book meant shelling out serious money? The hefty price tags, stockpiling inventory, and don’t even get us started on shipping and returns. But here we are, in the wondrous age of digital publishing, where these age-old troubles are starting to feel like tales from a bygone era.

Now, of course, there’s something timeless about holding a printed magazine or book. We still cherish that. But its digital counterpart? A symphony of well-curated PDF pages or ePubs, just waiting to be explored. And searchable! If you haven’t already, give our Hinduism Today app a whirl. It’s a little marvel, ready for anyone, anywhere. We think Gurudeva would have been its number-one fan!

Imagine Gurudeva in today’s digital world, appreciating the advancements that allow his teachings to be accessed with a tap on a mobile device. While the tactile experience of a printed magazine remains special, the digital evolution offers its own set of merits. Our well-structured digital book pages, for instance, ensure that the content is accessible and easy to navigate. And if you’re curious, our Hinduism Today app (get for iOS | get for Android) serves as a quiet testament to the possibilities of the digital age, available to anyone, anywhere. Gurudeva would surely appreciate the blend of tradition and modernity we have created, all with your help.

With much aloha and warm greetings during the holiday season,

The Editors
Kauai’s Hindu Monastery
Himalayan Academy Publications