The temple was founded in 1949 by SatguruSivaya Subramuniyaswami, a self-appointed Saiva Hindu guru from the United States. The name of the temple is from the Sanskrit language and could be roughly rendered in English as "The temple of God Śiva's Revealed Truth." The Saiva Siddhanta temple 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 temple on February 12, 1962. Among America's oldest Hindu institutions, it established its international headquarters at Kauai Aadheenam, also known as Kauai's Hindu Monastery, on Kauai, Hawaii, on February 5, 1970. Kauai's Hindu Monastery has two temples, Iraivan Temple and Kadavul Temple.
Purpose
The core purpose of the temple is to protect, preserve and promote the Saivite Hindu religion as embodied in the Tamil culture, traditions and scriptures of South India and Sri Lanka. It is based on the precepts of the Nandinatha Sampradaya, and traces its origins to a two-thousand-year-old lineage of the Kailasa Paramparā Gurus. The current head of the temple is Satguru Bodhinatha Veylanswami. The temple is oriented to serving those of Tamil descent, especially those from Sri Lanka. However, its membership is open to seekers of all ethnic backgrounds who wish to follow this ancient religious and cultural pattern. Currently, more than 85% of the global membership are born Hindus living, mostly, in Mauritius, Malaysia, Singapore, India and Sri Lanka. Many of the members living in the West are converts to Hinduism who live the path which leads souls through service, worship, sadhana and yoga toward God Realization. The Saiva Siddhanta temple supports all major projects supervised by Satguru Bodhinatha Veylanswami, including:
Construction of the Iraivan Temple on Kauai, a white granite stone Siva temple sculpted in India.
Publication of the magazine Hinduism Today. The magazine is widely read among Hindus in India and in the worldwide diaspora. Thus, it provides an important means for worldwide networking, which is widely acknowledged.
Publication and distribution of books, booklets, and online material aimed at educating Hindus and non-Hindus about the Saivite Hindu religion.
Teaching through lessons, literature, study courses, travel-study programs and youth retreats those actively pursuing the spiritual path under his guidance.
Establishment and administration of charity organizations for Hindus worldwide, under the umbrella of Hindu Heritage Endowment.
Theology
The Saiva Siddhanta temple belongs to a monistic branch of the school of Saiva Siddhanta. Its theology is grounded in the Vedas, Saiva Agamas and the ancient Tirumantiram, a Tamil scripture composed by Tirumular. The temple's theology is based on a synthesis of devotional theism and uncompromising nondualism. It is referred to as "monistic theism", which recognizes that monism and dualism/pluralism are equally valid perspectives. God is both within us and outside of us, the Creator and the creation, immanent and transcendent. Satguru Sivaya Subramuniyaswami explains:
Kauai Hindu Monastery
Kauai Hindu Monastery is situated on the Kauai island in Hawaii, consisting of two temples: Kadavul Temple and Iraivan Temple. Kadavul was established in 1973 by Sivaya Subramuniyaswami. Construction of Iraivan began in 1990; it is the first all-stone, white granite temple to be built in the western hemisphere.
Referring to the Iraivan Temple, New York Times reporter Michelle Kayal wrote: Since 1973 the temple has maintained a second temple at the Kauai Aadheenam, called Kadavul Temple, which has Siva Nataraja as the enshrined deity.
