The Formation of Soma Matha circa 2005

Around 2005, Swamiji rented a small one room apartment in Norfolk, VA, where he comitted all of his time to sadhana. Puja items he had discarded when he began living as a sadhu had been kept by people who knew him and were returned to him at this time. At this point his mission of building a temple and teaching center began to materialize. He began giving teachings and offering public services from this apartment. He counseled many, never taking money for his services, but asking people who wished to give to contribute to his gurus. He worked specifically with people with strange and unexplainable difficulties, and often helped to identify and resolve conditions of possession by ghosts and ancestors. People came in those days to sit for puja and receive blessings. Many who visited described feeling a powerful presence of the Divine shakti in that space. Swamiji recognized the need to establish a Temple space for seekers to come to receive teachings and blessings.

It was at this time the Soma Matha organization was formed. The organization had several different boards and volunteers worked on various projects under Swamiji's guidance. We, however, generally did not accept donations for many years and could not afford to incorporate or file for not for profit status until 2016.

Ganesha Chaturthi Celebration at Swamiji's one-room Apartment c. 2005

First Act circa 2007

Swamiji performing Prana Pratishtha of Ganapati Murti

In 2007, Swamiji donated black granite Ganapati Murti to another temple after many pujas and a yatra to bless that Ganapati vigraham. He felt, if we are supposed to build a temple, then our first act should be to support another Temple.

The Materialization of the Shakambhari Temple circa 2008

Around 2008, Swamiji moved to Richmond, Va to help with the construction and consecration of several temples in the area. During those days he traveled to various temple consecrations throughout the country to assist with the establishment of divine Shakti (energy).  In Richmond, Swamiji kept a small apartments where he conducted pujas and yajnas and greeted hundreds of visitors.

At this point Swamiji was reconnected with internet (after many years with no connection to media) and established the Soma Matha website, YouTube channel, and provided services for people around the world. To date Swamiji has performed pujas for thousands of individuals throughout the world and in every continent except Antartica.   

Sudarshana Yantra Puja at apartment in Richmond

Bala Vaidyanatha Yajnam

The Soma Matha YouTube channel was launched with videos of a Bala Vaidyanatha yajna and a yantra puja performed in Portsmouth, Virginia for healing. Today, the Soma Matha Youtube channel has millions of views from viewers all over the world. On the Soma Matha website Swamiji published various hand-typed texts for Vedic mantras and rituals in Sanskrit and English transliteration. At that time, most of these mantras were not available elsewhere. Now many of these texts have become available from other sources, but the Soma Matha website still provides several important texts which are otherwise unavailable, especially in English transliteration. Various and indepth teachings on Ayurveda are published on the website and YouTube as well, which are otherwise unavailable in the West.

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Also in 2008, the Shakambhari Temple materialized. Specific visions and guidance were revealed to Swamiji including practices for him and for the devotees. Temple devotees have been encouraged to assist our efforts by reciting the Shakti Panchakshari Mantra: Om hreem namah shivaya. The vision is for a uniquely powerful spiritual site in North America, like the sacred Temples in India. The Goddess spoke through a man, who showed Swamiji a photo of Goddess Shakambhari and said "You should build a temple of for Shakambhari." Swamiji had heard the name in the Chandi Patha mantras, but was not extremely familiar with Shakambhari or her unique forms and modes of worship. Upon seeing her photo with blue skin and eyes all over her body and holding fruits and veggies, Swamiji felt a sense of recognition and knew then that it was Shakambhari who had been guiding him about the activities of the Matha. Shakambhari is a unique manifestation of Goddess Durga who relates to noursihment, foods, vegitation, the forest, and herbs. She is a fitting Deity for our mission of promoting Ayurvedic healing with herbs, reconnection to nature, preservation of nature, preservation of historic and heirloom fruits and vegies, and promotion of vegetarianism for the benefit of humanity and the environment.  ​

Shakambhari Devi

Durga & Ganapati Homa circa 2009

Around 2009 Swamiji performed a large Durga / Ganapati "Shakti-samyukta Ganapati" yajnam  at Sri Sai Amrita Narayana Temple in Richmond. During this powerful three-day ritual, around $6,000 worth of offerings were offered into the sacred fire in one day. Shri Yantras were carved into copper plates and distributed to our sponsors. One of those yantras, blessed in that yajna has been kept to use as a sthapana yantram in the finished temple. The yantra is kept where we conduct daily pujas - absorbing the shakti - this yantra has been blessed by various Saints also. 

First Temple Murti 2010

In 2010 , Swamiji brought small 18 inch black granite murti of Lord Murugan, carved by the Shilpis of V. Ganapati Sthapati and blessed in his guru's ashram in Kauai, Hawaii. This Murugan is very powerful and several miracles have occured in connection to him, including the saving of an infant's life who suffered a severe car accident. We have plans to install this Murugan in the completed temple as a dwara Murugan for the Shiva Sannidhi. All other Murtis will be sized according to the Agama shastras in accordance to the size of Swamiji's body, and the size of the temple property. These measurements cannot be determined until we acquire the Temple property. In this case, we will use Murugan even if the sizing is not precise in order to bring the blessings of the gurus of the Nandinatha Sampradaya to the Temple.   

Murti of Lord Murugan

Move to Goochland Then Chased Away with Guns 2011

Yajna at the Goochland Property

In 2011, we acquired an 8 acre property in Goochland County, West of Richmond. Once the neighbors discovered we were Hindus, they came and told us Hindu prayer was not welcome and threatened us with guns. The local sheriff was a friend of the the gunman, so efforts to get legal authorities to intervene were fruitless. We left the property to return to Richmond. Before any dire situations arose.
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​At this time, Swamiji and volunteers started selling herb plants at farmers markets to help promote the activities of the Matha. During this time herbalism was not popular and passersby laughed at Swamiji for selling medicinal plants and herbal medicine. Because the herb plants were not selling well and Swamiji still wanted to promote knowledge of Ayurveda, he started Siddhi Tea, an ethically sourced premuium-quality Ayurvedic tea company.

Ayurvedic herb walk after farmer's market in Richmond

Swamiji teaching at Yoga Teacher Training course in Richmond

​In those days, Swamiji and his students were conducting events in various spaces in Richmond, 5 or 6 nights a week including pujas, yajnas, teachings, classes on ayurveda and other subjects, and yoga asana classes. Swamiji was loaned various spaces in Richmond to use for events and assisted teaching in a uniquely spiritually oriented yoga teacher training programs through a studio in Richmond which trained over a hundred yoga teachers over the years Swamiji was associated with the program. At this time, Swamiji started charging for puja services and classes to help raise funds for the Temple. He continued various free public pujas and teachings - online and in person.

Jade Sri Yantra Commission 2014

In 2014, Swamiji commissioned a large, 7 inch tall, Meru Shri Yantra in green Jade. Large Yantras like this carved from precious stones are extremely powerful to shift the karmas of entire regions. Various Agamic rituals of purification and energization were performed for the yantra, including bimba shuddhi, adhivasams, nyasams, homams and kumbhabhishekam. This yantra is used in our nitya (daily) pujas and will be kept in the finished temple at the feet of the Goddess.

Jade Shree Yantram commissioned by Swamiji

600,000 Repetitions of Shakambhari Devi's Gayatri Mantra 2015

Finished Ganapati Statue in Kanchi, awaiting shipment to Virginia

In 2015, Swamiji commissioned the carving of three large black granite statues; one of Ganapati, Dhanvantari, and a Shivalingam. These statues have been carved under the expert guidance of Jayendra Sthapati of Kanchipuram, who Swamiji met at a Temple Consecration in Pennsylvania around 2010. Swamiji was impressed by the Sthapati's knowledge and his humbleness and bhakti. We intend to seek his assistance in designing the Temple according to the precepts of Vastu and Agama shastras. The completion and delivery of these murtis to Virginia was put on hold due to difficulties to get permits for prayer or other activities at the Temple proper purchased in 2016. All efforts were focused toward working to get permits. These murtis have been completed and were are working to ship them to Virginia by the end of 2022. These three murtis will not be installed in the main temple - those images must be sized according to the Agamas. They will be installed in separate shrines - Ganpati near the entrance to the Temple to great Temple visitors and to remain always open for visitors to pray 24/7. Dhanvantari will be installed in our Ayurveda center, and Shivalingam in a separate shrine designed to enable devotees to perform abhishekam, pouring milk and other liquids.       

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At this time, Temple devotees began a practice to complete 600,000 repetitions of Shakambhari Devi's Gayatri Mantra. This practice and the number of repetitions was requested by the Goddess Herself. This type purva pratishtha japa, is traditional practice when working to establish a temple. This japa was completed around 2020. At the site of the temple, once we obtain the property, homams will be performed with this mantra, along with Sahasra Shakambhari Homam. Several of our gurus have blessed the practice of japa of the Devi Panchakshari mantra also for devotees of the Temple. Upon completion of this japa, Swamiji was guided that the next step necessary in the preparation for the Temple will be to conduct a serious of Eye-Opening (Netronmeelanam) practices and homams, for which we are still preparing and raising money to complete. The ceremonies will help to open channels for people to "see" into the spiritual realms in the sacred space of the Temple, and they will help to uplift public consciousness in the region so that the energetic presence of the temple does not cause much human distress and catastrophic events -  These rituals must be begun in order for us to move to the final location of the temple. At this location, homams will be begun for Devi    ​

Devi Gayatri Mantra Repetition

Purchasing a 14 Acre Farm, Permits to Worship Denied​ 2016

In 2016, we outgrew the two bedroom apartment used for events and filled with puja items and tea herbs. Inspireded by the environmental harm caused by the abaondonment of historic building and the wasteful ways of modern construction, the organization purchsed a historic farm, on 14 acres in Old Church, East of Richmond. Neighbors there were outspoken in their disapproval of our Hindu religion. After 6 years of efforts, it became clear that local authorities did not plan to allow us to apply for necessary permits for a temple at the site. During this time, the Soma Matha organization became officially incorporated and was granted 501c3, not for profit status. 5 volunteers moved to the property with Swamiji. Many dozen of volunteers came and went in the years we were there, helping to maintain the property and to conduct online services. We worked diligently to restore the historic buildings at the property until we sold it in 2021. At this point, our board voted to sell the property at a huge financial loss.

Historic Quietude Farm in Old Church

Yajna at Quietude Farm

Before leaving the property, in 2021, we performed a large yajna ceremony there for the benefit of the land and area and for the release of all who had suffered through enslavement and war at the property which had been owned by a Civil War captain.  This event was covered in a local news paper. We are not discouraged by the apparent set back of losing the property. Much work must be done energetically to prepare the space for a powerful temple like the one the Goddess is building here in Virginia. Unlike, most Temples and religious buildings built in the West which are guided by the efforts and desries of men, this temple has been founded by the Goddess Herself. Our activities our guided by her and the project is developing according to her will and timeframe.   

Purchasing an Interim Property 2021

In 2021, having lost much money in the sale of the previous property, we purchased a small interim 2 acre property in Schuyler, Virginia, South of Charlottesville in the blue ridge mountains. The mountains are congruent with Swamiji's vision for the Temple as revealed by the Goddess. This property is too small for a temple and too open to the neighboring homes in a rural residential neighborhood to host many events. We are working to connect with local people and to raise funds to purchase a suitable property somewhere nearby. Unfortunately, this property is not suitable for a steady flow of regular visitors like we had in Richmond.  Yet after 6 years of no public events due to government zoning restrictions, we are pleased to be able to offer one monthly public puja, our Purnima Devi Puja, along with a few other small public events. We are looking forward to getting back to a suitable space where we can hold more regular public ceremonies and teachings. We are still meeting people in the new area and seeking other spaces to hold events in the interim time. 

We are working to complete repairs to the old farmhouse at the interim property where Swamiji is living and Soma Matha activities are conducted from. We are working to raise money to pay off our mortgage in preparation for selling and buying a suitable space for the temple. We are optimistic that we will be relocating again soon to the final place of sthapana for Goddess Shakambhari in the Mountains of Virginia.  

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Interim Property in the Blueridge Mountains

Our Vision For the Future 

A beautiful Mountain pass, representative of the land Swamiji has envisioned for our Temple

The finished temple will be constructed at the top of a mountain peak surrounded by forest. There will be beautiful formal gardens around the temple, which will be built in a combination of South Indian Vijayanagara-style architecture and traditional North American vernacular and Western religious architecture.

The main Temple will have three sections  1) a yajna shala for regular yajnas (fire rituals) for all the deities. 2) a Devi mandapam with a large sannidhi for Goddess Shakambhari, in addition to smaller shrines for other forms of the Goddess. 16 Goddesses in total will be installed in the Devi mandapam. Shakambhari, The Nava Durga, Sarasvati, Maha Lakshmi, and Kali, and Brahmi, Vaishnavi, and Maheshvari. 3) a Sarva Devata Mandapam will house Sannidhis for 6 Gods - Ganapati, Vishnu in the form of Dhanvantari, Shivalingam, Dakshinamurti (God the formless Guru), Murugan, and a special, one of a kind, shrine to the Navagrahas, 12 rashis and 27 nakshatras which will serve as an ephemeris displaying the current astronomical placement of the Planets.

​Connected to the Temple will be a farm and botanical garden for producing herbs, fruits, veggies, and dairy for offering in pujas, and for helping teach about ayurveda, herbs, and the importance of preserving nature and saving the heirloom and heritage varieties of produce and livestock. The complex will include various shrines and a hiking trail in addition to the main temple and space for anna danam (providing food to devotees) and spaces for study and other cultural events. The space will become a refuge for spiritual seekers from various backgrounds. Only a small handfull of devotees will reside at the property to assist with maintainance and Temple activities.      

To date, the Soma Matha organization has conducted thousands of puja and yajnas including several dozen yantra pujas and over a hundred yajnams for the peace of the world. We continue to provide authentic teachings on the traditional Vedic sciences, much misunderstood in the West. We provide guidence, blessings, and spiritual initiations to sincere spiritual seekers from all back grounds from around the world. Please visit our donation page to help support our efforts to open our Temple and Teaching center. Email us at [email protected] to learn how you can help.   

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