Freedom from Anger

If you never become angry congratulations. You are already enlightened in the sense that you have risen beyond all the psychological bonds. You have developed the highest degree of compassion. If you are not not enlightened, brace for some unsavory remarks. It is either the enlightened or the stupid who never become angry. If Buddha … Continue reading Freedom from Anger →

Lord Brahma’s Advice to His Creation

In vedic astrology human births are classified as Deva Gana, Manushya Gana and Rakshasa Gana. It does not mean that those who are born under Rakshasa gana are demonic in nature. Among other implications, such classifications are usually taken into account while matching horoscopes of prospective brides and grooms. Otherwise also we have lots of … Continue reading Lord Brahma’s Advice to His Creation →

Deva Snana Poornima – the ritual and its significance

Deva Snana Poornima is an important ritual in the build up to the Annual Car festival of Lord Jagannath. For the un-initiate, on this day the idols of Sudarshana, Ma Subhadra, Lord Balabhadra and Lord Jagannatha are taken out to the 'Altar of Bathing' inside the temple premises. An elaborate bath is given which can … Continue reading Deva Snana Poornima – the ritual and its significance →

Zero to Infinity

My purpose in this series was to give a taste of every type of Sanskrit Literature. I did not write any post for well known texts like the Vedas, Mahabharata or Ramayana. Of course I have mentioned these and highlighted some of their aspects from time to time. This being the last post in the … Continue reading Zero to Infinity →

Yogavashistha – the path of pure knowledge

Without giving the right context it is difficult to talk about spiritual traditions of India. That is also the difficulty one faces when planning to write any short article on spirituality. First of all spirituality and religion are not the same thing. As Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar says, 'Religion is the banana peel and … Continue reading Yogavashistha – the path of pure knowledge →

X-factors of Sanskrit

ॐ सह नाववतु । सह नौ भुनक्तु । सह वीर्यं करवावहै । तेजस्वि नावधीतमस्तु मा विद्विषावहै । ॐ शान्तिः शान्तिः शान्तिः ॥ Aum! May He protect us both together; may He nourish us both together; May we both (teacher and student) work conjointly with great energy, May our study be vigorous and effective; May we … Continue reading X-factors of Sanskrit →

who wrote and how?

Researchers and scholars are divided in opinion by wide margins when it comes to the period of the composition of most of the ancient Indic texts. In an earlier post I have addressed it. Similarly opinions vary about their authorship. In some posts I have brought out this issue. But there being so many sides, … Continue reading who wrote and how? →

varieties of vidya

As we move towards the end of the AtoZ season it will be good to take an overview, then address a few important left out issues and conclude with a summarizing post. Giving an overview of all types of indic texts at this stage will make sense because, the reader who has been following my … Continue reading varieties of vidya →

Uddhava Gita – a sequel to Bhagavad Gita?

If Bhagavad Gita was the knowledge given by Lord Krishna at the backdrop of the Mahabharata war that destroyed the unrighteous Kurus, Uddhava Gita was given at the backdrop of the internal strife of the Yadavas which resulted in the wiping out of the Yadava clan to which Lord Krishna himself belonged. While Bhagavad Gita … Continue reading Uddhava Gita – a sequel to Bhagavad Gita? →

The Language of Gods

नृत्तावसाने नटराजराजो ननाद ढक्कां नवपञ्चवारम्। उद्धर्तुकामः सनकादिसिद्धान् एतद्विमर्शे शिवसूत्रजालम् ॥ In response to the desire of Sanaka and other perfected ones, after the dance had subsided the emperor of Natas played his damaru fourteen times and henceforth originated the strings of Shivasutras. So the story goes that Sanat Kumara and other perfected beings (Siddhas) went … Continue reading The Language of Gods →