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Showing posts from February, 2009


Q&A: I request you to stop using the term Hindu Mythology?

In a month, we get numerous requests from the readers of the Hindu blog to stop using the term ‘Mythology’ in matters related to Hinduism. They are of the opinion that when we use the term Hindu Mythology, it essentially means that we are referring to all our culture and stories of Gods as "MYTHS" and not real incidents. Some have also provided a solution instead of Myth and Mythology use Hindu Civilization or Hindu Religious History. Interestingly, The Oxford Dictionary describes the term Myth as a traditional story concerning the early history of a people or explaining a natural or social phenomenon, typically involving the supernatural. Merriam Webster describes Myth as a usually traditional story of ostensibly historical events that serves to unfold part of the world view of a people or explain a practice, belief, or natural phenomenon. These two definitions clearly suggest that Myths contains History. But, the word Mythology and Myth has undergone a c

What is the real subject matter of the Upanishads? – Swami Tejomayananda

In all the four Vedas there are the three sections of karma, upasana, and jnana. The jnana section is comprised of many Upanishads. Even though there are more that 108 Upanishads in the Vedas, the knowledge taught in them is the same – the knowledge of the self. For all of us living here in this world, questions such as, “Who am I, what is this world, and where did it come from?” eventually arise. The first question is related to myself and my own true nature, while the second question relates to the nature of the world that I see around me. Our desire for the knowledge that will answer these questions is fulfilled in the Upanishads. They tell us that Brahman is the origin of this creation and is also our own true nature. The next question we would want to ask is what is Brahman? Brahman is that from which we all beings are born, that by which they are sustained and that unto which they return. Swami Tejomayananda Source: Hindu Culture – An introduction

Brazil Sao Paulo Carnival Float based on Hindu Gods and India History

Lord Ganesh, Goddess Durga, Lord Surya, Goddess Ganga, Mahabharata, Ramayana, Buddha, Gandhiji, Shah Jahan, British Empire, Portuguese Rule in Goa etc are part of a carnival float that will be presented by the Escola de Samba Perola Negra of Sao Paulo at Carnival 2009 held in Sao Paulo in Brazil. The theme of the float is titled “Guided by Surya journeying through India in quest of the sacred pearl” and the quest takes the viewers through Hindu culture and Indian history. The float will be paraded on Saturday, February 21, 2009. The theme is about a person who in his dream arrives in a lotus garden in India . He meets Lord Ganesha in the lotus garden and Ganesh sends him to find out a sacred pearl. He takes help of Lord Surya and other Hindu Gods in locating the sacred pearl passes through various phases of Indian history and visits numerous places including Goa , Taj Mahal etc. You can find more images that are part of the float at the website of Escola de Samba Perola Negra o

Swami Vivekananda on Adi Shankaracharya - What did Swami Vivekananda Say about Adi Shankara?

What did Swami Vivekananda Say about Adi Shankara? The greatest teacher of the Vedanta philosophy was Sankaracharya. By solid reasoning he extracted from the Vedas the truths of Vedanta, and on them built up the wonderful system of Gyana that is taught in his commentaries. He unified all the conflicting descriptions of Brahman and showed that there is only one infinite Reality. He showed that as man can only travel slowly on the upward road, all the varied presentations are needed to suit his varying capacity. Shankara taught that three things were the great gifts of God : [1] human body [2] thirst after God and [3] a teacher who can show up the light. When these three great gifts are ours, we may know that our redemption is at hand. Only knowledge can free and save us but with knowledge must go virtue. Books cannot teach God, but they can destroy ignorance; their action is negative. To hold to the books and at the same time open the way to freedom is Shank

Q&A: Where one who practices Hinduism stands on Socialism

Emily, a reader of Hindu Blog, wanted to know about Hinduism's views on Socialism. Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary defines Socialism as the set of beliefs which states that all people are equal and should share equally in the wealth of the country, or the political systems based on these beliefs. Thousands of years before modern man thought about Socialism, the great sages of Sanatana Dharma (Hinduism) taught the lessons of equality of not only of humans but animals and all that is in Nature. The opening stanza of Isa Upanishad (Ishavasya Upanishad) reads like this: Ishavasyam Idam Sarvam Yat Kim Cha Jagatyam Jagat Tena Tyaktena bhunjitha, ma gradha kasyasvid dhanam Know that all this whatever moves in this moving world is enveloped by God. Therefore find your enjoyment in renunciation, do not covet what belongs to others. The same idea is echoed in numerous other ancient Hindu scriptures. Gandhiji found in this mantra not just universal brotherhood

Who owns domain name Hinduism.com? Definitely not Hindus or a Hindu organization

Christianity.com is owned by Christians and contains contents related to Christian teaching. Islam.com has contents related to Islamic teachings. But Hinduism.com is a parked domain and contains advertisements of everything that is not related to Sanatana Dharma and Hindu culture. The Registrar of Record for Hinduism.com domain does not provide the information on who owns the domain. Hinduism.com was created on 31-oct-1997 and was updated on 01-oct-2008 and the current expiration date is 30-oct-2009. Luckily, if you search for Hinduism on Google or other popular search engines, Hinduism.com never shows up. Simply because it is a parked domain. It is sure that the person who owns the domain name might be ready to sell it for a very high price and might have already had failed negotiations with some Hindu organizations. I agree, a domain name is never a great issue for Sanatana Dharma as it has withstood murderous onslaughts in the past and which continues to thrive despite t

Thoughts on Vedanta

The ultimate identity of the individual and the supreme soul is the great tenet of the Vedanta. 'That art thou' (Tat Twam Asi) is the first lesson of the beginner, and the last vision of the perfected mystic. The one supreme soul alone exists; all the separate consciousnesses of individuals are but the reflection of the one soul on the multitudinous 'internal organs' which are the creation of 'ignorance' or illusion. To reach reality we must strip off the successive veils – the waking world first (where the soul is disguised by the gross effects) and the world of dreams next (where it is disguised by the subtle effects), till we reach that of sound sleep. Here for the time the individual soul does attain its real nature, but its inherent delusion remains latent, and is still capable of being called out into actuality. Only the knowledge of the highest truth, as taught in the Vedanta, can abolish ignorance, and so destroy personality in its germ.

Hindu Prayers and Mantras on Saturday

Saturday, or Shaniwar, is dedicated to Lord Shani. As it is believed that those who have the blessing of Lord Hanuman are protected from the effects of Shani Graha, Hanuman is also worshipped on the day by many Hindus. In some regions, the Narasimha incarnation of Lord Vishnu is also worshipped. The main mantras and prayers that are chanted are dedicated to Lord Shani. The prayers that are chanted include the 108 names of Lord Shani (Shanaishchara Ashtottara Shatanamavali), Shani Stotram, the 108 names of Narasimha and some people also chant prayers dedicated to Lord Hanuman. You can download 108 names of Lord Shani in PDF format from this link – Shani 108 names You can download Shani Stotram in PDF format from this link – Shani Stotram You can download Shri Narasimha Ashtottara Shatanamavali from this link – 108 names of Narasimha You may also like to read Each Day of a Week Dedicated to a Particular Hindu God

British Woman who could not get pregnant had a baby after Darshan of Lord Shiva

After chemotherapy treatment for breast cancer, Clare McVerry was told she would never get pregnant but had a baby after visiting Lord Shiva in India . Clare who is from Sutton Coldfield in United Kingdom says, ‘After I saw Shiva I was filled with a powerful feeling.’ Emma Morton writes in The Sun Clare McVerry saw the statue of Shiva — also the god of love — on a holiday to India with partner Tony Clarke. A week later she was pregnant. Clare, 41, had breast cancer in her 30s and needed chemotherapy which docs said had left her infertile. And she has a weak spine after a car crash in her 20s, so medics said it was impossible for her to carry a child. Doctors say it is a miracle she is a now mum to son Mitchell. Mitchell was born in December 2007, a healthy 7lb 10oz. Clare said: “It was the most amazing moment to hold him in my arms. “When Mitchell grows up I will tell him how special the statue of Lord Shiva turned out to be.” Clare’s consulta

Hindu Prayers and Mantras on Friday

Friday, or Shukrawar, is mainly dedicated to Hindu Goddesses . The different manifestations of Goddess Shakti are worshipped on the day. Prayers and mantras dedicated to Santhoshi Matha, Durga, Lalitha and Kali are chanted on the day. Apart from simple prayers and meditating on the Goddesses. People recite various bhajans and prayers dedicated to the Hindu Goddesses. The most important bhajans that are chanted on Friday are Lalita Sahasranamam and Durga Ashtotaram You can download Lalita Sahasranamam and Durga Ashtotaram in PDF format from below Link to download Lalita Sahasranamam in PDF format Link to download Durga Ashtotaram in PDF format You may also like to read Each Day of a Week Dedicated to a Particular Hindu God

Stop Parading Elephants in Kerala Temples and Save the Poor Animals

Major Hindu Temple festival season in Kerala begins by January mid-week and ends in April. And this is the cruelest and toughest period for the living representatives of Lord Ganesha, one of the most popular deities in Hindu pantheon. More than 400 captured elephants in Kerala that are trained to perform duties during temple festivities are paraded in the numerous temples in the scorching sun during this period. Interestingly, it is not written in Hindu scriptures that elephants should be part of temple festivals. In fact Ganesha symbolizes that man and animals (all animate and inanimate) are nothing but Brahman – the Supreme Being. Caparisoned elephants are paraded to satisfy the egos of the temple committee members and to gain superiority over the temple in the next village or town. Thanks to the tourist promotion campaign ran by the Government of Kerala, caparisoned elephants are one of the biggest attractions in the state. Elephants killing people during templ

Hindu Prayers and Mantras Chanted on Thursday

Thursday, or Brihaspativar, is dedicated to Lord Vishnu, Shirdi Sai Baba, Dattatreya and Raghavendra. It must be noted here that incarnations of Lord Vishnu is also worshipped on Wednesday. Simple prayers dedicated to Lord Vishnu, Sai Baba, Dattatreya and Raghavendra are chanted on the day. Most popular prayers that are chanted are the Shatanamavali – the 108 names of Sai Baba, Dattatreya and Raghavendra. You can download Shatanamavali dedicated to Sai Baba, Dattatreya and Raghavendra in PDF format from below Link to download Shirdi Sai Baba Shatanamavali in PDF format Link to download Dattatreya Shatanamavali in PDF format Link to download Raghavendra Shatanamavali in word format Link to download Raghavendra Shatanamavali in word format (Kannada) You may also like to read Each Day of a Week Dedicated to a Particular Hindu God

Prayers and Mantras on Wednesday in Hindu Religion

Wednesday, or Budhwar, is dedicated to Lord Vishnu in Hindu religion. Incarnations of Lord Vishnu like Lord Krishna and Lord Ram are worshipped on the day. The day is also associated with Lord Vithal, an incarnation of Krishna . Prayers and mantras dedicated to Lord Vishnu or of his incarnations are chanted on the day. The most popular and simple prayer that is chanted on the day is OM Namo Narayanaya Namah Other prayers that are chanted include Vishnu Sahasranama, Shri Rama Ashtottara Shatanamavali and Shri Krishna Ashtottara Shatanamavali Link to download Vishnu Sahasranama in PDF format Link to download Shri Rama Ashtottara Shatanamavali in PDF format Link to Shri Krishna Ashtottara Shatanamavali in PDF format You may also like to read Each Day of a Week Dedicated to a Particular Hindu God

Indian Traditional Knowledge Digital Library Website of Ayurveda, Siddha and Unani

Traditional Knowledge Digital Library (TKDL) created by Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) and Indian Union Health Ministry's Department of Ayush has documented over 200,000 formulations of Ayurveda, Siddha and Unani to save them from piracy. TKDL website will help in successfully thwarting attempts made by foreigners in getting patent on existing ancient Indian formulations. Kounteya Sinha Writes in Times of India After eight years of toil, over 200 scientists and researchers from the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) and Union health ministry's department of Ayush have scientifically converted information of traditional Indian medicine from Hindi, Sanskrit, Arabic, Persian, Urdu and Tamil to five international languages - English, Japanese, French, German and Spanish. According to Dr V P Gupta from CSIR who created TKDL, India would lose 2,000 new patents every year without such a digital library. In the past, patents have

Prayers and Mantras on Tuesday in Hinduism

In Hindu Religion, Tuesday (Mangalwar) is dedicated to Lord Hanuman . Apart from visiting temples dedicated to Hanuman and offering pujas and prayers, Hindu devotees also chant important prayers dedicated to Lord Hanuman on the day. The most popular prayers dedicated to Hanuman that are chanted on Tuesday are the Hanuman Chalisa and Hanuman Ashtak. Anajaneya Devotees also chant Anjaneya Ashtottaram or Hanuman Ashtottara Namavali – the 108 names of Hanuman. You can download Anjaneya Ashtottara Namavali in PDF format from this link – Anjaneya Ashtottara in PDF format. You can download Hanuman Ashtottara Namavali in word format from this link – Hanuman Ashtottara in MS word document format. You may also like to read Each Day of a Week Dedicated to a Particular Hindu God

Hindu Prayers and Mantras on Monday

In Hinduism, Monday (Somwar) is dedicated to Lord Shiva . Apart from visiting Lord Shiva temples and offering pujas and prayers, Hindu devotees also chant important prayers dedicated to Lord Shiva on the day. The simple prayer that is dedicated to Shiva that is regularly chanted by devotees is the Shiva Panchakshari Mantra – 'Om Namah Shivaya' Other prayers that are chanted include Shiva Ashtottaram or Shiva Ashtottara Namavali – the 108 names of Shiva. You can download Shiva Ashtottaram in PDF format from this link - Shiva Ashtottara Namavali PDF Format You can download Shiva Ashtottaram in Word format from this link - Shiva Ashtottara Namavali word document Format Another important prayer that is chanted is the Lingashtakam . You can download Lingashtakam in PDF format from this link - Lingashtakam PDF Format You can download Lingashtakam song in MP3 from this link . You may also like to read Each Day of a Week Dedicated to a Particula

Book: Hindu Chemistry - Development of Chemistry in Ancient India

The book titled 'Hindu Chemistry (Text with English Translation) ' delves deep into the development of Chemistry in ancient India . The book narrates about the development of Chemistry in Bharat ( India ) around 200 years before Christ up to 1600 AD. A major highlight of the book is the topic of the indigenous origin of Indian Alchemy and the knowledge of Chemistry in Ancient Hindu Medical Scriptures. The book is written by B.N. Seal and published by Bhartiya Kala Prakashan. A highly informative book, it is a perfect guide for students and scholars interested in chemistry and about scientific development in ancient India . In Ancient India, the book covers the Age of Nagarjuna and Buddhist Alchemical Tantras. Developments in Chemistry in the medieval period finds mention in the book through topics such as Rasasara, Dhaturatnamala, Rasadipa, Rasakaumudi and Arkaprakasa. Tantrism is quite often directly related to Chemistry and the book covers a large number of topics.

J Krishnamurti Thoughts on Love

The demand to be safe in relationship inevitably breeds sorrow and fear. This seeking for security is inviting insecurity. Most of us want the security of loving and being loved, but is there love when each one of us is seeking his own security, his own particular path? It seems to me that one thing is absolutely necessary and that is passion without motive – passion that is not the result of some commitment or attachment, passion that is not lust. A man who does not know what passion is will never know love because love can come into being only when there is total self-abandonment. Love is something that is new, fresh, alive. It has no yesterday, and no tomorrow. It is beyond the turmoil of thought. It is only the innocent mind which knows what love is, and the innocent mind can live in the world which is not innocent. J Krishnamurti (Source: Freedom from the known - Excerpts from Chapter X - Love)

Ram Navratri – Spring Navratri - Importance Puja and Rituals

Ram Navratri is observed during the Shukla Paksha (Waxing phase of moon) in the month of Chaitra (March – April) as per traditional Hindu calendar. In 2024, Ram Navratri begins on April 9 to April 17, 2024. This festival of nine nights in Hindu religion is dedicated to Goddess Durga, Lakshmi and Saraswati and is takes place during the spring season it is also known as Spring Navratri. In some regions the nine days are dedicated to the worship of Lord Ram and includes the reading of Ramayana and observance of Ramayan week. Legend has it that that Goddess Durga was originally worshipped in the Chaitra month. It was also referred as Basanti Puja as it took place during spring season. But the present day Durga Puja is held during the Ashwin month (September – October). It was Lord Ram who changed the period of Durga Puja from Chaitra to Ashwin as he needed to invoke the blessings of Goddess Durga before going to battle with Ravana. This is why the Durga Puja during (September – Oct

From Under Heaps of Garbage, Brahma Kund Restored in Vrindavan by Braj Foundation

Brahma Kund, or Brahm Teerth, located near the northern gate of the famous Rangji Temple in Vrindavan is mentioned in the Varaha Purana. Till recently the sacred water tank was lying beneath a heap of garbage and totally neglected. Thanks to the sustained efforts of Braj Rakshak Dal and Braj Foundation, Brahma Kund has been restored to its original glory. Legends associated with Brahma Kund narrate about Lord Shiva’s and Yog Maya’s appearance here. Spiritual personalities like Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and Meera Bai have visited the spot. After restoring the Brahma Kund, the foundation members installed a nine-foot tall idol Lord Brahma, seated on a lotus flower. From each petal of the lotus emerges a stream of water. Braj Foundation is dedicated to the all round development of Braj - the culturally vibrant region associated with the legend of Sri Radha-Krishna. The Foundation’s efforts, which began with restoration of age old water retention tanks, commonly called ‘kund’

Sudasha Brata In Odisha

Sudasha Brata, or Sudasa Vrata, is a unique ritual observed in Odisha. When there is a rare combination of Shukla Paksha (waxing phase of moon), Thursday and Dashami in Oriya Calendar Sudasha Brata is observed. Sudasa Brata is dedicated to Goddess Lakshmi.  Sudasha Brata is observed mainly by women for the wellbeing of the family. The main ritual involves the tying of a sacred thread on the hand by women. The thread is only replaced during the next Sudasa Vrata. Special food items like Manda Pithas are offered to Goddess Lakshmi on the day. Another Sudasha Vrat that is part of the culture of Eastern India is observed during the Dasami day in the Shukla Paksha of Bhadra month by some communities.

Book: Curses and Boons in the Valmiki Ramayana

The book titled ‘Curses and Boons in the Valmiki Ramayana’ is an English Translation of a famous Marathi literary work based on the curses and boons in Ramayan by Prof. S.R. Bhide. The English translation is done by P.G. Lalye and the book is published by Bhartiya Kala Prakashan. Curses and Boons in the Valmiki Ramayana has separate chapters on the curses, the oaths, the pledges, the boons, blessings and statements made asserting the existence or the truth of something in the Valmiki Ramayan. A major highlight of the book is the short biographical sketches and notes on important places, rivers, mountains, forests and gardens in Ramayan. Curses and Boons in the Valmiki Ramayana By P.G. Lalye Published by Bhartiya Kala Prakashan Price: Rupees 895/-