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Showing posts from January 17, 2020


Smartha Brahmins

Brahmins belong to a particular sect of South India is referred to as Smarta Brahmins. The word smarta is derived from smriti (memory), which signifies principles of conduct and duties recalled and derived from Shruti or revealed knowledge texts, Vedas. A smartha Brahmin (a follower of the traditional law) denotes a person belonging to the brahmin caste, governed by the ordinances remembered and derived from the revealed knowledge texts. Smarta Brahmins of Tamil Nadu are divided into several sub sects. It is difficult to explain their nomenclature except by conjecturing from their names such as Vadama (hailing from the north), Brihaccarana or large groups (divided into three or four groups), Ashtasahasram (probably a ground of eight thousand families), Vatthimars, Madhyamas probably derived from “not belonging to any of the above groups” and Coliya (probably the original natives of the Chola country). Certain minor difference in social practice like endogamy exist among

Kanipakam Temple History – The Story Of Kanipakam Vinayaka - Swayambhu Ganesha In Well

Kanipakam Vinayaka Temple is one of the most popular Ganesha temples in Andhra Pradesh. The history of the temple begins with three brothers discovering the murti of Vinayaka in a well used for agriculture and drinking purpose. As per the story of origin of Kanipakam Temple , three brothers who were dumb, deaf and blind used to draw water from a well to cultivate their land. Once the well dried out and one of the brothers tried to dig the well. But soon the spade used to dig hit a stone and blood started oozing out from the stone. The well was filled with blood and it started overflowing. The three brothers who got washed up by the blood had their deformities cured. Soon people started pouring into the area, prayers were offered and the blood flow stopped. Soon villagers entered the well and tried to unearth the murti. They discovered that it was a swayambhu murti of Ganesha – who later came to be known as Kanipakam Vinayaka. Attempts to unearth it remained

Ishvara Gita Quotes

Ishvara Gita is found in the Kurma Purana  – in it Shiva teaches Sanat Kumara and other rishis about the Supreme Soul and liberation. It is Ahankar (ego) alone which, is attached to the souls of men, induces them to think that they act or suffer, or that they experience pleasure or pain. It is Ahankar which is the root of that ignorance which leads men to consider Purusha and Prakriti to be the first causes, and to mistake the real nature of their souls. But when they know that there is but one supreme soul, and that the soul of every man is of the same nature, immutable, passionless, and imperishable; then they become liberated from pleasure and pain, from anger and hatred, and from sin and its retribution. Wise men, therefore, say that the supreme soul is adualistic, and that duality proceeds solely from Maya; and consequently, as the sky is not blackened by smoke, so is not the soul affected by the evil passions which arise in the mind; but as crystal shines with