Meaning And Reason For The Name Parikshit in Mahabharata Parikshit was the son of Abhimanyu and Uttara. Abhimanyu was the brave son of Arjuna and Subhadra, and he died in the Kurukshetra war. Parikshit was born after his father’s death, when the Kuru lineage was almost finished. In the Mahabharata, he is seen as the one who carried forward the family of the Pandavas when very few were left. Meaning of the Name The name Parikshit comes from the word Parikshina, which means to become weak, thin, lean or emaciated. This name was given because the Kuru lineage had become very weak after the great war. Almost all the elders, warriors and heirs on both sides were dead. So the name reminds us of the condition of the family at the time of his birth. But the name also carries another idea. The family was thin and weak, yet it did not end, and this child became the reason for its recovery. Birth in a Difficult Time Parikshit was in the womb of Uttara when the war ended. According to the Mahabhar...

Ekapada Trimurti – The One-Legged Supreme: Shiva as the Source of Brahma and Vishnu Within the vast theological framework of Shaiva Agamas, Shiva is not merely a deity among many but the singular, self-sufficient source from whom all cosmic functions arise. The Agamas describe a group of divine emanations known as the Vidyeshvaras — eight emanational forms of Shiva who preside over knowledge, cosmic order, and the transmission of divine grace. Ekapada Trimurti is one of the most philosophically profound among these eight forms, for it visually and conceptually encodes the Shaiva understanding that Brahma and Vishnu are not independent cosmic powers but manifestations that emerge from and are sustained by Shiva himself. Iconographic Description According to the Agamas The Uttara Karanagama, one of the foundational Shaiva canonical texts, provides precise sculptural instructions for this form. Ekapada Trimurti is depicted standing in samabhanga — perfectly erect, without lateral sway...

Iconography of Vishnu Durga – Symbolism, Philosophy and Sculptural Tradition Among the countless forms through which Hindu tradition expresses the divine, Vishnu Durga stands out as one of the least documented yet most fascinating. Unlike the widely known forms of Devi Durga associated with the Shakta tradition, Vishnu Durga represents a rare convergence of Vaishnava and Shakta symbolism, where the preserving energy of Bhagavan Vishnu merges with the fierce, protective energy typically associated with the Devi. Her form is not commonly catalogued in the major shilpa shastras, the classical Hindu texts on sculpture and iconometry, but scattered references in regional scriptures, temple traditions and oral teachings give her a distinct and independent identity. Iconographic Features Vishnu Durga is described as possessing the same dark, rain-cloud complexion associated with Bhagavan Vishnu, a color that in Hindu sculptural philosophy represents infinity, depth and the vastness of the...

Goddess Chamunda's Owl: Wisdom in Darkness, Power Beyond Fear - Symbolism As Vehicle or Vahana Chamunda, one of the Saptamatrikas and among the most formidable forms of Devi within Shaktism, occupies a unique place in Hindu religious tradition. Her name is drawn from the demons Chanda and Munda, whom she destroyed in her Kali-like form, as recounted in the Devi Mahatmya. Dark of complexion and terrifying in aspect, she wears a mundamala, a garland of severed heads or skulls, and carries the damaru, trishula, sword and panapatra. Her bulging eyes, sunken belly and fierce countenance mark her as a deity who does not soften death but confronts it directly. Her consort is Bheeshana Bhairava, the fierce manifestation of Shiva, and together they preside over cremation grounds, the very spaces Hindu tradition treats as thresholds between worlds. The Owl as Vahana Among the vahanas associated with Chamunda across regional and iconographic traditions, the owl carries particular symbolic...

Understanding the Vanaras of Ramayana - Their Identification Today, most people translate the word Vanara as monkey or ape. But in reality, there is no proper identification of the Vanaras of Ramayana, and scholars, both religious and secular, do not agree on this point. If we look at the word itself, Vanara comes from the idea of those who roam around in the forests. So the word describes a way of life and a habitat, and it does not say clearly that they were animals. Why the Vanaras Were Born Valmiki Ramayana, in Bala Kanda chapter 16, explains the reason for their birth. Bhagavan Vishnu was going to appear as Rama in Ayodhya. To help Him in this mission, many divine and semi-divine beings took birth in the form of Vanaras. They were born from all kinds of divine beings, and they took birth from Yoni, that is, through the natural way of birth. This is important because it shows that they were not ordinary forest creatures. Their birth itself had a purpose, which was to support dharma...

Nidra Hasta: The Sacred Gesture of Repose in Hindu Sculpture Nidra, in Sanskrit, means sleep, rest, or withdrawal into stillness. In the vast vocabulary of hasta mudras used across Hindu sculptural and dance traditions, Nidra Hasta occupies a quiet but significant place. Unlike gestures that convey blessing, protection, or teaching, this hand posture communicates repose, surrender, and the turning inward of consciousness. It captures a moment where outward activity ceases and the being rests in a state of relaxed awareness. Form and Execution The hand in Nidra Hasta is neither rigid nor tightly closed. The fingers curve naturally, following the effortless bend of a hand at true rest, with no muscular tension held in the joints. The palm may rest gently against a support, against the body itself, or beneath the head in reclining sculptural forms. This softened flexion distinguishes it from more formal, symbolic mudras that require precise finger placement. Here, the sculptor deliber...

 Who Is the Doer? Understanding Free Will in Hindu Philosophy Before asking whether we have free will, Hindu sages ask a deeper question: whose will is it anyway? We casually say "it is my will," but who exactly is this "I" that wills, chooses, and acts? This single question sits at the heart of how Hinduism understands freedom, fate, and the human condition. Ramana Maharshi repeatedly asked this question.  Fate as the Fruit of Past Action In Hindu thought, fate is not a punishment handed down by an external judge. It is simply karma, the accumulated result of one's own past actions, thoughts, and tendencies. Think of it like a farmer who planted seeds months ago. The harvest he reaps today is not imposed on him from outside; it is the natural outcome of what he himself sowed. Fate works the same way. What we experience now is the ripened fruit of choices made earlier, sometimes in this life, sometimes carried forward as tendencies. The Ordinary Example: T...

Moksha: The Clarity Beyond Illusion In Hindu philosophy, Moksha , or liberation, is not a destination reached through struggle or conquest. It is the realization of one’s true nature beyond illusion, the awakening from ignorance into eternal truth. The Hindu scriptures portray Moksha not as something to be attained through force, but as the uncovering of what has always been within — the Self, or Atman , which is pure consciousness. The struggle, therefore, is not with the world, but with misunderstanding it. Understanding Maya – The Veil of Illusion The concept of Maya lies at the heart of understanding why Moksha is not a struggle. Maya represents illusion, the power that causes one to see multiplicity where there is unity. According to the Bhagavad Gita (7:14): “This divine illusion of Mine, made up of the gunas, is difficult to overcome; but those who take refuge in Me alone cross over this illusion.” This verse reveals that Maya is not an enemy, but a divine play that tes...

Tithi in Panchang – Hindu Calendar on Saturday, November 14 2026 – It is Shukla Paksha Panchami tithi or the fifth day during the waxing or light phase of moon in Hindu calendar and Panchang in most regions. It is Shukla Paksha Panchami tithi or the fifth day during the waxing or light phase of moon till 8 :22 PM on November 14. Then onward it is Shukla Paksha Sashti tithi or the sixth day during the waxing or light phase of moon till 10 :21 PM on November 15. (Time applicable in all north, south and eastern parts of India. All time based on India Standard Time.)  Good – Auspicious time on November 14, 2026 as per Hindu Calendar – There is no good and auspicious time on the entire day.  Nakshatra  – Purvashada or Pooradam nakshatra till 6:40 PM on November 14. Then onward it is Uttarashada or Uthradam nakshatra till 9:08 PM on November 15. (Time applicable in north, south and eastern parts of India).  In western parts of India (Maharashtra, Gujarat, Goa, ...

One Devi, Two Faces: Reading Dharma and Adharma Through Tripura Sundari and Tripura Bhairavi Within the Srividya tradition, the Devi is worshipped in many forms, and among these, Tripura Sundari and Tripura Bhairavi stand as two faces of the same single power. Tripura Sundari is beauty, balance and abundance — the cultivated field where life is planted, tended and allowed to flourish in season. Tripura Bhairavi is intensity, fire and dissolution — the untamed forest where nothing is cultivated, where growth and decay follow no human timetable but only the law of nature itself. They are not two goddesses but one Shakti, appearing differently depending on what the moment calls for. Dharma, Adharma and the Question of Timing It is easy to reduce dharma and adharma to good and evil, but a deeper reading shows dharma as right alignment with the flow of time, and adharma as resistance to it. Attachment, craving, and the refusal to release what has already served its purpose are all forms...