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Ramayan Ki Kathayen, Pandemic and the Hindu Way of Life and the Contribution of Hindu Women, Amongst Others
Hindu Sevika Samiti (UK) Mahila Shibir 2020 East and South Midlands Vibhag FOREWORD INSPIRING AND UNPRECEDENTED INITIATIVE In an era of mass consumerism - not only of material goods - but of information, where society continues to be led by dominant and parochial ideas, the struggle to make our stories heard, has been limited. But the tides are slowly turning and is being led by the collaborative strength of empowered Hindu women from within our community. The Covid-19 pandemic has at once forced us to cancel our core programs - which for decades had brought us together to pursue our mission to develop value-based leaders - but also allowed us the opportunity to collaborate in other, more innovative ways. It gives me immense pride that Hindu Sevika Samiti (UK) have set a new precedent for the trajectory of our work. As a follow up to the successful Mahila Shibirs in seven vibhags attended by over 500 participants, 342 Mahila sevikas came together to write 411 articles on seven different topics which will be presented in the form of seven e-books. I am very delighted to launch this collection which explores topics such as: The uniqueness of Bharat, Ramayan ki Kathayen, Pandemic and the Hindu way of life and The contribution of Hindu women, amongst others. From writing to editing, content checking to proofreading, the entire project was conducted by our Sevikas. This project has revealed hidden talents of many mahilas in writing essays and articles. We hope that these skills are further encouraged and nurtured to become good writers which our community badly lacks. -
The Ever Growing Banyan Tree
Chapter 2 Spirituality in India: The Ever Growing Banyan Tree Comparing Western and Indian knowledge, Rolland (1960, p. 91) described Western knowledge as the “science of facts” and spirituality as “the science of the soul, a peculiarly Indian science.” A major difference between philosophy and spirituality, or for that matter religion and spirituality, is that spirituality, as prac- ticed in India, has an action bias over and above cognitive (thinking or thoughts) or value (considering something important) concerns. Spirituality has been valued in the Indian culture from time immemorial, and it is no surprise that many innova- tions in the field of spirituality originated in India. Since people strive to excel in areas that are compatible with their cultural values, India has seen the emergence of many geniuses in the field of spirituality even in the modern times. I combine two qualitative methods, historical analysis and case analysis, to document how spirituality is valued in India, and much like a banyan tree, how it continues to grow even today. An examination of the life of the list of spiritual gurus presented in the chapter shows that they were all practitioners, and they practiced what they preached. Also, the case analysis shows that Ramakrishna was a practitioner, and both the Maharishi and Rajneesh recommended daily practice of meditation. A historical evolution of spirituality in India is traced by generating a list of spiritual gurus over the last 2,500 years by using published sources both in the West (Kroeber, 1944) and in India. Following this historical analysis, three case studies are presented to illustrate that spirituality is valued even today in India, and this culture continues to produce eminent spiritual gurus. -
Index of 16 Hindu Puranas
INDEX OF 16 HINDU PURANAS 1. BRAHMA PURANA Preliminaries There was a forest known as Naimisharanya. The sages (maharshis) arranged for a sacrifice (yajna) in this forest and the ceremony went on for twelve years. Naimisharanya forest was a wonderful place to arrange sacrifices in. The climate was pleasant. There were trees full of climate was pleasant. There were trees full of flowers and fruit. There was no shortage of food in the forest, and animals, birds and sages lived thee happily. Many sages came to attend the sacrifice that had been arranged in Naimisharanya. With them was Romaharshana (alternatively Lomaharshana), Veda Vyasa's disciple. Veda Vyasa had instructed this disciple of his in the knowledge of the Puranas. The assembled sages worshipped the learned Romaharshana and said, "Please tell us the stories of the Puranas. Who created the universe, who is its preserver and who will destroy it? Please instruct us in all these mysteries". Romaharshana replied, "Many years ago, Daksha and the other sages had asked Brahma these very questions. I have learnt about Brahma's replies from my guru) teacher) Veda Vyasa. I will relate to you what I know". In the beginning, there was water everywhere and the Brahman slept on this water in the form of Vishnu. Since water is called nara and since ayana means a bed, Vishnu is known as Narayana. In the water there emerged a golden egg. Brahma was born inside this egg. Since he created himself, he is called Svayambhu, born (bhu) by himself (svayam). For one whole year, Brahma lived inside the egg. -
Names of Saptarishi – Seven Great Sages 1.Bharadwaja
Names of Saptarishi – Seven Great Sages The Saptarshi of the current Manvantara according to Brihadaranyaka Upanishad are listed below in this article. Brihadaranyaka Upanishad is one of the earliest Upanishadic. 1.Bharadwaja He is one of the greatest sage in Vedic times and also a descendant of sage Angirasa. His father is Devarsi Brihaspati. Sage Bharadwaja is the Author of Ayurveda. He is the father of Guru Dronacharya and his ashrama still exists in Allahabad. He was also a master of advanced military arts, including the Devastras. His wife is Suseela with whom he had a daughter named Devavarnini and son Garga. Dronacharya(Guru of Pandavas and Kauravas) was born as a result of his attraction to Apsara. According to some of the Puranas, Bharadvaja was found on banks of river Ganga and adopted by king Bharata. He had an unquenchable thirst for knowledge of Vedas and in addition meditated for Indra, Lord Shiva and Parvathi for more Vedic Knowledge 2.Vishwamitra Vishwamitra is one of the most well-known Sapatarishi and the great sages who discovered the Gayatri Mantra, found in the Vedas. Usually, one cannot rise to the level of a Brahmarishi through merit alone, since the order was created divinely and is appointed by Lord Brahma. However, Vishwamitra rose to the position of a Brahmarishi through his own merit alone. His epic tussle with Vasishta for the position of the greatest sage of all time makes a very interesting story. He was not a Brahmana by birth, but a Kshatriya (warrior). Having fought, lost and then pardoned by the Sage Vasista, it made a deep impression on the King. -
RAMAYANA Retold by C
RAMAYANA retold by C. Rajagopalachari (Edited by Jay Mazo, American Gita Society) Contents 1. The Conception 39. A Second Father Dies 2. Sage Viswamitra 40. Left Eyelids Throb 3. Trisanku 41. He Sees Her Jewels 4. Rama Leaves Home 42. Sugriva's Doubts Cleared 5. Rama Slays The Monsters 43. The Slaying Of Vali 6. Sita 44. Tara's Grief 7. Bhagiratha And The Story Of 45. Anger And Reconciliation Ganga 46. The Search Begins 8. Ahalya 47. Son Of Vayu 9. Rama Wins Sita's Hand 48. The Search In Lanka 10. Parasurama's Discomfiture 49. Sita In The Asoka Park 11. Festive Preparations 50. Ravana's Solicitation 12. Manthara's Evil Counsel 51. First Among The Astute 13. Kaikeyi Succumbs 52. Sita Comforted 14. Wife Or Demon? 53. Sita And Hanuman 15. Behold A Wonder! 54. Inviting Battle 16. Storm And Calm 55. The Terrible Envoy 17. Sita's Resolve 56. Hanuman Bound 18. To The Forest 57. Lanka In Flames 19. Alone By Themselves 58. A Carnival 20. Chitrakuta 59. The Tidings Conveyed 21. A Mother's Grief 60. The Army Moves Forward 22. Idle Sport And Terrible Result 61. Anxiety In Lanka 23. Last Moments 62. Ravana Calls A Council Again 24. Bharata Arrives 63. Vibhishana 25. Intrigue wasted 64. The Vanara's Doubt 26. Bharata Suspected 65. Doctrine Of Surrender And Grace 27. The Brothers Meet 66. The Great Causeway 28. Bharata Becomes Rama's Deputy 67. The Battle Begins 29. Viradha's End 68. Sita's Joy 30. Ten Years Pass 69. Serpent Darts 31. -
Gautama One of the Saptarishis, Gautama Maharishi Was an Ancient Rigvedic Sage, Who Also Finds Mention in Buddhism and Jainism
Newsletter Archives www.dollsofindia.com Ancient Rishis of India - Part 1 Copyright © 2019, DollsofIndia India is a highly spiritual land, which houses several Rishis, mendicants and Godmen. Hindu mythology prominently features Rishis, their wives and their families in several stories. In fact, many of these Rishis actually played the role of catalysts, helping Devas, Asuras, divine beings and earthlings release their karma, thus bringing good, joy and peace back into their lives. Even today, we can find rishis meditating in the secret crevices of the Himalayas and some hidden caves of the Gangotri and Yamunotri. These sages have chosen to move away from the maddening crowd of civilization and moved to those remote areas in order to attain ultimate peace, mukti and, finally, moksha or liberation, during this lifetime. In this month's article, we bring you a feature on some of the most ancient Rishis of India. While most of them are males, there are a few female yoginis and sages who are equally, if not more powerful. There are several hundreds of rishis that we can talk about. In this two-part series, we bring you the stories of some of the most important and most ancient sages of this land. Agastya Agastya was a much-revered Vedic sage, who was famous for his reclusive nature. He was a great scholar and was knowledgeable in multiple languages. He and his wife, Lopamudra, are the celebrated authors of hymns in the Rigveda and other Vedic literature. He is also venerated in Puranic literature of Shaktism and Vaishnavism. Agastya prominently features in several ancient Hindu scriptures and tales, such as the Ramayana and Mahabharata. -
Paramhansa Yogananda
Paramhansa Yogananda ~~~ History, Life, Mission Introduction This book is fruit of a lifelong dedication as a disciple of Yogananda. It is lovingly offered by a devotee to devotees: to those who might be interested in detailed insider-information about Yogananda's life, and about the history of his work. It might be described as unorthodox, as it doesn't follow any particular party line. Every topic has been diligently researched. Of course errors and misunderstandings are bound to be found: perfection is not of this world, and has certainly not been attained by the author. The texts are not written in scientific fashion, but are meant to read easily. Please forgive any inevitable inaccuracies in the English language: though the author has been speaking English daily for many years, it's not his mother tongue. Most of these chapters have earlier been published in a raw form on another site, which is now regretted, since that site is uncharitable. But back then the author didn't know where else to place them. If you should happen to find yourself in disagreement with any statements in the book, please take it as an opportunity to strengthen your "harmony-muscle." The book's intention is simply to describe Yogananda's history as accurately as possible. It doesn't claim to be always right, and presents the understanding of just one person. All quotations and photos are in public domain. A lot of work went into this book. If you find yourself being grateful for it, you might want to say thank you through a donation. -
The History of Indian Philosophy Modern India
The History of Indian Philosophy Modern India THE MODERN ERA In 1600, Queen Elizabeth I granted a charter to the British East India Company, a private trading company made up of some eighty London merchants. Step by step this private trading company gradually wrested control of an empire from the Mughal rulers. After the overthrow of the last Mughal emperor in 1858, Queen Victoria signed the bill that transferred political control of India from the East India Company to the Crown. For almost another century, India was the “Jewel in the Crown” of the British Empire. The British Raj thus replaced the Mughal Raj. It was through this transfer from Muslim to British rule that India gradually became assimilated into the modern world. Ironically, it was also partly at least the influence of Western political thought made possible by the British Raj, that led finally to the birth of the modern independent state of India in 1947. As it became gradually more apparent that the spirit of accommodation meant accommodation to the West and not with the Muslims, some thinkers began to be influenced by Western ideas, and thus the main feature of the early development of Indian philosophy during the modern era is this spirit of accommodation to Western ideas. Later, with the flowering of the “Renaissance” of Indian philosophy in the 19th and 20th centuries, there would continue to be some incorporation of ideas from the West, but there would also be a resurgence and greater synthesis of Hindu philosophy, which now increasingly found it’s own way to the West. -
Life and Teachings of Sri Aurobindo and the Mother
Life and Teachings of Sri Aurobindo and The Mother KARMAYOGI The Mother's Service Society Pondicherry 605 011 India Contents Forward - Mother's Sweetness ......................................................................................................................... 5 Part I .................................................................................................................................................................... 5 1. The Mother .................................................................................................................................................... 5 2. Sri Aurobindo .............................................................................................................................................. 14 3. Auroville ....................................................................................................................................................... 25 4. Health, Cure Of Diseases .......................................................................................................................... 26 5. Wealth .......................................................................................................................................................... 27 6. Life ................................................................................................................................................................ 27 7. Education .................................................................................................................................................... -
AUTOBIOGRAPHY of a YOGI by Paramhansa Yogananda
Autobiography of a Yogi Paramhansa Yogananda Autobiography of a Yogi Table of Contents Autobiography of a Yogi....................................................................................................................................1 Paramhansa Yogananda...........................................................................................................................1 PREFACE................................................................................................................................................2 AUTHOR'S ACKNOWLEDGMENTS...................................................................................................3 CHAPTER 1. MY PARENTS AND EARLY LIFE................................................................................3 CHAPTER 2. MY MOTHER'S DEATH AND THE MYSTIC AMULET..........................................10 CHAPTER 3. THE SAINT WITH TWO BODIES...............................................................................14 CHAPTER 4. MY INTERRUPTED FLIGHT TOWARD THE HIMALAYAS..................................18 CHAPTER 5. A “PERFUME SAINT” DISPLAYS HIS WONDERS.................................................26 CHAPTER 6. THE TIGER SWAMI.....................................................................................................32 CHAPTER 7. THE LEVITATING SAINT...........................................................................................37 CHAPTER 8. INDIA'S GREAT SCIENTIST, J.C. BOSE...................................................................41 CHAPTER -
Life-Journeys of Western Spiritual Practitioners in Pondicherry
Imagining India as a Spiritual Place: Life-journeys of Western Spiritual Practitioners in Pondicherry Tuhina Ganguly October 2016 Department of Sociology and Anthropology School of Language, Social and Political Sciences University of Canterbury Christchurch, New Zealand A thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy For Ma and Baba CONTENTS Abstract ....................................................................................................................................... i Acknowledgements .................................................................................................................... ii Introduction ................................................................................................................................ 1 Finding the research question ............................................................................................ 1 Meandering to Pondicherry ............................................................................................... 6 Pondicherry ........................................................................................................................ 8 From spiritual tourists to expatriates ............................................................................... 14 Doing fieldwork at home among Westerners .................................................................. 19 Chapter outline ................................................................................................................ -
THE LIGHT of TRUTH (The Satyartha Prakasha)
0 THE LIGHT OF TRUTH (The Satyartha Prakasha) By Maharishi Swami Dayanand Saraswati “I have not come to preach any new dogmas or religion, nor to establish a new order, nor be proclaimed a new Messiah or Pontiff. I have only brought before my people the light of the Vedic wisdom which had been hidden during the centuries of India’s thralldom.” 1 Opening notes The Satyartha Prakhash (The light of Truth) is the masterpiece of Swami Dayanand Saraswati. Some call it as Magnum Opus. No doubt, it is a great literary undertaking, as the lexicographic contents denote. But I go a step further. The lexicon (Oxford) says, Magnum, a bottle containing a certain quantity of wine. But as the great writer of this masterpiece Swami Dayanand was a symbol of ultimate morality and spiritualism and was a sage of standing, he never touched a drop of wine. And so his present work down not contain any such alcoholic impact. But one thing is undoubtedly true about it. This great, book is, indeed, and encyclopedia of the various contemporary social religious and political currents cross-currents and movements going on at the time of the writer's life. To go it further, the writer has not spared the past events and guiding philosophies, which has polluted the human mind and deteriorated the man's quest for true knowledge and right way of life. When one analyzes this work for this angle, we have witnessed that this great masterwork of Swami Dayanand Saraswati positively mad w revolution in the socio-political fabric notonly of the Indians but of the whole mankind.