Blog site of iVarta.com » Entries tagged with "Hinduism"
Maya and Lila – Origin of Universe
One of the questions that seekers, philosophers, scientists and theologian’s world over have involved themselves from time immemorial is about the origin of the universe. The views vary from our Universe coming out of Big Bang to creationist views of world being created one fine day by God. It is only in Hindu religion that one finds a comprehensive analysis and explanation of various aspects and realms of Cosmos and its origin. To understanding about the Creation/Origin of the Universe, it is important to understand the relationship between World and God according to Hindu philosophy. God and World, the Creator and the Created are not two distinct entities but only they appear to be so. In the Vyavahrika plane(1) (the Mundane/Relative), the Man, World and the God appear and function as … Read entire article »
Filed under: Hinduism, India, Vedic Knowledge
My Congratulations To Wharton
So they got blindsided with this shrill Petition signed by 178 Professors led by Ania Joomba, Suvir Kaul and T. Ghose, threatening them with grave-sounding State Department bureaucratese from a 2005 SNAFU. They advised the students to be smart and let go on the rope a bit – and watch the Petition Gang tangle themselves in a heap. Shri Arvind Kejriwal, the new face of Indian politics that Wharton lined up at short notice, delivered the coup de grace with statesmanlike class[1]: “I am not a supporter of Mr Modi. In fact, I don’t agree with him on many things and have publicly opposed him on many occasions. However, I would like to put on record my dismay at the cancellation of his invitation to speak at this forum. To … Read entire article »
Osho – The Exaggerated Soul
India is a country which is considered as the earliest of the civilizations, a country which not only gave different perspectives on science like Dwaita, Adwaita, Vaisheshka, Yoga etc but also music (raga), medicine (ayurveda), mathematics etc. In his commentary on India and women, Rajneesh Osho opines that Indian culture is insane and schizophrenic, that India thinks that the highest has already happened, that Manu and the scriptures condemns and condescend upon the women and sex has always been a taboo in India. O Arjuna, I am the strength of the strong devoid of attachment and passion and the energy of procreation in all beings which is not contrary to righteousness. (Gita 7.11) Bhagvad Gita clearly outlines the difference between needs and wants, duties and attachment, controlled and uncontrolled mind. A few verses from … Read entire article »
Filed under: Hinduism, India, Vedic Knowledge
The Two Stages of Devotion
Bhakti or devotion is a concept which is found throughout the world in one form or the other. From Christian prayers and Islamic namaz to Hindu puja and bhajans, elements of Bhakti are present in all the religions. Hindu scriptures define Bhakti as “Parama Prema-rupa Amruta Svarupa cha” (1). “Prema” means “Love”. Every person has loved someone or experienced love in one form or the other. Love between two people creates a bond, an attachment between them. It results in a person experiencing both happiness and sorrow. But, Bhakti is not just normal love but it is “Parama Prema rupa”-“Supreme form of love”. It is called “supreme” because it neither causes attachment to sensory world nor traps a person in a never ending cycle of happiness and sorrow. Instead it … Read entire article »
Filed under: Hinduism, India, Vedic Knowledge
The Two Ways of Performing Action
“Karma” or “Action” is the very foundation of our existence. A second does not go by without anybody performing any action. People are continuously involved in performing one or the other tasks- eating, drinking, talking, driving etc. But action does not refer to physical activity alone. Every word, every thought that arise in the mind represents an action being performed. The whole universe works on the principle action and reaction. The Hindu Shastras/Scriptures call this phenomenon which forms the very basic functioning principle of the cosmos as “Karma”. Every situation, good or bad a person faces in his life is the fruits of his past actions (Karma Phala). Every person or animal, a person encounters or comes in contact with, is result of some Karmic bond (called in scriptures as “Rina … Read entire article »
Filed under: Hinduism, India, Vedic Knowledge
Why should a secular nation have minority reservations?
Thanks to the Congress party’s unrelenting pursuit of vote bank politics the issue of reservations for minorities in jobs and educational institutions is back in the news. Designed as a ploy to regain a foothold in UP (as a key to capturing power at the centre in 2014), it carved out a 4.5% sub-quota for minorities (primarily Muslims) in the 27% reservation provided for OBCs. In its vulgar greed to capture power at any cost it conveniently forgot the sequence of events, beginning with the creation of separate electorates based on religious lines in the 1930s, which eventually led to the partition of the country. The creation of separate electorates was precisely based on the same logic and for the same reasons that the government now seeks to create reservations for Muslims. As … Read entire article »
Lies, damn lies and reporting Gujarat
When it comes to reporting on ‘Gujarat 2002’, the media has not only a different idiom and different sets of moral and ethical standards to be applied to different people, but demands a totally different jurisprudence! Thus the edict, ‘the law takes its own course’ does not apply to Gujarat riots cases. The judiciary must take media’s word for it and convict all accused in the cases and more importantly Narendra Modi. According to the secular media the ends of justice would be met if and only if Narendra Modi is jailed for life, irrespective of whether there is any evidence to prove his culpability or not. On the other hand, a Sanjeev Bhatt under investigation for crimes like illegal confinement of people, extortion and murder is a national icon only because he squeals on Narendra Modi, no … Read entire article »
Indra and Soma, Shiva and Madira
The Indian texts are classified into two categories : Shrutis and Smritis. Shruti comes from the Sanskrit root “Shru” i.e to hear. Now the whole question is what is this hearing? Is it a physical hearing? Shruti is knowledge that is experienced and comes directly from the highest source of consciousness experienced in the highest state of meditation where the knowledge is pure and unpolluted by the imaginations, assumptions lower level analysis of a polluted and wavering mind. It is a vision that is experienced beyond the mind, beyond the working of the senses. This classification is done as follows: Veda Upanishad/Purana Contemporary usage Vasu Satyaloka Existence Urja Chit or Tapoloka Consciousness/Energy Priyam Janaloka Bliss Swar Maharloka Supermind Dyau (heaven) Manas Mind Bhuvar, Antariksha Prana Vital Bhu (earth) Anna Physical It is declared the sense are superior but more than the senses the mind is superior but more than the mind the intelligence is superior and … Read entire article »
Filed under: Hinduism, India, Vedic Knowledge
The Two Realities-Vyavaharika and Paramarthika
One of the most discussed and debated questions throughout known history have been related to the existence of man, world and God. Many theories have been put forward throughout the world ranging from denial of God to the denial of Man. The former accept only the Physical reality of the Universe and the latter condemn those who question the reality of God. It is only in the scriptures of Hindu religion, does one find not only an acceptance of existence of the God and Man but also an exposition equating the both. Hindu philosophies explain that to understand cosmos, it is very important to first understand the frame of reference from which the Cosmos is being perceived. The scriptures speak about two different frames of references to understand the relationship between … Read entire article »
Filed under: Hinduism, India, Vedic Knowledge
The Two Paths of Life – Pravritti Marga & Nivritti Marga
“Sukha or Happiness” is the one thing that every person in this world strives for. Every action of man is directly or indirectly aimed at achieving happiness. There are two ways a person can live his life. He can either spend his whole life pursuing desires, ambitions and happiness in the external sensory world or he can turn-away from the sensory world which is temporary in a search for the eternal ever-lasting bliss. In the former case, People work hard, pursue careers, earn money, earn fame, make family etc so that they can lead a happy life. But, in this approach one never finds contentment. Without contentment, one is always running behind one object after another which he perceives as a source of happiness. But the physical-sensory world being temporary and … Read entire article »
Filed under: Hinduism, India, Vedic Knowledge
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