Yugadi, also known as Varsha Prati Pada and Gudi Padwa, is celebrated by Hindus all over as the first day of the new year. This year, Yugadi falls on April 6. Read the rest of this entry »
All natural phenomenon in the world are cyclical, period.
Day and Night, Seasons, Water Cycle, Lunar and Solar Cycles, Biological cycles, Sound and Light waves, etc. The more you look for them, the more you find them. Look at your own life. Your breath moves through cycles all your life. Moreover, your life starts with breathing in and ends by breathing out. The cycle is maintained across lifetimes! Read the rest of this entry »
As we are preparing for celebrations of Sri Ram Janma, which falls on April 14 this year, it befits the occasion to explain the significance of the event. Every Hindu holds Bhagwan Sri Ramchandra, as an ideal king. Everyone in our culture, right from Mahatma Gandhi to the youngest tot, craves for Ram Rajya, the kingdom of Ram which is the ideal society. Read the rest of this entry »
I am not an integral part of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). I am neither a Pracharak nor do I have any responsibilities within the organization. The comparatively underpaid job that I have currently as the Editor of ‘Aseemaa: Journal for National Resurgence’ has hardly anything to do with RSS, though it was founded by some of its notable affiliates. The journal is run by me completely independent of RSS on the editorial side.
Aseemaa is today considered by many of the distinguished intellectuals in this country, and abroad, to be ‘Liberal’ magazine carrying thoughts of writers hailing from almost all school of thoughts, and also from all part of the world. It has articles authored by premier journalists like M J Akbar, Aijaz Zaka Syed, Caroline Glick, and many who hardly have anything to do with Hindutva, or any other ideologies propounded by RSS. Some of them have even, at times, strongly criticized RSS. Yet when I changed my profession, from a management-man to a journalist-editor, people shouted at me saying that I am going ‘fascist.’ Read the rest of this entry »
Introduction
Hinduism or Sanatana Dharma is the oldest of the world’s living faiths. Though its origin is dated between 10,000 - 7,000 BCE by most historians, its traditions extend back before recorded history. Despite its antiquity, Hinduism is interestingly still a living and growing religion and has global acceptance. There is no founder to give credit to its discovery and establishment. Rather, Hinduism is a dharma or way of life evolved by the great sages of ancient India. In this article, you will find interesting facts about Hinduism that I have learned from attending Cupertino, CA Shakha, run by Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh. Read the rest of this entry »
On the occasion of Ram Navami, would like to flash the light on the Divine RaamSetu which was built by Lord Sree Rama to reach Lanka. Many Hindus start their day with reciting shloka of Ramraksha and pray to Lord Rama. The Ramayana is not only our divine holy scripture but also shows us Dharma and guides us on how we should lead our lives and live with others in the family and society. It is very sad that the current government in India is trying to demolish our cultural heritage and divine symbol Raam Setu, saying that it’s not built by Lord Rama and it is nothing to do with the Ramayana. On the other hand the Sri Lanka government has found evidences of Ramayana in Sri Lanka and is challenging our Indian government.
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Introduction
The Bhagavad-gita is the highest knowledge, the highest, most direct and clear knowledge ever revealed in the vast history of eternity. If you study it carefully and seriously apply its principles, you will become one of the happiest, most spiritually perfect beings that have ever existed. It doesn’t matter who you are, where you live, what your gender or age is, or what your occupation is. If you take it seriously, your success is guaranteed no matter how disqualified you consider yourself to be.
Last month we celebrated Mahashivaratri. There was a whole night of prayers in homes and at Shiva temples. As we reflect on the prayers, let us learn more about jyotir lingas. The Jyotir lingas are self born (svayambhu) and are regarded as most sacred. There are twelve in the whole country. The following shlokas sum up these:
