Tattva

Sinha at medical camp in the Himalayas

I came to Braj roughly two years ago looking for identity in a world that was slowly losing meaning for me. A recent residency graduate born and raised in the United States, I was discouraged by the complexities of practicing medicine in the Western world. I decided I would take an unplanned trip to grandmother India and allow her to guide my entry into the next stage of life. I intended to tour the entire country in search of the most fulfilling opportunity to serve the underserved. Little did I know, my first stop would be my last.
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(Editor’s Note: All opinions expressed by authors in posts and comments are solely their own and do not reflect any policy or opinions of Tattva magazine, website, Hindu YUVA, Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh, or any of their officials or affiliates.)

The 2008 presidential election is considered one of the most important in US history. There are several reasons for this – (1) Barack Obama is the first African American to be nominated as the Presidential candidate representing the Democratic ticket,  (2) Hillary Clinton was the first woman to run for the office of the President, (3) The US economy is at its worst since the Great Depression, (4) The Republican Vice Presidential candidate for the first time is a woman and (5) the American citizens have long been estranged from the ongoing war against terror in Iraq and Afghanistan.

In this article, I aim to represent bipartisan views about the two presidential candidates and how mainstream America perceives them. Read the rest of this entry »

This past week, most of us celebrated Diwali, either on the 28th or the 29th, in one fashion or another, from poojas to parties and everything else in between. However, in America, there are many people around us who are unaware of this important festival. This ignorance is nowhere more apparent than at schools. Read the rest of this entry »

In early 1982, Father Joseph Parekatil of the Catholic Church of Parasahi, Madhya Pradesh, destroyed the sacred murthi of  Goddess Visweshwari Siddheswari, enshrined on the nearby Nawain Tekdi hill, and erected a small wooden cross. Later, on February 18th 1983, a 31-foot high concrete cross was illegally erected on the hill. A month later, enraged villagers destroyed the cross. On February 20th, 1985, with the intent of   regaining possession of the hill, Father Parekatil put on the orange robes of a Hindu sannyasin, built a hut on the hill, sat on a tiger skin and began performing worship in the Hindu style. As a result, thousands of simple Hindus came to the hill on Fridays, unaware of the deception they were witnessing. But, on May 18th, a complaint was registered, but to no avail. Again there was agitation in the area, and this time, on October 1st 1985, the villagers tore down the priest’s hut and tossed away the remaining pieces of the concrete cross. Father Parekatil only gave up when he was arrested a week later for breaking the peace. (1)

The tactic used by Father Parekatil of adopting Hindu symbols to further his missionary goal is called  “inculturation” or “indigenization.” Read the rest of this entry »

Brahmarshi Vishvamitra, Sanskrit for “friend of the whole world,” is one of the most venerated rishis or sages of ancient Bharat. He is also credited as the author of most of Mandala 3 of the Rigveda, including the Gayatri Mantra. The Puranas mention that only 24 Rishis since antiquity have understood the whole meaning of, and thus wielded the whole power of, the Gayatri Mantra. Sage Vishvamitra is supposed to be the first, and Sage Yajnavalkya the last. His ashram or research laboratory was very close to my birthplace Patna, or as it known back then, Patliputra. Vishwamitra was the greatest politician, the greatest scientist and the greatest visionary Bharat has ever had.   Read the rest of this entry »

Bhagavad-Geeta, seed scripture for mankind, is the only scripture which is noncontrovercial till date and this has been the main source of real and totally accomplished spiritual knowledge recognized by entire world. This is celestial song sung by Sri Krishn to elevate entire mankind from bondage of mortal worldly affairs and to traverse on the path of spiritualism to get liberated from pathetic cycle of birth and death. The central and key thought in this scripture is to know the real concept of “Karm” i.e. “Ordained Action” and to execute the same for total emancipations. Read the rest of this entry »

Introduction
The greatest saint ever born in the history of mankind, the sage Shankara probably lived around 800 A.D. His teachings can be summed up in half a verse: “Brahma Satyam Jagan Mithya Jivo Brahmaiva Na Aparah—Brahman (the Absolute) is alone real; this world is unreal; and the Jiva or the individual soul is non-different from Brahman.” This is the quintessence of his philosophy.

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