Tattva

His achievements notwithstanding, he is not a household name in India. His name does not ring any bells in the collective memory of Hindus. I am not even sure if any physical memorial of this Hindu Hero exists. Anecdotally, Prithvi Raj Chauhan is considered as the last Hindu ruler of Delhi. Even I had made the same assertion in one of my previous articles in Tattva [1]; and it took me a while to realize my error! It is incorrect to think that Hindus made no efforts to liberate Delhi in medieval India. Samrat Hem Chandra Vikramaditya – the Hero of our story – made one such effort that succeeded Read the rest of this entry »

Nowhere is assimilation more prominent than in the American high school. I would not consider myself particularly successful at maintaining my traditions and customs. At the same time, I never fit in, and perhaps most importantly, I never found a balance between both extremes. I will cross the stage of my graduation ceremony (the day I wrote this) cognizant of the fact that I am not a normal American, and I am also not a normal Hindu. Read the rest of this entry »

Young Hindu:

I do agree that Krishna and Rama are avatars of God. But where is that God? Sitting somewhere in heaven or another loka? Read the rest of this entry »

(This is the second of a series of three articles. Please read the first article of the series here and the second here)

We also have Goddesses such as Hecate. She is practically a replicate of Durga or Kali. She has the same significance as Mother Kali or Durga as well. Hecate was known as Kurotrophos (Nurse of the

Children and Protectress of mankind)  This is Durga as Shashti, The Protector of Children. Also Note the word Kuro which is most likely related to the Sanskrt word Kuru. This may indeed be more evidence verifying that some of India’s Kurus did indeed migrate to Greece.  Like Durga’s Navratri Festival, which starts the day after the New Moon, Hecate was also worshipped on the New Moon. Like Kali Mata, Dogs are sacred to Goddess Hecate and they are both worshipped on new moon nights as well. The Serpents are also an obvious similarity between Hecate and Kali Mata. Chandi is Durga as a Moon Goddess and Hecate is also connected to the Moon as seen in the carving below. Even the items held in Hecate’s hands, Fire, Weapons, Elephant Goad, Water pot and Discus, replicate those held by the Vedic Durga. Read the rest of this entry »

Orissa in the Crossfire-Kandhamal Burning provides many vital details related to the Hindu-Christian violence that has swept Orissa’s Kandhamal district. The book also highlights the history of Orissa and its tribes. While many have familiarized themselves with the propaganda that has fictionalized the events surrounding the Kandhamal crisis, few have had access to the facts. The true history of Kandhamal and the struggles of its people deserve a fair hearing in the court of public opinion. Is the Kandha religion sinister or sacred? Are they bloodthirsty savages or a people of a noble and ancient heritage? Can the tribes people of Kandhamal rise up out of their undeserved shame and be seen for who they really are? Long labeled as ‘a cruel human sacrificing tribe of ruthless savages’ it is time the truth be revealed. It is time for the world to learn about the Kandha ‘God of Light’ and their Culture of Life.

Paperback 452 pages Read the rest of this entry »

Chinmayananda Jayanti was celebrated on May 8 this year in over 250 Chinmaya Mission centers in India and almost 50 centers outside India. This day marked the birthday of Swami Chinmayananda, one of the foremost preachers of spiritual knowledge in recent times. Chinmaya Mission was established by the devotees of Swami Chinmayananda in1953 and is rendering valuable service in inculcating spiritual, cultural and social values among children and adults all over the world. Swamiji dedicated four decades of his life for the service of humanity by establishing ashrams, schools, hospitals, nursing homes and clinics throughout the world. Read the rest of this entry »

The following letter appeared in “Dear Abby,” a syndicated column published in hundreds of U.S. newspapers:

A rough approximation of the Bible Belt. (Copied from Wikipedia)

“Dear Abby, I am a Hindu woman living in the ‘Bible Belt.’ Many of my friends and acquaintances are Christians, and they are all wonderful except for one thing. Some try in small, subtle ways to convert me to their faith. With Christmas approaching, I know what’s coming: boxes of baked goodies with little brochures and pamphlets tucked inside all about Jesus and the Christian faith. I wish you would remind people that all of us in this diverse nation should respect the faiths of others. To try to convert someone to your faith implies that you consider your religious beliefs superior, and this is just plain wrong. I know these gestures are well meant, but I wouldn’t dream of sending Hindu brochures with my holiday goodies. Abby, what is a tactful, but firm, way of dealing with this?” Signed, Happy Hindu In The Bible Belt.

Abby’s response:

“Dear Happy Hindu, much as you would like, you are not going to change people who feel its part of their religious commitment to ‘save’ you. Ignore the brochures and enjoy the goodies.”

Based on a 12/21/02 Chicago Tribune feature under the head-line “American Advice Columnist Responds to a Hindu’s Concern.”

This sloka is to be recited while lighting lamp.

शुभं करोति कल्याणम्  आरोग्यं धन-सम्पदा |
शत्रुबुद्धिर्विनाशाय  दीपज्योतिर्नमोस्तुते ॥

subham karoti kalyanam  arogyam dhana sampada
shatru buddhir vinashaya   dipa jyotir namostute

Sanskrit to English Word Meaning:

Subham- auspiciousness; karoti – which brings; kalyanam- prosperity; arogyam- good health; dhanasampadah- abundance of wealth; shatrubuddhih- of the intellect’s enemy (ignorance); vinasaya- for the destruction; dipajyotir- that lamplight; namosthuthe- I salute thee.

Translation

I salute the One who is the lamplight that brings auspiciousness; prosperity, good health, abundance of wealth, and the destruction of the intellect’s enemy (ignorance).

Brief explanation

This prayer is chanted before lighting the lamplight. Light is considered a symbol of auspiciousness, prosperity, and abundance in many cultures. Light brings with it brightness, but how does it destroy the intellect’s enemy? The intellect’s enemy is ignorance, which is likened to darkness. Light removes the darkness and  makes it possible to see things clearly.