The Shiva · sutras, technically akṣara · samāmnāya, are variously referred to as māheśvarāṇi sūtrāṇi, pratyāhāra · sūtrāṇi, varṇa · samāmnāya, etc., referring to a collection of fourteen aphorisms in the Sankr system of the vernacular azi -Aṣṭādhyāyī. Pāṇini himself uses the word akṣara · samāmnāya while the common word “Shiva sutra” is a recent […]
Hinduism is not just a religion in India. It is a way of life. For Hindus, rituals are performed to bring spirituality to one’s life and to instill feelings of devotion and religion. The rituals are not only celebrated during the lifetime but continue after death, including rituals of burial and cremation. To Hindus, the […]
Worship or Puja Hindu worship, or puja, involves the use of images (murtis), prayers (mantras) and universal paintings (yantras). An important feature of Hindu worship is the image, or idol, that can be worshiped at home or in the temple. Hindu worship is basically a personal act and not a public ceremony, as it involves […]
Introduction A Hindu temple, often mandir in India, is a symbolic house, seat and body of divinity for Hindus. It is a structure designed to bring human beings and gods together, using symbolism to express the ideas and beliefs of Hinduism. The symbolism and structure of a Hindu temple are rooted in Vedic traditions, deploying […]
The Vedas are a major source of religious texts from ancient India. Compiled with Vedic Sanskrit, the texts form the oldest Sanskrit text as well as the oldest Hindu texts. There are four types of Vedas: Rigveda, Yajurveda, Samaveda and Atharvaveda. Each Veda has four sections – Samhitas means mantras and nedictions,Aranyakas means text on […]
Shiva meaning “The Auspicious One” is one of the three major deities of Hinduism. He is worshiped as the Supreme God within Shaivism, one of the three most influential denominations in contemporary Hinduism and is also called “the Transformer and the Destroyer”. The most popular form of worshipping Lord Shiva in Hinduism is in the Linga form. It is known […]
Bhagwan Krishna’s life presented in Hindu scriptures can be divided into 3 phases – The Earliest life, the Family life and the Public life. In the tenth Skanda ( the tenth book under Srimad Bhagavatam), Vyasa Rishi describes to us the earliest life of Krishna and his homely life, more generally known as his personal life. […]
Ashtavakra means He who is deformed in eight places, stated to be so due to a curse uttered by his father when Ashtavakra was still in the maatru garbha. Ashtavakra Gita, also known as the Ashtavakra Samhita, is a teaching between the fully realized 12-year old master Ashtavakra and the King of Mithila, the Janaka […]
The King of Yakshas, the unparalleled Possesor of Gems and Jewellery along with his two Shaktis Viriddhi and Riddhi and his Generals Manibhadra, Purnabhadra, Maniman, Manikandhara, Manisvargi, Manibhushana and Manikar Muktadhari. Kubera is described as the grandson of Pulastya and the son of Vishrava and Devi Ilavida or Devavarnini, daughter of the Maharshi Bharadwaaja. Both […]
‘As Bhagavan Vishnu was in ‘Yoga Nidra’(Yogic Slumber) on Sesha Nag in the midst of Ksheera Sagara (Ocean of Milk) stating that he was meditating Bhagavan Maheswara, Devi Maha Lakshmi wondered as to why did Vishnu assert that he was Paramatma himself and none else! Did he not ask Arjuna in no uncertain terms that […]
Hamsa Gita (also referred to as Uddhava Gita) consists of Krishna‘s final discourse to Uddhava before Lord Krishna draws his worldly ‘descent’ and ‘pastimes’ to completion. Though the Uddhava Gita is often published singularly as a stand-alone work, it is also evident in the Eleventh Canto of the Bhagavata Purana commencing from verse 40 section […]
Shuklaambara dharam Devam shashivarnam chaturbhujam, prasanna vadanam dhyaayet sarva vighnompashantaye/ The singular Deva who dons spotless clothes with four arms and ever pleasant face viz. Ganesha be prayed to with devotion to root out all kinds of impediments and difficulties. Agajaanana padmaarkam Gajaananamaharnisham aneka dantam bhaktaanaam eka dantam upaasmahe/ May we worship Gajaanana the elephant […]
