Newest Articles

Life is often mysterious; apparently without reasons and explanations for many events. Is this true? Perhaps so, but only in the eyes and mind of the beholder. Is there any wisdom and knowledge that can throw complete light on the mystery of Life?
...

[ From the Padma Purana, Uttara-khanda, Chapter 38 ]

Mahadeva said:

1. O son, on one occasion I had gone into the proximity of (i.e. to) Vishnu. There I first asked (Him) about the importance of Dvadashi, having heard which all sages having enjoyed pleasures went to heaven.

Naarada said:

2. O Mahadeva, of what kind would be the great (vow of the) Mahadvadashi? O lord, O ruler of all, what kind of fruit (would one get) by observing it.
...

Once, long ago, a king named Bali Maharaja conquered all the planets in the universe. Ousting the demigods, the deputed managers of universal affairs, from their heavenly domains, Bali Maharaja installed himself as king of the celestial realm. Aditi, the mother of the demigods, being aggrieved at her sons’ defeat, fasted and prayed to Vishnu (God) for twelve consecutive days. Pleased with Aditi, Vishnu agreed to reinstate the demigods by incarnating as Vamanadeva, a dwarf brahmana mendicant (saintly priest).
...

[ From the IndiaDivine email discussion group. ]

Since the topic has come up, I would like to write a little bit on the topic of religion and conversion as taught within our Vedic texts.

The word "dharma" does not refer to a particular sectarian faith, but to the very function of the soul. The shastras teach us that it is the inherent nature of everyone to render service. When that service is directed ultimately towards ourselves, in a selfish manner, it becomes the source of our own bondage in the material world. When that same service propensity is directed to the absolute truth, it becomes the key to our liberation from bondage. That selfless service, when directed towards the absolute is "sanatana-dharma", or the eternal function of the living entity.
...

In July 2011, the Sree Anantha Padmanabhaswamy temple in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, captured world headlines when vast wealth was discovered in its vaults, catapulting it to the position of the world's richest temple. The wealth came to light as a result of on-going litigation concerning control of the ancient temple. The Supreme Court of India ordered an inventory of the temple's six sacred vaults. Four of the vaults, which are opened regularly, contained no surprises. The remaining two, denoted A and B by the court and said to be unopened for centuries, caused great excitement.
...

Shri Lilashuka Bilvamangala Thakura, was one of the greatest early Vaishnava acaryas. He lived during the early medieval period in which the science of devotional service to Lord Shri Krishna was promulgated far and wide, especially by Lord Caitanya, along with His principal associates and their followers. Shrila Bilvamangala Thakura's contribution to the world of transcendental Vaishnava literature, particularly his Shri Krishna-karnamrita, was highly appreciated by Shri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, as well as by all other devotees.
...

Candana yatra starts on this day, which is celebrated as well as the day on which treta yuga began. Barley, one of the main ingredients for homa, which is the yuga dharma of Treta Yuga, was also created on this day. Ganga devi also descended to earth on this day. Many common people have special puja on this day. One should bathe in a sacred river, give charity, perform japa and offer barley in a sacred fire, and offer barley preparations to the deity.
...

If one were to appraise the religious character of early Tamil society, one will need to refer to the earliest specimens of Tamil literature that exist today i.e. the Sangam-era work. The Sangam works consist of two literary compendia namely the Ettutogai or Eight Anthologies and the Pattu Paatu or 10 songs. Both are dated to between the 1st and 3rd centuries of the Common Era (CE). It is also important to cite the earliest Tamil grammar in existence today i.e the Tol-kaapiyam. The latter text is usually dated to the early centuries CE. There is an academic debate on the internal consistency and date of the Tol-kaapiyam.
...

This world is sometimes pushing forth and sometimes withdrawing. In the same way that a heart expands and contracts again and again, the whole universe expands and contracts. Regrouping within the one, and again manifest as the many - the one and the many - the evolution and dissolution of the material universe takes place. As a heart expands and contracts, the whole universe is manifest and withdrawn.
...

If one is truly serious about achieving the ultimate goal of human life by perfecting his spiritual inquiry, he must adopt a life style that is conducive to the cultivation of self-realizing knowledge. This life style can be beautifully summarized in the phrase 'simple living and high thinking'. Here simple living is in relation to maintenance of the body, and high thinking is in relation to the aim of one's intellectual pursuits.
...

In the Adi-lila, Tenth Chapter of Sri Caitanya-caritamrita, Srila Kaviraja Gosvami has given a description of the many expansions of the Caitanya tree, the branches and the sub-branches. So all these very dear, intimate devotees of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu they know Gauranga Mahaprabhu and they know Krishna. It is given in the Gaura-ganoddesa-dipika how most of them were in Krishna-lila, Vraja-lila. Most of them were sakhis, manjaris and some were in sakhya-rasa, friendship, like this Abhirama. They have all taken part in both krishna-lila and Gaura-lila.
...

That the human form of life is special and unique in comparison to other species is accepted in practically all fields of scientific and philosophical knowledge. But what makes the human species so uniquely different from everything else is often lost in the whirlpool of academic pursuit. And because of this, one may sometimes feel that, since the fundamental distinguishing characteristic of man is so often missed by great philosophers and thinkers, it must therefore be an infinitely intricate and complex truth. But to the contrary, one may be surprised at the utter simplicity of this distinguishing trait of man, that due to is very simplicity, has caused it to remain a great mystery to many tremendous thinkers throughout history down to our present day.
...

The following are ten verses from the Brahma-vaivarta Purana that were spoken by Lord Krishna to Mother Ganga just before the beginning of Kali yuga (the age of quarrel and strife). Kali yuga began approximately five thousand years ago, and it has a duration of 432,000 years, leaving us with 427,000 till the end of the present age. [For a description of Kali yuga, please read the related article "Predictions for the age of Kali".] Within this 432,000 year period, there is a period of 10,000 years that will be a golden age. That golden age is being described below by Lord Sri Krishna. This text is taken from the Brahma-vaivarta Purana.
...

The deaths of great people have always been a mystery. People have immense interest in it and so the mass media never stops exploiting it. Even today the TV channels in western countries broadcast newer and newer stories about the death of John F Kennedy, President of America, who was assassinated on 22nd November 1963 – 50 years ago!

Even Lord Krishna’s death at the hands of a hunter, Lord Rama’s death in the river Sarayu, Buddha’s death after eating a special food given by a devoted host ,and Jesus’ death on the Cross raise the eyebrows of believers and non-believers alike. Even the death of the great exponent of Advaita philosophy Sri Adi Shankara is shrouded in mystery. His followers believe that he disappeared after climbing ‘Sarvagna Peetam’ or the mountains in Kedarnath. All these come very handy for the propaganda mill of non-believers and atheists.
...

King Indradyumna was a great devotee of Lord Vishnu and was very eager to meet Him face to face. At one time, by the Lord's arrangement, a devotee of the Lord arrived in the court of King Indradyumna, and in the course of discussion he began to talk about an incarnation of Lord Vishnu named Nila-Madhava. After hearing these topics, King Indradyumna became very inspired and sent different brahmanas in different directions to search for and inquire about Lord Nila-Madhava. All of them, however, were unsuccessful and returned to the capital city of the King, except for one priest of the name Vidyapati. After wandering in many places, Vidyapati finally came to a district where the population was of a non-Aryan type called Sabara. There he took shelter in the house of a local of the name Vishvavasu.
...

Many Hindu followers fast on Mondays. It is one of the most auspicious days of the week as it is in honour of Lord Shiva, the ascetic God who lives in the mountains of Kailash. There are many rituals and myths associated with this Somvar Vrat as the fast is called in Hindi. But first let us take a look at the right way to fast on Monday.
...

The Bhavishya Purana is an ancient text authored by Sri Vyasa Muni, the compiler of the Vedas. It is listed among the eighteen major Puranas. Bhavishya means "future" and Purana means "history", so the text's name would translate literally as "The History of the Future". Though the text was written many thousands of years before the recorded events took place, by the power of his mystic vision, Sri Vyasa was able to accurately predict the happenings of the modern times. ...

A man and woman born Parsi Zoroastrians call themselves as divine lights in their serpent avatars, and appear before shirt-tie-velvet cap-sporting devotees at closed-door assemblies held typically after midnight.
...

[Editor's note: Though we don't agree with the assertion that meditation with eyes closed is wrong, we feel the article should be published to give the author's view a chance to be heard.]

Today everyone is of the opinion that penance or meditation means something that is done by sitting at a place with our eyes closed and imagining some forms or chanting some auspicious names or mantras of the Lord or closing our eyes and observing our breath. But these were not penance. The above said techniques at the max will allow one to attain a state or give spiritual maturity to do penance and that’s it. Worse, if someone does meditation with the closed eyes then he will be trapped in illusion or maya.
...