The non-brahmins in Bengal were almost all formally classified as being in from 36 to 41 subcastes of sudras, in three categories. The exact enumeration varies somewhat, but the list in Vrhaddharma Purana is presented here as an example. The top subcaste (from whom the brahmins can drink water, and for whom they can be priests) consist of the following.

While formally there are four castes in Vedic culture: brahmins, ksatriyas, vaishyas and sudras, the social reality of this structure is very different in certain parts of India.

The Kanyakubja kingdom is known as the modern day Kannauj district of Uttar Pradesh. During the reign of King Drupada of southern Panchala, this territory formed a part of the southern Panchala.

Drona defeated Drupada, by means of his disciple Arjuna, to settle his old scores. Drona spoke as follows to the captive Drupada: 'Thou toldest me before that none who was not a king could be a king’s friend. Therefore is it, O Yajnasena (Drupada), that I retain half thy kingdom.

Panchala Kingdom extended from the Himalayas in the north to the River Charmanwati in the south during the period of Mahabharata. The Kuru, Surasena and Matsya kingdoms were to the west, and the forest of Naimisha was to the east. Later, Panchala was divided into Southern Panchala (Panchala proper ruled by King Drupada, the father-in-law of the Pandavas) and Northern Panchala (ruled by Ashwathama, the son of Drona.

Emperor Janamejaya was the son of Maharaja Pariksit and the great-grandson of Arjuna. Pariksit was the son of Abhimanyu, and Abhimanyu was the son of Arjuna and Subhardra, and the nephew of Sri Krsna. He took up the Kuru throne following the death of father.

Various accounts exist of the origination of Durga Puja in the state of Orissa, and all historical accounts agree that important influences came from many regions outside of Orissa state. Durga Puja is a festival that is observed for 10 days, and in two different ways in Orissa. In Shakti peethas (temples of the goddess) the Durga Puja is observed with proper rituals for 10 to 16 days, known as Shodasa Upachara.

The technique of lithographic printing was one of the greatest German inventions. This new technology not only revolutionized mass production of visual imagery in Germany and Europe as a whole, but it also had a major impact on the religion and the independence movement in India during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.

On the purnima of the month of Pausa, Narayana (December-January), the last day of the astrological month (Pushyami nakshatra), one is instructed to bath the Deity in five seers of ghee (approximately 2.5kg of ghee). According to Hari Bhakti Vilasa, on this day one should rub ghee on the Deity of Sri Krishna.

Ayurveda has eight branches, and Rasayana (rejuvenation) is one of them. 'Rasa' has different meanings, like ”juice”, "taste“, “essence", "flavor”, or “emotion", but is not limited to any of these in itself. In therapeutic process Rasa is concerned with the conservation, transformation, and revitalization of energy. Rasa nourishes our body, boosts immunity and helps to keep the body and mind in best of health.

In the Vedantic traditions, sound is considered one of the most important principles of existence, as it is both the source of matter and the key to become free from it. One who can thoroughly understand the four stages of sound as explained in the Vedic texts can utilize this science to become free from the bondage of matter.

Once the great sage Jaimini Rishi said to his spiritual master Srila Vyasadeva, "Oh Gurudeva! Previously, by your mercy, you described to me the history of the glories of the Ganga river, the benefits of worshipping Vishnu, the giving of grains in charity, the giving of water in charity, and the magnanimity of drinking the water that has washed the feet of the brahmanas. O best of the sages, Sri Gurudeva, now, with great enthusiasm, I desire to hear the benefits of fasting on Ekadasi and the appearance of Ekadasi."

Plants are also having life, so killing plants should also be a sin. In what way is vegetarian food better than non-vegetarian food in terms of killing or committing "sin"? This and other questions are nicely answered by Sri  Sugunendra Theertha Swamiji of Udupi Putige Matha.

The Rishis headed by Kasyapa began to perform a sacrifice (yaga) on the banks of the Ganges. Sage Narada visited them at that time and asked them to tell him why they were performing the sacrifice and who would be pleased by it.

Millions of devotees throng the Tirumala Hills practically round the clock throughout the year. As they move towards the sanctum sanctorum of Lord Venkateswara, how many will remember that there was a time, just a thousand years back, when the Hills were deserted with not much of human habitation in sight?

The following list explains some of the vows undertaken by devotees while visiting the Tirupati Balaji Venkateswara temple located on the Tirumalai hill.

This article was originally published in "Gnanamani"- a Tamil monthly spiritual magazine, May 2001. Translated into English by Prof. V.K. Balasubramanian of Tiruppattur. Sri Siddharajan Swamiji of the Pambatti Siddhar Samadhi Peetam at Sankarankoil, Tirunelveli District, Tamil Nadu, South India is the blessed disciple and for many decades a close associate of Brahmasri Shiva Prabhakara Siddhayogi Paramahamsar. Present in this article are certain invaluable details obtained from Sri Siddharajan Swamiji.

Every one of us has the potential to realize God. We also have the potential to receive and transmit vital knowledge. We can attain the powers of seers. We can synthesize amirtam (elixir) in our body. All of us can hear the divine resonance Om and more, and see the divine in the form of brilliant light and see the vast luminescence space within us and in it everything.

The Ganapati Cult occupies a significant position in the Brahmanical religion of Orissa. The discovery of Ganesh images from different parts of Orissa highlights the popularity of Ganesh, the remover of all obstacles and bestower of success. His elephant head suggests a cool brain and his mount rat suggests perseverance.

Since the early Rigvedic stage, brahmans, undoubtedly, had already fixed ritual status: they were the priests, who had a wide circle of duties during soma sacrifices. They were also considered as the assistants of the demigods at creation of the world, as the duty of “delivery” of the living entity to the gods had been assigned to them.