The Neuro-Cognitive Science of Itihasa and Purana
The Itihasa and Purana are not just factual history or stories but narratives that cover various aspects of human endeavor. They not just reveal the past but pave way for the future and guide human aspirations. More...
The General Framework of Hinduism- II
[contextly_sidebar id=”wAAJrrN9VgO6S7oD2Z25Yq6NEJqs3aSh”] 3. The relevance of Hindu thought for modern society An important issue is whether the Hindu thought, with all its lofty ideals, is relevant More...
Svādhyāya: Studying our Holy Books- VIII
[contextly_sidebar id=”zXpV18x7QihUfGgmUpn27zUkZA9ytDRG”] Purāṇas These texts are extensive compendiums of the history and sacred traditions of Bhāratvarṣa (the earlier name of the Indian subcontinent). More...
Raja Rao Experienced “India as an Idea”
Raja Rao was my professor when I was an undergraduate student at the University of Texas at Austin from 1976 -1981. I started college after spending four years in India, arriving at the Indo-Pak border on December More...
Who Really got the Divine Mango: Gaṇeśa or Kārthikeya?
Dhārmic traditions rarely stipulate hard and fast rules which makes them the most natural and the most evolved of all traditions. This freedom is what paves the way to higher possibilities in life experiences. More...
Sources of Hindu Dharma – II
[contextly_sidebar id=”GLEJYd5HOnUrFsgEnyQSawX7DAmrz1Iu”] In the previous article, we examined different sources of dharma like Shruti, Smriti, Sadāchāra or Shishtāchāra, Ātmapriya or Ātmatushti, More...
Sources of Hindu Dharma – I
In Hindu Dharma, the following four are considered the most authoritative sources of Dharma – the Vedic scriptures (Shruti), the Smriti scriptures, the good practices followed by the virtuous or traditional practices More...
The Battle over Historical Narratives of Chittor
[contextly_sidebar id=”mDZQshST3qurb4vgpvo05XOoITOXaxXs”] Apparently it has become become utterly “regressive”, “backward”, and “reactionary” to be proud of narrating a version of history More...
Rudra: A Brief Journey through Early Śaiva Thought
[contextly_sidebar id=”bgsTWOzHyBVG1fiSJGPMk6nwzNh6gzBg”]There is a persistent motif of the deva Rudra (Śiva) being originally refused ritual offerings of the yajña to which the other deva-s were entitled. More...
Lessons from the Story of Lord Hanumana
Our mythology is replete with rich metaphors that contain valuable insights on how we can successfully negotiate the turbulent waters worldly existence. They need to be understood metaphorically as well. To understand More...