July 2016
Quite a few Marxist historians have put forth ludicrous arguments in the past claiming that Rama was not a deity before Tulasidas wrote the Ramcharit Manas in the 16th century. Meenakshi Jain offers a brilliant rejoinder to propagandist historians, giving historical and literary evidence for Ayodhya as the city of Rama.
Sardar Patel visited Junagadh in November 1947 after the state of Junagadh formally joined Indian Union. Jam Saheb and Kakasaheb Gadgil who were prominent citizens of Junagadh accompanied Sardar during this visit. Jam Saheb has recounted his memory of Sardar’s visit to Somanath on 12 November 1947 in the following words:
We then went down the steps to the sea. Sardar then took some water from the sea in his hands. He said to me, ‘My ambition is...
शीतेनाद्ध्युषितस्य माषशिमिवच्चिन्तार्णवे मज्जतः
शान्ताग्नेः स्फुटिताधरस्य धमतः क्षुत्क्षामकण्ठस्य मे ।
निद्रा क्वाप्यवमानितेव दयिता संत्यज्य दूरं गता
सत्पात्रप्रतिपादितेव वसुधा न क्षीयते शर्वरी ॥
shitenaddhyushitasya mashashimivaccintarnave majjatah
shantagneh sphutitadharasya dhamatah kshutkshamakanthasya me |
nidra kvapyavamaniteva dayita samtyajya duram gata
satpatrapratipaditeva vasudha na kshiyate sharvari ||
Many Sanskrit poets...
Krishna points out in the Gita (3.21) – "यद्यदाचरति श्रेष्ठः तत्तदेवेतरो जनः" – that people follow the actions of a learned person. Vidyaranya was definitely one such shreshtha whose life is worthy of emulation though impossible for most people. His life has several gems worthy of adoration and emulation.
Born in a family with three other siblings (Sayana, Bhoganatha, and Singala), there must have been abundant opportunity to appreciate the joys...
ಶ್ರೀಮದ್ರಾಮಾಯಣದ ಉತ್ತರಕಾಂಡದಲ್ಲಿ ಬರುವ ಸೀತಾಪರಿತ್ಯಾಗವು ಹಿಂದಿನಿಂದಲೂ ಹೆಚ್ಚು ಚರ್ಚೆಗೊಳಗಾಗಿರುವ ಭಾಗ. ಉತ್ತರಕಾಂಡವು ವಾಲ್ಮೀಕಿವಿರಚಿತವೋ ಅಲ್ಲವೋ ಎಂಬುದು ಕೂಡ ಅಷ್ಟೇ ಚರ್ಚಾಸ್ಪದವಾಗಿದೆ. ಅದು ವಾಲ್ಮೀಕಿಗಳಿಂದ ರಚಿತವಾಗಿಲ್ಲವೆಂಬ ವಾದವನ್ನು ಡಿ.ವಿ.ಜಿ. ಅವರು ತಳ್ಳಿ ಹಾಕುತ್ತಾರೆ. ವಾಲ್ಮೀಕಿಗಳ ಉದ್ದೇಶವು ರಾಮಚರಿತ್ರೆಯನ್ನು ರಚಿಸುವುದಷ್ಟೇ ಆಗಿರದೆ ಸೀತಾಚರಿತ್ರೆಯನ್ನು ರಚಿಸುವುದೂ ಆಗಿತ್ತು. ಹೀಗಾಗಿ ‘ಕಾವ್ಯಂ ರಾಮಾಯಣಂ ಕೃತ್ಸ್ನಂ ಸೀತಾಯಾಶ್ಚರಿತಂ ಮಹತ್’ (೧-೪-೭) (ಕಾವ್ಯವು ರಾಮನ ಸಮಗ್ರವೃತ್ತಾಂತ ಮತ್ತು ಸೀತೆಯ ಮಹತ್ತ್ವಪೂರ್ಣಚರಿತ್ರೆ)...
Rta, Rna, and Dharma
True value realization naturally makes us closer to ऋत (rta), the Vedic Sanskrit word which hardly has any perfect equivalent in other languages. However, for our practical purposes, it can be termed as the cosmic order. The word 'rta' is derived from the root 'ऋ,' which means dynamism, vibrancy, seasoning, and a sense of belonging. In the Vedas, rta is often held supreme. The Vedic deity Varuna identified with the ocean and...
The Sanskrit Podcast hosted by Shoba Narayan and featuring Smt. Vimala Rangachar
How often have you heard this refrain or its variants: Naah! I don’t go to temples. I don’t like going to temples…I mean, there’s no point…all that noise, meaningless mantras and rituals…some are so unhygienic…I believe in God but I’m spiritual…after all, Hinduism is a personal religion and I don’t really need to go to a temple to pray…? How often have you yourself uttered this refrain? Answer honestly.
Admittedly, there’s a grain of truth in...
The Age of the Vedas: Introduction
According to the Puranas, there are no more kshatriyas left in the world; नन्दान्तं क्षत्रिय कुलं – with the fall of the Nanda dynasty, after the rule of Dhanananda, no more kshatriyas were left in the world (see for example, "महानन्दिनस्ततः प्रभृतिः... शूद्रा भूपाला भविष्यन्ति" – Vishnu Purana 4.14.10-11 and "महानन्दसुतश्चापि शूद्रायं कलिवंशजः| उत्पत्स्यते महापद्मः सर्वक्षत्त्रान्तको नृपः|| ततः प्रभृति राजानो...
For several years now, there has been an attempt to distort India’s history, culture, and traditions starting from the Islamic invaders, British imperialism, the missionaries, and more recently, the Marxist historians and so-called intellectuals. This trend continues unabated even to this day.
At the root of these distortions lies a ruthless and sustained assault on everything that represents bharatiya samskrti – be it traditional values, time-...