When Dr Srinivasan first mentioned the title of his recent book “Hinduism for Dummies” to me, I must admit I was somewhat skeptical. Being a student of “Hindu” culture, religion and history for the last several years, I was not at all sure that a such a vast and complex belief system as “Hinduism” can really be explained in the simple “… For Dummies” format.
I was wrong. Make it “very wrong”.

Because Dr Amrutur Srinivasan has achieved something remarkable in these 300-odd pages; something that I have not come …

Today is Maha ShivRatri, the day following the great night of Bhagwaan Shiva.. As many of you may know, this day is also celebrated as the day on which Bhagwaan Shiva married Parvati. Here is an interesting interpretation of the “night of Shiva”:
Let us come back to the subject of Sivaratri, the night of Siva. When you perceive an object, you call it waking. When you do not perceive it, it is darkness. Now in the waking condition – the so-called waking world – you see present before you a …

Dear All: This post was triggered by RealityCheck’s response to Praveen Swami’s remarks on the MahaKumbh. In discussions of Haj subsidy, many of you must have heard arguments along the lines of “..but the government subsidises Kumbh Mela too“. Although demonstrably false, this argument continues to be rehashed – sometimes even by well-known columnists. The latest to join this group is Praveen Swami. Below, excerpts from a brilliantly written counter-piece by RealityCheck on the specious logic of Praveen Swami:
Praveen Swami after a flying recap of the Salman Rushdie affair, lands …

May MahishAsur-mardini, MA DurgA give us strength, courage and power to slay the evil demons that continue to plague Bharat…
VijayAdashami celebrates the victory of Shakti over MahishAsura and of ShriRAmChandra over RAvana. It is celebrated on the tenth day (dashami) of Ashvin (lunar month) and is associated with numerous rituals such as Vishwakarma PujA, Shastra PujA, VyAs PujA, Semmalanghan (Maharashtra), Shami PujA, gifting of aapta tree leaves as “sona” (gold) leaves  etc
In the north, Dussehra (or Dasha-hara) is celebrated by burning effigies of Ravana (along with KumbhaKarna and MeghnAd).  This …

Dear All, some of you – particularly those from Kerala and/or familiar with Sabarimala Devasthanam – may have read about the recent controversy surrounding the Makara Jyothi (that surfaced in the aftermath of the tragic stampede a few days back).  Below are some excerpts from an email by Rajesh Pillai in response to a particularly gratuitous article that appeared in the Kerala press a few days back (unfortunately I dont have a translation; the original in Malayalam can be read at this link). Rajesh’s response was triggered by an email …

|| ॐ ||

असतो मा सदगमय | तमसो मा ज्योतिर्गमय ||
मृत्योर् मा अमृतं गमय | ॐ शांति शांति शांति ||
Asato maa Sat gamaya, Tamaso maa Jyotir gamaya
Mrityor maa Amritam gamaya, Om Shaanti Shaanti Shaanti.

Lead me from Unreal to the Real, from Darkness to Light, from Death to Immortality
On this auspicious occasion, here is wishing you and your loved ones a very joyous festive season.
May the coming year bring you and your loved ones, good health, happiness and prosperity.

Image Attribution: I found this beautiful picture (pl click on …

Happy VijayaDashami, Durgotsab, Durga Pooja, Dasra and Dussehra to all…
On this auspicious day, let us pledge to do our best to get rid of the three major evils that plague India – poverty, illiteracy and an ineffective, incapable & thoroughly corrupt political leadership – and promise ourselves to work towards building a proud, strong and united Bharat….
And as you go about your day today, please spare a thought for the forgotten residents of Deganga – “Humiliated and simmering with rage, abandoned and forsaken by their own“ – who are …

Today is ”Ganesh Chaturthi” – the auspicious day on which we celebrate the birth of  Shri Ganesh. Shri Ganesh is widely revered as the remover of obstacles (”VidhnhartA”) and is usually invoked when beginning something new (I usually begin my day with the “VakratunDa MahAkAya…” shloka, below).
वक्रतुंड महाकाय सूर्यकोटी समप्रभ:
निर्विघ्नं कुरु मे देव, सर्व कार्येशु सर्वदा ||
vakratuNDa mahAkAya sUryakoTisamaprabha
nirvighnaM kuru me deva sarvakAryeshhu sarvadA ||

Loose Translation: O Ganapati, (the) One with a curved trunk, a large body, and a brilliance equal to millions of Suns! Please make all my …

On this auspicious day of “ashtami“, recall one of the most well-known verses from the Bhagawad-Geet – in the melodious voice of the late Mahendra Kapoor…
यदा यदा ही धर्मस्य ग्लानिर्भवति भारत, अभ्युथानम् अधर्मस्य तदात्मानं सृजाम्यहम् |
परित्राणाय साधुनाम विनाशाय च: दुष्कृताम, धर्मं संस्थापनार्थाय सम्भावामी युगे युगे ||
Approximate translation:
Whenever there is decline of Dharma (righteousness)..and rise of Adharma (unrighteousness);
To protect the virtuous..to destroy the wicked and to re-establish Dharma,
I manifest myself, through the ages.

|| Shubh Shri Krishna JanmAshtami ||
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Related Posts: Reading the Bhagavad Gita…
A Search for the Historical Krishna

|| श्री ||

.
असतो मा सद्गमय | तमसो मा ज्योतिर्गमय ||
मृत्योर् मा अमृतं गमय | ॐ शांति शांति शांति ||
Asato maa Sat gamaya, Tamaso maa Jyotir gamaya
Mrityor maa Amritam gamaya, Om Shaanti Shaanti Shaanti.

…from falsehood to truth, from darkness to light, from mortality to immortality
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दीपावली के इस पावन पर्व पर आपके घर-आँगन में ज्ञान, सदबुद्धि, स्वास्थ्य व संपन्नता के द्वीप प्रज्वलित हों
.
May this Deepavali brings you and your loved ones lots of joy, good health, happiness and prosperity

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On this joyous and festive occassion, please try and do the following:

Read …