Current affairs, spirituality, heritage & lifestyle.
Most of my early knowledge about Hinduism came through a movement called Swadhyaya. Although in the past few years I have ceased to be an active part of the movement, I am extremely grateful for having received an amazing and practical appreciation of my cultural and spiritual heritage. What I learnt at Swadhyaya was mostly […]
In childhood years, many Hindu children nowadays are introduced to Hindu sacred stories through the medium of comic books, such as Amar Chitra Katha. These provide a colourful, entertaining and valuable rendering of ancient stories from texts called the Puranas, and most kids read them with great enthusiasm, forming many people’s introduction to the world […]
For a long time, ‘tolerance’ was spoken of as a characteristic feature of Hinduism. Even people who otherwise strongly disagreed with Hinduism still managed to praise the fact that Hinduism had a benign, harmless tolerance. But in recent years the image of Hinduism and of Hindu society has changed quite drastically. Media coverage of the […]
One of the most boring times I can recall from my childhood is when I had to sit through lengthy pujas, ceremonies and kathas. This is not at all to say that I had no faith in my religion. Far from it, I have always been a devout Hindu in my own way. The boredom […]
The odds were always stacked against me ever knowing anything about my culture. Growing up, I was never sure what it meant to be a Hindu. I grew up in a quiet town where my family ran (surprise, surprise) a newsagent shop. There weren’t any other Hindus my age in the area. In fact I […]
By David Frawley (Pt. Vamadeva Shastri) India’s Traditions of Non-violence and Vegetarianism The Buddha states in the Dhammapada 26.409, “Him I call a Brahmana who lays aside the rod, who neither kills nor causes the death of creatures, moving or non-moving (animals or plants).” The same type of statements are very common in Hindu literature […]
Some from high action through base fear refrain; The path is difficult, the way not plain. Others more noble to begin, are stayed By a few failures. Great spirits undismayed Abandon never what once to do they swore. Baffled beaten back, they spring once more, Buffeted and borne down, rise up again (Nitishatakam of Bhartrihari, […]
No we’re not talking about credit cards, loans and mortgages here, but totally different kinds of debts, of an ethical and spiritual nature. Since ancient times, Hindu thought has recognised various debts (rins) that play an important part in dharmic values. It is said that each person is born with these debts and must repay […]
Visit Hindu Perspective’s HANUMAN SECTION (special feature) Insight into verse 13 Laye sanjivan Lakhan jiyaye Shree Raghubir harashi ur laye You brought the nectarine herb and revived the life of Laksmana. Sri Rama Chandra embraced with deep joy This of course refers to the part of the Ramayana where Lakshmana is fatally wounded by Ravana’s son Indrajeet. […]
We have all seen the image of Kali at a temple or in a Navratri shrine. This article provides a fascinating insight into who Kali really is! Kali is one of the best known, but poorly understood Hindu deities. She is dark destructive and terrible in image. She appears allied to the forces of death […]
Atheism, the idea that there is no God or Creator, is a conception of the human mind that occurs at various stages of mental and spiritual development. It may appear in undeveloped minds that cannot perceive a deeper reality than that of the physical world. It may also appear in more developed minds who see […]
Visit Hindu Perspective’s HANUMAN SECTION (special feature) Sukshma roop dhari Siyahin dikhava Bikat roop dhari Lank jarava You showed your small, slight form to mother Sita, assuming a terrible form you burnt the city of Lanka. Bhim roop dhari asur sanhare Ramchandra ke kaaj sanvare You took a colossal form and killed the demons. Thus, you fulfilled […]
Visit Hindu Perspective’s HANUMAN SECTION (special feature) Insight into Verse 9 Vidyavan guni ati chatur Ram kaj karibe ko atur You are possessor of all knowledge, full of virtue and wisdom. You are always prompt and eager to act in the service of Lord Rama. One would initially think that this verse is simply repeating praises of […]
Visit Hindu Perspective’s HANUMAN SECTION (special feature) Insight into Verse 7 Hath Bajra aur dhvaja birajai Kandhe moonj janeu sajai You hold the mace of the thunderbolt and a flag in your hands. The sacred thread of Munja grass adorns your shoulders. In the first line of Verse 7, Tulsidas says that Hanuman’s hand carries the “bajra” […]
Visit Hindu Perspective’s HANUMAN SECTION (special feature) Insight into Verse 5 Mahabir Bikram Bajrangi Kumati nivar sumati ke sangi O Mahaveer, your actions are mighty and terrible, and your body is strong as a thunderbolt. You eliminate the illusions of the mind and give a bright intellect. “O Mahaveer, your actions are might and terrible, and your […]
Click here for explanations of verses 1 & 2 Insight into Verse 3 Jai Hanuman gyan gun sagar Jai Kapis tihun lok ujagar Victory to Thee, O Hanuman, Ocean of wisdom and virtue, victory to the Lord of monkeys who is well known in all the three worlds. This is a seemingly simple devotional verse […]
Visit Hindu Perspective’s HANUMAN SECTION (special feature) The Hanuman Chalisa is a prayer that many young Hindus will at least have heard of, if not be familiar with. Chances are that it may be sung in your own home or by somebody that you know. This article explains the background to the Hanuman Chalisa and provides an insight […]
Rama Navami is the Hindu festival celebrating the birth of Lord Rama. While not as exuberantly celebrated as Diwali (which is centered on the return of Rama to his kingdom of Ayodhya after a period of exile), it is still a major festival, celebrated with great devotion by millions. This year, Rama Navami falls on Saturday 20th […]
“To an individual, family, nation or even to plants and animals, dharma is ones true place in the cosmic process. The eternal principle of dharma determines the harmonious functions of the cosmic machine. In order that we fulfil our role in the divine play we must carry out our dharma. That is, we ought to do the right thing, at […]
Out of all the deities in the Hindu pantheon Ganesh, is one of the most popular. He is the ‘Lord of Obstacles’, and ‘Leader of the Celestials’. Each aspect of the image of a Hindu deity contains a meaning or message. Here we use the image of Ganesh to demonstrate this, and relate it to […]
Hindu Perspective 