Current affairs, spirituality, heritage & lifestyle.
There once lived a great yogi named Gorakhnath, an enlightened soul, who had experienced all the great truths of life, death and the Divine. He lived a simple life, revelling in the unparalleled bliss that only enlightened soul’s experience, and had great compassion for all life forms. Although he did not seek a following, many […]
Jnanadeva (also written as Jnandev, Jnanesvar, Jñanadeva or Dnyāneshwar) was a Hindu saint of the Nath tradition, who lived in Maharasthra in the 13th century during the rule of the Yadava King Ramadevarao, immediately prior to the Islamic invasions of that part of India which started in 1296. Ramadevarao provided a stable and secure government compared with […]
“…aggressive religions – they tend to overrun the Earth. Hinduism on the other hand is passive, and therein lies its danger.” (Sri Aurobindo, 1926) Throughout life it has often appeared to me that Hindus were passive. I don’t mean passive in terms of being non-violent (though that may also be the case), but passive in […]
When someone harms you or someone to whom you have a sense of responsibility, getting suitable justice, or ensuring that the perpetrator is punished is not always easy. In Hinduism we have the concept of karma, so if justice is not easy to come by there is a temptation to feel that even if we […]
“The company of the great is very difficult, even inaccessible, but it is infallible.” (Narada Bhakti Sutras. 39) Literally speaking, “sat” means truth, and “sang” means to be associated with. Satsang in Hinduism usually refers to a gathering of spiritual aspirants, and participating is such gatherings is meant to lead to tremendously greater progress than […]
Over time we tend to form social groups of people with similar views to ourselves. Those of us join organisation and associations will of course do so with people who we think are like-minded. As such, it is usually the case that the discussions we have on various subjects – both formal and informal – […]
At a recent discussion group, attended by UK born Hindus in our 30s, some of whom have young children, a recurring theme was the way in which we would like our children to relate to their Indian cultural and religious heritage. We inevitably drew on, recounted and considered our own experiences and exposures to Indian […]
Monotheism or Polytheism (One God or many Gods) Is Sanatan Dharma a Monotheist (believes in only one god) or a Polytheist (believes in many Gods) philosophy? This a common question/confusion regarding Sanatan Dharma, however the answer is: Sanatan Dharma is neither a monotheist philosophy nor a polytheist philosophy, it a is a MONIST Philosophy. Monism Monism […]
Karma is a key Hindu concept not always easily explained. Comparing it with the gravity, however, helps to illustrate how it works. Obviously, the law of gravitation existed before Newton discovered it. Similarly, the law of karma was actively at work long before some ancient sage first consciously came to understand it. Both these laws […]
As per my typical “modern-Hindu” upbringing – I was taught to see all other religions in the best possible light, on par with my own. “All religions are a path to the same God” was an often repeated phrase when talking about religion. I remember a member of my family speaking in praise of Prophet […]
In 1905 Einstein published a paper about the “Photoelectric Effect” which showed that electromagnetic radiation can behave as particles rather than waves in some experiments. It was for this work that he later won the Nobel prize for Physics even though he is more famous for his work on Relativity (with its famous equation E=mc2). […]
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 […]
Dr Koenraad Elst is a noted Belgian scholar and writer, specialising in coverage of Hindu contemporary issues, Indian history and comparative philosophy. He has authored at least 20 books, including the monumental ‘Decolonising the Hindu Mind’ and ‘Saffron Swastika: the Notion of Hindu Fascism’. What first made you interested in India? Its funny, Muslims never ask people who […]
“The only place in the UK where the hereditary caste system is practiced is Buckingham Palace!” Dilip Lakhani is a well-known figure in the British Hindu community. He is founder of Vivekananda Centre UK and for many years has been on a seemingly tireless mission to promote Hinduism in Britain. His work has included setting […]
“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 […]
The Mahabharata is arguably the greatest work of literature in the world. No other work brings out the complexity of human problems in such a profound and entertaining way. It shows us the application of philosophy when it comes to deciding between the right and wrong in such cases where the answer is not straightforward. […]
The Upanishads – what (or who!) are they?”This would be the response of many Hindus of today if asked about the Upanishads!The Upanishads are in fact Hindu scriptures. They can be thought of as portions of the Vedas, but are also separate texts in their own right. They form the basis of what is known […]
Hindu Perspective 