Commentary / explanation of Hanuman Chalisa verses 35 & 36

Tumhare bhajan Ram ko pavei Janam janam ke dukh bisravei By reciting your qualities and repeating your name one can reach Sri Rama and get freed from the sorrows of many lives. Anta kaal raghubar pur jai Jahan janam hari bhakta kahai At last when he leaves his physical body he attains to the abode […]

Commentary / explanation of Hanuman Chalisa verses 29 & 30

Visit Hindu Perspective’s HANUMAN SECTION (special feature) for explanations to the other verses of the Hanuman Chalisa Sub par Ram tapasvee raja Tinke kaaj sakal tum saaja The ascetic king Rama is the ruler of all, and you accomplish even his missions. Aur manorath jo koi lave Soi amit jivan phal pavei Whosoever comes to you with a […]

Commentary on Hanuman Chalisa Verses 20, 21 & 22

Visit Hindu Perspective’s HANUMAN SECTION (special feature) Jug sahastra jojan par Bhanu Leelyo tahi madhur phal janu You lept towards the sun, situated millions of miles away, thinking it to be a sweet fruit. Prabhu mudrika meli mukha maaheen Jaladhi langhi gaye acharaj naheen You kept the Lord’s ring in your mouth and, no wonder, you jumped […]

Commentary on Hanuman Chalisa verses 18 & 19

Visit Hindu Perspective’s HANUMAN SECTION (special feature) Tum upkara Sugreevahin keenha // Ram milai raj pad deenha You extended your value to help Sugriva, brought about his meeting with Rama with whose help he was awarded the kingship. Tumharo mantra Vibhishan mana // Lankeshwar bhaye sab jag jana Vibhishan accepted your council and became the king of […]

Wishing you a happy & auspicious Diwali !

My first recollections of Diwali in distant childhood are of immense joy: fireworks, diwas, nice food, presents, time-off school, spending time with friends and relatives, and a general feeling of happiness. How can anyone not grow up loving such a festival? This greatest of festivals is a time when we take a step back from […]

Modi offers hope, but please play your part too…

I remember a talk by Shri Pandurang Shastri Athavale, in which he was simultaneously joking and lamenting the weak and selfish way that many people who should know better conduct their lives. One comment that really struck me is as follows: People sometimes ask me “When will Kali Yuga end?” I tell them “How can […]

Hanuman Chalisa: Explanation of verses 13 & 14

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. […]

Hanuman Chalisa: Explanation of verses 11 & 12

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 […]

Lord Rama: history and legend

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 […]

Kalidas – “The Shakespeare of India”

Kalidas is widely acclaimed as the greatest poet and dramatist in classical Sanskrit literature. The biographical details of his life are shrouded in mystery, but popular legend as well as the odd clue from his poems hints to us that he lived in the Gupta Era, and may have enjoyed the patronage of Vikramaditya (Chandragupta […]