Asura is typically construed as evil, and is used interchangeably with Danavas, Daityas and Rākshasās, mainly because in English, they are all demons! But all asuras were not considered evil. Here are some of the niruktas (etymologies) of the root word asu. Asu can mean, prana – life breath, life- force; in this sense, asura means ‘one who brings, gives prana’ …
I recall there was a huge outcry when Kamal Hassan had announced his plans to release Vishwaroopam simultaneously on OTT and in theaters. This was in 2013. Now, since 2020, theaters have done meagre business, if any, and most of the movie releases have been through OTT. “Only when the tide goes out do you …
I saw a lot of faces staring at me as I walked into the DIFC today. Not quite as delusional to think that this was due to my good looks, I started to wonder – was it my hair? A spot I missed while shaving? A tear in my shirt?… Ah…my mask. I didn’t have …
Today is Ekādashi – the 11th day of a fortnight in a lunar month, as per the Hindu calendar. Since there are two fortnights, Ekādashi is celebrated twice a month. It is typically characterized by observance of a fast. And the fast can be of many types. From Nirjala Ekādashi – where one does not …
Every quarter, I sit through a few presentations of people who want to change the world. A very few of them, if any, end up doing so. Every founder is taught to start with a question – what is the problem and how can I solve it? Some start with the question – What can …
Just a couple of days back, I had written on cricket and patience, and my friend Neelakantan’s relaxed weekend watching the ball being tossed around by 11 men and a couple. Today, as I browsed through the evening news, I noticed that it was the last day of the test match, and India had turned …
Ṛṇatraya literally means ‘three debts’. The idea of ṛṇatraya (pronounced as rina-traya), the three debts under which every human being is born, has been referred in the Rgveda. However it is more explicit in other Vedic literature like the Taittiriya Samhitā and the Satapatha Brāhmana. These ṛṇas are: Deva-ṛṇa – debt to gods : It is …
I am a martial artist, and so two traits that come naturally to me are discipline and dedication. Almost like second nature. I guess thirty plus years of training help as well. However, there are times when I too take it easy. When I say times, I really mean days, sometimes months. I too subscribe …
I remember growing up on a healthy dose of India-Pakistan cricket encounters and five-day test matches that mostly ended in a draw. The one-dayers were more interesting, but the five-day matches had a charm of their own. One didn’t have to sit through each ball, but a general session-by-session update was a given. But that …
You didn’t understand the title right? It’s in Punjabi. Even if you are a Punjabi, and it is your mother tongue, there is a high chance are you were not able to read it. Being a Punjabi myself, I feel ashamed that I still haven’t managed to learn the language. Learning your native language is …
ਮੈਂ ਤੁਹਾਡੇ ਨਾਲ ਵਾਅਦਾ ਕਰਦਾ ਹਾਂ ਕਿ ਮੈਂ ਪੰਜਾਬੀ ਸਿੱਖਾਂਗਾ Read More »
