One of my favorite times of the year is just a few days away. श्री कृष्ण जनमाष्टमी is on Monday. It’s a bit odd- I really don’t have any over-the-top celebration. Maybe it isn’t even as per vidhi. I just clean the temple thoroughly, decorate it with flowers and perform a simple Aarti, then eat …
After the great battle of Mahābhārata was over, the victorious Pāndava brothers organized the Ashvamedha Yagna. At the end of this ceremony, King Yudhishthira gave costly gifts to the priests and donated very large quantities of food, gold, cattle and other forms of wealth to the poor and needy. Everyone praised Yudhishthira for his generosity …
Gaya means “Vital energies” and trayte means “protects, preserves, grants liberation, gives deliverance.” In simple words, and language Gayatri means “May the divine light of the supreme being illuminate our intellect, so that we can tread on the path of righteousness”. Gayatri is the Mother of all scriptures (Vedas). She’s present wherever her name is chanted. She’s very …
Rākhī derives from the Sanskrit rakṣikā, a join: rakṣā protection. Raksha Bandhan is observed on the last day of the Hindu lunar calendar month of Shraavana, which typically falls in August. The expression “Raksha Bandhan,” Sanskrit, literally, “the bond of protection, obligation, or care,” is now principally applied to this ritual. Until the mid-20th-century, the …
If I am not for myself…who will be? If I am for myself alone…who am I? If not now…when? And if not you…who? Four phrases that shook me when I heard them. Hillel the Elder was a Jewish philosopher who lived over 2000 years ago. While I have not read his teachings extensively, I am …
Well deserved! Rishabh Shetty just won the Best Actor National Award for his once-in-a-lifetime performance in Katara. Specifically, in the climax. Here is what I wrote of it, when I saw it around a year back. Time to revisit it:) How does 16 become 400? I finally saw Kantara. And loved it. For once, priests …
Three recommendations per week – one book, one song, one article. No lengthly explanations, reasoning, reviews or gyaan. And no particular theme. This week: Book: The Tell-Tale Brain – by V.S. Ramachandran Music -Horizons – by Dustin O’Halloran & Ane Brun https://music.apple.com/in/album/horizons/1413698654?i=1413698662 Article – The Perks of Being a Late Bloomer https://coffeeandjunk.com/late-bloomer/ See you next …
Two important days coming up. The 77th day of our independence on the 15th, and Sri Krishna Janmashtami on the 26th. Two events that shaped the future of our nation. The birth of Sri Krishna was an important pillar in the foundation of our spiritual journey, and obtaining independence from foreign rule was an important …
A few bits from the Panchatantra – on secrets:) अपिस्वल्पतरंकार्यंयद्भवेत्पृथिवी–पतेः।तन्नवाच्यंसभा–मध्येप्रोवाचेदंबृहस्पतिः॥१०७॥ api svalpataraṃ kāryaṃ yad bhavet pṛthivī-pateḥ |tan na vācyaṃ sabhā-madhye provācedaṃ bṛhaspatiḥ || 107 |||| “Brhaspati has stated that any work, be it big or small, should not be discussed in an open court. षट्–कर्णोभिद्यतेमन्त्रश्चतुष्कर्णःस्थिरोभवेत्।तस्मात्सर्व–प्रयत्नेनषट्कर्णंवर्जयेत्सुधीः॥१०८॥ ṣaṭ-karṇo bhidyate mantraś catuṣkarṇaḥ sthiro bhavet |tasmāt sarva-prayatnena ṣaṭkarṇaṃ varjayet sudhīḥ || 108 || …
अनभिज्ञोगुणानांयोनभृत्यैर्अनुगम्यते।धनाढ्योऽपिकुलीनोऽपिक्रमायातोऽपिभूपतिः॥७९॥ anabhijño guṇānāṃ yo na bhṛtyair anugamyate |dhanāḍhyo ‘pi kulīno ‘pi kramāYāto ‘pi bhūpatiḥ || 79 || A king may he rich, or of a renowned family or of a great dynasty, but if he does not recognise the good qualities of a servant, he will lose the services of that servant. असमैःसमीयमानःसमैश्चपरिहीयमाण-सत्-कारः।धुरियोनयुज्यमानस्त्रिभिर्अर्थ-पतिंत्यजतिभृत्यः॥८०॥ asamaiḥ samīyamānaḥ samaiś ca …
