Tis the time of the year when we jump from one festivity to another, one celebration to another. And one controversy to another. Today its Karwa Chauth, with many celebrities questioning the “logic” of celebrating a so-called “regressive” mindset. Wonder where they found the logic of Halloween or baby showers (as opposed to Godh Bharai), …
विभूति: (vibhutih)- mighty, powerful, great power आदित्यानामहं विष्णुर्ज्योतिषां रविरंशुमान् ।मरीचिर्मरुतामस्मि नक्षत्राणामहं शशी ॥ २१ ॥ ādityānām ahaṁ viṣṇurjyotiṣāṁ ravir aṁśumānmarīcir marutām asminakṣatrāṇām ahaṁ śaśī Of the Ādityas I am Viṣṇu, of lights I am the radiant sun, of the Maruts I am Marīci, and among the stars I am the moon. वेदानां सामवेदोऽस्मि देवानामस्मि वासव: …
अवन्तिकायां विहितावतारंमुक्तिप्रदानाय च सज्जनानाम् ।अकालमृत्योः परिरक्षणार्थंवन्दे महाकालमहं सुरेशम् avantikāyāṃ vihitāvatāraṃmuktipradānāya ca sajjanānām ;akālamṛtyoḥ parirakṣaṇārthaṃvande mahākālamahaṃ sureśam द्वादशलिङ्गस्तोत्रम् dvādaśaliṅgastotramShiva Dwadasha Jyotirlinga Stotram The first two lines of this extract from the द्वादशलिङ्गस्तोत्रम् formed the crux of the tweet that Shri Narendra Modi sent out a few minutes earlier. The inauguration of the redevelopment of Shri Mahakāl Lok …
यश्चेमां वसुधां कृत्स्नां प्रशासेदखिलां नृपः ।तुल्याश्मकाञ्चनो यश्च स कृतार्थो न पार्थिवः ॥ yaścemāṃ vasudhāṃ kṛtsnāṃ praśāsedakhilāṃ nṛpaḥ ।tulyāśmakāñcano yaśca sa kṛtārtho na pārthivaḥ ॥ Mahabharata Shanti Parva 17.11 A king who rules over the whole earth is not satisfied. But a sage for whom a piece of stone and gold are equal, is always content. …
An odd thing I notice nowadays. One, parents (like me) trudge down to the Emergency ever so often, this time for a chest congestion. I mean most receptionists at Al Zahra (where Rohāmrta was born) know me on a first names basis now, it’s that often. Two – we always end up taking a second …
A busy Navrātri, the leaving of a guest and the preparations for Deepavali. And Rohāmrta chooses this time to fall sick:) A usual cough and cold, with a bit of fever, but since he has been having this off and on for close to a month, the parents are worried. There are only that many …
As Navratri ends, the preparation for Deepavali begins. From one journey, to another. Deepavali is the biggest celebration in India, and the beginning of a new year. A lot goes into preparing for it – from cleaning our houses to cleaning our minds. Gifts to purchase, sweets to order, small dreams to fulfill. As I …
Read the previous part here… They fought in the skies, toe to toe, until the Devi lifted him, whirled him around and threw him to the ground. As he tried to get up, she grabbed her spear and pierced his chest with it, thus bringing him to his end. Śumba died, and the devas rejoiced. Their …
Time is a Circle? Einstein’s field equations predict a universe which curves back upon itself, such that anyone traveling in a wide enough circle across the cosmos would return to the point at which they began their journey. Although the present may lead to the future, the future leads to the past. Western philosophy is linear …
As Navrātri draws to a close, one tries to reflect on the past nine days. Vratā is tapas, a struggle to control and fight against your inner demons. A way to reset, a way to start afresh. The 10th day is a day of celebration. A celebration of your victory over yourself. For the battle …
