Shihan Rohit

Guru, where are you?

Tomorrow is Guru Purnima. Oddly enough, not many people know it is. We do know Teachers Day, although it falls on an arbitrarily selected date, which does not have much to do with the Guru-shishya parampara that has defined our civilization. Gurus have now been reduced to teachers, who are paid for completing a syllabus …

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Creativity and gujjus…

Gujjus are known for a lot of things – but they are a bit missing in the creative field. I mean, when compared to their industrious nature and a penchant for business – the movies or art is not their first calling. It is in this context that a piece of news caught my attention. …

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Pandharpur Wari!

The very fact that you are alive and breathing, is a cause to celebrate, isn’t it? The mesmerising moments captured at Pandharpur Wari, the annual pilgrimage to the town of Padharpur, which is the seat of Lord Vithoba in the Indian state of Maharashtra, in honour of the deity. Palakhis (palanquin processions) carrying the paduka (foot prints) of the deity and various saints, most …

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And am back to the mantra of all mantras…

ॐ भूर् भुवः सुवः ।तत्स॑वि॒तुर्वरेण्यंभर्गो॑ दे॒वस्य॑धीमहि ।धियो॒ यो नः प्रचो॒दया॑त् ॥ om bhūr bhuvaḥ suvaḥtatsaviturvareṇyaṃbhargo devasyadhīmahidhiyo yo naḥ prachodayāt – Rigveda 3.62.10 गायत्री छन्दसामहम्  – among the chhandas – I am Gāyatri, said Sri Krishna. If there is only one mantra that you truly want to imbibe, let it be the Gāyatri. If you want one …

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A little before you sleep…

या देवी सर्वभूतेषु निद्रारूपेण संस्थिता ।नमस्तस्यै नमस्तस्यै नमस्तस्यै नमोनमः ।। Ya Devi Sarva Bhuteshu Nidra Roopen Samsithaha INamastasyai Namastasyai Namastasyai Namo Namah II O Devi, you are omnipresent. You also exist in the act of sleep.I bow to you, I bow to you, I bow to you. You are the one who is present in …

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He who sees me in everything…

ब्रह्मार्पणं ब्रह्म हविर्ब्रह्माग्नौ ब्रह्मणा हुतम् |ब्रह्मैव तेन गन्तव्यं ब्रह्मकर्मसमाधिना || 24|| brahmārpaṇaṁ brahma havir brahmāgnau brahmaṇā hutambrahmaiva tena gantavyaṁ brahma-karma-samādhinā For those who are completely absorbed in the universal consciousness, the yagna is Brahman, the ladle with which it is offered is Brahman, the act of offering is Brahman, and the agni is also Brahman. …

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The acquisition of knowledge, begins with a single prayer…

सरस्वति नमस्तुभ्यं वरदे कामरूपिणि ।विद्यारम्भं करिष्यामि सिद्धिर्भवतु मे सदा ॥ sarasvati namastubhyaṃ varade kāmarūpiṇi .vidyārambhaṃ kariṣyāmi siddhirbhavatu me sadā .. Namaskar, O Saraswati, grantor of blessings and embodiment of all wishes. Bless me as I commence my studies, and help me to be successful in the gain of knowledge. Today’s shloka is as relevant for …

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Of light and illumination…

In continuation of the series of shlokas that I have been compiling in order to teach Rohāmrta, here is the Deepa Jyothi shloka. I did try hard to search for it’s original source, but was unsuccessful. But sometimes origins do not matter. Here is a shloka that a child can recite in the evening, after …

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