Indology, History and Hinduism

The Wisdom of Vasistha: A Study on Laghu Yoga Vasistha from a Seeker’s point of view

Yogavasistha or Yogavasistha Maharamayana has been a guide book to earnest Sadhakas, all over the country. The popularity of this book appears to be due to the fact, that it is a happy combination of terse Upanisadic thought clothed in the story form. The Wisdom of Vasistha: A Study on Laghu Yoga Vasistha from a Seeker’s point of view A scripture becomes relevant, when it gives the truths of the Upanisads, using a common man’s language with illustrative stories, helps a beginner as well as an advanced seeker. It is believed by some that Sage Valmiki wrote the Ramayana for the purification of mind and to create a mood of seeking in the society. It is well known, that the story of Sri Rama, gives an exemplary ethical and moral behaviour in an individual, and a glimpse into the ideal culture, through the description of Ayodhya. For only on a strong ethical and moral foundation can one hope to build the super-structure of spirituality. Attempt has been made to cover all the stories in six Prakaranas. This book is a study by a seeker, and an attempt to present the philosophy, and practical hints contained in the book, to fellow seekers who are not very familiar with Sanskrit. It is essentially meant for inspiring the seekers to take up the study of the original text, which is a mine of practical wisdom. The essays contained herein, are glimpses into the meditations on the golden verses and their connection and relevance in our day-to-day life. Consequently, the interpretation and the perspective is not really meant for scholastic pursuits.

Author

Raghunandan

Shri Ramacharitamanasa: The Holy Lake Of The Acts Of Rama

The SHRI RAMACHARITAMANASA by Tulasidasa is the single most popular book among Hindus. This book has a huge appeal to the affluent and the poor, the learned and the uneducated, the elderly and the young, as well as the scholar and the ordinary man. It has been around for more than four centuries.

Its popularity is neither exclusive to India, nor is it just read by Hindus, neither of which is true. Because it reaffirms man’s trust in the robustness of moral order that sustains the world, the message of the RAMACHARITAMANASA is more pertinent than ever in today’s world. Dark and wicked powers may and will sometimes pose a danger to disturb that order, but eventually, divine intervention will chasten and subjugate those forces and bring them under control.

This one-of-a-kind version of the RAMACHARITAMANASA has been developed with a verse-by-verse Hindi and English translation, in addition to Tulasidasa’s original text, bearing in mind the ever-increasing interest that people have shown in epic literature. The fundamental richness of the original has been preserved in the translation that was produced by an expert scholar. It has been constructed with the intention of being of assistance to Indian brothers and sisters who are now residing outside of India and for whom the dialect used in Tulasidasa’s original may be rather difficult to understand. The enormous Indian diaspora living in other countries has, for a very long time, voiced their desire for a standard and genuine copy of the RAMACHARITAMANASA. The current version was developed to fulfil their request by using the most cutting-edge printing and processing methods available in order to produce a product that conforms to international standards.

This version is distinguished in particular by the incorporation of Lavakushakanda, Shri Hanumanchalisa, and Shri Ramashalaka Prashnavali. The manner in which it is to be recited is detailed in a separate appendix. The significant portion that includes Indian, European, and American scholars’ critiques of Tulasidasa’s RAMACHARITAMANASA is another facet that contributes to the book’s one-of-a-kind character. The last section includes a dictionary that defines significant proper nouns as well as epithets.

Dr. R.C. Prasad translated SHRI RAMACHARITAMANASA into simple and lucid English and Hindi. He was a University Professor of English in Patna University where he taught for about three decades. He was an eminent author, translator and editor. He had a good number of books to his credit.