Hinduism and Its Sources
-
Gayatri: The profound prayer
Gayatri: The profound prayer
Gayatri is a profound prayer. It is an authentic prayer that elevates, exhilarates and enlightens. According to Hindu scriptures, a prayer in its real sense is not just chanting of a few verses. It is a comprehensive exercise that involves jnana (knowledge), dhyana (meditation) and anubhava (experience). Gayatri Mahamantra is a true prayer that not only reaches out but also reaches in.
Gayatri is chanted as a Mahamantra, worshipped as the Mother Goddess and expressed as a Meter. It is not a prayer for worldly and material benefits. Gayatri is a prayer for the highest enlightenment. It is a prayer that leads to a sublime experience, a prayer that opens up our mind and vision, body and intellect to a world beyond the worldly attachments. It is a prayer that leads to the Ultimate Truth and Supreme Bliss that every enlightened human being seeks.
Gayatri, like the Vedas, is meant for the entire mankind, irrespective of gender, caste, creed, religion or nationality. It is a profound prayer that can touch and transform every human being.
This book is a good read for everyone who believes in the efficacy of prayer and meditation. It is also a good read for everyone who wishes to gain an insight into the breadth and depth of ancient Indian wisdom – the Sanathana Dharma. This informative book is meant for every generation, both young and old.
Review(s)
Gayatri-The Profound Prayer is the authorÍs first spiritual book. Writing it has been a divine spiritual experience for him. -SWAMI BALAKRISHNANANDA SARASWATHI Founder of Gayatri Tapobhoomi, Tadas, Hubli, Karnataka
Author
Madhukar
₹495.00Gayatri: The profound prayer
₹495.00 -
Moral Dilemmas in the Mahabharata
Moral Dilemmas in the Mahabharata
Here the collected papers explore the whole question of the relation between the mythopoetic and the moral in the context of the Mahabharata. Here we have a story of extreme complexity, characters that are unforgettable, and a cosmic context in which gods and men alike grapple with destiny. The obligations of kinship and friendship jostle with each other. The women characters, as in everyday life, seem to bear a very heavy load of the burden of life and to stand in a key position in almost every conflict. We are presented with predicaments at every turn. At times these predicaments seem to be aggravated by social structure. At other times they are cushioned by it. Philosophical tangles tied up with karma and dharma are interwoven with the mythopoetic material. Perhaps philosophical issues are pinpointed rather more than they are in Greek epic literature.
The essays in this book treat the Mahabharata from an unusual angle, fastening on the moral dilemmas it presents. How universal are the dilemmas faced by the characters in the story, and are the dilemmas in fact resolved? In dealing with these questions, the discussions range over the meaning of the purusarthas, the institutions of marriage and the family, the concept of action in the Gita and the special predicaments faced by Draupadi, Arjuna and others. These studies invite the scholar to reflect afresh on the text and encourage the general reader to find in epic literature much that is relevant to life today.
₹395.00 -
-
A Catalogue of Vaisnava literature: On Microfilms in the Adyar Library, The Bodleian Library and The American University
A Catalogue of Vaisnava literature: On Microfilms in the Adyar Library, The Bodleian Library and The American University
The tragic loss of precious, ancient or old copies of writings from India’s religious heritage continues into the twenty-first century. A small team of photographers and researches spent a total of eighteen months in India, locating, identifying and photographing numerous hand-printed, papers and palm-leaf manuscripts as well as some printed editions from the Vaisnava traditions.
₹495.00 -
Manusmrti, 10 Vols.: With the ‘Manubhasya’ of Medhatithi
Manusmrti, 10 Vols.: With the ‘Manubhasya’ of Medhatithi
Ganganatha Jha’s Mualti-volume Manusmrti, originally published by the University of Calcutta between 1920 and 1939 is as indicated by its subtitle “The Laws of Manu with the Bhasya of Medhatithi”, mainly an edition and translation of the Mula text together with the explanation of the most celebrated commentator. Medhatithi’s Manubhasya has been characterized by one of the leading scholars on Dharmasastra, J. Duncan M. Derrett, as a large repertory of opinion on the meaning of the “Smrti and on some fundamental questions of Dharma and Law.”
The present work is divided into three sets, i.e. Sanskrit Text (Mula), English Translation and Notes. These comprise of two, five and three volumes-in all the ten volumes. The first two volumes are devoted to (Mula) Sanskrit Text. The first consists of first six Adhyayas and the subsequent carries next six Adhyayas from Vii to XII and a detailed Index for both volumes. The next five volumes (Vol.3 to 7) belong to English Translation. The Vol.3 carries Adhyayas I and II, Vol.4 contains Adhyayas III and IV, Vol.5 has Adhyayas V to VII, Vol 6 has Adhyaya 8, and Vol.7 has last four Adhyayas (IX to XII). All volumes contain a detailed Index. The last three volumes (8 to 10 are devoted to detailed Notes conducive to understanding the subject of the Smrti even to an interested average reader. These belong to textual, explanation and comparative respectively. These contain much useful informations
₹25,000.00 -
Movements with the Cosmic Dancer: On Pilgrimage to Kailash Manasarovar
Movements with the Cosmic Dancer: On Pilgrimage to Kailash Manasarovar
Lakshmi Bandlamudi’s description of her journey to Kailash and Manasarover, representing as they do Purusha and Prakriti, the masculine and the feminine nature of existence, is deeply moving because she connects it to her own inner spiritual quest. Replete with mythical stories regarding Shiva and Parvati, and written with a special emphasis on the feminine, this book is a moving testament of a living faith which has persisted for thousands of years.
Lakshmi Bandlamudi’s script is a sublimely cosmic dance in itself hinting at a difficult life and a less than easy journey; she nonetheless describes her journey to Kailash the home of Shiva, as a transcendental pilgrimage of the soul. The story Tibetan territory she must traverse becomes almost irrelevant in her soul’s searching for answers to questions, which are both personal and universal.
Author
Lakshmi Bandlamudi
₹295.00 -
The Philosophy of Hinduism and Other Essays
The Philosophy of Hinduism and Other Essays
In the Philosophy of Hinduism – Dr. S. Radhakrishnan, has explained the central features of faiths of Hinduism, its philosophical and spiritual doctrine, religious experience, ethical character and traditional faiths. Hinduism is a process and not a result, a growing tradition and not a fixed revelation as in other faiths. He has compared the Christanity, Islam and Buddhism in the light of Hinduism and stressed that ultimate aim of these religions is the attaintment of universal self. The analysis of religions is highly intellectual and balanced looking to whole hearted response he received for these lectures in U.K. He has been then aclaimed as another Vivekananda. The articles in the book reflect the mind of this great philosopher.
₹250.00 -
Upanisads: (Selections from 108 Upanisads)
Upanisads: (Selections from 108 Upanisads)
Dr. TMP Mahadevan gives here an easy to read translation of selections from the 108 Upanisads. The eternal truths revealed so long ago are still valid today, and in this easy flowing style they provide moments of truth and enlightenment in the modern materialistic world in which we now live.
The first chapter introduces the reader to the back ground of the Upanisads and elucidates the underlying philosophy. A short introduction to each of the following chapters further explains their meaning. Many sayings, known and frequently used, will be found here in their original context.
Author
T.M.P. Mahadevan
₹345.00 -
Karnananda-Krishnachandra Goswami Pranit: (Granthkarkrit-Arthkaumudi-Tika-Sanyukth)
Karnananda-Krishnachandra Goswami Pranit: (Granthkarkrit-Arthkaumudi-Tika-Sanyukth)
Karnananda-Krishnachandra Goswami Pranit’s book summary is as follows: (Granthkarkrit-Arthkaumudi-Tika-Sanyukth) We may learn much from their spiritual culture, which was not only a major factor in shaping the Western world’s history, but which still has a lot to offer us in the present day. The Rig-complex Veda’s symbols, metaphors, and tales codify India’s archaic spirituality, which is proved to be considerably older than has been traditionally supposed by academics. A fascinating mathematical and astronomical code hidden in the Vedic hymns is also revealed in this book. This well-researched and cross-cultural work will fascinate and enhance anyone interested in ancient cultural history, India, archaeoastronomy, or spirituality. It is fascinating.
Author
Hitanand Goswami
₹150.00 -
Hindu Scriptures
Hindu Scriptures
Hindu Scriptures is a unique collection of Hindu texts spanning more than
twenty centuries.
Two anthologies entitled Hindu Scriptures have previously appeared in
the Everyman series alone, that of Nicol MacNicol in 1938 and that of
Professor R.C. Zaehner in 1966. This present title is the enlarged edition
of R.C. Zaehner’s anthology, with the addition of three fresh translations,
its broad range includes arcane hymns of the ancient Aryans, a manual of
prescriptions governing every aspect of the daily life of the orthodox, and
rich poetry that describes with heady sensuality the dalliance of Krsna and
the cowherd women of Vraja in the nights of the autumn moon. The texts are
arranged in chronological order and the Introduction explains the reasons
for their inclusion, sets them in context, and briefly characterizes their
contents.
₹725.00Hindu Scriptures
₹725.00 -
Ramayana (BUCK)
Ramayana (BUCK)
Compared to the western epics, the Ramayana and Mahabharata are more complete story of Hindu, religious, cultural and social imagination and more exact narration of evolutionary rise of man. In this book, William Buck has succeeded better than anyone else in conveying the spirit of the
original.
The task of presenting a faithful image of the original text, its metaphysical nuances as well as its chronological sequence the world’s largest epic in a small book is a stupendous task.
Mainly as a narration, the version of William Buck will serve as an interesting and complete tale to the English speaking reader. Valmiki was called the Adikavi or “first poet” of Sanskrit literature and some of his remarkable talent shines forth in the English rendering. The reader will find pleasure in reading it aloud to himself or the others.
₹795.00Ramayana (BUCK)
₹795.00 -
Mahabharata (Buck)
Mahabharata (Buck)
The Mahabharata is an Indian epic, in its original Sanskrit probably the largest ever composed. It is the story of a dynastic struggle that provides a social, moral, and cosmological background to the climatic battle. The present English rendition is a retelling based on a translation of the Sanskrit original published by Pratap Chandra Roy, Published in the beginning of this century. William buck has condensed the story. The old translation from which he worked covers 5800 pages of print, while his own book is less than a tenth of that length. But by and large, Buck’s rendition reflects the sequence of events in the Sanskrit epic, and he uses the traditional techniques for instance, of stories within stories, flashbacks, moral lessons laid in the mouths of principal characters. There are other English versions of the Mahabharata, some shorter, some longer. But apart from William Buck’s rendition, none have been able to capture the blend of religion andmartial spirit that pervades the original epic. It succeeds eminently in illustrating how seemingly grand and magnificent human endeavors turn out to be astoundingly insignificant in the perspective of eternity.
Publisher’s Preface, Introduction, Part I: In the Beginning, A Mine of Jewels and Gems, The Ring and the Well, Fire and Flame, Indraprastha, The Falling Sand, Part II: In the Middle, 6:00 Nala and Damayanti, 7:00 The Thousand-Petaled Lotus, An Iron Net, Virata, The Invasion, Do Not Tell, Sanjaya Returns, Trees of Gold, The Enchanted Lake, The Night, Part III: In the End, The Blade of Grass, The Lonely Encounter, Parikshita, The Timeless Path, The City of Gates, Notes, Reference List of Characters
₹425.00Mahabharata (Buck)
₹425.00 -
The Mandukya Upanisad and the Agama Sastra: An Investigation into the Meaning of the Vedanta
The Mandukya Upanisad and the Agama Sastra: An Investigation into the Meaning of the Vedanta
The Mandukya Upanisad and the Agama Sastra: An Investigation into the Meaning of the Vedanta
₹535.00 -
Apad-Dharma in the Mahabharata: How to Face Calamities at Personal, State, and Global Levels
Apad-Dharma in the Mahabharata: How to Face Calamities at Personal, State, and Global Levels
The literal meaning of the Sanskrit word “Apaddharma” is “dharma appropriate at the time of calamity”. The Mahabharata’s use of this expression implies that, in the opinion of the author of this epic, the traditional varnashramadharma would not prove to be strong enough to protect the society, if and when there is a calamity. Therefore, Vedic scholars ought to have welcomed the messages of Apad-dharma when the society was actually attacked by external forces during the premodern period.
The historical background of the present study poses an important, academic question: “How could the Indian society have protected itself against external attacks during the pre-modern period?” Research-based answers to such Indiarelated questions occupy the initial part of this book to which a global dimension has been added by digging deep into Mahabharata’s innumerable stories. Results of innovative investiga-tions into the general question “How to face calamities at personal, state and global levels”, are presented here in terms of a modern, scientific framework, and expressed in a non-denominational
terminology, relevant to the problems of the 21st century. Readers from all parts of the world can get a strong message of social responsibility from this book, and accordingly make their contribution to the cause of world peace.
₹225.00 -
The Call of the Upanishads
The Call of the Upanishads
The seers and sages of Ancient India revealed fundamental principles of perennial philosophy. The Upanishads contain the essential principles of this perennial-this ageless philosophy. They contain a large number of inspiring and instructive passages and verses. It has not been possible to include all of them in this book. For the purposes of this book the author has taken those verses and passages that have a bearing on the mystical teaching of the Upanishads. It is mysticism which is the very core of the Upanishads-and so in understanding its mysticism one comes to the heart of the sublime and magnificent teaching of the Upanishads. In this age, where science and technology may lead us into a world devoid of meaning and significance. Modern man needs today a meaningful philosophy if the achievements of science are not to lead him to greater and greater destruction-but to sublime and majestic heights of creative living. It is in the Vision of Life given by the Upanishads that man can find the fundamental philosophy of Creative Living-a philosophy that can serve as a Beacon Light even in the midst of surrounding darkness, a philosophy that can lead him from the unreal to the Real, from darkness to Light, from death to Immortality.
₹495.00The Call of the Upanishads
₹495.00 -
The Upanayana: The Hindu Ceremonies of the Sacred Thread
The Upanayana: The Hindu Ceremonies of the Sacred Thread
It appears from ManuÍs institutes that they are meant as much for the householder in the
second order of life_garhasthya_as for the student. The laws for the brahmanas are severer and they are expected to subject themselves to harder physical and mental disciplines, forsaking all attachment of their organs to sensual pleasures. A brahmana student must keep them under complete
control and bear in mind that desire is never extinguished by the enjoyment of desired objects; it only grows stronger like a fire fed with clarified butter.
But all this appears to have vanished. It is unfortunate that many brahmanas, starkly ignorant
of the Vedic rcas and scriptural teachings, are often called upon to perform the ceremonies. There is substance in their contention that since the times have changed, the ceremonial laws too must be thoroughly revised and modified to bring them in conformity with the present-day ethos. They also argue that, as the mantras are in Sanskrit, very few people are able to chant them with complete understanding of their inherent meaning and importance. It is to meet their demand for a simple text with explanatory instructions that this book has been written. Its readers can be scholarly priests or non-scholarly householders or both. To some this may sound a profanation of the ceremonial laws, but the intention is pious and therefore this attempt to democratize and
expound the esoteric is forgivable.
Upanayana is one of the sixteen samskaras or purificatory rites in which a boy is invested with the sacred thread and thus endowedwith second or spiritual birth and qualified to learn the Veda by heart. In this ceremony the boy goes to an Acarya well-versed in the Vedas with a view to be initiated into Vedic studies or a Guru draws a boy towards himself and initiates him into one of the three twice-born classes. From the day the initiation ceremony takes place the young celibate commits himself to a life of austerity and abstinence; he chooses to lead a life rigorously disciplined by vows and disciplinary rules.
₹275.00 -
The Vivaha: The Hindu Marriage Samskaras
The Vivaha: The Hindu Marriage Samskaras
Ceremonial rites and rituals occupy a place of utmost importance in the life of a devout Hindu. In fact there are no vital actions-birth, initiation, marriage, death etc.-which can be allowed to be performed without its appropriate rite or samskara. The number of samskara has been fluctuating but was finally fixed at sixteen.
Marriage is the most important and elaborate out of these sixteen samskaras. Manu enjoins that rituals should be performed in the case of a virgin for legalizing the marriage, legitimatizing children and avoiding public scandal.
The mantras used in the nuptial rites being in Sanskrit are beyond the comprehension of not only the average Hindu but even the common priests entrusted with the duty of conducting the rituals. To overcome this difficulty the present book was originally prepared in Hindi and is now translated into English with the mantras etc. romanized for the benefit of those who do not have adequate knowledge of Hindi, for example especially those whose forefathers had migrated to remote countries during the last one hundred years or so
₹395.00 -
Ramayana At A Glance
Ramayana At A Glance
The world is the stage on which the Lord played the part of Rama as the ideal son, brother, husband, step-son, and king. The story of Rama and Sita is verily the story of humanity. Sita, Rama’s devoted consort, enacted the role of the dutiful, chaste wife who cared for nothing but her beloved Rama. Lakshmana was the perfect brother, and Bharata and Shatrughna were exemplary in their devotion to their step-brother, Rama.
The next main character, Hanuman, is the embodiment of a surrendered devotee the pinnacle of Bhakti Yoga. The ten-headed Ravana, who plays the antagonistic role, symbolizes our ten senses (5 senses of knowledge and 5 senses of action). During the war, Rama beheads Ravana, which is characteristic of a yogi conquering the senses.
The characters in the Ramayana relate to our own human drama. The Ramayana teaches us a way of life. It shows how to have pure love among family members and toward society and gives us a
method to control the ten senses and the mind for inner peace and spiritual bliss.
Singing the LordÍs name on the gross plane can bring us to the transcendental level where sound manifests as pure energy. The name and form disintegrate in Pure Consciousness and ultimate peace is experienced. Repetition of the Lord’s name in the form of japa or kirtan will bring the transcendental, blissful experience attained by the great devotees and saints like Bhakta Mira
Bai, Tukaram, and in the present time, Sri Sant Keshavadas, Santji has followed the tradition of our great saints and devotees of the past and has now brought the story of the Ramayana for 20th century man.
₹345.00Ramayana At A Glance
₹345.00 -
The Hidden Wisdom of the Goddess
The Hidden Wisdom of the Goddess
The Hidden Wisdom of the Goddess is an extended meditation in the form of a novel that follows the Devimahatmya’s basic outline, condensed here and expanded there in freely imaginative ways. In the Devimahatmya the seer Medhas teaches through the language of myth, which cries out for interpretation, because little is spelled out. The Hidden Wisdom to the Goddess communicates the hidden wisdom of the holy man’s teachings simply, directly, and eloquently.
Most of the book consists of newly invented scenes, incidents, and conversations between Medhas and his two disciples, the king Suratha and the merchant Samadhi. As the book progresses, the main characters become fleshed out and take on a life of their own. All the while, the writing probes ever deeper into the mysterious of human existence.
₹295.00The Hidden Wisdom of the Goddess
₹295.00 -
Karmakand-Pradeep: Dashakarmadipaddhti
Karmakand-Pradeep: Dashakarmadipaddhti
₹175.00
