Showing titles in Hinduism

The Avadhuta Gita is an independent treatise on Advaita and explains that doctrine in the most uncompromising terms. The word Avadhuta refers to a mystic who has done away with worldly concerns and standard social etiquette, at least in his or her heart.

Puraan saahitya bhaarateey saahitya aur jeevan kee akshunn nidhi hai. Inmein maanav jeevan ke utkarsh aur apkarsh kee anek gaathaen miltee hain. Atthaarah puraanon mein alag-alag devi- devataon ko kendr mein rakhkar paap aur punya, dharm aur adharm, karm aur akarm kee gaathaen kahee gaee hain. Is roop mein puraanon ka pathan aur aadhunik jeevan kee seema mein moolyon kee sthaapna aaj ke manushy ko ek nishchit disha de sakta hai.

Each of these prayer-poems has been spiritualized by this great man of God. Open this book, pick a poem at random and read it. Mentally repeat whatever phrase appeals to you. Within a short time, you will see your consciousness transformed. This book has the power to rapidly accelerate your spiritual growth, and provides hundreds of delightful ways for you to begin your own conversation with God.

The goal of mankind is knowledge. That is the one ideal placed before us by Eastern philosophy. Pleasure is not the goal of man, but knowledge. Pleasure and happiness come to an end. It is a mistake to suppose that pleasure is the goal. The cause of all the miseries we have in the world is that men foolishly think pleasure to be the ideal for which to strive. After a time, man finds it is not happiness, but knowledge, toward which he is going, that both pleasure and pain are great teachers, and that he learns as much from evil as from good.

In our continuous effort to be more productive and ever progressive, we tend to lose sight of the beautiful side of existence—its simplicity. A Fistful of Wisdom reminds us that life is playful and it is demanding, but it is also a gift, a precious and priceless blessing. The more we learn to appreciate the beauty in simple things, the easier our survival. This book reminds us to observe and appreciate each passing moment and experience the pure joy of just being here and now.

Moments before entering the battlefield, the great Pandava warrior, Prince Arjuna, faces a moral dilemma about the violence and death the war will cause. Questioning the meaning of life, Arjuna asks himself, "Why do I exist? Why should I fight against my loved ones? And where shall I go after I die?" Arjuna seeks out Krishna for the answers in The Bhagavad Gita, an ancient text that has been called the quintessence of the spirituality of India. Their dialogues touch upon ethical dilemmas and philosophical issues that go far beyond the war Arjuna faces.

The ancient texts of India speak of a “knowledge for kings, guarded by kings”. The Book of Dharma charts Simon Haas’ journey to India and his “excavation” of the dharma code: a powerful system for making enlightened choices and manifesting our highest potential. Haas apprenticed with an elderly master practitioner in the Bhakti tradition for 16 years and learned from him the system formerly used by kings and queens to effect personal transformation in their lives and rule wisely.

Divided into three sections - extensive commentary, English translation, and Sanskrit text with transliteration - The Pursuit of Power and Freedom is a valuable reference both for scholars and for those beginning their study of the Upanishads.

The Bhagwat Gita is the main sourcebook on yoga and is a concise summary of India’s Vedic wisdom. Yet, remarkably, the setting for this classic spiritual text is an ancient Indian battlefield. In this interpretation of the Gita, the author explains that the essence of the Gita is the equanimity of mind, which is attained by transcending it because mind consciousness is myopic and only spiritual consciousness abounds in universal love and absolute knowledge.

What Hinduism needed, amidst the general disintegration of the modern era, was a rock where she could lie at anchor, an authoritative utterance in which she might recognize her self. And this was given to her in the words and writings of the Swami Vivekananda.

The Bhagavad Gita is one of the most influential spiritual texts of ancient India. In Perennial Psychology of the Bhagavad Gita, Swami Rama makes this classic scripture accessible to all students by vividly drawing out the psychological concepts found within. The teachings in this book are based on the understanding that the outside world can be mastered only when one’s inner potentials are systematically explored and realized.

Shiva, 'the destroyer' among the Hindu trinity (of gods), is depicted in many contradictory manners. The author, Devdutt Pattanaik, introduces listeners to these varied aspects and representations, and then sets about interpreting them. He explains the different anomalies and conflicts in beliefs, as well as the symbolism, rituals and reasons behind Hindu worship.

Locked in the stories, symbols and rituals of Vishnu is the wisdom of the ancestors, transmitted over hundreds of years. This book attempts to unlock seven secrets that are relevant even in modern times.

Hinduism is practiced by nearly 80 percent of India's population, and by some 70 million people outside India. In this Very Short Introduction, Kim Knott offers a succinct and authoritative overview of this major religion, and analyzes the challenges facing it in the 21st century. She discusses key preoccupations of Hinduism such as the centrality of the Veda as religious texts, the role of Brahmins, gurus, and storytellers in the transmission of divine truths, and the cultural and moral importance of epics such as the Ramayana.

The path to true happiness and fulfillment in every area of one’s life is truly found within oneself. In this way, knowledge concerning your chakras is fundamental to reaching your highest potential and correcting problems you have faced throughout your life. Even more, addressing your chakras will help ensure you avoid issues in a proactive manner so you can move through your life with more direction, confidence, and purpose.

What Hinduism needed, amidst the general disintegration of the modern era, was a rock where she could lie at anchor, an authoritative utterance in which she might recognize her self. And this was given to her, in these words and writings of the Swami Vivekananda. What Hinduism had needed, was the organizing and consolidating of its own idea. What the world had needed was a faith that had no fear of truth. Both these are found here.

The story of the Ramayana had been told innumerable times. The enthralling story of Rama, the incarnation of God, who slew Ravana, the evil demon of darkness, is known to every Indian. And in the pages of history, as always, it is the version told by the victors that lives on. The voice of the vanquished remains lost in silence. But what if Ravana and his people had a different story to tell? The story of the Ravanayana had never been told. Asura is the epic tale of the vanquished Asura people, a story that has been cherished by the oppressed outcastes of India for 3,000 years.

India has a long, rich, and diverse tradition of philosophical thought, spanning some two and a half millennia and encompassing several major religious traditions. In this intriguing introduction to Indian philosophy, the diversity of Indian thought is emphasized. It is structured around six schools of thought that have received classic status.

Many yoga practitioners explore the benefits of yoga through its poses, but did you know that the magic and mystery of yoga lie within the power of yogic mythology? Myths of the Asanas was the first book to collect and retell the ancient tales of yogic myth to a modern audience, and has since become a beloved resource for yoga practitioners and instructors the world over. This expanded edition contains nine unheard stories about some of the yoga world's most beloved poses.

Srimad Bhagavatam is the most prominent of the Puranas, or histories of the Ancient World. The original Sanskrit text of the work, penned by the great sage Vyasadeva, says it is "as brilliant as the sun", because its teachings can illuminate our consciousness even in the darkest times. Much like the Arabian Nights, it has an intricate structure of stories within stories; epic tales of divine incarnations, saints, sages, gods and earthly kings that span vast periods of time.