The God of Grass
A beautiful legend in ancient Hindu lore narrates how, at the time of creation, the Lord assigned duties to the...
Yoga is not just asanas
Most people, around the world, consider Yoga to be a set of body contortions designed to stretch and relieve tired...
Action or inaction?
“Perform your bounden duty, for action is superior to inaction. Even the maintenance of the body would not be possible...
Made in India: Exported to China
China and India have through the ages shared not only trade but have exchanged travelers and historians and transmitted cultures...
Letting Go
A Telugu Pandit asked Ramana Maharishi to explain Nishkama karma. Ramana was silent. He used to go up the hill...
A phantom called mind
I was awakened this morning by a very joyous song, sung with gay abandon by a construction labourer. It made...
The choice is ours
Most people live with a sense of impending doom. Some wait for happiness to happen. “If I could own a...
Q &A by Swami Chidananda: III
Q: If there is an impartial God, why does he dole out miseries to some and luxuries to others? A:...
Ahimsa in Hinduism
‘Ahimsa Paramodharma’. Yes, sure it is. But, what exactly does it imply? A sad misunderstanding of our scriptures has led...
Q&A by Swami Chidananda: II
Q: Why are a lot of Hindu gurus concentrating on teaching abroad while they advise youth to practice their expertise...
Q&A by Swami Chinmayananda: I
Q: What norm should people set for themselves when greed itself is the common norm today.? A: Just as we...
True sanyasis
Ramana Maharishi was known for his friendly co-existence with animals and birds who fearlessly neared him, even lapping up food...
When trees renew themselves
When the early summer breeze flirts through the branches of trees, lovingly nudging them to ungirdle their old wintry garments,...
Avatars: The what, why and wherefore
The word ‘Avatar’ is a derivative of the Sanskrit ‘Avatarit’, which means to descend. Yes, it is a descent but...
Idol worship
Idol worship helps the mind to ideal worship. An idol is a symbol for the human mind to adore and...
Ram and Krishna Janam
The formless infinite, all pervading reality, concretising itself into a human form for the protection of the good and the...
Change in set-up, we get upset
Seeking the permanent from the ephemeral and the infinite from the finite is a mistake man constantly makes. We seek...
Gita, a handbook of practial living
The glory of Hinduism is that it is “never divorced” from everyday life but amalgamated into its very fibre. Yet,...
Nature worship in Hinduism
Nature is referred to as “Mother” in many Hindu texts. We understood long ago what Nature provides in her mysterious...
Tortoise at temple entrance
Many a Hindu temple has an etched or stone made tortoise on the doorstep of the entrance. It always faces...
Prasad Bhakti
Disappointment comes to those who make an appointment with the future. We expect love from all but never learn to...
The cracked pot
Once a poor villager had to carry water daily from a distant well right up to his faraway home. For...
Misconceptions on Hindu thought
If you really want to do something, you’ll find a way. If you don’t, you’ll find an excuse. There have...
Mirror, mirror on the wall
Seeing my reflection in a mirror I ask, “Is this me?” Is “me” the body, or is it “my” body?...
