January 2012
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Truth and the Perception of Truth
Truth is universal. Perception of truth is not. Truth alone triumphs. The end.
December 2011
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Beyond Religion by The Dalai Lama
In his new book “Beyond Religion: Ethics for a Whole World”, His Holiness the Dalai Lama argues that religion is not a necessity for pursuing a spiritual life. Rather he proposes a system of secular ethics that transcends religion as a way to recognize our common humanity and so contributes to a global human community based on understanding and mutual respect.
Ten years ago, in his...
October 2011
1 post
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Lobbycracy or Democracy?
United States of America is widely regarded by the world as the champion of democracy. So what does the term democracy mean in USA and rest of the world. The word democracy is formed by the combination of the ancient Greek terms demos (people) and kratos (power). Putting these two terms together, the meaning of democary is derived as power to the people or people power.
As part of democracy,...
August 2011
3 posts
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Sanatana Dharma is the essence of Hinduism
Lead Us From the Unreal To the Real, Lead Us From Darkness To Light, Lead Us From Death To Immortality, OM (the universal sound of God) Let There Be Peace Peace Peace.
– Brihadaranyaka Upanishad 1.3.28.
The above is the very essence of the Sanatana Dharma, the eternal law of Hinduism. To comprehend the meaning of Sanatana Dharma, one must know the eternal function of the soul.
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Krishna Gopala Krishna
The divine Amma or Mata Amritanandamayi singing Krishna Gopala Krishna along with her troupe.
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How to Overcome Ego’s Hold on You
Some great suggestions to help you transcend ingrained ideas of ego and self-importance, along with seven downright easy steps for overcoming Ego’s tight grip on you. 1. Stop being offended.
Don’t take everything personal.
The behavior of others isn’t a reason to be immobilized. That which offends you only weakens you. If you’re looking for occasions to be offended, you’ll find them at every...
July 2011
2 posts
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EGO stands for Edging God Out
EGO is a word we hear a lot about these days, we all have one, some are larger then others, but in someway we all have one. The ego serves only one purpose, and that is to make you feel better about whom you are. That in-of-it self is not a bad thing, but the ego has no concern for others, or really for it’s self.
The ego will, and has, destroyed many a great person, all in the name of...
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“The ego is a very powerful elephant which cannot be brought under control by any...”
– Ramana Maharshi
June 2011
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Origin and Basis of Inequality Among Men
Jean-Jacques Rousseau, one of the greatest figures of French enlightenment, discusses two types of inequality, natural or physical and ethical or political. Natural inequality involves differences between one man’s physical strength and that of another – it is a product of nature. Rousseau is not concerned with this type of inequality and wishes to investigate moral inequality. He argues moral...
May 2011
1 post
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The Good Life as defined by the Bubble Generation
The economy we have today will let you chow down on a supersize McBurger, check stock quotes on your latest smartphone, and drive your giant SUV down the block to buy a McMansion on hypercredit. It’s a vision of the good life that many aspire which the noted economist Amartya Sen termed as hedonic opulence. And it’s a conception built in and for the industrial age, about buying and...
April 2011
4 posts
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Why commoners are fascinated by royalty?
The royal wedding of the century as was hyped by international media was wrapped in about an hour on Friday, April, 29, 2011. Britain’s Prince William married Catherine “Kate” Middleton in a storybook ceremony at Westminster Abbey in central London in the United Kingdom (UK).
Prince William is the elder son of The Prince of Wales and the late Diana, Princess of Wales and he is...
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Dalai Lama's Quotes on Kindness
The Dalai Lama is one of the best known living ambassadors for peace in the 21st century world we live in. He is famous for his quotes and views on many topics that touch the lives as lived in this modern era, and his signature jovial smile also highlights his inner peace that radiates contentment.
Here are a couple of quotes by the Dalai Lama on the importance of kindness in the world we...
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The logic behind global military spending?
Military spending among all countries totaled $1.63 trillion in the year 2010, but that was up just 1.3% from the year 2009. Such military spending includes weapons, military equipment, soldiers and the cost of maintaining and upgrading a country’s military infrastructure. Take a look at what some of the world’s top 10 costliest militaries, which is a listing of top 10 countries ranked by...
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The BRICS decade or two?
The BRICS, comprised of emerging economic countries Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa, will restructure international economic and diplomatic relations over the next 10 to 20 years. Currently, representing around 40% of the world’s population and nearly a quarter of global economic output, the BRICS countries hold the reins of the economic engine for this and coming decade.
In...
February 2011
1 post
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WatchGoogle, Bing, and Blekko Talk Spamish
Long long before in web years, before there was spam filters in email, our inbox was mostly filled with spam. Now thanks to spam filters, we are able to see the main email in the inbox.
Is this the story with web search today? Article spam, content farm, 10 articles on how to tie your shoe, how to build a brick wall, watch the above Big Think video on...
January 2011
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The Essence of the Bhagavad Gita
The Bhagavad Gita is the sacred Hindu scripture for the religion Hinduism, is often referred to as the “song of God” or the “manual for mankind”, and is composed in the Sanskrit language.
The Bhagavad Gita comprises exactly 700 verses, and is drawn part of the great Hindu epic Mahabharata. The Gita is based on the conversation between Lord Krishna and the Pandava Prince...
July 2010
2 posts
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Albert Einstein's thoughts on Spirit and Science
Albert Einstein is considered as one of the greatest physicist ever in the modern world, and his ideas on theoretical physics and his invention or solving of the famous energy mass equation have significantly impacted every aspect of modern life. However, the same man is considered a great philosopher who penned the following quotes on humanity and true religiousness as noted below:
“A...
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Deham Naham Koham Soham
In the Hindu vedas or the central teaching of advaita vedanta, the Sanskrit language phrase —‘deham naham;koham? soham’ — Sri Ramana Maharshi explains in his own words why and how this pure consciousness ‘I’ will destroy our ego. The four words ‘deham naham; koham? soham’, each of which is in turn the first word of each of the four lines of this verse (in Sanskrit), mean ‘the body (deham) [is]...
December 2009
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The cosmic dance of Shiva
In most Indian houses, you find an idol or a picture of the dancing Shiva - Nataraja - dancing on a lotus pedestal with one leg raised and crushing a baby-like demon by his foot. A semi-circle arch of flames surround the dancing Shiva. Shiva’s hair is flying all across. A cobra sits on top of his head and the goddess Ganges and a crescent moon also adorn his hair. He wears a man’s earring on...
November 2009
3 posts
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The grand illusion of maya
In the great epic Mahabharata, when Duryodhana enters the hall of illusion (maya sabha), he loses his way, becomes confused and envious. Seeing his predicament when Draupadi, laughs at him, he becomes uncontrollably angry, feeling insulted, and vows to take revenge against the Pandava clan for their audacity to display their power and wealth to belittle him in the presence of women. It is in the...
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Calming the eye of the storm?
In the story of the calming the storm in the Bible as mentioned in Mark 4:35-41, in which the wind and the seas obey Jesus to return to a still calm, could this actually refer to Jesus saying we must bring peace into our stormy minds by calming the sea of thoughts that arise?
And there arose a great storm of wind, and the waves beat into the ship, so that it was now full.
And he was in the...
October 2009
4 posts
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Sanatana Dharma or the eternal function of the...
Sanātana Dharma or Sanatan-dharma means “eternal religion” or “the eternal function of the soul”, comprises of spiritual laws which govern the human existence. Sometimes we identify with a particular faith or religion, which is changeable, but our eternal religion remains integral to our real self or soul, which is unchangeable.
Sanatana Dharma, also meaning “Eternal or...
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The flow of energy through the seven chakras
Chakra is a Sanskrit word literally meaning wheel or circle which describes the whirlpools or vortices of energy located in the astral spine in our body. The chakras are a part of what might be called our spiritual anatomy.
The seven chakras with their location within the body are described below:
Muladhara (Sanskrit: मूलाधार, Mūlādhāra) Base or Root Chakra (last bone in spinal cord *coccyx*)
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WatchSrila Prabhupada, founder of The International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON), talks on the Science of God.
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“God equals man minus ego.”
– Sri Sathya Sai Baba
September 2009
12 posts
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“I count him braver who overcomes his desires than him who conquers his enemies;...”
– Aristotle
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Material Nature of the Human Mind
ABC Nightline program had another thought provoking debate part of the Face-off series which was centered around the Seventh Commandment “Thou shall not commit adultery”. It posed the quintessential question - “Are we born to cheat?” to it’s guest panel and a large audience. The debate touched various aspects of God and morality as per the teachings of the Bible and...
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Is Buddha relevant in the mordern world?
As I was pondering the relevance of Buddha and his Buddhist principles in the modern world we live in, some interesting questions surfaced:
Do desiring and acquiring make us happy?
Does large-scale political change really address human suffering?
Many books have been written about Gautama Budhha and Buddhism, many debates have been made, and many essays written on this subject, but the...
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Be intoxicated with Krishna consciousness
…and awaken the divine self within. So what are the reasons that drive people towards artificial intoxicants and chemicals, when they could be seeking pleasure in spiritual consciousness of Krishna.
Take shelter - People take shelter of artificial intoxication as they try to decrease their pains and troubles by forgetting them as they drown themselves in the intoxicated state. This way of...
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Indian citizens have most money in Swiss Bank...
India has more than a billion citizens and is poor in per capita income terms compared to the rest of the world, but can you believe that Indians have the most money in Swiss bank accounts - all black money.
Read the last paragraph in the report published in The Economic Times, says that 1.4 trillion dollars worth of Indian black money was lying in the Swiss banks as of in 2006.
Updated...
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Do you trust your mind or your spirit?
Deepak Chopra says:
“I don’t trust my mind, but I do trust my spirit which is beyond my mind. My mind is full of contradictions, and paradoxes, and definitions, and labels, and judgments, and good, and evil, I don’t trust my mind at all, but I do trust my spirit which is beyond all of us.”
Watch the video clip here for the above words in the broader context.
The...
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“Capitalism is socialism for the self.”
– Michael Moore, the famed documentary filimmaker in his new movie ‘Capitalism: A Love Story’ has attacked Wall Street and the American capitalist free-market system, saying it only benefits the top 1% in terms of wealth on top of the pyramid, leaving the bottom 95% disadvantaged. He goes...
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August 2009
9 posts
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Different religious faiths and spiritual paths...
Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa is a famous mystic of 19th-century India, who religious school of thought led to the formation of the Ramakrishna Mission in India. The great master is regarded as the leader of the harmony of all religions teachings as in “As many faiths, so many paths”. Ramakrishna Mission centers all over the world, started by his famous disciple Swami Vivekananda, are...
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WatchAmma sings Mahishhaasura mardini stotram (Aigiri Nandini). Composed in sanskrit by Adi Shankaraacharya.
1. ayi girinandini nanditamedini visvavinodini nandinute | girivaravindhya shirodhinivasini vishnuvilasini jisnunute | bhagavati he shitikanthakutumbini bhoorikutumbini bhoorikrute | jaya jaya he mahishasuramardhini ramyakapardini shailasute || 2. suravaravarshini durdharadharshini...
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“Those that have the qualification to understand the Bhagavad-Gita are of three...”
– Baladeva Vidyabhusana
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Science, evolution and the inner journey
OSHO clearly states the role of science and why it has never understood the inner journey of the self. Watch him deliver the explanation rejecting science in the video: OSHO: Science and the Inner Journey
Yes, there is no difficulty. Words can be defined clearly. The difficulty is not because of the words, the basic difficulty is coming from somewhere else. That is, the scientist, deep down,...
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God is one and is the divinity within oneself
Siddhar Baba Nataraj has been in tapas for over 45 years and is a Siddhar master. His mastery is apparent through his egoless nature of utter humility, overflowing love and childlike joys. Wild animals, from squirrels to birds literally walk on his hands with no fear. Baba teaches ahimsa - non-harming and non-violence, self-mastery and the essence of the mystical Siddhar tradition.
Siddhar...
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The Bhagavad Gita - The Song of the God
The Bhagavad Gita (Sanskrit भगवद् गीता, Bhagavad Gītā, “Song of the God”) is an important and revered sacred scripture of Hinduism, and is considered as one of the most important religious classics of the world. The Bhagavad Gita is a part of the epic Mahabharatha, comprising of 700 verses. The teacher of the Bhagavad Gita is Sri Krishna, who is regarded by the Hindus as the supreme...
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The Life and Message of Sri Ramana Maharishi
As a young man of 17, in South India, Sri Ramana Maharshi suddenly had an overwhelming sense of imminent death. So sure was he that he was about to die that he simply lay down and relaxed into the inevitable. Holding still as a corpse and holding his breath, as though already dead, he inquired into ‘who’ it was that died. What he realized was that the ‘I’, the awareness...
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What does Paramahamsa mean?
The Hamsa (means ”swan” in Sanskrit) is an important motif in Advaita Vedanta school of Hindu philosophy. It refers to attainment of sannyasa or the highest stage of achievement in Hinduism, and this honorific is usually given only after a probation of at least 12 years as an ascetic and only to those who have achieved full self-knowledge.
Its symbolic meanings are:
Upon verbally...
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Foreign Greed Buying Up Farmland in Africa and...
Wealthy government funds and investment funds funded by high-networth individuals, are buying up farmland in Africa and Asia to grow food, a profitable business, with a rapidly growing global population and rapidly rising prices for food worldwide due to increased demand. The high-stakes game of real-life monopoly is leading to a new form of modern colonialism to which many poor countries submit...
July 2009
13 posts
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What is ego and why are we wearing an ego mask?
Much of the problems in today’s world is somewhat directly or indirectly related to the ego within our self. Mr. Ego has grown in us since childhood, well nurtured and often not easily deflatable. Ego is not our real self and sits over our heart, clouds our thinking that comes out of the brain. Many of us wear an ego mask giving a false persona (persona derives from the Latin for “mask”),...
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“Knowing others is intelligence;
knowing yourself is true wisdom.
Mastering...”
– Lao Tzu
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The greatest battle ever?
Man and mankind have fought many battles from time immemorial, wars will not cease now nor in the distant future, until every individual, society, community, race, nation, world, and this entire universe, become aware of one simple truth of the nature of our very existance. The only progress humans have achieved so far in the fighting and the art of war, is that in the stone age people threw...