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STO-504-sec To know the history of the Vaishno Devi temple we must go back to Treta Yuga when virtuous people were tormented by the Asuras (demons) Ravana, Kumbakarna, Khardushan and others. The demigods decided to create a divine personality, in the form of a girl, for their protection. To do this, they pooled the spiritual […]
Vaishno Devi: The Holy Cave Shrine This site is one of the most important for Shaktas, worshippers of the Goddess. This is a cave temple where three major goddesses are worshipped. It is dedicated to the goddesses Lakshmi, Kali and Saraswati. This is the only temple in India where all three goddesses are worshipped together. […]
Prayers (primary version) (word document download) Hindu Prayers Keep in mind that many Hindu songs, poems and mantras are also a form of prayer, and you may consult the corresponding material on this CD-Rom. It is also important to note that some of these prayers will need to be adapted for use with or by […]
Quotes from Hindu Leaders (word document for download) Selected Quotes by Hindu Leaders QTL-01 Fearlessness is the first requisite of spirituality. Cowards can never be moral. Mahatma Gandhi QTL-02 You do not like to suffer yourself. How can you inflict suffering on others? Every killing is a suicide. The eternal, blissful and natural state has […]
Prayers (secondary version) (word document download) Keep in mind that many Hindu songs and poems are also a form of prayer, and you may consult the corresponding material on this CD-Rom. Prayer for liberation and enlightenment From the temporary lead me to the eternal! From darkness lead me to light! From death lead me to […]
STO-313-sec Story 1 (short version) In the ancient times, a demon called Mahishasura earned the favour of Lord Shiva after a long meditation. Shiva, pleased with the devotion of the demon, blessed him with a boon that no man or deity would be able to kill him. Empowered with the boon, Mahishasura began his reign […]
STO-316-sec A Story connected with Diwali According to astrological calculations, the sixteen-year-old son of King Hima was destined to die by snakebite on the fourth day of his marriage. On that particular night, his young wife did not allow him to sleep. She laid all the ornaments and heaps of gold and silver coins in […]
STO-316 A Story connected with Diwali According to astrological calculations, the sixteen-year-old son of King Hima was destined to die by snakebite on the fourth day of his marriage. On that particular night, his young wife did not allow him to sleep. She laid all the ornaments and heaps of gold and silver coins in […]
STO-313 Story 1 (short version) In the ancient times, a demon called Mahishasura earned the favour of Lord Shiva after a long meditation. Shiva, pleased with the devotion of the demon, blessed him with a boon that no man or deity would be able to kill him. Empowered with the boon, Mahishasura began his reign […]
Selected Hindu Poems Download word document: Poems Please note that a list of the poets cited here is included on the last page, with reference to where further details may be found. Three Poems by Mirabai (perhaps the most famous of all the bhakti saints) Poem 1 O my mind, Worship the lotus feet of […]
Download PDF: PCT-312 The sun is one of the five deities worshipped by the Smarta tradition. These five are Vishnu, Shiva, Devi, Ganesh and Surya. Worship of the sun goes back to ancient times. The ancestors of Rama came in the Surya vamsha (dynasty of the sun) and the Sun was their worshipable deity (note: […]
Download PDF: PCT-309 Sarasvati is the Goddess of Learning and the Arts, and is closely connected with all aspects of Hindu culture. Sarasvati has three main forms: As Vach (speech personified) As the Goddess of learning and the arts As the legendary river (now dried up) She is the daughter of Brahma, but became his […]
Download PDF: PCT-304 Shakti or Devi (the goddess) is one of the three main focuses of worship. Shakti means energy and in one sense refers to all goddesses, the ‘energies’ of their respective husbands. Specifically, Shakti refers to the consort of Shiva. In other words, the Supreme Lord is represented as Shiva and his power […]
Download PDF: PCT-303 Shiva is one of the Trimurti. He presides over tama-guna (the quality of darkness) and is responsible for the destruction of the material world. He is also considered the supreme male principle (purusha), the husband of mother nature (Shakti) and is therefore also associated with creation. He is often worshipped through the […]
Download PDF: PCT-015 Shiva&Parvati Shiva is one of the trimurti (three main deities). He is in charge of destruction. He destroys the universe by dancing and beating on his drum. Shiva is white with a blue throat although he is often shown with dark blue skin. He carries a trident (a spear with three points) […]
Word document download: ART-0517 Naimisharanya is perhaps the most famous of the sacred forests. It is connected with Lord Brahma (Teachers’ Book, pages 34,48). For information on circumambulation see page 59, and for information on Vyasa and the Vedas, see pages 30,124. Naimisharanya is the spot where the Bhagavat Purana was spoken by Suta Goswami […]
Audio player for tracks extracted from the Heart Of Hinduism ‘Sounds of the Hindu World’ CD
Audio player for tracks extracted from the Heart Of Hinduism ‘Sounds of the Hindu World’ CD
Download article ‘ART-0001 Hinduism, how we see it’ as word document The Western Educationalists’ Perspective on the Vedic Tradition Rasamandala Das Rasamandala dasa has offered us this article to help clarify some of the concerns and reservations that many of us may have with educational approaches to Vedanta and Hinduism. He reassures us with his […]
Download article ‘ART-0101 God, Hindu Concepts of’ as word document Hindu Concepts of God Introduction Hinduism has no single founder, no common creed nor a unified code of practice. It boasts many founders of diverse denominations, many spiritual leaders and many sacred books. It has no traceable beginning and its past recedes into uncertainty. Yet […]
Kanniyakumari: The Southern Most Tip of India This spot is connected to Shiva and Parvati and also Lord Rama. It is relevant to the festival of Mahashivratri, the day when Lord Siva and Parvati were married. Kanniyakumari is located at the southern-most point of India, where the Bay of Bengal, the Indian Ocean and the […]
Mayapura: The Birthplace of Lord Chaitanya Mayapura is closely associated to Bengali Vaishanvism started by Chaitanya and ISKCON. Mayapura is one the most holy and peaceful places in India and is the birth place of Lord Chaitanya. He was born just after sunset on the evening of February 18th in 1486. The moon was eclipsed […]
12. AN ALTERNATIVE SOCIETY “If we forget the aim of human life and simply take supplies from the Lord for sense gratification and become more and more entangled in material existence, which is not the purpose of creation, certainly we become thieves, and therefore we are punished by the laws of material nature.” A.C. Bhaktivedanta […]
10. O KING OF TRESS I BOW BEFORE YOU O King of trees! I bow before you. Brahma is in your roots, Vishnu is in your body, Shiva is in your branches. In every one of your leaves there is a heavenly being. Amongst the new wave of people-led environmental groups in India, Trees For […]
8. VILLAGE ECONOMICS “The incessant search for material comforts and their multiplication is an evil. I make bold to say that the Europeans will have to remodel their outlook, if they are not to perish under the weight of the comforts to which they are becoming slaves.” M K Gandhi ( Young India, 1931) From […]
Glossary Many proper names are listed under this glossary with the link reference. These include names of places, people, festivals, organisations, and sacred texts. A Adi Shankara – well-known theologian and founder of the advaita school. Also called Adi Shankaracharya. Advaita – non-dualism, the name of the theology equating the soul with God. Advaitin – […]