Glimpses of Divinity

On Life and Death

kajmani — Sat, 19 May 2012 00:38:07 +0000

The subject of life and death is often viewed in the context of light and dark. It is said that one of the greatest fears of human beings is the fear of dying. The great mystic Osho has written an entire book called "Let me teach you about death" (a highly recommended read by me). The Bhagavad Gita has many references to life and death - the nature of the body, the mind, the spirit - what truly dies and what can never die and many such discussions.

Buddha Purnima – An invitation to meditation!

kajmani — Sat, 05 May 2012 18:02:41 +0000

May 6th/7th 2012 marks the full moon day, also known as purnima or poornima. But this is no ordinary purnima, as it is observed worldwide as the day that Gautam Buddha achieved full enlightenment after years of meditation under the Bodhi tree.

On Developing Indifference

kajmani — Sun, 29 Apr 2012 00:29:36 +0000

The quality or bhavana of upeksha is the fourth quality that Patanjali prescribes for the spiritual seeker, in addition to karuna (compassion), maitri (friendship) and mudita (joy).

The literal meaning of upekShA (उपेक्षा) is “overlooking, disregard, negligence, indifference, contempt or abandonment”. At first glance, indifference or negligence seems to imply that we should be insensitive [...]

The Attitude of Joy in Life

kajmani — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 02:45:26 +0000

The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali describe four bhavanas or human traits that are essential for our spiritual growth. Two of these traits – compassion and friendship – were discussed in previous articles. This article focuses on the third trait – Joy.

The particular sutra that encourages us to acquire and remain in a [...]

Why Celebrate Ramanavami?

kajmani — Sat, 31 Mar 2012 16:16:49 +0000

The ideal of Rama is the reason to celebrate Ramanavami. The story of Rama defines the concept of dharma in the form of the ideal husband, wife, brother and parents. Ramanavami is an ideal day to emulate these ideals in our lives.

Chaitra Durga Navaratri

kajmani — Fri, 23 Mar 2012 06:24:58 +0000

Chaitra Navaratri (March 23rd to March 31st 2012), or the nine (nava-) nights (-ratri) of Durga, are celebrated in the first 9 days of the bright half of the month of Chaitra (starting from the day after Amavasya). According to the Indian lunar calendar, this usually in late March or early April. This period of nine days heralds the onset of spring and also marks the beginning of the new year for the hindu calendar in most parts of India. Read more...

Holi – The Festival of Colors

kajmani — Wed, 07 Mar 2012 10:06:15 +0000

Holi or Holika, is a spring festival (March 7th/8th, 2012) celebrated at the onset of the spring season, on the full moon day (Purnima) in the month of Phalguna. It is also the first day of the Hindu calendar (samvat) and a day of great joy and gaiety in the cities of Vrindavan and Mathura. Holi means the triumph of good over evil and conquest of sensual values by spiritual values.

Maha Shivratri – Celebrating Lord Shiva

kajmani — Sat, 18 Feb 2012 21:55:40 +0000

Maha Shivratri (February 19th 2012) is celebrated in honor of Lord Shiva on the 13th (or 14th) night of the Krishna paksha (dark half or waning phase) of the moon (night before Amavasya) in the month of Phalgun (Feb-March) by almost all sects within Hinduism. It is a day of fasting for all devotees of Lord Shiva and is one of the eight most significant days of fasting in the Hindu Calendar.

Vasant Panchami – Saraswati Puja

kajmani — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 02:40:34 +0000

Vasant Panchami (also known as Basant Panchami) is a festival in honor of Goddess Saraswati, the hindu Goddess of education, learning and the fine arts (music, writing, painting, etc.). The festival is celebrated on the fifth (panch) day after the new moon (amavasaya) in the month of Magha according to the Hindu calendar (usually occurs in late January or early February). It marks the onset of spring (vasant) according to the Hindu calendar and is marked with great gaiety and celebrations all across the northern states in India. Read full article....

Pongal Festival History, Significance and Traditions

kajmani — Sun, 15 Jan 2012 09:13:32 +0000

The festival of Pongal is celebrated mainly in Southern India and is a parallel to the more widely celebrated occasion of Makar Sankranti (January 14th). Pongal is usually celebrated over a span of four days with great fervor and is connected to the harvest, the sun, the end of winter and many more traditional events which have their roots in legend and hinduism. This article is our archive (or linked-list) of (perhaps) some of the most informative articles on Pongal - they cover the subjects of tradition, significance, legends and food recipes connected with this wonderful festival. Happy Pongal!