Saraswati, the Vedic Goddess and River
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Saraswati, the Vedic Goddess and River

ByShruti Bakshi

One of the earliest goddesses worshipped in India since Vedic times, Saraswati devi, goddess of speech, wisdom, and expression, was believed to have found physical expression on earth also in the form of the ancient river Saraswati. The Rig Veda adores and praises this goddess as the ‘best of all mothers’, ‘best of all rivers’ and ‘best of all goddesses’ as Shruti Bakshi notes.

Brahma’s Lie and the Delusion of Certainty

Brahma’s Lie and the Delusion of Certainty

ByLivingWise Project

“Brahma’s lie marks the first act of fundamentalism on the planet. The flower is punished for bearing witness and offering tacit support to the fundamentalist impulse. To claim a limited end to a limitless process, to reduce the infinite to the finite, to draw borders across the borderless, to make measurements of the unfathomable – this is the beginning of the human impulse to create certainty where none exists. It is the birth of pain, of suffering, of delusion.”
– Read more of the excerpt from the book Adiyogi: The Source of Yoga by Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev.

Vivekananda’s Message to the West and the Historic September 11 Speech
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Vivekananda’s Message to the West and the Historic September 11 Speech

ByShruti Bakshi

In 1893, Swami Vivekananda gave some of the most powerful speeches in history at the Parliament of World Religions. The speeches were an instant hit in America and still remembered the world over today. The article includes the text of his September 11 opening address at the conference.

Guru’s Words on ‘Guruvada’ – Part I

Guru’s Words on ‘Guruvada’ – Part I

ByBeloo Mehra

“I had the same kind of violent objection to Gurugiri, but you see I was obliged by the irony of things or rather by the inexorable truth behind them to become a Guru and preach the Guruvada.” – Sri Aurobindo
What is a Guru? In light of current events, it appears Indians desperately need to dig deeper into their spiritual traditions to understand this. Beloo Mehra’s insightful exposition drawing on the insights and wisdom of Sri Aurobindo makes for a must-read in this regard.

Life Advice from Dr Radhakrishnan

Life Advice from Dr Radhakrishnan

ByLivingWise Project

“Religion is what we do with ourselves when we are alone. In every one of us is a secret shrine where no one could intrude, to which we must retire as often as possible and discover what our true self is as distinct from the appearance we present to the world outside. Most of us are self-deceivers and constant examination alone can save us….”
5 September has been celebrated as Teacher’s Day in India since 1962 in honour of the great scholar and philosopher Dr S. Radhakrishnan who became President of India in 1962. In this excerpt from this essay ‘My Search for Truth’, Dr Radhakrishnan gives valuable advice not only for teachers but all people in general.

Vedic Chanting: An Amazing World at the Intersection of Tones and Letters
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Vedic Chanting: An Amazing World at the Intersection of Tones and Letters

ByDr Sivaram Hariharan (Sydney Kishore)

Vedic chants are considered to be the oldest unbroken oral tradition in the world. They are incredibly sophisticated arrangements of tones and letters that have a profound impact on the consciousness of the listener. Here we have the fortune of having a trained practitioner and teacher of Vedic chants, Dr Sivaram Hariharan aka Sydney Kishore, who describes his experience of learning Vedic chanting and some of the technicalities involved.