Every act is part of the karmic process; bound to have its effect. Karma is considered the all-pervading, universal law of existence. It perhaps finds its greatest relevance in the sentient minds of humans. The karma doctrine cannot be viewed from a religious standpoint; it is relevant to all, regardless of sect, community or beliefs. No one can claim to live life without performing an action – from simple life sustaining activities to highly complex scientific or spiritual enquiry. What we do dictates what we get in this life...and the next…and the next…till we are freed of our karmic burden. Genetic and transmigrating influences are, even today, subjects of research and discussion. The quantum and quality a living being brings from previous karma, if any, is a matter of intense debate, as is the effect that actions may imprint on our conscience. Deliberation on contentious issues is basic to human nature and has been part of human discourse from the dawn of civilisation. The attempt to define karma has consumed immense mental resource over the millennia, along with the search to understand the essential meaning of life. In the vast literature which exists on the subject, pundits from almost every society and religious group in the world, have attempted to explain the significance and validity of karma, or its lack. Though karma is basic to life, its purport remains veiled; deeply relevant yet poorly understood. Self awareness is a feeling of being in the universe; a substance dot in a life-process on the platter of existence, in the paradigm of time and space
This book attempts to provide a non-academic exposition of the Bhagavad Gita and Hinduism in simple and jargon-free language. Giving the background information about the basics of Hinduism and the Gita, it describes the essential messages that humankind can derive from them. Narrating how a Hindu mind is made up, it focuses on what everyone should know about Bhagavad Gita and Hinduism.
Started in 1958, Sanathana Sarathi is a monthly magazine devoted to Sathya (Truth), Dharma (Righteousness), Shanti (Peace) and Prema (Love) - the four cardinal principles of Bhagawan Baba's philosophy. It is published from Prasanthi Nilayam (the Abode of Highest Peace) and acts as a mouthpiece of Baba's Ashram as it speaks of the important events that take place in His sacred Abode, besides carrying Divine Messages conveyed through Divine Discourses of Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba. The word meaning of Sanathana Sarathi is the 'Eternal Charioteer'. It signifies the presence of the Lord in every being as the atma guiding their lives like a charioteer. It implies that he who places his life, the body being likened to a chariot, in an attitude of surrender in the hands of the Lord, will be taken care of by the Lord even as a charioteer would take the occupant of his chariot safely to its destination. The magazine is an instrument to disseminate spiritual knowledge for the moral, physical and mental uplift of humanity without any discrimination as the subject matter discussed therein is always of common interest and of universal appeal. The fifteen Vahinis - streams of sacredness - known as the Vahini Series comprising annotation and interpretation of the Upanishads and other scriptures, Itihasas like the Ramayana, the Bhagavatha and the Mahabharata, and authentic explanations on Dhyana, Dharma, Prema, etc., have been serially published in this magazine as and when they emanated from the Divine pen of Bhagawan Baba. This magazine is published in almost all Indian languages, English and Telugu from Prasanthi Nilayam and others from respective regions. Every year Sanathana Sarathi comes out with a special issue in November commemorating the Divine Birthday. The English and Telugu magazines are posted on the 10th and 23rd respectively, of every month, from Prasanthi Nilayam. This magazine has wide, ever increasing circulation in India as well as abroad, as the study of it brings the reader closer to the philosophy of the Avatar in simple understandable language THUS SPAKE SAI... Discoursing during the launch of Sanathana Sarathi... From this day, our Sanathana Sarathi will lead to victory the cohorts of truth - the Vedas, the Sastras and similar scriptures of all faiths, against the forces of the ego such as injustice, falsehood, immorality and cruelty. This is the reason why it has emerged. This Sarathi will fight in order to establish world prosperity. It is bound to sound the paean of triumph when universal Ananda is achieved.
This is the second in a series of collected essays by one of today’s most distinguished scholars of Indian Buddhism. (Publication of a third collection is planned in early 2005.) In these articles, all save one published in various places from 1994 through 2001, Gregory Schopen once again displays the erudition and originality that have contributed to a major shift in the way that Indian Buddhism is perceived, understood, and studied.
When we think of the personality of Rajju Bhaiya, we recall the words of respected Guruji while he analysed the personality of a Karyakarta (worker). Coal and diamond—both come from the root element ‘Carbon’. When coal burns, only ash is left behind. But a diamond doesn’t burn, it shines brightly. From the point of view of objectivity, both coal and diamond are same. But, from utility and acceptability coal is coal and diamond is diamond. A karyakarta should be like a diamond. Yes, Rajju Bhatya was an attractive diamond. The ‘life and times' outlined by Ratan Sharda is the life’s journey of this diamond. —Ranga Hari (Scholar, author, senior Pracharak of RSS) Prof. Rajendra Singh, popularly called Rajju Bhaiya since his early days was a brilliant but helpful, compassionate teacher in Allahabad University; served in RSS at higher levels and finally as the chief (Sarsanghchalak) from 1994 to 2000. A person with brilliant academic record who could have been a scientist of international repute, he chose to serve the nation. He was a versatile personality with photographic memory, who could tame a mischievous horse, play violine, write songs, even set music for them and sing beautifully in his mellifluous voice. Rajju Bhatya was an effulgent, ever smiling, humble and publicity shy person who had friends across the political spectrum; a spiritual scientific mind who could see nothing but goodness in every human being. This is an easy flowing account of a life that will inspire every reader.
King, Governance, and Law in Ancient India presents an English translation of Kautilya's Arthashastra (AS.) along with detailed endnotes. When it was discovered in 1923, the Arthashastra was described as perhaps the most precious work in the whole range of Sanskrit literature, an assessment that still rings true. This new translation of this significant text, the first in close to half a century takes into account a number of important advances in our knowledge of the texts, inscriptions, and archeological and art historical remains from the period in Indian history to which the AS. belongs (2nd-3rd century CE, although parts of it may be much older). The text is what we would today call a scientific treatise. It codifies a body of knowledge handed down in expert traditions. It is specifically interested in two things: first, how a king can expand his territory, keep enemies at bay, enhance his external power, and amass riches; second, how a king can best organize his state bureaucracy to consolidate his internal power, to suppress internal enemies, to expand the economy, to enhance his treasury through taxes, duties, and entrepreneurial activities, to keep law and order, and to settle disputes among his subjects. The book is accordingly divided into two sections: the first encompassing Books 1-5 deals with internal matters, and the second spanning Books 6-14 deals with external relations and warfare. The AS. stands alone: there is nothing like it before it and there is nothing after it-if there were other textual productions within that genre they are now irretrievably lost. Even though we know of many authors who preceded Kautilya, none of their works have survived the success of the AS. Being "textually" unique makes it difficult to understand and interpret difficult passages and terms; we cannot look to parallels for help. The AS. is also unique in that, first, it covers such a vast variety of topics and, second, it presents in textual form expert traditions in numerous areas of human and social endeavors that were handed down orally. Expert knowledge in diverse fields communicated orally from teacher to pupil, from father to son, is here for the first time codified in text. These fields include: building practices of houses, forts, and cities; gems and gemology; metals and metallurgy; mining, forestry and forest management; agriculture; manufacture of liquor; animal husbandry, shipping, and the management of horses and elephants- and so on. Finally, it is also unique in presenting a viewpoint distinctly different from the Brahmanical "party line" we see in most ancient Indian documents.
