Buddhist Art in India and Sri Lanka: 3rd Century bc to 6th Century ad- A Critical Study

Virender Kumar Dabral

D.K. Print World Ltd

The ancient Indian tradition and literature accords a supreme place to the Sun in the order of divinities, revering and worshipping it as the life-force of the Universe and the highest Reality. The commentary by Swami Tattvavidananda Saraswati in this volume comes as an attempt to unravel the power and mystique of the Sun as explained in the Aditya Hrdayam, a small canto chapter offering obeisance to the Sun God in the immortal epic, Srimadramayanam of Adikavi Valmiki. The book presents the original Sanskrit mantras of the 'Aditya Hrdayam' along with their Roman transliteration and lucid English translation. The verses are accompanied by detailed annotations that describe every term, concept and idea with great clarity. The commentary, easy to follow and fluent in flow, explores the secret of the eternal stotra, Aditya Hrdayam conveyed by Sage Agastya to Lord Rama using which the latter emerged victorious over Ravana. Aditya Hrdayam is hailed as one of the greatest tributes to the Sun by our ancient sages that provides insights into the importance of the Sun as the creator and sustainer of the Universe, the ultimate source of all wealth. The commentary involves copious references to Taittiriya Samhita, Taittiriya Aranyaka, Taittiriya Upanisad, Chandogya Upanisad, Srimadbhagavadgita, etc. , which make it all the more comprehensive and scholarly.

Aditya Hrdayam: With the Commentary Tattvaprakasika

Religion & Spirituality

Tattvavidananda Saraswati

Hinduism

Classic reference work, just reprinted in a deluxe edition

Hindu Mythology: Vedic and Puranic (Deluxe Paper Edition)

Politics & Social Sciences

W.J. Wilkins

Social Sciences

"With this verse you are entering into an intense spiritual discipline." Thus concludes the commentary of the first verse of Atmopadesa Satakam, the One Hundred Verses of Self Instruction of Narayana Guru, the best known of his major works. Epitomizing the essence of Guru-disciple transmission, That Alone: The Core of Wisdom recounts 100 darsanas presenting the meaning of Atmopadesa Satakam to a group of disciples. The power of the Hundred Verses is summed up by Guru Nitya: "There is no need to learn each verse and then rationally apply it in everyday life. You can even hear it and forget it. Forgetting means it only goes deeper into you. Once you have heard it, it will go and work its way by itself. The effect will be very subtle. It comes almost without you knowing that it is something which you heard that is enabling you to see things in a new light or make resolutions in a certain more helpful way." Combining scientific rigor with mystical rapture, this book has the power to bring about a total transformation of consciousness by leading the reader to his or her own Core, wherein lies the essence of wisdom.

That Alone the Core of Wisdom: A Commentary on Atmopadesa Satakam

Guru Nitya Chaitanya Yati

Philosophy

In the pattern of Bertrand Russell s History of Western Philosophy, this book focuses on the evolution of philosophy in India with reference to socio-political and economic conditions, through which one can learn that life and thought are invariably interconnected with polity and persons, economy and environment. The first chapter demonstrates the socio-political, geographical and racial causes for the formation of human thinking, followed by a chapter on what philosophy is and the nature of Indian philosophy. The Vedas and Upanishads, the Bhagavad-Gita, and about five schools of Vedanta, including Kashmir Shaivism were discussed at length in three different chapters. Another three chapters deal with Carvakas, Jainism and Buddhism; and one on Samkhya and Vaisheshika. This book is unique in the sense that it contains a review in the conclusion; and M.N. Roy has evaluated the philosophical heritage in its introduction. M.N. Roy has remarked that the chapters are of great importance methodologically, and as such constitute the more valuable part of a commendable work of scholarship. It is useful as a reference book for students and scholars as well as general readers interested in understanding the evolution of ancient Indian thought, and broadens the horizons of their knowledge of Indian philosophy.

Evolution of Indian Philosophy

Satchidananda K. Murty

Shabdapramana or Testimony is a formidable doctrine within Indian philosophy. A thorough investigation of this thesis is long overdue. What is shabdapramana (word as knowledge)? What is involved in hearing words? Is the understanding derived through hearing utterances direct or indirect? Does this peculiarly linguistic understanding (shabdabodha) amount to knowledge (prama), or does it depend on certain other conditions for its truth? Further, what sort of theories of meaning, understanding, and knowledge would be required to ground a successful shabdabodha as prama,> need careful attention. It is sometimes said that Indian thinkers had no particularly interesting theory of understanding. The present work sets out to address these issues issues that have engaged traditional and modern thinkers alike. Based on the classic text, Advaita Vedanta-paribhasha of Dharmarajadhvarindra (17th century), the analysis and arguments extend to the views of and criticisms from the Nyaya, Purva Mimamsa and the grammarian/linguistic schools within Indian philosophy, with a treatment of similar concerns in Western philosophy. There is a compelling thesis here that should be taken seriously in any philosophy. Long discarded as a distinct source of knowledge in Western philosophy, Testimony might be fruitfully re-examined. This could lead to mutual dialogue between philosophy and religion, and pave the way for critical metaphysics.

Sabdapramana: Word and Knowledge in Indian Philosophy

Bilimoria, Purushottama

Millions of people have been deeply affected by the life and teachings of the Guru Narayana, who is the central figure of this book. This is a biography, not only of the Guru Narayana, but of Guruhood itself. Religions and philosophies have their sources in such men, and the aim here is to clarify this fact, without being sentimental or sensational. In doing so, many hitherto baffling enigmas of Indian life are given a rational explanation for the first time.  Nataraja Guru, the disciple-successor of the Narayana Guru, uses the contemplative discipline which was characteristic of the Guru Narayana, and brings the Advaita Vedanta method into the forefront of global thought as understood today, introducing a new science of Wisdom-Dialectics. Nataraja Guru's scheme of correlation between science and mysticism amounts to an epochal advance in philosophy.  This book represents the voice of the Guru. The Word of the Guru provides a quantity of original material for study, including fully annotated and carefully translated writings of Guru Narayana. It describes the physical and psychological conditions of South India with great brilliance. The spirituality of India is set forth here in its clearest terms, unambiguous and shorn of all limiting frontiers, suitable for readers in all parts of the world.

The Word of the Guru: The Life and Teachings of Guru Narayana

Nataraja Guru

Pt. Bihiksharam (1887 1975) composed the Sabdajyotsna with a view to teach Sanskrit grammar to an ordinary student in a simple style. The author adopts pratyahara, anuvritti, anubandha, etc. in his work to impart the abridgement on the pattern of Ashtadhyayi and Pratishakhyas. For this purpose, the author tries his best to simplify the tough process of learning Sanskrit grammar.  The sutras of the Shabdajyotsna are composed subject wise (according to prakarana) on the pattern of prakriya works. Only samjna- and sandhi-prakaranas of this work were published in 1958. The rest of the text in Devanagari remained in the form of manuscript lying unattended. The script, whatever traced, was made available to Prof. Shri Krishan Sharma for the editing purposes by his grandson. However, the samasa-prakarana and some portions of taddhita-prakarana still remain untraceable.  In spite of some minor gaps, the work deserves recognition and appreciation in the academic circle. The author of the Sabdajyotsna aimed at and indeed succeeded in fully exposing the rules of Sanskrit grammar in lucid and clear diction.  The work, a pioneering attempt of its kind, may very well be considered as a significant contribution to the tradition of Sanskrit grammar, benefiting students, teachers and researchers alike.

Sabdajyotsna: Of Pandit Bhisksharam (a Sanskrit Grammar)

Reference

Krishan Sharma

Words, Language & Grammar

This book is a systematic and contemporary exploration of the uniquely Indian phenomenon of raga, which forms the foundation of the musical culture of India.  Maestros speak with total conviction of a raga as having a personality. A raga must therefore be viewed not only as the governing authority of musical performance, but also as an archetype pregnant with cultural meaning. The exploration of raga-ness, therefore, can begin with the grammatical coordinates of ragas, but cannot stop there.

The Raga-Ness of Ragas: Ragas Beyond the Grammar

Deepak S. Raja

Humor & Entertainment

"The Yoginis are awful expressions of the divine in feminine form of which evidence is found in Tantric contexts in both the Hindu and Vajrayana Buddhist traditions. Endowed with a multitude of aspects and functions, they may take the form of women or witches devoted to obscure rituals, of primordial forces linked with illness, poisoning and possession, of subtle beings present in supporting one for meditation like yantra and mantra, or of genuine gods who frighten and fascinate. Gathering in circles in the depths of the forest or in cremation grounds, the Yoginis engender powers and secret knowledge, granted to those who evoke them through practices which may be extreme. Ultimately the Yoginis keep company with death, offering to the initiates who surrender to their embrace the prospect of liberation beyond the glittering world of illusion. This book is a journey in search of these mysterious figures who nestle in the shadow of the Goddess. A journey which unfolds in the frontier zones of Indian tradition, constantly hanging in the balance between Tantric rituals, sacrifices and subtle knowledge a perilous quest which is the heritage of all traditional searches. This volume written in elegant, fluent and colourful prose should entice the interest of all those associated with the Tantric practices, especially that of Saptamatrikas, ten Mahavidyas, Dakini and Nitya."

Yogini: The Shady Side of Devi

Guido Zanderigo

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