1. Parallelism in interpreting the veda

In a well known Rik1, Rishi, Deerghatamas exhorts that one must needs know the meaning of the Vedic Riks with a view to understanding the nature of the gods who dwell in the highest heaven sitting on the imperishable (seat of) Riks. Since then immense efforts have been made to understand the Veda by ancient and modern scholars .......

2. The concept of creating and regulating time in vedic ritual

Time is an important factor that governs the life of man. Numerous speculations have been put forth by various thinkers about ‘time’. These speculations are based upon numerous philosophical systems. ‘Time’ is interpreted differently by a Physicist as compared to an Archaeologist or even a Philosopher. Thus attempts have been made in each field to interpret and understand this very important factor. They all interpret time according to their Weltanschauung. There also have been numerous theories about the creation of time .....

3. Management principles in the organisation of sacrifices

Sacrifice was a complex institution in ancient India going back to remote antiquity which assumed enormous intricacy in the later times, especially in the Brahmanical period. The importance of sacrifice in Indian tradition can be guaged from the fact that it is often regarded as synonymous with religion.1 But what is not well understood is the importance it enjoyed in the Indian psyche, as the model for any group activity involving lot of individuals, or for that matter, as a complex formula involving the inter-relation of various constituent elements. The sacrifice model is reinforced in the famous statement of Kaalidaasa equating Naatya with it. The image is carried further to the field of warfare by Bhattanaaraayana who likens the great Mahaabhaarata war to a sacrifice. The present paper is an attempt to look at the sacrifice as a group activity ....

4. "Tradition" in Hindu thought

There is no direct word used in Sanskrit to denote the concept of tradition but this concept is implied in various definitions of Dharma. It can be said in general that in the Hindu way of thinking, “tradition” plays an important role and the Sanskrit texts of Dharma have recognised the importance of tradition .........

5. Towards a synthetic history of indian classical literature

Few countries in the world like India enjoy a cultural activity and a sustained literary activity spread on the subcontinent and continued over nearly three thousand years. Sanskrit has been one of the few languages of the world which is a carrier of this extensive culture. Thus, the variety and the quality of writings in it are really staggering. Prakrit and Pali, with their rich store of literatures, are not far behind. And, any student, knowing these languages but not knowing any of the South Indian languages, cannot hope to judge accurately all aspects of Indian culture, and his understanding of it must remain only partial or one-sided. For, Tamil and Telugu literatures rival Sanskrit literature in scope and quality .........

Download of the Bhagawat Geeta Quiz (various rounds) :

1. Priliminary Round

2. Finals - Round One

3. Finals - Round Two

4. Finals - Round Three

5. Finals - Round Four

6. Finals - Round Five

7. Finals - Round Six

8. Finals - Round Seven

The download contains 100 such small quotes that can be used for wise living

Download Subhashitas

Download Sanskrit Font

The following are the articles on Advaita Vedanta for download :

What does Upanishad mean

To approach (Upa) + To be steadfast (Ni) + To destroy (Sad) Upanishad is that knowledge, which destroys the ignorance of those who approach its teaching and steadfastly abide in it. Sri Shankaracharya presents this idea in his commentary on the Katha Upanishad ....

Anubandha Chatustaya

The word means Chatustaya means ‘four’. Anubandha means ‘con-nection’. So Anubandha-Chatustaya literally means ‘the four connections’. Since it is only on enquiry into the above-mentioned four questions that one would decide to connect one-self with the text (by studying it), these four are called Anubandha-Chatustaya or the ‘four connections’. The word Anubandha-Chatustaya is loosely translated in English as the ‘four preliminary questions’ or the ‘four basic considerations ........

Saddhana Chatustaya - Part 1

This first one of Sadhana Chatustaya is called ‘viveka’ and is translated as ‘discrimination’. Its full form is ‘nitya-anitya-vastu-viveka’ Vedanta Sara defines it thus: ”Discrimination between things permanent and transient consists of the discernment that ’Brahman alone is permanent and that all things other than It are transient’.” ...........

Saddhana Chatustaya - Part 2

The word vairagya literally means the ‘state of absence (vigata) of attachment (raga) - vigataragasya bhavah vairagyah'. It can be translated as detachment, desirelessness or dispassion. Vairagya is of three types: manda (dull), madhyama (mediocre), and tivra(intense) ........

Saddhana Chatustaya - Part 3

Samadhana is the constant concentration of the restrained mind on Sravana etc., and in those activities conducive to the Vedantic pursuit (like the service of the guru, the cultivation of values like humility, modesty, non-injury etc.) ....

Saddhana Chatustaya - Part 4

The yearning for liberation is very rare. The Bhagavad Geeta (VII, 3) says that among thousands, one rare individual strives for liberation. Why is it so? It is because of the strength of one’s visaya vasanas (pleasure seeking extrovert tendencies) which one has gathered through one’s sojourn through many lives......

Gurupasadhana - Part 2

Do we require a Guru to guide us to the knowledge of brahman or is it possible to gain it without any guidance? Some people opine that one can dispense with both the Guru and the Sastras(Scripture), while others say that since the Guru only explains the Sastras he be dispensed ......

Four types of Adhikarins

What prompts the Guru to give this priceless wealth of Knowledge to the student? Only his deep compassion. And this is his very nature itself. He has not the least trace of expectation from the student for the Jnana he bestows. He has attained the Lord after which there is nothing more to attain. His life is fulfilled. Hence, even if the Sisya .....

Two types of Teaching

On listening to the pauranic description of Lord Siva or Visnu one gets only a paroksa-jnana i.e. indirect knowledge of them. In the same way the manda and madhyama attain only paroksa-jnana of the Self. From paroksa they have to make their journey to aparoksanubhuti or paroksa-jnana . The traces of mala and viksepa dosas, which are seen as the waverings of the mind, have to cease. For this to happen, the Guru gives them the upadesa ......

Maya

The student in his ignorance has already superimposed the world of names and forms on Brahman. The Guru in order to help him come out of this illu-sion of the existence of the world and to enable him to realise his true nature points out that Maya is the cause of the world of names and forms. In this essay we shall elaborate on the nature of Maya in advaita vedanta.....

I. Arthashastra by Radhakrishnan Pillai

1. Management Fundamentals in Kautilya's Arthashastra - I

2. Management Fundamentals in Kautilya's Arthashastra - II

3. Management Fundamentals in Kautilya's Arthashastra - I II

4. Management Fundamentals in Kautilya's Arthashastra - V

5. Management Fundamentals in Kautilya's Arthashastra - VI

6. Management Fundamentals in Kautilya's Arthashastra - VII

7. Management Fundamentals based on Kautilya's Arthashastra

II. Articles of Dr.K P Rajappan

1. Aryabhatta - The Mathematical and Astronomical Colossus

2. Varahamihira - The Author of world's first Encyclopaedia

3. Bhaskaracharya - Siddhanta Siromani & Modern Mathematics

4. Brahmagupta - The unraveller of the Mysterious Zero

5. Medhatithi- The one who discovered numerals

6. Nagarjuna - The Great Alchemist

7. Baudhayana - The first world Geometer

8. Astronomy,astrology & mathematics

9. The Story of Zero

III. Natya Shastra by S Bhuvaneshwari

1. Natya Shastra - Part 1

2. Natya Shastra - Part 2

3. Natya Shastra - Part 3

4. Natya Shastra - Part 4

5. Natya Shastra - Part 5

6. Natya Shastra - Part 6

7. Natya Shastra - Part 7

IV. Other Topics

1. Narayana

2. Narada

3. Guru

4. Ancient Sanskrit Numerical Notations - Bhuta Sankhya System

5. Ancient Sanskrit Numerical Notations - Katapayadi System

6. Smoking is good for your health!!!

7. Surgical Instruments in Ancient India

8. Dipavali

The following review by David Mumford published in the March 2010 issue of the Notices of the American Mathematical Society may be of interest to some scholars here.