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Graduating from Faith and Rituals
When a man follows the way of the world, or the way of the flesh, or the way of tradition - when he believes in religious rites and the letter of the scriptures, as though they were intrinsically sacred - knowledge of Reality cannot arise in him. (Adi Sankara in…
Are Mythologies Fictional and Rituals Irrational?
Mythology is not invented; they are found. You can no more tell us what your dream is going to be tonight than you can invent a myth. Myths come from essential experience (Joseph Campbell). We live in a world of scientific and technical advancement where logic, reason, and rationality are the…
Karma, convenient excuse or a beacon of light?
Karma, convenient excuse or a beacon of light? Self-transformation is arduous work, especially at first; but each tiny change brings with it the joyful awareness that your life is gradually becoming a force for peaceful change.” Karma is an expression used to rationalize everything from why one’s life is…
Culture Mythology – Historical Facts or Metaphorical Truths?
According to Hindu mythology, Anjaneya flew over a sea; Ravana had ten heads and Vamana, the dwarf-avatar of Vishnu, measured the entire universe with his feet. How believable are these mythological stories and how relevant are they in today’s world of logical thinking and scientific advancements? If the stories…
Is religion necessary?
Scientists believe that the universe is a physical phenomenon - with a natural order that could be understood through observation and reasoning. A few scientists also assert that God had nothing to do with the creation or the order of the universe (The Grand Design - Stephen Hawking, University of…
Karma Yogis Among Us
The following is a story of two individuals with whom I had the honor to interact with. Mrs. Janaki is a respectable grandmother. During weekends, when I visit the Hindu Temple, she would join me for the ride. During one of the visits, in the main hallway of the…
HONORING A KARMA YOGI – BHARATA RATNA M. S. SUBBULAKSHMI
Speech By Dr. Ram Sriram at the Chinmaya Mission, Atlanta Recently, two reputed Atlanta organizations - the Chinmaya Mission Atlanta and the Sankara Nethralaya-OM Trust (USA) celebrated the birth centenary of the renowned musician, Bharat Ratna Smt. M. S. Subbalakshmi. The two events, however, differed in their…
The Changing Conception of God – from Fear to Philosophy
Since the early days, man believed in the existence of god. However, the concept of God – why one needs a god or how god appears - had changed over time. The ancient man, living the nomadic life of a hunter-gatherer, sought the help of powerful forces (god) to…
Rituals, Contemplation, and Service
Every religion requires its followers to observe a set of rituals which it signifies through sacred symbols, descriptions, narratives, and practices. A Hindu applying ashes on his forehead and reciting mantras at a temple, a Christian wearing a cross and attending a church, a Muslim wearing a cap and praying…
The Kural – Changing the Axis of Life
Ram Sriram Recently, The Hindu newspaper published an article about the renowned Tamil scholar, Thiruvachagamani Balasuramaniam and his conversation with the former President of India, Saravepalli Dr. S. Radhakrishan, during an event at the Chennai Kapali temple in 1961. Impressed by Thiru Balasubramaniam’s speech on Periyapuranam at the event, Dr.…