Indian philosophy’s focus is to determine the nature of that spirit or self which is the centre of everything, the animating force which makes a person alive, alert and aware.

It is consciousness, variously called the Self, Knower, Seer, Experiencer or the Witness. It knows no distinction of gender, nationality, race or religion. It is the unchanging and all-pervading, transcending the limitations of time and space, birth and death. Ultimately it is the substratum or essence of the entire manifest universe.

(See also: Consciousness , God and Religion, Peace on Earth, Peace of Mind, Love and Happiness, Life and Beyond, Body Mind and Soul)

Read more here: » Consciousness: The Fourth State Of Consciousness  

The different yoga philosophies simply adhere to different applications of inner discipline, all of which ultimately lead to the liberation of the soul and to a unique understanding of the Divine Unity. The yoga philosophies are merely named according to the yogi's objective of self-transformation and the instrument chosen for such anticipated change.

Read more here: » Yoga Philosophy: The different Yoga philosophies

Shodoshi: The Holy Mother's Mission of Grace

According to a tantric school, Shodoshi is the highest manifestation of Divinity. In tantra, each deity has a mantra or mystic formula which represents her nature.

In Shodoshi, it is the Trikuta mantra and it has three parts: Vagbhavakuta signifying speech and knowledge through worship of Saraswati , Kamarajakuta representing human will or Kali and Shaktikuta or Durga , the supreme manifestation of divine power and energy.

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Religion is not meant to create conflict and division, but to promote dialogue and harmony. Buddha Purnima is an appropriate occasion to dwell a little on the Buddhist philosophy I follow, of Nichiren Daishonin, called the Soka Gakkai, which literally means "Value Creating Society".

Daisaku Ikeda, president of Soka Gakkai International, says: "The people and the society of our age might be compared to a ship in the middle of the ocean which has lost its compass. Without an accurate guide to lead them, they sail aimlessly along towards the future''.

(See also: Buddha Purnima , Indian Festivals, Spiritual Guidance, God and Religion, Peace on Earth, Peace of Mind, Love and Happiness, Life and Beyond, Body Mind and Soul)

Read more here: » Buddha Purnima: From Desire To Enlightenment  

India is the sacred land which has given birth to countless sages, Rishis, Yogins, saints and prophets. India is the land that has produced many Acharyas or spiritual preceptors like Sri Sankara and Sri Ramanuja; many saints like Kabir, Ramdas, Tukaram and Gauranga Mahaprabhu; many Yogins like Jnana Dev, Dattatreya and Sadasiva Brahman; and many prophets like Buddha and Nanak. Buddha is our flesh and blood.

Excerpt from All About Hinduism by Sri Swami Sivananda

Read more here: » Hinduism: The Spiritual Soil Of India

In Karnataka, on the morning of Ugadi, New Year, it is a tradition to eat bevu-bella crushed tender neem leaves and jaggery powder mixed and made into little balls.

The story of Rama and the trials and tribulations he and Sita had to undergo is well-known. Valmiki explains why even Rama, an avatar of Vishnu, had to suffer thus. Since Rama was a human incarnation, the life of the prince had to follow the pattern of an ordinary human being's. His life, too, had to have patches of triumph and happiness, sorrow and suffering.

(See also: Ugadi , Indian Festivals, Spiritual Guidance, God and Religion, Peace on Earth, Peace of Mind, Love and Happiness, Life and Beyond, Body Mind and Soul)

Read more here: » Ugadi: Bitter-sweet Pill For Equanimity  

Vyasa (Sanskrit) One who expands or amplifies, an interpreter or revealer;

"applied in days of old to the highest Gurus in India. There were many Vyasas in Aryavarta; one was the compiler and arranger of the Vedas; another, the author of the Mahabharata -- the twenty-eighth Vyasa or revealer in the order of succession -- and the last one of note was the author of Uttara Mimansa, the sixth school or system of Indian philosophy. He was also the founder of the Vedanta system. His date, as assigned by Orientalists . . . is 1,400 B.C., but this date is certainly too recent. The Puranas mention only twenty-eight Vyasas, who at various ages descended to the earth to promulgate Vedic truths -- but there were many more" (TG 367).

(See also: Vyasa , Mysticism, Mysticism Dictionary, Body mind and Soul)

For more dictionary entries, see » Indian Philosophy Dictionary

A Theosophical definition of Yuga :

Yuga

(Sanskrit) A word meaning an "age," a period of time. A yuga is a period of mundane time, and four of these periods are usually enumerated in "divine years":

1. Krita or Satya Yuga. . . . . . . 4,000

Sandhya. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . .  400

Sandhyamsa. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 400

Total . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  . ..  . . . 4,800

2. Treta Yuga. . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 3,000

Sandhya. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 300

Sandhyamsa. . . . . . . . . . . . .  .  . 300

Total . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 3,600

3. Dvapara Yuga. . . . . . . . .  . . 2,000

Sandhya. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  . .200

Sandhyamsa. . . . . . . . . . . . . ..  . 200

Total . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2,400

4. Kali Yuga. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  1,000

Sandhya. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100

Sandhyamsa. . . . . . . . . . . . . .. .  100

Total . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . 1,200

TOTAL . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . .  . . 12,000

This rendered in years of mortals equals:

4,800 x 360 = 1,728,000

3,600 x 360 = 1,296,000

2,400 x 360 = 864,000

1,200 x 360 = 432,000

. . . . . .Total 4,320,000

Of these four yugas, our present racial period is the fourth or kali yuga, often called the "iron age" or the "black age." It is stated to have commenced at the moment of Krishna's death, usually given as 3,102 years before the Christian era. There is a very important point of the teaching in connection with the yugas which must not be forgotten. It is the following: The four yugas as above outlined refer to what modern theosophical philosophy calls a root-race, although indeed a root-race from its individual beginning to its individual ending is about double the length of the composite yuga above set forth in columnar form. The racial yugas, however, overlap because each new great race is born at about the middle period of the parent race, although the individual length of any one race is as above stated. Thus it is that by the overlapping of the races, a race and its succeeding race may for a long time be contemporaneous on the face of the globe.

As the four yugas are a reflection in human history of what takes place in the evolution of the earth itself and of the planetary chain, therefore the same scheme of yugas applies also on a cosmic scale  - there exist the four series of satya yuga, treta yuga, dvapara yuga, and kali yuga, in the evolution of the earth, and on a still larger scale in the evolution of a planetary chain. Of course these cosmic yugas are very much longer than the racial yugas, but the same general scheme of 4, 3, 2 applies throughout. For further details of the teaching concerning the yugas, the student should consult H. P. Blavatsky's The Secret Doctrine, and the work by the present author, Fundamentals of the Esoteric Philosophy.

See also: Yuga , Mysticism, Body Mind and Soul

For more dictionary entries, see » Indian Philosophy Dictionary

What Is God's Real Form?

Does God have a form or is He formless? Adi Sankara preferred a formless God while Ramanujacharya believed that He was both with and without form.

Ramana Maharshi realised the Inner Divine Self by enquiring, ''Who am I?'' Vivekananda was not for dualism, of seeing God in an image. But when Ramakrishna Paramhansa touched his chest to indicate the divinity within, Vivekananda began to 'see' God in every thing - living or non-living.

Read more here: » Formless God: What Is God's Real Form?

Bardesanes or Bardaisan. A Syrian Gnostic, erroneously regarded as a Christian theologian, born at Edessa (Edessene Chronicle) in 155 of our era (Assemani Bibl.. Orient. i. 389).

He was a great astrologer following the Eastern Occult System. According to Porphyry (who calls him the Babylonian, probably on account of his Chaldeeism or astrology), "Bardesanes . . . . held intercourse with the Indians that had been sent to the Cesar with Damadamis at their head" (De Abst. iv. 17), and had his information from the Indian gymnosophists.

The fact is that most of his teachings, however much they may have been altered by his numerous Gnostic followers, can be traced to Indian philosophy, and still more to the Occult teachings of the Secret System. Thus in his Hymns he speaks of the creative Deity as "Father-Mother", and elsewhere of "Astral Destiny" (Karma) of "Minds of Fire" (the Agni-Devas) &c. He connected the Soul (the personal Manas) with the Seven Stars, deriving its origin from the Higher Beings (the divine Ego); and therefore "admitted spiritual resurrection but denied the resurrection of the body", as charged with by the Church Fathers. Ephraim shows him preaching the signs of the Zodiac, the importance of the birth-hours and "proclaiming the seven".

Calling the Sun the "Father of Life" and the Moon the "Mother of Life", he shows the latter "laying aside her garment of light (principles) for the renewal of the Earth". Photius cannot understand how, while accepting "the Soul free from the power of genesis (destiny of birth)" and possessing free will, he still placed the body under the rule of birth (genesis). For "they (the Bardesanists) say, that wealth and poverty and sickness and health and death and all things not within our control are works of destiny" (Bibl. Cod. 223, p.221 - f). This is Karma, most evidently, which does not preclude at all free-will. Hippolytus makes him a representative of the Eastern School.

Speaking of Baptism, Bardesanes is made to say (loc. cit. pp. 985-ff "It is not however the Bath alone which makes us free, but the Knowledge of who we are, what we are become, where we were before, whither we are hastening, whence we are redeemed; what is generation (birth), what is re-generation (re.birth)". This points plainly to the doctrine of re-incarnation.

His conversation (Dialogue) with Awida and Barjamina on Destiny and Free Will shows it. "What is called Destiny, is an order of outflow given to the Rulers (Gods) and the Elements, according to which order the Intelligences (Spirit-Egos) are changed by their descent into the Soul, and the Soul by its descent into the body". (See Treatise, found in its Syriac original, and published with English translation in 1855 by Dr. Cureton, Spicileg. Syriac. in British Museum.)

(See also: Bardesanes, Bardaisan , Theosophy, Spirituality, Body mind and Soul, Spiritual Dictionary,)

For more dictionary entries, see » Indian Philosophy Dictionary

Spengler's List And The Gitaian Soul

German philosopher Oswald Spengler wrote about the history of western civilisation in his work, Decline of the West . Spengler's work was based on the premise that the main thrust for high cultures which arose in Greece, the Middle East and post-renaissance Europe came from the physiognomy of men who were driven to direct the destiny of a whole people. Spengler has given them special names. All that is manifested in Greek art, architecture, literature and philosophy, for instance, he calls ÔClassical and Apollonian soul'.

Read more here: » Gitaian Soul: Spengler's List And The Gitaian Soul

 Vaisesika:

one of the schools of Indian philosophy

(See also:  Vaisesika , Body Mind and Soul)

For more dictionary entries, see » Indian Philosophy Dictionary

 Vedanta:

one of the schools of Indian philosophy

(See also:  Vedanta , Body Mind and Soul)

For more dictionary entries, see » Indian Philosophy Dictionary

Hinduism Lexicon on B

From backbiting to buddhi chitta.

Read more here: » Hinduism: Hinduism Lexicon on B

A Bhashya is an elaborate exposition, a commentary on the Sutras, with word by word meaning of the aphoristic precepts, their running translation, together with the individual views of the commentator or the Bhashyakara. The best and the exemplary Bhashya in Sanskrit literature is the one written by Patanjali on the Vyakarana Sutras of Panini.

Excerpt from All About Hinduism by Sri Swami Sivananda

Read more here: » Bhashya : Bhashya in the Hindu Scriptures

Vision is the ability to see beyond the present; to be able to chart a map of the future. Is such a vision possible for a universal religion? When all technologies and knowledge in the world are converging, why should humanity have different religions?

One basic question has haunted us for long: Are the many religions of the world opposed to each other? If their common goal is universal welfare, why do we need so many religions? All religions echo the need for righteous conduct, truth and non-violence. But they differ in their rituals, which are unfortunately being projected today as their core. Dress, mode of worship and language of rituals have come to symbolise purity of faith.

(See also: Peace on Earth, Peace of Mind, Love and Happiness, Life and Beyond, Body Mind and Soul)

Read more here: » Peace on Earth: Universal Faith for World Harmony

Ananda: Bliss or joy. In Indian philosophy of the Upanishads, Ananda was an important attribute of the supreme being, Brahman. "Bliss" was used to define Brahman and was also considered to be the highest state of the individual self.

(See also: Ananda ,Yoga, Yoga Dictionary)

For more dictionary entries, see » Indian Philosophy Dictionary

Over 4,000 years ago God asked Abraham to build the Kabah (house of worship) at Mecca and to call upon all people to make the pilgrimage to the House of God. Thus, it came to be obligatory for every Muslim to go for Haj at least once, provided good health and financial position permitted it.

Over two million believers from all over the world gather every year in Mecca to perform this pious duty. The rites of Haj take about one week to complete, but the devout spend as many days as possible so that they may become spiritually enriched by the sacred atmosphere. All the acts and sites of Haj convey a spiritual message.

(See also: Kabah , Indian Festivals, Spiritual Guidance, God and Religion, Peace on Earth, Peace of Mind, Love and Happiness, Life and Beyond, Body Mind and Soul)

Read more here: » Kabah: Pilgrimage to Kabah - Spirit of Sacrifice  

The philosophy of Prophet Zarathushtra accorded sanctity to nature as much as to rectitude in human existence. The Sun became the celestial emblem of the Fire which was kept burning within the homes and fire-temples on earth as an undying and unremitting tribute to the spirit of the Creator, Ahura Mazda.

Haptan Yasht says: "We revere the Earth and the Sky, we revere the strong Wind created by Mazda, we revere all good land." The unflinching reverence of the living world as also an abiding involvement with the advancement of our own Self were propounded through Zoroastrianism, a religion in consonance with environmental perceptions. Physical purity became a step towards purity of the mind, the soul and the spirit.

(See also: Jamshedi Navroz , Indian Festivals, Spiritual Guidance, God and Religion, Peace on Earth, Peace of Mind, Love and Happiness, Life and Beyond, Body Mind and Soul)

Read more here: » Jamshedi Navroz: Celebration of Life - Jamshedi Navroz  

Buddha: What is a Buddha?

Buddha is a word in the ancient Indian languages Pali and Sanskrit which means "one who has become awake". It is derived from the verbal root "Ãbudh", meaning "to awaken or be enlightened."

Read more here: » Buddha: What is a Buddha?

Id-ul-Azha is the second most important festival of Muslims across the world. Today's celebration comes almost two months after Eid-ul-Fitr, the culmination of the holy month of Ramadan. The spirit of Eid- ul-Azha is incorporated in Hajj, the pilgrimage to Makkah. The underlying flavour is the spirit of sacrifice or qurbani, commemorating Abraham's great act of faith many centuries ago.

Eid-ul-Azha, also known as Eid-e-Qurban, is a time for Muslims to learn the value of self-denial by making a sacrifice of something living to God.

(See also: Id-ul-Azha , Indian Festivals, Spiritual Guidance, God and Religion, Peace on Earth, Peace of Mind, Love and Happiness, Life and Beyond, Body Mind and Soul)

Read more here: » Id-ul-Azha: Faith And Qurbani - Spirit of Eid  

January every year, devotees throng the Sabarimala temple situated in the Sahayadri ranges in Kerala, to participate in the renowned Mandala Puja conducted during Makara Sankaranti.

The deity worshipped here, Lord Ayyappa, is believed to be an incarnation of Vishnu and is also known as Sastha and Harihara Sutha. The basic concept of incarnation is that God descends in order to let man ascend.

(See also: Makara Sankaranti , Indian Festivals, Spiritual Guidance, God and Religion, Peace on Earth, Peace of Mind, Love and Happiness, Life and Beyond, Body Mind and Soul)

Read more here: » Makara Sankaranti: A Different Kind of Pilgrimage - about Makara Sankaranti