The following subsections contain remarks on the nature and use of mantras in their context as Hindu religious practice. Mantra - What is Dharma?. A western expert on Hindu philosophy and religion writes: Sanatan (eternal) Dharma as a universal tradition has room for all faiths and all religious and spiritual practices regardless of the time or country of their origin. Yet it places religious and spiritual teachings in their appropriate place relative to the ultimate goal of Self-realization, ...

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Mantra, Mantra - Introduction, Mantra - Mantra in Hinduism, Mantra - Mantra Japa, Mantra - Some Hindu mantras, Mantra - Lead me from Ignorance to Truth, Mantra - Hare Krishna Maha Mantra, Mantra - The shanti mantras, Mantra - Universal prayer, Mantra - Other examples, Mantra - The Hindu Bija Mantra, Mantra - Remarks, Mantra - What is Dharma?, Mantra - The Significance of the Symbol Om, Mantra - Mantras and Prayers, Mantra - Kirtan and Bhajan, Mantra - Vedic Conception of Sound, Mantra - Mantra in Buddhism, Mantra - Mantra in Shingon Buddhism, Mantra - Mantra in Indo-Tibetan Buddhism, Mantra - Om mani padme hum, Mantra - Some other mantras used by Tibetan Buddhists, Mantra - Mantra in other traditions or contexts

Read more here: » Mantra: Encyclopedia II - Mantra - Remarks

Mantras have some features in common with spells in general, in that they are a translation of the human will or desire into a form of action. Indeed, Dr. Edward Conze, a scholar of Buddhism, frequently translated "mantra" as "spell". As symbols, sounds are seen to effect what they symbolise. Vocal sounds are frequently thought of as having magical powers, or even of representing the words or speech of a deity. For the authors of the Hindu scriptures of the Upanishads, the syllable Aum, itself constituting a mantra, represents Brahman, the g ...

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Mantra, Mantra - Introduction, Mantra - Mantra in Hinduism, Mantra - Mantra Japa, Mantra - Some Hindu mantras, Mantra - Lead me from Ignorance to Truth, Mantra - Hare Krishna Maha Mantra, Mantra - The shanti mantras, Mantra - Universal prayer, Mantra - Other examples, Mantra - The Hindu Bija Mantra, Mantra - Remarks, Mantra - What is Dharma?, Mantra - The Significance of the Symbol Om, Mantra - Mantras and Prayers, Mantra - Kirtan and Bhajan, Mantra - Vedic Conception of Sound, Mantra - Mantra in Buddhism, Mantra - Mantra in Shingon Buddhism, Mantra - Mantra in Indo-Tibetan Buddhism, Mantra - Om mani padme hum, Mantra - Some other mantras used by Tibetan Buddhists, Mantra - Mantra in other traditions or contexts

Read more here: » Mantra: Encyclopedia II - Mantra - Introduction

Mantras were originally conceived in the great Hindu scriptures known as the Vedas. Within practically all Hindu scriptures, the writing is formed in painstakingly crafted two line "shlokas" and most mantras follow this pattern, although mantras are often found in single line or even single word combinations. The most basic mantra is Aum, which in Hinduism is known as the "pranava mantra," the source of all mantras. The philosophy behind this is the Hindu idea of nama-rupa (name-form), which supposes that all things, ideas or e ...

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Mantra, Mantra - Introduction, Mantra - Mantra in Hinduism, Mantra - Mantra Japa, Mantra - Some Hindu mantras, Mantra - Lead me from Ignorance to Truth, Mantra - Hare Krishna Maha Mantra, Mantra - The shanti mantras, Mantra - Universal prayer, Mantra - Other examples, Mantra - The Hindu Bija Mantra, Mantra - Remarks, Mantra - What is Dharma?, Mantra - The Significance of the Symbol Om, Mantra - Mantras and Prayers, Mantra - Kirtan and Bhajan, Mantra - Vedic Conception of Sound, Mantra - Mantra in Buddhism, Mantra - Mantra in Shingon Buddhism, Mantra - Mantra in Indo-Tibetan Buddhism, Mantra - Om mani padme hum, Mantra - Some other mantras used by Tibetan Buddhists, Mantra - Mantra in other traditions or contexts

Read more here: » Mantra: Encyclopedia II - Mantra - Mantra in Hinduism

Conze distinguishes three periods in the Buddhist use of mantra. Initially, like their fellow Indians, Buddhists used mantra as protective spells to ward of malign influences. Despite a Vinaya rule which forbids monks engaging in the Brahminical practice of chanting mantras for material gain, there are a number of protective for a group of ascetic monks. However, even at this early stage, there is perhaps something more than animistic magic at work. Particularly in the case of the Ratana Sutta the efficacy of the verses seems to be related to the concept of "truth". Each verse of the sutta ends ...

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Mantra, Mantra - Introduction, Mantra - Mantra in Hinduism, Mantra - Mantra Japa, Mantra - Some Hindu mantras, Mantra - Lead me from Ignorance to Truth, Mantra - Hare Krishna Maha Mantra, Mantra - The shanti mantras, Mantra - Universal prayer, Mantra - Other examples, Mantra - The Hindu Bija Mantra, Mantra - Remarks, Mantra - What is Dharma?, Mantra - The Significance of the Symbol Om, Mantra - Mantras and Prayers, Mantra - Kirtan and Bhajan, Mantra - Vedic Conception of Sound, Mantra - Mantra in Buddhism, Mantra - Mantra in Shingon Buddhism, Mantra - Mantra in Indo-Tibetan Buddhism, Mantra - Om mani padme hum, Mantra - Some other mantras used by Tibetan Buddhists, Mantra - Mantra in other traditions or contexts

Read more here: » Mantra: Encyclopedia II - Mantra - Mantra in Indo-Tibetan Buddhism

The vedic mythology has several dimensions. Vedic mythology - The deities. Vedic mythologies contain certain elements which are common to other mythological traditions, like the mythologies of Persia, Greece, and Rome. Indra, a mythological god of the Vedas, is like Dyaus Pitar, the Sky Father, and is like Zeus and Iuppiter. The Vedic god Yama, the god who collects the dead, is Yima of Persian mythology and Emma in the Buddhist tradition of Japan. Vedic mythology contains descriptions and celestial hymns p ...

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Vedic mythology, Vedic mythology - Background, Vedic mythology - Dimensions, Vedic mythology - The deities, Vedic mythology - The rituals, Vedic mythology - The concepts, Vedic mythology - Vedic quotes

Read more here: » Vedic mythology: Encyclopedia II - Vedic mythology - Dimensions

The Vedic mythology is best recorded in the four Vedas, also called the Vedam, which are part of the Hindu Shruti. In Sanskrit the word means Knowledge or Truth, and is cognate with the word "wisdom" in English (as well as "vision" through Latin). Hindus believe that the Vedas existed since time immemorial as vibrations in space, some portions of which are believed to have been perceived by seers and sages, and transmitted accordingly through an oral tradition. Some believe that the Vedas were transmitted orally f ...

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Vedic mythology, Vedic mythology - Background, Vedic mythology - Dimensions, Vedic mythology - The deities, Vedic mythology - The rituals, Vedic mythology - The concepts, Vedic mythology - Vedic quotes

Read more here: » Vedic mythology: Encyclopedia II - Vedic mythology - Background

While the traditional Vedic 'karma kanda', or ritualistic components of religion, continued to be practiced through the Brahmins as meditative and propitiatory rites to guide society to self-knowledge, more jnana- or knowledge-centered understandings began to emerge. These were mystical streams of Vedic religion that focused on meditation, self-discipline and spiritual connectivity rather than on rituals. Etymologically, veda means "knowledge" and anta means "end", so the literal meaning of the term "Vedānta" is "the en ...

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Vedanta, Vedanta - Sub-schools of Vedanta, Vedanta - Roots of Vedanta, Vedanta - Transition from Vedic to Vedantic religion, Vedanta - Formalization, Vedanta - Vedanta and science, Vedanta - Major Vedantic Gurus

Read more here: » Vedanta: Encyclopedia II - Vedanta - Transition from Vedic to Vedantic religion

With Buddhism's evolution and breaking away from Vedic/Hindu tradition, Aum and other symbology/cosmology/philosophies were co-opted from the Hindu tradition. This character often appeared as "唵" in Buddhist scripts in East Asia. In Buddhism this syllable is almost never transliterated as Aum, but instead as Om. This syllable is also incorporated in the mantra "Om Mani Padme Hum". ...

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Aum, Aum - The Significance of the Symbol Om, Aum - Aum in Hindu tradition, Aum - Origin, Aum - Philosophy of AUM, Aum - Om in Jain tradition, Aum - Om in Buddhist tradition, Aum - Om in Sikh tradition, Aum - When you pronounce AUM:, Aum - Some quotations from Hindu scriptures regarding AUM, Aum - Other traditions interpretations and understandings

Read more here: » Aum: Encyclopedia II - Aum - Om in Buddhist tradition

With Buddhism's evolution and breaking away from Vedic/Hindu tradition, Aum and other symbology/cosmology/philosophies were co-opted from the Hindu tradition. This character often appeared as "唵" in Buddhist scripts in East Asia. In Buddhism this syllable is almost never transliterated as Aum, but instead as Om. This syllable is also incorporated in the mantra "Om Mani Padme Hum". ...

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Aum, Aum - The Significance of the Symbol Om, Aum - Aum in Hindu tradition, Aum - Origin, Aum - Philosophy of AUM, Aum - Om in Jain tradition, Aum - Om in Buddhist tradition, Aum - Om in Sikh tradition, Aum - When you pronounce AUM:, Aum - Omkara, Aum - Some quotations from Hindu scriptures regarding AUM, Aum - Other traditions interpretations and understandings

Read more here: » Aum: Encyclopedia II - Aum - Om in Buddhist tradition

The Atharvaveda, while undoubtedly belonging to the core Vedic corpus, in some ways represents an independent parallel tradition to that of the Rigveda and Yajurveda. The Jaina and Bauddha texts are considerably more hostile to the AV (they call it Aggvāna or Ahavā ...

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Atharvaveda, Atharvaveda - Status, Atharvaveda - Recensions, Atharvaveda - Issues of note, Atharvaveda - Dating, Atharvaveda - Editions

Read more here: » Atharvaveda: Encyclopedia II - Atharvaveda - Status

Aum - Origin. Found first in the Vedic scriptures of Hinduism, Aum has been seen as the first manifestation of the unmanifest Brahman (the single Divine Ground of Hinduism) that resulted in the phenomenal universe. Essentially, all the cosmos stems from the vibration of the sound 'Aum' in Hindu cosmology. Indeed, so sacred is it that it is prefixed and suffixed to all Hindu mantras and incantations. It is undoubted ...

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Aum, Aum - The Significance of the Symbol Om, Aum - Aum in Hindu tradition, Aum - Origin, Aum - Philosophy of AUM, Aum - Om in Jain tradition, Aum - Om in Buddhist tradition, Aum - Om in Sikh tradition, Aum - When you pronounce AUM:, Aum - Some quotations from Hindu scriptures regarding AUM, Aum - Other traditions interpretations and understandings

Read more here: » Aum: Encyclopedia II - Aum - Aum in Hindu tradition

Aum - Origin. Found first in the Vedic scriptures of Hinduism, Aum has been seen as the first manifestation of the unmanifest Brahman (the single Divine Ground of Hinduism) that resulted in the phenomenal universe. Essentially, all the cosmos stems from the vibration of the sound 'Aum' in Hindu cosmology. Indeed, so sacred is it that it is prefixed and suffixed to all Hindu mantras and incantations. It is undoubted ...

See also:

Aum, Aum - The Significance of the Symbol Om, Aum - Aum in Hindu tradition, Aum - Origin, Aum - Philosophy of AUM, Aum - Om in Jain tradition, Aum - Om in Buddhist tradition, Aum - Om in Sikh tradition, Aum - When you pronounce AUM:, Aum - Omkara, Aum - Some quotations from Hindu scriptures regarding AUM, Aum - Other traditions interpretations and understandings

Read more here: » Aum: Encyclopedia II - Aum - Aum in Hindu tradition

In many ways seemingly a heterogeneous text, the Gita is a reconciliation of many facets and schools of Hindu philosophy of both Brahmanical (i.e., orthodox, Vedic) origin and the parallel ascetic, yogic tradition. It comprises primarily Vedic (as in the four Vedas, as opposed to the Upanishads/Vedanta), Upanishadic, Samkhya and Yoga philosophy. It has stood the test of time, bringing together all four thought systems by taking their largely cohesive, common ideologies and backgrounds int ...

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Bhagavad Gita, Bhagavad Gita - Bhagavad Gita in General, Bhagavad Gita - Bhagavad Gita as a Yoga Scripture, Bhagavad Gita - On The Goal Of Yoga, Bhagavad Gita - On Bhakti Yoga, Bhagavad Gita - On Karma Yoga, Bhagavad Gita - On Nishkam Karma Yoga, Bhagavad Gita - On Jnana Yoga, Bhagavad Gita - On Raja Yoga, Bhagavad Gita - Overview

Read more here: » Bhagavad Gita: Encyclopedia II - Bhagavad Gita - Overview

Uttarakuru also finds numerous references in Buddhist literature, some times as a real land while at the other as a mythical region. In Digha Nakaya, Uttarakuru is said to to be the name of city. Lalita-Vistara describes the Uttarakuru as Pratyanta-dvipa or a frontier island. Sumangalavilasini says that the wife of a Chakravarti king comes either from Uttarakuru or else from a the race of a king Madda. Buddhaghosa records a tradition which states that, when Vedic king Mandhata returned to Jamb ...

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Uttarakuru, Uttarakuru - Vedic Literature and Uttarakuru, Uttarakuru - Puranas and Uttarakuru, Uttarakuru - Mahabharata and Uttarakuru, Uttarakuru - Ramayana and Uttarakuru, Uttarakuru - Buddhist Texts and Uttarakuru, Uttarakuru - Rajatrangini of Kalhana and Uttarakuru, Uttarakuru - Foreign Sources on Uttarakuru, Uttarakuru - Geographical Location of Uttarakuru

Read more here: » Uttarakuru: Encyclopedia II - Uttarakuru - Buddhist Texts and Uttarakuru

The Rigveda is far more archaic than any other Indo-Aryan text preserved. For this reason, it has been in the center of attention of western scholarship from the times of Max Müller. The Rigveda records an early stage of Vedic religion, still closely tied to the pre-Zoroastrian Persian religion. It is thought that Zoroastrianism and Vedic Hinduism evolved from an earlier common religious Indo-Iranian culture. Scholars usually date the Rig-Veda to the 2nd millennium BC both linguistically and on grounds of its references to late bronz ...

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Rigveda, Rigveda - Text, Rigveda - Books, Rigveda - Translations, Rigveda - Internal evidence, Rigveda - Hindu tradition, Rigveda - More recent Indian views, Rigveda - Editions, Rigveda - Translations, Rigveda - Bibliography

Read more here: » Rigveda: Encyclopedia II - Rigveda - Internal evidence

In many ways seemingly a heterogeneous text, the Gita is a reconciliation of many facets and schools of Hindu philosophy of both Brahmanical (i.e., orthodox Vedic) origin, and the parallel ascetic and Yogic traditions. It comprises primarily Vedic (as in the four Vedas, as opposed to the Upanishads/Vedanta), Upanishadic, Sankhya and Yogic philosophies. It has stood the test of time, bringing together all four thought systems by taking their largely cohesive, common ideologies and backgrounds int ...

See also:

Bhagavad Gita, Bhagavad Gita - Bhagavad Gita in General, Bhagavad Gita - Bhagavad Gita as a Yoga Scripture, Bhagavad Gita - On The Goal Of Yoga, Bhagavad Gita - On Bhakti Yoga, Bhagavad Gita - On Karma Yoga, Bhagavad Gita - On Nishkam Karma Yoga, Bhagavad Gita - On Jnana Yoga, Bhagavad Gita - On Raja Yoga, Bhagavad Gita - Overview

Read more here: » Bhagavad Gita: Encyclopedia II - Bhagavad Gita - Overview

According to Indian tradition, the Rig-Vedic hymns were collected by Paila under the guidance of Vyāsa, who formed the Rig-Veda Samhita as we know it. According to the Śatapatha Brāhmana, the number of syllables in the Rigveda is 432,000, equalling the number of m ...

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Rigveda, Rigveda - Text, Rigveda - Books, Rigveda - Translations, Rigveda - Internal evidence, Rigveda - Hindu tradition, Rigveda - More recent Indian views, Rigveda - Editions, Rigveda - Translations, Rigveda - Bibliography

Read more here: » Rigveda: Encyclopedia II - Rigveda - Hindu tradition

India has a rich tradition of theatrical arts, possibly longer than that of the western world. The theatrical tradition of India was not born out of the Greek invasion as believed by several scholars. Theatre has existed as an indigenous institution at least since the Vedic period. Later Hellenistic influences on Sanskrit theatre however cannot be denied. The earliest forms of theatrical arts could have existed in the form of dance-dramas as evidenced by iconography from the Indus Valley Civilisation. As the Indus Valley Civilisation ...

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Sanskrit literature, Sanskrit literature - The Vedic Period, Sanskrit literature - The Epics, Sanskrit literature - The Ramayana, Sanskrit literature - The Mahabharata, Sanskrit literature - Panini and Ashtadhyayi, Sanskrit literature - Sanskrit Plays, Sanskrit literature - Mricchakatika The Little Clay Cart, Sanskrit literature - Bhasa's plays, Sanskrit literature - Kalidasa, Sanskrit literature - Bharata's Natyasastra, Sanskrit literature - Classical Poetry, Sanskrit literature - Later Sanskrit literature, Sanskrit literature - Reference

Read more here: » Sanskrit literature: Encyclopedia II - Sanskrit literature - Sanskrit Plays

The Smartas consider themselves followers and propagators of Smriti or religious texts derived from Vedic scriptures. It is from this that the name is derived. This term is used with respect to a certain specialized category of Brahmins. Not all Brahmins specialized in this Smriti tradition. Some were influenced by Buddhism, Jainism or Charvaka tradition and philosophy. This did not mean that all these people rejected the authority of Vedas, but only that their tradition of worship and philosophy was based not on smriti texts. ...

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Smartism, Smartism - Definition, Smartism - Why They Became Distinguished From Others, Smartism - Main Beliefs, Smartism - Smarta Contributions to Advaita, Smartism - Smarta Contributions to other Philosophies, Smartism - Smartas Who Split Away From Their Group, Smartism - Important Religious Books Followed, Smartism - Prominent Communities

Read more here: » Smartism: Encyclopedia II - Smartism - Why They Became Distinguished From Others

The Smartas consider themselves followers and propagators of Smriti or religious texts derived from Vedic scriptures. It is from this that the name is derived. This term is used with respect to a certain specialized category of Brahmins. Not all Brahmins specialized in this Smriti tradition. Some were influenced by Buddhism, Jainism or Charvaka tradition and philosophy. This did not mean that all these people rejected the authority of Vedas, but only that their tradition of worship and philosophy was based not on smriti texts. ...

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Smartism, Smartism - Definition, Smartism - Distinction from others, Smartism - Main beliefs, Smartism - Contributions to advaita, Smartism - Contributions to other philosophies, Smartism - Smartas who split away from their group, Smartism - Religious texts, Smartism - Prominent communities, Smartism - Swaminarayana sect view similar to Smarta view

Read more here: » Smartism: Encyclopedia II - Smartism - Distinction from others

Dream-Symbols And Their Meanings.

A spiritual view on dreams and the meaning of dreams by Sri Swami Sivananda, an authority in the vedic sciences and traditions.

Read more here: » Dream Symbols: Dream Symbols And Their Meanings

Ayurveda (Ayurveda Medicine, Ayurvedic healing, Ayurvedic healthcare, Ayurvedic medicine, ayurvedism, Indian medicine, Science of Longevity, traditional Ayurveda, traditional Indian medicine, Vedic medicine): The medical phase of Hinduism.

Ayurvedic theory posits a subtle anatomy that includes:

(a)    nadis, canals that carry prana (cosmic energy) throughout the body;

(b)    chakras, centers of consciousness that connect body and soul; and

(c)     marmas, points on the body beneath which vital structures (physical and/or subtle) intersect.

Ayurvedic diagnosis involves examination of the eyes, face, lips, tongue, nails, and pulse.

Ayurvedists associate parts of the lips and tongue, for example, with internal organs and maintain that discolorations, lines, cracks, and irritability in various areas indicate disorders in corresponding organs. The pulse is important because the heart is the seat of the underlying intelligence of nature: human consciousness.

(See also: Ayurveda, Alternative Health, Body Mind and Soul)