Swami Tejomayananda
Circle of questions
One of the common questions that many people ask me is: Why did God create the world?
Utsav: Three steps to bliss
At the conclusion of Baisakhi, the harvest festival celebrated widely in north India to mark the beginning of the new harvest season, it is well worth reflecting on the need for the many festivals we
Master of the universe
Every god and goddess in Hinduism can be viewed from four standpoints: the absolute, the cosmic, the functional and the incarnate.
From the absolute standpoint, Shiva is pure conciousness. The name “Shiva” itself means “auspiciousness”. A body by itself is inert matter, but Shiva’s presence (consciousness) breathes life into it. From the cosmic standpoint, Lord Shiva is the universal lord — the Creator, Sustainer and Destroyer of the world.
It’s vision that matters
Why are some nations termed “developed”, while others “underdeveloped?” Why is there a difference? Is it because the underdeveloped nations lack talented people or natural resources? No. It is because of the lack of management or the under-utilisation of resources that gives rise to this discrepancy.
Usher spring with joy
In India, festivals are not only known for the celebrations and festivities of joy, but also for their spiritual significance, inspiring us to raise the standard of our lives.
Maximus happiness
We want to live and live happily. We want our relatives and friends also to live happily. That is why we wish one another Happy New Year. A question then arises: Why is there so much sorrow in spite of good wishes in the hearts of people? There is obviously something wrong in our pursuit of happiness and methods to make ourselves and others happy. This problem can be analysed from various standpoints but here we will consider one very important one.
Tricks to blow your mind
In my previous column (Mind over matter, December 1), we started an exploration of the mind, to understand the source and cause of various problems that beset us.
Mind over matter
Once a lady remarked to me that her husband was highly “temperamental”. That remark got me thinking as the word “temperamental” highlighted all the maladies affecting humanity — 50 per cent “temper” and 50 per cent “mental!” Though all human problems are caused by the mind, we don’t pay enough attention to it. Even if someone wants to educate us about the mind, we ignore it saying, “Never mind!”
An epic and its appeal
Last time(The inner Ramayan, November 2) we considered some of the characters of the Ramayan in their symbolic dimension. We saw what the symbolism was behind Ram and Sita. Let us here look at some other characters and their significance.
The inner Ramayana
Why does one study the Ramayana? Will it be of any help in our daily lives? This is what we will be talking about today.
