Indian Philosophy Archive

  • I return to Bhartruhari after the longest time. This sloka—the third in Neeti Shatakam—is highly applicable given the times we live in and given the self-proclaimed experts in every field. Agnah Sukhamaradhyate Sukhataramaradhyate Visheshagnah | Jnanalavadurvidagdham Brahmaapi Naram Na Ranjayati || It is but very...

    Bhartruhari: Neeti Shatakam–On Half-Learned People

    I return to Bhartruhari after the longest time. This sloka—the third in Neeti Shatakam—is highly applicable given the times we live in and given the self-proclaimed experts in every field. Agnah Sukhamaradhyate Sukhataramaradhyate Visheshagnah | Jnanalavadurvidagdham Brahmaapi Naram Na Ranjayati || It is but very...

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  • The consistently brilliant Atanu Dey asks What would Gandhi do and at the end of his answer, says: “Why does it matter what would Gandhi do? What matters is what we should do,” I said. “Actually that’s why I ask what would Gandhi do,” CJ...

    What Krishna Would Do

    The consistently brilliant Atanu Dey asks What would Gandhi do and at the end of his answer, says: “Why does it matter what would Gandhi do? What matters is what we should do,” I said. “Actually that’s why I ask what would Gandhi do,” CJ...

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  • An average, devout Hindu knows next to nothing about Hinduism while his Muslim or Christian counterparts know enough to defend their respective faiths. And so the average devout Hindu does one of these two: Feels ashamed and/or scared to admit in public that he is...

    Introducing Prekshaa

    An average, devout Hindu knows next to nothing about Hinduism while his Muslim or Christian counterparts know enough to defend their respective faiths. And so the average devout Hindu does one of these two: Feels ashamed and/or scared to admit in public that he is...

    Continue Reading...

  • Today is Makara Sankranti, celebrated across India to both herald the beginning of longer days, and reap the harvest of months of backbreaking work in the fields. But the greater significance of Makara Sankranti like most Hindu festivals, is to highlight another living instance of...

    Strength of Sanatana Dharma

    Today is Makara Sankranti, celebrated across India to both herald the beginning of longer days, and reap the harvest of months of backbreaking work in the fields. But the greater significance of Makara Sankranti like most Hindu festivals, is to highlight another living instance of...

    Continue Reading...

  • A few weeks ago, I made a hurried list that broadly categorized contemporary Hindus based on certain general parameters. Gurcharan Das of India Unbound fame adds to this list by slotting himself into a new category: Liberal Hindu. Much of what he says in that...

    Gurcharan Das and the Liberal Hindu

    A few weeks ago, I made a hurried list that broadly categorized contemporary Hindus based on certain general parameters. Gurcharan Das of India Unbound fame adds to this list by slotting himself into a new category: Liberal Hindu. Much of what he says in that...

    Continue Reading...

  • Soon after, I wrote Jalapaata (Waterfall) and Tabbaliyu Neenaade Magane (You have been orphaned, my Son). A singular experience inspired both these works. A revolution of sorts was brewing in the cooperative sector in the Kaira district, which not just bettered the lives of the...

    Sunday Special: Excerpts from an Autobiography : 2

    Soon after, I wrote Jalapaata (Waterfall) and Tabbaliyu Neenaade Magane (You have been orphaned, my Son). A singular experience inspired both these works. A revolution of sorts was brewing in the cooperative sector in the Kaira district, which not just bettered the lives of the...

    Continue Reading...

  • A good way to take a break from sickening news, never ending political crap and even mundane life, and recover sanity is to turn the mind towards the more refined appeals. The kinds that we’ve lost the time and solitude to enjoy at will: music,...

    The Sublime and the Mundane

    A good way to take a break from sickening news, never ending political crap and even mundane life, and recover sanity is to turn the mind towards the more refined appeals. The kinds that we’ve lost the time and solitude to enjoy at will: music,...

    Continue Reading...

  • It is Vijayadashami here in Karnataka, a hallowed tradition that celebrates both the victory and renewal of the spirit of Sanatana Dharma in South India. A tradition handed down to us from the time Harihara established the Vijaynagar empire after defeating the marauding Islamic armies...

    Remembering Madhava Vidyaranya

    It is Vijayadashami here in Karnataka, a hallowed tradition that celebrates both the victory and renewal of the spirit of Sanatana Dharma in South India. A tradition handed down to us from the time Harihara established the Vijaynagar empire after defeating the marauding Islamic armies...

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  • I know the title of this post will get all kinds of visitors to this blog but everything has a price. Okay, so this is about sex in Indian art, something I might have touched upon mostly in my posts on M.F. Hussain. One of...

    Let’s Talk About Sex

    I know the title of this post will get all kinds of visitors to this blog but everything has a price. Okay, so this is about sex in Indian art, something I might have touched upon mostly in my posts on M.F. Hussain. One of...

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  • After about seven years of almost nonstop blogging, I have reached a decisive turn. I won’t stop this blog or anything. I’ll continue being rude but much less often. However, I’ve decided to turn to studying more in depth, and writing on the philosophical concepts...

    The Direction of this Blog

    After about seven years of almost nonstop blogging, I have reached a decisive turn. I won’t stop this blog or anything. I’ll continue being rude but much less often. However, I’ve decided to turn to studying more in depth, and writing on the philosophical concepts...

    Continue Reading...

  • So this is both a question and a test of how well you know your Hinduism. What according to Sanatana Dharma is the root cause of religious fundamentalism/bigotry? Technorati Tags: hinduism,sanatana dharma,question,quiz,india,indian philosophy Tweet

    Reason for Fundamentalism and Biogtry

    So this is both a question and a test of how well you know your Hinduism. What according to Sanatana Dharma is the root cause of religious fundamentalism/bigotry? Technorati Tags: hinduism,sanatana dharma,question,quiz,india,indian philosophy Tweet

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  • As promised to Yossarin, I hereby add, clarify, and (hope to) correct some items in Yossarin’s elucidation of Dharma. I’ve adopted his question-answer format because it offers a nice readymade template. Tweet

    Dharma 101: A Critique

    As promised to Yossarin, I hereby add, clarify, and (hope to) correct some items in Yossarin’s elucidation of Dharma. I’ve adopted his question-answer format because it offers a nice readymade template. Tweet

    Continue Reading...

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