When there is a fight, at least two parties are involved. So there can be no fight with you if you refuse to participate. Paramahansa Yogananda (1893-1952)
There is nothing higher than dharma. Verily, that which is dharma is truth. Brihadaranyaka Upanishad 1.4.14
As the body needs food to survive and grow, the soul needs love. Love instills a strength and vitality that even mother's milk cannot provide. All of us live and long for real love. We are born and die searching for such love. Children, love each other and unite in pure love. Mata Amritanandamayi, Kerala-based hugging saint and Hinduism Today's Hindu of the Year 1993
Thou art nothing, O man, but enchanted Being, and His ever-enchanting, ever-beloved Energy. Siva-Shakti is thy name–even as it is the name of all things. Now, the nature of Shakti is rasa. It is juicy, tasteful, and beauteous, infinitely and forever. This is the basic theory of Indian culture, the fundamental justification of India's arts and her literature, her aspirations and achievements, her life and her actions. And today her renaissance means her return to this fundamental doctrine of life. Subrahmanya Bharati (1882-1921), Tamil poet
Japa, austerities, observances, pilgrimage, sacrifice, charity–all these become a mere waste without understanding the guru tattva. Kularnava Tantra 24
The Higgs Boson walks into a Catholic church. The priest says, "What are you doing here?" HB says, "You can't have mass without me." A tweet from Brian Malow, the Science Comedian
The value of a man should be seen in what he gives and not in what he is able to receive. Albert Einstein (1879-1955)
Self inquiry directly leads to Realization by removing the obstacles which make you think that the Self is not already realized. Ramana Maharshi (1879-1950)
It is mind-boggling to consider that we have available to us a language which has been spoken for 4,000-7,000 years that appears to be in every respect a perfect language designed for enlightened communication. But the most stunning aspect of the discovery is this: NASA, the most advanced research center in the world for cutting-edge technology, has discovered that Sanskrit, the world's oldest spiritual language, is the only unambiguous spoken language on the planet. Considering Sanskrit's status as a spiritual language, a further implication of this discovery is that the age-old dichotomy between religion and science is an entirely unjustified one. Rick Briggs, senior research scientist with NASA, writing in AI Magazine, Spring 1985
Don't be arrogant, because arrogance kills curiosity and passion. Mina Bissell, biologist at Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory
Monks work, too. They are in the business of Isness.
When we think about someone, we're sending a thought form to that person, and that thought form is affecting them. If it is a positive, uplifting thought, it affects them in a positive, uplifting way. If it is a critical thought, it affects them in a negative way. Satguru Bodhinatha Veylanswami, publisher of Hinduism Today
When we encounter wickedness in others, let us be compassionate, for truly there is no intrinsic evil. Satguru Sivaya Subramuniyaswami (1927-2001)
DID YOU KNOW?
SURGERY WAS USED IN ANCIENT BHARAT
While India's traditional medical system, ayurveda, is strong in balancing the body, maintaining health and preventing disease, Western medicine today excels at repairing the body when serious injury occurs. It seems both approaches are necessary in our lives, and it turns out this is not a new idea in India. As far back as 600 bce, Mother India laid claim not only to sophisticated preventive medicine, but to advanced surgery as well.
One of the best-known medical texts from this time period is the Sushruta Samhita, by the eponymous acharya who is widely regarded as the father of Indian surgery. In his detailed work, Acharya Sushruta describes 300 types of operations, including treatment for twelve types of fractures and six types of dislocations. He used 125 surgical instruments–scalpels, lancets, needles and more–mostly crafted from the jaws of animals and birds. Also mentioned are a number of stitching methods, using horse hair or tree bark fibers as thread. He also details amputation, rhinoplasty, Caesarean and cranial surgeries.
The widely recognized wisdom of ayurveda and the lesser-known work of Acharya Sushruta have shed light on the fact that ancient India was far ahead of her time in the understanding of the human body, its care and repair.
BASICS OF HINDUISM
DEVOTIONAL SINGING
The expression of bhakti, or devotion, through song is a central practice in Hinduism, dating back untold millennia. Awakening love in the heart, devotional singing and chanting by oneself or in a group celebrates and worships God, the Gods and one's guru and opens oneself up to their divine grace. Many Hindus sing bhajans daily before their home shrine as part of a morning religious vigil, setting a spiritual tone for the day, or during evening devotional practices, carrying them to celestial realms during sleep. In most ashrams, the daily routine of worship includes group chanting of bhajans or a practice called kirtan, which includes dancing.
Satguru Sivaya Subramuniyaswami wrote, "These hymns are actually heard by the subtle beings. Devas in the Second World come, hover around and near us and rejoice in our singing. If we are deeply devoted and inspired, then even the Mahadevas of the Third World will hover above the devas in their magnificent bodies of light, showering blessings to those who are singing or chanting prayerfully. You may not be able to see these subtle beings, but you can feel their presence, feel a holy atmosphere around you."
I'll wreathe Him in garlands. I'll hug Him to heart. I'll sing Him His name and dance with gifts of flowers. Singing and dancing, seek the Lord. This alone I know. Tirumantiram