Brief Comparison of Some Religions

Part II of II
This article is Part II of my earlier post (July 24, 2009) titled, “Brief Introduction to Hinduism.”
There are four intersecting areas that are present in all religions. They are: an Ultimate Reality which some call God or Truth or Enlightenment, the human condition, salvation, and the nature of evil. In all religions [...]

Brief Introduction to Hinduism

A Brief Introduction to Hinduism
Part I of II

This article was written with the purpose of educating my children on the essence of Hinduism and how it compares with other religions. My forthcoming article will contain a brief comparison of other religions.
Religion has been a part of every society since the beginning of humans. Oral traditions [...]

Uma: Quencher of Thirst

It was a blazing hot summer afternoon in Hampi. As I walked out of the magnificent Vithala Temple, I was beyond thirsty. Even the sweat had dried in this arid Northern Karnataka summer. The sight of this woman under a bright red umbrella and tending a cooler with drinks was an oasis [...]

Perceiving your true form

Spent the last few days at a family gathering celebrating my father's 80th birthday. During the relaxing holiday, I came across these lines extending a verse (sada sarvada yog tuzha ghadava) which I had frequently recited as a child:
jhya jhya sthaLi hey mun jaaya mazhe, tyaa tyaa sthaLi hey nijarupa tuzhe
mi thevito [...]

Nature’s Shrine: A place to give thanks

For me, God exists in Nature and I see him in a beautiful sunrise.
I can add, I see her in the blue skies, towering mountains, the chirping birds, the butterfly and the serene lake. Wherever you see her, take off your shoes and gaze in awe at her munificence!

The pic was taken many, many [...]

Worship at a small shrine

Here and on I posted pics from the Chicago Balaji Temple and the Durga Devi Shrine within the Atlanta Temple. These are both very elaborate temple structures. However, not all worship occurs in such embellished temple complexes. On a regular basis worship takes place at the simple home altar. Routinely folks [...]