Author: Dr. A Pranesh

  • Devi the Mother Goddess – A Vedantic Perspective

    Shakti is synonymous with the term Devi, who is worshipped eternally by one and all. Although it refers to a female gender but Paramatma or almighty has no gender. Vedanta says- all are different names of one and the only Brahman with Maya. Maya and Brahman are inseparable. As per Sanskrit language every word has…

  • Virtues of Bhagavan

    Each Yuga prescribes certain things to get blessings of Lord or Bhagavan. In Krta yuga or Satya Yuga, more emphasis was given to Dhyana alone. In Treta Yuga, all Vaidika karmas like Yajnas were emphasized. In Dvapara Yuga, Pujas and Archanas were prescribed. In fact, Dhyana is more difficult than Yajna and Yajna is more…

  • Ghats of Varanasi (Part I)

    1. Ghats of Varanasi Varanasi or Kaashi is an ancient town also mentioned in Rig Veda. The etymology of the word Kaashi is from the Sanskrit verbal root Kaash means to shine, meaning Kaashi as the city of light or a luminous city of knowledge and learning. The town Varanasi is located in between the…

  • Virtues of Guru

    The Hindu scriptures are invariably cryptic. One has to know the proper way of analysing the scriptures by the following means:  Vyakarana (Grammer)- which gives the meaning of word viz. Pada artha Mimamsa- which gives the meaning of sentence viz. Vakya artha Tarka- Logic Even after following the above means, if the primary meaning (vaachyartha)…

  • Muni Yajnavalkya (Vaajasaneya)

    Muni Yajnavalkya is a well known Acharya in Vedas. He was bestowed with great wisdom right from his childhood. When he was learning Krishna Yajurveda in acharya Vaishampayana’s Gurukula, his questions would corner the guru himself most of the times. Once, after getting cornered by Yajnavalkya, Guru Vaishampayana got so enraged that he ordered the…

  • Vaikunta Dwaram – Vedantic Perspective

    Vedas and Upanishads (especially Prashna and Aithireya) mentions about Shukla Patha (pure or bright path) and Krishna Patha (dark path). Shukla patha leads to Indra yoni (gat)e at Solar disc (vaikunta dwaram), through which Vaikunta Loka could be reached. There is a special Naadi (channel) from the base of soft palate in the mouth from…

  • Uddhava Gita / Hamsa Gita

    Srimad Bhagavatha, in its 11th chapter (Ekadasha skanda) depicts Lord Krishna’s last days. From 6th to 29th chapters there is a narration of Uddhava Gita which is taught by Lord Krishna himself to Uddhava.  During the end of Krishnaavatara, Yadavas had become very arrogant and egoistic. Once sage Agastya along with his followers came to…

  • Master the subject

    Every student wants to study and get expertise in the field of a subject which he or she is studying. Unfortunately only one or two students get to become masters in the said subject but rest would only get to become a mediocre. So it is obvious that even though a student is interested in…

  • Guru Gaudapada Acharya

    Guru Sri Gaudapada Acharya happens to be the Parama guru (Guru’s guru) of Sri Adi Shankara Acharya. It is believed that Gaudapada Acharya renounced his life at a very young age and went to forest in quest of spiritual knowledge. There he heard God’s voice through Nabho vaani (inner voice) advising him to go to…

  • Vyas Gufa- Maana Village, Badarinath, Uttarakhand, Himalayas

    Maana is the last village of India, on the border with Tibet and 3 kms from Holy Badarinath in Uttaranchal, Himalayas. Maana is very small but beautiful. This was named after the Manasa putras (sons) of Brahma. Maana village is inhabited by Indo- Mangolian tribes called Bhotias.  Maana village has many caves and among them…