deva savitar – O God the Creator viśwāni duritāni – all our vices parāsuva – remove yat bhadram – which is good tat naḥ āsuva – that to us grant Om viśwāni deva savitarduritāni parāsuva Yad bhadran tan na āsuva O God the Creator! Remove all our vices; that which Read more…
VEDIC COSMOGRAPHY IN THE HAWAN How the Universe is mapped in the Hawan ṛg veda tatsavitur vareṇyam bhargo devasya dhīmahi dhiyo yo naḥ pracodayāt Om bhūr bhuvaḥ swaḥ tatsavitur vareṇyam bhargo devasya dhīmahi dhiyo yo naḥ d āt yajur-veda bhūr bhuvah WORLDS OF THE VEDIC COSMOS Bhūh/Prthvi (earth) Bhuvah/Antariksa (atmosphere) Svah/Dyauh (heaven) 3 SETS OF TRIADS (VYAHRTIS) world Read more…
The Shepherd In the New Testament of the Bible Jesus is the benevolent shepherd. The analogy is one of a pasture of lovely flowing green fields where the flock of Jesus the Pastor may safely graze. When lured by greener pasture, the desire for greater wealth, or by any such Read more…
NATURE BASED MORALS In the Vedas, the deities or devatās are mainly the elements of nature e.g. Sūrya (sun), Prithivī (earth), Vāyu (wind). The treatise on the derivation of the vocable of the Vedas, the Nirukta, gives a definition of Devatā as that which is self-luminous, that which gives its Read more…
MOTHER’S DAY O Mother Divine, Eternal, so proudly mineFrom you all’s born, Nature mighty yet so fineIn her lap the rivers flow and the trees grow,Birds above flowers below, the gentle breezes blowGranting our seasons, Time, today tomorrowIn her every moment, our pain, joy and sorrowAll for us to live, Read more…
MAN – THE THINKING BEING The Vedas use the words ‘manu’ and ‘pashu’ to describe human beings and animals respectively.The word ‘manu’ derives from the Sanskrit verbal root ‘man’ meaning ‘to think’; man, therefore is the thinking being, the one endowed with an intellect, the ability to make a choice in Read more…
Pitar Paksh A “paksh” is a fortnightly lunar phase dedicated to our parents – “pitar”. At every Havan or Yajna there is a mantra dedicated to our parents which asks that we be blessed with the good knowledge and wisdom that our parents are endowed with. Parents are the custodians Read more…
NĀSADĪYA SŪKTA Nāsadāsīnno sadāsīttadānīm nāsīdrajo no vyomā paro yat, kimārīvaḥ kuha kasya śarmannambhaḥ kimāsīdgahanamgabhīram. (na) neither (asat) non-existent (āsīt) was (na) nor (sat) existent (āsīt) was (tadānīm) then na vyoma nor airs para yat nor any region beyond (kim) what (āvarīvaḥ) coverer (kuha) mysterious (kasya) of this (śarman) protector (ambhaḥ) heavenly waters (kim) what (āsīt)was (gahanam) depth (gabhīram) gravity na mṛtyurāsīdamṛtamna tarhi na rātryā ahna āsītpraketaḥ, ānīdavātamswadhayā tadekam tasmād Read more…
RĀTRI SŪKTA (Ṛgveda 10.127) rātrī vyakhyadāyatīpurutrā devyākṣabhiḥ, viśwā adhiśriyo’dhita (1) (rātrī) night (devī) goddess (aksabhiḥ) with her eyes (vyakhyat) sees (āyati) approaching (purutrā) pervading (viśwā) all (śriyaḥ) glory (adhita) embraces The Goddess Night, with her eyes sees; Approaching, pervading, her glory embraces all orvaprā amatyā niyato devyudvataḥ, jyotiṣa bādhate tamaḥ (2) (orvaprā) omnipresent (amartyā) immortal (ni-vataḥ) below (ut) and (vataḥ) above (devī) goddess Read more…