Hinduism

Manas: Religious texts of India, Puranas Puranas The Puranas are a class of literary texts, all written in Sanskrit verse, whose composition dates from the 4th century BCE to about 1,000 A.D. The word "Purana" means "old", and generally they are considered as coming in the chronological aftermath of the epics, though sometimes the Mahabharata, which is generally classified as a work of itihas (history), is also referred to as a purana. Some scholars, such as van Buitenen, are inclined to view the Puranas as beginning around the time that the composition of the Mahabharata came to a close, that is about 300 A.D. There are eighteen major puranas, as well as a similar number of minor or subordinate puranas. Though all the Puranas have been translated into major Indian languages as well as English, only a few of them, principally the Vishnu Purana and the Bhagavatam, can safely be described as being widely known. Further Reading: Dikshitar, V. Dimmitt, Cornelia & van Buitenen, J. O’Flaherty, Wendy Doniger, ed. and trans.

Hinduism Basics Hinduism is the major religion of India, and the vast majority of India's population today is Hindu; however, Hinduism has spread all over the world and is truly a "world" religion. Almost one billion people (approx. 900 million) practice Hinduism today. Hinduism is arguably the world's oldest organized religion. By that, I mean that it has existed for 4000 years or so with some basic institutional traits, like priests, formalized rituals, consistent stories/myths, etc. What's the connection between "old" and "diverse?" Hinduism has evolved and adapted into many different forms over the centuries, in order to speak to human needs and to remain meaningful to people's lives. Therefore, when looking at the history of Hinduism, we see lots of different forms, ideas, practices, etc. that may seem contradictory to each other, but all of which form part of a large, complex tapestry of Hindu belief and practice. - the Vedas - the Upanishads - the Bhagavad Gita (part of the larger Mahabharata)

Maharshi Veda Vyasa: The Life and Works of Hindu Sages By Subhamoy Das Updated May 12, 2016. Vyasa is perhaps the greatest sage in the history of Hindu religion. He edited the four Vedas, wrote the 18 Puranas, the epic Mahabharata and the Srimad Bhagavatam and even taught Dattatreya, who is regarded as the ‘Guru of Gurus.’ Vyasa’s Luminary Lineage Hindu mythology mentions as many as 28 Vyasas before Maharshi Veda Vyasa was born at the end of Dvapara Yuga. How Vyasa was Born Vyasa’s father, Parashara came to know that a child, conceived at a particular moment of time, would be born as the greatest man of the age as a part of Lord Vishnu himself. On that eventful day, Parashara was travelling in a boat and he spoke to the boatman about the nearing of that auspicious time. The Life and Works of Vyasa At a very tender age Vyasa revealed to his parents the purpose of his life — that he should go to the forest and practice ‘Akhanda Tapas’ or continuous penance. Significance of Vyasa Purnima Vyasa, Author of the Brahma Sutras

Hindu Devotional Groups Great Systems of Yoga: Chapter Two. Patanjali's Raja Yoga Sacred Texts Hinduism Yoga Index Previous Next Buy this Book at Amazon.com Great Systems of Yoga, by Ernest Wood, [1954], at sacred-texts.com p. 12 p. 13 p. 14 p. 15 FOREMOST among the Yoga teachings of India comes that of Patanjali dating back, according to popular tradition, to at least 300 B.C. p. 16 is its positive characteristic. Vritti means literally a whirlpool, and nirodha signifies restraint or control. The mind of the average man is far from being an instrument within his control. That a man should be in his own true state has two meanings: first, that in his repose he will be utterly himself, not troubled with the whirlpools, which, however slight, are in the eyes of the yogi nothing p. 17 but worry, and secondly, that in his activity as a man, using the mind, he will be a positive thinker, not merely a receptacle for impressions from outside and ideas which he has collected in the course of time. The final aim of Patanjali's yoga is to cease this slavery and achieve freedom. p. 18

Hindu Theory of World Cycles Traditional Hindu scriptures view history as cyclical in character, with vast repeating series of ages. Each age has its own particular qualities. Interestingly, this system seems to be taken literally by modern Yoga masters such as Swami Muktananda, Baba Hari Dass, Swami Vishnu Tirtha, and so on. As a Western devotee, I found myself wondering exactly what the full system of Hindu cycles is, and how it relates to the findings of modern science. Following is my attempt to explain what I found out. Traditional Puranic Model The Hindu Puranas describe a number of cycles within cycles. The following description starts with the smaller cycles and works up to the larger ones. This description is based on numerous sources, which are given in the "References" section at the end of this document. Maha Yugas The smallest cycle is called a maha yuga. Satya Yuga (also called Krita Yuga) This first age is 1,728,000 human years. Treta Yuga This second age is 1,296,000 human years. Dvapara Yuga Kali Yuga W.

Hindu Culture - Omkar and Swastika [an error occurred while processing this directive] Hindu Symbols and Symbolisms - Omkar, Swastika, the Saffron Colour and Purna-kumbha by Sudheer Birodkar Table of Contents India is a land of innumerable beliefs, rituals and religious symbols. As a devout people we normally do not go into the meaning and interpretation of our many beliefs. Culture can be well appreciated and adapted to changing times if the meaning behind its different constituents is well understood. An attempt to interpret our religious beliefs and symbols is a challenging task. OM or Omkar The syllable OM is quite familiar to a Hindu. Is OM present in Christianity as 'Amen' and in Islam as 'Amin'? This term occurs in various ancient and modern civilizations. In Arabic the first alphabet is pronounced as aliph. This indicates some link between the various symbols and perhaps a common origin. The syllable OM is not specific to Indian culture. In Arabic a similar term 'Amin' has a religious significance. Swastika Purnakumbha

Effects of Pranayama on the Brain Pranayama, or expansion of the prana or vital energy, occurs through the practices of prana nigraha, or control of the prana (1). This paper examines various prana nigraha practices which contribute initially to changing the physiological state of the brain and are said to awaken prana in the realm of the chakras, or psychic centres, within the human body. A comment is made on the effect that prana nigraha practices have had on the writer. A review of a medical examination of a yogic adept is included, which confirms the ability of pranayama to influence an indivdual's brain activity. Swami Niranjanananda Saraswati defines prana or vital energy as: “The essence of all created, manifest forms whether animate or inanimate, the force which determines the existence of matter and the elements”(2). Pranayama is the control of the upa pranas (sub pranas) which achieves harmonization of the physiological body and leads to awakening of prana in the chakras or psychic body. Kapalbhati Kumbhaka

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