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`Vedic technology has not lost its relevance'
Staff Reporter
Seminar focuses on rich Vedic heritage
# Pure mathematics part of Vedas, says IIT professor
# Forum opened to bring into relevance use of Vedic technology in modern science
VISAKHAPATNAM: ``You open any metallurgy book and it would state that steel was invented in the 19th century by an Englishman by name Henry Bessemer. But little do people know that the famous Damascus swords were made from steel imported from the southern part of India centuries ago. History traces that high quality steel like the one used in the swords was produced in India by 300 BC itself. That's the greatness of this land. The technological development that we see or hear today was written by our maharishis in the Vedic period itself,'' opined B.S. Murthy, professor of metallurgy and nanotechnology, IIT, Chennai, in his address at a seminar on Vedic technology organised by Maharshi Research Institute of Vedic Technology here on Sunday.
The seminar was hosted by the institute to create awareness on the rich Vedic heritage and its application in modern science. According to A.B. Sudhakara Sastry, founder of the institute, every subject has its roots linked to the Vedas, especially the pure sciences like physics and chemistry.
Part of Vedas
Giving a power point presentation, Mr. Sastry showcased how pure mathematics formed an integral part of the Vedas. "If one goes deep into the Vedas then he or she would find every aspect of modern applied mathematics like complex geometry and trigonometry mentioned somewhere in the Vedas. Subjects like astronomy, bio-technology, space technology, aeronautics, civil engineering, chemical engineering and atomic structures are discussed in detail by sages like Bharadwaja, Valmiki and Agastya under different chapters and texts."
"The only thing was that they talked of science with constructive ideas and we are now inching towards destruction by wrong usage of our modern knowledge,'' said Mr. Sastry.
Forum inaugurated
Apart from showcasing the use of science in Vedas, a forum, Maharshi Intellectual Forum, was also inaugurated to take up the task of bringing into relevance the use of Vedic technology in modern science.
Speaking after inaugurating the forum, the chief guest, Sadguru Sivananda Murthy, said: "It is now the duty of the young scientists to take this forum ahead. Professors and scientists have to guide young minds with logical and scientific interpretation of the Vedas. Our Vedas are an ocean of knowledge. One can find the mention of modern scientific topics like magnetic fields, anti-gravitational force and aerodynamics in the Vedas. Only thing is that one should take interest to learn and interpret the details rightly.''
Andhra University Rector L. Joga Rao and the correspondent of Gayatri Vidya Parishad, V. Soma Raju, also spoke.
Passion to the rescue of Vedas
T. Lalith Singh
THE MAN AND HIS MACHINE: R.V.S.S. Avadhanulu working on the digitization of the Vedas. â Photo: D. Gopalakrishnan
HYDERABAD: He started with no resource except his will. Almost a decade later, he is aware that only small steps in the journey have been completed. Yet the man is unflinching in his commitment of digitising Vedas.
"It may take a decade or more but I am determined in my pursuit to put the available Vedic literature on the electronic medium," says R.V.S.S. Avadhanulu, working as a Deputy Director (Computers), Nizam's Institute of Medical Sciences (NIMS).
"It's an alarming situation since most of the vast Vedic material has been lost. I would say that only one per cent of the original material is available. That too would be lost if we do not take steps to conserve it," says the scholar.
Personal finances
A post-graduate in nuclear physics, he has dipped into his personal finances for the mission. A few others joined the endeavour and some donations too have trickled in. But all that is not enough. "A lot of money is needed for the project as we are recording each and every hymn of the Vedas that we can lay our hands on."
Since he could not afford recording studios, the operation was recently shifted to a rented room which was made soundproof as best as it could be. There are 11 different types of chanting the Vedas and locating a person who could render them in all the styles was quite a task.
In Pandit Narendra Kapreji, he found his man and together, they are pooling free time to record the hymns. T<b>he Herculean effort Dr. Avadhanulu has taken up can be gauged from the fact that it is estimated to cost Rs. 5 crores for recording the available Vedic material and expected to run into 3,000 hours of recording.
</b>
Vedic material
Through `Shri Veda Bharathi' that the intrepid scholar in his late 50s had set up along with a few other enthusiasts, he has released several packages of Vedic material including a five audio-CD set of `Abhisheka', nine CD-set of `Yajurveda' chantings, 32 CD-set of `Rigveda Samhita' apart from multi-media CDs of `Yajurveda' and `Rigveda'.
"We have succeeded in recording three modes of chanting. Eight more have to be completed. But for the support of `pandits' who are making their scholarly contributions without really looking for remuneration it just would not have been possible to record our great Vedas," says Dr. Avadhanulu (Ph.No. 23812577). He also started free Sanskrit classes and a training programme in Vedic sciences recently.
ESamskriti lists
http://esamskriti.com/html/essay_index.asp...hindu_sikh_bond
The original available at..
http://www.organiser.org/dynamic/modules.p...&pid=92&page=11
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->Heritage Plus
The unbreakable Hindu-Sikh bond
Dr Arvind S. Godbole
The claim of many Sikh politicians and authors that Sikhism is a separate religion, calls for an objective and a nationwide debate. In this debate, we can keep aside, the semantic of the terms dharma and 'religion' and use the term 'religion', as it is commonly understood at present.
To qualify as a 'separate religion' it must have a theology and philosophy distinct from other religions. The revered, Shri Guru Granth Sahib (Granth, G.pp. no) is the most important source of Sikh theology and philosophy. According to the Granth, the Supreme Being is sans beginning (G.1351), primordial being (G.129), complete or integral (G.705), eternally true (G.1,119), sans human birth (G.1,99), transcendent as well as immanent (G.79, 102 etc), antarjami (G.13,43,454 etc.) nirvairu or sans enemity (G.1,99), fearless (G.199), fearless (G.1,464 etc), supremely resplendent (G.13,277 etc), supreme bliss (G.814), untainted or niranjana (G. 119,597,1353) and both sarguna and nirguna (G.128,862).
These basic theological concepts are of the Sanatana Hindu religion. Shankara in his Vivekachudamani (225) calls Parabrahma as nitya or eternal. Bhagvadgita (9.18), regards the supreme as the primordial origin of the universe. The Chandogya Upanishad (8.3.8) holds that the truth is His name. Bhagvadgita, (7.25), declares that the ignorant think that the Supreme being has a birth. The immanence of the Supreme being, a cardinal tenet of the Sanatana Hindu religion and the Sikhism differentiates then clearly from the Semitic religions, who do not subscribe to that doctrine. Several hymns of the Granth, bring out, very eloquently, the contrary attributes of God e.g. âYou are the teacher, you are the discipleâ (G.669); âYou are water, you are the fishâ (G.85). This is a corollary of the doctrine of total immanence of God and is an echo of the Taittiriya Upanishad. Antarjami (antaryamin), an attribute of God, is drawn from the Brihadaranyaka Upanishad. The epithet, nirvairu of the Parabrahma is a corollary of the doctrine of immanence. The Amritbindupanishad (6), holds that God is impartial. This doctrine differs from the Old Testament concept of 'chosen people' or the Quranic concept of the 'favoured believers'. That the Supreme is a bliss is a Vedantic concept, endorsed both by the Brahmasutra and the Tejabindupanishad. That the Supreme is untainted, is the doctrine of the Upanishads, later adopted by the Nath samparadaya. Guru Nanak has sung the glory of Om (G.929-930) as the creator of the Vedas, etc. Needless to say, the Om is the Vedic mantra as well as a pan Hindu symbol. Expressions like, 'Uradh mula jasu sakha' (Guru Nanak, G. 503), 'Neta neta kathanti beda' (Guru Arjuna, G.1359), 'Brahamgiani sada niralepa jaise jala mahi kamala alepa' (Guru Arjuna, G. 272) are but echoes of the Vedas and the Bhagvadgita.
The philosophical concepts of the Grantha like indestructibility of soul, the cycle of birth, death and rebirth, evil impulses viz lust, anger, etc., maya, brahamgiani, cardinal importance of guru, the importance of recitation and meditation of Hari or Ramanama, realisation of soham for the liberation, jeevana mukti, the merger of the individual soul with the Supreme soul, during life time or the mukti, the two categories of people viz the manamukha seeking ephemeral pleasures and the gurumukha or the God oriented people, are Sanatana Hindu concepts.
Shikhism Revisited
The Philosophical nomenclature of the Granth viz Parabrahma, Ghata, Pinda, Atama, Moksha, Mukti, Jeevan Mukti, Maya, Mithya, Sarguna and Nirguna, Bharamanda, Jogu (yoga), Raja Jogu (rajayoga), Isaru (Ishvara) is same as that of the Sanatana Hindu religion. The terms like four yugas, four padaratha-goals of life-viz the purushartha, tribhuvana, amrita, lakha chourasiha-84 lakh species, which appear so often in the Grantha denote its Sanatana Hindu ethos.
Neither Guru Nanak nor any of the other Sikh Gurus declares in their hymns that he is founding a his religion. Guru Amardas declares that 'He gave the Smritis, the Shastras (Vedas) and the reckoning of punya and papa' (G.949). "You are the Shastras, you are the Vedas", sings Guru Arjun (G.1150). Not only the Smritis and the Shastras but Puranas also were created by His order, declares Guru Arjun (G. 261). A distinct civil code and a distinct mythology are hallmarks of a separate religion e.g Islam, Old Testament as the mythology of the Semitic religions. The Sikhs share the same mythology, as elaborated by the Ramayana, Mahabharata, Puranas, Shrimad Bhagvata, with the Sanatani Hindus. The Sikhs never had and could not have a separate civil code, given the reverence of the Sikh Gurus for the Smritis and the absence of any declarations, in the Granth on marriage, divorce and inheritance. The recent practice of many Sikh authors to present ten Sikh Gurus as ten prophets does not have a scriptural basis. Sikh Gurus never claimed to be prophets or having received any messages from God. With great humility, they said that they were but the dust of the feet of saints.
The rejection by the Sikh Gurus of the Vedic rituals and their insistence on inner realisation of God is consistent with the Upanishads. Although the hymns of the Granth repeatedly describe God as formless, a nirguna, they do describe, in many places, the physical attributes of God. Wherever they do so, the description is invariably that of Vishnu or one of His incarnations (G. 567, 1082, 1402). The argument that because Sikhism is monotheistic, it is akin to Islam and or a different religion, is unfounded. The monotheism of Sikhism is different from that of Islam. While revering the One Parabrahma, Sikhism like the Sanatana Hindu religion, does not reject other Gods. The expressions like 'Suri Nara' (G.775), devate kodi tetise' (G.1079), 'tritia brahma bisanu mahesa' (G.839), Yama, Yamaduta, Yama danda appear in the Granth. The Farid Bani in the Granth does not support the notion that there is a Sufi element in Sikhism. The Farid Bani deals with general themes like inevitability of old age and death. It does not bring out any basic philosophical doctrines. Unlike the Bhagat Bani, which appears uninterrupted, in the Granth, the Farid Bani is interspersed with the Gurus' verses, indicating that the Gurus desired to comment on it. The Sufi nomenclature is conspicuous by its absence in the Granth. The Gurus' criticism of mechanical recitation of the Vedas without understanding their meaning and their insistence on the inner God realisation, is consistent with Shankara's Vivekachudamani V. The rejection of idol worship by the Sikh gurus has been mistakenly interpreted as rejection of the Sanatana Hindu religion. âHe is not in any symbolâ declares the Brahma sutra (4.1-4). an idol worship is not an essential component of the Sanatana Hindu religion. The claim that Sikhism rejects the avatara concept of the Sanatana Hindu religion is also baseless. 'Sunnahu upaje dasa avatara, 'declares Guru Nanak (G.1038). 'Assuming the form of a child, you killed Kamsa, Keshi and Kuvalayapida', says Guru Ramadas (G.606). In one hymn, Guru Arjun enumerates various avatara (G.1082). Story of Prahlad (Narasimha avatara) appears in many places in the Granth, Guru Gobind Singh wrote Ramavatara, Krishnavtara and Chobis avatara. Guru Gobind Singh says in his autobiographical 'Bachitra Natak' that the Bedis (Guru Nanak's clan) and the Sodhis, his own clan, originated, respectively, from Kusha and Lava, the sons of Shri Rama. It should be remembered that Guru Gobind Singh did not make the initiation into the Khalsa, mandatory for all Sikhs. Bhai Nandlal, an important member of the court of the tenth Guru and an author of a famous Sikh Rahatnama and Bhai Kanhaiya were not Khalsa Sikhs.
The monotheism of Sikhism is different from that of Islam. While revering the One Parabrahma, Sikhism like the Sanatana Hindu religion, does not reject other gods.
The fear that the Sikhs will lose their identity if they are included in the Hindu society is unfounded. Without losing their characteristic features and individual identity, the Varkaris, the Ramadasis, the Swami Narayan Panthis have remained within the Hindu society. In the present controversy of the nature of 'Sikh religion', let us keep aside the current and the past politics and in the Sikh tradition, seek the guidance from the Shri Guru Granth Sahib.
(Dr Arvind Godbole is author of Guru Nanak Guru Gobind Singh (Marathi) and âPhilosophy of Shri Guru Granth Sahibâ (English) and many articles on Sikh history and Sikh Philosophy.)
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A mission to know India's rich past
Alladi Jayasri
30,000 people have fanned out in nine States for the first ever survey of manuscripts
BANGALORE: Eighth century India was quite close to cracking the mysteries of mathematics that have been unravelled by modern European experts. Nearly everything, from rocket science to astronomy to aerodynamics, from plastic surgery to transplants to cures for diabetes and hypertension have answers that go deep into India's 5,000-year history.
Today India, though considered a civilisation without much written history, boast a stupendous five million ancient manuscripts that open a window to ancient knowledge systems, religion, astronomy, astrology, art, architecture, science, literature, philosophy and mathematics, all held in trust by individuals and families, institutions and temples.
Worth
Some whose worth is unknown to their owners, some in such serious state of decay as to crumble when handled.
On Monday, 30,000 people fanned out across the hinterland in nine States, including Karnataka, to begin the first ever survey of manuscripts that are being held by many families and individuals, cherished as precious pieces of inheritance handed down through the generations.
Five-day exercise
The five-day exercise, launched by the National Mission for Manuscripts, will locate the scattered treasure trove of manuscripts, estimated at over five million. Mission's Director Sudha Gopalakrishnan told The Hindu on the sidelines of the nine-day Mahabharata Utsav that concluded here on Monday, "we will create a manuscript map of India and piece together the country's unknown, inaccessible and fragmented intellectual heritage."
Pilot survey
The mission, set up two years ago, first had to contend with the possibility of general ignorance about India's written tradition. A pilot survey in December last in Orissa, 12 districts of Uttar Pradesh and 10 districts of Bihar threw up results that could not be ignored, a massive campaign was launched to create awareness about manuscripts in preparation for the survey. About 2,700 people fanned out in 53 districts.
Orissa, known as a repository of palm leaf manuscripts, yielded 2.9 lakh manuscripts. Bihar was a neat harvest of 1.5 lakhs, and the12 districts of Uttar Pradesh gave two lakhs. Of this, 1.8 lakh came from Varanasi.
Handwritten documents with knowledge content over 75 years old are qualified to be declared a part of India's heritage. The pilot survey threw up documents dating to 14th century.
At Unnao, Uttar Pradesh, the mission found Mahabharata writings weighing one quintal.
But manuscripts are being lost at an alarming speed, due to ignorance. The people owning manuscripts often find them to be white elephants, as they do not know how to preserve and conserve them. But now there is technology available, and the mission, which comes under the Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts, trains students, librarians and private collectors in conservation.
A manuscript conservator with the project stumbled on a 400-year-old Arabic text on ancient Islamic healing procedures in a dusty college library. The mission staff have come across people who have thrown away powdery palm leaves and paper since it could not be retrieved.
On Monday, President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam released an edited version of a 500-year-old Vadiraja Tirtha's text on the Mahabharata, a treasure that was recently discovered by scholars in Karnataka.
Some people objected to the idea that we must follow a Jewish model. I
think the Jewish model has its virtues. There is good evidence that
Jews were viewed very negatively by their neighbors. They did a great
job in the past 50 years in improving their image. But I am not sure
this will apply easily to Hindus.
. Jews are genetically and ideologically far more cohesive than Hindus.
. Jews have paid much attention to reach influential positions in
Hollywood, news media and academics while retaining their allegience
to Jewish identity.
. On an averages the number fair-skinned Jews with "standard American"
names way exceeds the Hindus.
So we need to ask ourselves if we can really adopt the Jewish model
with stark differences on the above points.
From my interactions with fellow ABCDs there are the following trends:
. A fraction of ABCDs become "South Asians". They adopt a south Asian
identity. This is useless because other South Asians like Pukis and
Bangdeshis are attracted towards a Muslim identity and use the SAian
mantle only for subterfuge and comaflage and mating. SAian Christians
merge into mainstream American Christian based identity.
. A fraction of ABCDs will merge assimilate an irreligious neutral
American identity.
. A fraction of ABCDs feel attracted to their ancestral Hindu
condition. Often they are misguided by texts championed by Witzel and
his friends, general media misrepresentation of India and Hindus and
thus do not develop strong Hindu identities.
I think we need to make a clean break from fractions 1 and 2 and
strengthen the identity if the last group. Witzel and his friends
appear to identify to with the first fraction and want to
anthroplogize on 3 to earn money. They do not like their study
subjects reacting to their filming :-)
<b>Classic Indian myth to become comic book</b><!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->This is the brainchild of the newly launched Virgin Comics and Virgin Animation, an entertainment partnership between British billionaire Richard Branson, best-selling New Age author Deepak Chopra, film director Shekhar Kapur ("Bandit Queen" and "Elizabeth") and India's leading licenser of comic books, Gotham Entertainment Group, which has brought "Spider-Man" and "X-Men" to Delhi and Bombay, as well as launched an Indian version of "Spider-Man."
"The Ramayan is the Eastern equivalent of the 'Odyssey.' It is our 'Lord of the Rings,' " says Gotham Chopra, Deepak's 30-year-old son, a former Channel One TV personality, author and producer, and the venture's chief creative officer.
The new companies, in New York and Bangalore, India, are using largely Asian-influenced comics as the platform to build a global media company.
"We felt that interest in this Asian-edged content, this is the growing wave," says Chopra. "Richard, as a big Western billionaire, recognized that the future of entertainment is in the East, not necessarily in Hollywood."
Comic books are a thriving arena in America, and have been the springboard for many Hollywood blockbusters.
"The growth of the comic market in America has been spectacular," notes Adrian Sington, executive chairman of Virgin Books, who is supervising the multimillion-dollar investment for Virgin. "It's been led by comics made in Asia. Despite the fact that India has a mature entertainment business, with movies and sports, it's had no comic business. They're leveraging the talent of Indian creators and moving them like manga into the West. We're looking to help them do that."
According to news reports, comic books saw their sales jump 9 percent in the United States last year. Still, Marvel, one of the industry's giants, made twice as much money licensing superheroes to the movies as on the sale of comic books. The comics business here is a fraction of what it is in some countries. According to Forbes, manga -- a style of Japanese comics -- is a $5.6 billion industry.
Virgin Comics is already in development on three lines of comics: Maverick, based on the work of songwriters; Director's Cut, working with film directors (John Woo has signed on); and Shakti, which will focus on Indian content.
Shakti means "power" in Hindi, and titles in the line include "Devi," which means "goddess." Chopra describes the character as "Asia's first superwoman."
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I hope they are not planning to make this a big joke.
Myth, spider woman, Superwoman etc mind set can be a disaster.
I recently chanced upon Rg Veda comics! <!--emo&  --><img src='style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile.gif' /><!--endemo-->
These are a set of 10 Japanese Manga comics with few sprinklings of Indian sounding names and themes. Thats about it. Artwork is fabulous, but I couldn't connect much with the story.
I think if someone can present Indian stories with same sort of awesome artwork, then it will be a great achievement for hinduism in reaching out to children of gen-x and beyond.
<span style='font-size:14pt;line-height:100%'><b>Encyclopedia Of Authentic Hinduism</b></span>
not sure if this website was posted here before. it talks about most questions discussed on this forum regarding hinduisim.
the Author is Swami Prakashanand Saraswati
http://www.encyclopediaofauthentichindui...index.html
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin--><b>Sincere quest for ancient knowledge </b>
G RAMANARAYANAN
http://newstodaynet.com/16jun/ss2.htm
Chennai, June 16:
If something is considered a myth let it be myth. But do not brush aside, facts. They have to be brought out. That is the opinion of D K Hari, who does research on Hindu mythology.
His brainchild is, named Bharathgyan - meaning knowledge of our mother country Bharath. Hari goes into various historical happenings in ancient India. He has taken 64 subjects for study. The format is the multimedia so that the findings may be easily grasped. Hari says 'it has been proved that what was put down as mythology in ancient times has been proved true in the form of modern scientific breakthrough.'
Through his Bharathgyan, he endeavours 'to bring out the wealth of information hidden in our ancient texts.' And he hopes to kindle the imagination and interest in those inclined to pursue this 'challenge of uncovering our hoary past to facilitate modern scientific research'.
Â
The subject capsules he has devised are: Sciences Chemistry - Rasayan; Time; Evolution; Calendar; Agriculture; Geology - Bhu gharbha sastra; Geography - Bhusastra; Astronomy, Science, Technology, Mathematics.
Â
The meaning and significance of Shiva; Om. In engineering the subjects include a study of the ancient flying machine, or vimana, metallurgy and architecture; Other studies include Navigation. Ganga - Bhagiratha Prayatnam. Water Management; Water Grid.
In medicine it will be ayurveda and allopathy in India in the early days. Another subject will be Viccithra Janana - unusual birth, where ; Kanthari, Thridharastra's wife gave birth to 101 sons. How was that possible? Did she give brith to all of the at the same time? Such questions are raised and answered in an authentic way.
Â
Hari says rhinoplasty was known to ancient Indians. But somehow, in the drift of time, many things that ancient Indians had accomplished have not got due recognition. Many hostorians, especially those without a sense of tradition and generally too cynical, have blindly accepted what the Western world had been parrotting.
Â
Most history, Hari shows, is just story. Take history: For instance, Hari has a different version on the Alexander and Porus clash. He has established that Porus defeated Alexander. 'The Britishers played with the facts to defame Indians,' he points out. It is not just on such subjects that Hari is working on. He has a huge list on the traditions of India. Presentation of each subject capsule is for a duration of about 45 minutes to one hour.
<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
<!--QuoteBegin-jayshastri+Jun 2 2006, 03:31 PM-->QUOTE(jayshastri @ Jun 2 2006, 03:31 PM)<!--QuoteEBegin--><span style='font-size:14pt;line-height:100%'><b>Encyclopedia Of Authentic Hinduism</b></span>
not sure if this website was posted here before. it talks about most questions discussed on this forum regarding hinduisim.
the Author is Swami Prakashanand Saraswati
http://www.encyclopediaofauthentichindui...index.html
[right][snapback]52065[/snapback][/right]
<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
I have this book and is really good.
This is the first book which also has chapters on Western philosphy and
what the western philosophers have been trying to degrade Hindu philosophy.
Another good website. This one is of Subhash Kak author of
'In Search of the Cradle of Civilization'. I have not gone through it thoroughly but will be doing soon.
http://www.ece.lsu.edu/kak/hist.html
<b>
Keywords: </b>
Mendeleev and the Periodic Table of Elements,
Indian Physics: Outline of Early History,
Aristotle and Gautama on Logic and Physics
Watermarking Using Decimal Sequences
Patanjali Lecture, Univ of Massachusetts, Dartmouth, May 5, 2006.
The axis and the perimeter of the temple. Sangama
Early art and architecture. Migration and Diffusion
The Vedic Gods of Japan.
Indian Physics: Outline of Early History
Greek and Indian Cosmology: Review of Early History. In "The Golden Chain" G.C. Pande
Akhenaten, Surya, and the Rigveda. in "The Golden Chain" G.C. Pande
The Vedic Religion in pre-Zoroastrian Persia., Adyar Library Bulletin
Babylonian and Indian Astronomy.
Indian Physics: Outline of Early History. Physics Archive, 2003.
The Mahabharata and the Sindhu-Sarasvati Tradition.
Early Indian music.
Space and cosmology in the Hindu temple. Vaastu Kaushal
The idea of 22 shrutis.
The gods within: on the Vedic understanding of mind and neuroscience,
Time, space, and astronomy in Angkor Wat. In Science and Civilization in Ancient India
History of Science in India.
Birth and Early Development of Indian Astronomy.
yamatarajabhanasalagam, an interesting combinatoric sutra.
Indian binary numbers and the Katapayadi notation.
The solar equation in Angkor Wat.
A chronological framework for Indian culture.
Indic language families and Indo-European.
A Brahmanic fire altar explains a solar equation in Angkor Wat.
Journal of the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada.
Indic ideas in the Graeco-Roman world.
Vaisnava metaphysics or a science of consciousness.
Astronomy and its role in Vedic culture.
Physical concepts in Samkhya and Vaisesika.
The development of astronomy from Vedanga Jyotisa to Aryabhata.
Science in ancient India.
Hindu-Christian Studies Bulletin,.
Archaeoastronomy and literature.
Consciousness and freedom according to the SivaSutra. Prachya Pratibha,
The orbit of the sun in the Brahmanas.
On the science of consciousness in ancient India.
Book review of ``Kashmir in the Crossfire''
Book review of ``Empire of the Soul: Some journeys in India''
Three old Indian values of pi.
Vena, Veda, Venus.
Knowledge of planets in the third millennium BC.
An Indus-Sarasvati signboard.
A note on caste.
The astronomy of the age of geometric altars.
From Vedic science to Vedanta.
On language families and the Indo-Aryan problem.
The evolution of writing in India
The Astronomical Code of the Rigveda,
The Astronomical Code of the Rigveda, Puratattva:
Astronomy of the Vedic altars, Vistas in Astronomy, vol. 36, 1993, pp. 117-140.
The structure of the Rgveda, Indian Journal of History of Science, vol. 28, 1993, pp. 71-79.
Planetary periods from the Rigvedic code, Mankind
Book Review: ``The Interpretation of Caste'' by Declan Quigley,
Kashmir, Sarasvati, and the floods in Mohenjo-Daro.
Further observations on the Rigvedic code,
The etymology of Vahiguru,
Panini's grammar and computer science
The Poplar and the Chinar: Kashmir in a historical outline,
Astronomy in Satapatha Brahmana,
Japan ki haiku kavita, Kadambini
The Vararuchi cipher, Cryptologia,
Indus and Brahmi: further connections, ,
The sign for zero,
Religion and politics in East Punjab, Journal of Social, Political, and Economic Studies, vol. 15, 1990, pp. 435-456.
Indus script and Brahmi, Hinduism Today,
Kalidasa and the Agnimitra problem
Some early codes and ciphers,
The Brahmagupta algorithm for square rooting,
Bharatiya lekhana ke 5000 varsa, Kadambini,
Panjab or Panchap, Kadambini,
Indus writing, Mankind Quarterly,
The Aryabhata cipher, Cryptologia,
The Paninian approach to natural language processing,
The study of the Indus script, Cryptologia, vol. 11, 1987, pp. 182-191.
On the decipherment of the Indus script, Indian Journal of History of Science1987
On astronomy in ancient India, Indian Journal of History of Science,
Computational aspects of the Aryabhata algorithm,
The roots of science in India,
Priya Mitra,
What does this sanskrit phrase literally mean: "bhavati bhikshAm dehi". I have read, this is how brahmachari pupils used to invite house-holders to share food and other material support for their gurukuls. Also to this day, this is recited by the initiated person during Yagyopaveet sanskaaram. But I would love to know both the literal meaning of the phrase as well as other details associated.
Please excuse my poor transliteration skills <!--emo&  --><img src='style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/sad.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='sad.gif' /><!--endemo--> (Is there a guide to standard transliteration conventions of Dev Naagari in Roman alphabets?).
Dhanyawaad.
bhavati = (comes into being , mother, becomes )
bhikshAm = alms
dehi = give me.
In this context it is refered to mother, lady
Here you can find link other details associated.
At the end of today, I will merge this thread with Misc Quest. thread.
Will the great Indian family survive?
The Rediff Interview | Gitanjali Prasad
July 05, 2006
Home is where we go when we run out of places to go to...' That, the first line of Gitanjali Prasad's The Great Indian Family â New Roles, Old Responsibilities (Penguin India, Rs 295), is enough to clarify why a closer look at families in India was long overdue.
Sure, sociological studies abounded, as did journals circulated among academics. It was chatty, informed discussions on all aspects of family life that awaited publication.
Armed with a bachelor's degree in English, a master's degree in Russian, diploma in journalism and a Chevening Press Fellowship, Gitanjali has had opportunities to discuss all kinds of subjects over the years, in publications ranging from The Times of India and The Indian Express to magazines like Society and Eve's Weekly. She has tried her hand at everything from book reviews and travelogues to humour and features on food. And a large part of her work has concentrated on issues such as parenting and family life.
Love marriages: 'Too much adjustment'
Coping with fatherhood, stay at home mothers, problems for women in contemporary families -- she began talking about it a long time ago.
Now, with 335 pages at her disposal, there is more space for analysis. The result ranges from the intriguing to the clichéd. We know Indians are having more sex, for instance. We know pre-marital sex has increased, and that women want to balance homes and careers more effectively. What Prasad has going for her are her years as a journalist. She manages to bring in many voices, off the street as well as figures of authority, to back her statements.
Lindsay Pereira caught up with the author to question her about the book's origins and where she thinks the Indian family is headed.
The family, as an evolving unit, has often been the subject of much scrutiny. Why did you think your perspective would be different? What did you hope to bring to the idea of examining the Indian family?
Actually, there has been very little scrutiny of the middle class Indian family. In my book, I quote sociologist Patricia Uberoi who talks about why this is so: 'The reluctance to address the subject of the Indian family stems not from the unimportance of the field, but rather from its importance and sensitivity. It is as though interrogation of the family might constitute an intrusion into that private domain where the nation's most cherished cultural values are nurtured and reproduced.'
I wrote the book because, on the one hand, I realised the family was a great source of support to all of us, including women. On the other hand, I was also aware that, in many ways, it is the family that curtailed a woman's ability to pursue a career and locked her in a role dictated by gender rather than personal choice or ability.
I was a person who was deeply attached to my family. I was also very driven to achieve success as a career woman. It was very clear to me that to marry, have children and also be a successful journalist was going to be very difficult. I wanted to see what would have to change to enable both men and women to have better options.
If working mothers lose out on careers and become only mothers, do working fathers actually lose out on fatherhood, and become only workers? Young men today want to become more active fathers; I feel that both sexes lose out when we do not have a work-family balance.
In my view, the family has been profoundly influenced by work, so my book shows how work has influenced values, relationships and lifestyles in the middle class Indian family.
Kiran Nagarkar: 'Most of our writing is abysmal'
Did you set out with the idea of trying to create a manual of sorts, for coping with the unique pressures of being part of a family in today's India?
I think it would be presumptuous of me to think I have answers to every problem an individual may face, so no, I did not set out to write a manual. However, I share a lot of incidents from the lives of real people to illustrate various points I make.
Now that the book is out, a lot of people have come up to tell me they feel a sense of relief that a problem they are facing is actually not uncommon. Others say they now understand a spouse's viewpoint or that of a mother-in-law or daughter-in-law better.
Some management institutes and organisations have invited me to address their people because the book identifies specific problems with regard to work-life balance, especially with regard to women. So, I suppose it is being used as a manual to deal not only with the pressures of being part of a family in contemporary India, but also with the problems of attracting and retaining women in the work force.
I cannot deny that I am both surprised and delighted by this.
You speak of the difficulty involved in moving from a joint family to a nuclear one, while highlighting some of the advantages the latter offers. Do you think the fading away of the joint family has been good for us?
I speak of the difficulty of moving from a joint family to a nuclear one, and also say that movement in the reverse direction is also problematic. I believe I give the merits and demerits of each system quite fairly.
People have to make adjustments when they move from one system to another. And generally, if you have been brought up with a great degree of freedom, then getting used to living with, and considering the views of other family members, does take some getting used to.
Most of the young people I interviewed believed that living with grandparents was very good for children. I have also cited research that gives this viewpoint. In this book, as in life, there is some overlap. So, though there is a chapter on the joint family, which gives a flavour of various points of view, there are some comments on the joint family in other chapters as well.
I have tried to deal with this by cross-referencing, and giving my considered viewpoint at the end of each chapter, but you need to read the whole book very thoroughly to really get it sorted out. It is difficult for a book on the family to be too neat.
I do not think the joint family is fading away, but I believe it is adapting to a changing world. Young people will expect the joint family to change to accommodate their special needs and requirements. Earlier, it was the individual who had to adapt to the demands and needs of the joint family. Projections for the future, even in the West, show a return to the multi-generational family, so I think one should not start writing epitaphs for that hoary old institution just yet!
Jerry Pinto: 'You cannot think of another Helen...'<b>
Parts of your book mention how women have 'internalised society's patriarchal diktats.' You also clearly point to the discrepancies involved in what is supposedly an egalitarian society. Would you say the lot of the Indian woman has not improved at all since Independence?</b>
It is difficult to talk in very black and white terms of times being better or worse. Women today have better options with regard to many aspects of life. Financial independence means a woman can decide not to marry or to walk out of a bad marriage, but she has also lost out in many ways. Today's fast paced, achievement-driven, work-oriented lifestyle means the loss of a sense of connection to the larger family and to the community, which, I think, is quite tragic.
Many working women have to manage commitments at the workplace with responsibilities at home. Housewives too have to cope with their responsibilities increasing even as their role is often seen to be diminished.
But, on the whole, almost every woman I spoke to thought her life was better than her mother's has been. So, yes, the lot of the Indian woman has definitely improved since Independence.
As you point out, a readjustment of the work-home balance is necessary. In a nutshell, how would you describe this readjustment to someone reading this interview?
I think the workplace functions on what I call the 'Buy one, get one free syndrome.' When an organisation hires a man, it assumes there is a 'free person' -- a woman to take care of him, his children, his parents and his home. But we are looking at a world where, not just the wife, but the mother and mother-in-law may also be working.
The workplace must allow every individual to look after both his or her professional commitments, and personal responsibilities. The book discusses various ways in which an organisation could be family-friendly as well as profitable.
What was the most surprising thing you learnt while working on the book?
This book was about a subject I had written about for 20 years and researched fairly intensively, so there were obviously no startlingly new revelations. However, five years of reflection helped me understand that the real source of work-family conflict lay not in the 'ambitious career woman abandoning her traditional responsibilities,' nor in the 'chauvinistic Indian male being caught in a time warp', but in the workplace which had not adapted enough to a new reality where every adult member of the family would be working.
<b>
With regard to the family aspect of the book, I was surprised by the fact that more than mothers-in-law or husbands, it was children who resented a working woman's commitment to the workplace. </b>I was surprised by how today's 'mothers-in-law-in-waiting' wish to re-write the script with regard to the mother-in-law-daughter-in-law relationship, and I was surprised by the overwhelming priority young people want to give their parents.
You maintain that attitudes towards marriage are changing in India. Do you think there is still hope for the institution, or will it become as irreverent as it is in the West today?
Marriages in India are now more complicated because, today, a marriage is regarded as a 'relationship' rather than an 'institution'. This means it is now more important that a couple is compatible, that the marriage fulfils the need for companionship. And in an environment where people are moving, not just in terms of location, but also up and down the social ladder, marrying colleagues and friends from different castes and, sometimes, of different religion and race, the adjustments to be made are far greater for the couple and also for the family.
Will marriages in India fare better than marriages in the West? I think so. Marriages are valued much more in India than in the West. In India, there is far greater awareness that one should 'be' the right partner. In the West, the focus is always on 'finding' the right partner. Though differing backgrounds do have some impact and call for some adjustments when people marry, I think the value system in India is still fairly similar.
Also, people who have been brought up in steel townships, or in railways colonies, or children of defence services officers who marry other adults brought up in such environments, actually experience the same sense of 'comfort', of commonality of experience, that was earlier provided by marrying into the same caste. I think the real challenge to marriage in India comes from the pressure of work.
I found most young people want to marry. I also found that most married people valued their marriages, but that the workplace in India has become so demanding in terms of time, energy and commitment, that there could be a problem. We have little respect for personal time, the mobile rings all the time, everyone works long hours, there is little respect for weekends -- this is not a very conducive atmosphere for a marriage to survive.
If we can change our attitude to work, the outlook for marriages in India should be very positive indeed.
Chetan Bhagat: 'I could be working in a call centre'
You end your book with the question 'Will the great Indian family survive?' and say that the future is in our hands. That is not really an answer, is it?
I think it is. As I say in answer to your last question, in India, there is unqualified support for marriage and the family. And even though there are greater complexities in today's world, where individual rights and freedom are valued much more highly and greater diversity in families is commonplace and calls for more understanding, amongst middle class families, this was not really a problem.
In the UK, there is genuine ambivalence about whether marriage and indeed the family should be supported, with several fairly important figures such as Anthony Giddens questioning this basic premise.
In India, support for marriage and the family is almost universal. The biggest challenge to the family in India comes from the way family time is being squeezed out of our lives. That is what I believe we need to address with some urgency.
Eventually, even when it comes to a social unit like a family, the choices are always individual ones. Would you agree?
No, I don't. I think choices are always made in a context. I can choose an option only in the context of what other options are open to me. I may wish to marry, but if, by marrying, I have to say goodbye to the prospect of a career, I may decide I cannot afford to marry.
I may wish to have a child, or more than one, but again I may have second thoughts if this would mean I would then have to be a housewife, or an underemployed single woman (in the event of my marriage breaking up). I may wish to have my parents live with me, but may be unable to look after them because of my commitments at work, and the fact that there is no one at home to look after them.
Kiran Desai: 'What does it mean to be an immigrant?'
Do you intend to work further in this field of research, or are there plans to write about something different?
I think I will definitely continue to work further in this field. This is a subject that has always fascinated me, and always will. And being on the lecture circuit is exhilarating. I learn so much from the interactive sessions that follow a talk.
But yes, right now, after five years of working on this subject, I feel like a break. I would love to do some travel journalism. Something completely different!
07-16-2006, 05:47 AM
(This post was last modified: 07-16-2006, 05:48 AM by acharya.)
Comic world sees Devine intervention
MANOJ NAIR
TIMES NEWS NETWORK[ SUNDAY, JULY 16, 2006 12:00:00 AM]
NEW DELHI: Look whoâs knocking off Superman and Spiderman from the shelves of comic book stores in the US. Devi, a creation by Shekhar Kapur. Itâs the first release from newly-formed joint venture of Richard Branson, Deepak Chopra, Gotham Entertainment Group and Kapur, Virgin Comics Shakti imprint.
This marks the return of desi comics on the US soil with a vengeance. Within the first week of release since July 13, Devi has been a runaway hit. Says Sharad Devarajan, CEO, Virgin Comics LLC: âThe initial reaction amongst comic book shops across America has been extremely exciting with the first issue selling out in many stores already.â
<b>
Virgin Comic now plans to roll out its next title, Snake Woman, which will hit US stands on July 19, Sadhu on July 26 and Ramayan Reborn in September. The latter is a creation of Shekhar Kapur and Deepak Chopra.</b>
The comics and the planned animation project will be produced in Bangalore where the company has a studio strength of 75 writers and artists. <span style='color:blue'>Impressed by the emergence of the comics art form out of Asia, Virigin plans to create market for comics based on Hindu mythology. The company hopes to create characters that âsimultaneously appeal to audiences from Boston to Beijing to Bangalore.â</span>
Says Chopra: <span style='color:blue'>âIn the East, there is also the great Pantheon of Gods. And each God represents a certain state of being. Lakshmi is the Goddess of wealth and represents our quest for luxury and comfort. The mythic traditions of the east feature a lot of these elements and I think they resonate more and more with folks here.â
</span>
Comic blogs and zines are abuzz with appreciation for the artwork. Says Hervé St Louis of the Comicbook Bin: âI was totally impressed. I did not expect that level of quality.â
Virginâs other two imprints will be titled Maverick and Directorâs Cut. Directorâs Cut has already signed on director John Woo, Guy Ritchie and celebrity comic writer Garth Ennis.
[quote=Mudy,Jul 7 2006, 12:47 PM]
bhavati = (comes into being , mother, becomes )
bhikshAm = alms
dehi = give me.
The order of the words gie above is used only by brAhmaNas. It is permuted in the usages of the kShatriya and vaishya.
Watch out Spiderman! Indian gods are coming
By Arvinder Kaur in New Delhi |
Spiderman and Batman are in for stiff competition from Indian mythological characters, whose supernatural powers are drawing attention of American and European kids, long used to the antics of the western superheroes.
Creating a new wave of global comic entertainment, Indian animators are bringing out books and graphic novels based on mythological characters, especially for western readers.
Related video: Engage with superheroes of the Web
"World over people are now worshipping these new Gods â Devi, Shakti, Hanuman, Akaash, Dharti...," said noted filmmaker Shekhar Kapur, adding India's 60 crore teenagers are now at the forefront of the creation of these new Gods.
"The art of two-hour captive, non interactive product called the movie is history. Comic book characters - traditional and digital - are the new cult, the new religion," said Kapur, noting the Indian comic characters are derived directly from the vast ocean of mythology.
"While we launched with our comics in the US market our belief is that youth across the world are similar and hence our content is designed to cater to the homogeneity of this youth audience. The comics are going to be distributed across the globe â North America, Latin America, Europe and Asia," Suresh Seetharaman, of Virgin Animation, India Operations, told PTI from Bangalore.
"The heroes and villains that have endured for centuries in the mythical traditions of Asia form some of the most dynamic characters that are now ripe for global consumption through an entertaining and colourful medium," said Gotham Chopra, son of spiritual guru Deepak Chopra, who is also involved with this work.
"The content is really targeted at a global audience. With the Shakti line we are actually taking the rich cultural and story telling heritage of India and making it relevant to a youth audience across the world as well as in India," says Seetharaman, noting a new global media company "Virgin Comics" has been formed by Shekhar Kapur, Sir Richard Branson and Deepak Chopra for crafting original stories and character content.
"Today, Japanese Anime and Manga influence virtually every aspect of popular media in the west today. We aim to reinvent contemporary Indian popular art and permeate it throughout the globe," said Sharad Devarajan of Virgin Comics.
However, the success of the Indian comic book will come not from copying Manga, but from using the base of existing Indian mythology and art form and creating a unique product that has international appeal," says Kapur on the Virgin Comics Website.
"In the same way Indian children have embraced Batman, Spiderman, Scooby Doo, today's western world has an increasing global appetite for the most engaging content, regardless of its cultural affiliation... in America today an estimated 30 per cent of the major children's animated programming is now Japanese animation," Devarajan said on the company's website. Talking about the impact of India on American kids,
Devarajan said "American teenagers wear clothing with Indian elements, accessorised with bindis on their foreheads, nose-rings and even henna on their head. Madonna and Jay-Z have incorporated Indian rythms and lyrics in their music and Bend it Like Beckham and Bombay Dreams have found strong audiences."
India's entry into the comic arena has meanwhile, given a new outlook to the work being done here... from an outsourcer to a source of innovative and dynamic creation and creators, said Seetharaman.
"With an eye on the rapidly evolving entertainment market (55 crore kids under the age of 20 in next 10 years in India alone), Virgin Comics will strive to create properties infused with a mythic sensibility that resonates with readers and audiences around the world," he said.
http://www.omshantidhama.org/index.htm
About Us
Om Shantidhama is a vedic World Project â a unique cluster of spiritual, Education, Ayurvedic & Service Projects.
A team of like-minded people from different walks of life, inspired by precepts of our ancient vedic Heritage-Sanatana Dharma-conceived this project. To translate this dream in to reality, a Registered Charitable Trus âOm Shantidhamaâ was formed.
From Om to Om Shantidhama:
Om - chant it once; it becomes a melody. Chant it with intonation, it becomes music. Chant it with modulation sitting alone or as a group, under the training, supervision and role modelling by an expert called Guru; it transforms itself into the Veda. Om is pranava.
Vedas are the source of supreme knowledge. The concept of Universal Man originated from the Vedas. Their primary objective is to create Universal Man. This can be accomplished by the study of the Vedas. But to do this our ancestors have idenitified a certain kind of environment. These ancestors are called seers. They had revelations i.e. supernatural communication regarding the formulae, the technique and the means to unravel the mysteries of life. They are our revered Rishis.
The revelations of the Rishis, it is said, are codified and classified for the use of humanity by no less a person than Maharshi Vyasa. According to the prescription mentioned in the Rigveda 'Hills and mountains all around and a confluence of rivers is the most conducive place for the forming of the enlightened souls'.
Inspired by this indubitable declaration, a team of likeminded and highly dedicated persons started their venture to identify in Karnataka, a place that very closely resembled the description.
The journey began way back in 1988-89. The team, finally arrived at a place in Kankapura Taluk. It is Sangam. It is the confluence of rivers Cauvery and Arkavathi, 90 Kms. from Bangalore. The team travelled another 3 Kms., deep inside the woods, along the banks of the Cauvory and at last succeeded in locating the land required to launch their vedic-world-project. The architects of the project thought that, that land being unique in all respects, could be developed as the land of the Vedas.
The team, then, decided to combine the sanctity of the Cauvery, the Ganga of the South, the enchanting environs o the forest and the backdrop provided by the mountains all around. Side by side, they also decided to preserve the unpolluted Nature with all her glory and charm. Keeping the urge of mankind in their hearts these people decided to transform this land into a Punyadhama (abode of righteousness), a Satyadhama (abode of truth) and a Brahmadhama (abode of the ultimate). To begin with they called it Om Shantidhama.
It is said that the Lord (siva) commanded his devotees to further the welfare of the mankind and said "Just as 1 have been spreading the meltage of the Rig Veda and other Vedas, you also continue to do the same (Yajur Veda), The architects of Om Shantidhama vowed to obey this command from the day they decided to launch their dream-project.
Om Shantidhama has the following organisational objectives. To preserve and propogate the importance and sanctity of the Vedas and also to practise the culture, tradition, and values enshrined in the Vedas through the Gurukula system of education; to enable the boys and girls studying in Gurukula to acquire knowledge of modern disciplines like Science, Mathematics, Humanities etc., along with computer education; to provide medical services to the rural poor around the campus of Om Shantidhama; to plant trees, medicinal plants and herbs on the land around Om Shantidhama; to identify rare and endangered species of medicinal plants and to protect them; to conduct a variety of short term and long-term educational programmes for senior citizens and the youth.
Om Shantidhama, thus stands, before you as a symbol of international integration, national solidarity and universal brotherhood.
Om Shantidhama provides educational, medical and spiritual services to all people without any discrimination on grounds of caste, creed, colour, religion, language, nationality etc. No one should be denied the opportunity to acquire knowledge to realise,the highest in life is the philosophy of this vedic world project.
Objectives
* Uphold the importance of the Vedas: collection, preservation & propagation of Vedic knowledge through Gurukulas (Residential Universities).
* Conduct Research in Vedic Literature & create awareness about the relevance of Vedic culture & Importance of our ancient heritage, develop the feeling of universal botherhood & scientific temper.
* Provide Infrastructure and environment for sadhakas in a true Chaturashrama Way-Brahmacharya through Sanyasa.
* Conduct periodic courses in vedic way of life, Yoga, Naturopathy & Ayurveda. Promote Rural Development of proximate rural areas in primary health, education and employment.
<img src='http://www.omshantidhama.org/img/photogallery/openairclasses.jpg' border='0' alt='user posted image' />
<img src='http://www.omshantidhama.org/img/photogallery/riversidevedicclasses.jpg' border='0' alt='user posted image' />
http://content.msn.co.in/Entertainment/Bol...260706_1146.htm
It's pay back time, says Pooja Batra
Thursday, July 27, 2006
Source: IANS
Image Source: Santabanta.com
Mumbai, July 27: Actress <b>Pooja Batra has raised funds for the Ekal Vidyalaya</b>, a charitable organisation involved in running one-teacher primary schools in rural parts of the country.
The organisation recently held a fund-raising event with Pooja as the chief guest and her presence worked wonders.
Volunteers and donors poured in making the hall jam-packed. The fund raisers were surprised by the overwhelming response - they collected enough money to run 900 schools for a year.
"We can all pay back our sincere gratitude to our mother-earth by doing something worthwhile for our needy brothers and sisters. This is one way of saying thank you India," said Pooja.
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->It's pay back time, says Pooja Batra<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd--> <!--emo&:cool--><img src='style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/specool.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='specool.gif' /><!--endemo--> <!--emo&:cool--><img src='style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/specool.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='specool.gif' /><!--endemo-->
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