religious articles and blogs
By Promod Puri If God or the Supreme Being is He, She or It; residing in heaven, up there in the sky or just omnipresent in the known or unknown universe. Do we need to indulge in this debate? Not really. Rather we create our own god based on noble thoughts, ethics, and good karma. … Continue reading Building Divine Residency More Relevant Than Knowing God He or She
By Promod Puri Insensitivity and ignorance have been part of Canada's racist history. Immigrants, especially from the "visible minority" communities, not only faced racial discrimination in most aspects of their lives in Canada, but they could also discern reflections of bigotry and segregation in their epithetic labelling. In early part of the twentieth century immigrants … Continue reading Evolution Of South Asian Canadian Designation
ॐ भूर्भुवस्व: | तत्सवितुर्वरेण्यम् | भर्गो देवस्य धीमहि | धियो यो न: प्रचोदयात् Aum bhur bhuvah swah, tat savitur varenvam. Bhargo devasya dhimahi, dhiyo yo nah prochodayay. The four-part mantra is addressed to God (Aum) and the translation goes like this: Oh God, you are the giver of life, you can free us from all … Continue reading Seeking Divine Spirit
By Promod Puri Besides His numinous and varied perceptions God also offers a meaningful perspective which can be created by the assembly of good thoughts. And the divine residency begins in that on-going construction. Basically it is an eloquent temperament we are trying to build which gives rationality and practicality to the institution of God. … Continue reading Composition Of God In Hinduism
By Promod Puri Culture is a distinctive feature of one group of people comprising of several aspects. One of them is religion, and the others are language, cuisine, social habits, music and arts. Obviously, one aspect of a culture does not represent the totality of it. The expression “Hindu culture” is as vague as saying … Continue reading Culture Supersedes Religion in Establishing National Identity
By Arran Stephens The overwhelming majority of the world’s Hindus live in India, which has the largest vegetarian population on earth, numbering many millions. Within the Indian subcontinent, the spectrum of religious thought ranges from strict monotheism to a sweeping panoply of gods, goddesses and animist dieties. Vegetarianism is practiced and scripturally supported by the … Continue reading Hinduism and Vegetarian Diet
By Promod Puri OM PURNAM MANTRA “Om purnam adah purnam idam purnat purnam udachyate purnasya purnam adaya purnam evavashishyate”. An ideological and free translation of the mantra begins with the word Om which is personified here as God. The word ‘purnam’ and its related derivates in the mantra mean complete, and signifies His completeness. As … Continue reading Message of Universality in Hindu Mantra
Ever wonder why we chant “om” before our yoga practice or prayer? Check out this interesting take on how Quantum Theory can help us understand the significance of Om. by Promod Puri This is perhaps the first time in the studies of Hinduism that an attempt has been made to establish a relationship between the … Continue reading Quantum Theory And Om
Image formation is a very natural trait in human psychology. In our conscious state all our feelings, ideas and impulses manifest images. The genesis of an image is a cognitive imagination influenced by perception of an object. In The Philosophy and Significance of Idol Worship, a Divine Life Society publication, Sri Swami Sivananda says: "Idol … Continue reading SIGNIFICANCE OF IDOL WORSHIPPING IN HINDUISM
One major drawback instituted in ambiguous rituals is the fear factor. And in absurdity some rituals promise to work like cure-all miracles. Illogical rituals block the real spirit of a religion. Such customs generate fanaticism. Rituals help in cult formation. The entry of fake gurus in the Hindu faith is thru the contamination created by … Continue reading Bad Rituals Breed Fanaticism
The art community's fascination for Lord Ganesh is due to His unique appearance as a clearly recognizable elephant tusk-hooded portrayal. In Hindu thought an elephant is revered for its intelligence. Consequently, Lord Ganesh in His elephant-look image is perceived as the god of knowledge, intellect and wisdom. Besides these scholarly exhibits, Lord Ganesh gathers a … Continue reading Hinduism and Lord Ganesh
