Showing 321–330 of 335 results
It is a comprehensive study of the defence policies, construction of forts, arms and ammunitions, commissariat, the espionage system, the rules of aggression and defence, the technical matters and war ethics, based upon a comparative study with the modern systems, and a thorough comprehension of Sanskrit, Sanskrit sources, and works like Silappadikaram, and Kural.
Differing from the existing studies on the warfare of ancient India; Warfare in Ancient India: In Historical Outline is a comprehensive study of the defence policies, construction of forts, arms and ammunitions, commissariat, the espionage system, the rules of aggression and defence, the technical matters and war ethics, based upon a thorough comprehension of Sanskrit and Sanskritic sources. This being done based on the existing and newly-explored sources. It also analyses the diplomatic and economic factors in aggressive designs, one of the major elements of the political history of early India.
This volume partially deals with the activities of the Indo-Aryans and their continuous struggle for survival against hostile environment in Indus Valley and their expansion towards the east along the major rivers of north India, leading to frequent invasions and attacks. Thus came the warlike traits of some major Vedic deities, ancient battles, arms and armour, chariots, forts, arrays, Jain war canons, and major weapons cited in the Mahabharata, Silappadikaram, Manasollasa, Kural, etc. as the main focus of the book. It also vividly addresses the war policies and tactics enunciated by Kautilya in Arthasastra and Manu in Manu-Smriti, and differentiations in their views on few aspects. The inevitable factors that led to wars survival, and domination and economic exploitation are also well dealt.
The book should enthuse the interests and spirit of all those who are into the study and research of history, warfare and ancient Indian culture mainly from the Vedic viewpoint.
The book projects light on concept of contemplation and meditation, including meditation techniques and practices, which is central to the attainment of moksha. It also explains meaning of love, devotion, religion, the body-soul relation and the three yogas understanding of which is essential to attain moksha.
The way to liberation or moksha needs perfect knowledge, perfect action and perfect surrender to the Lord. The bhakta becomes a bhagavata as he not only knows and sees but also lives as a servant of God. Moksha is the final approach to the purity and perfection of the human soul. This volume attempts an in-depth study of the concept of liberation or moksha and the way to attain it.
The book begins with the meaning of love, devotion, religion, the body-soul relation and the three yogas, an understanding of which is essential to understand the concept of moksha. In this context, it delves into the meaning of the Brahman, the Absolute, as conveyed in the Vedas and other religious works like the Upanishads and the Bhagavad-Gita, the concept of the universal spiritual entity of Sarveshvara, concepts of sin and virtue, and even the principles of monotheism and polytheism in Hinduism. Quoting from the scriptures and other relevant texts, it emphasises on the notion of devotion and its benefits to examine the means to self-realisation and liberation and includes a study of the concept of contemplation and meditation, including meditation techniques and practices, which is central to the attainment of moksha.
With interesting illustrations, the volume will be useful to religious scholars and students and seekers on the path of spiritual fulfilment.
The book projects light on concept of contemplation and meditation, including meditation techniques and practices, which is central to the attainment of moksha. It also explains meaning of love, devotion, religion, the body-soul relation and the three yogas understanding of which is essential to attain moksha.
The way to liberation or moksha needs perfect knowledge, perfect action and perfect surrender to the Lord. The bhakta becomes a bhagavata as he not only knows and sees but also lives as a servant of God. Moksha is the final approach to the purity and perfection of the human soul. This volume attempts an in-depth study of the concept of liberation or moksha and the way to attain it.
The book begins with the meaning of love, devotion, religion, the body-soul relation and the three yogas, an understanding of which is essential to understand the concept of moksha. In this context, it delves into the meaning of the Brahman, the Absolute, as conveyed in the Vedas and other religious works like the Upanishads and the Bhagavad-Gita, the concept of the universal spiritual entity of Sarveshvara, concepts of sin and virtue, and even the principles of monotheism and polytheism in Hinduism. Quoting from the scriptures and other relevant texts, it emphasises on the notion of devotion and its benefits to examine the means to self-realisation and liberation and includes a study of the concept of contemplation and meditation, including meditation techniques and practices, which is central to the attainment of moksha.
With interesting illustrations, the volume will be useful to religious scholars and students and seekers on the path of spiritual fulfilment.
How can we understand the Hindu tradition as alive today? That is the question which this book investigates. It asks for a broader understanding of history, rightful accounting of the Vedas and of other oral learnings. The goal of truth is sought by approaching different personalities and institutions of culture.
In India, there has long been a tendency to emphasize the spoken word which is passed on alive from an individual teacher to each individual student. But, through the development of modern media, more use is now made of the written word which records information externally, in institutions that have been industrially, socially and culturally organized. How then can we understand the Hindu tradition as alive today with its ancient emphasis upon the spoken word and the living individual? That is the question which this book investigates. Accordingly, it asks for a broader understanding of history, which would allow for a rightful accounting of the Vedas and of other oral learning. Through its continued emphasis upon the living word, the Hindu tradition asks for a deeper understanding of reasoned enquiry. Such reasons do not work primarily through mechanical instruments in the restricted way that modern physics does. Instead, it works essentially through a reflective investigation of our living faculties, which are thus cultivated and clarified. The goal of truth is not here sought through an institutional consensus; but rather as a common ground, which is approached quite differently through different personalities and institutions of culture.
The book is a biography of the eminent saint-philosopher of modern India, Guru Narayana. It deals with the meaning and essence of guruhood and gives rational explanations for many baffling aspects of life. It reveals the significance of his Advaita Vedanta method for introducing a new science of wisdom dialectics. It also describes the physical and psychological conditions of South India and explores the spirituality of India.
Millions of people have been deeply affected by the life and teachings of the Guru Narayana, who is the central figure of this book. This is a biography, not only of the Guru Narayana, but of Guruhood itself. Religions and philosophies have their sources in such men, and the aim here is to clarify this fact, without being sentimental or sensational. In doing so, many hitherto baffling enigmas of Indian life are given a rational explanation for the first time. Nataraja Guru, the disciple-successor of the Narayana Guru, uses the contemplative discipline which was characteristic of the Guru Narayana, and brings the Advaita Vedanta method into the forefront of global thought as understood today, introducing a new science of Wisdom-Dialectics. Nataraja Gurus scheme of correlation between science and mysticism amounts to an epochal advance in philosophy. This book represents the voice of the Guru. The Word of the Guru provides a quantity of original material for study, including fully annotated and carefully translated writings of Guru Narayana. It describes the physical and psychological conditions of South India with great brilliance. The spirituality of India is set forth here in its clearest terms, unambiguous and shorn of all limiting frontiers, suitable for readers in all parts of the world.
There is no shortcut to success other than hard-work. The 100 enlightening quotes on Work in this book are a cornucopia of wisdom that drives off laziness and vitalizes one to run towards his target. Each quote finds its reflection in a stimulating painting of Lord Ganesha, the Lord of Peace, Prosperity and Wisdom.
Work is worship. The authors highlight through this book Work the significance of hard-work and underline its importance to achieve success in life. There is no shortcut to success other than hard-work. To elucidate this concept, the authors have presented 100 carefully chosen quotes on Work. Each quote is accompanied by a stimulating painting of Lord Ganesha, the Lord of Peace, Prosperity and Wisdom. Some of these thought-provoking and ever-inspiring quotes are from highly acclaimed personalities, who have significantly contributed to the well-being of the universe. Hard-work brings forth greater chances of success in one’s life.
God helps those who help themselves and lazy hands make for poverty, but diligent hands bring wealth are some of the adages that propagate the vitality of hard-work.There is no alternative to hard-work. Whatever man has achieved so far is the result of his relentless effort and hard-work. It ultimately brings welfare to the mankind.
Book exploring the names nuances of the theme of World as Dream in all its richness to establish the plausibility of the philosophers position that though the world appears to be real might turn out to be false like a dream.
The ontological status of the world has been a subject of much philosophical speculation despite the fact that the world is an existential given. According to some philosophers, such existential givenness could turn out to be comparable to the earth’s apparent flatness, with the actual truth turning out to be the very opposite of what it seems. Philosophers often cite the experience of a dream to establish the plausibility of their position that the world might appear to be real while it is being experienced, and yet turn out to be ultimately false like a dream. This motif plays a particularly important role in schools of philosophy in the East and the West which are idealistic in their orientation.
This book explores the nuances of the theme of the world as dream in all its richness.
Book exploring one of Advaita Vedantas central illustrative themes with which it tries to render its doctrines credible in the face of our experience of plurality and variety in life.
There is something profoundly counter-intuitive about Advaita Vedanta. Nothing is more obvious to both the philosophical as well as the non-philosophical observer than the fact that multiplicity constitutes the basic datum of our experience. Variety is not only the spice of life it is a cardinal fact of life. The doctrines of Advaita Vedanta shock us by flying in the face of this fact and by denying any ultimacy to that plurality and variety which we experience so intimately. This naturally raises the question: how does Adavita Vedanta render its doctrines credible in the face their apparent implausibility. This book is an exploration of one of its central illustrative devices with which it tries to accomplish this daunting task.
The image of Yama, the god of death in Hindu mythology, has come to have many variants. Dr. Merhs study tries to capture these against their essential literary settings to explore all possible traits of Yamas personality.
In the Hindu pantheon, Yama holds a unique place. A counterpart, in the indigenous tradition, of Avestan Yima, Egyptian Osiris or Greek Pluto, he inspires terror in the heart of an average mortal : not only owing to his overlordship of the abode of the dead, but also for his identification with death itself. Yamas image in Hindu mythology, however, has come to have full many variants which Dr. Merhs study tries to capture against their essential literary settings. Based on the prodigious mass of Indias old-world scriptural literature the Vedas, Samhitas, Brahmanas, Aranyakas and Upanishads, besides the puranic texts, the book meticulously explores all possible traits of Yamas personality, highlighting how the mythical view of this glorious, other-world god passes through a striking change over the millennia between the Rigveda and the later Puranas. Unfolding the deitys Vedic and Puranic descriptions respectively in part 1 and part 2 of the book, the author focusses specially on Yama, the creator, preacher, the philosopher, the law-giver, the punisher and above all, on his role as an eschatologist. Invaluable to the scholars of Indology, Hindu mythology and comparative religion.
The book, highlights the essential import of the innocuous-looking, yet enigmatic, diagrams called Yantras surfacing from the occult practices of the tantrics. It examines a range of tantric yantras, with their varieties, applications, modes of construction and above all their iconographic features.
Hinduism is known for the bewildering profusion of its deities, who are represented not only in two or three dimensional anthropomorphic images, but also in abstract configurations, known as yantras. In yantras is, thus, seen almost a parallel with the surfeit of deities in Hindu tradition. Literally meaning an instrument, apparatus or a talisman, yantra is a kind of mystical diagram used, in tantra, for both meditation and invoking a divinity, and is believed to possess/arouse occult powers. Drawn only by the adept: the ones schooled in this arcane, highly intricate process, and energized by siddh mantras, these seemingly innocuous geometrical figures are employed for any number of reasons or desires: whether to attain wealth, ward off disease, beget a son, vanquish enemies, or even to cause somebodys death. This book, the latest from Professor Bunce, highlights the essential import of these innocuous-looking, yet enigmatic, diagrams surfacing from the occult Practices of the tantrics. The author, an internationally known scholar of Oriental Art, examines a range of tantric yantras, with their varieties, applications, modes of construction and, above all, their iconographic features. Also inter- woven in his text are lucid descriptions of all else associated with a yantra, notably, its deity, its specific purpose, its predominant and secondary numbers and its mantra. Carrying beautiful visual representations of over a hundred yantras, Professor Bunces study holds out enduring appeal to the readers concerned not only with the iconography of tantric yantras, but their mystifying under-pinnings as well.
