Why do Hindus think differently about knowledge, duty, worship, time and existence? Why Are We This Way: A Guide to Hindu Shastras approaches these questions through the vast knowledge traditions of Sanatana Dharma. Rather than treating Hinduism as a collection of rituals or beliefs, the book introduces readers to the interconnected Shastric ecosystem underlying them. Its accessible treatment of complex traditions makes it particularly relevant to a generation increasingly disconnected from its scriptural inheritance. This review examines the book as a roadmap towards recovering that intellectual and civilizational memory.
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Decolonizing IKS (“Indian Knowledge Systems”)
Delivered by Prof. Prakash Shah on behalf of Prof. Vamsee Juluri at the panel "Decolonisation, Public Discourse and IKS" during the IKSHA Conference at Gautam Buddha University, Greater Noida, this thought-provoking talk argues that decolonisation cannot be reduced to merely replacing Western knowledge with Indian knowledge. It challenges the Indian Knowledge Systems (IKS) movement to examine its own assumptions and recover the spiritual foundations of Bharatiya knowledge. The talk ultimately asks whether true decolonisation is possible if Bhagawan is removed from the centre of the civilizational worldview.

Scholarship and Sacred Truth
Can a civilization survive if all its sacred truths are judged solely by external academic standards? This essay argues that while historical inquiry has its place, Hindu Dharma must remain rooted in its own sacred framework of shraddha, sampradaya, and parampara. A living tradition cannot endure if its foundational beliefs are endlessly relativized. History may study a civilization from the outside, but only its sacred truths sustain it from within.

Rāmo Vigrahavān Dharmaḥ: The Sixteen Lakṣaṇas as a Complete Condition-Set of Dharma
What does it truly mean to call Rāma "Vigrahavān Dharmaḥ" - the embodiment of Dharma? Drawing on the opening verses of the Vālmīki Rāmāyaṇa, this essay argues that the sixteen lakṣaṇas are not merely admirable virtues but a complete and indispensable condition-set for the embodiment of Dharma. Through a rigorous śāstric analysis of pramāṇa, lakṣaṇa, and embodiment, it presents a compelling philosophical framework that reveals why Rāma is not simply a follower of Dharma, but its fullest living manifestation.

British Colonial Raj: Drivers of Socio-Cultural Impact
This essay examines how British colonial rule reshaped not just India's institutions, but also its everyday habits, aspirations, and cultural imagination. From club culture and hill stations to vacations and leisure travel, it argues that colonial-era practices continue to influence Indian society long after independence. By contrasting these with pre-colonial civilisational patterns, the article invites readers to reflect on whether India can rediscover a balance rooted in its own timeless traditions while navigating modernity.
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The fatuity of hubris: who art thou?
The identification with the ego in terms of accomplishments and possessions serves no real purpose.
India and the human cycle
How Sri Aurobindo's theory of human cycles applies to the contemporary world and what does the future look like for the east and the west.
The glories of Shri Harinama
Shri Harinama's potential to liberate, as experienced by many, is a testament to its power.
Symbolic Interpretation of Kartikeya and Skandamata
Through Skandamata, we can tap into the adaptable nature of our expansive awareness to drive our life into the path of well-being.
Dharmic view on Interfaith Dialogue and Coexistence
**Disclaimer: Neither this piece, nor its author feigns possession of any insight whatsoever into the realm of the mystic, where...
On Action and Renunciation
Renunciation shouldn't be an excuse to shun responsibility but should be Action without the expectation of a reward.
Jainas and Buddhists in Ayodhya
The recent upheaval about a Hindu temple for Thalaivetti Muniyappan (“Muni Baba with the broken head”) in Salem TN, apparently a patched-up and restored Buddha statue, and therefore taken away from its worshippers by Court order with the prospect of giving it to the Buddhists , reminds us of a similar line of argument in the Ayodhya debate of 1990-91.
The wonder that was Kashmir
Kashmir, before the advent of Islam, was a vibrant seat of learning and made staggering contributions to Indic culture in fields as diverse as arts, sciences, literature and philosophy.
Upanishadic Antidote to Anxiety
The feeling of being disconnected from the rest of the world and being subsumed by our own ego has an antidote in the timeless teachings of the Upanishads.
Dharma, Defense, and the Forgotten Art of Shatrubodh
A cobra once promised a Sadhu never to bite, only to be beaten by villagers who mistook its restraint for weakness. The Sadhu reminded it: “I asked you not to bite, but did I ask you not to hiss?” The parable mirrors Hindu society’s larger civilizational problem of mistaking non-violence for inaction in the face of aggression. True Ahimsa was never about surrender — it was resistance rooted in Dharma, with Shatrubodh (enemy-awareness) as its guiding strength.
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Bhima Karna Yuddha – Part 2
An enraged Karna once again challenged Bhima with an expectant looking Kaurava army behind him.
On Secularism, Modernization and Hinduism: Part 2
While a lot of energy is spent on understanding the threats posed by Islam, Christianity, or leftist liberals to the Hindu way of life, we don’t spend as much energy on understanding the threats posed by secularisation and the costs thereof to Hindu religion.
Is Yoga Hindu?
The claim, “Yoga is Hindu”, creates more problems than it solves as it leads us into the blind alley of identity politics.
Hindu, Hinduism, Hindudtva – Part 2
In the second part, Dr. Pingali Gopal discusses the evolution of political Hindutva after independence, and sheds light on the failure to define the basic terms as we struggle with the alleged rise of ‘Hindu fundamentalism'.
Kerala Model – Not an inclusive growth model
The Kerala model of development has purposely neglected to include the Hindu community in its plans as it drives the agenda of hegemonic entities.
Circle of Yoginis
A Yogini is one who is possessed of magical powers and takes on different divine energies to maintain harmony in the Universe.
The Golden Age of Indian Thinkers and The Resounding Impact of the Mimamsa
"The application of logical interpretations of the Mimamsa Rules of Prabhakara could aid in developing reasoning tools to deal with deontic concepts, such as prohibitions and obligations, paving the way for ethical decision-making in artificial intelligence."
The golden age of Indian thinkers was a fertile period of intellectual richness. The preservation and study of this intellectual heritage will help us in gaining better understanding of our shared philosophical history. The intellectual legacy of Mimamsa and other Indian schools of thought is a rich resource for contemporary philosophical and ethical discourse, Ram Sharma writes.
In search of Dharmic unity with Dr. Nagaswamy
The common culture that Hindus share cuts across time and space.
Rāmo Vigrahavān Dharmaḥ: The Sixteen Lakṣaṇas as a Complete Condition-Set of Dharma
What does it truly mean to call Rāma "Vigrahavān Dharmaḥ" - the embodiment of Dharma? Drawing on the opening verses of the Vālmīki Rāmāyaṇa, this essay argues that the sixteen lakṣaṇas are not merely admirable virtues but a complete and indispensable condition-set for the embodiment of Dharma. Through a rigorous śāstric analysis of pramāṇa, lakṣaṇa, and embodiment, it presents a compelling philosophical framework that reveals why Rāma is not simply a follower of Dharma, but its fullest living manifestation.
Why and How to Teach Indian History
The pedagogy involved as well as the content is in need of a drastic change if we truly want our descendants to have a grasp of their civilization and appreciate its uniqueness.
Kailashnatha temple – Crowning glory of Pallavas: Kanchipuram (Part 1)
The exquisite Kailashnatha temple became the template for temple architecture with magnificent sculptures in south India and beyond.
Bhima Karna Yudha – Part 3
The battle between Bhimasena and Karna continued on the 14th day even as Karna kept getting defeated repeatedly and one of the sons of Dhritharashtra got caught in the cross-fire.
