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Philosophical Systems Of India – A Primer – Part 1
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March 20, 2023March 20, 2023COMMENTARY, ESSAY, PHILOSOPHY

Philosophical Systems Of India – A Primer – Part 1

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In the first part of a 5-part series, Dr Pingali Gopal introduces the ideas of the great Indian philosophical systems to the uninitiated.
Western Philosophers equate philosophy with only western thought which, puts philosophy between theology and science, and in turn, is either ignorant or dismissive of Indian thought.
Indian philosophy (or Darshanas) does not have an extreme reverence for science and because of the biases of the West, and resulatantly has disappeared from popular discourses; being termed ‘religions’ and hence lacking any validity in a ‘secular’ world.
Dr Gopal delves further into classification of Indian systems as orthodox and non-orthodox on the acceptance or rejection respectively of the Vedas as a reliable authority, and uncovers depths of Jainism, Buddhism, Samkhya, Charavaka and Nyaya-Vaisheshika philosophies for the uninitiated.
Further installments of this series will foray into the other orthodox and non-orthodox branches of Indian philosophical systems.

The Neglected Hindu Period of Pakistani History
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March 1, 2023March 9, 2023HISTORY, ESSAY

The Neglected Hindu Period of Pakistani History

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Since the partition in 1947, Hindus in Pakistan, the persecuted minority, have found their voices unheard and suppressed.
Once inhabited by Hindus and Buddhists, the region that forms Pakistan at present has a demographically insignificant, if not laughable, population of minorities. With the physical disappearance of the Hindus in Pakistan, their history as indigenous inhabitants of the land is gradually becoming a fading memory.

Hymns to Brahman – Part 1; By Rabindranath Tagore
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February 20, 2023February 20, 2023ESSAY, HISTORY, TRANSLATION

Hymns to Brahman – Part 1; By Rabindranath Tagore

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These verses are selected and translated from the poet Rabindranath Tagore’s vast repertoire of Bengali Brahamsangeet song lyrics. These song lyrics are rich in terms of literary finesse, outstanding as musical compositions of a classical or semi-classical nature; and, they demonstrate an intense religious longing in the poet – a yearning to attain and dwell in a constant state of union with the Divine.

Śaṅkara Charitam – a re-telling – Chapter 07
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February 4, 2023February 4, 2023COMMENTARY, ESSAY

Śaṅkara Charitam – a re-telling – Chapter 07

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In the 7th Chapter of Śaṅkara Charitam, Shri Ramesh Venkatraman brings to us the next stage of Śaṅkara's life - the commencement of his education at Gurukula, his feats at his Gurukula and the conclusion of his education. During his stay at his Gurukula, and while learning and living the Āśrama Dharma of the Brahmacāri; Śaṅkara performs an unimaginable feat which leaves bystanders, and even his guru, in no doubt about his divinity.

India’s History: Part I, By Rabindranath Tagore
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January 24, 2023January 24, 2023ESSAY, HISTORY, TRANSLATION

India’s History: Part I, By Rabindranath Tagore

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This is an English translation of the essay “Bharatbarsher Itihas” by Rabindranath Tagore, to be found in his anthology of Bengali essays entitled “Bharatavarsha”. The anthology contains several of Rabindranath’s longish essays concerning historical, cultural, and political dimensions of India, all written between 1901 and 1905, a period which can be described as the zenith of Bengal’s (and in turn, India’s) rebirth in the Modern Era. Each of these essays, though deeply embedded within the historical context of the author’s time and space, is largely relevant for all of India today.