Sampāti and Jaṭāyu - brothers bound by blood and separated by fire. The literal fire of the sun that burns them, and the fire of penance that purifies them and provides deliverance - Jatāyu dies in the hands of Rāma and finds deliverance in death while Sampāti in his rebirth.
The Ramayana is an epic of unparalleled significance in Hindu mythology. It is rightly and widely regarded as a story that epitomizes righteousness, duty, sacrifice, and devotion. At its heart, however, lies the eternal love story of Prabhu Shri Rama and Mata Sita; a divine saga that transcends the boundaries of time and serves as the very essence of the epic.
Dharmik tales may seem simple but contain many layers, which can hold keys to many of the modern problems. This article explores two popular tales and their hidden depths.
The cryptic allegories in 'Gajendra Moksha', the story of "Liberation of the Elephant King Gajendra" at the Lotus Feet of Sri Vishnu.
This the story of Purandara Dasa's wife Saraswati Bai, the woman who transformed a rich miser who sat on wealth for his entire life into a barefoot mendicant Dasa of Sri Hari. Purandasa Dasa, also known as the 'pitamah of Carnatic music', is known to have composed 4,75,000 devotional songs, all attributed to Purandara Vitthala, of which at least 1,000 songs still survive.
The difference in the Hindu ethos amongst those of the older generation versus the present lot is all too evident to see.
Understanding the threat posed by predatory ideologies is a must if Hinduism is to survive in the future.
It is tough to preserve and maintain one's cultural standards when derision is all you get from the so-called progressive-minded.
The attraction towards a so-called modern outlook is hard to resist as one struggles to retain the traditions of one's ancestors.
One wonders if the sacrifice of our sadhus is what it might take to shake Hindu society from its slumber.