Showing titles in Hinduism

These 1028 poems, grouped as 10 ‘Circles’ (mandalas), have variously been called hymns, poems or songs by Sanskrit scholars. The Rik (so pronounced by the ancient Angirases clans, or Seer-Priest families) was an experiment with sound. The emphasis is always on sounding the words perfectly. The focus tends to be on the ideas rather than on the authors in Vedic literature, they are largely religious in nature, reflecting the world view and spiritual preoccupations of ancient India. 

Followers of many religious traditions have come to recognize Autobiography of a Yogi as a masterpiece of spiritual literature. Yet, for all its depth, it is full of gentle humor, lively stories, and practical common sense. Now, with this audiobook, the 1946 edition is again available, with all its inherent power, just as the great master of yoga first presented it.

Yoga in its authentic form is focused on inclusivity, inner work and peace. But the yoga that is practised in the Western world has got a little lost along the way… Join Nikita Desai on her mission to help us understand yoga beyond the physical poses and pricey outfits that we’re so familiar with today. Drawing on research and teachings from ancient sources, Desai helps us navigate this complex practice.

Hinduism is practiced by nearly 80 percent of India's population, and by some 70 million people outside India. In this Very Short Introduction, Kim Knott offers a succinct and authoritative overview of this major religion, and analyzes the challenges facing it in the 21st century. She discusses key preoccupations of Hinduism such as the centrality of the Veda as religious texts, the role of Brahmins, gurus, and storytellers in the transmission of divine truths, and the cultural and moral importance of epics such as the Ramayana.

The Essence of Self-Realization, nearly 300 sayings rich with spiritual wisdom, is the fruit of that labor of love. The scope of this book is vast - it offers as complete an explanation of life's true purpose, and the way to achieve that purpose, as may be found anywhere. Filled with lessons and stories that Yogananda shared only with his closest disciples, this volume offers one of the most insightful and engaging glimpses into the life and lessons of a great sage.

Listening to this story nurtures a strong positive feeling of protection and well-being within the Heart chakra, stimulates the energy of the sternum bone that produces the antibodies that fight infection, and is of particular benefit to mankind today, as the world struggles to cope with the many physical and psychological challenges and the increasing pressures of modern life. This is a Devi Mahatmyam for our time.

Lectures on the Bhagavad Gita by Swami Sarvapriyananda at the Vedanta Society of New York.

Podcast series on Vivekachudamani by Swami Tadatmananda resident teacher of Arsha Bodha Center

How do we make sense of our lives when our world seems to be falling apart?In this beautifully written guide, scholar and teacher Stephen Cope shows that crises don't have to derail us from our purpose-they can actually help us to find our purpose and step forward as our best selves.The Dharma...

The Bhagavad Gita is unique among religious texts in its emphasis on the discharge of everyday duties as an effective discipline for the realization of God. The Gita teaches that if we perform our duties, surrendering the fruit to God and discarding all selfish motives, we gain purity of heart and achieve ultimate liberation. Knowledge of God gives us the strength to face calmly and cheerfully the duties of life.

According to the legend, Sage Vasugupta received a divine revelation in a dream where Lord Shiva instructed him to seek out a specific stone near a serene stream. To his amazement, the stone turned over at his touch, revealing the sacred Shiva Sutras etched upon its surface. These profound sutras, reserved for those deemed worthy of divine grace, unravel the mysteries of our true nature and the illusory existence we inhabit. Ranjit Chaudhri has translated some important texts of Kashmir Shaivism from Sanskrit into English.

Each of us has the power to awaken the divine within. We all have a secret power lying dormant waiting to awaken and arise, coiled like a snake at the base of our being. It is the stuff of legend, but the truth of life that honors the call to spiritual enlightenment and living in the frequency of creation. It is this force that brings you in contact with pure consciousness. This powerful, primal energy is known as Kundalini, and awakening this dormant life force is just the beginning of walking the path of enlightenment.

The Seven Spiritual Laws of Yoga brings spirituality back to yoga. It shows how the Seven Spiritual Laws play a crucial role in yoga's path to enlightenment while providing listeners with a wealth of meditation techniques, mantras, breathing exercises, and yoga poses. Whether a newcomer to yoga or an experienced practitioner, The Seven Spiritual Laws of Yoga is a portal to yoga's deeper spiritual dimension and a beautiful step to a happier, more harmonious, and more abundant life.

This audio companion offers a living exploration of The Yogi’s Way: Living in Accord with the Yamas and Niyamas. Through guided reflections, meditations, and thoughtful commentary, David McGrath invites you to bring yoga’s ethical principles out of theory and into your daily life. The Yamas and Niyamas—the first two limbs of Patanjali’s eight-fold path-offer timeless guidance for conscious, compassionate living. Across more than thirty focused tracks, this program moves beyond explanation to embodiment, helping you cultivate clarity, balance, and presence through lived reflection.

The Bhagavad Gītā recounts a profound dialogue between Arjuna, a conflicted warrior, and his humble charioteer, who is in fact the Lord Himself. The message Kṛṣṇa delivered on a battlefield more than 5000 years ago is just as relevant today because it awakens the soul to mankind’s true nature and reason for being. His instructions have stood the test of time and provide the knowledge to help us triumph over the obstacles we face in our lives.

The inner voice of the divine speaks to us all. One of its oldest and most authentic transmissions is the Bhagavad Gita spoken by Krishna 5000 years ago. The Gita is a living voice of love and wisdom that belongs to the whole world. In the heart of the listener who is open to hear, this voice takes birth anew. During the 18 years since this version first appeared, our world has entered deepening crisis and confusion.

The ancient texts of India speak of a “knowledge for kings, guarded by kings”. The Book of Dharma charts Simon Haas’ journey to India and his “excavation” of the dharma code: a powerful system for making enlightened choices and manifesting our highest potential. Haas apprenticed with an elderly master practitioner in the Bhakti tradition for 16 years and learned from him the system formerly used by kings and queens to effect personal transformation in their lives and rule wisely.

Here we stand, and our eyes look forward sometimes miles ahead. Man has been doing that since he began to think. He is always looking forward, looking ahead. He wants to know where he goes, even after the dissolution of his body. Various theories have been propounded, system after system has been brought forward to suggest explanations. Some have been rejected, while others have been accepted, and thus, it will go on, so long as man is here, so long as man thinks. There is some truth in each of these systems.

A sacred collection of stories, legends, and teachings centred around Lord Shiva, this book offers deep insight into his divine form, wisdom, and cosmic role—retold in simple English for easy understanding.

In this canto, we first meet Prahlad, a prince in the race of Asuras, fierce enemies of the gods. An exalted saint, he excites the ire of his demonic father Hiranyakshipu by his devotion to Krishna. The demon tries in every way possible to kill his son until at last, he is confronted by Krishna’s half-man, half-lion incarnation, Nrshinghadeva. After this is a conversation between the celestial sage Narada and King Yudhisthira, in which Narada describes in detail the ancient Vedic system of organizing society known as varnashrama dharma.