The episode in the Mahabharata in which the swayamvara of Draupadi takes place is one of the most debated and discussed portions of the great epic. Many versions of this incident exist, each of which narrates the happenings in the court of Drupada in a different way. The chief amongst the disputes is regarding the... Continue Reading →
Bhima’s Defeat of Karna – I
On the 14th day of the great war, Arjuna had taken a vow that he would slay Jayadratha - the main culprit in the brutal and adharmic killing of his son Abhimanyu - before sunset. If he failed, Arjuna had vowed to give up his life by entering into a pyre. Drona, the commander in... Continue Reading →
Appointment of Supreme Court Judges: Options Before The Constitution Makers
Article 124(2) of the Indian Constitution deals with the method of appointment of Judges to the Supreme Court. Its form, prior to the failed NJAC Constitutional Amendment Bill of 2014, was as follows: "Every Judge of the Supreme Court shall be appointed by the President by warrant under his hand and seal after consultation with... Continue Reading →
Yoga: The Endeavour of Bhimasena
This post is in continuation of the series of posts highlighting the ten guNas that bhimasena displays in the mahabharata. The ten gunas have been explained by Sri Madhwacharya in his mahabharata tatparya nirnaya as follows भक्तिर्ज्ञानं सवैराग्यं प्रज्ञा मेधा धृतिः स्थिथिः | योगः प्राणो बलं चैव वृकोदरो इति स्मृतः || २-१४१ || Vrikodara is... Continue Reading →
Constitutional Morality And Religious Practices
In the recent Sabarimala judgment, one of the 'principles' used by the honourable judges was that of 'Constitutional morality' to decide that the ancient practice of restricting women of a certain age from entering the Sri Ayyappa temple at Sabarimala was unconstitutional. The conclusion drawn was that the rights under the Constitution that were related... Continue Reading →
The ‘Essential Practices’ of Hinduism
The recent Sabarimala judgment by the Supreme Court of India has once again thrown open the debate about ‘essential’ practices of a religion. The honourable judges have declared, yet again, that any practice that is not ‘essential’ to the religion shall be open to reinterpretation — by the non-religious, secular institution called judiciary! The honourable judges say... Continue Reading →
Hinduism and Religious Denominations
Once every 12 years, the Kumbha Mela takes place at Prayaga in Uttar Pradesh. Similarly three other Kumbha Melas take place at Haridwara, Nashik and Ujjain. Depending primarily upon the placement of Jupiter in the vedic astrological chart, the timings of these melas are determined. The mela at Prayaga is the world’s largest religious congregation... Continue Reading →
Bal Gangadhar Tilak: Speech on National Education
Source: “Bal Gangadhar Tilak His Writings and Speeches” — Ganesh & Co, Madras, 1919 I shall speak here this evening on national education. We are not accustomed to this term; hence it needs a little explanation. To be able to read and write alone is no education. These are simply the means of its attainment. That which... Continue Reading →
Evolution of BJP’s Policy Towards Educational Institutions
In this post, we look at how the policy of the Bharatiya Janata Party and its predecessor organization - the Bharatiya Jana Sangh - has evolved over the years with respect to the administration and management of educational institutions. These stances of the party have been sourced from the publicly available policy documents and manifestos.... Continue Reading →
DVG: Three Must-Haves for Achievement
Sri D V Gundappa has written, in Kannada, an amazing short book titled “Baligondu Nambike” (A belief for life). The purpose of this book is to elucidate the importance of having a goal in our life and pursuing it with all vigour, to grow personally. The book contains a number of short chapters covering different... Continue Reading →
