Passed along for centuries through oral tradition by the followers of Buddhism, "The Dhammapada" is a collection of sayings by Buddha, which concisely presents the religion's core philosophies. Widely recognized as one of the most accessible works of all the Buddhist scriptures, the verses of the work describe events in the life of Buddha through, which the wisdom of Buddha's beliefs are revealed. Unlike the proscriptive nature of the scriptures of...

ThiruppAvai has 30 Paasurams and it is eulogised as GodhOpanishad since it summarises the sacred meanings of the Upanishads. Govindan, the object of ANDAL's worship in ThiruppAvai has blessed us with Srimad Bhagavad Gita, which contains 700 slOkams. It is also Upanishad Saaram and hence it is revered as GitOpanishad. Both GitOpanishad and GodhOpanishad belong to the noble category of adhyAtmika Saastrams enjoying Bhagavad GuNAnubhavams and the five...

The Bhagavad Gita, meaning the Song of the Lord, is in the form of a poetic dialogue between Arjuna and Krishna. It is part of the great Indian epic 'The Mahabharata', and is one of the major religious documents of the world. It reveals how human beings accumulate 'Karma' as a result of their actions in innumerable incarnations, and how to achieve liberation through devotion and knowledge. The dialogue, which takes place on the eve of an historic...

Thou hast made me endless, such is thy pleasure. This frail vessel thou emptiest again and again, and fillest it ever with fresh life. This little flute of a reed thou hast carried over hills and dales, and hast breathed through it melodies eternally new. At the immortal touch of thy hands my little heart loses its limits in joy and gives birth to utterance ineffable. Thy infinite gifts come to me only on these very small hands of mine. Ages pass,...

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A wide-ranging analysis of the Mokṣopāya, the Indian literary classic that teaches through storytelling how to enjoy an active, successful, worldly life in a spiritually enlightened way. In the Mokṣopāya (also known as the Yogavāsiṣṭha), an eleventh-century Sanskrit poetic text, the great Vedic philosopher Vasiṣṭha counsels his young protégé Lord Rāma about the ways of the world through sixty-four stories designed to bring Rāma...

From the author of Inside the Yoga Sutras, comes this new and unique study guide for all who are interested in a deeper dive into the Yoga Sutras. Rev. Jaganath Carrera breaks down each of Patanjali's words so the reader can further grasp the richness and depth of meaning in each of the Sanskrit words. As each word is unpacked, new levels of understanding behind each sutra are revealed. The book also explores different topics in the Yoga Sutras in...

The "Mahabharata" tells the narrative of the Kurukshetra War and the fates of the Kaurava and the Pandava princes who are part of it. Along with the "Ramayana" it is one of two Sanskrit epics of ancient India. The authorship of the work is generally attributed to Vyasa, who is also a major character in the epic. Intermixed within the descriptions of conflict between the warring factions of this epic are numerous philosophical digressions and discussions...

The most powerful Hasidic teachings made accessible-from some of the world's preeminent authorities on Jewish thought and spirituality. While Hasidic tales have become widely known to modern audiences, the profound spiritual teachings that stand at the very heart of Hasidism have remained a closed book for all except scholars. This fascinating selection-presented in two volumes following the weekly Torah reading and the holiday cycle, and featured...

The Bhagavad Gita: The Song of God Retold in Simplified English is the latest title in the Essential Wisdom Library. This unique edition of the timeless epic is designed to be accessible for readers without any prior experience of Hinduism. Not simply a translation of the original, Viljoen has simplified and restated the Gita's complex ideas, so that a first-time reader can fully appreciate the scope and beauty of this magnificent Indian classic....