The Advaitist

Indus seals have bulls. Nandi is the guardian deity of Kailasha. Shri Krishna refers to Arjuna as भरतर्षभ ( bharata-ṛiṣhabha), which means the bull like one belonging to Bharata clan. Why become bull-like? What is its significance? How is it relevant today? Today our learned Acharya, Shri (Dr) Subhashish Chakrabarti, gave a wonderful explanation during our Bhagavad Gita class, which I am presenting below to the best of my ability. A bull is a hard-working animal which works with a dogged determination. In return it gets as well as expects very little. From a bulls point of view, its philosophy is high input, low output. This is completely contrary to modern consumerist society/ engineering approach of low input and maximum output. While the latter may work successfully in the physical realm, when it comes to character development and spiritual realm, a lot of very hard work will seemingly produce very nominal output. But it is essential. And so it must be done. Karma must be done d...

These notes on Vedantic Theory of Perception are based on the 2 part video lecture series of a Guru Poornima talk delivered by Shri L Ramaswamy of Vedanta Institute Kolkata on 10-Aug-2015.

I do my nitya Puja everyday because it is my family tradition and Puja/ Narayan Seva is my duty as a brahman. But I don't "believe" in Ishvar. I don't feel any "bhakti" while listening to bhajans or attending satsangs or even while doing my Puja - for me it is mechanical - a duty. I don't go to temples, I don't like the crowds and even when I do go I don't feel any "devotion."

For your listening pleasure I present Narayan Vishnu Puja Mantra Bengali Nitya Karma - the Short Version.

In this article I will share Hanumat Pancharatna in Bengali and Sanskrit with English meaning. Hanumat Pancharatna was composed by Adi Shankaracharya. The phala shruti of Hanumat Pancharatnam mentions : "One who recites this Pancharatna Stotra of Hanuman, becomes a devotee of Sri Rama, after having enjoyed all objects for a long time in this world." Hanumat Pancharatnam in Bengali .. শ্রী হনুমত পঞ্চরত্নম্ .. বীতাখিলবিষয়েচ্ছং জাতানন্দাশ্র পুলকমত্যচ্ছম্ . সীতাপতি দূতাদ্যং বাতাত্মজমদ্য ভাবয়ে হৃদ্যম্ .. ১.. তরুণারুণ মুখকমলং করুণারসপূরপূরিতাপাঙ্গম্ . সন্জীবনমাশাসে মঞ্জুলমহিমানমঞ্জনাভাগ্যম্ .. ২.. শম্বরবৈরিশরাতিগমম্বুজদলবিপুললোচনোদারম্ . কম্বুগলমনিলদিষ্টম বিম্বজ্বলিতোষ্ঠমেকমবলম্বে .. ৩.. দূরীকৃতসীতার্তিঃ প্রকটীকৃতরামবৈভবস্ফূর্তিঃ . দারিতদশমুখকীর্তিঃ পুরতো মম ভাতু হনুমতো মূর্তিঃ .. ৪.. বানরনিকরাধ্যক্ষং দানবকুলকুমুদরবিকরসদৃশম্ . দীনজনাবনদীক্ষং পবন তপঃ পাকপুঞ্জমদ্রাক্ষম্ .. ৫.. এতত্পবনসুতস্য স্তোত্রং যঃ পঠতি পঞ্চরত্নাখ্যম্ . চিরমিহনিখিলান ভোগান ভুঙ্ক্ত্বা শ্রীরাম...

In this article, I will present Annapurna Stotram in Bengali and Sanskrit , or the Hymn to Goddess Annapurna. It is also known as Annapurna Ashtakam. Annapurna or Annapoorna (Bengali: অন্নপূর্ণা, Devanagari: अन्नपूर्णा from Sanskrit meaning the giver of food and nourishment. Devi Annapurna is eulogized in Annada Mangal, a narrative poem in Bengali by Bharatchandra Ray.  Annapurna is usually depicted as a youthful goddess having red complexion with a face round like full moon, three eyes, high breasts and four hands. Though Annapurna is a popular deity, there are few temples dedicated to her, the most prominent being the Annapurna Devi Mandir and the Kasi Viswanath Temple in Varanasi.   Annapurna Stotram in Bengali শ্রী আন্নপুর্নস্তোত্রম্ শ্রীঅন্নপূর্ণাস্তোত্রম্ অপরনাম অন্নপূর্ণাষ্টকম্ নিত্যানন্দকরী বরাভয়করী সৌন্দর্যরত্নাকরী নির্ধূতাখিলঘোরপাবনকরী প্রত্যক্ষমাহেশ্বরী | প্রালেযাচলবংশপাবনকরী কাশীপুরাধীশ্বরী ভিক্ষাম্ দেহি কৃপাবলম্বনকরী মাতাঽন্নপূর্ণেশ্বরী || ১|| না...

In this post I will share a Prayer to Goddess Sharada by Shri Shankaracharya. Sharada Devi (also spelled Sarada Devi) is another name of Goddess Saraswati , the Goddess of Knowledge. Sharda is the goddess of the temple town of Sringeri. Sharada is the ancient Hindu/pre-Hindu Goddess of Knowledge, Art, Learning and Music. Sharada had an alphabet that was widely used across what is now Afganistan to Pakistan. As per experts, worship of Sharada dates back at least, 10,000 years BC. Prayer to Goddess Sharada by Shri Shankaracharya श्रीशारदाप्रार्थना श्रीशङ्कराचार्यविरचिता नमस्ते शारदे देवि काश्मीरपुरवासिनि । त्वामहं प्रार्थये नित्यं विद्यादानं च देहि मे ॥ १॥ या श्रद्धा धारणा मेधा वग्देवी विधिवल्लभा । भक्तजिह्वाग्रसदना शमादिगुणदायिनी  ॥ २॥ नमामि यामिनीं नाथलेखालङ्कृतकुन्तलाम् । भवानीं भवसन्तापनिर्वापणसुधानदीम् ॥ ३॥ भद्रकाल्यै नमो नित्यं सरस्वत्यै नमो नमः  । वेदवेदाङ्गवेदान्तविद्यास्थानेभ्य एव च ॥ ४॥ ब्रह्मस्वरूपा परमा ज्योतिरूपा सनातनी । सर्वविद्याधिदेवी या तस...

In this post I will talk about Shanti Mantra in Bengali from Vedas . Shanti Mantra in Bengali from Krishna Yajur Veda   ঔং সহ নাববতু | সহ নৌ ভুনক্তু| সহ বীর্য়ং করবাবহৈ || তেজস্বি নাবধীতমস্তু মা বিদ্বিষাবহৈ|| ঔং শান্তিঃ শান্তিঃ শান্তিঃ|| ॐ सह नाववतु। सह नौ भुनक्तु। सह वीर्यं करवावहै॥ तेजस्वि नावधीतमस्तु मा विद्विषावहै॥ ॐ शान्तिः शान्तिः शान्तिः॥ auM saha nAvavatu| saha nau bhunaktu| saha vIryaM karavAvahai|| tejasvi nAvadhItamastu mA vidviShAvahai|| auM shAntiH shAntiH shAntiH|| OM! May God Protect us Both (the Teacher and the Student), May God Nourish us Both, May we Work Together with Energy and Vigour, May our Study be Enlightening and not give rise to Hostility. OM Peace! OM Peace! OM Peace! ঔং শং নো মিত্রঃ শং বরুণঃ| শং নো ভবত্বর্য়মা | শং নঃ ইন্দ্রো বৃহস্পতিঃ| শং নো বিষ্ণুরুরুক্রমঃ| নমো ব্রহ্মণে | নমস্তে বাযৌ | ত্বমেব প্রত্যক্ষং ব্রহ্মাসি| ত্বামেব প্রত্যক্ষং ব্রহ্ম বদিষ্য়ামি| ঋতং বদিষ্য়ামি| সত্যং বদিষ্য়ামি| তন্মামবতু| তদ্বক্তারমবতু| অবতু মাম...

In this post I will talk about Shanti Mantra in Bengali from Shukla Yajur Veda . ঔং পূর্ণমদঃ পূর্ণমিদং পূর্ণাত্পূর্ণমুদচ্যতে | পূর্ণস্য পূর্ণমাদায় পূর্ণমেবাবশিষ্যতে| ঔং শান্তিঃ শান্তিঃ শান্তিঃ || ॐ पूर्णमदः पूर्णमिदं पूर्णात्पूर्णमुदच्यते । पूर्णस्य पूर्णमादाय पूर्णमेवावशिष्यते । ऊँ शान्तिः शान्तिः शान्तिः ॥ OM pUrNamadaH pUrNamidaM pUrNAtpUrNamudachyate | pUrNasya pUrNamAdAya pUrNamevAvashiShyate| auM shAntiH shAntiH shAntiH || OM! That is Full, This also is Full, From Fullness comes that Fullness, Taking Fullness from Fullness, Fullness Indeed Remains. OM Peace! OM Peace! OM Peace! Shanti Mantra in Bengali from from Shukla Yajur Veda Chapter 36.17 ঔং ধৌঃ শান্তিরন্তরিক্ষং শান্তিঃ পৃথিবী শান্তিরাপঃ শান্তিরোষধযঃ শান্তিঃ | বনস্পতযঃ শান্তির্বিশ্বেদেবাঃ শান্তির্ব্রহ্ম শান্তিঃ সর্বং শান্তিঃ শান্তিরেব শান্তিঃ || শান্তিরেব শান্তিঃ সা মা শান্তিরেধি || ॐ धौः शान्तिरन्तरिक्षं शान्तिः पृथिवी शान्तिरापः शान्तिरोषधयः शान्तिः । वनस्पतयः शान्तिर्विश्वेदेवाः शान्तिर्ब्रह्म शान्तिः सर्वं शान्ति...

In this post I will talk about Shanti Mantra in Bengali from Rig Veda . Vanme Manasi Pratishthita ঔং বাঙ্মে মনসি প্রতিষ্ঠিতা মনো মে বাচি প্রতিষ্ঠিত-মাবিরাবীর্ম এধি | বেদস্য ম আণীস্থঃ শ্রুতং মে মা প্রহাসীরনেনাধীতেনাহোরাত্রান সংদধাম্যৃতং বদিষ্যামি তন্মামবতু তদ্বক্তারমবত্ববতু  মামবতু বক্তারমবতু বক্তারম ||  ঔং শান্তিঃ শান্তিঃ শান্তিঃ || ऊँ वाङ्मे मनसि प्रतिष्ठिता मनो मे वाचि प्रतिष्ठित-माविरावीर्म एधि । वेदस्य म आणीस्थः श्रुतं मे मा प्रहासीरनेनाधीतेनाहोरात्रान् संदधाम्यृतं वदिष्यामि तन्मामवतु तद्वक्तारमवत्ववतु  मामवतु वक्तारमवतु वक्तारम् ॥  ऊँ शान्तिः शान्तिः शान्तिः ॥ auM vA~Nme manasi pratiShThitA mano me vAchi pratiShThita-mAvirAvIrma edhi | vedasya ma ANIsthaH shrutaM me mA prahAsIranenAdhItenAhorAtrAn saMdadhAmyRRitaM vadiShyAmi tanmAmavatu tadvaktAramavatvavatu  mAmavatu vaktAramavatu vaktAram || auM shAntiH shAntiH shAntiH || OM! May my speech rest reconciled with the mind and may my mind with the speech. O Self-effulgent (Brahman), be revealed ...

In this post, I will talk about Brahman in Kena Upanishad. The Kena Upanishad ( Sanskrit: केनोपनिषद् , Bengali: কেনোপনিষদ্ ) is so called because it begins with the word kena (Sanskrit: केन , Bengali: কেন ). It is also called Talavakara Upansiahd by Shri Shankaracharya. Kena Upanishad is a very important Upanishadic work and forma a part of Sama Veda . As per Swami Sharvananda, anyone who follows the Kena Upanishad is "sure to find himself, at last taken to the very gate of the transcendent". Many people consider that a reading of Kena Upanishad, along with other primary Upanishads and the Bhagavad Gita , as essential to understanding the "wonderful old treasures of Hindu theosophic lore. Brahman in Kena Upanishad is That by whose will the mind proceeds to its object (Ke.U 1.1) That by whose command the Prana does its duty (Ke.U 1.1) That at whose will men utter speech (Ke.U 1.1) That god that directs the eyes and ears (Ke.U 1.1) Brahman in Kena Upanish...

In this article I will analyze in-depth the differences between Hinduism and Abrahamic Religions. Hinduism is a great religion producing saints and great people, whereas Christianity and Islam consistently produce morons, bigots and terrorists. The best Christians are those who have never read the Bible or gone to the Church. The best Muslim is he who has never read the Koran or done the Azan. As a Hindu myself, I always found this Christian/ Muslim concept of "religious tolerance" very odd and disturbing. Hindus are taught to accept and embrace every person. Hindus do not kill people in the name of religion like Muslim terrorists. Hindus do not criticize or make fun of any other religion. Hindus do not try to convert anyone like Christian Missionaries. Yet people call Hindus "facists" and what not, and still talk about the non-existent so-called caste discrimination which is largely a myth. Why does Christianity produce so many bigots and pompous jerks?...