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Hari Ravikumar

Hari Ravikumar

hari.ravikumar@gmail.com

The writer is a musician with a deep interest in Hindu scriptures, South Indian classical music, and education. He is the co-author of The New Bhagavad Gita. He is presently working on a translation of selected Vedic hymns for the modern reader.

By Hari Ravikumar

Mint article on bhakti movement reeks of ignorance about Indian culture

This piece is an unfortunate result of someone who understands neither heritage nor the very concept.

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The ultimate lesson from Ganesha's story

The deity is deeply connected with the life of the agricultural people.

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Rise of right wing in Europe means Islamophobia is here to stay

It might not be all that strange if one foresees a Third World War as Crusades 2.0.

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How Indian art can help you achieve short bursts of moksha

Its spiritualisation by our ancients also seems to have a practical value.

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Is Mahishasur really a villain?

Freedom of speech is not unconditional. There will be restrictions.

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Hinduism promotes freedom of expression and dissent

It was responsible for creating an ecosystem of debate and honest inquiry.

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What a butcher can tell us about slaughter and non-violence

This illuminating story of Kaushika and Dharmavyadha covers some of the most fundamental truths of life.

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How different religions view homosexuality

Far more than religious reasons, it has been seen as a taboo because of our cultural mindset.

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Why we must be wary of modern babas

While we can be respectful of gurus who help make a difference, we must be careful not to deify them.

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Sanskrit literature was as good as internet for ancient India

A human lifetime is insufficient to read them all even if that was the only thing we did.

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Decoding Mahamrityunjaya Mantra, the great prayer for victory over death

Vedic seers knew the inevitable couln't be averted, so they tried to delay it.

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Hanuman is world's original superhero

Five lessons from the consummate all-rounder.

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16 Hindu rituals that celebrate human life with grandeur

These are a set of samskaras conducted at significant points of time of a person's existence.

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How not to lose yourself to obesity of the mind

It takes a lot of focus and patience to cut down all the junk food that our brain consumes.

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It's not so easy to know who you really are

When nothing seems to belong to a single person and every aspect is a result of toil of many others, can we even define an individual?

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How dharma has helped humans rule the world

It is the very foundation of everything.

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Focus on traits, not habits, before you judge people

Wisdom and insight are acquired and part of the person's fundamental characteristics.

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Are Hindus actually tolerant?

The religion, in traditional times, rarely clashed with science.

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Removing outdated parts of Quran will bring down Islamic extremism

Every religion has a contextual section which needs to be upgraded over time.

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Look within, you are your own friend and foe

Gods and goddesses, in essence, represent certain qualities in human beings.

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How Yudhishthira won over the God of Death

The dialogue between the eldest Pandava and Yama proves that he was worthy to be the king of Hastinapur.

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Why Dussehra is not the real symbol of Ram's victory

An episode from the Ayodhya Kanda shows that the young prince had already won over many personal battles.

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How Mahabharata predicted the people of Kalyug are doomed

While some of the claims are in the realm of the hyperbole, many of them seem to ring true today.

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The good, bad and ugly side of religious texts

It requires some effort to find a balance between the traditional principles and modern values.

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How to win friends and influence people, according to Mahabharata

Often we are forced to take a call out of compulsion or other emotional bindings - we need to learn how our decisions will lead to a greater good.

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Negation of ideas can open the doors to salvation

We must be careful while applying this approach because it can easily lead us astray from our primary purpose.

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Why the conception of God in Hinduism is the most complex of all faiths

It is changeless, formless, and beyond thought.

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How Sanskrit subhashitas are a perfect blend of joy and reason

While many of them are standalone compositions by various poets, some of them are extracts from major works of poetry.

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How Krishna celebrates the duality of life

He knows that triumph and disaster are the two sides of the same coin.

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Why Indian philosophy is incomplete without atheism

It is noteworthy that the vedas form the basis for the three schools of thought.

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