Latest news with #Upanishadic
Hans India
5 days ago
- Health
- Hans India
God is inside you: Your body is a temple
In a world constantly seeking validation from the outside, we often forget one of the most profound truths ever spoken: God is not somewhere out there—God is within you. The body you inhabit, often neglected or taken for granted, is not just a vessel—it is a sacred temple. Ancient wisdom across cultures and religions echoes this very idea. Whether it is the Upanishadic mantra 'Aham Brahmasmi' (I am Divine) or the Biblical passage 'Your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit,' the message is clear: divinity resides not in distant heavens but in the innermost chambers of your being. The Sacred Architecture of the Self Your body is not a coincidence of biology. It is the most intricate and divinely designed sanctuary. Every breath you take, every heartbeat, every impulse of your nerves, speaks of an intelligence far beyond comprehension. When we disrespect our bodies—through unhealthy habits, negative thinking, or disconnection—we do more than harm ourselves. We dishonour the divine presence that lives within. The Inner Pilgrimage You don't need to climb mountains or wander forests in search of God. You only need to turn inward. The journey toward the divine is not outward—it is inward: a quiet, consistent return to the self. Meditation, mindful living, gratitude, and self-awareness are the steps of this inner pilgrimage. When you honour your body as a temple, you create the space for this divine connection to awaken fully. Beyond Rituals: Living the Sacred It's easy to light a lamp or visit a shrine, but the deeper worship begins when you treat yourself and others with reverence. Your thoughts become prayers. Your actions become offerings. Every moment of silence, every act of kindness becomes a ritual. That is when life itself becomes sacred. Guarding the Temple Just as a physical temple is protected and preserved, your body and mind need the same care. Feed it well, move it, rest it, and speak lovingly to it. Keep the temple clean—not just on the outside, but on the inside too. Let go of guilt, grudges, and self-judgment. Fill it with light, joy, and purpose. Conclusion: Return to the Center When we begin to recognize the divine within, everything changes. Our relationships, our choices, our sense of purpose—all begin to align with something higher, something purer. The God you're searching for isn't lost. He's waiting—in your heartbeat, your breath, your silence. You are the shrine. You are the priest. You are the seeker. And you are the divine. The sooner we realize this, the more sacred life becomes.
India Today
07-06-2025
- General
- India Today
Reading the stars: Understanding the real role of astrology
Astrology is often perceived as a tool for predicting the future, but its true essence goes far beyond that. In the Vedic tradition, astrology is regarded as a profound spiritual science rooted in the ancient Vedas. With over three decades of experience in the field, Pt. Umesh Chandra Pant emphasises that astrology is not merely about forecasting events—it serves as a guide to understanding one's karma, life patterns, and spiritual journey. This article explores the deeper purpose of astrology, highlighting its role in self-awareness, alignment, and personal previous article, 'The Power of Astrology', gives a five-part overview of how Jyotish is a life-changing tool. In this feature, let us explore the real purpose of astrology from the Vedic and Upanishadic lens, showing how it helps us connect to cosmic order and inner truth."Yadaa Deveshu Karmani pravartate, tadaa sarvam sukham bhavati." Upanishads(When actions align with divine forces, life becomes joyful.)Through the sacred science of Jyotish, we can decode our karmic patterns, understand life's timing, and evolve with greater ASTROLOGY FOR SPIRITUAL GROWTH: A VEDANGA ROLE EXPLAINEDAstrology, or Jyotish Shastra, is one of the six Vedangas, the auxiliary limbs of the Vedas. The ancient seers declared:"Jyotisham Vedanaam Chakshuh"(Astrology is the Eye of the Vedas)This phrase beautifully conveys the meaning of 'Jyotisham Vedanaam Chakshuh' astrology offers spiritual vision. Just as eyes guide us in the physical world, Jyotish guides us through the karmic and cosmic realms, helping us live in tune with dharma and divine Vedic astrology for spiritual growth is not superstition, it is a discipline that awakens consciousness and aligns us with higher IN VEDAS AND VEDANGAS: DIVINE COSMIC ORDERVedic astrology is embedded in ancient scriptures like the Rigveda, Atharvaveda, and Puranas. The planetary system is seen as a reflection of divine intelligence. Each graha (planet) is not just an astronomical object but a conscious force representing a deity and psychological trait:Surya (Sun) – Soul, truth, authorityChandra (Moon) – Mind, intuition, emotionBudha (Mercury) – Intelligence, logic, speechShukra (Venus) – Love, harmony, wealthMangala (Mars) – Energy, drive, courageGuru (Jupiter) – Dharma, expansion, wisdomShani (Saturn) – Karma, patience, disciplineRahu and Ketu – Shadow forces, illusion, past-life karmaThe Bhagavad Gita also reinforces this principle, stating that action depends on factors like time, body, and consciousness. Astrology "decodes" the unique energies and influences of celestial bodies (planets, signs, houses) on human lives, offering insights into personality, relationships, and potential life USE OF JYOTISH IN MODERN LIFE: BEYOND SUPERSTITIONSo, is astrology more than predictions? Yes, and its relevance today is stronger than ever. Here are some practical uses of Jyotish in modern life:Career Astrology – Identify favorable fields and growth cyclesadvertisementMarriage Compatibility – Match charts to ensure emotional harmonyHealth Astrology – Understand health vulnerabilities based on planetary doshasFinance and Property – Analyze timing of gains, investments, and inheritanceSpiritual Progress – Guide meditative practices based on planets like Jupiter and KetuAstrology enables conscious decisions aligned with cosmic timing (Dasha, Gochar or transit), reducing confusion and empowering Astrology Helps in Self-Realization: One of the noblest purposes of astrology is to guide us toward self-realization. Through Jyotish, we can recognize our Svabhava (inherent nature) and Svadharma (life purpose). The natal chart becomes a karmic blueprint that reveals strengths, weaknesses, past debts, and future observing planetary placements, transits, and yogas, astrology helps us understand:Why specific patterns repeat in lifeWhat karmic lessons are we meant to learn?Which remedies or changes bring spiritual growth?In this way, astrology is not merely predictive, it is transformative and reflective, bringing us closer to our inner Between Astrology and Superstitio: Pt. Umesh Chandra Pant says" I've often emphasized the importance of distinguishing between genuine Jyotish and blind superstition. Vedic astrology is rooted in logic, timing, karma, and remedy, not fear-based beliefs".advertisement'Graha yatha karma' – Planets reflect your karmas; they do not dictate your fate superstition promotes helplessness, astrology encourages empowerment. Vedic remedies like mantra chanting, Rudraksha wearing, gemstone wearing, daan (charity), and puja are not magical cures, they are energy-balancing disciplines that work alongside effort (Purushartha).What Is the Real Purpose of Astrology?The real purpose of astrology is not to induce fear or passive waiting, it is to guide, awaken, and liberate. As one of the six Vedangas (They are: Shiksha (phonetics), Kalpa (rituals), Vyakarana (Sanskrit grammar), Nirukta (etymology), Chhanda (Vedic meter), and Jyotisha (astronomy for auspicious timings), Jyotish connects human consciousness to divine rhythm. It helps us live with awareness of karma, fulfill dharma, and walk the path to when practiced as per Vedic principles, becomes:A spiritual compassA map of karmic evolutionA mirror for soul transformationLet us remember, astrology is more than predictions. It is a light for those walking the path of wisdom and a sacred mirror for those seeking purpose."""Let Jyotish, the eye of the Vedas, guide you toward inner clarity and divine timing" says is more than predictions, it is a Vedic science that aligns human actions with divine timing and deeper karmic astrology plays a vital role in self-realization, helping individuals uncover their life's purpose, karmic patterns, and spiritual Umesh Chandra Pant, in this article, explains how Jyotish as one of the six Vedangas serves as a guiding light for conscious and dharmic Watch
Time of India
15-05-2025
- General
- Time of India
Upanishadic neti neti and hegelian dialectic
By Sumit Paul Upanishadic neti, neti, not this, not that, and Hegel's dialectic, while distinct, share a common thread: the use of negation and movement to arrive at a deeper understanding of reality. Though Hegel's dialectic focuses on developing concepts through thesis, antithesis, and synthesis, neti, neti is a process that enables an inquirer to arrive at the ineffable nature of Brahmn, Ultimate Reality. Hegel's dialectic is a method of philosophical inquiry positing that reality progresses through a dynamic interplay of opposing forces: a thesis, a proposition or idea; its antithesis, a counterproposition; synthesis, a new proposition that reconciles the two. Brihadaranyaka Upanishad employs neti, neti to describe the nature of Brahmn, the ultimate reality. While there are dissimilarities between Hegelian dialectic and Upanishadic neti, neti , both systems are unanimous on one count: rejection of absolutist ideas. Nothing can be called the ultimate truth because even the socalled truth is never the universal truth – neti, neti. What perpetually eludes us is the Ultimate Truth. According to Nyaya Shastra, there are only subjective truths and relative realities. Spiritual quest must never stop. It should go on and on. 'Tujhe paa lene mein woh betaab kaifiyat kahan/Zindagi woh hai jo teri justajoo mein kat gayee.' In other words, it's always better to travel than to arrive. Hegel believed that to negate is a man's intellectual fate. Both Hegel and Upanishads must be understood and appreciated in today's context of obstinacy, to use Foucault's phrase, when every religion insists that it's the only chosen path and every belief system calls itself the best and flawless. Both Hegel and Upanishads believe in transcendence of ideas and existing truths. Marcel Proust believed there was no end to spiralling ascendancy of quality. It's like perfection. You can only strive for it, but you can never become perfect. One, therefore, needs to keep improving and evolving till the last breath. To be an absolutist is to close all doors to Truth. Religions and their moral codes are periodic and relative truths. So, when we insist that what we know is the absolute truth, it blocks further inquiry and exploration into the nature of reality and different ways people experience Ultimate Reality. As veils lift, more profound mysteries, echoing ongoing nature of spiritual and intellectual exploration, are revealed to those who continue to inquire. As we peel away layers of ignorance or illusion, we will find that journey of understanding and knowledge is an ongoing process. Hegelian dialectics and Upanishadic wisdom emphasise that true understanding is not a destination but a continuous journey. Once we understand Hegelian dialectic and imbibe the spirit of Upanishads , we can expand the scope of our knowledge and understanding. It'll also mellow us, inculcate universal empathy and enhance our ability to engage in dialogue. For some, it may facilitate satori. Facebook Twitter Linkedin Email Disclaimer Views expressed above are the author's own.
The Hindu
21-04-2025
- General
- The Hindu
Rethinking education: Moving beyond EdTech and EdBiz to a dialogical, human-centered learning model
In our age of edtech and edbiz, there is an important need to investigate and examine the very concept of education and what it entails. Like all important concepts, even the concept of education has a history through which its meaning has developed. However, the dominant worldview of our age puts content into the term education, and it takes on nuances dictated by the dominant worldview. For example, if we are largely living in a liberal capitalist democracy today, then the content for what education is and should be is dictated by this particular ideology. While this is perfectly fine for those who are happy to live within this dominant framework, it demands extra work from those of us who want to offer something new to the world. In the case of education if we have to move beyond mere edbiz and edtech and its instrumental and transactional nature, then some work has to be done to make visible the deeper and richer understanding of education. Twentieth Century philosophy of education has two major schools of thought — the Behaviourist school propounded by Skinner and Thorndike and the Constructivist school advocated by Dewey and Piaget. While the behaviourist school, like the clay in the potter's hands, states that the learning process should be centred around the teacher and the curriculum, the constructivist school, like the plant in the gardener's hands, argues that the focal point in the learning process is the student, and the role of the teacher is to provide or create the stimuli for the student to learn through experience. While it is true that education requires both a teacher and a learner, both these models privilege one over the other, thus limiting the full possibility of the term. Let us turn to the historical meaning of the term education. The term education when broken into its etymological Latin roots, 'ex' and 'ducere', means 'out' and 'to lead' respectively. In other words, education means 'to bring out and lead forth'. Faithfulness to the historical meaning of education requires a dialogical and symbiotic learning path that acknowledges the equal importance of both teacher and student in the learning process with neither of them having to be at the centre, as the behaviourist and constructivist schools would respectively demand. The dialogical model of education is inspired by three pedagogical traditions – Socratic, Vygotskian and the Upanishadic model. The Socratic method employs questioning to explore the underlying beliefs of the student and encourages deeper discussions on a topic. The Vygotskian method stresses the notion that learning is a collaborative process that takes place in the Zone of Proximal Development, where the student and teacher work together to achieve the best outcome. Upanishad (sitting near) refers to a 'student sitting near the teacher'. The teacher would memorise the specific 'utterances' and then, in a small class with a handful of students, select a specific Upanishad for the day's lesson and recite the 'utterances' to the students. If the student understood, the teacher would move on; if not, the student could ask questions. If education is to bring out and lead forth, then there is commitment and investment from both teachers and students to lead and be led. Once this is clearly understood, then this core idea sets boundary conditions for everything else within the field of education. From policy making to implementation, from strategizing to institutionalizing, from hiring to building teams, every step and process can be clearly defined around this core central idea. The only thing that should differ from one educational enterprise to another is 'what' and 'where' - what to bring out and where to lead forth. However, the 'how' of education should always be faithful to education itself - the art and science of bringing out and leading for. (Dr Brainerd Prince - Associate Professor and Director of the Centre for Thinking, Language, and Communication (CTLC) at Plaksha University, Mohali)
