Category Archives: Kali

“Through him, She…”

I am finally reading the “Gospel of Ramakrishna” which I picked up over the summer. Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa was a Sanatana Dharmist in the truest sense I can think of. He tested every path for himself: From Daulism to Advaita, … Continue reading

Posted in Abrahamic faiths, American Hindus, avatars, Avatars of Vishnu, bhakti, Bible, biography, book review, books, Brahman, Buddhism, Christ, Christianity, Comparitive Religion, consciousness, dharma, Dharma religions, Dharmic Faiths, Divine Mother, dualism, duality, Durga, Eastern Philosophy, ego, faith, God, guru, Hanuman, Hindu Sects, Hinduism, inner peace, inspiration, Islam, Jainism, Jesus, Kali, Krishna, Krishna Consciousness, Lord Hanuman, Lord Rama, myth, mythology, non-dualism, philosophy, pluralism, polytheism, Ramakrishna, religion, Sanatana Dharma, Self-Realization Fellowship, Shakti, Sikhism, spirituality, Vaishnavism, Vaisnavism, Vedanta, Vishnu, Vivekananda, yogis | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

The TGIF Retraction

by Aranyakananda “TGIF” has long been an expression that’s given me a giggle, and cause for reflection, as you’ve seen once or twice if you’ve followed this weblog. This morning my wife gave me yet another reason to reflect on … Continue reading

Posted in agnosticism, agnostics, atheism, avatars, Avatars of Vishnu, consciousness, current events, Divine Mother, Durga, Eastern Philosophy, editorial, family, God, Hinduism, Humanism, humor, Kali, Kalki Avatar, life, love, Maya, panentheism, pantheism, philosophy, pluralism, religion, self-realization, Shiva, social commentary, spirituality, Vishnu, Western Hinduism, White Hindus | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

On Being Enlightened vs. Being Self-Realized

by Aranyakananda I was asked the other day if there is a difference between being “enlightened” and being “Self-realized”/”Self-actualized” whichever you prefer. And if so, is it wrong to say “I am enlightened.” Let me deal with the second question … Continue reading

Posted in afterlife, American Hindus, Apocalypse, Aum, avatars, Avatars of Shiva, Avatars of Vishnu, Brahman, Creation, detachment, dharma, Dharma religions, Dharmic Faiths, Divine Consciousness, dualism, duality, Eastern Philosophy, ego, existentialism, faith, Forms of Shiva, God, Heaven, Hindu Sects, Hinduism, inspiration, Kali, kali yuga, Kalki Avatar, Krishna, Krishna Consciousness, life, meaning of life, moksha, myth, Narayana, non-dualism, opinion, philosophy, reincarnation, religion, Sanatana Dharma, self-realization, Shaivism, Shiva, spirituality, transmigration, Trimurti, Vaishnavism, Vedanta, Vishnu, Western Hinduism, yugas | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

The Art of Hinduism

by Aranyakananda I passed on Saraswati Puja last night. I just wasn’t feeling up to being in temple last night. I just felt like having a very quiet night. During the afternoon I had re-connected with a friend who is … Continue reading

Posted in addiction, American Hindus, avatars, Avatars of Vishnu, Bhagavad-Gita, bhakti, blogging, Brahma, Comparitive Religion, creativity, current events, Deepavali, dharma, Dharma religions, Dharmic Faiths, Divine Mother, Diwali, Durga, Eastern Philosophy, faith, Festival of Colors, Festival of Lights, Ganesh, Ganesha, Gita, God, Hanuman, Hindu Festivals, Hindu Scriptures, Hinduism, Holi, idolatry, India, Indian culture, inspiration, Kali, Kalki Avatar, Krishna, Kurukshetra, Lord Hanuman, Lord Rama, Maha Navaratri, Mahabharata, myth, Narayana, painting, philosophy, poetry, poojas, pujas, Radha, Rama, religion, Sanatana Dharma, Saraswati, Shiva, Sita, spirituality, Trimurti, Uncategorized, Vedic culture, Vishnu, Western Hinduism | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

A Response to “Let’s Aim For a Post-Theistic Society” by Professor Vasant Natarajan

by Aranyakananda Last time I attended Bhagavad-Gita study group at my temple one of the men there made a casual reference to an opinion column in “The Hindu”. I later asked him to direct me to the piece because I … Continue reading

Posted in Abrahamic faiths, afterlife, agnosticism, agnostics, American Hindus, atheism, Aum, avatars, Avatars of Vishnu, Bhagavad-Gita, Bible, Brahman, Christianity, Comparitive Religion, Creation, current events, dharma, Dharma religions, Dharmic Faiths, Divine Mother, dualism, duality, Durga, Eastern Philosophy, editorial, faith, famous quotes, Gita, God, Hindu Festivals, Hindu Scriptures, Hindu Sects, Hinduism, History, holidays, Humanism, inspiration, Islam, Kali, karma, Krishna, Maha Navaratri, Maya, meaning of life, miracles, moksha, monotheism, Muslim, myth, Navratri, New Age, New Thought, News, nihilism, non-dualism, opinion, panentheism, pantheism, philosophy, pluralism, polytheism, prayer, quotes, religion, Sanatana Dharma, science, Secular Humanism, Shakti, social commentary, spirituality, Uncategorized, Vedanta, Vishnu, Western Hinduism, White Hindus, writing | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

I’ve Never Been So Happy To See A Dead Bird In My Life

by Aranyakananda Whilst on a little saunter that I took this morning, I rolled down the sidewalk, on the street where I live. I happened to glance into the street and saw what appeared to be a crow (?) but … Continue reading

Posted in afterlife, ahimsa, American Hindus, Aum, auto-biography, autobiography, Comparitive Religion, current events, dharma, Dharma religions, Dharmic Faiths, Eastern Philosophy, God, healing, Hindu Sects, Hinduism, inspiration, Ishvara, Kali, mantras, meditation, Narayana, philosophy, prayer, reincarnation, religion, religious conversion, Saivism, Sanatana Dharma, Shaivism, Shiva, Smartism, spirituality, transmigration, Vaishnavism, Vishnu, Western Hinduism, wheelchair, White Hindus | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Damaru-hasta and Kartari-hasta

by Aranyakananda A couple of interesting things I picked up in my reading on Hindu iconography: There is a hand gesture which has been adopted by fans of heavy metal music as a sign of their love and loyalty to … Continue reading

Posted in American Hindus, Aum, avatars, Avatars of Vishnu, Brahma, Dharma religions, dualism, duality, Eastern Philosophy, Ganesh, Ganesha, God, Hindu Sects, Hinduism, India, Indian culture, Kali, Kalki Avatar, Krishna, Lakshmi, Lord Hanuman, Lord Rama, Om symbol, painting, Puranas, religion, spirituality, Western Hinduism | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Multi-Tasking Media Murtis

by Aranyakananda You know what really grinds my gears? Has anyone noticed the sharp increase in advertisements in magazines and online wherein multi-tasking is illustrated by a human form with multiple arms each holding a different object? Does it look … Continue reading

Posted in American Hindus, avatars, Avatars of Vishnu, Brahma, Comparitive Religion, creativity, current events, dharma, Dharmic Faiths, dualism, duality, Eastern Philosophy, editorial, faith, Ganesh, Ganesha, God, Hanuman, Hinduism, India, Indian culture, inspiration, Ishvara, Islam, Kali, Krishna, Lakshmi, Lord Hanuman, Lord Rama, Muslim, Narayana, opinion, Rama, religion, Sanatana Dharma, Saraswati, Shaivism, Shakti, Shaktism, Shiva, social commentary, spirituality, Trimurti, Vaishnavism, Vishnu, Western Hinduism, White Hindus | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Mamaste!

by Aranyakananda There is one Mother She comes in many forms We call her by many names. She has fed us, bathed us Carried us over troubled waters Quite likely saved our life. She brought us here, She protected us … Continue reading

Posted in American Hindus, avatars, Avatars of Vishnu, Creation, creativity, current events, Dharmic Faiths, Divine Mother, duality, Durga, Eastern Philosophy, family, God, gratitude, guru, Hindu Festivals, Hinduism, holidays, inspiration, Kali, Lakshmi, life, love, Mother's Day, poetry, Radha, Shakti, Shaktism, Sita, Trimurti, Vaishnavism, Vishnu, Western Hinduism, White Hindus | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Vaisnavaganza: Ayyappa

by Aranyakananda This will be my final entry in this series entitled “Vaisnavaganza”. I had meant it to be a way to learn more about the depths of Vaisnavism and where its belief system came from and I think I … Continue reading

Posted in American Hindus, Apocalypse, avatars, Avatars of Shiva, Avatars of Vishnu, biography, Brahma, Dharmic Faiths, Durga, Eastern Philosophy, editorial, God, Hindu Sects, Hinduism, homosexuality, inspiration, Kali, Krishna, Liberal, love, minorities, myth, Narayana, opinion, philosophy, polytheism, Puranas, religion, Sanatana Dharma, Shaivism, Shiva, social commentary, spirituality, Trimurti, Uncategorized, Vaishnavism, Vishnu, Western Hinduism, White Hindus, yoga | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment