A Brief Summary of the Yajurveda Brahma Yagnam
A Brief Summary of the Yajurveda Brahma Yagnam

Author: M. Venkataraman

Publisher: Venkataraman M

Published: 2022-06-20

Total Pages: 65

ISBN-13:

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Brahma Yagnam is one of the important daily rituals to be performed by those following the Sanatana Dharma particularly those belonging to the brahmin community. It is a very simple process and would involve approximately 10 to 15 minutes daily. As is well known, the Vedas have been classified into four groups by Sage Veda Vyasa as Rig Veda, Yajur Veda, Sama Veda and Atharvana Veda. Hinduism prescribes the learning, preserving and propagation of the Vedas particularly by the brahmin community. So, everyday after the Sandhyavandana in the afternoon, the learning process of the Vedas is required to be done. As a prelude to this process, the first mantra from each of the four Vedas is recited. While doing so, other important deities are worshipped in brief and tarpana, which may be called as oblations in English, is given to the Devas, Rishis and Pitrus. This is the Brahma Yagnam. A brief summary of the various mantras contained in Brahma Yagnam relating to the Yajurveda followers is given in this book along with the mantras. There is also an addendum consisting of the Sandhyavandhanam mantras.

Appayya Dikshitar’s Atmaarpana Stuthi or Unmattha Panchaa Shath
Appayya Dikshitar’s Atmaarpana Stuthi or Unmattha Panchaa Shath

Author: Venkataraman M

Publisher: Venkataraman M

Published: 2022-08-09

Total Pages: 33

ISBN-13:

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The 'Atmaarpana Stuthi' is a hymn in Sanskrit language composed by Appayya Dikshitar, one of the great saints and proponent of Advaita Philosophy after Adi Sankara. It is a hymn in praise of Lord Shiva and is also known as ‘Unmattha Panchaa Shath’. Once Dikshitar felt that he has to put himself to a test as to whether his devotion to Lord Shiva was indeed true. He thought, ‘Suppose I become insane, will my mouth utter the name of Lord Shiva. If that be so, then it must be real.’ So, he embarked on an experiment. He made a paste of Datura seeds. These seeds are poisonous and if taken in, will make a person insane. He also prepared an antidote to this poison. He called his disciples. He gave them the poisonous paste and the antidote. He told them to give him the first potion for a week and write down whatever he said in that state of mind. After recording this, they have to give after a week, the antidote that would bring him back to normalcy. Indeed it was a remarkable experiment to find out how serious he was about Shiva. The experiment started. The disciples recorded what he said during that time. It was this hymn on Lord Shiva consisting of fifty verses. ‘Panchaa Shath’ means 50 and ‘Unmattha’ means “one who has lost his mind”. So, it is 50 verses composed during the period when he lost his mind.

Great Saints of India
Great Saints of India

Author: M. Venkataraman

Publisher: Venkataraman M

Published: 2022-05-31

Total Pages: 105

ISBN-13:

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Saints are the great souls who have devoted their life, energy and experience for the welfare of the people. They are extraordinary human beings having great wisdom, vast experience and character worthy of imitation. They gifted everything to the world without seeking fame or any kind of gain. Welfare of the world was their sole objective. India has been blessed from time immemorial by the advent of innumerable saints. In this book you can read the stories of some of these known saints.

Elegy written in a country churchyard of Thomas Gray
Elegy written in a country churchyard of Thomas Gray

Author: M. Venkataraman

Publisher: Venkataraman M

Published: 2022-06-18

Total Pages: 27

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This poem of Thomas Gray titled “Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard” is one of the beautiful poems in English literature. The poet sees a country churchyard at sunset, which impels him to meditate on the nature of human mortality. He considers the fact that in death, there is no difference between great and common people. He feels that among the lowly people buried in the churchyard there might have been some natural poets like John Milton or politicians like Oliver Cromwell. Just like some rarest gems buried in the deep sea and the finest flowers spreading their fragrance in a forest, these great people might not have been discovered at all. This thought leads him to praise these dead unsophisticated poor villagers for the honest and simple lives that they lived. The poem has been presented along with a brief annotation.

Ode: Intimations of Immortality from Recollections of Early Childhood
Ode: Intimations of Immortality from Recollections of Early Childhood

Author: William Wordsworth

Publisher: Venkataraman M

Published: 2022-06-18

Total Pages: 30

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William Wordsworth is one of the greatest poets of English Literature. This poem 'Ode: Intimations of Immortality from Recollections of Early Childhood' is often considered as one of Wordsworth's greatest masterpieces. Here, he explores some of the themes that always inspired him, namely his childhood, the memories, the beauties of nature, and the human soul. · In this book, the author has analysed the poem and given an annotation with relevant quotations from the original text. · The main poem has also been given.

A few gods and goddesses of Hinduism
A few gods and goddesses of Hinduism

Author: M. Venkataraman

Publisher: Venkataraman M

Published: 2022-06-03

Total Pages: 88

ISBN-13:

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The foundations of Hinduism are the eternal and supersensuous truths discovered by ancient Indian sages. These revealed Divine Truths are called the Vedas. According to the teachings of the Vedas, God is the One without a second — the absolute, formless, and only Reality. God is referred to as Brahman, the Supreme Universal Soul. It is said in the Vedas that by His mere will, Brahman manifests Himself as this universe. Hence, creation, preservation and dissolution of this world are the three aspects of God. These three basic aspects of God are represented by the Trinity called as Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva. There are also other deities in Hinduism to personify the various other endless powers and aspects of God. These are the gods and goddesses of Hinduism. A brief idea about a few important gods and goddesses of Hinduism are given in this book.

Slokas of Sri Ramodantam
Slokas of Sri Ramodantam

Author: M. Venkataraman

Publisher: Venkataraman M

Published: 2022-06-18

Total Pages: 67

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Valmiki Ramayana, as we all know, consists of 24000 verses written in Sanskrit by Sage Valmiki. There are other works on the life and deeds of Sri Rama in other languages like the Kamba Ramayanam in Tamil and the Ramacharitamanas of Goswamy Tulsidas in Awadhi. In the 15th century, one Parameshwara Kavi has composed in just 200 verses in Sanskrit, the seven chapters of the Ramayana that was written by sage Valmiki. This is Sri Ramodantam. In Sri Ramodantam, the author has presented the entire Ramayana in a very simple format. Termed as a Lagukavya, a minor poetical composition, this is generally prescribed as a study material for the beginners in Sanskrit language. It is a remarkable composition because of its brevity and simplicity. The term Sriramodantam is composed of two words ‘Srirama’ and ‘Udantam’ meaning ‘the story of Srirama’. Just like the Valmiki Ramayan, it has seven chapters called as Kandas starting from Bala Kanda and ending with Uttara Kanda.

Yathni’s Travel to Kailash
Yathni’s Travel to Kailash

Author: M. Venkataraman

Publisher: Venkataraman M

Published: 2022-06-18

Total Pages: 75

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This book is an abridged edition of the main book titled ‘Yathni’s Travel to Kailash’. This is a story based on Hindu mythology and is a mixture of facts and fiction. Yathni is a little girl studying in Fifth Grade and she is a devotee of Lord Ganesha. Ganesha takes her on an excursion to the legendary mountain of Kailash. How was this excursion, what are the things which she saw and how was her meeting with Lord Shiva. These are the things covered in the story. The main book titled ‘Yathni’s Travel to Kailash’ was published in the year 2012. While giving a number of anecdotes from Hindu mythology, the story takes one to the North Pole, the Moon and the outer space and beyond. In this process matters of educational interest like climate change, bio-diversity, space science etc have been dealt with. These are given with colourful illustrations.

The Bhagawat Gita
The Bhagawat Gita

Author: M. Venkataraman

Publisher: Venkataraman M

Published: 2022-05-21

Total Pages: 88

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The Bhagavat Gita is one of the main religious literature in the Hindu way of life. It contains about 700 verses divided into 18 cantos. It is the essence of the philosophy contained in the Upanishads and is a part of the Mahabharata which describes the story of the Pandavas and the Kouravas. The development of the various incidents in the life of the Pandavas and the Kouravas ultimately leads to the war in Kurukshetra wherein the Pandavas finally win the battle. When Arjuna, the great warrior of the Pandava brothers sees the Kourava army in the battlefield, he is overwhelmed with concern because they are all his kinsmen. He gets terrified. Not because of fear of battle but because of emotions. Krishna who is the incarnation of the Almighty God was acting as his charioteer. Arjuna tells Krishna, ‘My limbs give way. My mouth is getting parched. I feel shaky. My bow slips from my hand. My skin burns all over. My mind is whirling as though I cannot hold on to myself. I see evil portends.’ A conversation ensues between Krishna and Arjuna and this conversation is the Bhagawat Gita. This book contains a brief synopsis of the Bhagawat Gita. The author has also published an audio book in three parts which is available with the audio booksellers.

The Utopian Cricket Team
The Utopian Cricket Team

Author: M. Venkataraman

Publisher: Venkataraman M

Published: 2022-06-20

Total Pages: 67

ISBN-13:

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This book is a fiction based on cricket. As indicated in the title of this book, it is a utopian thought of looking at the game of cricket. The idea is to have a humorous way of looking at the sport from the point of view of other professional fields.