Religion and spirituality constitute the integral part of most of the Indian families. Upbringing the children in the family then becomes an easier job as the children are imbibed with the teachings from the family members. Nachiket, eighteen years old, got the same rearing from his parents and mainly from his grandparents. He learnt and memorized stories from Vedas and Upanishadas. Why should he write and maintain a diary? Well he followed the footsteps of his parents and grandparents. The diary consoled his parents while they faced the toughest time. It also relieved Nachiket once he could finish writing what he wanted to. Have you ever seen any child consoling his parents? The diary offered sequential surprizes to his parents who never expected anything of that sort was going to happen to them. They wondered what must have triggered his spirituality. And why? The mindboggling and yet thought provoking novel makes anyone contemplative about life.
Are you ready to dive into the world of kirtan? Then this extraordinary collection of devotional music is for you! In this book, you’ll find over 1,400 kirtans and bhajans, featuring heart-felt compositions written by Bhakti Saints as well as the main bhajans sung by our own Bhakti Marga devotees worldwide. Of course, traditional and popular compositions that are well known in the realm of kirtan and bhajans are included, but above all, you will find the bhajans most frequently sung by our beloved Guruji. Compiled by a team of 50 dedicated people from all over the world, the songs are organised alphabetically by title, as well as according to specific deities. Plus, the simple chords provided make it easy for everyone to take part in this beautiful music focused on God and guru. We hope this book supports your spiritual journey, and that you enjoy these many ways to pour your heart into singing the Divine Name. Jai Gurudev!
This book is a dramatic presentation in three Acts about one of the most significant episodes of the Shrimad Bhagavatam the birth of Lord Krishna. It is a story about the atrocities committed by King Kamsa and his subsequent fall and death by Krishna.ACT ONE deals with the tragic fate of Devaki and Vasudeva, Krishna`s parents, and their incarceration into prison.ACT TWO is a joyous account of Krishna`s early childhood, his divine relationship with the Gopis and Radha.ACT THREE sees the culmination of the divine prophecy, and the death of Kamsa.
This is the first book to tackle the diverse styles and multiple histories of popular musics in India. It brings together fourteen of the world's leading scholars on Indian popular music to contribute chapters on a range of topics from the classic songs of Bollywood to contemporary remixes, summarized by a reflective afterword by popular music scholar Timothy Taylor. The chapters in this volume address the impact of media and technology on contemporary music, the variety of industrial developments and contexts for Indian popular music, and historical trends in popular music development both before and after the Indian Independence in 1947. The book identifies new ways of engaging popular music in India beyond the Bollywood musical canon, and offers several case studies of local and regional styles of music. The contributors address the subcontinent's historical relationships with colonialism, the transnational market economies, local governmental factors, international conventions, and a host of other circumstances to shed light on the development of popular music throughout India. To illustrate each chapter author's points, and to make available music not easily accessible in North America, the book features an Oxford web music companion website of audio and video tracks.
In this book, the author takes you on a journey towards freedom and happiness. According to him, freedom is the very fragrance of life. Freedom and happiness are intimately linked. However, the author makes a clear distinction between real freedom and the so-called casual freedom of doing anything as per one's whims and fancies.
Started in 1958, Sanathana Sarathi is a monthly magazine devoted to Sathya (Truth), Dharma (Righteousness), Shanti (Peace) and Prema (Love) - the four cardinal principles of Bhagawan Baba's philosophy. It is published from Prasanthi Nilayam (the Abode of Highest Peace) and acts as a mouthpiece of Baba's Ashram as it speaks of the important events that take place in His sacred Abode, besides carrying Divine Messages conveyed through Divine Discourses of Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba. The word meaning of Sanathana Sarathi is the 'Eternal Charioteer'. It signifies the presence of the Lord in every being as the atma guiding their lives like a charioteer. It implies that he who places his life, the body being likened to a chariot, in an attitude of surrender in the hands of the Lord, will be taken care of by the Lord even as a charioteer would take the occupant of his chariot safely to its destination. The magazine is an instrument to disseminate spiritual knowledge for the moral, physical and mental uplift of humanity without any discrimination as the subject matter discussed therein is always of common interest and of universal appeal. The fifteen Vahinis - streams of sacredness - known as the Vahini Series comprising annotation and interpretation of the Upanishads and other scriptures, Itihasas like the Ramayana, the Bhagavatha and the Mahabharata, and authentic explanations on Dhyana, Dharma, Prema, etc., have been serially published in this magazine as and when they emanated from the Divine pen of Bhagawan Baba. This magazine is published in almost all Indian languages, English and Telugu from Prasanthi Nilayam and others from respective regions. Every year Sanathana Sarathi comes out with a special issue in November commemorating the Divine Birthday. The English and Telugu magazines are posted on the 10th and 23rd respectively, of every month, from Prasanthi Nilayam. This magazine has wide, ever increasing circulation in India as well as abroad, as the study of it brings the reader closer to the philosophy of the Avatar in simple understandable language THUS SPAKE SAI... Discoursing during the launch of Sanathana Sarathi... From this day, our Sanathana Sarathi will lead to victory the cohorts of truth - the Vedas, the Sastras and similar scriptures of all faiths, against the forces of the ego such as injustice, falsehood, immorality and cruelty. This is the reason why it has emerged. This Sarathi will fight in order to establish world prosperity. It is bound to sound the paean of triumph when universal Ananda is achieved.
This collection of essays presents the very latest research on the peace-building dimension of sacred and secular journeys at individual, societal, regional and global levels. Not since the 1980s has there been any concerted effort to explore the potential of such journeys in helping to bridge the divide that separates people of diverse ethnicities, religions and cultures. This volume gathers together empirical studies, regional analyses, and personal reflections from four continents and twelve countries, including Sri Lanka, Syria, Ethiopia, and Indonesia, which highlight the potential of religious tourism and pilgrimage for promoting interfaith solidarity, natural dialogue, and inner peace. It will be of interest to religion, tourism and peace scholars, as well as to political scientists and anthropologists.
Here is a universal, time-tested path for finding true meaning and joy in every aspect of our lives. Drawing on his 30 years of teaching and service, Bo Lozoff shows why compassion--not success, self-improvement, or self-esteem--is at the root of happiness. In 26 intimate, inspiring chapters--each accompanied by a specific practice--Lozoff covers themes such as developing honesty, learning humility, dealing with anger, and honoring relationships. He shows how practices such as a daily vow of kindness or a simple commitment of time with others can have a profound effect on ourselves and our world. Lozoff's stories and lessons can awaken everyone to a happier and more fulfilled life.
