ॐ भूर्भुवः स्वः तत्सवितुर्वरेण्यं । भर्गो देवस्य धीमहि धियो यो नः प्रचोदयात् ॥ Meaning of Gayatri Mantra Aum = Brahma ; bhoor = embodiment of vital spiritual energy(pran) ; bhuwah = destroyer of sufferings ; swaha = embodiment of happiness ; tat = that ; savitur = bright like sun ; varenyam = best choicest ; bhargo = destroyer of sins ; devasya […]
Shiva meaning “The Auspicious One” is one of the three major deities of Hinduism. He is worshiped as the Supreme God within Shaivism, one of the three most influential denominations in contemporary Hinduism and is also called “the Creator, the Preserver, the Transformer and the Destroyer”. At the highest level, Shiva is regarded as formless, limitless, transcendent, and unchanging. Shiva […]
Hanuman is a Hindu God and an ardent devotee of Lord Rama. He is one of the central figures in the Hindu epic Ramayana and its various versions. As one of the Chiranjivi he is also mentioned in several other texts, including Mahabharata, the various Puranas and some Jain texts. Vanara (monkey), Hanuman participated in Rama’s war against the demon king Ravana. Several texts also present him as […]
Navagraha temples are the ones devoted to Navagraha – the nine major celestial bodies (Grahas) of Hindu astronomy. These celestial bodies are : Surya (Sun), Chandra (Moon), Mangala (Mars), Budha (Mercury), Brihaspati(Jupiter), Shukra (Venus), Shani (Saturn), Rahu (North Lunar Node) Ketu (South Lunar Node). The term ‘Navagraha temples’ refers to a cluster of nine separate temples, each an abode of one of the Navagrahas. Navagraha Temple in […]
Lord Venkateswara is a Hindu deity who is a manifestation of Lord Vishnu. The presiding deity of Tirumala Venkateswara Temple in Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh, India is Venkateswara. Srinivasa, Balaji, Venkata, Venkata Ramana, Tirupati Timmappa, and Govinda are some of his other names. Actual meaning of the Venkateswara Venkateswara translates to “Lord of Venkata.” The term […]
Devi is a Sanskrit word meaning ‘goddess’; male status is deva. Devi and deva mean ‘heaven, God, whatever is good’, and they are the personal names of the goddess in Hinduism. The idea and reverence for the goddess comes from the Vedas, dated to about 3rd century BC. However, they did not play a significant […]
What is ISKCON? The International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON), also known as the Hare Krishna organization, belongs to the Gaudiya-Vaishnava sampradaya, or sect, the monotheistic religion within the Hindu culture. Its core beliefs are based on Hindu writings, particularly the Bhagavad Gita and the Bhagavata Purana. ISKCON is the “largest and most important branch“ […]
Introduction A Hindu temple, often mandir in India, is a symbolic house, seat and body of divinity for Hindus. It is a structure designed to bring human beings and gods together, using symbolism to express the ideas and beliefs of Hinduism. The symbolism and structure of a Hindu temple are rooted in Vedic traditions, deploying […]
The most beloved God of the Hindus, Lord Ganesh or Ganpati. He is the one who brings happiness and prosperity even for the most depressed soul. Lord Ganesha is widely revered as the remover of obstacles, the patron of arts and sciences and the ‘Deva’ of intellect and wisdom, Lord Ganesha (also known as Ganpati and Vinayaka) is one of […]
India is known as the ‘Country of Temples’, being the only destination in the entire world that believes in the existence of 33 million gods and goddesses. All of these temples have their own history, legend, and mythology, and various stories associated with their establishment. Beside these temples, there exist many others who have mysterious […]
Lord Ayyapan or also called as just Ayyappa, is the Hindu God worshipped mostly in the southern part of India. Ayyappa is also known as ‘Hariharan Puthran’ and ‘Hariharaputra,’ both of which translate to the son of both ‘Hari’ (Vishnu) and ‘Haran’ (Shiva). He is known to be born out of the union of lord […]
“The way you feel in the temple is a pattern for how you want to feel in your life” India is a beautiful country filled with diversity and is rich in cultural values. India is a country with different cultures, different people, different places and a lot to explore. Considering the Cultural diversity in […]
