May I have voice in my mouth, breath in my nostrils, sight in
mine eyes, hearing in mine ears, hair that has not turned
gray, teeth free from yellowness, and much strength in my
arms.
May I have power in my thighs, swiftness in my legs, steadfast-
ness in my feet. May all my limbs be uninjured and my
soul unimpaired.
Sunday, July 31, 2011
Friday, July 22, 2011
Life and death
'It matters little to these countless beings which are continually being born only to be destroyed, whether the noble and kind-hearted grieve or delight over their fate. The widespread illusion called samsara [world or worldliness] is an arena for incessant births and incessant deaths. Neither exhilaration nor bemoaning is called for from any quarter.'
Yoga Vasishtha, 14.34-35, trans. by Swami Bhoomananda Tirtha
Yoga Vasishtha, 14.34-35, trans. by Swami Bhoomananda Tirtha
Sunday, July 17, 2011
Were the Harappans Akkadians?
Malati J Shendge, in her book, The Language of the Harappans from Akkadian to Sanskrit, and in other works, claims that the Harappans were Akkadians, and were those described in the Rig Veda as asuras, rakshas, pishachas etc, but particularly asuras.
She finds correspondences between Sanskrit and Akkadian, and explains names of the Rig vedic rishis through the languages of Sumer and Akkad. She says the Harappans may have been multi-lingual, but their dominant language was Akkadian and they were migrants from the Tigris-Euphrates region.
This is a different twist to the whole question of the identity of the people of the Harappan civilisation, and their relationship with the Vedic people [the so-called Indo-aryans]. As far as I know, this theory has few supporters.
She finds correspondences between Sanskrit and Akkadian, and explains names of the Rig vedic rishis through the languages of Sumer and Akkad. She says the Harappans may have been multi-lingual, but their dominant language was Akkadian and they were migrants from the Tigris-Euphrates region.
This is a different twist to the whole question of the identity of the people of the Harappan civilisation, and their relationship with the Vedic people [the so-called Indo-aryans]. As far as I know, this theory has few supporters.
Saturday, July 16, 2011
Brother Lawrence
[ born Nicolas Herman in 1614 in France, d.1691.]
At the age of 18 he had a sudden cosmic intuition of the grandeur and presence of God. One day in winter while looking at a tree stripped of its leaves, he realised that in a little while its leaves would reappear, followed by its flowers and fruit. This gave him a profound insight into God's providence, that was never erased from his soul, and was not surpassed throughout his life. This was the beginning of his life-long association with God. He later joined a Carmelite monastery as a lay brother, and worked mainly in the kitchen. There was an aura of peace about him, which led people to come and meet him. His conversations and letters were later compiled into a book, The Practice of the Presence of God.
Even while performing ordinary tasks, he said, ‘I began to live as if there was no one but God and me in this world.’
At the age of 18 he had a sudden cosmic intuition of the grandeur and presence of God. One day in winter while looking at a tree stripped of its leaves, he realised that in a little while its leaves would reappear, followed by its flowers and fruit. This gave him a profound insight into God's providence, that was never erased from his soul, and was not surpassed throughout his life. This was the beginning of his life-long association with God. He later joined a Carmelite monastery as a lay brother, and worked mainly in the kitchen. There was an aura of peace about him, which led people to come and meet him. His conversations and letters were later compiled into a book, The Practice of the Presence of God.
Even while performing ordinary tasks, he said, ‘I began to live as if there was no one but God and me in this world.’
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