Jithesh Soman

Swami Swarupananda's translation of the Bhagavad Gita has been used by students of Gita for nearly a century. This book containing Bhagavad Gita slokas in Sanskrit, Word-for-Word Translations, English Rendering, Comments, and Index is really useful especially for those who are educated in english but have no advanced knowledge of Sanskrit language. For a begineer in the study of Gita, this book is a blessing.

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Stories of Indian Saints - Maha Bhakta Vijaya-Part 1

2010-01-18T13:01:00.002+04:00

This book is an English translation of Mahipati's Marathi text "Bhakta Vijaya" which records the legends of Indian saints, irrespective of their difference in caste, community, creed, language and place of origin. What little knowledge we have on
the Saints of Maharashtra comes mostly from the two books, Bhakta Vijaya and Bhakta Lilamrita, written by Mahipati (1715 - 1790) who lived in Tharabad, about 35 miles from Ahmadnagar, Maharashtra.

"Bhakta Vijaya" contains soul-stirring stories of several saints including Jayadeva, Tulsidas, Matsyendranath, Gorakhnath, Jnaneshwar, Eknath, Tukaram, Namdev, Janabai, Gora, Kabir, Rohidas, Narsi Mehta, Ramdas, Sena, Mirabai, Bhanudas, et al
Bhakta Vijaya has been translated into almost all prominent Indian languages. It has been a source of inspiration to millions of devotees and has been used for daily reading and Harikatha all over India for more than 300 years.

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Stories of Indian Saints - Maha Bhakta Vijaya-Part 2

2010-01-18T12:56:00.002+04:00

Srimad Devi Bhagavata Purana English Complete

2010-01-18T12:52:00.002+04:00

This is an English translation of Devi Bhagavata by Swami Vijnanananda. Devi Bhagavata Purana (देवी भागवतपुराण) is one of the most important work in Shaktism, the veneration in Hinduism of the divine feminine, next to Devi Mahatmya.

This Purana describes the Devi, the Goddess, as the substratum of the universe and as identical with Brahman, the Supreme Being. As the divine mother, she reveals her virat rupa (universal form) (Book 7, Chapter 33) and describes the proper ways for
worshipping her: especially the practice of Yoga, Meditation (Book 7, Chapter 35), and Ritual (Book 7, Chapter 39). The Devi-Bhagavata Purana also deals with topics like spiritual knowledge, social and personal ethics, and holy places.

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Bhagavad Gita Dictionary

2010-01-18T12:43:00.002+04:00

The Bhagavad Gita (भगवद् गीता - "Song of God") is one of the most revered sacred scriptures of Hinduism and is considered as one of the most important religious classics of the world.

This dictionary of Bhagavad Gita comprises of transliteration, simple translation and sloka and chapter index of almost every word from all 18 chapters of Gita, arranged alphabetically. This Gita dictionary will come in very handy for a beginner in studying the Gita.

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Hindu Fasts & Festivals - Swami Sivananda

2010-01-18T12:36:00.001+04:00

A hand-book explaining the spirit and significance of all major Hindu fasts and festivals.

All Hindu festivals have a deep spiritual import or high religious significance. All great Hindu festivals have religious, social and hygienic elements in them. In every festival there is bathing in the morning before sunrise in the river or tank or well. Every individual will have to do some Japa, prayer, Kirtan, recitation of Sanskrit verses and meditation.

Man gets tired on account of hard work or monotonous actions. He wants some change or variety. He wants relaxation. He wants something to cheer him up. These festivals make him cheerful and happy, and give him rest and peace.

In this book, the author has explained the significance and the philosophy of many of the important Hindu fasts and festivals like Deepavali, Shivaratri, Navaratri, Ram Navami, Krishna Jayanti, Makar Sankranti, etc.

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Vishnu Purana - English Translation by_Manmatha_Nath_Dutt

2010-01-18T12:32:00.002+04:00

The Vishnu Purana is one of eighteen Maha Puranas. It is considered one of the most important Puranas and has been given the name Puranaratna (gem of Puranas). Presented as a dialogue between Parashara and his disciple Maitreya and divided into six parts, the major topics discussed include creation of the universe, stories of the avatars (divine descents) of Vishnu, etc.

Conforming to the Puranic tradition, Vishnu Purana also expounds the most sublime Vedantic truths through stories.

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The life and teaching of Tukaram by J. N. Fraser & J. F. Edwards

2010-01-18T12:29:00.001+04:00

Sant Tukaram, a prominent Maharashtrian saint and religious poet, was born and lived most of his life in Dehu, a town close to Pune in 17th century CE. Tukaram was a devotee of Lord Vittala (or Vithobā) - an incarnation of Lord Krishna, who in turn, is considered to be an incarnation of Lord Vishnu. He is quite renowned for his contribution to the Bhakti Movement of Maharashtra.

Like Namdev, Janabai, and Eknath, Tukaram wrote in archaic Marathi a large number of devotional poems identified in Marathi as abhang (अभंग). A collection of 4,500 abhang known as the Gāthā is attributed to Tukaram. It is believed that he was a contemporary of Shivaji Maharaj.

Tukaram puts bhakti at the centre of his spiritual life. In one of his verses, he declares that Bhaktimarg is "the only way to God in this age". Another provides a succinct statement of his philosophy of religion: "God has no form, nor any name, nor any place where he can be seen; but wherever you go, you see God."

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Sri Lalita Sahasranama Stotram - Malayalam

2010-01-18T12:27:00.001+04:00

Lalita sahasranama is the most popular and sacred hymn for the worshippers of the Goddess Lalita Devi, i.e. the Divine Mother, in the form of her and the male gods' feminine power, Shakti. Etymologically, "Lalita" means "She Who Plays". It is supposedly one of the most complete stotras, one need only recite it to gain 'Moksha'.

The thousnad names of the divine Mother are organised as in a hymn, i.e. in the way of stotras. This hymn occurs in the Brahmanda Purana. It is a dialogue between Hayagriva, an (avatara) of MahaVishnu and the great sage Agastya. Lalitha sahasranama was composed by 8 vaag devis (vaag devathas) upon the command of Devi Sri Lalitha.

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Sri Lalita Ashtotharam Sanskrit Text, Transliteration and English Translation

2010-01-18T12:25:00.001+04:00

108 names of Divine Mother (Sri Lalita) - Sanskrit Text, English Transliteration and Translation.

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Srimad Bhagavad Gita - "Sadhak Sanjivani' Hindi Commentary by Swami Ramsukhdas

2010-01-18T12:21:00.003+04:00

An exhaustive Hindi commentary on the Bhagavad Gita by one of the greatest scholars of Gita in 20th century.

Poojya Swami Ramsukhdasji (1902-2004) was an enlightened sage whose life was fully dedicated for the propagation of the teachings of Gita among the masses. He has authored morethan 50 books on Gita and other spiritual topics. His books have been translated into English and also in all prominent Indian languages. The famous "Sadhak Sanjivani", his
masterpiece, contains Sanskrit slokas of Gita, meaning of each word in the slokas and meaning & commentary upon the slokas (verses).

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Adhyathm Raramayanam - Malayalam - Tunchathu Ezhuthachan

2010-01-18T12:12:00.003+04:00

Adhyathma Ramayanam is the Malayalam version of Ramayana written by Thunchaththu Ramanujan Ezhuthachan in the early 17th Century. Ezhuthachan is considered as the Father of the Malayalam language. The speciality of his version of Ramayana is that it is full of devotion. It has been so popular in Kerala that it has been sued for daily chanting in all Hindu homes in Kerala for more than 300 years. Keralites celebrate mid-July to mid-August as Ramayana Masam (Ramayana Month) every year.

This ebook comprises of 6 kandas:

1. Bala Kanda
2. Ayodhya Kanda
3. Aranya Kanda
4. Kishkindha Kanda
5. Sundara Kanda
6. Yuddha Kanda

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Saundarya Lahari - Sanskrit Text + English Commentary

2010-01-18T12:09:00.003+04:00

This book contains the Sanskrit text, English transliteration, translation, commentary, diagrams and an appendix on prayoga (application) of "The Saundarya Lahari"of Adi Shankara by S.S. Sastri and T.R.S. Ayyangar. "Saundarya Lahari" meaning "Waves Of Beauty" is one of the most famous Sanskrit hymns of Devi (Goddess). Its hundred and three shlokas (verses) eulogize the beauty, grace and munificence of Goddess Parvati, consort of Shiva.

The Saundarya Lahari is not only a poem. It is a tantra textbook, giving instructions on puja and offerings, many yantras, almost one to each shloka; describes tantric ways of performing devotion connected to each specific shloka; and details the results ensuing therefrom. There are many interpretations and commentaries but best of these are arguably those that provide word-to-word translations, as also the yantras, the devotion to be performed and the results of the devotion.

The Saundarya Lahari is often viewed as being composed of two parts.

Verses 1 - 41 describe the mystical experience of the union of Shiva and Shakti and related phenomena. In fact, it opens with the assertion that Only when Shiva is united with Shakti does he have the power to create.

This part of the text is often referred to, quite appropriately, as the Ananda Lahari, the wave of bliss.

Verses 42 to 100 are more straightforward---they describe the physical beauty of the Goddess and are sometimes referred to as the Saundarya Lahari itself. Many scholars, however, refer to the entire text with one name, namely, Saundarya Lahari.

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Sri Ram Charit Manas - Hindi Text with English Translation

2010-01-18T12:05:00.001+04:00

Sri Ramcharitmanas is a great Hindu scripture and poetic classic written by Goswami Tulsidas (16th Century CE). This poem is also known as Tulsi-krita Ramayana, or "The Ramayana of Tulsidas".

Today, Sri Ram Charit Manas is considered one of the greatest works of Hindi literature, and with its composition the story of Ramayana was available for the first time to the common man to sing and perform, and over time this gave birth to the tradition of Ramlila, dramatic enactment of the text.

Sri Ramcharitmanas bestows upon its readers the gifts of Devotion (bhakti), Divine Knowledge (Gyan) and Salvation (Mukti).

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Narada Bhakti Sutra - Sanskrit text with English translation

2010-01-18T12:03:00.001+04:00

An English translation of Narada Bhakti Sutras by Y. Subramanya Sharma.

Narada Bhakti Sutra is the manual of Bhakti Yoga. Bhakti-yoga is the art of attaining the Divine through pure love. And there is no greater teacher than the Vedic sage Narada to impart the lessons of Divine Love.

Narada's 84 jewellike aphorisms on devotion, known as the Narada-bhakti-sutra, reveal the secrets of love of God - what it is, and isn't; what its effects are; what helps or hinders our progress along the path; and much more. For the sincere seeker of life's ultimate goal, the Narada-bhakti-sutra is essential.

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Guru Gita Malayalam ഗുരുഗീത അര്‍ത്ഥസഹിതം

2010-01-18T12:00:00.001+04:00

ശ്രീവേദവ്യാസരചിതമായ സ്കന്ദപുരാണാന്തര്‍ഗതമായ ഗുരുഗീത ശിവപാര്‍വതീസംവാദരൂപത്തിലാണ് അവതരിപ്പിച്ചിരിക്കുന്നത്. ശ്രീ പാര്‍വ്വതിയുടെ ചോദ്യങ്ങള്‍ക്കുത്തരമായി ശ്രീ പരമേശ്വരന്‍ ഇതില്‍ ഗുരുതത്വവും, ഗുരുപൂജാവിധികളും, ഒരു ശിഷ്യന് അവശ്യം വേണ്ട സദ്ഗുണങ്ങളും വിശദമായി വര്‍ണ്ണിക്കുന്നുണ്ട്. ഗുരുഭക്തരായ സാധകര്‍ക്ക് ഗുരുതത്വമറിഞ്ഞ് സദ്ഗുരുവിനെ സേവിക്കുവാനും, ഗുരുഗീത നിത്യം പാരായണം ചെയ്യുവാനും ഈ പുസ്തകം വളരെയധികം പ്രയോജനപ്പെടും.

ഗുരുര്‍ബ്രഹ്മാ ഗുരുര്‍വിഷ്ണുഃ ഗുരുര്‍ദേവോ മഹേശ്വരഃ
ഗുരുസ്സാക്ഷാത് പരംബ്രഹ്മ തസ്മൈ ശ്രീ ഗുരവേ നമഃ

അജ്ഞാനതിമിരാന്ധസ്യ ജ്ഞാനാഞ്ജനശലാകയാ
ചക്ഷുരുന്മീലിതം യേന തസ്മൈ ശ്രീ ഗുരവേ നമഃ

എന്നാരംഭിക്കുന്ന സുപ്രസിദ്ധമായ ഗുരുസ്തോത്രം ഗുരുഗീതയില്‍ നിന്നുള്ളതാണ്.

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Sri Narayana Guru - Complete Works - Malayalam

2010-01-18T11:48:00.002+04:00

This book is a compilation of the complete works of Sri Narayana Guru(1854 - 1928), a great Indian seer of 20th century who visualized the ultimate reality in himself. The Guru was born in Chempazhanthi, Kerala in 1854. A great philosopher-poet of modern India, the Guru, and erudite scholar of Sanskrit, Malayalam and Tamil, belonged to the great Indian philosophical tradition of Advaita. As the force being the social reform movement, the Guru paved the way for a progressive Kerala society. Gurudevan, as he was fondly known to his followers, led a quiet but significant social revolution. The Guru was instrumental in setting the spiritual foundations for social reform in today's Kerala and was one of the most successful social reformers who tackled caste in India.

This book contains 57 works of the Guru in Malayalam, Sanskrit and Tamil. They are categorised into 5 sections:

1. Hymns of Gods and Goddesses
2. Moral & ethical teachings
3. Philosophical Works
4. Translations of Classics
5. Prose works

This volume brings together all the original writings of Narayana Guru in a digitised form for the first time. This work is in the free domain now.

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Eknath - Biography

2010-01-18T11:46:00.001+04:00

Eknāth (1533-1599) was a great saint and prominent Marāthi religious poet in the Hindu tradition in India.

Saint Eknath is believed to be the first person in Middle-age Maharastra who have abolished concept of Untouchability by his actions. His well described poems advocate soft corner and equal treatment among all living beings even with animals.

For his spiritual development in his youth, Eknath had accepted the discipleship of a Guru named Janārdan Swāmi- a saint and scholar and highly ranked minister in the kingdom of Devgarh.

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Sri Ramanujacharya - A biography

2010-01-18T11:40:00.001+04:00

Ramanuja (11th Century CE), also known as Ramanujacharya, was a theologian, philosopher, and scriptural exegete. He is seen by Sri Vaishnavas as the third and most important teacher (Acharya) of their tradition (after Nathamuni and Yamunacharya), and by Hindus in general as the leading expounder of Visishtadvaita, one of the classical interpretations of the dominant Vedanta school of Hindu philosophy.

Ramanuja may have written 9 books. They are also referred to as the nine precious gems, the Navarathnas.

1. His most famous work is known as the Sri Bhasya or Brahma Sutra Bhasya. It is a commentary on the Brahma Sutras.

2-4. Gadhya Thrayam (three prose hymns). All three are: Vaikunta Gadyam describing in great detail Vaikuntha, Sriranga Gadyam, a prayer of surrender to the feet of Ranganatha, Saranagati Gadyam, an imagined dialogue between Ramanuja and Shri (Lakshmi) and Narayana where he petitions Lakshmi to recommend Narayana to give him

5. Vedartha Sangraha (a resume of Vedanta). It sets out Ramanuja’s philosophy, which is theistic (it affirms a morally perfect, omniscient and omnipotent God) and

6. Vedanta Saara (essence of Vedanta) an appendix to Sri Bhasya

7. Vedanta Deepa (the light of Vedanta), another

8. Gita Bhashya ( his commentary on the Bhagavad Gita)

9. Nithya Grantham (About the day to day activities to be performed by all Sri

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The Aryabhatiya of Aryabhata - English

2010-01-18T11:06:00.005+04:00

The Aryabhatiya of Aryabhata (CE 476–5500 is one of the most important texts in the history of Indian mathematics and astronomy. He composed this work at the age of 23.

Here are some of his noted achievements that are found in Aryabhatiya:

1. Aryabhata asserted that the Moon and planets shine by reflected sunlight and that the orbits of the planets are ellipses.

2. He also correctly explained the causes of eclipses of the Sun and the Moon.

3. His value for the length of the sidereal year at 365 days 6 hours 12 minutes 30 seconds is only 3 minutes 20 seconds longer than the true value of 365 days 6 hours 9 minutes 10 seconds.

4. He estimated the value of 'Pi' as : "Add four to one hundred, multiply by eight and then add sixty-two thousand. The result is approximately the circumference of a circle of diameter twenty thousand. By this rule the relation of the circumference to diameter is given." In other words, Pi=62832/20000 = 3.1416, correct to four rounded-off decimal places.

5. Aryabhata accurately calculated the Earth's circumference as 24,835 miles, which was only 0.2% smaller than the actual value of 24,902 miles. This approximation remained the most accurate for over a thousand years.

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Panchatantra - English - Arthur W. Ryder

2010-01-18T10:55:00.003+04:00

A complete English translation of Panchatantra - A vivid retelling of India's most famous collection of fables.

According to Indian tradition, the Panchatantra was written around 200 BCE by Pandit Vishnu Sarma, a sage. However, based as it is on older oral traditions, its antecedents among storytellers probably hark back to the origins of language. One of the most influential Sanskrit contributions to world literature, it is "certainly the most frequently translated literary product of India" and there are over 200 versions in more than 50 languages.

In the Indian tradition, the Panchatantra is a nitisastra, a treatise on political science and human conduct, or niti. It is said that Vishnu Sarma's objective was to instruct three dull and ignorant princes in the principles of polity, by means of stories. Panchatantra consists of five books, which are called:

1. Mitra Bhedha (The Loss of Friends)
2. Mitra Laabha also called Mitra Samprapti (Gaining Friends)
3. Kakolukiyam (Crows and Owls)
4. Labdhapranasam (Loss Of Gains)
5. Aparikshitakaraka (Ill-Considered Action / Rash deeds)

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Arthashastra of Chanakya - English

2010-01-18T10:40:00.007+04:00

The Arthashastra is an ancient Indian treatise on statecraft, economic policy and military trategy authored by Chanakya (350-283 BCE).

Chanakya, also known as Kautilya or Vishnugupta, was an adviser and a prime minister to the first Maurya Emperor Chandragupta, and architect of his rise to power. Other important works of Chanakya are 'Chanakya Sutras' and 'Chanakya Niti Darpanam'.

R. P. Kangle defines Arthashastra as "science of politics," a treatise to help a king in "the acquisition and protection of the earth". This text is divided into 15 books:

01 Concerning Discipline
02 The Duties of Government Superintendents
03 Concerning Law
04 The Removal of Thorns
05 The Conduct of Courtiers
06 The Source of Sovereign States
07 The End of the Six-Fold Policy
09 The Work of an Invader
10 Relating to War
12 Concerning a Powerful Enemy
13 Strategic Means to Capture a Fortress
14 Secret Means
15 The Plan of a Treatise

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The Scientific Dating of the Ramayana and the Vedas

2010-01-18T10:32:00.002+04:00

Quite a number of efforts have been made by various scholars to determine the dates of the Mahabharata, Ramayana and the Vedas. Various methods have been used, using historical references in the Puranas, language conditions, archaeological findings etc. A few have used astronomical methods to determine the time of the Mahabharata. It is possible to determine the date of an astronomical reference by considering the movements of the planets including the Sun and the Moon in the various constellations of the sky, the movement of the Earth with its axis inclined to the ecliptic and the precession and nutation of this axis as well as the seasonal changes referred to in the text.

Dr. P. V. Vartak from Pune carefully studied the astronomical references in these texts and corroborated the same with historical and archeological evidences. All in all, it is possible to state that the dates as derived by Dr. P.V. Vartak are more accurate than the various other dates propounded by other scholars who have been carried away by the statements made by Western scholars who have been prejudiced against the richness of the Indian Civilization in the past and have always tried to attribute much later dates and consequently to denigrate the glorious past of India.

Dr. Vartak concludes that Ramayan must have occurred 9600 years ago, which is 7600 B.C.E. approximately and that the earliest portions of Rig Veda were composed in 23720 B.C.E. This may prove to be a break-through in deciding the chronology of the events in the history of Bharat (and probably the World). Dr. Vartak has also derived the date of Mahabharata war which has also been published as a book.

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The Scientific Dating of the Mahabharata War

2010-01-18T10:08:00.002+04:00

Quite a number of efforts have been made by various scholars to find the date of the Mahabharata War. Various methods have been used, using historical references in the Puranas, language conditions, archaeological findings etc. A few have used astronomical methods to determine the time of the Mahabharata. It is possible to determine the date of an astronomical reference by considering the movements of the planets including the Sun and the Moon in the various constellations of the sky, the movement of the Earth with its axis inclined to the ecliptic and the precession and nutation of this axis as well as the seasonal changes referred to in the text.

Dr. P. V. Vartak from Pune carefully studied the astronomical references in the Mahabharata and corroborated the same with historical and archeological evidences. All in all, it is possible to state that the dates as derived by Dr. P.V. Vartak are more accurate than the various other dates propounded by other scholars who have been carried away by the statements made by Western scholars. They have been prejudiced against the richness of the Indian Civilization in the past and have always tried to attribute much later dates and consequently lo denigrate the glorious past of India.

Dr. Vartak has derived the date of the initiation of the Mahabharata War to be 16th October 5562 B.C. This proposed date has been examined by a few scholars and has been verified. This may prove to be a break-through in deciding the chronology of the events in the history of India (and probably the World). Dr. Vartak has also derived the dates of Ramayana and the Vedas which has also been published as a book.

Address for Communication:
Dr. P.V. Vartak, 551, Saniwar Peth, Pune

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ചാണക്യ നീതി അര്‍ത്ഥ സഹിതം

2010-01-18T09:12:00.008+04:00

Complete text and translation of "Chanakya Niti" in Malayalam. This book contains nearly 340 verses on Niti (right conduct) in 17 chapters. Chanakya was an adviser and a prime minister to the first Maurya Emperor Chandragupta, and was the chief architect of his rise to power. Kautilya and Vishnugupta, the names by which the ancient Indian political treatise called the Arthaśāstra identifies its author, are traditionally identified with Chanakya.

Though most of these verses deal with Raja Niti, i.e. how a king should deal with his duty of ruling the kingdom, this book is also useful to common man as Chanakya instructs how a man should conduct is various life situations.

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