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Source SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA, February 28, 2019 (courthousenews.com): California’s State Board of Education Thursday defeated a lawsuit claiming it treats Hinduism unfavorably compared to Western religions in its educational standards and curriculum. “A reasonable observer would not view the standards and framework as primarily denigrating Hinduism,” U.S. District Judge Charles Breyer wrote in his 33-page ruling. (click to download: http://www.courthousenews.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/hindu-education-ruling.pdf).…

Source Hinduism is such a joyous religion, freed of all the mental encumbrances that are prevalent in the various Western faiths. It is freed of the notion of a vengeful God. It is freed of the notion of eternal suffering. It is freed from the notion of original sin. It is freed from the notion of a single spiritual path,…

Source PRAYAGRAJ, INDIA, February 28, 2019 (NDTV): By rolling out a fleet of 500 buses at the ongoing Kumbh Mela in Prayagraj, the Uttar Pradesh government is eyeing to break an existing Guinness World Record. The record of largest parade of buses is currently held by Abu Dhabi of 390 buses. A 3.6 mile-long convoy of 390 buses had travelled…

Source RAMESWARAM, INDIA, February 27, 2019 (Deccan Chronicle): Several hundred thousand pilgrims from different parts of India are expected to congregate in Rameswaram for the coming Shivarathri festival on March 4 this year, as it is a rare occasion with astronomical significance reappearing after 54 years. The Shivarathri Punyakaalam this year is accompanied by the transits of the planets of…

Source The major way a family person makes spiritual progress is by fulfilling all duties–duties to spouse, duties to children, duties to parents, duties to community. When we fulfill our duties as best we can, we make spiritual progress. We don’ have to go anywhere else. We don’t have to give up our duties and spend time in a cave.…

Source INDIA, February 24, 2019 (opindia.com): Hinduism and its reach are noticeable in the immediate neighborhood, with a deep influence on Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Bhutan & even Burma. However, in South East Asian countries such as Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Mauritius, Malaysia, Thailand, Singapore, Vietnam; the influence of Hinduism is even more obvious. Hinduism has also spread to other corners of…

Source The tragedy of human history is that there is decreasing happiness in the midst of increasing comforts. — Swami Chinamayananda, (1916-1993)

Source HOUSTON, TEXAS, February 21, 2019 (Houston Chronicle): Gopal Aggarwal recently returned home to Sugar Land from what is the largest faith gathering in the world — the Kumbh Mela, a Hindu pilgrimage held every three years in India. “Kumbh Mela is a wonderful, big festival of unity,” Aggarwal said. “I love it. It’s a wonderful blessing.” He and his…

Source There is a proverb in our language: “If want to be a hunter, I’ll hunt the rhinoceros; if I want to be a robber, I’ll rob the king’s treasury.” What is the use of robbing beggars or hunting ants? So if you want to love, love God. — Swami Vivekananda (1863-1902)

Source INDIA, February 20, 2019 (The News Minute): The Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam (TTD), the body which oversees the Venkateswara temple atop Tirumala, unveiled a budget of approx. US$438 million for 2019-20 and said that it was expected cash offerings alone to account for $173 million of the total amount. Speaking to reporters, TTD chairman Putta Sudhakar Yadav said that according…