Source UNITED STATES, May 8, 2016 (The Chronicle of Higher Education by Prof. Arvind Sharma, McGill University): I should respond to Wendy Doniger’s essay (“The Repression of Religious Studies,” April 29, 2016, Chronicle of Higher Education, behind paywall) because I am the “Hindu” whose entry on Hinduism was substituted for her own by Microsoft Encarta in 2003. As it was…
Source He cannot be seen by the eye, and words cannot reveal Him. He cannot be reached by the senses, or by austerity or sacred actions. By the grace of wisdom and purity of mind, He can be seen, indivisible, in the silence of contemplation. This invisible Atman can be seen by the mind wherein the five senses are resting.—…
Source MONTREAL, CANADA, May 15, 2016 (invitation from the conference convenor, Dr. Arvind Sharma): Most people remember where they were and what they were doing when they first heard the news of the aerial assault on the Twin Towers in New York City on September 11, 2001. The ground may not have shifted under our feet at the moment but…
Source WASHINGTON, USA, May 13, 2016 (by Emil Guillermo, NBC News): On May 9, the Senate unanimously passed a bill that would remove the word “Oriental” from the last known laws in the United States Code where it applies to a person. Now the bill is on its way to President Obama for final approval. The legislation changes two laws…
Source ARIZONA, USA, May 12, 2016 (YogaDork): A recent study found that yoga, yes yoga, is better at keeping your memory sharp than all those puzzles and brain training apps you download to try and “exercise” the old noodle. In the “more good news” department, yoga was also found to relieve depression and anxiety in people who practiced regularly. The…
Source ARIZONA, USA, May 12, 2016 (YogaDork): This is some much-needed fantastic news you can share with all your friends and family … and, no, it has nothing to do with putting your feet over your head, Uncle Charlie. A recent study found that yoga, yes yoga, is better at keeping your memory sharp than all those puzzles and brain…
Source CALIFORNIA, May 11, 2016 (press release): The Scholars for People sent in a letter to the California Board of Education critiquing academically the suggestions on Framework Narrative Review coming the South Asia Faculty Group. The letter and the analyses may be downloaded at “source” above. The Scholars for People group objects to suggestions they believe seriously misrepresents the history…
Source NEW DELHI, INDIA, May 11, 2016 (by Jyotika Sood, Livemint): The kumbh is a Hindu religious fair where the highlight is a bath in the holy river, which is supposed to cleanse one’s sins. With smart parking, virtual darshan, coded entry, e-rickshaws, high-tech cooking, live video streaming, drone monitoring, 6,000 closed-circuit cameras with face and behavior detection, this year’s…
Source Only in the depth of pure silence can we hear God’s voice. Silence is like an upright empty glass that is capable of being filled with, and retaining, the water of knowledge.— Mata Amritanandamayi Ma,
Source There is something beyond our mind which abides in silence within our mind. It is the supreme mystery beyond thought. Let one’s mind and one’s subtle body rest upon that and not rest on anything else.— Maitri Upanishad