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Source The whole path is a total surrendering. All four sects of Hinduism meet in surrender, prapatti, to the Divine.— Satguru Sivaya Subramuniyaswami (1927-2001), founder of Hinduism Today

Source USA, October 24, 2011 (HPI): Diwali (or Deepavali, “row of lights”) is celebrated by Hindus worldwide to commemorate the triumph of good over evil, knowledge over ignorance, hope over despair. Oil-wick lamps are lit in every household, along with colorful strings of electric lights, causing the home, village and community to sparkle with dancing flames. The festival falls on…

Source Hindu Dharma is like a boundless ocean teeming with priceless gems. The deeper you dive, the more treasures you find.— Mahatma Gandhi (1869-1948)

Source NEW DELHI, INDIA, October 15, 2011 (indiatimes.com): The Drug Technical Advisory Board (DTAB) has decided to regulate the sale and quality of sindoor (vermilion), the sacred symbol of married Hindu women which is also used in Hindu shrines. Sindoor is being brought under Schedule-S of the Drugs and Cosmetics rules, making it a “cosmetic” and therefore subject to safety…

Source DELHI, INDIA, October 15, 2011 (thehindu.com): Delhi University’s history department is outraged at the Academic Council’s decision to drop from the history syllabus a celebrated essay on the Ramayana by the late scholar and linguist A. K. Ramanujan. The essay, “Three Hundred Ramayanas: Five examples and three thoughts on translations,” had angered people who believe it sacrilegious to acknowledge…

Source For the Self, all that is seen is but mirage; it lasts but for a moment. Whatever is seen, we know it is not the real “I. ” Who could call real this personal self that changes every moment?— Adi Shankara, 9th century Indian philosopher and saint

Source NEW YORK, U.S., October 9, 2011: To “om” or not to “om”: For those who teach yoga in schools, that is a question that arises with regularity. The little syllable, often intoned by yoga students at the beginning and end of class, signifies different things to different people. But with its spiritual connotations, it is a potential tripwire for…

Source BANGALORE, INDIA, October 9, 2011 (dailypioneer.com): The world’s only Sanskrit newspaper, published from Mysore, is struggling to survive for want of financial support. “Sudharma” editor KV Sampath Kumar told The Pioneer he was on the verge of closing the unique daily due to a great financial crunch. “We need more than Rs. 60,000 (US$ 1,200) per month to run…

Source NEW DELHI, INDIA, October 14, 2011 (bellevision.com): A Hindu woman or girl now has equal property rights along with other male relatives for any partition made in intestate succession after September 2005, the Supreme Court has ruled. Overturning a decision by the Andhra Pradesh High Court, a bench of justices stated that under the Hindu Succession (Amendment) Act, 2005,…

Source BHUTAN, October 11, 2011 (by Sudarshan Subedi): Work to construct the first Hindu temple in Thimphu will begin after a ground breaking or Sa-Lang ceremony was conducted yesterday. The temple will be constructed on a 2.53-acre government land at Kuenselphodrang on the way to the Buddha statue. “Establishment of this temple will enrich the spiritual heritage of our country,”…