What a fascinating Infograph indeed on the Freudian stuff that the Dreams of the whole world is about! If you study the map closely, you will not fail to notice that nearly the whole of world populations have either the “Snake” or the “Falling of Teeth“ to be objects appearing as recurring themes in theirContinue reading “Mapping the “Dreams of the World”: Freud, Jung and the Bhagavath Gita”
Category Archives: psychology
“Brahmins as secret Muslims”: Devdutt Pattnaik’s hodge-podge he tries selling as exotic delicacy
Devdutt Pattanaik’s recent framing of “Brahmins as secret Muslims” and his analogy between Brahminical and Islamic ways of life rests on several contestable historical, textual, and sociological assumptions that can be systematically challenged. The “secret Muslims” thesis collapses very different histories and concepts into a single polemical frame. A counter‑narrative can be built by takingContinue reading ““Brahmins as secret Muslims”: Devdutt Pattnaik’s hodge-podge he tries selling as exotic delicacy”
“Is there a case for Religion?”: Well… no, not to India and not in the Western sense
https://open.substack.com/pub/jimpalmerauthor/p/is-there-a-case-for-religion?utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=email I read the Op-Ed above with amused interest… interest because matters of Religion always have stoked my curiosity; and amused because I’m reminded of two old sayings — “The more things change, the more they remain the same” and “What goes round always comes around”. Religion went out of fashion and favour for theContinue reading ““Is there a case for Religion?”: Well… no, not to India and not in the Western sense”
Ageing, “Kama” as “purushaartha”, “Chamaka Prashna” and Andaal “Tiruppavai”
A very well-read and dear relative of mine — himself who just recently turned an octogenarian— forwarded to me this morning via WhatsApp a very interesting and insightful message on what is “GROWTH in OLD AGE” and really what it means with reference to the famous Vedic passage known as “CHAMAKA PRASHNA” (Krishna Yajurveda, specificallyContinue reading “Ageing, “Kama” as “purushaartha”, “Chamaka Prashna” and Andaal “Tiruppavai””
Now Available for sale in a bookstore near you: “The Epistles of a Prolific Pontiff” (My book of English translations of the Tamil “arul mozhi” of the 44th Azhagiyasingar of Sri Ahobila Mutt)
Musings on “Bhakthi”explained in Swami Vedanta Desikan’s “Rahasya Traya Saaram” as a “virtuous cycle”
ஸ்வாமி வேதாந்த தேசிகரின் “ரஹஸ்ய த்ரய சாரம்” எனும் அபூர்வ கிரந்தத்தில் விளக்கப்படும் பக்தி தத்துவம் குறித்து எழுந்திருக்கும் சிந்தனைகள் — அது ஒரே நேரத்தில் ஆன்மீக உயர்வையும் நற்பெருக்கையும் விளைவிக்கும் ஒரு புனிதச் சுழற்சியாகப் பதிவாகின்றன. எங்கள் ஸ்ரீ வைஷ்ணவ சமூஹத்தின் காவலனாகிய ஸ்ரிமத் வேதாந்த தேசிகரின் “ரஹஸ்யத்திரய ஸாரம்” என்பதின் திவ்யார்த்தங்களை விளக்கும் ஸதாசார்யர் உ.வே. ஸ்ரீ வளையப்பேட்டை இராமாச்சார்ய ஸ்வாமிகள் அவர்கள் ஆவாராந்திரம் ஓவ்வொரு வார இறுதியிலும் அருளும் கலாசேபங்களில், அடியேன் தன்னுடையContinue reading “Musings on “Bhakthi”explained in Swami Vedanta Desikan’s “Rahasya Traya Saaram” as a “virtuous cycle””
Dr.Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan’s speech every Indian University Vice-Chancellor could adopt as personal anthem.
Watch the YouTube video below or read its full Transcript by scrolling down to the bottom after reading my own thoughts on the great speech that Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, former President of India delivered at the Kerala University many years ago . Dr. Radhakrishnan said: It is not enough to only think right … itContinue reading “Dr.Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan’s speech every Indian University Vice-Chancellor could adopt as personal anthem.”
The Rt.Hon’ble Srinivasa Sastri’s memory and legacy… (Part-13): …Lecture#15 of “Lectures on the Ramayana” – 2025 Independence Day special…
In Mylapore, Madras, on July 19th, 1944, Rt. Hon’ble Srinivasa Sastri delivered the fifteenth in his series of thirty sterling “Lectures on the Ramayana” Profoundly insightful observations were made in the course of the passionate speech upon a very wide range of matters, political and philosophical viz.: Patriotism, Treason, Nationalist pride, Democracy, Political Dissent, PoliticalContinue reading “The Rt.Hon’ble Srinivasa Sastri’s memory and legacy… (Part-13): …Lecture#15 of “Lectures on the Ramayana” – 2025 Independence Day special…”
The Rt.Hon’ble Srinivasa Sastri’s memory and legacy… (Part-7): When Srinivasa Sastri delivered a brave but accurate character-profiling of Mahatma Gandhi
In their philophical approach regarding how the struggle for India’s Freedom from British Colonial Rule must be conducted, Srinivasa Sastri and Mahatma Gandhi were indeed poles apart. Gandhi looked upon himself as a saint-politician. Sastri looked upon himself as scholar-statesman. The contrast between the two men stood out starkly at times whenever Gandhi chose toContinue reading “The Rt.Hon’ble Srinivasa Sastri’s memory and legacy… (Part-7): When Srinivasa Sastri delivered a brave but accurate character-profiling of Mahatma Gandhi”
Belief and Faith: what’s the difference?
“What is the exact Tamil word for faith?”, asked an old ex-colleague and friend of mine who lives now with his children in far away America. It was a casual question but I somehow could not get myself to be anything but serious about it. I replied: Sir, you are the expert …Is it நம்பிக்கை?Continue reading “Belief and Faith: what’s the difference?”