Prekshaa articles feed

Madhava-Vidyaranya: Establishing Vijayanagara

We will never tire of repeating that quote of Vidyaranya from his Panchadashi that amply illustrates how he managed affairs of state as well as those of the Spirit:

ज्ञानिना चरितुं शक्यं सम्यग्राज्यादिलौकिकम्
It is indeed possible for the enlightened one to navigate politics and worldly affairs well

Effects of Westernization on Indian Culture and Traditions

A common and genuine fear among conservative Indians (specially the elders) is that the rampant westernization amongst Indians is leading to the gradual decline and eventual ruins of Indian culture and tradition. They suspect that Western goods, clothes, foods, festivals, style, language, and moreover Western thought is spreading across the populace. The purpose of this article is to look at the many reasons that cause such fears and analyze them by comparing with reality. This analysis is mainly from the Hindu perspective since that is where my experience lies.

A Story for a Verse - Bharavi

श्वशुरगृहनिवासः स्वर्गतुल्यो नराणां
यदि वसति दिनानि त्रीणि वा पञ्च सप्त ।
मधुदधिघृतधाराक्षीरसारप्रवाह-
स्तदुपरि दिनमेकं पादरक्षाप्रहारः ॥

shvashuragrhanivasah svargatulyo naranam
yadi vasati dinani trini va pancha sapta |
madhudadhighrtadharakshirasarapravahah
tadupari dinamekam padarakshapraharah ||

Rama and Ayodhya

Quite a few Marxist historians have put forth ludicrous arguments in the past claiming that Rama was not a deity before Tulasidas wrote the Ramcharit Manas in the 16th century. Meenakshi Jain offers a brilliant rejoinder to propagandist historians, giving historical and literary evidence for Ayodhya as the city of Rama.