January 2026
Cosmic Order
Understanding reality in all its dimensions takes us closer to the Vedic conception of ṛta. The word ṛta may be roughly translated as the ‘cosmic order in the universe,’ ‘divine principles governing the world,’ ‘cosmic law behind existence.’ It refers to the dynamism inherent in the universe. Even in nature, dynamism means life and stasis means death—a man is deemed to be alive only if he is breathing, his heart is beating, and...
Fact and Value
To understand truth from a different perspective, let us take a look at Fact and Value. Seers of ancient India cherished the implications of facts and values, which are both outside the purview of blind faith. On the one hand, they did not completely exclude faith from philosophy and on the other, they did not attempt to explain everything within the narrow framework of faith. They were intelligent and mature to approach fact and...
Prasanna-rāghava
Jayadeva, the author of Candrāloka, has also penned a play called Prasanna-rāghava. The play in seven acts narrates the story of the Rāmāyaṇa starting from Sītā’s svayaṃvara to Rāma’s homecoming after fourteen years of exile. Śūrpaṇakhā and Mālyavanta play no role in the plot. The playwright, however, introduces a few fantastical elements – it is not just Rāvaṇa who competes and fails in stringing Śiva’s bow, but Bāṇāsura...