Hymnals Of Desire

Hindu culture embraced eroticism and sex as an essential ingredient and institutionalized it in the four exalted goals of Hindu life.

In the Book of Genesis, after creating heaven and earth, God commanded, “Let there be light.” And there was light. By contrast, according to the Rigveda, the most ancient of all Hindu scriptures: “There was no existence and there was no non-existence; there was no death and there was no deathlessness; there was no night and there was no day; there was darkness all around; in such an environment, an element self-manifested out of tapas (heat). That element was desire. (na asat asit no iti sat asit tadanim, na mrityuh asit amritam na tarhi na ratrayh ahnam asit. tamah asit tamasa guhyam agre… tapasah tat mahina ajayat yekam. Kamah tat agre samavartat adhi manasah retah prathamam yat asit (Mandala 10, Sukta 129).

Thus, whereas light was the first element in the Judeo-Christian tradition, it was desire for Hindus. On the surface, this may appear insignificant. But this difference has manifested itself in profound ways in social mores and inhibitions, as well as laws and legal prohibitions, in the countries and cultures shaped by these two different views of the genesis of the universe.

Full report here Little India

Modi launches Rig Veda’s Gujarati translation

Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi on Sep 9 launched Gujarati translation of Rig Veda’s first part in Gandhinagar. Chief Minister has launched Yajurved and Samved’s Gujarati translation in past, according to Acharya Gyaneshwarji, Managing Trustee of Vanprastha Sadhak Ashram(Sabarkantha).

Chief Minister Modi congratulated the Ashram for publishing Veda Sanskriti related books. Modi said Rig Ved is the biggest among all four books Vedas.

Acharya Gyaneshwarji, Ashram’s Dineshkumar Arya, Gandhinagar’s Arvindkumar Rana, Vaidik missionery Chandreshji Arya, Parth Thakkar and Mahendrabhai Gandhi were present at this occassion.

Full report here DeshGujarat

Tales of the mythical Sarasvati

It was an engaging session at the book release of Michel Danino’s The Lost River: On the trail of the Sarasvati, published by Penguin Books India, at the CP Ramaswami Aiyar Foundation.

Dr A K Gupta, former scientist, ISRO/Regional Remote Sensing Centre, Jodhpur, released the book and Nanditha Krishna, honorary director of the CP Ramaswami Aiyar Foundation, received the first copy. What followed the book launch was an illustrated presentation by the author taking a deeper look at the river Sarasvati. The author pointed out that the Rig Veda often mentions the Saptasindhava: the Indus, its five tributaries and the Sarasvati (the seventh tributary).

“Some 19 rivers are listed in the Rig Veda flowing from the East to the West. Interestingly, Ganga is the minor river in the Rig Veda,” said the author and explained that celebrated as ‘Sarasvat’ in the Rig Veda and the Mahabharata, this river was rediscovered in the early 19th century through topographic explorations by British officials. Drawing information from recent research in a wide range of disciplines, this book discusses different view points and proposes a harmonious synthesis — a fascinating tale of exploration that brings to life the vital role the lost river of the Indian desert played before its waters gurgled to a stop.

Full report here New Indian Express