Thursday, December 13, 2012

Vishnu Purana with Vishnuchittiyam commentary

The  Vishnu  Purana  has  a  unique  distinction  among  the  18  Puranas.  It  is  the  only  one  that  is  in  answer  to  general  questions.  The  speaker  in  the  Purana  is  obliged  to  talk  about  the  personality  queried  by  the  student.  In  the  case  of  a  general  question,  the  speaker  is  obliged  to  divulge  the  highest  truth,  according  to  teachers  like  Adi  Shankara.  In  his  works,  Adi  Shankara  would  refer  to  Sri  Vishnu  Purana  as  simply  "The  Purana". 

In  just  6,000  verses,  the  Vishnu  Purana  has  covered  all  aspects  of  philosophy, theology,  history  and  the  practice  of  the  ancient  Vedic  religion.  Both  the  Vishnu Purana  and Srimad  Bhagavatam  seem  to  cover  common  ground  like  the  stories  of  the  10  avatarams  of  Vishnu.  But  while  the  Bhagavatam  has  all  the  makings  of  a  Hollywood  climax  in  the  Nrsimha  avatara  for  example,  where  the  Good  and Almighty  Nrsimha  faces  off  the  ultimate  evil  Hiranyakasipu,  in  the  Vishnu  Purana, the  climax  is  reached  when  Hiranyakasipu  apologizes  to  Prahlada.  His  death  at  the   hands  of  Nrsimha  is  referred  to  only  in  passing. 

Even  description  of  the  seasons  set  the  tone  for  our  mood,  when  fish  suffering  in  the  stream  waters  heated  by  the  sun,  is  compared  to  a  man  suffering  the  results  of  his  sins. 

This  particular  edition  of  Sri  Vishnu  Purana  includes  a  commentary  called  "Vishnuchittiyam"  by  Vishnuchitta,  who  is  also  known  as  'Engalalvan'  in  Tamil.  Vishnuchitta  lived  from  1097  to  1197  CE.  He  was  the  disciple  of  "Tirukurugai  Piraan  Pillaan"  the  Jnana  Putra  or  spiritual  son  of  Swami  Ramanujacharya.  He  composed  about  half  a  dozen  works  elucidating  the  philosophical  works  of  Swami  Ramanujacharya.  Only the  Vishnuchittyam  is  extant  today. 

It clearly  explains  the  harder  to  understand  passages.  For  example,  the  Vishnu Purana  explains  that  Vedic  rites  should  not  be  performed  in  the  presence  of  "naked  people". Vishnuchittiyam  explains  that  naked  people  in  this  context  refers  to  people  who  have  given  up  the  performance  of  their  daily  religious  duties  as  ordained  by  the Vedas.  The  other  available  commentary  is  called  Atma  Prakasha  by  Sridhara  Swami,  a  follower  of  Vallabhacharya. 

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Sunday, June 24, 2012

The Story of Rama - H Sankaranarayana Iyer


The poems contained in this book have been conceived in a moment of devotional urge and have come to me with a natural and compelling force. The poetry has come from the heart, and though it may not possess the embellishments and scholarship of a poet, the diction, rhyme and versification are like those of the boy who lisped in numbers with the words: "Papa, Papa, pity take, Verses shall I never make", when he was being beaten by his father for speaking in an unnaturally poetic way. I would therefore request that the shortcomings may be overlooked and my compositions taken for what they are worth, for the sake of their devotional themes.

I hope that this publication of mine will arouse a desire in the English mindedpublic, both young and old, to learn more about the stories dealt with here and will thus serve as an introduction to the inexhaustible Treasures of our Indian Puranic Literature to those who have had no opportunity of having direct access to the texts in the Indian languages.

India expects every son and daughter to be conversant with the great stories of the past both for enlightenment and entertainment, and if this publication can give a start in that direction, the author's labours shall not be in vain.
(From the author's preface to the book)

Tuesday, July 12, 2011

Shrimad Valmiki Ramayan - Sanskrit Text with Hindi Translation- DP Sharma 10 volumes


The Ramayana is certainly one of the world's oldest legends. Modern scholars claim that it was first composed around 300 BC. The devout Hindu believes that Rama lived many hundred millennia ago, in the Treta Yuga, and that was also when Valmiki first told his immortal story. The epic is called the Adi Kavya, the world's first poem. The God Brahma himself is meant to have inspired Valmiki to create his classic, in twenty-four thousand slokas. The true purpose of the Ramayana is to awaken its reader spiritually, and to send him forth on the great journey that leads to Moksha, to God.

The poem is traditionally divided into several major kandas or books, that deal chronologically with the major events in the life of Rama -

1. Bala kanda
2. Ayodhya Kanda
3. Aranya Kanda
4. Kishkinda Kanda
5. Sundara Kanda
6. Yuddha Kanda and
7. Uttara Kanda.

The Bala Kanda describes the birth of Rama, his childhood and marriage to Sita.  The Ayodhya Kanda describes the preparations for Rama's coronation and his exile into the forest. The third part, Aranya Kanda, describes the forest life of Rama and the kidnapping of Sita by Ravana. The fourth book, Kishkinda Kanda, describes the meeting of Hanuman with Rama, the destruction of the vanara king Vali and the coronation of his younger brother Sugriva to the throne of the kingdom of Kishkindha. The fifth book is Sundara Kanda, which narrates the heroism of Hanuman, his flight to Lanka and meeting with Sita. The sixth book, Yuddha Kanda, describes the battle between Rama's and Ravana's armies. The last book, Uttara Kanda, describes the birth of Lava and Kusha to Sita, their coronation to the throne of Ayodhya, and Rama's final departure from the world.

DOWNLOAD LINKS

Volume 01. Bala kanda
Volume 02. Ayodhya Kanda (Purvardh)
Volume 03. Ayodhya Kanda (Uttarardh)
Volume 04. Aranya Kanda
Volume 05. Kishkinda Kanda
Volume 06. Sundara Kanda
Volume 07. Yuddha Kanda (Purvardh)
Volume 08. Yuddha Kanda (Uttarardh)
Volume 09. Uttara Kanda (Purvardh)
Volume 10. Uttara Kanda (Uttarardh)

Wednesday, June 22, 2011

Complete Works of Swami Rama Tirtha - Hindi (28 Volumes)


स्वामी रामतीर्थ ग्रन्थावली २८ भागों में
==========================
Described as “one of the greatest souls, not only of India, but of the whole world” by Mahatma Gandhi, Swami Rama Tirtha (1873-1906) was a living embodiment of the teachings of Advaita Vedanta. Swami Rama Tirtha visited the United States from 1902-1904 and was one of the first great Swamis to bring the message of Vedanta to the U.S., Japan and Egypt, following in the footsteps of Vivekananda.

Swami Rama Tirtha Granthavali is a complete collection of his writings and lectures in Hindi. In this 28 volumes work, Swami Rama Tirtha presents a practical and inspiring view of Vedanta and also discusses various topics such as God-realization, Vedanta, Christianity and Islam, war and peace, and India's destiny.

Download Complete Works of Swami Rama Tirtha - Hindi (28 Volumes)
======================================================
Volume 1                  Volume 9            Volume 16             Volume 24
Volume 2                  Volume 10          Volume 17 -18       Volume 25
Volume 3                  Volume 11          Volume 19             Volume 26
Volume 4                  Volume 12          Volume 20             Volume 27
Volume 5                  Volume 13          Volume 21             Volume 28
Volume 6                  Volume 14          Volume 22   
Volume 7-9               Volume 15          Volume 23    

Friday, April 29, 2011

Sri Madhwacharya - Biography - English


Sri Madhvacarya, also known as Vasudeva, Ananda Tirtha and Purnaprajna, is one of India’s greatest theologians. He is the founder of dvaita philosophy, and is one of the most important commentators on the Upanisads, Bhagavad-gita and the Brahma-sutras. In addition, he wrote many original works that dealt with important aspects of his new doctrine. In all, he wrote 37 works. Not only did Madhvacarya’s powerful literary output help to establish his teachings during his own lifetime, it has inspired a vast literary tradition that continues to the present day.

His doctrine asserts that this world is real and that there is an eternal and immutable difference between the individual soul and God.

DOWNLOAD LINKS


1. Sri Madhwacharya - His life and Times - CNK Aiyar

2. The Life And Teachings of Sri Madhvacharyar - C.M. Padmanabha Char

Sunday, March 27, 2011

Four Vedas - Sanskrit text with Hindi commentary by Jaydev Sharma


The Vedas are the most ancient sacred texts of Hinduism. Each of the four Vedas consists of the metrical Mantra or Samhita' part and the prose 'Brahmana' part giving discussions and directions for the detail of the ceremonies at which the Mantras were to be used and explanations of the legends connected with the Mantras and rituals. Both these portions are termed shruti (which tradition says to have been heard but not composed or written down by men).

The Rig Veda commentary by Jaydev Sharma was first published in 1930 in 7 volumes along with 2 volumes of Yajur Veda, one volume of Sama Veda & 2 volumes of Atharva Veda. The author has taken care to make his commentary lucid and profound. His commentary is based on the commentaries of ancient sages like Sayana, Skandaswami, Venkatamadhava and also on the modern day sages like Swami Dayanand.

DOWNLOAD LINKS

Rig Ved sanhita Bhasha Bhashya -Jaydev Sharma Vol 1
Rig Ved sanhita Bhasha Bhashya -Jaydev Sharma Vol 2
Rig Ved sanhita Bhasha Bhashya -Jaydev Sharma Vol 3
Rig Ved sanhita Bhasha Bhashya -Jaydev Sharma Vol 4
Rig Ved sanhita Bhasha Bhashya -Jaydev Sharma Vol 5
Rig Ved sanhita Bhasha Bhashya -Jaydev Sharma Vol 6
Rig Ved sanhita Bhasha Bhashya -Jaydev Sharma Vol 7

Yajur Vedsanhita BhashaBhashya -JaydevSharma Vol 1
Yajur Vedsanhita BhashaBhashya -JaydevSharma Vol 2

Sama Ved sanhita Bhasha Bhashya -Jaydev Sharma1

AtharvVedsanhitaBhashaBhashya -JaydevSharma Vol 1
AtharvVedsanhitaBhashaBhashya -JaydevSharma Vol 2

(The above are direct links. To download, right click and the "save link as"...)

Rig Veda Sanskrit text & Hindi translation - RG Trivedi

Wednesday, March 23, 2011

Children's Illustrated Ramayanam - Vishnu B


The Ramayana is one of the best-known epics in the world, the tale of Rama, the prince of Ayodhya, who exiles himself to the forest for fourteen years to honour his father's word. In the forest, Rama, his wife Sita and his brother Lakshmana meet new friends and strange foes, and each day brings new adventures. But their happy life is spoilt when Ravana of Lanka, the king of demons, abducts Sita. To rescue her Rama enlists the help of the monkey army. In that final battle, many heroes die and new ones are born.

In this vividly told, vibrant version for children, the ancient epic takes on a new life. The traditional ingredients are all there - adventure and excitement, love and war, and an infinite number of stories within stories; as are the traditional characters - monkeys who cross oceans and carry mountains, shape-changing demons and monsters. But it is rendered contemporary by the freshness and vitality of Vishnu's retelling, and by the beautiful and captivating illustrations by Vipin. K. Das.

DOWNLOAD LINK

Sunday, January 23, 2011

Message of the Vedas - GC Narang


Today, an average Hindu is not familiar with the Vedas or any literature associated with them. Though the Vedas themselvesa are not so voluminous, they are rather too difficult for the inunitiated. The commentaries, on the other hand, to which one must naturally look for help to understand the Vedas, are so voluminous that they would actually break the back-bone of the student.

So, with a view to familiarise an average Hindu with the Vedas, Sir GC Narang, the author of Message of the Vedas, had compiled selected mantras from the Vedas with their English translation. It is a great blessing to the reader that the mantras are arranged according to their subjects. This book will help him to have a fairly good idea of the nature of the contents of the Vedas.

DOWNLOAD E-BOOK Link 1

DOWNLOAD E-BOOK Link 2

Sunday, November 21, 2010

Principal Upanishads with Shankara Bhashya - English Translation - 5 Volumes


The special feature of this five volumes set of Eight Principal Upanishads is the English translation of the commentaries of Shankara, the greatest exponent of the Advaita system of philosophy. This makes it possible for the English-reading public to appreciate the priceless teachings of the Upanishads, in the light of the interpretation of Sri Sankaracharya. The volumes 1, 2 & 5 were translated by S. Sitarama Sastri and volumes 3 &4 by Ganganatha Jha.

Download Links:

Volume 1 - Isa, Kena & Mundaka Upanishads

Volume 2 - Katha & Prasna Upanishads

Volume 3 - Chandogya Upanishad - Part 1

Volume 4 - Chandogya Upanishad - Part 2

Volume 5 - Aitareya & Taittiriya Upanishads

Download Links for Mandukya & Brihadaranyaka  Upanishads

Brihadaranyaka Upanishad - Swami Madhavananda 

Mandukya Upanishad & Karika - Swami Nikhilananda

Tuesday, September 14, 2010

Complete Works of Swami Rama Tirtha - In Woods Of God-Realization - 10 Volumes


Described as “one of the greatest souls, not only of India, but of the whole world” by Mahatma Gandhi, Swami Rama Tirtha (1873-1906) was a living embodiment of the teachings of Advaita Vedanta. Swami Rama Tirtha visited the United States from 1902-1904 and was one of the first great Swamis to bring the message of Vedanta to the U.S., Japan and Egypt, following in the footsteps of Vivekananda.

In Woods of God Realization is a complete collection of his writings and lectures. In this ten volume work, Swami Rama Tirtha presents a practical and inspiring view of Vedanta and also discusses various topics such as God-realization, Vedanta, Christianity and Islam, war and peace, and India's destiny.

DOWNLOAD Volumes 1 to 10  Combined

DOWNLOAD EachVolume Separately

In woods of God-realization vol.1
In woods of God-realization vol.2
In woods of God-realization vol.3
In woods of God-realization vol.4
In woods of God-realization vol.5
In woods of God-realization vol.6
In woods of God-realization vol.7
In woods of God-realization vol.8
In woods of God-realization vol.9
In woods of God-realization vol.10