We forget that Shiva is present in both the Ramayana and the Mahabharata, crushing the arrogance of Ravan and humbling the privileged Arjun. This cannot be explained historically, writes noted author Devdutt Pattanaik
Devdutt Pattanaik
Editor
Fear grips the city, smiles turn to frowns, people wonder if they should stay in, or in solidarity... go to work.
Our ruthless pursuit of wealth at the cost of wisdom and equity bodes ill
In the battle over curricula, the Left tells stories that focus only on making the elite squirm in guilt, while the Right prefers glory by distorting history, but the victims remain voiceless
Indic religions, including Hinduism, privileged the male over the female in their quest for liberation. Sabarimala, its layered history steeped in inclusion, typifies this.
In their self-reflexivity and referential nature, Ramayana and Mahabharata lie in unique harmony. Which came first is matter of which version you hold up to the light.
Patriarchy manifests most strongly in spiritual discourse-, and there’s no religion free from it
Nature was self-sufficient. It contained both platitude and violence. Humans begat God as a symbol, to derive meaning, to forge identity. Not God’s fault.
People largely err in finding their spiritual master. The guru shouldn’t be a rockstar with fans willing to obey anything. The case isn’t different outside India too.
Is celibacy or singleness a prerequisite to seek an ideal world? It’s another matter that marital pleasures are fine for temple deities with their consorts.
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