The Chárváka System

Mádhava Áchárya  [Madhavacharya was a minister of the Vijayanagara empire. He later became the 12th Jagadguru of the Sringeri Sharada Peetham from 1380 to 1386CE. He is the author of Sarva-darśana-saṃgraha, a compendium of Indian Philosopy, which discusses sixteen philosophical views. The Carvaka System (reproduced below) forms the first chapter. Sarva-darśana-saṃgraha was translated into English by Edward Byles Cowell and Archibald Edward Gough and was published at intervals...

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Bhagavad Gita and Anti-Corruption Movement - A Bunch of Thoughts

Kesahava Shet Revankar (Here is an interesting take on the on-going anti-corruption movement. The author, an octogenarian, was an officer with MIG Aircraft Division, HAL, Nasik, and now spends his time between Kundapur (Karnataka) and Dubai) This article is an attempt to show the parallel between Anna Hazare of Jan Lokpal Bill (JLP) and Krishna of Bhagavad Gita. Anna Hazare belongs to Mahratta caste and is being supported by the Saffron outfit called BJP, who primed him with a...

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Science versus Miracles: Performing "Miracles" with Fire!

B Premanand  Burning camphor on the hand and waving it in front of the idol, without apparent injury In 1977, a film artist of Kerala published an article challenging us to burn camphor on the hand and wave it before the idol in the temple. He said that his godman, Swami Satyananda Saraswathi, the International Presidentof Vishwa HinduParishad, burns camphor on his hand and waves it before the idol of Shri Rama in his temple. This was considered to be a miracle. He was told...

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Babri Demolition to Anna Hazare - Changing Strategies of RSS Politics

Ram Puniyani This December, Babri demolition act completed its 19years. On the occasion many a Muslim groups demanded the reconstruction of the masjid. This demand is just but is mired in many a complex legalities and is trapped in the politics in which there are many diverse players. One again needs to clarify that Hindutva is not a religion of Hindus. Religion of Hindus is Hinduism. Hindutva is the politics of RSS; it is a politics with sectarian vision. This is the vision of affluent upper caste-...

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Made Snana: Extraordinary Claims Need Extraordinary Evidence

Narendra Nayak Loosely translated into English, Made Snana means taking bath on leftovers but a detailed one would mean rolling over the leaves on which others have eaten and discarded. .Again, a lengthier one would be lower caste people rolling on the leaves on which Brahmins have eaten! This has been taking place since hundreds of years if some are to be believed. Again, if some others are to be believed, it is a time honored tradition which has sanction of 'scriptures'. This happens in quite...

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Deepti weds Sandesh

Prof Narendra Nayak with the couple after their wedding Well this is not the cliched title of a wedding invitation but the narration of events that led to this wedding! For, Sandesh is a Pambada, a caste of dalits who are untouchables except when they get possessed by spirits- sorry not of those of the volatile kind but the local ones called as Bhoothas for which rituals called as Bhootha Kolas are performed and when they are done it is the members of this caste who dress themselves as those...

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