Introduction to Pancaratra: Vaishnava Agama and Tantra
Join Mukunda as he speaks with Sri Rama Ramanuja Achari, also known as Rami Sivan, of www.srimatham.com. Sri Rama Ramanuja Achari is an Acharya of […]
Tag: Dharma
Mahabharata Unravelled:
A Conversation with Ami Ganatra
Join Mukunda as he speaks to Ami Ganatra, author of Mahabharata Unravelled: Lesser-Known Facets of a Well-Known History. Ami Ganatra is a management professional who […]
Narratives, Life and Timeless Wisdom: A Conversation with Dr. Raj Balkaran
Join Mukunda as he speaks to Professor Raj Balkaran, Oxford Centre of Hindu Studies. He is a scholar of the Puranas and Narratives and the […]
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Narratives, Life and Timeless Wisdom: A Conversation with Dr. Raj Balkaran
Join Mukunda as he speaks to Professor Raj Balkaran, Oxford Centre of Hindu Studies. He is a scholar of the Puranas and Narratives and the […]
An Acharya from the West: A Conversation with Sri Rama Ramanuja Achari
Join Mukunda as he speaks with Sri Rama Ramanuja Achari, also known as Rami Sivan, of www.srimatham.com. Sri Rama Ramanuja Achari is an Acharya of […]
The Journey of Translations: A Conversation with Prof. Bibek Debroy
Join Mukunda and Krishna as they speaks to Professor Bibek Debroy. Prof. Debroy is a polymath, polyglot and a man for all seasons. He is currently the Chief Advisor to the Prime Minister of India on the Economic Advisory Council. He is additionally a translator of the Vedas, Puranas, Bhagavad Gita and now the Mahabharata. In this episode, we discuss a host of topics including:
00:01:10 Introduction to Professor Bibek Debroy and his background and how he went from economics to translating a huge corpus of Sanskrit literature
00:18:50 The inspiration and role of Dogs in Vedas and Itihasas, all three of us love dogs and have dogs
00:22:00 Mahabharata and Puranas translation process and inspirations, what is your methodology of translations
00:29:20 Bengali culture and translating of the Mahabharata
00:32:00 Veda Vyasa, Mahabharata and intertextual mesh with the Puranas
00:38:55 How did the translation process change you or your pre-conceived notions
00:41:30 Why is Indian society not very familiar with lifeblood of Hinduism, the Puranas
00:44:50 Story of Rama and the dog in the Ramayana
00:49:15 The Many Gitas of the Mahabharata and Puranas
00:57:15 What role do the Mahabharata and Puranas play in today in modern governance
01:04:20 How do we teach Dharma today, Dharma economic alternative to capitalism and socialism
01:15:30 Final points and love for discovery in the Shastras
Narrative and the Puranas: A Conversation with Prof. Raj Balkaran
Join Mukunda as he speaks to Professor Raj Balkaran, Oxford Centre of Hindu Studies. He is a scholar of the Puranas and Narratives and the author of The Goddess and the King in Indian Myth. He is also the host of an amazing podcast called New Books in Indian Religions. In this episode, we discuss a host of topics including:
00:01:10 Introduction to Professor Balkaran and his background, unique journey into Hinduism and academia
00:20:00 The experience of being Hindu and Brown in the West
00:23:30 The difficultly of defining and teaching Hinduism, A profound diversity and ecosystem
00:34:30 The tapestry of the Shastras, in particular the Mahabharata and the Ramayana, and the nature of violence
00:45:50 The paradox of Dharma, the Dharmic double helix
00:55:40 Narrative and Framing of Shastras, particularly the Puranas
01:00:30 Prof. Balkaran’s spiritual journey
01:12:30 Academia and the Shastras
01:19:00 Discussion on the Devi Mahatmya and the ring narrative
01:30:10 What is Markendaya’s role in the Puranas and Privritti and Nivritti Dharma
01:31:35 The importance of the Azhwars and how the pasurams become the Divya Prabandam
01:41:40 What role do the King and Merchant have in the Devi Mahatmya
01:48:50 Karma, Vasanas, Moksha and living in the world
01:54:40 Back and forth discussion on Free Will vs Karma
02:10:40 The Narrative power of the Shastras
02:16:10 Prof. Balkaran’s upcoming works and courses along with online education
02:21:00 Prof. Balkaran’s closing thoughts
02:23:10 Why the podcast is called Meru Media
Tantra and Abhinavagupta: A Conversation with Professor Sthaneshwar Timalsina (audio podcast version)
Join Mukunda as he speaks to Professor Sthaneshwar Timalsina, Professor of Religious Studies at San Diego State University. He is also a qualified Acharya and has been trained in Sanskrit and Shastras since he was a child. He is an expert on Tantra and Abhinavagupta, a 10th century polymath genius who worked on philosophy, drama, math, music, aesthetics, and other areas. Acharya Sthaneshwar is also Founder of the Vimarsha Foundation, a 501c(3) non-profit that engages in expounding and maintaining the Kashmiri Shaivism tradition.
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Sri Vaishnava Dharma, Modernity and an Upanyasaka: A Conversation with Dushyanth Sridhar
Join Mukunda Raghavan and Krishna Parthasarathy as they speak with Dushyanth Sridhar, a Pauranika scholar, public lecturer on Sanatana Dharma and Upanyasakar. He has spoken […]
Sri Vaishnava Dharma, Modernity and an Upanyasaka: A Conversation with Dushyanth Sridhar
Join Mukunda Raghavan and Krishna Parthasarathy as they speak with Dushyanth Sridhar, a Pauranika scholar, public lecturer on Sanatana Dharma and Upanyasakar. He has spoken […]
Hinduism, Jainism and Academia: Conversation with Prof. Lavanya Vemsani
Join Mukunda as he speaks to Professor Lavanya Vemsani, Professor of Religious Studies and History at Shawnee State University in Ohio. She holds 2 Phd.s, one in History and the other in Religious Studies. She is also the Editor in Chief of the American Journal of Indic Studies. She has written extensively on comparative iconology, history, legends, and ideas between Hindu and Jaina thought, especially related to Krishna and Balarama in Jaina and Hindu thought. In this episode, we discuss a host of topics including:
0:01:30 Introduction to Prof. Vemsani and her background
0:05:40 Deep History and Continuity of Indian archeological sites and temple locations
0:16:00 Krishna and Balarama in the Hindu and Jaina contexts
0:18:20 Analysis of Balarama in Jaina traditions (Explanation of the Vasudeva, Baladeva, and Prati Vasudeva in Jaina Cosmology)
0:25:30 Historic Relationship and Interaction between Hindus and Jains
0:28:15 Return to Discussion on Balarama in Hindu vs. Jaina traditions
0:34:00 Narasimha and his connection sacred geography and cosmology, the Lord of the Middle
0:43:00 Integration and Pluralism of Hinduism and the practices
0:45:45 Academia, Colonialism and Hindu Studies: Built-in Western Bias and Lens
1:03:15 Aryan Invasion/Migration Theory and how it impacts everything about Indian studies, politics, and culture
1:05:05 Caste and how it is different from Varna and how it changed over time in Hindu society prior to British and even prior to 10th century
1:08:20 The flaws and discussion of the Aryan Invasion/Migration Theory (Genetic, Linguistic and Material Archeological issues)
1:31:35 How to approach providing controversial topics in school and education
1:35:30 Prof. Vemsani’s upcoming work and preliminary discussion of Heroines of the Mahabharata
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Hinduism and Society: Conversation with Indu Viswanathan and Parth Parihar
Join Mukunda as he speaks to Indu Viswanathan and Parth Parihar. Both Parth and Indu are Phd. candidates, Indu in Education at Teachers College and Parth in Economics at Princeton. Indu and Parth are involved deeply in engaging with Hindu traditions/ideas with the modern world. In this episode, we discuss far-reaching and diverse topics including what it means to be a Hindu in the West, the colonialism of the mind vs indigenous knowledge, Racism versus Caste, Abrahamic world view vs. Dharma worldview, Karma and Agency, Hindu representation in the Media and Education, Hinduism on College Campuses, Caste System, The Idea of Decoloniality, Dharma for the 21st Century and a wealth of other topics. It is a dynamic and great conversation with two fantastic thinkers and human beings.
Hinduism and Society: Conversation with Indu Viswanathan and Parth Parihar
Join Mukunda as he speaks to Indu Viswanathan and Parth Parihar. Both Parth and Indu are Phd. candidates, Indu in Education at Teachers College and Parth in Economics at Princeton. Indu and Parth are involved deeply in engaging with Hindu traditions/ideas with the modern world. In this episode, we discuss far-reaching and diverse topics including what it means to be a Hindu in the West, the colonialism of the mind vs indigenous knowledge, Racism versus Caste, Abrahamic world view vs. Dharma worldview, Karma and Agency, Hindu representation in the Media and Education, Hinduism on College Campuses, Caste System, The Idea of Decoloniality, Dharma for the 21st Century and a wealth of other topics. It is a dynamic and great conversation with two fantastic thinkers and human beings.
Sikhism: Conversation with Jodh Singh on the History, Ideas, and Practices of Sikhi Dharm
Join Mukunda as he talks to Jodh Singh (Twitter@jungnihang) about Sikhism. We go through a detailed history of 10 Gurus, the socio-political environment in that period, the practices of the Sikhi Dharm and other topics. If you want to learn and understand Sikhism, this is the podcast episode for you.
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Sikhism: Conversation with Jodh Singh on the History, Ideas, and Practices of Sikhi Dharm
Join Mukunda as he talks to Jodh Singh (Twitter@jungnihang) about Sikhism. We go through a detailed history of 10 Gurus, the socio-political environment in that period, the practices of the Sikhi Dharm and other topics. If you want to learn and understand Sikhism, this is the podcast episode for you.
Conversation and Interview with Gopi Shankar Madurai, Founder of Srishti Madurai and LGBTQIA Hindu Activist
Join Mukunda as he talks to Gopi Shankar Madurai, Founder of Srishti Madurai and an LGBTQIA Hindu Activist. They discuss biological sex, gender identity, sexual […]
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Conversation and Interview with Gopi Shankar Madurai, Founder of Srishti Madurai and LGBTQIA Hindu Activist
After a long break, Meru Media is back with some more interesting, fascinating and informative conversations. Join Mukunda as he talks to Gopi Shankar Madurai, […]
A Conversation with Prof. Nicholas Sutton
Join Mukunda as he talks to Prof. Nicholas Sutton, Oxford Centre for Hindu Studies. They discuss Prof. Sutton’s journey into Hindu thought and his life of studying Dharma, Philosophy, Bhagavad Gita, Mahabharata and other texts/traditions. They delve into morality and ethics, the idea of Dharma, deontological morality, virtue ethics, diversity in Hindu thought, the conundrum of God in the world vis-a-vis Krishna and numerous other ideas.
You can check out Prof. Sutton’s lectures and talks at: https://www.youtube.com/user/HinduStudies
and you can get his books at:
https://www.amazon.com/s?k=nicholas+sutton&i=stripbooks&ref=nb_sb_noss_1
https://ochs.org.uk/people/dr-nicholas-sutton
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Discussion with Kushal Mehra, Host of The Carvaka Podcast
In this episode, Mukunda speaks to Kushal Mehra, the host of The Carvaka Podcast. We discuss Hindutva, Social Media, Hinduism, Secularism, Indian Politics, Philosophy, Morality, and other topics.
You can find Kushal and the Carvaka Podcast at:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCKPxuul6zSLAfKSsm123Vww
https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/the-carvaka-podcast
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-c%C4%81rv%C4%81ka-podcast/id1445348369
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Interview and Discussion with Professor Jeffery Long
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Join Mukunda, Racchit and Professor Jeffery Long, Professor of Religious and Hindu Studies at Elizabethtown College in Pennsylvania in this episode of the Meru Media Podcast. Professor Long is the author of many books and articles on Hinduism, Jainism and Buddhism. Most recently Professor Long is the editor of “Perspectives on Reincarnation: Hindu, Christian, Scientific”. In this episode, we discuss Professor Long’s journey into Hinduism, Ramakrishna Paramahamsa, the Vedanta Society, and Reincarnation/Karma/Samsara, we even discuss Japan and its deep connection to Hinduism and Indic thought.
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