Sanskrit, Shastras and Society: A Conversation with Dr. Satyan Sharma
Join Mukunda as he speaks with Dr. Satyan Sharma. Dr. Sharma is a Professor of Sanskrit at the Panjab University in Chandigarh. He specializes in […]
Category: Ethics
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Ancient and Modern Aesthetics: A Dialogue with Dr. Bharat Gupt
Join Mukunda and Krishna as they speak with Dr. Bharat Gupt, a former Associate Professor in English at the University of Delhi, is an Indian […]
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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 […]
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Tantra and Abhinavagupta: A Conversation with Professor Sthaneshwar Timalsina
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 […]
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Hinduism, Feminism and Society: Conversation with Neha Srivastava, Founder/President of Shaktitva
Join Mukunda as he speaks to Neha Srivastava, Founder and President of Shaktitva Foundation. Neha and Shaktitva are focused on feminism, feminity, women’s issues, advocacy, and Hindu issues. In this episode, we discuss a host of topics including:
0:01:20 Introduction to Neha and her background
0:04:20 Overview of the Sabarimalai Issue
0:12:40 Women and Sabarimalai
0:18:00 Formation of Shaktitva
0:24:45 Discussion on the Nature of Hindu Temples and Government Control
0:32:20 Discussion on Shakti, Rama and understanding texts
0:37:00 Discussion of Shakti, Femininity and Gender
0:43:20 Samkhya Philosophy, Shakta Tradition and thinking on Gender
0:47:15 Hindu Understanding of Feminism
0:54:30 Attacks on Hindu Subaltern Practices and Traditions
1:18:00 History of Feminism and Difference between Western and Indian feminism
1:30:14 Village Women and Financial Literacy
1:41:40 Issues in Indian Non-Profit Law and Hinduism
1:49:20 Modern vs Traditional responses to Woman’s Health Issues specifically Menstruation
1:58:40 Dalit Scholars and Hindutva, the lack of free speech platforms
2:01:45 Concluding Thoughts and Upcoming Projects
Caste, Dalits and Hindu Society: Conversation with Prof. Guru Prakash (youtube)
Join Mukunda as he speaks to Prof. Guru Prakash, Professor of Law at Patna University in Bihar. Prof. Prakash is a Dalit scholar and activist, who writes, studies and speaks on Dalit Issues in India and Hindu society. In this episode, we discuss a host of topics (listed broadly with approximate timestamps):
1 min 20 seconds: Introduction and Background of Professor Guru Prakash
6 min 55 seconds: Civil Rights of African Americans and the comparison with Dalit movement in India
10 min: Diversity within the Dalit Jati or Community
16 min 40 sec: Complexity in Understanding Caste
23 min 20 sec: Interaction and Issues between Jati or Castes vis-Ã -vis Education and Careers
31 min 14 min: Differences between Scheduled Castes, Other Backward Castes and Scheduled Tribes
39 min: Hinduism, Hindutva, Ambedkar and Dalits
51 min 50 sec: The problem with the Dalit-Muslim-Marxist alliance
1 hour 7 min: Addressing the Dalit Cause in Society
1 hour 16 min 50 sec: Christian Missionary Activity Impact on Dalit communities
1 Hour 21 min: Closing Thoughts
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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.
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Polytheism: A discussion with Dr. Edward Butler
Join Mukunda as he speaks to Dr. Edward Butler, Phd. Dr. Butler specializes in ancient Greco-Roman philosophy particularly Platonism and Neo-Platonism along with expertise in Polytheistic thought and philosophy. We speak at length about polytheism and monotheism, the theory of Henadology, Proclus, Hindu Thought, and other forms of polytheism and a host of other topics.
You can find Dr. Edward Butler at:
https://henadology.wordpress.com/
Twitter: @epbutler
Purchase his books at:
https://www.lulu.com/search/?adult_audience_rating=00&contributor=Edward+Butler
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Conversation with Stephen Phillips
Join Mukunda as he speaks to Professor Stephen Phillips of the University of Texas at Austin. Professor Phillips is an academic in Philosophy with a wide area of expertise in the Indian/Hindu Philosophical systems particularly Nyaya, Vedanta, and Yoga. In this dialogue, we discuss Prof. Phillips journey into Hindu thought, his experiences living in India, learning Sanskrit, studying Indian Philosophy directly from indigenous experts, the concept of Pramanas, the idea of soul-making, Yoga and other topics. It was an honor and pleasure to be able to have this conversation.
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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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themerumedia@gmail.com
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Interview and Discussion with Nithin Sridhar
Meru Media Video Interview with Nithin Sridhar
Mukunda and Nithin discuss a wide host of topics relating to Vedanta, Indic Culture, Menstruation Ideas across Cultures, the Sabarimalai Controversy, Sati, including:
Advaita Vedanta (starting at 10 min mark)
Discussion on Nithin’s Books (starting at 32 min mark)
Indic Civilizational Ethos and the clash with Modernity (starting at 38 min mark)
Education system and imparting of Indic values (starting at 53 min mark)
Indic views on Menstruation and Feminism (starting at 1 hour and 5 min mark)
Sabarimalai Controversy (starting 1 hour and 40 min mark)
Discussion on the Practice of Sati and Suicide (starting 1 hour and 58 min mark)
About Nithin Sridhar: With a degree in civil engineering, and having worked in construction field, Nithin Sridhar passionately writes about various issues from development, politics, and social issues, to religion, spirituality and ecology. He is based in Mysore, India. His first book “Musings On Hinduism” provided an overview of various aspects of Hindu philosophy and society. His latest book “Menstruation Across Cultures: A Historical Perspective” examines menstruation notions and practices prevalent in different cultures & religions from across the world. Tweets at @nkgrock
You can purchase Nithin’s book Sabarimalai Confusion: Menstruation Across Cultures below
https://www.amazon.com/Menstruation-Across-Cultures-Sabarimala-Perspective/dp/9386473461
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