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Karmanaye Vadhikaraste

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Sarve Bhavantu Sukhinah: Can We Wish Happiness Even for Those Who Hurt Us?

For most of my life, I have prayed for the happiness of my family and the people I love. Like any husband, father, or family member, I have wanted to see my loved ones safe, healthy, and free from suffering. But as I grow older, I sometimes ask myself a question that is not so easy to answer. Can I sincerely wish happiness for someone who has hurt me? Can I pray for the well-being of people I have never met, whose names I do not know and whose lives may never touch mine? I don't always have a ready answer. At 70, I have lived long enough to understand that life is not made up only of affection, happy memories, and relationships that work out as we hope. There are disappointments, misunderstandings, differences of opinion, and moments when people let us down. Some experiences leave us wondering why others behaved the way they did. I, too, have had my share of life's lessons. And I have realised that growing older does not necessarily mean we have found answers to all our questio...

Chaturashrams - The Four Stages Of Life In Hinduism That Still Make Sense Today

  After seven decades, I have discovered why each stage of life has its own Purpose It is said that while Hinduism has been called the oldest religion in the world, many practitioners refer to their religion as  ‘Sanatana Dharma’ which is overall abiding principles of dharma and which are not changeable.  The  4 Ashramas   system is one facet of the  dharma   concept in Hinduism. The four asramas are: Brahmcharya (student), Grihastha (householder), Vanprastha (retired) and Sanyasa (renunciation). Sanatana Dharma  in Hinduism is a term used to denote the “eternal” or absolute set of duties or religiously ordained practices incumbent upon all Hindus, regardless of class, caste, or sect. Such duties are enshrined in the religion in the form of the Vedas. Hinduism, which is derived from the Vedas, is known as  Sanatana Dharma  or Eternal Duty.”  It is said to be the etern...

What 70 Years Of Life Taught Me About Karma

       We often say, “It’s karma,” especially when someone gets what they deserve. But what does karma really mean? After 70 years of watching life unfold, I’ve learned that it is not as simple as “what goes around comes around.” There is a much deeper lesson behind it . The word karma comes from Sanskrit and is generally understood as action or deed. But our actions are rarely just physical. What we think and why we act also matter. It is not merely the physical act itself. Our intention, the choices we make, and the way we act toward others all have a place in the understanding of karma. If I had to explain karma in one sentence, I would say: what we do has consequences . Karma and Kriya — Are They the Same? There is another Sanskrit word, kriya, that is useful to understand here because it is often mentioned alongside karma .  Although their meanings can overlap depending on the context, they can be understood simply this way: In simple language, kriya is th...