Kurma Avatar: Vishnu as the Tortoise in the Churning of the Ocean
Learn how Vishnu’s Kurma form supports Mount Mandara during Samudra Manthan, what the story means across texts, and where Kurma is worshipped.
॥ असतो मा सद्गमय ॥
Study Jyotish and Hindu tradition
Thoughtful guides to charts, planets, sacred texts and Hindu traditions. Begin with one subject and go one step at a time.
Scriptures and philosophy
19–36 / 137Kurmavatara: Story, Significance and Place in Vishnu’s Avatars
Explore Kurmavatara, Vishnu’s tortoise form in Samudra Manthan, its place in Dashavatara, and why Kurma differs from the Kurma Purana.
Mahamaya: The Goddess, Yoganidra and the Meaning of Maya
Understand Mahamaya in the Devi Mahatmya, the story of Vishnu’s Yoganidra and Madhu-Kaitabha, and why Maya has several meanings.
Mahavishnu: The Cosmic Form in Vaishnava Creation Traditions
Learn how Mahavishnu is understood in Gaudiya Vaishnava cosmology, how the three Vishnu forms are distinguished, and why schools explain them differently.
Matangi Devi: The Mahavidya of Speech, Music and Unconventional Wisdom
Meet Matangi among the Mahavidyas, explore her links with speech and music, and understand why her forms and Tantric practices vary by lineage.
Mhasoba: The Village Guardian Deity of Maharashtra’s Fields
Learn about Mhasoba as a local guardian deity in Maharashtra, his links with farms and village boundaries, and why customs vary by community.
Nitya, the Dashami Tithi Goddess in Sri Vidya Tradition
Understand Nitya as the tenth Tithi Nitya in a Sri Vidya sequence, how lunar time is interpreted in Shakta worship, and why this association is not a universal Dashami rule.
Panduranga: Vitthal of Pandharpur and the Varkari Bhakti Tradition
Discover who Panduranga is, why devotees also call him Vitthal or Vithoba, the story of Pundalik, and how Pandharpur’s Wari shapes Maharashtra’s devotional life.
Sarvamangala: The Trayodashi Tithi Nitya in Sri Vidya
Learn what Sarvamangala means, where she appears in a Sri Vidya sequence of lunar goddesses, and how her Trayodashi association differs from broader Hindu observances.
Shivaduti: The Saptami Nitya and Devi’s Messenger in the Devi Mahatmya
Explore Shivaduti in two contexts: as the seventh Tithi Nitya in a Sri Vidya sequence and as the Goddess who sends Shiva as her messenger in the Devi Mahatmya.
Advaita Vedanta in the Upanishads: Atman, Brahman and Non-Duality
A clear introduction to Advaita Vedanta’s reading of the Upanishads, the relationship between Atman and Brahman, Shankara’s role, and how other Vedanta schools differ.
Suvarchala Devi: The Sun’s Daughter in a Regional Hanuman Tradition
Learn who Suvarchala Devi is, why some traditions describe her as Hanuman’s consort, how this account relates to his brahmacharya, and where the story is observed.
Tvarita Devi: The Ashtami Nitya in Sri Vidya Tradition
Explore Tvarita Devi’s place as the eighth Tithi Nitya in a Sri Vidya sequence, the meaning of her name, and how Ashtami observances vary across Hindu traditions.
Venkateswara: The Lord of Tirumala and the Story of Srinivasa
Learn who Venkateswara is, why devotees call him Srinivasa or Balaji, what Tirumala’s sacred legends say, and how pilgrims can approach the temple respectfully.
Vijaya Nitya: The Dwadashi Goddess in a Sri Vidya Sequence
Learn what Vijaya Nitya means, why she is linked with Dwadashi in one Sri Vidya list, and how this differs from Ekadashi observances and Vijayadashami.
Aitareya Upanishad Story on Food: Why the Senses Cannot Eat
Explore the Aitareya Upanishad’s creation story about food, the senses and life-breath, and what its symbolic account can mean without turning it into a diet rule.
Akshi Upanishad: Surya, the Eye, and Knowledge of Brahman
A careful guide to the Akshi Upanishad: its dialogue with Surya, Chakshusmati Vidya, teaching on Brahmavidya, and cautions about treating traditional claims as medical advice.
Amritabindu Upanishad: The Mind, Desire, and Inner Freedom
Understand the Amritabindu Upanishad’s teaching on mind and desire, its account of bondage and liberation, and how to read its call for discipline without self-rejection.