Hindu Customs and Traditions: An Everyday Guide
Explore Hindu customs in daily worship, festivals, food, family life and temple visits, with a clear guide to regional diversity and respectful participation.
॥ 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
1–18 / 137Hindu Spiritual Light: Meaning in Vedanta and Bhakti
Explore spiritual light in Hindu thought as a symbol of awareness, knowledge and divine presence, with perspectives from Vedanta, bhakti and everyday practice.
Hindu Spiritual History: From Vedas to Living Traditions
Trace the Hindu spiritual quest through Vedic and Upanishadic inquiry, epic teaching, philosophy, devotion, ritual and modern global practice.
Spiritual Benefits of Singing in Hinduism: Bhajan, Kirtan and Practice
Explore bhajan, kirtan and devotional singing as Hindu spiritual practices, with a simple way to begin and realistic, tradition-aware expectations.
Bhaskara Raya Bharati Dikshita: Bhāskararāya Makhin, Life and Works
Meet Bhaskara Raya Bharati Dikshita, also known as Bhāskararāya Makhin: an influential Sanskrit scholar, commentator on the Lalita Sahasranama, and major voice in Śrīvidyā learning.
Alakshmi in Hindu Tradition: Meaning, Stories and the Contrast with Lakshmi
Explore Alakshmi, also associated with Jyeshtha, through Hindu stories about misfortune and discord, with care for regional differences and symbolic meaning.
Ashokasundari: The Daughter of Shiva and Parvati in Puranic Tradition
Meet Ashokasundari through the Padma Purana story of Shiva, Parvati, the wish-fulfilling tree and her destined marriage to Nahusha, noting variations across retellings.
Chinnamasta: Meaning, Story and Place Among the Mahavidyas
Learn who Chinnamasta is in Shakta traditions, what her striking iconography can mean, and why her Tantric worship requires lineage-specific guidance.
Chitra Nitya and Purnima: Which Tradition Calls Her the Full-Moon Goddess?
Separate Chitra Nitya in Sri Vidya worship from Chitra Pournami and the Chitra nakshatra, and learn what can responsibly be said about this full-moon association.
Draupadi: The Mahabharata Queen Who Questioned Dharma
Explore Draupadi’s fire-born story, her marriage to the Pandavas, her challenge in the dice hall, and her continuing place in regional worship.
Gautama Buddha in Hindu Traditions: Life, Teachings and the Vishnu Avatar Question
Learn the outline of Gautama Buddha’s life, distinguish Buddhist accounts from Vaishnava avatar traditions, and understand why Hindu interpretations differ.
Iravan and Koovagam: Mahabharata Story, Aravan Worship and Festival
Learn who Iravan is in the Mahabharata, how Tamil Aravan traditions developed, and why the Koovagam festival holds deep meaning for transgender communities.
Kalki Avatar: The Future Form of Vishnu in Hindu Tradition
Explore Kalki’s role in Vaishnava prophecy, the Bhagavata Purana account of Shambhala, and why no reliable present-day date or identity can be claimed.
Kamadeva: Hindu God of Love, Desire, Rati and the Shiva Story
Learn about Kamadeva as the deity of desire, his flower arrows and consort Rati, and the story of Shiva reducing Kama to ashes.
Kameshwari, the Pratipada Tithi Nitya: Meaning and Sri Vidya Context
Learn why Kameshwari is associated with Shukla Pratipada in some Sri Vidya traditions, how the Tithi Nityas are understood, and where practices vary.
Kartikeya (Skanda and Murugan): Story, Symbols and Festivals
Meet Kartikeya, also known as Skanda, Subrahmanya and Murugan, and explore his family stories, the Vel and peacock, and regional forms of worship.
Khandoba: The Deccan’s Beloved Warrior Deity and Jejuri Tradition
Discover Khandoba, also called Malhari Martand, his Jejuri shrine and regional stories, while learning how Maharashtrian worship varies among communities.
Lord Krishna: Stories, Teachings, Symbols and Devotional Traditions
Explore Krishna’s childhood in Vraja, his counsel in the Bhagavad Gita, familiar symbols and the different Vaishnava ways devotees understand him.