Latest news with #Vedas
The Hindu
2 hours ago
- General
- The Hindu
Karma and Dharma
The doctrine of Karma implies that a person is subject to pleasure and pain due to the effect of the deeds undertaken in previous births. Karma has no beginning and cannot be traced. Karma gives the cycle of births and rebirths. God does not need the sanction of our belief to run the universe. He is neutral and impartial. If karma decides everything, what is the role of God? Thirukkudanthai Sri. Venkatesh said in a discourse that Lord Krishna states in the Gita that five things are essential to perform an act. The doer, the physical body, the life air, the various kinds of organs, and the Divinity ( God ). Adhishtanam tatha karta CH-18-Verse-14. God extends to us a limited free will to perform actions, and we have to use it judiciously. Noble men would feel that if they faced problems and sufferings, it may be due to their misdeeds, and if any good thing happened, it would be because of God's blessings. A doubt arises whether the fruit of the action is due to our performance or granted by God. All our deeds are to be aimed at satisfying God, and if He is pleased, He will extend His blessings. He will not give at random. It depends on our attitudes and beliefs. In the churning of the milk ocean, the celestials indulged in it with the sole aim of rendering service to God, while the Asuras tried to overpower God. Hence, He chose to give nectar to the celestials. Dharma has several meanings and explanations, and in this context, it refers to 'Sastras', which define a set of rules and regulations to be followed. The Lord says that the Vedas and the Sastras are His commands (Sruthi Smruthir mamaivagnya). By following the prescribed codes of conduct, people can derive His blessings and reach the realm of His abode.
NDTV
14 hours ago
- Science
- NDTV
Gurukul Students To Get Research Opportunities In IITs, Scholarships Up To Rs 2 Lakh
New Delhi: The Ministry of Education, in partnership with the Indian Knowledge Systems (IKS) division of the Central Sanskrit University, has launched the Setubandha Scholar Scheme - a major initiative aimed at integrating Gurukul-trained students into mainstream academia. The scheme will enable meritorious students from traditional Indian education systems to pursue formal postgraduate and PhD degrees, including at leading institutions like the IITs. Selected scholars will receive monthly scholarships starting from Rs 40,000. Postgraduate students will be eligible for scholarships of up to Rs 1 lakh, while PhD candidates may receive up to Rs 2 lakh. All degrees will be conferred by the Central Sanskrit University. According to Professor Srinivasa Varkhedi, Vice-Chancellor of Central Sanskrit University, this scheme will serve as a bridge between the ancient Gurukul tradition and modern research. "It will provide recognition to traditional scholars and unlock new paths for academic innovation." The move is seen as a significant step in reviving Indian Knowledge Systems and mainstreaming traditional expertise within the formal education ecosystem. Eligibility Criteria: Maximum age: 32 years Minimum 5 years of study under a traditional Guru or in a Gurukul No formal degree required Must demonstrate excellence in traditional or classical knowledge Applications open until August 15 Research Opportunities Are Available In These 18 Disciplines At IITs: Anvikshiki Vidya Vedic Philosophy and Cognitive Science Language and Vak Analysis - Linguistics and Grammar History and Civilization Studies - Indian History and Culture Dharmashastra and Secular Law- Religion, Society, and Law Politics and Economics - Political and Strategic Studies Mathematics, Physics & Jyotisha - Math, Physics, and Astrology Medicine and Health Science - Ayurveda and Health Sciences Substance, Quality & Combination Science - Chemistry, Medicine, and Nutrition Agriculture and Animal Husbandry - Traditional Agricultural Practices Architecture and Construction Science - Vastu and Engineering Rasa-Metal Science - Chemistry and Metallurgy Mechanical and New Engineering - Mechanics and Digital Engineering Gandharva Vidya - Theatre, Music, and Performing Arts Sculpture and Visual Arts - Fine Arts and Iconography Ornamental and Decorative Arts - Fashion and Interior Design Educational and Recreational Studies - Education and Entertainment Veda-Vedanga and Philosophy - Vedas and Indian Philosophy Dandaniti Vidya - Governance and Jurisprudence Professor Varkhedi emphasised that this scheme is not just about awarding degrees it is a historic effort to restore India's ancient knowledge systems to the global research arena.
The Hindu
a day ago
- Health
- The Hindu
The medical boundaries for AYUSH practitioners
The recent controversy on X between a hepatologist and an Indian chess Grand Master, on whether practitioners of traditional medicine can claim to be doctors, has sparked much commentary on the role and the status of practitioners of traditional Indian medicine systems such as Ayurveda and Unani, in India. Committees, governments, perspectives The burning issue here is not merely whether practitioners of Ayurveda can refer to themselves as doctors, but rather the scope of medical activities permitted under Indian law. This is an issue which has consequences for public health. A starting point for this discussion is to understand the framing of the debate over the last 80 years, beginning 1946, when the Health Survey and Development Committee, better known as Bhore Committee, batted in favour of modern scientific medicine based on evidence. The committee had pointed out that other countries were in the process of phasing out their traditional medicine systems and recommended that states take a call on the extent to which traditional medicine played a role in their public health systems. The Bhore committee's lack of enthusiasm for the traditional medicinal system did not go unnoticed by practitioners of traditional Indian medicine who mounted a vocal protest. They managed to convince the Government of India to set up the Committee on Indigenous Systems of Medicine, which submitted its report in 1948. This committee unabashedly wrapped up its conclusions in communal language, framing the issue in terms of Hindu nationalism by linking Ayurveda to the Vedas and its decline to 'foreign domination'. While the Nehru government took no action to formally recognise these practitioners of traditional medicine, the Indira Gandhi government in 1970 enacted a legislation called The Indian Medicine Central Council Act recognising and regulating the practitioners of Ayurveda, Siddha and Unani. This law was replaced in 2020 with a new law called The National Commission for Indian System of Medicine Act. The syllabus for aspiring practitioners of Ayurveda is an absolute mish-mash of concepts that span everything from doshas, prakriti, atmas (which includes learning the difference between paramatma and jivatma) with a sprinkling of modern medical concepts such as cell physiology and anatomy. These are irreconcilable concepts — the theory of tridosha attributes all ills to an imbalance of doshas, while modern medicine locates the concepts of some diseases such as infections in 'germ theory', among others. There is no middle ground between both systems of medicine which is why concepts such as integrative medicine make no sense. Point of friction Nevertheless, the legal recognition of this new class of practitioners led to questions on the exact boundaries between the practice of traditional and modern medicine. The major point of friction has been the prescription of modern medicines by the practitioners of traditional medicine. Ayurvedic practitioners, in particular, while claiming the superiority of their art over modern medicine, have consistently demanded the right to prescribe modern medicines developed by evidence-based modern science. Pertinently, this dispute revolved around the interpretation of Rule 2(ee) of the Drugs and Cosmetics Rules, 1945 which defined the class of 'registered medical practitioners' who can prescribe modern medicine. This definition is complicated since it is not limited to doctors with a MBBS degree. It delegates a certain amount of power to State governments to pass orders declaring medical practitioners on their State medical registers as persons 'practising the modern scientific system of medicine for the purposes of ….' the Drugs & Cosmetics Act, 1940. Many State governments have used this power under Rule 2(ee) to allow registered practitioners of Ayurveda and Unani to prescribe modern medicine such as antibiotics. The constitutionality of these orders was challenged before the courts and the first round of litigation concluded in 1998 with the judgment of the Supreme Court of India in Dr. Mukhtiar Chand & Ors vs The State Of Punjab & Ors. The Court concluded that 'the right to prescribe drugs of a system of medicine would be synonymous with the right to practise that system of medicine. In that sense, the right to prescribe allopathic drug cannot be wholly divorced from the claim to practice allopathic medicine'. Simply put, Ayurvedic practitioners had no right to prescribe modern medicine. That judgment never stopped the lobbying by Ayurvedic and Unani practitioners with State governments for the promulgation of orders under Rule 2(ee) allowing them to prescribe modern medicine. Several State governments have continued passing these orders in defiance of the Court's judgment. This inevitably leads to litigation before the High Courts, usually by the Indian Medical Association, which often wins these cases. Unsuspecting patients too have often sued practitioners of Ayurveda before consumer courts on the grounds that they were deceived into believing that they were being treated by a doctor with a MBBS degree who can prescribe modern medicine. While much of the litigation has revolved around the right to dispense modern medicine, there is also the issue regarding the medical procedures that can be conducted legally by practitioners of Ayurveda and Unani. For example, can a registered Ayurvedic practitioner 'intubate' a patient? This is an important question to ask since it is an open secret that many hospitals purporting to practise modern medicine are hiring Ayurvedic practitioners with Bachelor of Ayurvedic Medicine and Surgery (BAMS) degree at lower pay in place of graduates with a MBBS degree. Further, a notification by the Indian government in 2020 has allowed Ayurvedic practitioners (post graduates) to perform 58 minor surgeries, including the removal of the gall bladder, appendix and benign tumours. The constitutionality of this notification is pending before the courts. If the notification is upheld, the question that arises is whether these Ayurvedic practitioners can now use anaesthetic agents and antibiotics required to conduct surgeries. The stakes are high for public health in India since the likely strategy of Ayurvedic practitioners will be to argue that these surgeries were known in traditional Indian medicine. In these times of heady Hindutva, it will be difficult to find a judge who will ignore these claims. The political factor The larger political backdrop to this entire debate regarding Ayurvedic practitioners is 'Hindu pride', which has fuelled claims of fantastical achievements by ancient Indian civilisation, be it the pushpaka vimana or the claims of the Kauravas being test tube babies. When a policy issue such as Ayurveda is cynically draped in the language of 'Hindu pride', it is not just the Bharatiya Janata Party but also the Indian National Congress which feels compelled to support an obviously dangerous approach to public health. The last election manifesto of the Indian National Congress, in 2024, promised that the party would 'support' all systems of medicines instead of a promise to support only rational, evidence-based medicine. This blind faith in traditional medicine is going to cost every citizen in the future since the government is actively considering the inclusion of AYUSH (Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homeopathy) treatments under the Ayushman Bharat insurance scheme funded by tax-payers. This is in addition to approximately ₹20,000 crore of tax-payer money spent on research councils functioning under the Ministry of AYUSH with a mandate to research AYUSH. They have very little to show for in terms of scientific breakthroughs. Twitter outrage notwithstanding, the joke at the end of the day is on the tax-payer. Dinesh S. Thakur is the author of 'The Truth Pill: The Myth of Drug Regulation in India'. Prashant Reddy T. is the coauthor of 'The Truth Pill: The Myth of Drug Regulation in India'
The Hindu
2 days ago
- General
- The Hindu
Efficacy of Adi Puram
Andal or Goda manifested in the Tamil month of Adi, under the Pooram star, in Srivilliputtur, in the tulasi garden of Vishnu Chittar, also known as Periyazhwar, who was devoutly serving the resident deity, Vatapatrasayi. Andal composed the Tiruppavai (30 verses) and Nacchiyar Tirumozhi (143 verses). Andal's Tiruppavai has the essence of all the Vedas, said Tirukkudanthai Dr. Venkatesh. It highlights the importance of surrendering to Bhagavan, singing His divine names, and being subservient to the devotees of the Lord. Just as Krishna's discourse is called Gitopanishad, Andal's Tiruppavai is revered as Godopanishad (the Upanishad of Goda). The great preceptor Ramanuja always used to chant Tiruppavai and hence came to be renowned as Tiruppavai Jeeyar. The verses of Tiruppavai played a vital role in helping Ramanuja explain the tenets of Visishtadvaitam to disciples. Growing up, Andal expressed her devotion to Lord Vatapatrasayi by adoring herself with the garland meant for the deity, before it was offered to Him. When Periyazhwar found out, he admonished Andal and did not offer any garland to the deity on that day. However, that very night, Perumal appeared in Periyazhwar's dream and demanded to know why He was not offered the garland. When Periazhwar explained that it was desecrated because his daughter wore it, Vadapatrasayi said, 'It is consecration, not desecration,' and sought the Andal-worn garland as a daily offering. When Perumal manifested as Varaha and retrieved Bhu Devi, She asked Him, 'You have saved me. What about countless humans who need to be ferried across the ocean of births?' He informed Bhu Devi that She would appear on Earth as Goda and teach devotees the importance of praying to God with flowers and verses at a very young age, and surrendering to Him. He also affirmed that whoever served Him in such a manner would receive His protection, even if the devotee were to forget to do so in later years due to approaching old age. When Andal reached a marriageable age, and insisted upon marrying Rangamannar, the archa murti at Srirangam asked Periazhwar to bring her to His sanctum, wherein She attained eternal service at His lotus feet.
Time of India
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Time of India
What does Ishita Dutta and Vatsal Sheth's baby girl's name, ‘Veda,' truly mean?
Ishita Dutta, Vatsal Sheth blessed with baby girl New parents Ishita Dutta and Vatsal Sheth recently shared a beautiful chapter in their lives—the arrival of their second child, a baby girl born in early June. But the meaningful name they chose for her truly captured everyone's heart. They zeroed in on the name: Veda. Let's explore what 'Veda' means: The Meaning Behind 'Veda' The name Veda, derived from ancient Sanskrit, holds profound significance. It means 'knowledge' or 'wisdom' and is rooted in the word Veda, which also refers to the sacred Hindu scriptures—the Vedas. A Naming Ceremony Full of Love and Tradition To reveal her name, Ishita and Vatsal posted a heartwarming video from the naming ceremony, attended by close family. In the video, their baby girl is gently rocked in a traditional cloth cradle, surrounded by smiles, blessings, and love. The moment her name is announced—'Holi joli peepal paan… ben ehh paadyu VEDA naam'—feels straight out of a cherished family memory, echoing warmth and rooted traditions. Adding a playful yet personal touch, balloons spelling out 'Veda' were displayed at the venue, creating a festive, intimate atmosphere that felt both celebratory and sacred. A Complete Family The couple, who tied the knot on 28 November 2017 in a close-knit ceremony in Mumbai, became parents for the first time in 2023 with the birth of their son, Vaayu. Now with little Veda's arrival, Ishita had earlier shared, their family feels 'complete.' Fans first glimpsed the joy of her birth through a touching photo Ishita shared from the hospital—a moment where big brother Vaayu gazed lovingly at his newborn sister. The caption read, 'From two to four hearts beating as one. Our family is now complete. Blessed with a baby girl.' Cherished by Fans and Friends Alike While both actors have earned acclaim on-screen, it's these glimpses into their off-screen lives—their warmth, simplicity, and the beautiful bond they share as a family—that continue to win hearts. With Veda, a name steeped in timeless meaning, their journey as a family now turns an even more soulful page.
