Saptarishis are considered as Brahmarishis who possess so much power that they can defeat every weapon, forecast future and more. They are believed to be greater even than the demigods and are the highest in rank over other classifications of Rishis. This video mentions several legends about that are associated with these Saptarishis and also discusses their contributions.
A Google Arts and Culture initiative, this video introduces you to Vedas and its important Gods and takes you to places such as Varansi and Konark through Google Arts.
Shaivism is one of the major traditions within Hinduism that reveres Siva (Shiva) as the Supreme Being. The followers of Shaivism are called "Shaivites" or "Saivites". Like much of Hinduism, the Shaiva have many sub-traditions, ranging from devotional dualistic theism such as Shaiva Siddhanta to yoga-oriented monistic non-theism such as Kashmiri Shaivism. It considers both the Vedas and the Agama texts as important sources of theology. The origin of Shaivism may be traced to the conception of Rudra in the RigVeda.
The origins of the worship of Siva/Shiva are shrouded in mystery. However, what is clear is that by the rise of the Gupta Dynasty the tradition was well-formed - having emerged from the Brahminical Synthesis as a distinct sect. From this point onwards the worship of Shiva branched into a huge number of differing sub-traditions - stretching from ascetics to householders, monists to dualists.
Originating from the confluence of hero-worship movements and the early worship of the Vedic solar deity Visnu/Vishnu, Vaishnavism incorporated many ideas in the development of a religious tradition that emerged fully-fledged following the fall of the Mauryan empire. Going on to develop into a multitude of devotional, mystic, and philosophical sects, Vaishnavism remains a key Hindu denomination and is closely tied to the development of Vedanta.
Although the worship of Goddesses has existed since ancient times in Indic religions, during the Gupta Dynasty period a vibrant tradition in the form of Shaktism emerged. Taking the divine cosmic energy to be feminine - and co-equal in form with Brahman - Shaktism has infused all aspects of Hindu religious practice. It has considerable influence over other traditions and remains one of the four major Hindu denominations. (Devi / Sakti / Sri)
In which Mike Rugnetta continues our unit on pantheons with the complex Indian pantheon, focusing on stories that were written in Sanskrit. We start with a violent creation story. We talk about the concept of Brahman, and the personification as three deities: Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva. Then, the goddess Durga teaches us how to behead a buffalo demon while riding a lion.
Lahari Bhakti Presents "Sabareesapadham" a Documentary on Ayyappa Swamy.
Vasudha Narayanan discusses the role of paradox in the Vaishnava/Hindu traditions during the CSWR’s inaugural Hindu Way of Life Lecture. Narayanan is the Distinguished Professor, Department of Religion, at the University of Florida, and a past President of the American Academy of Religion (2001–02). The Hindu View of Life Annual Lecture series aims to address the urgent issues of our time from a perspective informed by insights and values arising from Hindu traditions.
Vasudha Narayanan gives an enlightening talk about goddesses in the Hindu religion examining their origins, worship, and powers. She is a Distinguished Professor in the Department of Religion at the University of Florida and the author of several books including "The Vernacular Veda," "Hinduism," and "The Life of Hinduism."