Idol worship, caste and ascetic austerity had no place in Nanak's religion. He believed in one God, Ek Omkar ; singing His praises was the best way of devotion. He advocated listening to kirtan or hymn singing and set his compositions to music in suitable ragas or melodies.

Nanak was 27 when he went out to spread the Name of God expounding the message of 'true path'. With Mardana as companion, he travelled throughout the country, going as far as Tibet in the north and Sri Lanka in the south. He even visited Mecca. Wherever he went, his hymn-singing drew large crowds. Mardana would faithfully reproduce notes on the rabab as Nanak sang his way to the hearts of the listeners.

(See also: Nanak , Indian Festivals, Spiritual Guidance, God and Religion, Peace on Earth, Peace of Mind, Love and Happiness, Life and Beyond, Body Mind and Soul)

Read more here: » Nanak: Nanak's Musical Path to Ananda  

Basaveswara was a 12th century spiritual master in Karnataka. Popularly known as Basavanna, he propagated moral, ethical and spiritual values for a peaceful and purposeful life.

Disillusioned by an indifferent and disparate society, Basavanna formed a new spiritual institution, Anubhava Mantapa . It was based on democratic principles to spread universal love and brotherhood. Anyone, irrespective of caste, could become a member of this institution as long as they were pious and of good character.

(See also: Basavanna , Spiritual Guidance, God and Religion, Peace on Earth, Peace of Mind, Love and Happiness, Life and Beyond, Body Mind and Soul)

Read more here: » Basavanna: Basavanna Tried to Democratise Faith  

There is an ancient lore associated with the festival of Raksha Bandhan that is celebrated during the bright fortnight in the Hindu month of Shravan. The Bhavishya Purana refers to a battle between the deities and demons.

The king of the deities, Indra, was feeling depressed. Indra's wife Sachi then took a thread, charged it with sacred verses for protection and tied it on Indra's hand. Through the strength of this thread Indra conquered his enemies.

(See also: Raksha Bandhan , Indian Festivals, Spiritual Guidance, God and Religion, Peace on Earth, Peace of Mind, Love and Happiness, Life and Beyond, Body Mind and Soul)

Read more here: » Raksha Bandhan: Of Human Bonding And Celebration - about Raksha Bandhan  

On Dhanteras , Hindus worship Lord Dhanwantari, the deity of health and healing. Dhan is wealth or Lakshmi - so the goddess of wealth and prosperity is also prayed to.

Every household buys something new. But we tend to forget the real meaning of wealth which is sound health. Lord Dhanwantari also symbolises the spirit of knowledge and nature, including all about herbs and medicinal plants.

(See also: Dhanteras , Indian Festivals, Spiritual Guidance, God and Religion, Peace on Earth, Peace of Mind, Love and Happiness, Life and Beyond, Body Mind and Soul)

Read more here: » Dhanteras: Dhanteras for Health, Wealth and Prosperity  

As a teenager, Venkataraman (that was the Sri Ramana Maharshi 's given name) had no inclination towards any form of devotion. At 16 years, self-realisation just happened. Sitting in a room Venkataraman felt as if he were dying.

Later, he recounted saying to himself: "This body is dead. It will be carried stiff to the burning ground and there be burnt and reduced to ashes. But with the death of body, am 'I' dead?

(See also: Sri Ramana Maharshi , Spiritual Guidance, God and Religion, Peace on Earth, Peace of Mind, Love and Happiness, Life and Beyond, Body Mind and Soul)

Read more here: » Sri Ramana Maharshi: Discovering the 'I' In Sixty Minutes  

''All life is yoga,'' said Sri Aurobindo, referring to the work done not for the satisfaction of one's desires or ego but as an offering to the Divine, which is actually a powerful means of yoga.

This is how the Mother explains the profundity of Sri Aurobindo's vision: ''There is an ascending evolution in nature which goes from the stone to the plant, from the plant to the animal, from the animal to man. Because man is, for the moment, the last rung at the summit of the ascending evolution, he considers himself as the final stage in this ascension and believes there can be nothing on earth superior to him. In that he is mistaken…."

(See also: Mirra - The Mother , Spiritual Guidance, God and Religion, Peace on Earth, Peace of Mind, Love and Happiness, Life and Beyond, Body Mind and Soul)

Read more here: » Mirra - The Mother: Paris to Pondicherry: Journey of Discovery  

In Karnataka, on the morning of Ugadi, New Year, it is a tradition to eat bevu-bella crushed tender neem leaves and jaggery powder mixed and made into little balls.

The story of Rama and the trials and tribulations he and Sita had to undergo is well-known. Valmiki explains why even Rama, an avatar of Vishnu, had to suffer thus. Since Rama was a human incarnation, the life of the prince had to follow the pattern of an ordinary human being's. His life, too, had to have patches of triumph and happiness, sorrow and suffering.

(See also: Ugadi , Indian Festivals, Spiritual Guidance, God and Religion, Peace on Earth, Peace of Mind, Love and Happiness, Life and Beyond, Body Mind and Soul)

Read more here: » Ugadi: Bitter-sweet Pill For Equanimity  

I wasn't sure what woke me up - the mellifluous call of the muezzin to prayer or the peacocks' "peeuing", calling out frantically to each other. The dial-light on my watch showed that it was exactly three in the morning. That's the right time to wake up, my guide from the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) had advised me the previous evening, as we walked around Fatehpur Sikri, Agra. I went to him but he was still fast asleep.

(See also: Ramzan , Indian Festivals, Spiritual Guidance, God and Religion, Peace on Earth, Peace of Mind, Love and Happiness, Life and Beyond, Body Mind and Soul)

Read more here: » Ramzan: Ramzan Diary From Fatehpur Sikri  

Post-industrial revolution, developed nations acquired dominant control over world resources. But industrial pollution began to threaten the environment. Powerful nations became more of a threat than sources of strength, as they had their eyes on economic empire-building.

Mahavira said that the one who rejects the people and the world, rejects his own existence; and the one who rejects his own existence rejects the existence of the world.

He said: "Do not reject the existence of the world and do not reject your existence as well. The most important principle of environment is that you are not the only element. When you do something for yourself you must know your action/s will impact the entire world." So what can an individual do? How do his actions affect the rest of the world?

(See also: Mahavira , Indian Festivals, Spiritual Guidance, God and Religion, Peace on Earth, Peace of Mind, Love and Happiness, Life and Beyond, Body Mind and Soul)

Read more here: » Mahavira: Mahavir's Thoughts On Economics  

The traditional festivals of the Indian diaspora all reflect the ancient concept of the Utsav Mela, which encouraged everyone to congregate, meet and mix amid festivity and pageantry. In fact, the word mela (fair) is derived from the word mil , meaning 'to meet'.

Baisakhi epitomises the mela notion of convergence for it brings together people of all castes and communities on the first day of Vaisakha, the beginning of the traditional Indian New Year. Basically a harvest festival, Baisakhi marks the ripening of the Rabi harvest, especially in the Punjab. It is called the Naba Barsha celebrations in Bengal, Rongali Bihu in Assam, Puthandu in Tamil Nadu and Pooram (Vishu) in Kerala.

(See also: Baisakhi , Indian Festivals, Spiritual Guidance, God and Religion, Peace on Earth, Peace of Mind, Love and Happiness, Life and Beyond, Body Mind and Soul)

Read more here: » Baisakhi: Baisakhi Is Both Sacred And Secular  

The full-moon day in the month of Ashada , is celebraated as Guru Purnima . On this day disciples come together to express their gratitude to their beloved guru , venerated as the embodiment of sage Veda Vyasa. We worship Vyasa as an apostle of truth and wisdom, for having systematised the divine utterances in the form of the four Vedas , the eighteen puranas and the Mahabharata .

Guru Purnima is a special occasion to commemorate Vyasa's service to humanity, and to resolve to follow the path of learning and knowledge.

(See also: Guru Purnima , Spiritual Guidance, God and Religion, Peace on Earth, Peace of Mind, Love and Happiness, Life and Beyond, Body Mind and Soul)

Read more here: » Guru Purnima: Darkness To Light - Guru As Awakener  

In her autobiography, Kagazhi hai Pairahan , Ismat Chugtai recalls her experience one Janmashtmi , when as a child, she had visited her friend Sushi's house. Sushi, who otherwise was a friendly soul, wouldn't let her enter the puja room where little Krishna lay in his palna , surrounded by sweets and incense. Young Ismat couldn't resist the lure of Bal Gopal's tantalising smile and stole into the room when no one was looking. She lifted the silver idol and hugged it to her bosom, only to find it rudely snatched from her. Sushi's hysterical mother dragged her out of the house and told her parents of their errant daughter's misdeeds. Ismat had to suffer the blows of her parents too.

(See also: Diwali , Indian Festivals, Spiritual Guidance, God and Religion, Peace on Earth, Peace of Mind, Love and Happiness, Life and Beyond, Body Mind and Soul)

Read more here: » Diwali: Gen-X Celebrates Spirit of Diwali  

Onam, the festival of flowers, an annual celebration of the spirit of Mahabali's reign of justice, will continue to inspire us to strive for that Golden Mean - when the entire world will be completely free of conflict and any kind of inequality. It would be peaceful. But we also have to hone our ability to deal with the inner kingdom so that there is no discrepancy in the way we perceive the external and internal world. Otherwise, like Mahabali, we might get carried away by our sense of self-importance.

(See also: Onam , Indian Festivals, Spiritual Guidance, God and Religion, Peace on Earth, Peace of Mind, Love and Happiness, Life and Beyond, Body Mind and Soul)

Read more here: » Onam: Are We Ready for Another Mahabali?  

Today's Valentines, for all their 'happiness', betray fear in their eyes. They know little of brotherly love, still less of love for God. What passes in the name of religiosity today is mere bigotry. They, poor souls, might scarcely know who they are, where they are and what they are doing. Life is a pacy film without substance, and love, a mere kit-kat break.

(See also: Valentines Day , Indian Festivals, Spiritual Guidance, God and Religion, Peace on Earth, Peace of Mind, Love and Happiness, Life and Beyond, Body Mind and Soul)

Read more here: » Valentines Day: Love's Fable Lost in Springtime Sale

Many important events are believed to have happened on Rosh Hashanah. The six days of creation were completed; Abraham and Jacob were born; Sarah, Rachel and Hannah - after years of wanting and praying for children - conceived Isaac, Joseph and Samuel, and Joseph was freed from prison.

Rosh Hashanah is also called Yom Ha-Din, the Day of Judgment. It is the day people are judged by God, and their fate for the coming year is also decided. The idea of the Day of Judgment produced a special liturgy and special customs.

(See also: Rosh Hashanah , Indian Festivals, Spiritual Guidance, God and Religion, Peace on Earth, Peace of Mind, Love and Happiness, Life and Beyond, Body Mind and Soul)

Read more here: » Rosh Hashanah: Jewish Beginning - Rosh Hashanah  

The Markandaya Purana and the Vamana Purana chronicle how Mahishasura, the wicked buffalo-king, a demon possessing monstrous power and deadly weapons of destruction, waged a war against the gods and defeated them.

Mahishasura dislodged Indra and occupied the throne. Indra fled to save himself. This shook the celestial world and so enraged Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva that they began to emit fire from their eyes. From the fusion of these beams of fire, carrying the radiant divine energy, a female figure, Goddess Durga, was born.

(See also: Durga , Indian Festivals, Spiritual Guidance, God and Religion, Peace on Earth, Peace of Mind, Love and Happiness, Life and Beyond, Body Mind and Soul)

Read more here: » Durga: Invincible Durga Is Always On Call  

Shri Rama is an avatar of Maha Vishnu . He is the Adi Purush - the Ancient One - who, out of compassion for humankind, descends to earth in human form, taking upon himself the trials and tribulations of human existence, willingly suffering ordeals to protect the virtuous and annihilate the wicked.

Indeed, the Ramavatara is one of the most splendid of Maha Vishnu 's manifestations in order to redeem His pledge to "appear in bodily forms whenever virtue decays and evil causes misery to the good and the virtuous, and the earth itself". ( Sant Tulsidas ).

(See also: Shri Rama , Indian Festivals, Spiritual Guidance, God and Religion, Peace on Earth, Peace of Mind, Love and Happiness, Life and Beyond, Body Mind and Soul)

Read more here: » Shri Rama: Prince of Ayodhya, Prophet of Peace  

In an age when 30-something CEOs and VPs no longer surprise us and paradigms are busted each day, holding one's own at the workplace is a challenge in itself. One hundred and forty-one years after Swami Vivekananda was born, we need to evoke his vision and focus on the fact that life at the workplace can be much simpler and more fulfilling.

The Swami may not have been a student of management theory but the fundamental truths that he taught are invaluable in today's globalised workplace, where employees are often resentful of the relative success of others.

(See also: Swami Vivekananda , Spiritual Guidance, God and Religion, Peace on Earth, Peace of Mind, Love and Happiness, Life and Beyond, Body Mind and Soul)

Read more here: » Swami Vivekananda: Swami Vivekananda - The Manager Monk  

TS Eliot wrote in Four Quartets : "The only wisdom one can hope to acquire is the wisdom of humility...humility is endless..." I mulled over these words as I strolled through the bazaars of Hyderabad; its unique multicultural and multilingual tehzeeb an eloquent testimony of the richness of life itself, a flavour one couldn't possibly acquire from books alone.

Spiritually, Hyderabad stands out as a wonderful link-bridge between the north and south, imbibing the best of both in its culture, cuisine and character. The Deccan festival, conducted every year in March, celebrates the city's composite and secular character.

(See also: Deccan , Indian Festivals, Spiritual Guidance, God and Religion, Peace on Earth, Peace of Mind, Love and Happiness, Life and Beyond, Body Mind and Soul)

Read more here: » Deccan: The Serene Jewel Of the Deccan  

Epiphany celebrates the intervention of God in the life of a people, relating effectively, the Christmas message which emerged from Christ's birth place at Bethlehem. Hence it is also called the Feast of Lights or the Candlemas Feast.

In the past it was also known as the Twelfth Day as it falls on the twelfth day after Christmas and winds up formally the Christmas season of rejoicing.

(See also: Epiphany , Indian Festivals, Spiritual Guidance, God and Religion, Peace on Earth, Peace of Mind, Love and Happiness, Life and Beyond, Body Mind and Soul)

Read more here: » Epiphany: Epiphany - Festival of The Twelfth Night  

The lakhs of Shiva temples all over India include the famous temples at Amarnath in Kashmir, Somnath in Gujarat, Vishwanath in Varanasi and Mahakaleshwar in Ujjain.

The names of these Shiva temples define Shiva's various divine functions, exalting Him as the Supreme Soul. The linga is worshipped as the very image of Shiva. The linga indicates that Shiva has neither male nor female human form like do the other deities; the Lord is an incorporeal point of Light. This is why, the 12 well-known Shiva temples in India are also known as Jyotirlinga Mat h signifying his form of Light.

(See also: Shivaratri , Indian Festivals, Spiritual Guidance, God and Religion, Peace on Earth, Peace of Mind, Love and Happiness, Life and Beyond, Body Mind and Soul)

Read more here: » Shivaratri: A Column of Light On Shivaratri  

Babaji's disciples think of him as the incarnation of Lord Shiva, and so believe that he is present everywhere. Babaji once told his disciples of the Creator: ''He is deathless. He can do whatever He wills. The whole universe is an expanded bubble ready to burst before Him.''

If Patanjali, who wrote the Yoga Sutra nearly 2,005 years ago, was instrumental in defining the principles of yoga in its different forms, Paramhansa Yogananda played a major role in popularising those principles worldwide.

(See also: Yogananda and Babaji , Spiritual Guidance, God and Religion, Peace on Earth, Peace of Mind, Love and Happiness, Life and Beyond, Body Mind and Soul)

Read more here: » Yogananda and Babaji: A Tale of Two Yogis - Yogananda and Babaji