ArunsPrarthana.com

Introducing Prarthana

Arun Shanbhag — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 15:02:54 +0000

Prarthana: A Book of Hindu Psalms

Each of us has a responsibility
of taking this message of our dharma to a wider audience.

Prarthana: A Book of Hindu Psalms

ISBN 978-0-9790081-0-8
264 pages; includes Glossary & Bibliography
Non-fiction; Spiritual; Hinduism; Religion;
September 2007
~~List Price: $21.95~~
Web special price, $15.00, plus $2.00 for shipping in the Continental US.

To Purchase Copies

By Credit Card:

send $17.00 by PayPal to:
arun AT shanbhag.org
include your mailing address.
By Check:
Check payable to “Arun Shanbhag” for $17
mail to: 32 Chatham St, Arlington, MA 02474-2008
In India:
Book are available for delivery in India. Rs 500 plus Rs 50 for delivery.
E-mail me and I will give you a Mumbai mailing address for the check.
Bulk Discounts:
Discounts on ten or more copies, bulk discounts, shipping to other regions, or questions,
please send email to arun AT shanbhag.org

Ram Navami: A Tribute to Rama

Arun Shanbhag — Sat, 12 Apr 2008 21:48:51 +0000

Hanuman offering a tribute to Shri Rama, Lakshman and Devi Sita; A carving from the Vijayanagar period on a boulder on Hemakuta, Hampi.

shri ramachandracharanau manasa smaraami
shri ramachandracharanau vachasa gruNaami
shri ramachandracharanau SHirasa namaami
shri ramachandracharanau SHaranam prapadhyae

On Rama’s feet I meditate
With words I praise
With lowered head I pray
At Rama’s feet I seek refuge!

Notes excerpted from my book, Prarthana: A Book of Hindu Psalms;
© Arun Shanbhag 2007

Rama.
During times of cosmic crisis, Vishnu as Preserver and Caretaker of the Universe adopts various avataars or earthly forms, to save Creation from calamity, and rid humankind of suffering. Rama as a model human, is one of Vishnu’s most popular avataars. Rama is revered as a devoted son, faithful husband and a righteous king. To fulfill his father’s promise, he willingly accepts exile and wanders forests for many years. When his wife Sita is abducted, Rama enlists birds, monkeys and other animals to track her to Lanka – kingdom of the villainous Ravana. After a prolonged battle, Rama slays Ravana and saves the world from terror and torture. Rama’s victory is celebrated during the Vijaya Dashami festival, and culminates in the burning of Ravana in effigy.

During festivals, devotees raise their voice to Rama. Temples ring to countless chants of his name. Uniquely, the mere recitation of Rama’s name is said to bring ananda or bliss.

The reason for this can be traced to the Mahabharata, when Bhisma bestows on the victorious Yudhishtra, the Vishnu Sahasranaam (Thousand names of Vishnu). Noting the long sermon, Devi Parvati asks her beloved Shiva, how an ordinary person can attain the same benefits as reciting the Vishnu Sahasranaam. Shiva assures her that uttering but once the name of Shri Rama is equal to chanting the name of any other God, a thousand times. With these invaluable words from Shiva, mankind has been blessed with an easy path to happiness.

In the Rama Raksha Stotra – hymn asking Rama for protection, which millions of devotees recite with fervor everyday, the opening verse affirms that reciting even a single word from the life of Rama is able to destroy the greatest of our sins. Mahatma Gandhi also urged followers to recite the blessed name of Rama. Prophetically, “Hey Ram” were the last words from his dying lips.

Included above is verse 29 from the Rama Raksha Stotra, which resonates well with the theme of bhakti for Rama. As Sant Tyagaraja has written, simply by asking the virtuous Rama to shower his blessing and compassion assures us of experiencing ananda.

See more images from Hampi on this post.

Review: G Madhav Prabhu

Arun Shanbhag — Sat, 26 Jan 2008 14:57:47 +0000

Grateful for your Translation * * * * *

For those who practice it everyday, the hope is that the ritual of prayer releases love energy and uplifts the entire human race. Arun Shanbhag has reinforced this hope in his book, Prarthana, in which he has done a superb job of transliterating and translating many prayers from their Sanskrit version into English. I was particularly impressed by his mastery in translating the Suprabhatam – a prayer that most of us awake to in South India and is actually intended to awake the divine presence within each of us. The Gayatri mantra, a prayer that is simple and easy to recite, is explained as a way to “invoke the Sun from within oneself.”

The essence of the Sanatana Dharma from the Brihadaranyaka Upanishad:

“From the unreal lead me to the real,
From darkness lead me to light,
From death lead me to immortality.”

shows us how we can attain final emancipation or ‘moksha.’ These are but a few of the gems contained in Shanbhag’s rendering of Hindu prayers and psalms. The explanations that go hand-in-hand with the actual Sanskrit verses are so easy to read and understand and at the level where I could easily explain them to my children who were both born in the US.

The author has done a great service to the Indian diaspora living abroad, and also to Indians living in India who are not well-versed in Sanskrit. I would recommend this book to everyone who believes in the power of prayer and wants to understand a little bit of the meaning and significance of many popular Hindu hymns.

G. M. Prabhu, Ames, Iowa - Academician, Author

Professor Prabhu is a much-admired professor of computer science at Iowa State University. With over 20 years of academic experience, he is well known for his lucid explanations of complex concepts, earning him kudos: “he’s the best professor I’ve had at ISU.”

Professor Prabhu received his Electrical Engineering degree from the Indian Institute of Technology in Madras, India; MS from the Indian Institute of Technology in Kanpur, India; and PhD from Washington State University. He has been on the faculty at Iowa State University in Ames, Iowa, since 1983. Dr Prabhu attests that none of these institutions seriously interfered with his education.

Dr Prabhu is the author of Anita’s Legacy.

Review: Subhash Kak

Arun Shanbhag — Sat, 19 Jan 2008 00:09:07 +0000

“I cannot tell how much my wife and I have enjoyed reading and chanting from the marvelous book Prarthana. The translations capture the beauty and power of the original texts. The superb selections are perfect for celebrating the mystery and magic of life or for comfort in case of hurt and suffering.”

Professor Subhash Kak - Academician, Author

Dr Kak is Chairman of the Department of Computer Science, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK. He has published numerous peer-review publications and several books in Neural Networks, Quantum Computing and Computational Intelligence.

Kak is the author of In Search of the Cradle of Civilization (with Feuerstein and Frawley), The Astronomical Code of the Rigveda, and many publications related to Indian Heritage.

Dassara: Celebrating Devi’s Grace

Arun Shanbhag — Sun, 21 Oct 2007 18:56:40 +0000

Wishing you all a Wonderful Dassara

All year around,
We are blessed by
Devi’s Grace!

M&A
(murthy of Kamakshi, a form of Durga Devi at the
Ramnathi Devasthan in Ponda, Goa.)

Notes excerpted from my book, Prarthana: A Book of Hindu Psalms;
© Arun Shanbhag 2007

Durga Devi
Devi, Goddess, is the oldest Hindu deity. Clay figurines from the 6th and 5th millennium BCE, attests to her antiquity. Today, Devi is worshipped in all corners of India in various forms, such as Bhu Devi - the earth Goddess; the demure Parvati – beloved consort of Shiva; devoted Sita – Rama’s dearest; and Kali - the ruthless avenger. Durga is the ferocious manifestation of Devi and is revered for slaying the tyrannical buffalo demon Mahisasura, liberating heaven from his clutches and restoring order and discipline in the Universe.

In a popular legend from the Devi Mahatmyam - Glory of Devi, the demon Mahisasura defeated Indra, King of Gods, in battle and conquered heaven. The dejected Indra and his retinue of demi-gods wandered earth as mere mortals, and begged Vishnu and Shiva to end Mahisasura’s tyranny. From the intense anger and focus of the united Gods emerged brilliant rays of light, which combined to bring forth the goddess Durga. Each God contributed their choicest weapons to her. Shiva presented her with a trident, Vishnu his discus. Agni the Fire God, presented his spear and Surya the Sun God illumined the pores of her skin, casting a luminous aura around Durga.

Endowed with an assortment of weapons, and the arms and the strength to wield them, Devi challenges the asura army. With blood curdling roars and a defiant laugh, she demoralizes the demon army and systematically decimates them. When Mahisasura attacks her, she destroys his weapons and captures him with her noose. Devi then traps him under her feet and skewers his neck with her spear; when the human form of Mahisasura emerges, she grasps his hair and decapitates him.

The slaying of Mahisasura is commonly depicted in Durga artwork:. Devi posing calmly on the battlefield, with the demon trapped beneath her feet. The red clothing denotes the spilt blood and alludes to her fertility. Durga thus represents the all-compassionate and fertile woman, yet relentless in battle against evil, energetically defending righteousness against injustice. She is simultaneously approachable and displays motherly love and concern for her devotees. Her close association with the earth and its regenerative ability endears her to even the common laborers and farm workers, making the annual Durga puja and festival, widely popular in India’s rural communities.

Notes are excerpted from my book, Prarthana: A Book of Hindu Psalms;
© Arun Shanbhag 2007

Priest reciting the Devi Mahatmyam (Devi’s Magnificence) at the Ramnathi Devasthan.

Prarthana At Porter Square Books

Arun Shanbhag — Tue, 02 Oct 2007 20:58:50 +0000

Prarthana: A Book of Hindu Psalms
on sale at:

Porter Square Books
Porter Square Shopping Center
25 White Street
Cambridge, MA 02140
www.portersquarebooks.com

Prarthana At the New England Mobile Book Fair

Arun Shanbhag — Tue, 02 Oct 2007 20:53:31 +0000

Prarthana: A Book of Hindu Psalms
on sale at:

The New England Mobile Book Fair
82-84 Needham Street
Newton Highlands, MA 02461
www.nebookfair.com

Prarthana At the Harvard Book Store

Arun Shanbhag — Thu, 27 Sep 2007 01:21:40 +0000

Prarthana: A Book of Hindu Psalms
now on sale at:

The Harvard Book Store
1256 Massachusetts Avenue
Cambridge, MA 02138

Hymn To Ganesha, An Excerpt

Arun Shanbhag — Mon, 17 Sep 2007 00:59:38 +0000

Ganesha Stotram - Hymn to Ganesha

The visage of Ganesha (or Ganapati) is easily recognizable as the elephant-headed God of Knowledge and Wisdom. A Ganesha murti can be found in the home of every Hindu. Tiny Ganesha figurines also grace the dashboard of new cars; and Ganesha icons in a variety of poses is a popular gift for family and friends. With the ever-growing popularity of Ganesha, devotees start their prayers with this hymn to Ganesha.
(more…)

Tribute to Krishna, An Excerpt

Arun Shanbhag — Mon, 10 Sep 2007 01:18:18 +0000

Krishna Vandana - Tribute to Krishna,

Krishna is the most beloved of Hindu Gods and a popular avataar of Vishnu, the eternal soul of the Universe. While other incarnations of Vishnu crystallize divine traits in ordinary beings, Krishna’s life and experiences on earth symbolize the humanness of the divine.

(more…)

About the Author

Arun Shanbhag — Tue, 14 Aug 2007 13:56:27 +0000

Prarthana: A Book of Hindu Psalms,
by Arun Shanbhag

Arun Sudhakar Shanbhag was born in the rural Karnataka town of Bhatkal, India and completed his schooling in Mumbai, in a traditional Konkani family. He spent summers with grandparents in Bhatkal, and visiting relatives in nearby towns and villages along the Konkan coast. There he developed a deep admiration for the traditional Indian lifestyle and heritage.

Arun studied engineering at the Manipal Institute of Technology, Karnataka, India. In the USA he completed graduate studies in Bioengineering (MS, PhD) and later an MBA. Dr Shanbhag is currently an Assistant Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery at the Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, MA. He has published extensively in scientific and medical journals, and also compiled a textbook for Orthopaedic Residents and Scientists.

Arun lives in the Boston suburb of Arlington with his wife Manashi. They both love to travel. Arun is fitness conscious and has run the Boston and Chicago Marathons. Arun maintains an active blog at ArunShanbhag.com

What is Prarthana

Arun Shanbhag — Tue, 14 Aug 2007 13:52:13 +0000

Prarthana is a compilation of sacred hymns from the Vedas and Upanishads!

In Prarthana, 36 common prayers are presented in their original Sanskrit (Devanagiri) Script, along with romanized Transcriptions and modern English Translations!

An English commentary offers reflections on how each prayer applies to your daily life.

Inside:

Gayatri Mantram: Mantra of Enlightenment
Ganesha Stotram: Hymn to Ganesha
Vishnu Varnam: Hymn to Vishnu
Venkatesha Suprabhatam: Greetings to Venkatesha
Mrytunjaya Mantram: Verse of Deliverance to Shiva
Prayers to Devi: The Ultimate Feminine Divine
Vande Mataram: Glorious Mother!
and many more

ArunsPrarthana.com

Introducing Prarthana

Prarthana: A Book of Hindu Psalms

Each of us has a responsibility of taking this message of our dharma to a wider audience.

Prarthana: A Book of Hindu Psalms

Ram Navami: A Tribute to Rama

Review: G Madhav Prabhu

Review: Subhash Kak

Dassara: Celebrating Devi’s Grace

Prarthana At Porter Square Books

Prarthana At the New England Mobile Book Fair

Prarthana At the Harvard Book Store

Hymn To Ganesha, An Excerpt

Tribute to Krishna, An Excerpt

About the Author

What is Prarthana

Each of us has a responsibility
of taking this message of our dharma to a wider audience.