The Samkhya School of Philosophy

About The Samkhya School of Philosophy

The Samkhya is the oldest of the orthodox philosophical systems in Hinduism postulating that the universe consists of two eternal realities such as the Purusha or the soul and the Prakriti or the matter or nature.

Being the silent spectators of Prakriti, the Purushas are many and are devoid of all qualities.
The Prakriti has three gunas or dispositions such as the sattvas, the rajas and the tamas.

The equilibrium of the gunas is disturbed due to the relationship of Purusha and Prakriti.

The Kaivalya or the liberation can be attained through the realization that the Purusha and the Prakriti are different. Thus Samkhya supports dualistic philosphy.

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An Introduction to Hinduism

Known as “Santana Dharma” in Sanskrit, the Hinduism is the world's oldest organized and most profound religion. It is the everlasting religion which was founded, exists and flourishes in India. It is not founded by a single leader and does ...

The Vedas

The earliest literary creations were the Rig-Veda, the Sama Veda, the Yajur Veda and the Atharva Veda. The Vedas had the Mantras or the hymns, the Brahmanas or the ritual and the ceremonies, the Aranyakas or the forest speculations and ...

The Upanishads

The Upanisads being diverse in character and outlook recognize the intuition rather than reason as a path to ultimate truth. Even though there are supposed to be 108 or more Upanishads, twelve of them are recognized as the principal units. ...

The Epics of India

In the period of the Epics which succeeded the period of the Upanisads, the Ramayana and the Mahabharat, philosophical doctrines were presented in the form of stories and parables. The Avatars or the incarnations of Vishnu, assume a prominent place ...

The Bhagavad-Gita

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The Dharma Sastras

The Dharma Sastras contain treatises on ethical and social philosophy compiled to deal systematically with the proper conduct of life and describe social, ethical and religious obligations. The Sruti and the Smriti are the two authoritative sources of Hinduism. Sruti ...

The Puranas

The Puranas being expressed in the form of parables and narratives have become the scripture for the common people. They are encyclopedias furnishing an image of spiritual, religious, social, political and cultural life comprising an astonishingly varied repertory of folklore ...

Influence of Buddhism and Jainism

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Influence of Vaishnavism

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Various influences on Hinduism

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On Hindu Gods and Goddesses

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Hindu God - Lord Vishnu

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Hindu God - Lord Shiva

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Hindu God - Goddess Saraswati

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Hindu God - Lord RamaLord Rama being the seventh incarnation of Lord Vishnu, worshipping him is very popular among all Hindus. In temples Rama is accompanied by his faithful wife, Sita, devoted brother Lakshmana and beloved devotee Hanuman. The great ...

Influence of Navagraha on your life

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Hindu Philosophy

The Hindu philosophy is the longest surviving philosophy with several historical stages. The various schools of philosophy had different approaches to reality but they considered the Vedas as the authoritative and believed in the permanent individual self, Atman. Most of ...

The Samkhya School of Philosophy

The Yoga School of Philosophy

The Yoga which is considered to have arisen from the Samkhya philosophy has its primary text as the Bhagavad Gita. It explores the four primary systems of the Karma-Yoga, the Buddhi-Yoga, the Dhyana-Yoga and the Bhakti-Yoga. Being many million years ...

The Nyaya School of Philosophy

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The Vaisheshika School of Philosophy

Founded by the sage Kanada, the Vaisheshika School of philosophy postulates an atomic pluralism. Accordingly all objects in the physical universe are reducible to a certain number of atoms, and the God is regarded as the fundamental force causing the ...

The Purva Mimamsa School of Philosophy

The Purva Mimamsa School established the authority of the Vedas through the formulation of the rules of Vedic interpretation. Its believers assumed that one must have unquestionable faith in the Vedas and perform the fire-sacrifices or yajnas regularly. Accordingly, it ...

The Vedanta School of Philosophy

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Hinduism as a Religion

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Worship at Temple

Even though the god is omnipresent, there should be a way to worship him and get his grace. The temples are built for the same purpose to focus the power of the lord in a consecrated idol. They are the ...

Temple Architecture of India

The Hindu temples developed over two thousand years depict excellent architectural evolution which took place within the boundaries of strict models derived from religious considerations. In Hindu tradition, the Temple architecture is a religious architecture which is connected to astronomy ...

Temple Arts of India

Mural PaintingsMural Paintings are the most common temple paintings and its evolution in temples can be traced from Ajanta to Kerala. Linked intrinsically with Indian painting traditions, the Murals are the earliest evidences unearthed from the remnants of ancient civilization. ...

Forms of Hindu worship

The process of worship in Hinduism involves the use of three basic techniques such as the mantra, the tantra and the yantra. The mantra symbolizes the path of knowledge, the tantra symbolizes the path of devotion and the yantra symbolizes ...

About Hindu Prayers

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Darshan in Hinduism

In Sanskrit, the word “Darshan” means the sight, or the vision, or the apparition, or the glimpse. It is used for the vision of the divine mainly of a god or a very holy person or artifact. Darshan is the ...

Pooja in Hinduism

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Pradakshina in Hinduism

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Prasad in Hinduism

The word ‘prasad’ implies to give peace. It is the sacred offering of the god. During any form of worship, Hindus offer certain items to god. Based on the ability of the devotee, many types of items are offered like

Basic norms to be followed in a temple

The house of worship for Hindus is the temple. It is in this place the divine relationship with the god can be easily accomplished. It is the place reserved for religious and spiritual activities. There are many elaborate measures taken ...

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The Sri Kalahasti temple is an ancient temple dedicated to Lord Shiva and is one of the Pancha Bhoota Stalams. The Pancha Bhoota Stalam is related to the temples celebrating Shiva as the embodiment of the primary elements. The air ...

Temples of Andhra Pradesh - Amareswara Swamy Temple

The Amareswara Swamy temple is located on a small hillock referred to as Krouncha Shaila in Amaravati, about 15 miles away from Guntur near Vijayawada in Andhra Pradesh. This temple constitutes one of the five Pancharama temples of Andhra Pradesh ...

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Warangal Temple, Andhra Pradesh The Warangal temple is the Thousand Pillar Temple which is situated at 4-km from Hanumakonda crossroad in Warangal district. It is a fine specimen of Kakatiya architecture and sculpture built in the style of Chalukya ...

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Major Temples of Gujarat

Major Temples of Gujarat > Sri Somanath TempleSri Somnath temple is known as the Eternal Shrine as it has withstood the shocks of time and the attacks of the destroyers. Situated in Prabhas Kshetra in Saurashtra at 79 kms from ...

Major Temples of Jammu and Kashmir

Temples of Jammu and Kashmir - Amarnath Temple The Amarnath temple is one of the most revered pilgrimage places in India. The cave is located at 86 miles north east of Srinagar at 13000 feet above sea level. Surrounded ...

Temples of Karnataka - Annapoorneshwari Temple

Sri Annapoorneshwari Temple is located at Horanadu around 100 Kms from Chikmagalur. It is an ancient and revered shrine located in amidst thick forests and valleys. The Deity of the temple is Sri Annapoorneshwari, a form of Parvati. This idol ...

Temples of Karnataka - Badami Caves

Being the capital of Chalukyas, Badami located at the mouth of a ravine between two rocky hills has the world famous cave temples dating back 6th or 7th centuries. These temples are all hewn out of sand stone on the ...

Temples of Karnataka - Chamundeshwari Temple

The Chamundeshwari temple is located on the top of Chamundi Hill which is about 3 kms from Mysore City. There are about one thousand steps to the hill. The temple is believed to be built in 12th century by Hoysalas ...

Temples of Karnataka - Shri Dharmasthala Temple

Shri Dharmasthala temple located in the village of Dharmasthala, in Belthangady Taluk of South Kanara District of Karnataka State. It is one of the most sacred places in South India. It is situated in on the Mangalore-Charmady Road 40 miles ...

Temples of Karnataka - The Gokarna Temple

Gokarna located at a distance of 170 km from Mangalore is a celebrated pilgrimage center on the coast of Karnataka, enshrining the Aatma Lingam Mahabaleshwar. It is referred as one of the 7 Mukti Stalas of Karnataka. The other six ...

Temples of Karnataka - Mookambika Temple

Sri Mookambika temple is situated at the foot of a hill called Kudashtri at Kollur about 135 kms from Mangalore. It is one of the seven 'Mukti Sthalams' of Parasurama Kshetra situated in Karnataka. The deity of the temple is ...

Temples of Karnataka - Sringeri Temple

The Sringeri temple is situated amidst the Sahyadri hills in Chikmagalur district of Karnataka on the left bank of Tungabhadra river at 150 km from Mangalore. Being the home of Sharada Peetham established by the revered saint Sri Adi Shankaracharya, ...

Temples of Karnataka - Vishnumurthy Temple

Shree Vishnumurthy Temple is situated in Kulai town at 15 kms north of Mangalore along the west coast high way. It is one of the ancient Vishnu shrines in Mangalore. Shree Vishnumurthy, another form of Lord Mahavishnu is the main ...

Temples of Karnataka - Udupi Sri Krishna Temple

The Udupi Sri Krishna temple located at 60 kms from Mangalore is one of the most popular shrines dedicated to Lord Krishna in the southern region of India. It was built in 13th century and the idol of Krishna was ...

Temples of Kerala - Ambalapuzzha Sri Krishna Temple

The Ambalapuzzha Sri Krishna temple is situated in Ambalapuzzha, a small town in Alapuzzha district of Kerala State. It is one of the three important Sri Krishna temples in the state of Kerala. It is believed to have been built ...

Temples of Kerala - Thiruvananthapuram Attukal Temple

The Attukal Bhagavathy temple in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala is one of the ancient temples of South India and is popularly known as the Sabarimala of the Women. The Goddess in the temple of Attukal is worshipped as the Supreme Mother. The ...

Temples of Kerala - Sree Guruvayoorappan Temple

Located at 29 km north-west of Thrissur District of Kerala, the Guruvayur is one of the most important pilgrimage centers of South India. It is called as the Bhoolokavaikunta meaning the heaven on the Earth. It is also called as ...

Temples of Kerala - Sri Padmanabhaswamy Temple

Sri Padmanabhaswamy temple, located inside the East Fort in Thiruvananthapuram of Kerala is dedicated to Lord Padmanabha, a form of Vishnu. The temple has Vishnu enshrined in Anananthasayanam posture which is in eternal sleep of yognidra. Sri Padmanabhaswamy ...

Temples of Kerala - Sabarimala Temple

About Sabarimala Sree Swamy Ayyappa Temple Sri Sabarimala Sree Swamy Ayyappa temple situated in the Western Ghats Mountains at an elevation of 4135 feet above sea level is the most famous and prominent among all the Shastha temples. ...

Temples of Kerala - Thirunavaya Temple

The Thiruvanaya Navamukunda Temple, located at 8 km south of Tirur, near Ponnani in Malappuram district on the banks of the river Bharathapuzha is popular for holding immense historical importance. In this place, Mamangam, a grand assembly of the rulers ...

Temples of Kerala - Thirunelli Temple

The Thirunelli Temple located at 30 kms from Mananthavadi in Wayanad of Kerala is an ancient temple dedicated to Lord Vishnu on the side of Brahmagiri hills close to Papanasini River which is believed to have curative effects on the ...

Temples of Kerala- Vadakkunnathan Temple

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Temples of Kerala- Chottanikkara Bhagavathy Temple

The Chottanikkara Bhagavathy Temple located at 17kms from Ernakulam of Kerala is one of the most celebrated Hindu shrines of Kerala. The main deity being Rajarajeswari or Adiparasakthi or Durga Bhagavathy or the mother Goddess was brought from Mookambika Temple ...

Major Temples of Maharastra

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Temples of Orissa - Jagannath Temple

The Jagannath temple is situated in Puri, on the east coast of India, in the state of Orissa. The main presiding deity is Lord Krishna or Jagannath. It is an ancient shrine having a wooden image. There are also wooden ...

Temples of Orissa - Konark Temple

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Temples of Rajasthan - Ambika Mata Temple

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Temples of Tamil Nadu - Chidambaram Temple

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Temples of Tamil Nadu - Madurai Meenakshi Temple

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Temples of Tamil Nadu - Rameshwara Temple

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Temples of Tamil Nadu - Palani Temple

The Palani temple is situated in the district of Madurai about 112 km from Madurai and 152 km from Trichi. Lord Murugan called Thandayudapani is the presiding deity of the temple. This temple is on the 450 feet high Palani ...

Major Temples of West Bengal

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