Bhagavad Gita, Chapter 9 verse 26 OM Patram Pushpam Phalam Toyam Yo Me Bhaktyā Prayacchati Tad Aham Bhaktyupahrtam Aśnāmi Prayatātmanah He who offers to Me with devotion a leaf, a…

The Mandukya Upanishad is the shortest Upanishad consisting of just 12 verses. This Upanishad is associated with the Atharva Veda and is also considered fifth among the canon of the…

When you study Sanskrit, you engage two subjects at the same time: The scholarly and the mystical. In my classes, I often share that Sanskrit is a meeting place of…

The Sanskrit word for truth is Satya. In our current climate, individually, politically, socially and spiritually, it feels more than ever that satya is to be studied. But how do we do…

The Kena Upanishad is called a mukhya, which means a Principle Upanishad. It centralizes around the first word in its title, ‘Kena,’ which, in Sanskrit, means ‘By Whom?’ The focus…

The Upanishads form some of the oldest Yogic teachings. Within their verses and stories, the reader will discover the vision of the Rishis. It is this vision, a kind of…

The often mis-quoted idea in Yoga is that Sanskrit is the oldest language in the world. When I ask students, “What is their understanding of Sanskrit?” Someone will often say…

It sounds like a funny question, but it’s been on my mind lately. How should one approach Sanskrit? Below I’ve listed Sanskrit Studies Method’s Five Key Principles For Approaching Sanskrit well….

The word Upanishad means to sit in proximity to. Upanishad is a Sanskrit word that derives from the elements upa + ni + sad. Upa + ni = proximity or…

The Durga Devi Puja was my teacher, Shri Brahmananda Sarasvati’s, favorite festival. He often ate very light during the festival and would remain absorbed in deep contemplation. Each morning he,…

Two months after I met my guru, Shri Brahmananda Sarasvati, I heard the Ātmabodha by Shankarācarya. I was in a car, with one of my teacher’s oldest students, George B….

I’ll never forget the time I taught a visiting Sanskrit scholar from India about Christmas. He visited for a month, which happened to be December. Since the festivities were beginning,…

There is a term that gets used when you learn Sanskrit it is called ‘The Sanskrit Tradition.’ When I first heard it, it caught me and I thought “Hmmm ‘The…

“Kalidasa is the Shakespeare of Sanskrit poetry.” This is the quote often repeated about the great kavi, Kalidasa. He is the author of numerous Sanskrit works including two epic poems:…

Chant Mantras Over Your Meal & The Elegant Art of Vegetable Picking I knew nothing about cooking. I grew up in the 1970’s where the main dishes in our house…

Question: Dear Manorama, Can you help me with the word mala? How it is used, as well as what does it mean when I hear the three malas, impurities? Thank…

Sound is powerful – it has effect. Listen to a harsh tone and watch your body recoil, hear the upbeat sounds of African music and notice how you feel enlivened…

In the Luminous Soul Method, Seva is the seventh pillar and is a Sanskrit word which means selfless service. As a practice, seva nourishes and supports both the receiver, as well as the…

Yoga Sutra Series Adhmimatra Powerful Effort in Yoga Practice with Manorama In the context of reviewing what is needed for the yogic practice to have full fruition. We were looking…

The root energies for the Mahā Bhūtas are subtle energies known as the Tanmātras. The second tanmātra to be aware of is Sparsha (spelled Sparśa). Sparśa Tanmātra is the primordial unmanifested form…