Join Mukunda as he speaks with Dr. Edward Butler, Caitlin Storm Breaker, Jim Two Snakes,

Meru Media

Around the Polytheistic Campfire: A Conversation with Modern Polytheists

Join Mukunda and Shahada Hasan of the Brown Pundits, as they speak to Dr. Seema

Meru Media and Brown Pundits From Ancient Kama to Modern Seduction: A Conversation with Dr. Seema Anand

Join Mukunda as he speaks with Sri Rama Ramanuja Achari, also known as Rami Sivan,

An Acharya from the West: A Conversation with Sri Rama Ramanuja Achari

Join Mukunda and Krishna as they speaks to Professor Bibek Debroy. Prof. Debroy is a polymath, polyglot and a man for all seasons. He is currently the Chief Advisor to the Prime Minister of India on the Economic Advisory Council. He is additionally a translator of the Vedas, Puranas, Bhagavad Gita and now the Mahabharata. In this episode, we discuss a host of topics including: 00:01:10 Introduction to Professor Bibek Debroy and his background and how he went from economics to translating a huge corpus of Sanskrit literature 00:18:50 The inspiration and role of Dogs in Vedas and Itihasas, all three of us love dogs and have dogs 00:22:00 Mahabharata and Puranas translation process and inspirations, what is your methodology of translations 00:29:20 Bengali culture and translating of the Mahabharata 00:32:00 Veda Vyasa, Mahabharata and intertextual mesh with the Puranas 00:38:55 How did the translation process change you or your pre-conceived notions 00:41:30 Why is Indian society not very familiar with lifeblood of Hinduism, the Puranas 00:44:50 Story of Rama and the dog in the Ramayana 00:49:15 The Many Gitas of the Mahabharata and Puranas 00:57:15 What role do the Mahabharata and Puranas play in today in modern governance 01:04:20 How do we teach Dharma today, Dharma economic alternative to capitalism and socialism 01:15:30 Final points and love for discovery in the Shastras

The Journey of Translations: A Conversation with Prof. Bibek Debroy

Join Mukunda as he speaks to Professor Raj Balkaran, Oxford Centre of Hindu Studies. He is a scholar of the Puranas and Narratives and the author of The Goddess and the King in Indian Myth. He is also the host of an amazing podcast called New Books in Indian Religions. In this episode, we discuss a host of topics including: 00:01:10 Introduction to Professor Balkaran and his background, unique journey into Hinduism and academia 00:20:00 The experience of being Hindu and Brown in the West 00:23:30 The difficultly of defining and teaching Hinduism, A profound diversity and ecosystem 00:34:30 The tapestry of the Shastras, in particular the Mahabharata and the Ramayana, and the nature of violence 00:45:50 The paradox of Dharma, the Dharmic double helix 00:55:40 Narrative and Framing of Shastras, particularly the Puranas 01:00:30 Prof. Balkaran’s spiritual journey 01:12:30 Academia and the Shastras 01:19:00 Discussion on the Devi Mahatmya and the ring narrative 01:30:10 What is Markendaya’s role in the Puranas and Privritti and Nivritti Dharma 01:31:35 The importance of the Azhwars and how the pasurams become the Divya Prabandam 01:41:40 What role do the King and Merchant have in the Devi Mahatmya 01:48:50 Karma, Vasanas, Moksha and living in the world 01:54:40 Back and forth discussion on Free Will vs Karma 02:10:40 The Narrative power of the Shastras 02:16:10 Prof. Balkaran’s upcoming works and courses along with online education 02:21:00 Prof. Balkaran’s closing thoughts 02:23:10 Why the podcast is called Meru Media

Narrative and the Puranas: A Conversation with Prof. Raj Balkaran

Join Mukunda and Krishna as we speak to Professor Archana Venkatesan, Professor of Religious Studies at University of California, Davis. She is an expert and translator of Tamil Bhakti poetry specifically the poetry or pasurams of the Azhwars, a group of saints, poets and mystics from what is now Tamil Nadu from the 6th to 9th centuries of the common era.

Tamil Poetry and the Azhwars: A Conversation with Prof. Archana Venkatesan

Join Mukunda as he speaks to Professor Sthaneshwar Timalsina, Professor of Religious Studies at San Diego State University. He is also a qualified Acharya and has been trained in Sanskrit and Shastras since he was a child. He is an expert on Tantra and Abhinavagupta, a 10th century polymath genius who worked on philosophy, drama, math, music, aesthetics, and other areas. Acharya Sthaneshwar is also Founder of the Vimarsha Foundation, a 501c(3) non-profit that engages in expounding and maintaining the Kashmiri Shaivism tradition.

Tantra and Abhinavagupta: A Conversation with Professor Sthaneshwar Timalsina (audio podcast version)

Join Mukunda Raghavan and Krishna Parthasarathy as they speak with Dushyanth Sridhar, a Pauranika scholar,

Sri Vaishnava Dharma, Modernity and an Upanyasaka: A Conversation with Dushyanth Sridhar

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