Gori Temple, Pakistan

महावीर जयंती 2026: सत्य और अहिंसा के अग्रदूत भगवान महावीर के जीवन का सार और उनके अनमोल विचार #MahavirJayanti #LordMahavir #Jainism #Ahimsa #PeaceAndLove #LiveAndLetLive #SpiritualIndia #MahavirJayanti2026 #JainFestival #NonViolence #MahavirJayanti #Peace#MahavirJayanti2026 #Jainism #MahavirSwami

https://vrnewslive.com/mahavir-jayanti-2026-jainism-live-and-let-live-jain/

Mahavir Jayanti 2026: सत्य और अहिंसा के अग्रदूत भगवान महावीर के जीवन का सार और उनके अनमोल विचार - VR NEWS LIVE NEWS

Mahavir Jayanti 2026: सत्य और अहिंसा के अग्रदूत भगवान महावीर के जीवन का सार और उनके अनमोल विचार

VR News Live

Parts of Ranakpur Jain Temple interior were lit by the direct afternoon sunbeams, when I was there. And I was hunting for the spots where fragments of carvings were in the light contrasting with much darker surrounding.

More: https://buff.ly/AMItTQ7

And yes, it is one of my favourite places among many jewels of #Rajasthan in #India.

#architecture #indianart #photography #chasinglight #chasingthelight #photographyistheart #travelphotography #religion #jainism

Dharma

This is a main concept in many Indian religions. It comes from the Sanskrit dhr-, meaning ‘to hold, to support.’ Referring to the law that sustains things. In its most used sense, dharma refers to a person’s moral responsibilities or duties.

In Hinduism, dharma denotes behavior considered to be in accord with Rta (the order & custom that make life & the universe possible). This includes duties, rights, laws, conduct, virtues, & ethics to form the “righteous way of living.” Dharma is believed to have trans-temporal validity & is 1 of the Purusartha.

In the Hindu tradition, Dharma isn’t a “1 size fits all” kind of deal. Often it’s divided into 2 primary categories:

  • Sanatana Dharma (The Eternal Way)
    • This refers to the absolute, universal duties that apply to everyone.
  • Varnashrama Dharma (Specific Duty)
    • This is where history & culture get complex. It suggests that your specific duty is determined by your stage in life (ashrama) & your role in society (varna).

Much of Indian epic literature, like the Mahabharata, focuses on “Dharma Yuddha” (a righteous war). The Bhagavad Gita is essentially a 700-verse philosophical crisis where the warrior Arjuna must decide between his familial affection & his Kshatriya (warrior) dharma.

In Buddhism, dharma (in Pali: dhamma) refers to the teachings of THE Buddha & to the true nature of reality. The Dharma is the “truth” that the Buddha realized under the Bodhi tree. It is symbolized by the Dharmachakra (the 8-Spoked Wheel), representing the Noble 8-Fold Path.

In Buddhist philosophy, dhamma/dharma is also the term for specific “phenomena” & the ultimate truth. In a technical sense, “dharmas” refer to the fundamental building blocks of experience. It’s the 2nd of the “Triple Gem” (Buddha, Dhamma, Sangha) that a practitioner looks to for liberation from suffering (dukkha).

In Jainism, dharma refers to the teachings of Tirthankara (Jina) & the body of doctrine of purification & moral transformation. Jainism agrees that Dharma involves virtue (specifically the “10 Virtues,” like forgiveness & humility), & it also defines Dharma as a substance called Dharmastikaya. This is the principle of motion. Just as water lets fish swim, Dharma is the medium that lets souls & matter move through the universe.

In Sikhism, dharma indicates the path of righteousness, proper religious practices, & performing moral duties.

The antonym (opposite) of dharma is adharma (“not dharma”). In common usage, adharma means that which is against nature, immoral, unethical, wrong, or unlawful. In Buddhism, dharma integrates the teachings & doctrines of the founder of Buddhism, the Buddha.

In the mid-20th century, an inscription of the Indian Mauryan Emperor Asoka from the year 258 BCE was found in Afghanistan, the Kandahar Bilingual Rock Inscription. This rock inscription contains Greek & Aramaic texts.

After a bloody conquest of Kalinga, Ashoka was struck by/with remorse. He converted to Buddhism & replaced the policy of Dig-vijaya (conquest by force) with Dharma-vijaya (conquest by piety). He carved “Dharma Edicts” onto massive stone pillars & rocks throughout the Indian subcontinent.

They weren’t just religious texts. They were also administrative orders promoting religious tolerance, animal welfare, & the planting of medicinal herbs.

The evolving literature of Hinduism links dharma to 2 other important ideals: Rta & Maya. Rta, in the Vedas, is the truth, & cosmic principle which regulates & coordinates the operation of the universe & everything within it. Maya, in the Rig-veda & later literature, means illusion, fraud, deception, magic that misleads & creates disorder. Thus is contrary to reality, laws, & rules that establish order, predictability & harmony.

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DonateDonate monthlyDonate yearly #10Virtures #258BCE #8SpokedWheel #Adharma #Afghanistan #Aramaic #Arjuna #Ashrama #BhagavadGita #BodhiTree #Buddha #Buddhism #Dhamma #Dharma #DharmaEdicts #DharmaYuddha #DharmaVijaya #Dharmachakra #Dharmastikaya #DigVijaya #Dukkha #EmperorAsoka #Greek #Hindu #Hinduism #India #Jainism #Jina #Kalinga #Kshatriya #Mahabharata #Mauryan #Maya #Noble8FoldPath #Pali #Purusartha #RigVeda #Rta #SanatanaDharma #Sangha #Sanskrit #Sikhism #TheEternalWay #Tirthankaras #TripleGem #Varna #VarnashramaDharma #Vedas
📍Chitharāl hill temple, Tamil Nadu, India

Chitharāl(சிதறால்) rock temple is on a hill called Thiruchāranathu hill(திருச்சாரணத்துமலை) ~5km from Marthandam off NH 66 to Kanyakumari. This route goes through the village of Thikkurishy off the road to Thiruvattar. The actual village of Chitharāl is on the other side of the hill. The hill temple is a protected monument under ASI and there's a small entry fee at the trek gate. Toilets, drinking water and snacks are only available at the entrance.

There's a stone paved path all the way to the temple, and it's a gentle slope so it's an easy trek. Some of the rock outcrops are steep and will expose you to high wind and harsh sunlight but these are optional if you're only there for the temples! The hill range runs roughly parallel to the coast with northeast side landward and southwest seaward. Trek starts on the landward side but temple faces the Arabian Sea.

The oldest part of the temple is the reliefs on the north side chiefly: left the couple Pārśvanātha and Padmāvatī, center a lotus-pose Jain tirthankara and right Ambika with 2 children and leaning on a lion. Ambika is also known as a goddess in #hinduism and that #sculpture is still worshiped here. Based on inscriptions and the dates of prevalence of #jainism here, these reliefs could be anywhere from 1st century BC to 6th century AD.

The temple on the west side and the roof structure on the rock above are masonry and were built later. There's a triangular shallow pond in front of the temple. Inscriptions on a rock face to the south of the temple are dated 28th regnal year of the Āy king Vikramaditya Varaguṇaṉ(விக்கிரமாதித்த வரகுணன்) . This is ~911/912AD so the temple dates to before that. There are steps cut in the side of this inscribed rock to climb and enjoy the view of the surrounding forest and greenery. Part of the roof structure on top was restored in modern times and the roof over the reliefs also seems to be recent.

#tamilnadu #history #hills #forest

The History of Sushruta and the Famous 'Indian Nose Job'

The famous Cowasji’s unknown “plastic surgeon” was not an elite Ayurvedist, but was nevertheless a skilled practitioner, and belonged to the larger traditions and knowledge-systems of medicine in the subcontinent.

by Dr. Kiran Kumbhar
The Wire
January 16, 2026

https://thewire.in/history/the-history-of-sushruta-and-the-famous-indian-nose-job


#India #Asia #caste #CasteSystem #bahujan #IndianNoseJob #NoseJob #surgery #PlasticSurgery #Ayurveda #Sushruta #SushrutaSamhita #Charaka #CharakaSamhita #Adivasi #Buddhism #Jainism #VedicSociety
The History of Sushruta and the Famous 'Indian Nose Job' - The Wire

The famous Cowasji’s unknown “plastic surgeon” was not an elite Ayurvedist, but was nevertheless a skilled practitioner, and belonged to the larger traditions and knowledge-systems of medicine in the subcontinent.

The Wire
Old Jain temple of Amarsagar, near Jaisalmer/ Rajasthan (India).
(February 2017)
(Foto: © Rüdiger Benninghaus)
#Jain_temples, #Jainism, #Architektur, #architecture, #Ornamentik, #Amarsagar, #Jaisalmer, #Rajasthan, #Indien, #India

Did Jain's conduct any genocide? Apart from Jainism, all religions have conducted genocides.

#Religion #Jainism #Genocide

Happy Diwali to our readers and all who celebrate 🪔 Hindus, Sikhs, Jains and Newar Buddhists all over the world are celebrating the 'festival of lights' 🕯️
🔴⚪️🔵🟡🟠🟢🟣

#Diwali #FestivalofLights #Hindus #Sikhs #Jains
#Deepavali #NewarBuddhists #Hinduism
#Sikhism #Jainism #Birmingham #BirminghamUK