Temple of Light

From Unreality to Reality

By Mahadeo Foundation2 Comments

From Unreality to Reality: The Brihadaranyaka Upanishad's Invocation for Truth: Asatoma sad gamaya To listen to this article as a podcast, please visit https://youtu.be/zgzT2crRNtk This ancient mantra is from the Brihadaranyaka Upanishad (1.3.28). It is called Pavamaana mantra, that is, a purification mantra (pavamaana means being purified). This unique mantra comprises three powerful lines, each a plea for guidance from a state of limitation to one of expansive reality. It is a profound invocation that encapsulates the very essence of the human spiritual quest. In its philosophical depth, it transcends mythological interpretations to offer a timeless prayer for enlightenment and…

Indian Immigration to the Caribbean

By Mahadeo Foundation0 Comments

Indian Immigration to the Caribbean: Shaping History, Culture, and Society, with a Focus on Guyana This paper was prepared for our Temple of Light presentation on May 5, 2025. The full paper can be viewed: As a flipbook: Flipbook on Indian Arrival As a paper on Academia.edu The podcast of this paper can be viewed/listened to here https://youtu.be/mLR_y11jH8k

Indian Immigration to Guyana, Indian Indentureship, Indian Indentureship to the Caribbean

The Water Cycle

By Mahadeo Foundation1 Comment

Let's take a look at the all-important Water Cycle of the Earth and what the Rig Veda tells us about it. You can listen to this article as a podcast here. The hymns of the ancient Rig Veda echo with a profound understanding of the natural world. Within its verses lies a remarkable observation about the very lifeblood of our planet: water. One particular passage, from the Rig Veda Book 2, Chapter 12, Verse 3, offers a poetic yet insightful glimpse into the workings of the water cycle, revealing an early appreciation for the sun's power and its intricate dance…

Aanandakanda Rishi Dayaanand

Ham aaj ek riṣhiraaj kee paavan kathaa sunaate hȧiAanand-kand Riṣhi Dayaanand kee gathaa gaate hȧiHam kathaa sunaate hȧiHam ek amar itihaas ke kuchh panne palaṭaate hȧiAanand-kand Riṣhi Dayaanand kee gathaa gaate hȧiHam kathaa sunaate hȧi Riṣhivar ko lakh praṇaamGuruvar ko lakh praṇaamDharma-dhurandhar munivar ko koṭi-koṭi praṇaamkoṭi-koṭi praṇaam Bhaarat ke prant gujraat mė ek graav hai ṭankaaraaUs gȧav ke braahman kul mė janmaa ik baalak pyaaraaBaalak ke pitaa the Karsan ji maa thee AmritbaaeeUs dampatee se ham sabne ek anmol nidhi paaeeHam ṭankaaraa kee puṇyabhoomi ko sheesh jhukaate hȧi Phir naamkaraṇ kee vidhi huee ik din Karasan jee ke gharAmritbaa kaa…

Happy Holika Dahan

By Mahadeo Foundation0 Comments

Tonight, we gather around the flames of Holika Dahan, a ritual as ancient as the stories we tell. But this isn't just a bonfire; it's a powerful symbol, a fiery reminder of the triumph of good over evil, light over darkness, and the enduring strength of the human spirit. Look at the flames dancing and reaching for the sky! They consume the effigy of Holika, representing all that holds us back: our fears, our doubts, our negativity. Just as those flames consume the dry wood, we too can burn away the burdens that weigh us down. Holika Dahan is a…

A unique blessing – the human mind

By Mahadeo Foundation1 Comment

A unique blessing – the human mind by Dr Vishwanie Heads What distinguishes us from other living things, including sub-human animals on this planet? What is this gift that we have been blessed with? It is the mind. This was beautifully explained by our guru, Swami Veda, using a mantra from the Hitopadesha 11.25. आहार निद्रा भय मैथुनं च सामान्यमेतत् पशुभिर्नराणाम्।धर्मो हि तेषामधिको विशेषः धर्मेण हीनाः पशुभिः समानाः ॥ Aahaara nidraa bhaya maithunam chasamaanyametat pashubhir-naraaṇaam.Dharmo hi teṣhaamadhiko visheṣhahdharmeṇa heenaah pashubhih samaanaah. Four urges drive all living things that we, as human beings, share with all non-humans. These are : 1. Aahaara…

Celebrating five years

By Mahadeo Foundation1 Comment

IT HAS BEEN FIVE YEARS for the Temple of Light! It is March 2025, and, this month, we celebrate the completion of five years of the Temple of Light. For more than one thousand and eight hundred days, we kept this, our daily prayer session going. Congratulations to all of you who have joined our daily prayers - you have been praying continuously for 5 years. That is a remarkable achievement! We prayed together through the COVID-19 crisis that affected the entire world; we prayed together during the threat to the democracy of Guyana; we prayed with our loved ones…

I am blessed – Part II

By Mahadeo Foundation2 Comments

अनुगृहितोऽसि – You are Blessed.अनुगृहिता अस्म्यहम् – I am Blessed. This is Part II of "I am blessed" You can listen to this episode by clicking here. The Upanishads favor us with a powerful concept, तत्त्वमसि (Tat-tvam-asi). In simple terms, this means "That I am." This unique and powerful statement, at one level, allows us to reflect on God, contemplate Godly qualities, and inculcate them into our lives and lifestyles. Let us consider for a moment - each of us has a spark of that supreme consciousness that has given:- life to this body made of lifeless matter,- energy to…

I am blessed – Part I

By Mahadeo Foundation1 Comment

अनुगृहितोऽसि – You are Blessed.अनुगृहिता अस्म्यहम् – I am Blessed. During this month of February 2025, we contemplate the blissful nature of God and try to appreciate how truly and massively blessed we all are. God is bliss; he blesses us all the time. His Creation of the sun, earth, moon, planets, stars - and all of nature - provides a basis for our very existence - and He gave us the gift of life! The Yajur Veda (40.1) and the 1st verse of the Isha Upanishad remind us that He has created the world and everything in it for…

I am blessed. (Wallpaper)

By Mahadeo Foundation2 Comments

Free poster/wallpaper for download and share. Download Link

Swami Veda Bharati

By Mahadeo Foundation1 Comment

Mahamandaleshwara, Guru, Leader, and Scholar par excellence.Swami Veda Bharati has had an outstanding life of service and dedication to peace and tranquility. His astonishing life was an example of dedication, discipline, and success. At a tender 4 years of age, he started memorizing the Sanskrit rules and was respected as a child prodigy who, at 9 years of age, began to teach the Vedas, which were fully memorized.As Pt Usharbudh Arya, he gave thankless service to the Arya Samaj movement and contributed significantly singularly to its militancy in Guyana. He birthed the Arya Vir Dal Movement, a militant youth movement…

Pt Usharbudh Arya, Swami Veda Bharati