Jayaram's Blog Posts

Now and then, I will write here about my views and responses to whatever that attracts my attention and interest. If you want to participate, please send me your opinion through the contact form available on the site.

The Travails of Aging and Dying

Suffering is inherent to life. It becomes even more glaring as you start aging. Especially in the last part of your life, you increasingly become a passive witness to the life around you.

My Dog Oscar

I am writing about dogs, because I had a dog named Oscar for 17 full years...

Knowledge, Perception and Reality

Is knowledge self-existent or self-created? Does it exist on its own, and how far our minds and senses are able to translated the knowledge of the world without delusion and distortion?

The Paradox of Mahatma Gandhi

Mahatma Gandhi said, "Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever." Then he went on eating peanuts, drinking goat milk, and fasting occasionally to lighten up his body, and spent a large part of his life in jails or penance...

The Earth is Still in Ice Age

One of the popular misconceptions about the earth and its climate is that the so-called Ice age, which started about 2.6 million years ago came to an end long back, and currently we are in a warmer age. The fact is that the ice age never ends upon earth. We are still...

A Rationalist Can Be as Deceptive...

Be it religion or rationalism, the quality or utility of any method or philosophy depends upon the people who use them. A rationalist is not necessarily progressive, advanced or well informed. Many people claim themselves as rationalists...

Controlling Artificial Intelligence

The world is on the verge of making many breakthroughs in the field of artificial intelligence. There are concerns that artificial intelligence may eventually take over the world. Then, we have counter assurances from some that it will not happen...

Mass Extinction of Life Upon Earth

We cannot accurately estimate how climate changes will affect the earth, how much of that change is caused by human activity and how much by the forces of Nature. However, what is certain is that the continued destruction of plant and animal life forms will...

Infinite Possibilities in Small Infinities

No one lives forever, except perhaps in the memory of certain people. Even that no one can guarantee because those who remember also do not live forever. Our lifespan upon earth is limited. Some may live longer and some for a short while, but in the end everyone has to die.

Dealing With Language Barriers

I often come across people who tell me that I should not use certain English words to express Hindu concepts. For example, they keep saying that the word soul is not the same as Atma or meditation is not the same as dhyana. They also find fault with me for using...

The Tenacity and Resilience of the Hindu

In my conversations outside India, people told me several times that they met many Indians and found them to be "nice and gentle," but never rude. Some even said that it was not the case with the people from neighboring countries. They found them to be different...

Why is The Night Sky Dark?

Why is the night sky dark? If I ask you this question, you may wonder whether it requires any answer at all because many people assume that the sky in the night is dark because the sun is on the other side of the earth. I too thought so, but I now know that ...

Learning From Nature

Nature is a set of causes, which are bound to rules, procedures, formulas and principles, which are already inherent in it. They are universal, consistent and verifiable. Hence, much of what happens in Nature is predictable and repeatable. The Samkhya School...

The Mystery of Life and Death

Imagine you are traveling in a spaceship at the speed of light. Day by day you are moving towards a giant black hole, which is twenty light years away. In retrospect you remember that your journey began few years ago out of nowhere. You did not ask for it. You were ...

Same Sex Relationships and Karma

One of the central features of Hinduism is belief in rebirth. Each soul goes through numerous births and deaths before it achieves liberation. Belief in rebirth also leads to several other beliefs. For example, Hindus believe that marriage is between two souls...

Rivalry between Shaivism and Vaishnavism

Few years ago I happened to attend a satsang (a get together) organized by a Hindu temple on the occasion of Mahashivrathri, which is a very sacred day for the devotees of Shiva. The temple arranged a team of singers from the local community to sing devotional songs on the occasion.

My Early Encounters With Atheism

When I was a child, I knew a few atheists from Hindu families, who believed in Communism and took active part in social movements and in castigating superstition, blind faith and other problems. They considered themselves rational people, admired Soviet communism...

Telugu Language and It Connection with Sanskrit

One of the reasons I am able to translate Sanskrit texts into English with some ease is that Telugu happens to be my first language, where I am automatically introduced to the subtle nuances of Sanskrit. In Telugu many old and archaic Sanskrit words and phrases come...

It is Doubtful Whether Mars Ever Had Large Oceans

Let me be the first one to say this. Considering whatever images and information I found on NASA and other places, I can say that Mars probably never had large oceans like the ones we see here on earth. Undoubtedly, it has many earth like features, but looks are deceptive.

Information and Its Role in Today's World

In this age, information is power. Those who control the flow of information control the world. And it usually rests with those who have the money to buy and sell influence as news, publicity and entertainment. Some companies have minted money by doing it...

Are We Truly Living in an Information age?

We call our age information age. However, let us think about it honestly. Undoubtedly, today we have access to a lot of information. Within minutes, you can find any information you want. Each day, billions of words are written and posted on the social networks...

Is Collective Wisdom Better Than Individual Wisdom?

There is a general belief that two people are better than one, three better than two, and so on. This is done to promote the idea of unity, synergy, and team work. It is true that the sum of parts is better than any individual parts. However, it looks like we often over stretch...

Why make Commercial Movies Only When most of Them Fail?

Almost 95% Indian films are gaudy, bawdy, decadent and completely detached from reality. It is almost painful to watch characters that are created according to specific stereotypes with undertones of racism, regionalism, and gender discrimination. Critics argue...

Killing Elephants and Wildlife

No planet in the solar system has the potential to sustain life in a natural habitat. Yet we keep destroying all wildlife indiscriminately. In the next fifty years we are going to wipe out most of marine life, and many birds and animals that are going to become extinct forever.

Failure in American Culture

Failure is not easily appreciated in American culture. American enterprise thrives on individual success. There is not much importance for seniority or experience. In fact, there is a discrimination against aged people in several companies although they will never openly tell...

Who is an enemy of God?

It is my conviction that an atheist is not an enemy of God. An atheist does not believe in God. And there is no sin in that. You cannot blame someone if they want to trust their senses rather your and my word. In my opinion it is another kind of faith in the non-existence of God.

The politicization of Islam

Anyone who is familiar with Islam agrees that it has many positive features such as its emphasis upon unconditional surrender to God, and submission to His will, its commitment to a certain way of life that would purify the mind and heart, a child like faith in the word of God...

My Aim is not to teach or preach

My aim is neither to preach nor teach, but inform about what I believe in and stand for, and about my choices and convictions. I do not care what religion you practice and in whom you believe. I have no quarrel with you just because you are in a different mindset and hold different opinions.

Is fanaticism tolerated in Hinduism? e

I would prefer to answer this from the perspective of the scriptures not from the perspective of Hindus since Hindus are not an organized community and their numerous opinions on this subject cannot be summarized or generalized. The Bhagavadgita says clearly that those who...

Religion vs. Spirituality

First, you have to decide is whether you are a religious person or a spiritual person. If you are a religious person, you have to see how far you will take your religion seriously. For me religion is a stepping stone, a phase in the spiritual life of an aspirant. Religion is...

Reinterpretation of the Samkhya Philosophy

Life is a combination of these three: random events, mechanical processes and intelligent actions. Probably the random events are also mechanical processes; but at this stage we do not have the knowledge to know as such. Because we are made to be unpredictable...

Reply to a Racist and a Religious Bigot

Someone from Iona College, Brisbane, Australia, an independent Catholic Boys School, owned and administered by the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate, sent me this hate mail, "I am racist and I hate you, how does this make you feel?" Here is my reply...

Yoga and Hinduism

Sometime back, I presented a video on the origin and history of yoga in which I made a statement that yoga was India's unique contribution to the world. I also added that it was a more intense form of prayer and religious worship, and a way of reaching out to God...

Legalizing Marijuana

If smoking marijuana is legalized for recreational purposes, it will go down in history as one of the worst mistakes of the 21st century made by any country with far-reaching consequences for the physical, moral and spiritual wellbeing of the entire nation.

Existence and Non-Existence of Truth and Knowledge - An Essay

You know that you exist, but for those who do not know you, who have never met you, you do not exist. There was a time when the two American contnents did not exist for the world. There was also a time when the earth itself did not exist...