Meditating Bhagavan Vishnu holding a Shivalinga in His palm, Bali (Indonesian). The Shaiva traditions of Indonesia see Lord Vishnu essentially as a form of Lord Shiva.हाथ में शिवलिङ्ग ले कर ध्यानस्थ गरुडवाही भगवान् विष्णु, बाली (इण्डोनेशिया)। इण्डोनेशिया की शैव परम्पराओं में भगवान् विष्णु को भगवान् सदा शिव का ही स्वरूप माना जाता है।
In 1940, archaeologist M.S. Vats discovered three Shiva Lingas at Harappa, dating more than 5000 years old. This rare archival photo shows that ancient Shiva Linga as it was being excavated from the Harappa site.सन् १९४० में, पुरातत्त्ववेत्ता एम०एस० वत्स ने हड़्प्पा में ५००० वर्ष से अधिक प्राचीन ३ शिवलिङ्गों की खोज की थी। १९४० के इस दुर्लभ चित्र में उत्खनन के दौरान निकल रहे शिवलिङ्ग को देखा जा सकता है। Source: http://www.indiadivine.org/news/articles-on-hinduism/5000-year-old-shiva-linga-found-at-harappa-r749
Mughal Prince Dara Shikoh translating the Upanishads.Dara Shikoh was the eldest & preferred son of Shah Jahan, the builder of the Taj Mahal. He was an enlightened Muslim, a sufi scholar and saint, having translated all the Upanishads from the Persian. Yet he remained a Muslim, starting all this translations by invoking Allah's name. But because Aurangzeb was jealous, he had Dara imprisoned and then beheaded for apostasy. If Dara Shikoh had become emperor, the whole of history of Islam in India - and even in the world, would have been different. Today every western nation is desperately looking for the type of moderate and tolerant Islam that Dara embodied - but cannot find it anymore.
FACT, has mounted a unique exhibition on Dara Shikoh with the help of Professor V.S. Bhatnagar, ex dean of Rajasthan University , department of History and our team of miniature painters in Jaipur. Each scene is properly documented and historically accurate, such as the one below showing Dara Shikoh translating the Upanishads with two pandits from Benares. It is now permanently exhibited in Shivaji Maharaj Museum of Indian History, Pune.
See the pictures of the exhibition online here:
http://dara-shikoh.blogspot.in/
"Pagan" elders from various countries meet at Swami Ganapati Saccidananda's Ashram in India. Just saw this picture of today on a friend's wall, but couldn't find any related news online. From the caption it seems that Pagan traditions have lived on in various parts of the world, openly or under disguise, despite persecution by major world religions. It also seems that many lecturers spoke about the similarities of their native "Pagan" traditions with Hinduism.
Tirupati Balaji on the currency of the Republic of Palau:Last year, the Government of the Republic of Palau, an island country located in the western Pacific Ocean, released coins dedicated to Tirupati Balaji. Further news:
Original article-thehindu.com
Trimurti - Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva - at the Metropolitan Museum of Arts, New York City. USA.
Vedic Gods Ashvini-kumaras (अश्विनी-कुमार) in ancient Europe:
Most Vedic scriptures celebrate the two heavenly twins, the Ashvini Kumaras, also known as Nasatya (kind, helpful) and Dasra (enlightened giving). Also known as Deva-Bhishak (doctors of the Divine beings) they are the patron Gods of Ayurveda. The Twin Pandavas, Nakula and Sahadeva, were considered incarnations of the Divine Twins. The Divine twin brothers were worshiped in ancient Greece and Rome as Castor and Pollux; Ašvieniai in Lithuania and Dieva Deli in ancient Latvia. The Lithuanian name comes closest to their Vedic Sanskrit name. Not altogether forgotten, even today one can see two horses on top of many ancient buildings in Latvia and Lithuania and on top of many ancient temples across the Baltic and North Germanic lands, which is a reminder of this ancient tradition of worshiping the Ashvini-kumaras in ancient Europe.
