Guru Sitaram Goel explains away the mindset & psyche of the "beef eating Hindu" types in his own unique & distinctive style in his book "Hindu Society Under Siege". No one puts it across with such piercing clarity as guru SRG does. I'll just quote him in the next few tweets (1)

A THREAD detailing the daily routine of Hindu emperors of the past during peace time. Once we are done through with the thread, one will realize what a contrast the present day secular state is to the Hindu Samrajyas of the past. As to how far we've moved away from tradition (1)

As an example we'll have a look at the life of Vijayanagara samrat Vira Narasimharaya. He was the elder brother of the great Shri Krishnadevaraya. Each aspect of Narasimharaya's life has been chronicled in detail in the Raayavacakam (2)

The day of Narasimharaya started with him waking up during the auspicious Brahma muhurta time (between 4:30 am to 6 am). First thing in the morning he'd listen to reading of books both on Dharma & statecraft. He'd then proceed to look at his own reflection in the mirror (3)

He'd then proceed to the gau-shala & touch a cow to seek her blessings. This is followed by performing of daily ablutions. He'd then put the the urdhva pundra (tilak) on his forehead. Before proceeding to the audience hall, he'd have a darshan of learned Brahmanas. (4)

While seated on the throne in the audience hall, the very first thing Narasimharaya would receive is the tirtha and the prasada of 108 Vishnu temples (divya desams), the sacred vibhuti, sandal paste and prasada of the 72 Shiva temples of the empire. (5)

THREAD ---->>

Today is Vaikuntha Chaturdashi. A day dedicated to both Lord Shiva & Maha Vishnu. The significance of this day and the vratha to be observed is described in a very detailed manner in the Kartikamasa mahatmya of the Vaishnava khanda in the Skanda puranam. (1)

On this very day during the Sathya yuga Lord Maha Vishnu went to Kashi to have a darshana of Mahadeva. Before proceeding for the darshana he took a bath at the Manikarnika ghat & in the process took a 1000 golden Lotus with him to worship Shiva. (2)

Vishnu took a 1000 lotuses to perform the Sahasranama for Shiva (1 lotus for 1 name). In order to test Vishnu's devotion, Shiva secretly takes away 1 lotus before the worship. Nearing the end of the Sahasranama, Vishnu realizes he is short by 1 lotus (3)

Vishnu wondered if the shortfall in the lotuses was due to a error in counting of the lotuses or error in reciting of the 1000 names.

He concluded there has been no mistake in reciting the 1000 names. The mistake must've been the in counting the lotuses. (4)

Vishnu had resolved at the outset for a worship with a 1000 lotuses.

"How shall Mahadeva be worshiped when lotuses are short by one. If I go to fetch one, I will have to break the rule of continuous sitting. Now what should be done?"

Vishnu was worried with this thought (5)

THREAD on Hindu Architecture.

Recently when the 3D renders for the new Parliament building was was made public, it was mostly met with criticism here on twitter. Criticized for failing to incorporate elements of architecture which represent splendour of our Hindu civilization(1)

While many may say it is unfair to criticize a design just based on 3D renders, there is a reason why this criticism holds good in this case. It is the same reason why we haven't been able to construct... (2)

..any noteworthy public building since 1947 reflective of our ancient & classical culture(rare exceptions exist though).

The reason being the complete abandonment a huge vast ocean of literature on Hindu architecture. (3)

Coming back to the new Parliament building, its design & why it lacks traditional aesthetics. The problem is far more fundamental. The Central Vista & Lutyens was designed & constructed to serve the British Crown. (4)

The fundamental flaw isn't with the new Parliament building, rather the flaw is in the design of Lutyens itself (which is basically a mini township)

The new parliament building is just a continuation of this flaw which we have failed to remedy till now (5)

Thread

Vaikunta Ekadasi good wishes to all Hindus who are observing the Vrata today. The significance & benefits of keeping a fast today is explained in the Uttara Khanda of the Padma Purana. Today the mind must be firmly fixated on Narayana only.

Puja at our place today 🕉️ (1)

Before narrating the origins of Ekadasi, Shri Krishna explains to Yudhisthira the benefits to be had by keeping a fast on Ekadasi. Krishna says the one who keeps a fast on Ekadasi accrues more punya than performing the Ashvamedha. (2)

Krishna says keeping a fast on Ekadasi is 100 times more meritorious than giving Gau-dhana to a Brahmana who has mastered the Vedas. Krishna says those who fast on the Ekadasi day are equal to those in whose bodies live the three deities Brahma, Vishnu & Shiva. (3)

Krishna says to Yudhisthira that even the performance of a thousand Yajnas is not equal to keeping the Ekadasi Vrata. such is the power of keeping a fast today. (4)

To Yudhisthira's query on the origins of Ekadasi, Shri Krishna goes on to narrate the story of the extremely powerful asura Murasura, in whose slaying lies the origins of Ekadasi. Mura who lived during the Satya yuga had taken away by force Indra's abode. (5)

1/ Thought it was strange to see an ostensibly hard Left "No Pasaran" publisher come out with a "Jewish Pride" text so decided to do a little digging into the company.

2/ Not much detail on their Twitter other than the usual stuff plus being "against Left antisemitism"

3/ Website equally vague

4/ Noted the address and put it through Companies House to see who is really behind "No Pasaran media."

5/ Found the result. Time to click on "People."

In Islamic eschatology, the world will be flooded by a mighty invasion in the end of days.

The great army of the monstrous Yajuj and Majuj (Gog and Magog) will rampage throughout the earth.

A thread-

Yajuj and Majuj are mentioned in the Qur’an (Kahf and Anbiya).

They are sealed away behind a mighty wall by a legendary king, Dhul al-Qarnayn who is frequently linked to Alexander the Great and occasionally Cyrus the Great, though neither are exact matches

It is commonly believed they scratch at the wall daily, tearing nearly through until God intervenes and restores the barrier.

Thus sealed away, the world is safe from Yajuj and Majuj, that is, until the end of days.

Once released they are so numerous it is said when they come upon Tiberias lake or the Tigris and Euphrates they will drink it dry.

When they stand in formation their army stretches from Syria to ends of Persia.

Islamic eschatology regularly features the idea of an invading army and a great battle and Yajuj and Majuj is central to the narrative.

Does Islam teach men to oppress women?🧵

A dispassionate study of the primary sources of
Islam, along with an analysis of the position of
women in societies where Islam was implemented, shows that Islam's emergence was a blessing for women and it drastically improved their previously poor status.

As far as relationship to God is concerned, there is absolutely no difference between men & women. Both are promised reward/punishment according to their conduct.

In addition to the verses which makes both genders one product in regard to spirituality, Quran, in addressing believers, often uses the expression 'believing men & women' to emphasize their equality in regard to their respective duties, rights, virtues & merits. Examples:

Quran being the rulebook for muslims demonstrates how certain things should be done which also includes rules regarding marriage, behaviour between spouses, separate rights of them which cant be taken away, Allah's warnings against pressuring/confining the wife etc some verses:

One key element of the Islamic intellectual tradition is the commentary. Commentaries on the Qurʼan (tafsīr) began early in Islamic history, but from about the 12th or 13th century, well into the 19th, commentaries on other scholarly texts became extremely common. -jm

Usually a commentary is called a sharḥ, and a supercommentary (i.e. a commentary on a commentary) is called a ḥāshiyah. Sometimes you get all the way up to a fourth- or fifth-level supercommentary. -jm

Sometimes it's hard to even tell what the "core text" is, because even a very famous text that's the core of many commentaries might present itself as an abridgement or comment on something even earlier. -jm

Commentaries might serve multiple purposes: to explain obscure grammar or vocabulary, to dig into particular legal cases, etc. Even to show why the core text is wrong. Eventually you get some Ottoman Turkish commentaries that translate Persian poems and then comment on them. -jm

Authors of commentaries often mark quotes from the core text by key words like "qawluhu" ("what he said") and manuscripts often emphasize this by writing these words in red or putting a line over the quoted text, so you can figure out who is talking. -jm