The Indian Wisdom Podcast

The Indian Wisdom Podcast

Hosted by: Dr. Raj Balkaran

Authentic ancient Indian wisdom teachings artfully applied to modern Western life. Grounded in scholarship and infused with live storytelling, this content is informative, entertaining, inspiring. Hosted by Dr....

All Episodes

Episodes

Ep 32 Arjuna's Aim: Meeting your Mark in the Mahābhārata and Beyond

Listen in as Dr. Raj sets the stage for the epic conversation between the master marksman Arjuna and his divine charioteer Kṛṣṇa comprising the Bhagavad GÄ«tā. Learn what this teaches your about ā€˜meeting your mark’ in...
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Ep 31 The Teacher’s Tests: Dhaumya and his Disciples

Why do traditional Indian teachers test their students?Ā  Is this about power, or something else? What is gained by jumping through such hoops? Hear the tale of Dhaumya and the tests he issues to three of his...
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Ep 30 Bhairava: Śiva’s Righteous Wrath

Can wrath be righteous? Can decapitation be divine? Hear the tale of when Śiva decapitates the Creator himself in order to teach him an important lesson. Hosted by Dr. Raj Balkaran, a Sanskrit scholar, seasoned...
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Ep 29 Harnessing Śiva’s Sacred Seed: The Extraordinary Birth of Skanda

This episode unpacks the rich symbology in the gods causing Śiva to spill his sacred seed in order to father Kārttikeya, General of the Celestial Army.  What can we learn about sacred masculine, sacred feminine and...
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Ep 28 Divine Decapitation

Gaṇeśa receives his elephant head as a replacement for his original, decapitated head at the hands of Śiva. What insights about the spiritual quest can we glean from this prima facia gruesome tale? Hosted by Dr. Raj...
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Ep 27 The Power of Play

Play is no mundane thing. It elicits joy (ānanda), which, according to the ancients is part and parcel of the divine presence. Indeed, all the world is even understood as the play of the divine (līlā).  Hear what...
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Ep 26 Guru’s Grace: The Wisdom of Sharing Wisdom

We have a special episode for you this week in celebration for the upcoming holiday associated with Sunday's full moon, Gur PÅ«rṇimā. Learn the story of a sage who mastered Vedic texts but needed to learn something...
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Ep 25 Indra’s Thunderbolt: Wielding the Secret Fire

Hear the tale of how Indra, King of Gods, defeats the serpent demon Vį¹›tra with the help of the great Sage DadÄ«chi, and his energized bones! This story is embodied in the yoga posture Vajrāsana (thunderbolt pose). The...
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Ep 24 The Sovereign and the Sage: Balancing Social and Spiritual Selves

Hear of the epic feud between Vasiṣṭha, best of sages, and king Viśvāmitra over the wish-fulfilling cow, and learn what it teaches about integrate social and spiritual selves. The Indian Wisdom Podcast is released...
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Ep 23 Hanumān and the Sun: Where Monkey Mind meets Spiritual Seeking

When young, Hanumān mistakes the rising Sun for a ripe mango, and flies to heaven to devour it.  He later realizes that this hunger was actually a thirst for spiritual knowledge and seeks out the Sun for spiritual...
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Ep 22 Hanumān’s Feminine Power

Why is Hanumān so powerful? Why is he ever chaste and without consort?  Hear the wisdom he learned from his mother about the power of the feminine force. The Indian Wisdom Podcast is released weekly and covers...
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Ep 21 SÄ«tā’s Separation: Reflections from the VālmÄ«ki Rāmāyaṇa

Why does Rāma abandon SÄ«tā after fighter so hard to win her back?Ā  What role does separation play in the Rāmāyaṇa? What can it teach you about how to deal with separation in your own life? The Indian Wisdom Podcast is...
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