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 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 Sītā’s Separation: Reflections from the Vālmīki Rāmāyaṇa

Why does Rāma abandon Sītā after fighter so hard to win her back?  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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Ep 20 The Wisdom of Creative Inspiration: The Primordial Poet and Sanskrit’s “First Verse”

Hear the tale of the great sage Vālmīki and the painful process whereby he births Sanskrit verse, with which he composes the story of Rāma. The Indian Wisdom Podcast is released weekly and covers traditional Indian...
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Ep 19 The Three Wishes

What is the best thing to wish for? What would you wish for if you had three wishes? Hear of the strife and wisdom which entails when Shiva grants a man a wish fulfilling mantra that gives him three wishes… In this...
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Ep 18 The Stories Behind the Poses: Which Warrior for Warrior Pose?

Why are yoga poses named about mythic characters? In this episode, Dr. Raj discusses the relationship between mythic stories and yoga poses. He also talks about the backstory of his book “The Stories Behind the Poses"...
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Ep 17 Is Reality More than the Material? An Interview with Modern Philosopher Bernardo Kastrup

This week we're sharing an exciting crosspost and conversation with Bernardo Kastrup, PhD from the New Books Network: New Books in Indian Religions podcast. At the vanguard of the modern renaissance of metaphysical...
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Ep 16 Mārkaṇḍeya’s Metamorphosis: The Story of Staying Forever Young

Hear Dr. Raj tell the story of Sage Mārkaṇḍeya, the boon that brought him into the world, and the boon that grants him immortal life, forever young, ever sixteen. How do we know when we are making the right decision,...
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Ep 15 The Triumph of the Goddess

Tales of Durga from the Devī Māhātmya (The Greatness of the Goddess) continued: the creation of Kālī, the Seven Mothers, and the Goddess’ ultimate triumph over demonic foe. What would the world look like if we took...
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Ep 14 The Birth of Kālī

Continuing our look into the "Glory of the Goddess," the story of the Devī Māhātmya, this episode features the birth of terrifying Kālī from the indignant wrath of the Goddess. Kālī is a response to demonic attempts...
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Ep 13 Sanskrit Study: A Candid Conversation with Antonia Ruppel

In this episode, Dr. Raj hosts a candid conversation with renowned Sanskritist and online teacher Antonia Ruppel on her love of the language, teaching philosophy, views on academia, and exciting online programming....
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Ep 12 Power's Purpose

Profound insights on the principle of power, personified in Indian myth by the Great Goddess Durgā, specifically from the story of the Devī Māhātmya. Hear of how the gods of heaven collectively summon Her to restore...
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Ep 11 The Wisdom of Eclipses

This episode explores the profound interplay between shadow and light, particularly in vogue during eclipses. Hear the tale of the demon Rāhu who snuck into the celestial assembly donning the garb of the gods in an...
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