Vedadhikara Niroopanam was written by one of the great philosophers of Kerala, Vidyadhiraja Sri Chattampi Swamikal. The vision and action of Sri Swamikal encouraged many Religious, Social, Aesthetic, Philosophical and Political movements in Kerala. The book describes about the aspects of Vedas. The commentary of this book was created by Acharya Narendra Bhushan.

The book was published by Kshetra Samrakshana Samithi, Kozhikode (Temple protection Forum) in 1988. The book was written by Sri Madhavji, who had a vast knowledge on the Custom, Ritual, Tradition and Tantric concepts of a Temple. The book must be read by those who prefer Temple and Deity worship more. The book reveals the Worship, Custom, Festivals and Tradition of a Temple.

Download Kshetra Chaitanya Rahasyam by Madhavji  Malayalam PDF

Hindumatha Pradeepika is a book written by Sri K. Sambasiva Shastri which describes every aspect about Hindu Religion. Sri Shastri was a great scholar and had a deep knowledge in Sanskrit language. The book was published in 1942 when the 30^th birth day celebrations of the then King His Highness Padmanabhadasa Sri Chithira Thirunal was held in Travancore capital Thiruvananthapuram.

Thirukkural was written by the great philosophical-poet of ancient Tamil language Thiruvalluavar. He is believed to be lived in 2nd century BCE, though there is no archaeological evidence found yet. Dharmakandam, Arthakandam and Kamakandam are the three chapters of Thirukkural.

“Hindu Dharma” is a book published by Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan which contains English translation of two volumes of the Tamil Book “Deivatthin Kural”; which is a collection of invaluable and engrossing speeches of Pujyasri Chandrasekharendra Sarasvati Svami.

The book “Hindu Dharma” (ISBN: 81-7276-055-8) is available to read online at the Sri Kanchi Kamakoti Peetham website kamakoti.org. Thid PDF is compiled from those web pages. Thanks to Sri  Kanchi Kamakoti Peetham and Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan for making it available online.

Download HINDU DHARMA PDF

Article by B. Hrdayakumari, published in SURRENDER – Sree Padmanabha Swamy Temple Renovation Souvenir 2002.

Anything great is many things to many people. Hence the relevance of trying to define a personal response to one of the great cultural and spiritual assets of our country.

To me, the Temple is an expanse of space defined by structures. The finiteness of the total structure is domed by the infinity of the space above. To stand on the western side of the Temple, somewhat away from the back of the main shrine and watch the temple buildings and the sky above is a deeply pleasurable experience. The sky and the deep space below, and the space that fills and overflows the Temple are all a continuum, an undisturbed oneness awesome and beautiful. Whether the sky is bright and clear, or greyish blue with mountainous clouds massing up, or enchanting with the moon and the stars, the Temple responds to it, height merging into luminous depths and an architectural expansiveness maintained by a limitless expanse enveloping it.

Article by Princess Aswathi Thirunal Gouri Lakshmi Bayi, published in SURRENDER – Sree Padmanabha Swamy Temple Renovation Souvenir 2002.

“ഏവം ത്വത് പദപദ്മയോരനുദിനം
ന്യസ്താത്മനാമാത്മനോ-
പ്യുത്ക്കര്ഷം നനു വാഞ്ഛസിത്വമധികം
യത് സിന്ധുകന്യാപതേ
തത് കാരുണ്യസുധാംബുധൌ ത്വയിപരേ
സത്ത്വൈകസാന്ദ്രേ സ്ഥിരാം
ഭക്തിം ഭക്തജനപ്രിയാദ്യ വിതര
ശ്രീ പദ്മനാഭ പ്രഭോ

ETERNAL obeisance to You oh! Sree Padmanabha Swamy who have subjugated unchartered spans of mighty time to reign in all glory as the heart and heart-beat of the ancient Thrippaappoor Swaroopam (Travancore Dynasty), May Your kind grace descend so as to enable me in all humility to attempt at transmitting the multifaceted glory of the Sree Padmanabha Swamy Temple on these pages, though in abridged form.

Article by Prince Aswathi Thirunal Rama Varma, published in SURRENDER – Sree Padmanabha Swamy Temple Renovation Souvenir 2002.

When the Sage Kambar (Author of the epic Kamba Ramayanam) knew that his end was nearing, he gifted the idol of Sri Saraswathi which he worshipped, to the Chera King whose name I forget.

This was before the formation of the Venad Swarupam and later Travancore. The state of Travancore was established by Maharaja Anusham Thirunal Marthanda Varma (1729-1758) who had only two options at the time – to kill or be killed. He opted for the former – and ably aided by the genius of his minister (Dalawa) Ramayyan, wiped out his enemies totally, being nearly wiped out himself on more occassions than one but that is another story.

by P. Kerala Varma Raja – Poonjar, published in SURRENDER – Sree Padmanabha Swamy Temple Renovation Souvenir 2002.

The people who follow the “Sanathana Dharma” do have FAITH IN “TEMPLE WORSHIP”. We believe that our desires can be satisfied by praying to the deities in the temples. But, few people really care to know ‘what is a temple?’ or how we get results by prayer or worship in temples?

GOD IS OMNIPOTENT and OMNIPRESENT. The great sages have by research found out AHAM BRAHMASMI and TAT TWAMASI which denotes that” THERE IS NOTHING OTHER THAN BRAHMAN. But for us ordinary humans, it is difficult to be convinced or to conceive it in this way. We know that air is everywhere around us. But we feel it only when it moves. Suppose we reach home after some very tiring work. We are exhausted and full of sweat. There is no comfort in the KNOWLEDGE that there is air all around. But if there is a fan by which the air is set in motion, then we get comfort. Likewise we know that the atmosphere around us is full of sound waves from everywhere, but we can hear voices only if it comes from nearby sources. But if we have a radio, we can hear the sound from all places on earth and also beyond it. So also with certain mechanisms, we can feel the presence of God which otherwise we are not able to experience. Temple is such a machine by the help of which we can realise the ULTIMATE UNIVERSAL POWER. Tantra Sastra has made it possible to convert the NIRGUNA BRAHMA (Universal Power) into SAGUNA MOORTHI with powers for Anugraha (Blessings) and Nigraha (Punishment) in the construction of temples. The TANTRI, who installs the deity in the temple is the CHIEF ENGINEER, the Poojaris (priests) or Santhis, the MECHANICS and the KAZHAKAMS or other Temple Servants HELPERS to work the machine. Only by co-ordinated effort of all these can the machine be PRODUCTIVE.

Article by Swami Ranganathananda, published in SURRENDER – Sree Padmanabha Swamy Temple Renovation Souvenir 2002.

If today’s education becomes inspired by our own Indian concept of education, a big revolution will take place in our country, through the batches and batches of creative minds it will turn out. India understood education as tapas. The word tapas is a great word in Sanskrit, and a great value upheld in Indian culture. Every great achievement is based on tapas, which means the austerity of hard concentrated work. But we have misunderstood this word in recent centuries and also have become afraid of it in modern times. Tapas, to many of our people today, means only undergoing some austerities, like fasting for some days or performing impossible endurance feats like standing in the hot sun, lying on spikes. etc. We have misunderstood this great word and destroyed and contracted its great meaning.