by Shantala Sriramaiah | Sep 1, 2026 | Chanting practice, Sūktams
The Oṣadhi Sūktam is a hymn to the healing plants. Across twenty mantras they are addressed as living powers, invoked by name as mothers and goddesses, and entreated to do their work: to enter the body, drive out illness, and carry the person across to health. They...
by Shantala Sriramaiah | Jul 29, 2026 | Chanting practice, Festival chanting
At the end of the course of study, the teacher of the Taittirīya Upaniṣad gives the departing student a parting address. It is a set of plain instructions. Speak the truth. Do what is right. Do not be negligent about your recitation. Look after your parents and your...
by Shantala Sriramaiah | Jun 13, 2026 | Chanting practice, Courses, Sādhanā, Studying Online
Most people today know the sun salutation from āsana practice. It is a set of postures, a way of greeting the sun with the body. In the Veda the salutation to the sun takes another form. It is mantric. It is offered in sound. Here the ṛṣis recognise the sun and...
by Shantala Sriramaiah | Mar 31, 2026 | Chanting practice, Personal & community
We have reached an important milestone in our Viṣṇu Sahasranāma course: the completion of the Pūrva Bhāga, the opening section that precedes the thousand names themselves. What is the Pūrva Bhāga? The pūrva bhāga, literally the ‘prior section,’ is...
by Shantala Sriramaiah | Mar 21, 2026 | Chanting practice
This article is a work in progress and may go through further revision as I learn to articulate my views in a more refined way. I wish to express my deep gratitude to NIna Rao for her contribution to the western style Kīrtan column in the contrast made between the...
by Shantala Sriramaiah | Nov 11, 2025 | Chanting practice
The Viṣṇu Sahasranāma, the thousand names of Lord Viṣṇu, is one of the most beloved hymns in the Vedic tradition. Many of us know it as a prayer of protection, healing, and grace. Yet, when we approach it deeply, we begin to discover that each name is also a window...
