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 happens when Yaśoda looks into baby Kṛṣṇa’s mouth!

The Indian Wisdom Podcast is released weekly and covers traditional Indian wisdom through storytelling, Hindu mythology, yoga, philosophy, and Sanskrit. This show is hosted by Dr. Raj Balkaran, a Sanskrit scholar, storyteller and online educator. In addition to academic training, he was lineally trained by Mantriji, our sangha's parama-guru. He teaches at the Oxford Centre for Hindu Studies and at The Indian Wisdom School where he applies ancient Indian wisdom to modern Western life. He is also the author of "The Stories Behind the Poses: The Indian Mythology that Inspired 50 Yoga Postures."

Personal Website: https://rajbalkaran.com

Courses (currently offering a 14-day free trial): https://indianwisdomschool.com

Podcast: https://indianwisdompodcast.com

We have a special episode for you this week in celebration for the upcoming holiday associated with Sunday's full moon, Gur Pūrṇimā. Learn the story of a sage who mastered Vedic texts but needed to learn something much more important for his training to be complete: the power of sharing what he learned.

The Indian Wisdom Podcast is released weekly and covers traditional Indian wisdom through storytelling, Hindu mythology, yoga, philosophy, and Sanskrit. This show is hosted by Dr. Raj Balkaran, a Sanskrit scholar, storyteller and online educator. In addition to academic training, he was lineally trained by Mantriji, our sangha's parama-guru. He teaches at the Oxford Centre for Hindu Studies and at The Indian Wisdom School where he applies ancient Indian wisdom to modern Western life. He is also the author of "The Stories Behind the Poses: The Indian Mythology that Inspired 50 Yoga Postures."

Personal Website: https://rajbalkaran.com

Courses (currently offering a 14-day free trial): https://indianwisdomschool.com Podcast: https://indianwisdompodcast.com

Interested in studying with me? Check out my free course Goddess Stories: Telling Tales of the Sacred Feminine: https://www.indianwisdomschool.com/goddess-stories-1 

Hear the tale of how Indra, King of Gods, defeats the serpent demon Vṛtra with the help of the great Sage Dadīchi, and his energized bones! This story is embodied in the yoga posture Vajrāsana (thunderbolt pose).

The Indian Wisdom Podcast is released weekly and covers traditional Indian wisdom through storytelling, Hindu mythology, jyotiṣa (vedic astrology), yoga, ayurveda, and Sanskrit. This show is hosted by Dr. Raj Balkaran, a Sanskrit scholar, storyteller and online educator. In addition to academic training, he was lineally trained by Mantriji, our sangha's parama-guru. He teaches at the Oxford Centre for Hindu Studies and at The Indian Wisdom School where he applies ancient Indian wisdom to modern Western life. He is also the author of "The Stories Behind the Poses: The Indian Mythology that Inspired 50 Yoga Postures."

Personal Website: https://rajbalkaran.com

Courses (currently offering a 14-day free trial): https://indianwisdomschool.com

Podcast: https://indianwisdompodcast.com

Interested in studying with me? Check out my free course Goddess Stories: Telling Tales of the Sacred Feminine: https://www.indianwisdomschool.com/goddess-stories-1 

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 weekly and covers traditional Indian wisdom through storytelling, Hindu mythology, jyotiṣa (vedic astrology), yoga, ayurveda, and Sanskrit. This show is hosted by Dr. Raj Balkaran, a Sanskrit scholar, storyteller and online educator. In addition to academic training, he was lineally trained by Mantriji, our sangha's parama-guru. He teaches at the Oxford Centre for Hindu Studies and at The Indian Wisdom School where he applies ancient Indian wisdom to modern Western life. He is also the author of "The Stories Behind the Poses: The Indian Mythology that Inspired 50 Yoga Postures."

Personal Website: https://rajbalkaran.com

Courses: https://indianwisdomschool.com

Podcast: https://indianwisdompodcast.com

Interested in studying with me? Check out my free course Goddess Stories: Telling Tales of the Sacred Feminine: https://www.indianwisdomschool.com/goddess-stories-1 

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 instruction.  What does this story teach about the spiritual quest? This story is embodied in the yoga posture Praṇāmāsana (reverence pose), the first step of Sūrya Namaskāra (sun salutation).

The Indian Wisdom Podcast is released weekly and covers traditional Indian wisdom through storytelling, Hindu mythology, jyotiṣa (vedic astrology), yoga, ayurveda, and Sanskrit. This show is hosted by Dr. Raj Balkaran, a Sanskrit scholar, storyteller and online educator. In addition to academic training, he was lineally trained by Mantriji, our sangha's parama-guru. He teaches at the Oxford Centre for Hindu Studies and at The Indian Wisdom School where he applies ancient Indian wisdom to modern Western life. He is also the author of "The Stories Behind the Poses: The Indian Mythology that Inspired 50 Yoga Postures."

Personal Website: https://rajbalkaran.com

Courses: https://indianwisdomschool.com

Podcast: https://indianwisdompodcast.com

Interested in studying with me? Check out my free course Goddess Stories: Telling Tales of the Sacred Feminine: https://www.indianwisdomschool.com/goddess-stories-1 

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 traditional Indian wisdom through storytelling, Hindu mythology, jyotiṣa (vedic astrology), yoga, ayurveda, and Sanskrit. This show is hosted by Dr. Raj Balkaran, a Sanskrit scholar, storyteller and online educator. In addition to academic training, he was lineally trained by Mantriji, our sangha's parama-guru. He teaches at the Oxford Centre for Hindu Studies and at The Indian Wisdom School where he applies ancient Indian wisdom to modern Western life. He is also the author of "The Stories Behind the Poses: The Indian Mythology that Inspired 50 Yoga Postures."

Personal Website: https://rajbalkaran.com  

Courses: https://indianwisdomschool.com  

Podcast: https://indianwisdompodcast.com  

Interested in studying with me? Check out my free course Goddess Stories: Telling Tales of the Sacred Feminine: https://www.indianwisdomschool.com/goddess-stories-1 

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 released weekly and covers traditional Indian wisdom through storytelling, Hindu mythology, jyotiṣa (vedic astrology), yoga, ayurveda, and Sanskrit. This show is hosted by Dr. Raj Balkaran, a Sanskrit scholar, storyteller and online educator. In addition to academic training, he was lineally trained by Mantriji, our sangha's parama-guru. He teaches at the Oxford Centre for Hindu Studies and at The Indian Wisdom School where he applies ancient Indian wisdom to modern Western life. He is also the author of "The Stories Behind the Poses: The Indian Mythology that Inspired 50 Yoga Postures."

Personal Website: https://rajbalkaran.com
Courses: https://indianwisdomschool.com
Podcast: https://indianwisdompodcast.com
Interested in studying with me? Check out my free course Goddess Stories: Telling Tales of the Sacred Feminine: https://www.indianwisdomschool.com/goddess-stories-1 

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 wisdom through storytelling, Hindu mythology, jyotiṣa (vedic astrology), yoga, ayurveda, and Sanskrit. This show is hosted by Dr. Raj Balkaran, a Sanskrit scholar, storyteller and online educator. In addition to academic training, he was lineally trained by Mantriji, our sangha's parama-guru. He teaches at the Oxford Centre for Hindu Studies and at The Indian Wisdom School where he applies ancient Indian wisdom to modern Western life. He is also the author of "The Stories Behind the Poses: The Indian Mythology that Inspired 50 Yoga Postures."

Personal Website: https://rajbalkaran.com

Courses: https://indianwisdomschool.com

Podcast: https://indianwisdompodcast.com

Interested in studying with me? Check out my free course Goddess Stories: Telling Tales of the Sacred Feminine: https://www.indianwisdomschool.com/goddess-stories-1 

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 episode, Dr. Raj discusses the power and illusions of desire. Do your desires have control over you, or do you have control over them?

The Indian Wisdom Podcast is released weekly and covers traditional Indian wisdom through storytelling, Hindu mythology, jyotiṣa (vedic astrology), yoga, ayurveda, and Sanskrit. This show is hosted by Dr. Raj Balkaran, a Sanskrit scholar, storyteller and online educator. In addition to academic training, he was lineally trained by Mantriji, our sangha's parama-guru. He teaches at the Oxford Centre for Hindu Studies and at The Indian Wisdom School where he applies ancient Indian wisdom to modern Western life. He is also the author of "The Stories Behind the Poses: The Indian Mythology that Inspired 50 Yoga Postures."

Personal Website: https://rajbalkaran.com

Courses: https://indianwisdomschool.com

Podcast: https://indianwisdompodcast.com

Interested in studying with me? Check out my free course Goddess Stories: Telling Tales of the Sacred Feminine: https://www.indianwisdomschool.com/goddess-stories-1 

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" and tells the story behind Vīrabhadrāsana, Warrior pose.

The Indian Wisdom Podcast is released weekly and covers traditional Indian wisdom through storytelling, Hindu mythology, jyotiṣa (vedic astrology), yoga, ayurveda, and Sanskrit. This show is hosted by Dr. Raj Balkaran, a Sanskrit scholar, storyteller and online educator. In addition to academic training, he was lineally trained by Mantriji, our sangha's parama-guru. He teaches at the Oxford Centre for Hindu Studies and at The Indian Wisdom School where he applies ancient Indian wisdom to modern Western life. He is also the author of "The Stories Behind the Poses: The Indian Mythology that Inspired 50 Yoga Postures."

Personal Website: https://rajbalkaran.com

Courses: https://indianwisdomschool.com

Podcast: https://indianwisdompodcast.com

Interested in studying with me? Check out my free course Goddess Stories: Telling Tales of the Sacred Feminine: https://www.indianwisdomschool.com/goddess-stories-1