Monthly Archives: November 2004

Further proceedings on the battle front

Posted on November 28, 2004 by mAnasa-taraMgiNI

We invested today in some heavy duty diplomatic negotiations in the hope that we may strengthen our hand for the impending battle. The negotiations went off well but we cannot be lulled into security because the enemy too is possibly … Continue reading →

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Americans in Iraq: how is the going?

Posted on November 27, 2004 by mAnasa-taraMgiNI

With Bush firmly in power, we need to see how things are going for the Americans in Iraq. I recently heard from some Americans and also Hindus that the events in Fallujah vindicate the famous “fly-paper” theory that has been … Continue reading →

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Further skirmishes

Posted on November 27, 2004 by mAnasa-taraMgiNI

We tested out a few maneuvers directly in enemy territory and we found things held pretty well. We also spied a long but interesting attack route that would carry us straight to the ground of the initial encounter. We realized … Continue reading →

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The first skirmishes

Posted on November 26, 2004 by mAnasa-taraMgiNI

It was a cold and blustery day. We sent out a expeditionary force to check out the fortress we had secured for the purpose of the showdown. The conditions were similar to those predicted on the lower end on the … Continue reading →

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The lull before the storm

Posted on November 24, 2004 by mAnasa-taraMgiNI

We were waiting quietly on the undergrowth beside the banks of the River mahAsankaTa. There was a tense silence in the air. We had performed our karma to the best we could, but were indeed limited by our terrible short … Continue reading →

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The post-Talikota struggle

Posted on November 23, 2004 by mAnasa-taraMgiNI

After the fall of Vijayanagar some historians believe that Tirumala, the brother of Ramaraya made an attempt to revive the city but failed. It is believed that there was a conflict between him and his nephew Pedda Tirumala over the … Continue reading →

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The Census of Marine Life project

Posted on November 23, 2004 by mAnasa-taraMgiNI

A new-to-science goby fish from Guam The Census of Marine Life project has uncovered an interesting goby fish in Guam that forms a symbiosis with a snapping shrimp. The shrimp excavates a burrow, and the fish guards the borrow and … Continue reading →

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Indus iconography and its parallels

Posted on November 22, 2004 by mAnasa-taraMgiNI

As Thomas McEvilley pointed out there are numerous connections between Indus Valley (IVC) Iconography and those in the Middle East. The real significance of these clear connections have hardly been understood. 1) The Central strongman figure wrestling lions on either … Continue reading →

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The obscene formulae in the ashvamedha

Posted on November 21, 2004 by mAnasa-taraMgiNI

The male participants (the priests and the bard) say: ambe ambAlyambike na mA yabhati kashchana | sa sastyashvakaH | haye cha haye asau || Ladies (ambA, ambAli and ambikA) no one seems to have sex with me. The bad horse … Continue reading →

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The sacrifice of the Horse in the ashvamedha

Posted on November 21, 2004 by mAnasa-taraMgiNI

1) The adhvaryu takes the last drink of water to the horse and offers it with the formulae apAM peruH and agniH pashuH.2) Then the yajur priests take fire around the 13 animal starting from the kapi~njala that are tied … Continue reading →

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The Dravidians emerge from the woodwork

Posted on November 17, 2004 by mAnasa-taraMgiNI

The recent incidents in India have resulted in the Dravidians emerging like worms from the woodwork. In practically every Indian list one can now see them floating their anti-Brahmin rhetoric. A few hopeful brAhmaNas had told me just a few … Continue reading →

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The reign of Ramaraya and the battle of Talikota.

Posted on November 7, 2004 by mAnasa-taraMgiNI

One of the most fateful events in Hindu history was the battle of Talikota that occurred during the time of Ramaraya who was the de facto ruler of Vijayanagar. Several attempts have been made by secularist writers to paint Ramaraya … Continue reading →

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A dialog in sandhyAbhASha

Posted on November 2, 2004 by mAnasa-taraMgiNI

R called me to describe her views on the lalitArchanachandrika. This lead to a discussion of the sandhyAbhASha used in the text. So we had this conversation in mlechChita-manipravala SB. I: “I feel close to jaya but there is a … Continue reading →

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