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Why Dharma Studies Matter: Three Powerful Ways Scholarship Can Shape the Future
Dharma studies in mainstream universities matter because they help students of the Indian diaspora understand their inherited traditions with clarity and confidence. Academic courses on Hindu Dharma, the Bhagavad Gita, the Upanishads, and Dharmic traditions can turn cultural familiarity into informed knowledge. The creation of scholar-practitioners is equally important because public conversations about Hinduism need…
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When an Erudite Poet Pledged an Alphabet in his Name to get a Loan
In this extraordinary tale from Saundatti, a town under Ratta dynasty rule, a scholar and poet named Rudrabhatta found himself on the edge of bankruptcy and approached a wealthy moneylender for a loan without any collateral. The moneylender agreed but requested one letter from Rudrabhatta’s name, the letter “Bha,” as collateral. Thus, Rudrabhatta became Rudraṭa…