Ekadashi is the 11th day of every lunar fortnight in the Hindu calendar. It comes twice a month — once during the waxing phase of the Moon (Shukla Paksha) and once during the waning phase (Krishna Paksha). So, there are usually 24 Ekadashis in a year, and sometimes 26, when an extra lunar month (Adhika Masa) occurs. The word “Ekadashi” means “the eleventh” (from Sanskrit). It is considered a very sacred day for fasting and devotion to Lord Vishnu. Devotees avoid grains and certain foods, spend time in prayer, chanting, reading scriptures, and meditation. The goal is to purify the body and mind, control desires, and grow spiritually.

In yogic philosophy, **chakras** are the **seven main energy centers** located along the spine — from its base to the crown of the head. They are believed to control different physical, emotional, and spiritual aspects of life. **Chakras describe how energy flows inside your body.** When the energy (called *prana*) moves freely through these centers, you feel healthy, calm, and spiritually balanced. If one or more chakras are blocked, it can cause emotional imbalance or physical discomfort.

The Bhagavad Gita is a philosophical text that appears within the Mahabharata. It contains about 700 verses and is presented as a dialogue between Krishna and Arjuna on the battlefield of Kurukshetra. Its main focus is on life’s fundamental questions—what is dharma (duty), how to act without attachment (karma yoga), the role of devotion (bhakti), knowledge (jnana), and meditation (yoga). It is concise, instructional, and widely regarded as a guidebook for righteous living and spiritual understanding.

The Śrīmad Bhāgavatam (Bhāgavata Purāṇa), on the other hand, is a separate Purāṇa consisting of about 18,000 verses spread across 12 cantos. Unlike the Gita, it is not a dialogue on duty but rather a vast narrative work that blends philosophy with devotion. Its central theme is bhakti (devotion to God), and it especially highlights the pastimes and leelas of Krishna, along with stories of other incarnations of Vishnu, cosmology, and creation. It is considered the “ripened fruit of all Vedic knowledge” and is meant to inspire love and devotion for the divine through storytelling. 

The Śrīmad Bhāgavatam (Bhāgavata Purāṇa) was composed by Vedavyasa (also called Krishna Dvaipayana Vyasa), the same sage who compiled the Vedas and authored the Mahabharata.

Lord Ganesha is said to be the giver (siddhi-dātā) of the Aṣṭa Siddhis — the eight supernatural powers or perfections in yogic and Puranic tradition. These siddhis are often invoked in his worship. Here are the 8 siddhis and their roles:

According to Puranic stories, Lord Ganesha was married to Riddhi (Prosperity) and Siddhi (Spiritual Power), the daughters of Lord Brahma; the union was arranged with the blessings of Shiva and Parvati, as wisdom (Ganesha) is considered incomplete without prosperity and spiritual success, and from this divine marriage were born two sons, Shubha (Auspiciousness) and Labh (Gain), symbolizing that true wisdom brings both material wealth and spiritual fulfillment.

Ganesh Chaturthi, also called Vinayaka Chaturthi, is celebrated as the birth anniversary of Lord Ganesha, the elephant-headed deity of wisdom, prosperity, and remover of obstacles.

The main story from the Shiva Purana and other texts goes like this:

• Creation: Goddess Parvati created Ganesha from the sandalwood paste of her body while taking a bath and asked him to guard the door.
• Conflict with Shiva: When Lord Shiva returned home, Ganesha (not knowing him) stopped him at the entrance. Angered, Shiva cut off the boy’s head in battle.
• Restoration: Seeing Parvati’s grief, Shiva promised to bring him back to life. His attendants brought the head of the first living being they found facing north – an elephant. Shiva placed it on Ganesha’s body and blessed him.
• Boon: Lord Shiva declared that Ganesha would be the foremost deity to be worshipped before any auspicious work or ritual.

That divine event is what Ganesh Chaturthi commemorates every year.

• The metal wheel is called Nilachakra.
• The flag is called Patitapavana Pataka.

1. Singhadwara (Lion Gate) – The main entrance on the east side.
2. Ashwadwara (Horse Gate) – On the south side.
3. Vyaghradwara (Tiger Gate) – On the west side.
4. Hastidwara (Elephant Gate) – On the north side.

The six most beloved disciples of Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu are known as the Ṣaḍ-Goswāmīs of Vrindavan. These six saints were entrusted by Chaitanya Mahaprabhu to discover, restore, and preserve the lost holy places of Vrindavan, and to systematically write down the philosophy of Gaudiya Vaishnavism.

1. Shri Rupa Goswami
2. Shri Sanatana Goswami
3. Shri Raghunatha Bhatta Goswami
4. Shri Raghunatha dasa Goswami
5. Shri Gopala Bhatta Goswami
6. Shri Jiva Goswami

The Dashavatara refers to the ten principal incarnations of Lord Vishnu that are the most widely worshipped and symbolically represent major phases in cosmic evolution and the restoration of dharma. These ten are drawn mainly from Garuda Purana, Agni Purana, Padma Purana, Narada Purana, and Varaha Purana, and are a condensed devotional list rather than a complete enumeration. In contrast, the 24 avatars listed in the Bhagavata Purana (Canto 1, Chapter 3) include the Dashavatara plus many other manifestations — such as sages, kings, and partial incarnations — each appearing for specific purposes like teaching spiritual knowledge, protecting devotees, or guiding humanity. While the Dashavatara focuses on the most significant cosmic interventions, the broader 24-avatar list presents a more detailed and scriptural record of Vishnu’s manifestations across different yugas and contexts.

The 10 avatars of Lord Vishnu, collectively known as the Dashavatara, are:

1. Kām (काम) – Lust / uncontrolled desire.
2. Krodh (क्रोध) – Anger / rage.
3. Lobh (लोभ) – Greed / excessive material craving.
4. Moh (मोह) – Attachment / delusion.
5. Ahankār (अहंकार) – Ego / pride.

These are considered inner impurities that obstruct spiritual progress.

1. Prithvi (Earth) – Represents stability, solidity, and structure.
2. Apas / Jala (Water) – Represents fluidity, adaptability, and cohesion.
3. Agni (Fire) – Represents transformation, energy, and metabolism.
4. Vayu (Air) – Represents movement, breath, and expansion.
5. Akasha (Ether / Space) – Represents vastness, emptiness, and the field in which everything exists.

In Hindu Tantra tradition, the Daśa Mahāvidyā (Ten Great Wisdom Goddesses) are forms of the Divine Mother (Adi Shakti), each representing a unique cosmic power, spiritual truth, and aspect of consciousness.

1. Kālī – The fierce, transformative mother goddess; destroys ignorance and ego.
2. Tārā – The saviouress and guide; associated with protection and knowledge.
3. Tripurasundarī (Śodashī / Lalitā) – The goddess of beauty, bliss, and supreme consciousness.
4. Bhuvaneshvarī – The ruler of the worlds; embodies space and universal order.
5. Chinnamastā – The self-decapitated goddess symbolizing self-sacrifice, transformation, and life-force.
6. Bhairavī – Fierce and fiery; represents divine wrath against evil and intense spiritual discipline.
7. Dhūmāvatī – The widow goddess; embodies the void, detachment, and transcendence beyond illusion.
8. Bagalāmukhī – The paralyzer of enemies; symbolizes control over harmful forces and speech.
9. Mātangī – Goddess of inner wisdom, speech, and the outcast; patron of unconventional knowledge.
10. Kamalā – The lotus goddess of prosperity, abundance, and purity (a tantric form of Lakshmi).

In the Vaishnava tradition, especially in Gaudiya Vaishnavism and Braj lore, the Aṣṭa-sakhī are the eight closest and most intimate companions of Shri Radha Rani who assist in her pastimes with Shri Krishna in Vrindavan.

1. Lalita Sakhi – Eldest and leader among the sakhis; very protective of Radha.
2. Vishakha Sakhi – Wise and skilled in arranging meetings between Radha and Krishna.
3. Chitra Sakhi – Expert in arts, painting, and decorating groves.
4. Champakalata Sakhi – Clever and diplomatic, skilled in sweet-talking.
5. Tungavidya Sakhi – Master of scriptures, music, and dance.
6. Indulekha Sakhi – Quick-witted, sharp in speech, and bold.
7. Rangadevi Sakhi – Playful and skilled in creating joyful moods.
8. Sudevi Sakhi – Calm, devoted, and Radha’s constant attendant.

The five heads of Hanuman, or the Panchamukhi form, symbolize the powers and qualities of different deities:

1. Hanuman face – Symbol of strength, devotion, and courage.
2. Narasimha face – Symbol of destroying evil and protecting righteousness.
3. Garuda face – Symbol of protection from snakes and poison.
4. Varaha face – Symbol of rescuing the Earth and providing stability.
5. Hayagriva face – Symbol of knowledge, wisdom, and learning.

The Pancha Kailash refers to five highly revered Kailash mountain pilgrimage sites, each considered an earthly manifestation of Mount Kailash, the mythical abode of Lord Shiva.

The Pancha Bhoota Sthalas are five famous Shiva temples in South India, each representing one of the five elements (Pancha Bhootas) in nature — Earth, Water, Fire, Air, and Space.

The five Panch Kedar temples in India (all located in Uttarakhand) are:

1. Kedarnath
2. Tungnath
3. Rudranath
4. Madhyamaheshwar
5. Kalpeshwar

1. Somnath – Gujarat
2. Mallikarjuna – Andhra Pradesh
3. Mahakaleshwar – Madhya Pradesh
4. Omkareshwar – Madhya Pradesh
5. Kedarnath – Uttarakhand
6. Bhimashankar – Maharashtra
7. Kashi Vishwanath – Uttar Pradesh
8. Trimbakeshwar – Maharashtra
9. Vaidyanath (Vaijnath) – Jharkhand 
10. Nageshwar – Gujarat
11. Ramanathaswamy – Tamil Nadu
12. Grishneshwar – Maharashtra

Whenever and wherever there is a decline of righteousness (dharma) and a rise of unrighteousness (adharma), O Bharata (Arjuna), at that time I manifest Myself.

For the protection of the virtuous, for the destruction of the wicked, and for the establishment of righteousness, I manifest Myself age after age.