Vipul Jain

Bharat and Bähubali Before his renunciation of worldly life, Lord Rishabhadev or Lord Ädinäth, was known as King Rishabh and had two wives, Sumangalä and Sunandä. By Sumangalä, he had 99 sons, of whom Bharat was the eldest and the best known, and one daughter named Brähmi. By the second wife, Sunandä, he had one son named Bähubali and a daughter named Sundari. All of them were given proper training in different arts and crafts. Bharat became a great warrior and a politician. Sunandä's son was tall, well built, and strong, and hence was called Bähubali. In Sanskrit, “Bähu” means arm and “Bali” means mighty. Brähmi attained a very high level of literary proficiency. She developed the first known script, known as the Brähmi script. Sundari was very proficient in mathematics. After Lord Rishabhadev attained omniscience, both girls renounced their wo...

As published in The Hindu. How many countries have two names, one constitutionally documented and another probably an English translation for people who cannot pronounce it? People speaking English or any other European language often have a problem pronouncing eastern names. So in the past they would change names according to their convenience, and we blindly accept those. Look at us: we operate with two names, the original name Bharat, and the given name, India. The invaders of Bharat who came up to the river Sindhu somehow managed to pronounce Sindhu as Hindu, and then Indus. And finally India is stuck on us for centuries now. Historians should give a satisfactory explanation for the evolution of this name ‘India’, or trace its origin. I could not find anywhere in the Vedas, Puranas, Itihaasa or even Amarakosa the word or name ‘India.’ The scriptures say “jambu dweepe Bhaarata varshe….” And from time immemorial a meaningful Samskrita ...