Quotes from Devdutt Pattanaik

Once, while wandering in the woods, they came upon the carcass of a wild buffalo teeming with maggots. 'How disgusting,' cringed Shilavati. 'I don't think the maggots will agree with you,' said Prasenajit. Shilavati realized the wisdom in her husband's simple words. The human way is not the only way in this world.

business is neither a burden to bear nor a battle to win, but a chance to outgrow fear by helping others outgrow theirs. This

Anything is possible if you can give shape to limitless spirit without the limitations of matter,' said Brahma.

now I know the power of maya: that which deludes you to be unhappy can be overpowered by another delusion that causes greater unhappiness. Oh

but where does this nobility come from? Generosity or fear? Wisdom or ignorance?

Such a mind is called manas, which is why humans are called manavas. You are a manava with male flesh and I am a manava with female flesh. We both see the world differently, not because we have different bodies, but because we have different minds. You see the world from one point of view and I see the world from another point of view. But our minds can expand. I can see the world from your point of view and you can see it from mine.

Teachers are as clueless as students.

If you, Arjuna, fight this war in anger or righteous indignation, peace will elude you and you will be trapped in samsara; if you fight this war with empathy and wisdom, there will be liberation from samsara.

What may seem like a good deed from one point of view may not be seen as one from another point of view. Thus

Five Containers of the Body These five containers create three realities: sensory reality that depends on the flesh (indriyas), emotional reality that depends on the heart (chitta) and conceptual reality that depends on imagination (manas) and intelligence (buddhi). Elements

Saraswati. 'But today Hansa insisted on coming along with me. I like Hansa. She is no ordinary bird. Give her

Humans have the ability to control fire, water, plants as well as animals, something that no other living organism can do. But we struggle to control the human mind: our mind as well as the mind of those around us.

Teachers can teach only when students want to learn. No one can help a student who does not want to learn just

Your flesh receives information about the external world through your five sense organs (gyan indriyas): eye, ear, nose, tongue and skin. Your flesh engages with the external material world through your five action organs (karma indriyas): hands, feet, face, anus and genitals. Between the stimulus and the response, a whole series of processes take place in your mind (manas).

Because,' Parvati replied, 'marriage is not just the quenching of desire. It is also about looking beyond one's own desires at the desires of others. It is about caring and sharing.' Shiva liked her words and agreed to marry her.

Parrots can remember and repeat words and speak like human beings. But they do not understand what they are saying. As far as they are concerned, these are only sounds that humans have taught them to say.

Valmiki descended from Bhrigu rishi. Vyasa was the son of Parasara, the grandson of Vasishtha. Bhrigu and Vasishtha were two of the seven primaeval sages (sapta-rishis) who were Brahma's mind-born sons (manas-putras).

from that of other Tapasvins. Many Asuras and Devas

knowledge must outlive death, so that the next generation is more enlightened.

And I am Somvati, father,' said the woman. 'Your daughter. I apologize for hurting you. I apologize for becoming a woman. But had I not became a woman, you would never have become my father.

What Yudhishtira learnt—the point of existence is not to accumulate merit, but to attain wisdom. We have to ask ourselves—why do we do what we do? When we truly accept the answer, we break free from the cycle of births and deaths,

In the five hundred years that followed, a group of texts collectively known as the Dharma-shastras came where dharma was equated with social obligations

For when a bride enters the husband's house she brings with her not just the promise of a new generation but also new food, a new culture and with that new thoughts that enrich her husband's household.

Just sit in one place and pay attention to all that I throw light on. The more attention you pay, the more you will want to know.