Archive for Author: Bhavin Kataria

hiatus:

a period when something (such as a program or activity) is suspended or interrupted

Example Sentences: Ramayana:  Although Rama was in exile, he didn’t consider that period as a hiatus from his royal responsibility of protecting the sages. Mahabharata:  Yudhisthira took the hiatus provided by the exile as an opportunity to increase his philosophical and spiritual knowledge by having deep, undistracted discussions with the forest sages. Bhagavad-gita:  The Bhagavad-gita

bunkum:

insincere or foolish talk, nonsense

Example Sentences: Ramayana:  When the sage Jabali advanced atheistic arguments, Rama used logic and scripture to expose those arguments to be bunkum. Mahabharata: Duryodhana’s claim that he had never done anything wrong was such bunkum that it is amazing he could even speak it, leave alone believe it. Bhagavad-gita: Once we start using Gita wisdom

umbrageous:

act to take offense

Example Sentences: Ramayana:  Umbrageous as he was, Ravana ordered the execution of the monkey who had dared to first destroy his favorite park and now dared to give him moral instruction. Mahabharata:  Duryodhana’s envy of the Pandavas’ prosperity in Indraprastha made him umbrageous, and the final straw was Draupadi’s laughing at him when he slipped

profligacy:

wasteful spending of money or other resources

Example Sentences: Ramayana:  Because Rama, Lakshmana and Sita had not been inclined to profligacy even while they had lived among royal comforts, they could adjust to the simplicity of forest life without much difficulty. Mahabharata:  Because the Pandavas were still technically in exile and they were anyway not given to profligacy, they kept the marriage

clericalism:

a policy of maintaining or increasing the power of a religious hierarchy

Example Sentences: Ramayana:  Though Brahmanas are undoubtedly powerful and respected throughout the Ramayana’s landscape, there is no evidence of clericalism because the Brahmanas were organically serving at different places not organizationally sent to those places by any central authority. Mahabharata:  Shringi’s cursing of Arjuna’s grandson, Parikshit, is the major abuse of priestly power that has

predatory:

used to describe someone who expresses sexual interest in a very obvious way

Example Sentences: Ramayana:  Although Sita maintained a respectful manner by conversing with the visiting sage, she sensed something predatory in the way he looked at her.  Mahabharata:  Kichaka’s glance at Draupadi was both predatory and proprietary — he believed that because she was his sister’s maid, he was entitled to have her for his sexual

bromide:

a statement that, even if true, is boring and meaningless because of over-repetition

Example Sentences: Ramayana:  As the defeated Ravana ran back to Lanka with the small remnants of his vast army, he realized that the many warnings he had been given about Rama’s power hadn’t been bromides. Mahabharata:  Dhritarashtra’s message to Sanjaya through the Pandavas contained the usual bromides about avoiding bloodshed and violent conflicts among cousins,

keystone:

the central supporting element of a whole

Example Sentences: Ramayana:  Sacrifice is the keystone of the teachings demonstrated by Rama and indeed by most of the heroic characters in the Ramayana. Mahabharata:  Although many warriors considered Arjuna the keystone of the Pandava army, Duryodhana was especially concerned about Bhima, for he had vowed to kill Duryodhana and all his brothers.  Bhagavad-gita:  

undercut:

to decrease or destroy the effectiveness of

Example Sentences: Ramayana: When Indrajita became invisible, it undercut the capacity of Rama’s army to even defend themselves, leave alone counter-attack. Mahabharata: When Kunti told Karna that he was her son born before her marriage, her purpose was not to undercut his will to fight against the Pandavas; her purpose was to prevent his death

flaunt:

show off especially to evoke envy or admiration

Example Sentences: Ramayana: As Ravana thought that flaunting his wealth would win Sita over, he took her on a tour of his magnificent, multi-storeyed palace. Mahabharata: Wanting to flaunt his wealth in front of the exiled Pandavas, Duryodhana came to the forest in great pomp. Bhagavad-gita: Some greedy people enjoy accumulating wealth; other greedy people