Dhyan & Darshan

Overview

In the first episode of Season 2, Devdutt breaks down two simple yet abstract ideas of Hindu philosophy Dhyan and Darshan. Providing an analogy between the Hindi and the English disclaimers that open every episode, Devdutt explains that Darshan means to see and Dhyan refers to think about or process what one has seen. With examples ranging from devotees praying at a temple to ascetics giving up on the material world, Devdutt explains how the practice originated in the Vedic era and how it further developed as Jainism, Buddhism and Hinduism became diverse. Although the meaning behind the terms remain the same, they are discussed differently in various texts. Devdutt touches upon these contexts and provides a better understanding of Dhyan and Darshan.