texts: What were the salient features of Ekayana Vaishnavism (Kashmiri Vaishnavism)?

texts: Kashmir was once a hub of Sanskrit and Indian philosophies or traditions like Shaivism, Vaishnavism, Buddhism etc. In ancient times, a tradition called Kashmiri Vaishnavism also flourished which was based on Tantra and Agamas which has gone extinct now because of Vaishnavas over the time gone into Vedanta and also due to Islamic fundamentalism. I want to know what were the salient features of Ekayana Vaishnavism (Kashmiri Vaishnavism)?


texts: How can Hinduism add value to the current scientific thought?

texts: Are there concepts in Hindu texts which can add value to the current scientific thought via opening up avenues for innovation and research? If so, please enunciate.


texts: What is the role of Lord Narayana in our lives? What impact does he have on our lives?

texts: I want to know how does he influence our lives. How does he involve himself?


texts: How to Give Painting of Baby Lord Krishna

texts:
How give my own painting of Baby Lord Krishna while respecting Hindu sentiments.

Is mailing allowed, or should I deliver personally?

Specifically, what does Hinduism say about transporting/gifting images/idols of Deities?


texts: Why is Goddess Kali depicted as standing on Shiva with her tongue out?

texts: There is a popular saying that while she was roaming, her feet fell on her husband and her tongue came out in embarassment. However, multiple sources claim that as 'not true'. What is the correct depiction and what is the reason behind such a stance of Godess Kali?


texts: Situating a Figure of the Goddess Uma in a Bedroom

texts: Would it be considered culturally appropriate, from either a Hindu or Nepalese perspective, to situate a figure of the Goddess Uma in a bedroom or would this be considered taboo?


texts:
Background:

The question Is the Gadhimai massacre a Hindu ritual? has an answer which says animal sacrifice is against the Hindu principles of ahimsa while the other answer says 'Animal sacrifice is spoken of in the Vedas. It belongs to another era.' probably discouraging animal sacrifices.

Now since those answers were written in 2014, it appears as stated in this Wikipedia article this archaic Hindu ritual has been stopped for good:

  It is estimated that 50,000 animals were sacrificed during the Gadhimai festival of 2009. In 2015, Nepal's temple trust has announced to cancel all future animal sacrifices at the country's Gadhimai festival.

According to this announcement:

  For generations, pilgrims have sacrificed animals to the Goddess Gadhimai, in the hope of a
  better life. For every life taken, our heart is heavy. The time has come to transform an old
  tradition. The time has come to replace killing and violence with peaceful worship and
  celebration.

  The Gadhimai Temple Trust hereby declares our formal decision to end animal sacrifice. With
  your help, we can ensure Gadhimai 2019 is free from bloodshed. Moreover, we can ensure
  Gadhimai 2019 is a momentous celebration of life.

Question:

Does Hindu morality come from scripture or is it the other way round?

Scripture guiding morality:

(Inherent) Morality guiding our perception of scripture:

Given the above example (animal sacrifice once done and now stopped or discouraged), it appears it's our inherent morality that's been guiding our perception of scripture. In one case, we deliberately choose to ignore animal sacrifices. In another case, it could be polygamy.

So is it correct to assume that the Hindu morality is constantly changing and beyond the scope of any one scripture including the Vedas?


texts: Do migrated brahmin person children will Become brahmin or non-brahmin?

texts:
Do migrated brahmin person children will Become brahmin or non-brahmin ?
For example  Vishwamitra became kashriya but vishwamitra children became brahmin
Do shudra came brahmin when that shudra children are belongs to shudra or brahmin
I want answer in view of iskcon and advaita


texts: What is the status of polygamy in contemporary Hinduism?

texts:
What is modern Hinduism's perspectives on polygamy (by modern, say within the last 35 years)?

Is the practice of polygamy consistent with any principles in the Vedas?


texts: Do any scriptures describe fish to be vegetarian/Sattvic?

texts:
Many scriptures forbid the consumption of animal flesh. Some examples of such scriptures are given below:

  We ought to destroy those who eat cooked as well as uncooked meat and eggs. (Atharva Veda 8.6.23)

  Its definitely a great sin to kill innocents. Do not kill our cows, horses and the people. (Atharva Veda 10.1.29)

  He who desires to augment his own flesh by eating the flesh of other creatures, lives in misery in whatever species he may take his [next] birth. (Mahabharata, Anu.115.47)

  Those who are ignorant of real dharma and, though wicked and haughty, account themselves virtuous, kill animals without any feeling of remorse or fear of punishment. Further, in their next lives, such sinful persons will be eaten by the same creatures they have killed in this world. (Srimad Bhagavatam 11.5.14)

  If there were nobody who ate flesh, then there would be nobody to slay living creatures. The man who slays living creatures kills them for the sake of the person who eats flesh. If flesh were not considered as food, there would then be no destruction of living creatures. It is for the sake of the eater that the destruction of living entities is carried on in the world. Since, O you of great splendor, the period of life is shortened by persons who kill living creatures or cause them to be killed, it is clear that the person who seeks his own good should give up meat altogether. Those dreadful persons who are engaged in the destruction of living beings never find protectors when they are in need. Such persons should always be molested and punished even as beast of prey. (Mahabharata, Anu.115.29-32)

  That man who seeks to multiply his own flesh by (eating) the flesh of others has to live in this world in great anxiety, and after death has to take birth in indifferent races and families. High Rishis given to the observance of vows and self-control have said that abstention from meat is worthy of praise, productive of fame and Heaven, and a great satisfaction itself. This I heard formerly, O son of Kunti, from Markandeya when that Rishi discoursed on the sins of eating flesh. (Mahabharata, Anu.115.34-36)

  Bhishma said: That man who wishes to increase his own flesh by the meat of another living creature is such that there is none meaner and more cruel than he. In this world there is nothing that is dearer to a creature than his life. Hence, one should show mercy to the lives of others as he does to his own life. Forsooth, O son, flesh has its origin in the vital seed. There is great sin attached to its eating, as, indeed, there is merit in abstaining from it. (Mahabharata, Anu.116.11-13)

There are many more verses than these present in the scriptures. I am not going to quote them since there are too many.

Now coming to my question, people in various parts of India see fish as Sattvic. For example, in my state (i.e. Bengal), many Brahmins say fish is Sattvic. Some even go to the extent of calling them "sea-vegetables". However, this does not only happen in Bengal. Many in Odisha, Bihar and the Goud Saraswat Brahmin community in Coastal South-Western Andhra Pradesh; see fish as Sattvik.

In addition to this regional/cultural issue, we have seen prominent individuals such as Ramakrishna Paramahamsa and Lahiri Mahasay to be pescetarians when their disciples Swami Vivekananda and Yukteshwar Giri advocating vegetarian diet. (I discuss the vegetarianism issue of Swami Vivekananda and Ramakrishna Paramahamsa in this question) So it can be said, Swami Vivekananda and Yukteshwar Giri took fish as vegetarian.

Are there any scriptural justification of their views? Do any scriptures call fishes as sea-vegetables and not as "meat"? Do any scriptures classify fishes as Sattvic for eating?


texts: If Kripacharya is an immortal and one of the chiranjeevi and also the kulguru of hastinapur, where was he during the snake sacrifice of Janamejaya?

texts: go to http://sacred-texts.com/ and read about mahabharat. Where was he when during the sarpa satra of Janamejaya, when Vaisampayana was narrating the 1st narration of Mahabharat in which Kripacharya is also there, where was Kripacharya during the time of Sarpa Satra?


texts: Do Gods really exist as entities with a specific appearance?

texts: I know that Brahma, Vishnu, and Maheshwar are representations of creation, protection, and destruction cycles. Do they really exist as entities with a specific appearance?


texts: Do mantras actually have any significance?

texts: What is the significance of mantras and why do people chant them?


texts: Is it stated explicitly anywhere in the Mahabharata that a progressively adharmic War made Ashwatthama a monster?

texts:
Ashwatthama undergoes a shocking moral degeneration towards the end of the Mahabharata War as a result of the unethical killing of his father. He kills the entire sleeping Pandava army and the brothers and sons of Draupadi in the infamous "night time massacre" to exact vengeance for his father's murder, but doesn't stop there: he invokes the Brahmastra and after being incapable of retracting it, sends it to kill Parikshit in the womb, saying that the Pandava lineage should end here; but Lord Krishna, after resurrecting the infant, curses Ashwatthama  to wander the earth in a horrible state for millennia as a living embodiment of revenge, an apparently ignoble sentiment.

Whenever I asked my elders whether Ashwatthama's actions were a moral crime, they replied that he was a good man till the Pandavas used lies to kill his father Dronacharya. One adharmic act led to another worse crime, they said.

As far as I know (correct me if I am mistaken) Lord Krishna never cursed anybody except Ashwatthama. Almost all modern readings of the great epic interpret this extreme and rare rage of the Lord as a reaction to Ashwatthama's unacceptable war crimes, with the implication that the progressive unethicality of the war -- adharma breeds adharma -- culminating in the cheating of Drona and the technically wrong blow by Bheema to kill Duryodhana, ended up destroying the originally dharmic Ashwatthama's moral framework and made him capable of extremely brutal acts, arguably crimes against humanity, which invited the Lord's justified punishment: in short, that a progressively adharmic War made Ashwatthama a monster to morality.

Is that interpretation stated explicitly anywhere in the Mahabharata, and if so, please quote the relevant passage.


texts: Why does the Sudarshana Chakra resemble a tantric yantra in this image?

texts: In the above image, the Sudarshana Chakra looks like a tantric yantra. Is there any scriptural reason behind this?


texts: What is the reason behind the demand of only 5 villages?

texts:
Krishna says to Duryodhana if you don't give Indraprastha then give only 5 villages to Pandavas

Kusasthala,
Vrikasthala,
Makandi,
Varanavata,
fifth any other.

My question is, what is the reason behind asking for specific villages, any special reason behind the demand for these particular villages? what is special in these villages?


texts: lThere’s a triangle similar symbol on most of shiva Lingam’s. What does the symbol represent. Can anyone explain please?


texts: Why is Shukracharya connected with Venus & Brihaspati with Jupiter?

texts: Of the navagriha some of the connections are quite apparent like those of Surya and Chandra with the star and satellite respectively. Shani is connected to Saturn and Budh to mercury & it is believable since they are all celestial bodies. But why is Brihaspati connected with Jupiter or Shukra with Venus? Is there any story behind it?


texts: We know that the complexion of Lord Vishnu / Krishna is dark (shyam varna) but what is the complexion of Lord Shiva, dark or white?


texts: What is the reference to the "mythical story" behind Sadhguru's Dhyanalinga consecration?

texts:
In this video, Sadhguru reveals the secret of the Dhyanalinga. In this context, he said that there was a yogi named Sunira. He was the next generation of Saptarishis. He had the plan to create a perfect being who will liberate the entire world population. But he could not complete his work. At the end of his life, he prophecised that his unfinished job will be fulfilled after a long, long time in the green hills of South India. Later on, different attempts were made to fulfil his vision. But all attempts failed. At last, Sadhguru consecrated the Dhyanalinga. It is the liberator.
My question is this. If you see the Genealogies in the Puranas, you won't find anybody named Sunira. Anybody can check it by himself. Can anybody show any reference from any scriptures that talks about Sunira???


texts: Good book on Shiva Purana in Kannada/English

texts: I am searching for a good book on Shiva Purana in Kannada or English  language. But till now most of the websites suggest "The Immortals of Meluha" trilogy. I would like to know is it worth reading "The Immortals of Meluha" to understand most of the Shiva Purana or is there any other good book available??


texts:
In a video by the Sikh Jagraj Singh, Hinduism was discussed in relation to a passage from the Guru Granth Sahib.

In the GGS, the Guru Nanak described the Hindus as hypocrites for eating with Muslims as he claims that according to Hinduism the Muslims and indeed all non Hindus are untouchables and should not be eaten with.

Therefore, my question is this: Can a Hindu eat with a non Hindu and are those non Hindus classed as Dalit?

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=HdrS2p5AFJ8

Point at 4:50


texts: What should we do of belongings of the person who is no more? Like what should we do with cloths and other things of that person?


texts:
This Wikipedia Link  provides only one line  about Agnihotra.  Its said that Agnihotra is very simple and easy , We  can do Agnihotra at home on daily basis .So i would  like to know more about Agnihotra in short  like -:

What is the procedure , what things we need to perform Agnihotra?

What's the timing and the mantra's associeated with Agnihotra?


texts: Is Shiva or Rudra born and is he still alive? Was he killed or merged with supreme brahman at any point of time?

texts:
Is there any references in Vedas, ithihasas and puranas or any scriptures about birth of Siva or Rudra? Also, shiva purana says that Siva also has incarnations. So are all these incarnations still alive or some of them died and merged with Siva? Also are there any instances that he died or merged with supreme Brahman.

Request to please provide references from genuine scriptures(Vedas, upanishads, ithihasas, puranas etc) as support and not some wild fantacies or speculations or allegations as answers or comments


texts: Are Vaishnavism, Shaivism, etc., which encouraged sectarian attitude, contrary to Rig Vedic principles, therefore, anti-Hindu or anti-Sanatana Dharma?

texts:
Rig Veda II.1 states that there is only one Brahman, though attributed different epithets like Indra, Vishnu, Rudra, etc., to denote different actions of the same Almighty. The same was reiterated in RV I.164.46:

एकं सद विप्रा बहुधा वदन्त्यग्निं
ekaṃ sad viprā bahudhā vadantyaghniṃ
Though it is One, inspired poets speak of it in many ways

The Puranas on the other hand eulogise Vishnu, Shiva, etc, by deification, and demean Indra even though according to Vedas, Indra was an epithet much like Vishnu and Rudra.
So is it fair to say movements like Vaishnavism, Shaivism, etc., which encouraged sectarian attitude, are contrary to Rig Vedic principles, therefore, anti-Hindu or anti-Sanatana Dharma?


texts: Why previous births are only known to God and not to humans?

texts:
As clearly said by Krishna to Arjuna in Bhagwat Gita, that, "I remember all my previous births but you don't". Then question arises is why God only has that Extra privilege, and why normal human beings are deprived of it.

One may argue that why normal people need to know? If it is known, then at least people will understand the direct cause-and-effect principle.Also people will automatically start behaving more humanly as they will know that if they misbehave, their next birth will be one heck of hell.

  The memory from last births will act as a deterrence to avoid bad karma in current birth as humans are known to learn from their mistakes.

Now, when people suffers in current birth, and some sage or someone tells them that it is because of sins or bad karma of your previous birth, it becomes impossible for that person to digest it, specially if he/she does not believe in past life or reincarnation.

What could be the reason why God kept this seemingly obvious thing away from mere mortals?


texts: How to establish myself in the knowledge of the true self (Advaita)?

texts:
There are times when I feel that I have got it whereas there are days when I feel that I don’t understand anything.
Now I know I am always the unchanging self and it’s my mind that keeps going in and out of Vedanta.
How do I establish myself in the true knowledge?

How can I keep on being open to the true reality (Advaita Vedanta)? If I try really hard I can experience/feel/understand it for a short time, but soon after strong wordily desires and ego take over.


texts: What does dharma as a goal mean in purusartha?

texts: The four goals of human existence are called purushartha and consist of dharma, artha, kama, and moksha. Here what does it mean to attain dharma as a goal? Why is dharma considered to be a goal?


texts: Does evil get stronger at specific times?

texts:
I have heard that the evil or dark powers get more powerful at times like Amavasya (new moon night), Grahan (Solar/Lunar Eclipse), Ashtami & Navami (eighth & ninth day from new moon & full moon day), on Tuesday, on Sunday and few other times. It is believed that black magic works more better on these days.

Is it correct? How to understand this? Does Evil gets equal or more powerful than Devas on these specific days?


texts: How the Gotra of a woman is changed during marriage?

texts: Gotra of women will change from her father's Gotra to husband's Gotra. How this will happen? Is there any Mantra?


texts:
Babruvahana was a son of Arjun and Chitrangada who ends up killing his own father with an arrow. Uloopi the step mother of Babruvahana used a gem to bring Arjuna back to life.

I want to know how Uloopi was the step mother of Babruvahana and what happened to Chitrangada after Arjuna left Manipur? How could Bhishma and Babruvahana both being incarnations of the Vasu Prabasha exist at the same time?


texts:
I am aware that we need to be initiated into something like Shri Rudram or Purusha Suktam or Shri Suktam.

But, would learning them using audio files amount to getting initiated into them?

Or do we have to approach a guru in person?

Just for the record, I'm not opposed to learning it from a guru in person. I was just curious to know if it was all right.


texts: Any cryptic message in photos of Hindu Gods?

texts:
Is there any cryptic information in the photos of our Gods? Did we lost in the years of invasion?

Example: Muruga has two wives. Valli and Devasena. Sometimes he is with Ayudhas. Sometimes alone.


texts:
I have planted a Bilva (Bel) plant in my lawn whose leaves I use for Shiva pooja. Some of the priests said that Bel plant should not be planted in the house. Instead, it should be migrated to a temple.

Is it true?


texts: Is Lord Narayana omniscient and omnipotent? Can you suggest quotes from the scriptures to support this?


texts:
Does the world gets destroyed by gods? many people said that when the gods become angry on people they destroy the whole world with the help of water,fire etc.
example:flood,tsunami etc.

why this all Done? it is one of the Global warming are the Anger of our God?
Many educated people said it is a effort of deforestation and global warming.
And some people said it is angry of God which one is true? and what vedas said?


texts: How are ashtaka-shrAddha and preta-shraddha performed?

texts:
What are these shraddhas and how are they done?

Which texts give procedure for these rituals?


texts: Relationship between Hare Krishnas and Hindus?

texts: Is there any relationship between Hare Krishnas and Hindus, or do these belong to two entirely different religions?


texts:
I don't know if this question is related on not. But why and how Diwali, a festival of lights turned into a festival of crackers? How this all started?
Is there any relation of this festival with crackers from ancient times? Loud noise.... Is this tradition wrong or right?


texts: What are the names of adityas and saptarshi?

texts: Please tell the names of adityas and saptarishi for the present Manvantara i.e., Vaivasvata Manvantara.


texts:
Bramhana (like Aitareya brAhmana, satapata Bramhana, etc) are said to be part of Vedas and seem to expound the meaning of Samhita mantra and how to do Yajna. They also contain many legends like story of Yajnavalkya, Ajatshatru, Janaka etc.

On the other hand Veda are said to be timeless and not creation of any human.

So how can Bramhana be part of Veda/Shruti when they contain stories of real people?

In this aspect they seem similar to Smritis like Ramayan, Mahabharata etc.


texts: Does cobra pearl and stone are entirely different in shape and colour? And how big is it? A tiny gel like transparent capsule as shown in by youtubers?


texts: Who shot the first arrows to start the battles of the Ramayana and Mahabharata?

texts:
I have heard that shooting the first arrow to start the battle is very important to every battle.

Who shot the first arrow to start the battles of Ramayana and Mahabharata respectively?


texts: Body is un-real and only atma is real in Hinduism?

texts:
Almost all concepts in non-dualism(advaita-siddhanta), it is believed that Human body is unreal or "maya" and only atma  is real. Their claim is that without atma body is nothing. In my personal opinion, that is completely illogical concept. Because, if we think vice-versa, atma is nothing without the body. The identity of atma is only in living bodies else it is nothing, even weaker than an atom.

Are my thoughts right? If not, please explain with clarifications. Is body really unreal and weaker than atma?


texts:
Recently, I was having a discussion on what Varnas, Karna and Satyavati should belong to.

We all know Karna was born from Kunti and Surya but was adopted by Adhiratha Nandana. Therefore, he was born as a Kshatriya but was adopted by Suta (product of Brahmin mother and Kshatriya father) parents. Of course, his identity was not known to people.

Satyavati and his twin brother Matsya, on the other hand, was born as the product of King Uparichara Vasu and Adrika, an Apsara cursed by a Brahmana to turn into a fish. She was found by a fisherman (who are generally considered Shudras) who was a subject of Uparichara Vasu incidentally. The fisherman approached the King and narrated the tale of their miraculous birth. In the end, Uparichara Vasu took Matsya while Satyavati was adopted by the fisherman. I'm guessing Uparichara Vasu was aware that Matsya and Satyavati were his biological son and daughter.

However, Karna and Satyavati are not the subject of my question but rather how adoption generally affects one's Varna. If a boy of certain Varna is adopted by a couple of a different Varna, would he be considered a member of his biological Varna or the Varna of his foster parents? Would the knowledge of his birth i.e. if the identity of his biological parents and their Varnas were known, have any affect on determining his Varna? Do scriptures have anything to say regarding this? Perhaps, Nandapandita's Dattakamimamsa (a treatise on adoption written in the sixteenth century) has the definite answer to this question?

Related:

1) Did Satyavati and Shantanu belong to same caste?

2) What is Karna's caste (varna)?


texts: What is the earliest reference to identifying/differentiating Siddhartha Gautama and the Buddha Avatara?

texts:
Hindu scripture describes two Buddha Avataras of Vishnu born to deceive people.  One Buddha Avatara took place during the Tripura incident.  Another Buddha Avatara took place in the present Kali Yuga.  Some people identify this second Buddha Avatara with Siddhartha Gautama, the founder of Buddhism who is commonly called Buddha.  Others think they’re two different people, and that Siddhartha Gautama was not an Avatara of Vishnu.

My question is, what is the earliest reference to Siddhartha Gautama either being the same as Vishnu’s Buddha Avatara or the two being different.  What are the earliest work of Acharyas that discuss this issue?

Note that I’m not looking for answers which try to argue the substance of whether the scriptural descriptions of the Buddha Avatar matches what we know about Siddhartha Gautama.  I’m just looking for the earliest explicit reference to this issue of whether they’re the same or not.


texts: What is the true meaning of the shlok Dharmo Rakshati Rakshitah?

texts:
Dharma Rakshati Rakshitah means if you protect Dharma, then Dharma will protect you.
Can someone understand me better


texts:
Princess Amba was abducted by Bhishma from her Swayamvara(self marriage ceremony at the kingdom of Kashi).Salva(king of Saubala) who was earlier in love with her, subsequently refused to accept her as his bride,because of this incident.

Princess Amba reflected on her condition rationally, and arrived at the conclusion that Bhishma was mainly responsible for her condition,and swore to  - destroy Bhishma by Austerities or Battle.

The determined Princess, then undertook a lot of ascetic austerities that were very difficult to endure, and finally obtained a boon from Lord Shiva.

What were the ascetic austerities undertaken by  Princess Amba to obtain a boon from Lord Shiva?


texts: Why does Ramanuja refer to the PAshupata sect as the sect of "Black faces"?

texts:
Ramanuja attributed this philosophy to the tradition of the Kalamukha(s), the sect of "Black Faces" to which Lakulisha belonged.

What was the reason for referring to it as KAlamukha?

What were RAmanuja's views on the KApAlika and Pasupata sects and their doctrines?


texts:
The Brahmastra and Brahmasira astra, were weapons, which existed during the ancient era{of Ramayana and Mahabharata}.

In ancient Sanskrit writings,it is mentioned that these weapons were created by God Brahma, the Creator.

It is believed that God Brahma created these weapons for the purpose of upholding Dharma{Morality} and Satya{Truth}.

It is known that, Arjuna, one of the greatest warriors of the Mahabharata epic, had the Brahmasira Astra.

How did Arjuna get the Brahmasira astra?


texts: Mythological character in the Hindu newspaper logo

texts:
In the national newspaper the logo at top of newspaper a character is depicted at left. It was believed by some to be Kamadhenu from Hindu mythology. But why those wings?... so much like the Ahura Mazda of Zoroastrian faith from Persia:

  Known as Gayomard, the sculpture reveals the body of a bull, the face of a human being and the wings of a supernatural being.

Can  someone enlighten who he or she, in The Hindu logo, is supposed to actually represent?

EDIT1:

It is undeniable that the cow is held in highest veneration among the Hindus, but that is not the point here.

Wiki reference unedited to an extent reinforces the above:

  This vision of Kamadhenu, the wish-granting cow of ancient Hindu legend, combines a white zebu cow with the crowned, frontal female face, colorful “eagle” wings, and peacock tail of Buraq, the animal (horse)  that the prophet Muhammad rode to heaven on his night journey (Miraj). From at least the fifteenth century, Persian paintings showed Buraq with a horse’s body, wings, and a woman’s face; the peacock tail may have been an Indian addition. Popular portrayals of Kamadhenu in India today often show her in this Indo-Persian composite form; this may be one of the earliest images to merge the visual characteristics of the Hindu Kamadhenu with the Islamic Buraq.

So although wingless form is in the scriptures, this winged Avatar is not indigenous to Hindu India but is adapted, as Hinduism sanctions proper assimilation.. or so it appears to me even now.

EDIT2:

The winged creature can be also found in ( Indonesian Blog, page 3 Figure 1: 3 = Winged Winged Cow Man ):

http://vokapb.blogspot.in/

Penemuan Modern.  Pada tahun 1843, Botta, konsul Perancis di Mossoul, menemukan istana raja Assyria di bawah sebuah bukit dekat Tigris. Di sini untuk pertama kalinya orang bisa melihat produksi seni Assyria; sapi bersayap yang dipahat di batu, yang ditempatkan di gerbang istana ditemukan utuh, dan dipindahkan ke Museum Louvre di Paris. Penggalian Botta menarik perhatian Eropa, sehingga banyak ekspedisi dikirimkan. Place dan Layard berhasil menemukan reruntuhan istana lainnya. Reruntuhan ini terjaga dengan baik, terlindungi oleh kekeringan iklim dan oleh lapisan bumi. Mereka menemukan dinding yang dihiasi dengan relief dan lukisan; patung dan prasasti ditemukan dalam jumlah yang besar.

Google Translation

Modern Discovery. In 1843, Botta, the French consul in Mossoul, discovered the king's palace of Assyria under a hill near the Tigris. Here for the first time one can see the art production of Assyria; The winged cow carved in stone, placed at the palace gate found intact, and transferred to the Louvre Museum in Paris. The excavation of Botta drew European attention, so many expeditions were sent. Place and Layard managed to find other palace ruins. These ruins are well preserved, protected by climate drought and by layers of the earth. They find walls decorated with reliefs and paintings; Statues and inscriptions are found in large numbers.


texts: What is complete authentic story of demon Tripurasura?

texts:
According to this wikipedia page of Tripurasura, Tripurasura was killed by Lord Shiva because he followed a Adharmic Religion which was created by Lord Vishnu to lure him to the path of Adharma. After Lord Shiva killing demon Tripurasura, those shaven head religious teachers asked Lord Vishnu what to do and Lord Vishnu ordered them to go to desert where there were no humans and come back during Kaliyuga.

What's the complete authentic story of Killing of Tripurasura, according to Shiva Purana?
What could be that Religion? Is it Islam or Christianity?


texts: Why Hindus wear red tilak and sandal wood tilak on foreheads?

texts:
Hindus prefer to wear red tilak and sandal wood tilak on foreheads.

Also Lord Shiva wears Bhasma(Vibhuthi). Many of his followers do the same. How did this practice originate?


texts: I hope you can help me as searching on Google has not helped that much. My father passed away in February. I wondered whether anyone knew whether the soul can take Sannyasa? My father identified with Hinduism and was cremated (by chance) on Mahashivaratri. I just hope someone can answer my question or direct me to any texts that may help me.


texts: Importance of using ḍamaru-hasta and trident in Lord Shiva

texts:
Lord Shiva using ḍamaru-hasta and Trident almost we aware of it. However,

When the ḍamaru are using by Shiva that means in which situation he is using the Damaru-hasta
Who is given or when he is have that?
Importance of ḍamaru-hasta for human to be considered in their life?


texts: How can one know which path among karma, bhakti and jnana is suitable for him?

texts:
The few known ways to reach god are bhakthi marga, karma marga, gnana (jnana) marga & yoga marga.

How one can know the best way which suits to him? Are there any references?

For this timetabled life style, is there a way to know the proposition of them which suits to the person to take him to the next spiritual level?


texts: What is the significance of bathing in river in Hinduism?

texts: The title is clear. Question came to me when I saw the kumbh mela videos which showed pilgrims bathed in river. Similarly during chhath devotees bathe in river while worshipping.


texts: Did Bhaktivinod Thakur explicitly employ the term 'apasampradaya' to describe unorthodox Vaishnavas?

texts:
Bengali Vaishnava reformers in the 19th century reclaimed Vaishnavism as a noble indigenous tradition and rehabilitated its reputation, setting it apart from low-caste, antinomian, suspiciously Tantric, heterodox Vaishnava movements. For this purpose they employed the notion of apasampradāya – a term widely used by Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati, by Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, and by his  followers. The term (apa- , prefix for inferior, bad, defecting, deviating, + sampradāya, a religious tradition, community, often translated as sect) is glossed as a deviant religious sect and used by orthodox Vaishnava spokespersons to refer to those communities that they envisage as degenerate, immoral, or unauthorized.

In the prolific writings of Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura, is there any explicit mention of the term 'apasampradaya'? Can anybody provide a reference?


texts: Does Uddhava belong to Yadu Dynasty and if so why did he not die because of sage's curse on the dynasty?

texts: We know Uddhava is a dear associate of Krishna in Dwaraka. Who are the parents of Uddhava? Or atleast can we conclusively say that he belongs to Yadu dynasty? If he belonged to Yadu Dynasty, why didn't he die unlike other members of the dynasty because of the sage's curse?


texts: Which one is the true version of the many Ramayanas out there?

texts: In scripture its mentioned Ramayana happened in 24th Mahayuga and now we're living in 28th Mahayuga. Then why are different versions of the Ramayana mentioned? Or are all versions of Ramayana true which happened in different Kalpas?


texts: Does the Kaundinyasa/Kaundinya Gotra derive it's lineage from Buddha's disciple Kodanna?

texts:
I have been trying to trace the history of the Kaundinyasa gotra. Most of the references I find imply that Kaundinya was a brahmin at the court of the father of prince Siddharth (later Gautam Buddha) and was the only one to predict the princes impending Buddhahood. Later he became one of the closest members of Buddha's immediate group of monks.
However I also find a few references (unverified) to Kaundinya(s) in other contexts, some dating back to Yudhishthira's court.
Does anyone have any specific information references on the individual credited with originating the gotra by the same name?


texts:
Kashmiri Shaiva mystic Utpaladeva in his Shiva Stotravalli says,

  This fearful world has well-nigh come to an end; the heavy dross of the mind has melted away; still there is, O Lord, not the least opening in the bolted panels of Thy city gates. 4.15

What he meant is despite getting rid of all the conditionings of the mind, he is yet to become the nectar. The commentator has commented on the verse as

  The verse is suggestive of what is known in mystic circles as Sunya Bhumi. It is a negative experience and must be overcome with relentless effort combined with the Lord's grace.

Do we find the phrase in any of the scriptures or the works of scholars, mystics, acharyas, etc.? And what does the phrase connote if at all we find the phrase somewhere?


texts: Does any work say 'Vishnuraham' - I am Vishnu like there is 'Shivoham' - I am Shiva?

texts:
"Shivoham" (I am Shiva) is well known conventional term which represent the Self is Shiva. But I have not yet found similar for Vishnu as well like "Vishnuraham" (I am Vishnu). It might be because almost all Vaishnava sects are either dual, semi -dual or qualified dual. Does any acharya or scripture used such (or similar) term?

Note that I want a phrase like Shivoham not a sentence to demonstrate the Self is Vishnu.


texts: Which scripture say any woman having intercourse with 5 different men is a prostitute?

texts:
From this answer, I found

  The celebrated Pandu, tempted by the desire of having more children wished to speak again unto his wedded wife (for invoking some other god). But Kunti addressed him, saying, 'The wise do not sanction a fourth delivery even in a season of distress. The woman having intercourse with four different men is called a Swairini (heanton), while she having intercourse with five becometh a harlot. Therefore, O learned one, as thou art well-acquainted with the scripture on this subject, ...

Actually this is like a definition of a harlot or prostitute. I am interested to know which scripture (Possibly Smritis) other than this one, declares so - that a woman having intercourse with 5 different men is prostitute?


texts: What are some of the good and bad omens?

texts: Omen (Shakunam) is a phenomenon which is believed to foretell what will happen in future. What are some of the good and bad omen according to Hindu scriptures?


texts: Why permit Anga pradakshina but not Saashtaanga Namaskaram for women?

texts: Why are women not permitted to practice the Saashthaanga Namaskaram but are permitted Angapradikshana? I refer to these two practices in particular as I was told that a woman's womb is holy and may not touch the ground.


texts: What were the forms of vedas when Madhu and Kaitabha stole them?

texts:
The story of Madhu and Kaithabha stealing vedas and Lord Vishnu in the avatar of Hayagriva retrieving them have been mentioned here . However my question is what was the form of vedas.

Mahabharata just states each of the vedas were endued in the most delightful form. Is there a description given elsewhere? I am assuming it is not in form of texts as usually seen in picture representation of Hayagriva

And somewhat related question - why couldn't Lord Brahma get the vedas revealed again ?


texts: Geeta somehow says do not grieve over the death of loved one: so are we doing adharma?

texts:
Geeta somehow says "do not cry when someone you love dies, keep doing Karma, birth and death are parts of life".

I don't know the exact words, but it somehow says this (If someone could correct the subject of this question, will be appreciated). Now, if you see daily life, you won't find a single person who doesn't grieve at the death of a loved one. We often fall in the past memories and start grieving again and again, though it fades slowly, but exists.

Let alone humans, even animals have kind of same story.

So does this simply mean we don't understand Geeta's that part? And by not understanding and following it, are we doing adharma?

Secondly, if everyone starts following this part of Geeta, in my opinion world might not exist. So why would Geeta want us to behave like not grieving?

EDIT: I found something that I was talking about.

“Death is as sure for that which is born, as birth is for that which is dead. Therefore grieve not for what is inevitable.”
― Bhagavad Gita 2.27

PS: In serials, it is shown even Krishna has emotions. This also complicates this part.


texts: When did Vibhishana stop being king of Lanka?

texts:
In this chapter of the Yuddha Kanda of the Ramayana, after Ravana's death his brother Vibhishana is coronated as the king of Lanka:

  Hearing the words of the great soled Rama, Lakshmana replied, 'so it be' and rejoicingly procured a golden pot. That mighty Lakshmana, then placing that pot in the hands of the monkey-chiefs, instructed them, who were as swift as thought, to bring sea-water. Thereupon, those excellent monkeys, with the swiftness of thought, moving very quickly from that place, returned, having obtained the water from the sea. Thereupon, Lakshmana together with his friends, taking one pot and making Vibhishana sit on the throne, sprinkled him with sea-water from that pot in accordance with the rule prescribed in Vedic scriptures, while the demons were witnessing the ceremony, to make him the king for Lanka, as directed by Rama. Then, all the demons, as well as the monkeys, consecrated Vibhishana.

And this chapter of the Uttara Kanda of the Ramayana describes how Rama blessed Vibhishana with immortality right before Rama departed the Earth:

  He then said to Vibhishana the king of Rakshasas: As long as people shall breathe, O Vibhishana, O highly powerful lord of Rakshasas, thou shalt preserve thy body in Lanka.

But my question is, when and how did Vibhishana step down as king of Lanka?  Vibhishana is obviously not ruling Sri Lanka today, so what caused him to stop ruling it?

This excerpt from the Nagara Kanda of the Skanda Puranas describes how when Rama's son Kusha was ruling Ayodhya, he sent a message to Vibhishana to keep the Rakshasas from coming into India and creating havoc.  So Vibhishana was still ruling Lanka during Kusha's reign. And going to even more recent times, Vibhishana was still ruling Lanka during the time of Yudhishthira's Rajasuya Yagna, as described in this chapter of the Sabha Parva of the Mahabharata:

  And, O king of kings, that slayer of all foes, the virtuous and intelligent son of Madri having arrived at the sea-shore, then despatched with great assurance messengers unto the illustrious Vibhishana, the grandson of Pulastya. And the monarch willingly accepted the sway of the son of Pandu, for that intelligent and exalted king regarded it all as the act of Time. And he sent unto the son of Pandu diverse kinds of jewels and gems, and sandal and also wood, and many celestial ornaments, and much costly apparel, and many valuable pearls. And the intelligent Sahadeva, accepting them all, returned to his own kingdom.

So even during the Mahabharata period, Vibhishana was still ruling Lanka.  So what changed between then and now?Do any scriptures describe Vibhishana handing the throne to one of his sons?Do any ancient Indian writers living in the Kali Yuga (like Adi Shankaracharya, for instance) state that Vibhishana was still ruling Lanka in their time?

Now there is a small number of people, like the author of this question, who argue that Ravana's Lanka is not the same as the modern-day island of Sri Lanka.  If that's the case then Vibhishana could still be ruling Ravana's Lanka to this day.  But I find such theories rather far-fetched.

EDIT: The first chapter of an ancient Buddhist text called the Mahavamsa claims that Buddha went to Lanka and drove away all the Yakshas, which may be a metonymy for Rakshasas, and sent them to a place called Giridipa.  And it seems that there was a legendary Buddhist prince named Vijaya who is said to have fought Yakshas in Lanka.  But I want to know what Hinduism has to say.


texts: Manusmriti says Sama Veda is impure, whereas Krishna says he is Sama Veda of all the Vedas

texts:
The Manusmriti says:

  The Ṛgveda is sacred to the gods and the Yajurveda is human; the
  Sāmaveda has been declared to be related to the Pitṛs; hence its sound
  is impure.—(124)

This is odd because Krishna says in Bhagavad Gita 10.22:

Angiras also says in his Dharma Shastra:

  Aṅgiras (Caturvargacintāmani, Paribhaṣa-Kāla, Adhyāya 14).—‘In as much
  as sacrifices to the deities of the cremation-ground are offered with
  the Sāmaveda,—the sound of that Veda is unclean.’

And also:

  in Smṛticandrikā (Saṃskāra, p. 160), as stating the reason for
  what has been declared in the preceding verse;—in Puruṣārthacintāmaṇi
  (p. 443);—and in Hemādri (Kāla, p. 768),—in all these to the same
  effect.

However, Medhatithi says:

  The sound of the Sāmaveda should not he understood, by this, to be
  really unclean; all that is meant is that, just as Veda should not be
  recited in the presence of an unclean substance, so should it not he
  recited in the presence of the Sāma-chant; it is on the ground of this
  similarity to ‘unclean substances’ that the sound of Sāma has been
  said to be ‘unclean.’

But what is the point of comparing it to unclean things and even deliberately stating that it's impure, when you don't actually mean it is impure?


texts: Can a Kundalini awakened person experience Ramayana, Mahabhrata etc.,

texts:
Valmiki got power from Brahma to experience all things in-order to write Ramayana and is explained in Ramayana. The following words of Brahma clarifies it

"The adventures of valorous Rama along with Lakshmana, and the
misadventures of demons, known or unknown in every detail, and even
the plight of Vaidehi which is either revealed or un-revealed so far,
and whatever legend that has happened, all that will also be known to
you, even if it were to be unknown, as yet...
[1-2-33-34]

Similarly Vyasa got power to experience Mahabharata.
My doubt is whether a person whose Kundalini reached Sahastra can able to experience Ramayana, Mahabharata, all past events along with all details or not?


texts: do Hindu scriptures say anywhere that one varna is higher or lower than another?

texts:
Purusha sukta (in a verse considered by modern scholars to be a later interpolation) implies it ( "The Brahmana was his mouth; the Rajanya (Kshatriya) was made his arms; the Vaishya was his thighs; and the Sudra made his feet").

But does it say explicitly anywhere that one caste has higher status or rank than another?  In particular, anything about the relative ranks of Brahmins and kshatriyas?


texts: What are the kriyas Swahakaram and Vashatkaram means?

texts:
In Balagandam Sarkam 52 (I think), the following passage appears in Tamil:

Which when I translate:

  Then Vasishta said "Maharaj (addressing Vishwamithrar), I will not give Sabahalai in lieu of lakhs and lakhs or crores and crores of cows. I will  not give even silver is heaped liked mountain... (highlighted portion) Swahakaram, Vashatkaram - these two kriyas are preformed with Sabalai.

These Vashatkaram and Swahakaram kriyas are mentioned in this and being performed by Vasishta. What are these kriyas, what are its significance?


texts: Can I please have a scriptural reference for Pitru Runa?

texts: I heard that in Hinduism, we must beget offspring after marriage as part of Hindu belief (Pitru Runa).  In other words is there scripture about the importance of carrying on a blood line? Is it mandatory to follow it? If so, what scriptures describe this?


texts: What were the previous births of the characters of Mahabharata?

texts:
There is a very interesting story about Karna being an Asura named as Dambhodbhava.
Quora: Who was Karna in his previous birth?. Arjuna-Krishna being Nara-Narayana kids, who fought with Dambhodbhava.

There is also a story about Draupadi's previous birth where she asked
for a husband with 14 qualities and end up marrying the 5 Pandavas.
Bhishma being a Vasu.
Shishupala being Raavana (or Vishnu's gatekeeper)
Shikhandi being princess Ambaa

Are there any sources for the other key characters' previous births like:

Satyavati & Muni Veda Vyasa
Dhritarashtra, Pandu, & Vidura
Other Pandavas
Duryodhana, Dushashana
Abhimanyu, Ghatotkacha, Upapandavas
Drona & Ashwathama
Shakuni, Shalya, Drupada, Dhrishtadyumna


texts: Astrology: Navamsa and Narayan Dasha - Does Rashi aspect on seventh house indicates marriage possibility in that Rasi period?

texts: My question is that is this always happen that Rasi dasha (Narayan Dasha) should aspect seventh house in Navamsa to indicate marriage possibility in that Rashi period. For example if someone is running Aries dasha then sign of Aries must have aspect on seventh house in Navamsa to indicate the possibility of marriage during that Rashi dash period


texts:
Can anybody please tell me about the power of Gayatri Mantra?

I often listen to this and feel something.


texts:
People who follow Hinduism are classified based on varnas. If someone didn't follow Hinduism, how are their varnas determined ? If not, do they belong to any new category?

Consider a white man, what is his varna?

If you say it is based on their birth (in the current scenario), by which way do you classify them?

If it is based on occupation, then there is no clear way to do it (the father may be a governor, while the son may be merchant - which would make you give a different varna to father and son - which does not happen).

Also please mention a reference to vedas, mausmirthi or some book based on which you make a classification.


texts:
I have Learnt that a brahmin who doesn't learn Vedas is considered to be just a namesake brahmin

So considering a brahmin having had his upanayanam and his sacred thread (jandhyam),

Is there any upper limit for one to start studying vedas?
Does one require to study all the four vedas or the one the brahmin is related to? (brahmins are classified into rig veda, yajur veda..)
Is initiation (guru upadesam) necessary for vedas also?
I've read various answers stating only around 3% of original vedas are available now, then how could one possibly study vedas even if wanting to?

Ps. I'm not sure about the 4th question and I might be wrong as they might be still taught orally at some gurukulam s and would like to learn more about it.

Thanks in Advance


texts: What is the meaning behind Shiva with 26 heads and 52 hands?

texts: I was wondering what the meaning is behind Shiva's 26 heads and 52 hands in a temple in Tamil Nadu? I have never seen him in this form before.


texts: Diametrically opposite views on important spiritual practices

texts:
I find some diametrically opposite views on important spiritual practices.

It is said that the exact pronunciation of a mantra is very important, yet some pronounce the most famous mantra as OM, others as AUM.
Some say that for the mantra SO-HAM, SO should be on inhalation, others that it should be on exhalation.
Proper alignment is supposed to be vital for mudras, yet some do them with palms up, others with palm down.

Moreover, the opposing camps insist that their view is the correct one, although for SO-HAM, I understand that yogi Gorakhnath conveniently resolved it by saying that both are correct ! [ Mind it, SO-HAM is supposed to be an onomatopoeic mantra !]

What are we to make of all this ? That all these are mere shots in the dark ?


texts: Benefits of lighting a lamp using different oils

texts:
Deeparadhana (worshiping God by lighting a lamp) is an ancient practice in our country. We start any pooja by lighting a lamp. It is said that a lamp lit using cow ghee is the best. Sesam oil is used for daily deeparadhana in houses. But recently many astrologers have been advising people to light diyas using different oils like castor oil, Mahua flower oil, mustard oil, coconut oil etc., They are advising to use different number of wicks and different types of wicks too.

My questions -

Is using different oils and different wicks for lighting lamps justified in any of our scriptures?
If yes, What are the benefits of using particular oils in deeparadhana?


texts: What are the various combinations of Rudraksha and their affects on humans?

texts: I've heard that using a couple of 6 faced with a 5 faced rudraksha emhances the concentration power. Where can I know other combinations and their impact.


texts: The strongest warrior of all time in the time of Mahabharatha

texts:
I just watched this video today and got mesmerised: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q0Qw1HAVMtI&t=71s what sadhguru has stated.

A man from south India with just 3 arrows came to fight war, When krishna asks you have only 3, what can you do with it? He mentions, i can kill entire kauravas from 1 arrow and another arrow to kill entire pandavas. By the by who is this person and what is his name? Is that true story and was he a real character? What was his story?


texts: Human has 5 senses. Animal also have 5 I guess. But how many and what senses trees has, as per Hinduism texts?


texts: Should marriage happen within a year of losing of parent?

texts:
One of my Hindu friend from Maratha community lost his dad in an accident. Right after the last rites his relatives are forcing him to marry within a year or else he'll have to wait for 3 years as a custom, which has no reason except it's a tradition.

He is already not come to terms with the loss, moreover priests who came for rituals also advised to wait for a year since the family observes the sutak for a year. He is confused and all relatives are forcing under the name of tradition.

Please can someone tell me how should he react and what should he do? If at all he is to be married what needs to be done to adhere to simplicity?

Edit 1 : This is a different questions since the person in question has lost the parent and not the relative. In fact hurry for marriage to be done within a year is because of it. Marriage wasn't decided earlier however due to death of a parent a decision to marry that too within a year has been taken.


texts: Is there any scriptural injunction that says leaving wife and family for attaining God-realisation is a sin?

texts:
Our scriptures depict a general person of the Kaliyuga as: 'stridevah kamakimkarah' i.e. who obeys wife as God and is a passion of lust.

Is there any scriptural injunction also that says leaving wife and family for attaining God-realisation is a sin?


texts: Why do certain goddesses exist in the form of rivers?

texts: In hindu mythology, many rivers are referred to as goddesses for example Ganga and Saraswati. Is there any curse given to them so that they all were in river form? What is the story behind it?


texts: Do scriptures besides Padma Purāṇa permit wives to discipline their husbands?

texts:
This passage from Padma Purāṇa recommends a wife beat her husband to discipline him. Assuming this is not a mistranslation, do any other scriptures support this view?

The brāhmaṇa’s wife said:
47-65. O dear one, today you have understood the virtues and the vices of (our) daughter. She has now been spoiled because of your affection and love for her. One should fondle one’s son till he is five years old. O dear one, one should always nourish him with the idea of training him (even) through affection also, by giving him bath, coverings, food, (other) eatables, drinks. There is no doubt about this. O dear one, one should urge the son in (i.e. to acquire) virtues and true learning. A father is always free from affection for the sake of teaching virtues (to his son). O dear one, affections take place (i.e. should be shown) in the protection and nourishment (of the son). (A father) should never describe his son as virtuous. Everyday he should censure him. He should always talk to him (with) sternness, and should afflict him with (harsh) words, so that the son, intent upon (acquiring) learning, will pursue true knowledge. Even through a device used to correct his pride, he leaves his sin far away. Perfection in learning and virtues is produced (in him). A mother should beat her daughter, and a mother-in-law should beat her daughter-in-law. A preceptor should beat his pupil. Thus they acquire perfection, not otherwise. A wife should flog her husband, a king should punish his minister. A soldier should beat his horse, and the elephant’s driver should beat him. O lord, by means of being beaten and being protected, they are prepared with a thought for training. O lord, along with the good brāhmaṇa Śivaśarman, you yourself have foreover spoilt her. In the house she was made undisciplined (i.e. was not checked); therefore, O you highly intelligent one, she is spoilt. O dear one, listen to my words: The father should keep his daughter in his house till she becomes eight years old. He should not keep a strong (i.e. grown up) one. Both the parents get the (fruit of the) sin which a daughter, living in her father’s house, commits. Therefore an able (i.e. a grown up) daughter is not kept in his house (by the father). She should get nourishment in the house of him to whom she is given. She, living there, should devoutly win over her virtuous husband. The family becomes famous; the father lives happily. The husband suffers due to the sin which she, living there (i.e. in the husband’s house) commits. Living there, she always prospers with sons and grandsons. O dear one, the father obtains fame due to the good qualities of his daughter. Therefore, O dear one, one should not keep in one’s house one’s daughter with her husband (i.e. a married daughter). O dear one, in this context there is an account that is so heard: O brāhmaṇa, I shall tell you the account of the hero Ugrasena, the eldest Yadu, as it took place, when the great twenty-eighth Dvāpara yuga arrived. Listen to it with a concentrated mind.


texts: Why did lord Shiva choose Mount Kailash (earth) as his abode?

texts: Neither Vishnu nor Brahma  stay on the earth but why did lord Shiva choose Mount Kailash ( which is on earth) as his abode?


texts: Does Albert Einsteen Really Read Bhagavad Gita?

texts:
I have heard that Bhagavad Gita helps Albert Einsteen to discover E=mc^2 .
Is that true ?
Does Bhagavad Gita helps him to become success in his life ?


texts: Who is mother Durga, why was she prayed by all gods including Vishnu to be reborn as Parvathi?

texts:
Mother Durga was reborn as Parvathi, the daughter of Mena and Himalaya. So why did the Gods including Vishnu pray to mother Durga to be reborn as Parvathi. Why were they happy of the marriage of Mena and Himalaya.
Was Sati also a reincarnation of mother Durga ?


texts:
I am planning to read Puranas. I would like to make a start and continue. Can you recommend where to start and also a book (only in English) please. I am interested in a hardback book only.
Thanks


texts: Do any scriptures of Hinduism force people to follow the religion?

texts: It is generally commented that Hinduism does not force anyone to practice it and accepts people of all faiths unlike many other religions. How far is this true? Are there any scriptures which profess otherwise?


texts: What are the significances of reading Sundara Kanda (सुन्दरकाण्ड)?

texts: In addition to the aforementioned question, I would also like to know the proper procedure & time to recite or read the same.


texts: What exactly is Abhinava Anyatha Khyati of Madhwas?

texts:
Khyativada is the theory of error in Hindu an Indic philosophies
There are eight other Khyatis (Refer for detailed information)

Atma-Khyati

A-Khyati

Sadasat-khyati

Anirvachniya-khyati

Asat-Khyati

Anyatha-khyati

Sat-Khyati

Viaparita-khyati

But then the Madhwas introduced a novel idea called the Abhinava Anyatha Khyati.
What is it? And how does it compare with the Anirvachniya-khyati of Advaita?
Edit: Here's an extremely well written answer on Quora


texts: Reference of the divine Sage Narada in The Vedas

texts: What are the available references in The Vedas for the divine sage Narada? Would appreciate the exact locations / coordinates (like the mantra with number, recension, publication etc.)


texts: Do farmers have the right to kill pests?

texts:
To control caterpillars, thrips, mites and whiteflies, farmers use insecticides and kill a large number of these insects.

It is in fact necessary to use these pesticides, otherwise crops will not grow. Most farmers do the same.

Being son of a farmer, I want to know that what has been said in Hindu scriptures about killing insects by farmers.


texts:
The question is - in which recension of Sama Veda does The Mahopanisad occur? I didn't find it in the (currently available texts of) Ranayaniya, and Kauthuma,though this Upanisad is classified in the same category as upanisads of Sama Veda. I have not been able to check any authentic source of Talavakara yet.

If any one knows this for sure, I would appreciate the source / reference. Thanks in advance.

PS: While I am grateful for any references, I am really looking for a printed publication, or an online source with an endorsement of an institution. Blog articles from various individuals, though some of them are quite good, some times don't provide the necessary levels of quality in evidence and traceability. But like I said, I am thankful for any references.


texts: How do I rectify swear (kasam) I took of my parents in anger?

texts: Recently I was fighting with someone and I got way too angry and told that person that I swear on my parents and my career that I won't ever talk to you... But it isn't possible for stop talking as we are in same college and classes and it's impossible to not even say a word.. Help


texts:
What is the definition of Bhuta Yajna?

Who should do it and how?

What is to sacrifice in this yajna?

Is it part of the daily rituals?


texts: Was Goswami Tulsidas a reconciler of Advaita and Vishishtadvaita?

texts:
Goswami Tulsidas, the sixteenth century poet, one of the greatest Rama-bhaktas of all time, incarnation of Rishi Valmiki was the composer of famous works like Hanuman Chalisa, Ram Stuti and most notably, the Ramcharitmanas.

Tulsidas belonged to the Ramanandi Sampradaya (a subsect in the Sri-Sampradaya founded by Jagadguru Ramanandacharya). Now, the Ramanandi Sampradaya emerges from the direct lineage of the great Sri Vaishnavite, Ramanujacharya and hence, the adherents of this sect subscribe to the Vishishtadvaita Vedanta philosophy. Hence, I'm assuming Tulsidas to be a Vishishtadvaitin. However, I came across a verse (spoken by Mother Parvati) in the Bal-Khanda of the Ramcharitmanas which seems to be Advaitic:

  “Though as a woman I am not qualified to hear it, I am Your servant in thought, word and deed. Saints do not withhold even an esoteric truth wherever they find a man smitten with agony, and therefore qualified to receive it. I ask You with a heart sore distressed; be gracious enough to narrate the story of the Lord of Raghus. First tell me after a mature thought what makes the unqualified Brahma assume a qualified form. Then, my lord, relate the story of Sri Rama’s descent, and tell me next the charming exploits of His childhood. Then let me know how He wedded Janaka’s daughter, Sita, and the fault for which He had to renounce His father’s kingdom later on. Then describe the innumerable deeds performed by Him while He lived in the forest; and further tell me, my lord, how He killed Ravana. Then relate, O blissful Sankara, all the numerous sports that were enacted by Him after his coronation.

Moreover, the Wikipedia article on the Tulsidas claims that in many places in the Ramcharitmanas and other works, Tulsidas calls the world both real and false:

  As per Tulsidas, Rama is the efficient and material cause (Nimitta and Upadana) of the world, which is real since Rama is real. In several verses of the Ramcharitmanas, Tulsidas says that the animate and inanimate world is a manifestation of Rama, and the universe is the cosmic form of Rama. Authors interpret these verses to mean that the world is real according to Tulsidas, in keeping with the Vishishtadvaita philosophy of Ramanuja. However, at some places in the Ramcharitmanas and Kavitavali, Tulsidas compares the world to a night or a dream and says it is Mithya (false or unreal). Some commentators interpret these verses to mean that in Tulsidas' opinion the world is unreal as per the Vivartavada doctrine of Adi Shankara, while some others interpret them to mean that the world is transient yet real as per the Satkhyativada doctrine of Ramananda. Uday Bhanu Singh concludes that in Tulsidas' view, the world is essentially the form of Rama and appears to be different from Rama due to Maya. Its visible form is transient, which is what Tulsidas means by Mithya.

  In the Vinayapatrika, Tulsidas says that the world in itself is neither true (Satya), nor false (Asatya), nor both true and false together (Satyasatya) – one who casts aside all these three illusions, knows oneself. This has been interpreted to mean that as per Tulsidas, the entire world is a Lila of Rama. At the beginning of the Ramcharitmanas, Tulsidas performs Samasti Vandana (obeisance to all beings) in which he bows down to the world also, saying it is "pervaded by" or "born out of" Sita and Rama. As per some verses in Ramcharitmanas and Vinaypatrika, when a Jiva (living being) knows the Self, Maya and Rama, it sees the world as being pervaded by Rama.

Was Tulsidas an Advaitin or Vishishtadvaitin? Or was he a reconciler of Advaita and Vishishtadvaita, similar to Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa?

P.S. I would really appreciate if somebody could identify and provide the verses in Tulsidas's works which seem to be Advaitic, Vishishtadvaitic or both.


texts: Do Vedas allow sacrificing innocent animals in the name of GOD?

texts:
This question has arises out of this answer and I want to know the truth because as per my knowledge several amendments have been made by pandits for their own benefits in past 4000 years, So how much truth can be in the statement that vedas allow us.

I know there are several pooja in which people give bali in the name of god.

Well on one hand vedas says so positive about be loving and on other how can it say to sacrifice the same animal for GOD.


texts: What is the significance of applying chandan on forehead?

texts: What is the significance of chandan application on forehead for Hindus? I have been told my mom not to apply Chandan and I don’t understand the reason.need help


texts: What is the basis for the classification of scriptures as vyava harika pramanya and tattvika pramanya?

texts: It is commonly posited in advaita that scriptures referring to omniscience and other perfections of Brahman have only relative validity (vyava harika pramanya) whilst those speaking of non-dualism alone have absolute validity (tattvika pramanya). What is the basis of this claim? Is it scriptural or merely commentarial?


texts: What is the context of Adi Shankara's statement "Woman is the gateway to hell" found in his work Prashnottari?

texts:
While reading the article "Bhoga, Moksha and Jivanmukti in Tantra" on Kamakotimandali, i was surprised to know that in one of his works Adi Shankara said "Women are like the gates to hell".

I want to know what the context of the discussion was that led him to say so?

Some relevant portions from the article:

  The Jīvanmukta in the Tantric tradition behaves in the world in a
  positive way. He loves all as his own self, and enjoys the worldly
  objects in an unattached manner like śrī kṛṣṇa. For him the world is
  the free manifestation or play of his own Self. He is in perfect
  identity with all. The Advaitin, because he has a negative attitude
  towards the world, finds difficulty in adjusting the Jīvanmukta in the
  world.

  In the Tantric tradition we find a positive and respectful attitude
  towards the world and worldly values. The things of the world are
  accepted and worshipped as śiva. Material wealth, for example, is
  taken to be the Goddess Lakṣmī, a form of the divine śakti. The
  natural desires and vṛttis of mind are accepted as sparks of the
  divine śakti. The Sāttvic, Rājasic and Tāmasic vṛttis are respectively
  symbolized and worshiped as Goddesses Sarasvatī, Lakṣmīand Kālī. A
  girl or a woman would be regarded as the Devī Herself. This is
  diametrically opposed to the negativist’s attitude towards the woman,
  which says (praśnottarī attributed to Shankaracharya):

  dvāraṃ kimekaṃ narakasya nārī | ‘What is the door to hell? It is the woman’.

  To regard the woman as the door to hell, as the verse suggests, is the
  height of the vanity and hypocrisy of man; psycho-analytically
  speaking it is a psychological situation of self-deception. By
  condemning the woman, man actually condemns his own self, the sexual
  self.

The article also mentions the name of the work viz- "Prashnottari".


texts: What are the activities of Lalita devi in Mani dvipa?

texts: As far as I know, in Vaikuntha there is concept of kainkaryam (service), is there a similar concept in Mani dvipa? What are the activities of Lord Shiva and Devi there? Is it that the goal of worshipers of Lord Shiva & Lalitha devi to reach Mani dvipa? What do they do there after reaching?


texts:
I read and people say that for being a human before that we need to go for several lives of creature then we got this human life.

And as another thing that for karma people say if we did something bad to someone in this birth than for next birth he/she will be with you and punish you or help

So my question is :
If i did something good/bad with someone today, then that person and me will take several life as different creatures(After various different janm or life) so at that time how karma balance that ..

Example -  if i did something bad to x person
then i am going for several janam or life for be another human
and that x person also gonna take several life for be another human for revenge

So how does karma balance this thing. for how much time/life x person is going to wait for the next life to get his revenge

Thank You


texts: Killed a dog puppy by accident , feelin uncomfortable please help me

texts: I am a brahmin , today i was doing shiva ratri's upavas ,evening me and my family went to shiva temple everything was good till i returned home , once my family members stepped down of car i took my car somewhat forward to park it correctly , suddenly a small dog which was being chased by a group of 5-6 dogs came below my car and it died , i am feeling so uncomfortable , i love street dogs so much infact the dog which was killed by me accidentally  its mother was born infront of me with 4 other dogs , i take care of  7-8 street dogs daily , now the mother dog which i used to feed daily and it used to always follow me during my small walks is shouting on me , what should i do please help me


texts: Discrepancy in the Manusmriti regarding Devas being fond of alcohol just like the Yakshas, Rakshasas, and Pisachas?

texts:
This answer says, from the Vyasa Smriti:

  Milk, wine, honey, and clarified butter are the articles which the gods are fond of.

The word wine is used for Sanskrit "sura."

Then there is this verse from the Manusmriti:

  11.95: Intoxicants [drugs], meat, wine [sura] and distilled liquors are the food of Yakṣas, Rākṣasas and Piśācas; it should not be taken by the Brāhmaṇa who partakes of the offerings to the gods.

This doesn't doesn't make any sense because the Vyasa Smriti says the Devas love wine, hence, one reason why the Devas are called Suras whereas the demons are called Asuras! Also in the Puranas, the Devas frequently drink sura. The Devas are also the ones who grabbed sura (as the goddess Varuni) when it came out of the churning of the ocean.

Then, meat and sura are themselves offered to the Devas in Yajnas!

  5.32 - Having bought it, or having obtained it himself, or having it presented by others,—if one eats meat after having worshipped the Gods and the Pitṛs, he does not incur sin.

There is also a Yajna called the Sautramani Yajna in which the sacrificer offers sura to Indra, and then drinks it.

The Pitrs, who are like Devas, are very fond of meat:

  3.272. The (vegetable called) Kalasaka, (the fish called) Mahasalka, the flesh of a rhinoceros and that of a red goat, and all kinds of food eaten by hermits in the forest serve for an endless time [satisfy the Pitrs for an endless time].

So, given these facts, Manusmriti verse 11.95 does not make any sense. One can just as well say the Devas and Pitrs are fond of intoxicants, meat, wine, and distilled liquors, just like the Yakshas, Rakshasas, and Pisachas.

Medhatithi's commentary also does not make any sense. He says:

  ‘Who partake of the offering to the gods’—The cake, rice and such substance offered to the gods are called ‘offerings’; as mentioned in connection with the Darśa-pūrṇamāsa and other sacrifices. It is these that it is right and proper for the Brāhmaṇa to eat, and not wine and meat, which are the food of the lower spirits.

But what if meat and wine are offered to the gods?

What is the purpose of this apparently useless Manusmriti verse 11.95?

I think these statements are Arthavada, simply to show that Brahmanas should not drink liquor.

The other possibility is that the Devas and Pitrs in reality do not eat or drink anything, and statements where they do are allegorical/arthavada, because it is said in the Chhandogya Upanishad:

  Among them, which is the first Amrita, keeping Agni in front, is
  enjoyed by the Vasus. [But, in the real sense], the gods neither do
  eat nor drink; they are satisfied upon seeing (drishtvA tripyanti) the
  Amrita only.

But then again, why should the Devas be satisfied by seeing meat and liquor?

Or maybe they are only satisfied by seeing amrta, and not other offerings like soma, sura, and mamsa.


texts: Why do some Vaishnavas not consider Radha as Sati or the Mother of the world & mention Her only as the Hladini shakti?

texts:
The well-known pranama mantra of Sri Radha reads

नवीनां हेमगौरांगीं पूर्णानन्दवतीं सतीम्।  वृषभानुसुतां देवीं वन्दे राधां जगत्प्रसूम्॥
Meaning: I bow down to Goddess Radha, who is young, golden yellow complexioned, full of bliss, a chaste wife (Sati), daughter of Vrishavanu and Mother of the world.

But some Vaishnavas consider her only Hladini Shakti in spite of this widely used Pramana.
My questions are: Why do some Vaishnavas not consider Radha to be Sati or the Mother of the world and mention Her only as the Hladini shakti? Also, could someone mention the source of this pranama mantra which I got in the Puja vidhi book?


texts: Do Vedas mention that Vedas ALONE are to be followed and Itihasa/Purana should be discarded?

texts:
We sometimes hear these arguments :
'Vedas ALONE are truth',
and
'Whenever there is conflict between Sruti and Smriti, Smriti must be discarded'.
Do the propoents of this argument:

know what all the Vedas are ? (out of 1000+ shakas we have < 100 remaining)

know all the mantras in Vedas ? (learning even 1 out of the 4 vedas takes a lifetime)

understand the meaning of Veda mantras ? (4 vedangas must also be learned - shiksha, vyakaranam, chandas, niruktam)

So, my question is this :
Since you only accept Vedas as truth, could you show me which Veda verse mentions that opinion (i.e. 'only accept Vedas as truth')
If no Veda says so, then it is a contradiction to believe something not existing in Vedas.


texts: Is dark skin considered beautiful in Hindu scriptures?

texts:
Many Indians today think that fair/white skin is beautiful while dark/black skin is ugly.

Is dark skin considered beautiful in Hindu scriptures, and by extension, in ancient India before European colonization?


texts: I would like to understand the exact purpose of Yog Nidra? Plus where is it stated in our scriptures? Are there any specific techniques stated in the scriptures for it?


texts: What is the respective arrangement of Lord Vishnu's weapons in 24 Salagramas?

texts: There are 24 types of Salagramams available for Lord Vishnu. Shank, Chakra, Gadha and Lotus ---- in which order it should come for these 24 types of salagramams and in which purana it is mentioned?


texts:
Was Arjuna left-handed in his warrior skills?

What about other great warriors of the epics like Karna, Bhishma, Drona, Rama and Laxmana?

Will left-handedness or right-handedness ever matter in acquiring warrior skills?


texts: Can Vaishnavas join the Natha Sampradaya?

texts:
According to Wikipedia, Natha Sampradaya is a subsect within Shaivism. However, I recently found an adherent of this Sampradaya who claims to be a devotee of Lord Krishna.

Now, how is it possible that a Vaishnava be an adherent of a Shaivite subsect? Or does it mean that, Wikipedia is wrong in saying that the Natha Sampradaya is a tradition within Shaivism?

Note: By ''Vaishnava'' here, I am referring to devotees of Shriman Narayana.


texts: How will God punish a person who deserts his wife?

texts: If a husband intentionally deserts his wife by listening to wrong and misleading people, then how will GOD punish him?


texts: Concept of shape-shifting snakes in Hinduism

texts: Today, story of ichaadhari nagas and naagins are widely used in tv serials. In the content of one serial I read that this concept of shape-shifting snakes exists in Hindu scriptures. But I failed to find this concept in scriptures. Does this concept exists in Hinduism? Are snakes like Takshak, Vasuki, Adishesha etc. shape shifting snakes.


texts:
In this video the boy is performing the act of Achamanam while sitting in a particular posture.

What is this Yogic posture called?

Is it the MridvAsana? (Sandhi: Mridu+Asana; with Mridu meaning soft).

NOTE: I have found mention of MridvAsana in scriptures.


texts: What's Kashmir Shaivism view/interpretation on the Vedas?

texts:
The Vedas are the primary scriptures and base of Hinduism. Every different philosphy has interpreted it in each diffearent way.

I want to know how does Kashmir Shaivism Interpret the Vedas (Rig Veda, Sama Veda, Yajur Veda etc). What does it say about its philosphy?

As mostly Kashmir Shaivism is based on the Agamas, what does it says about philosophy of the Vedas? What do they say about hymns devoted to different devas like Indra, Agni, Soma etc as every deity is described supreme in Rig Veda.


texts: What is the means of attaining Moksha according to the different Astika schools?

texts:
There are two kinds of schools of Indian philosophy, Astika and Nastika.  Astikas accept the authority of the Vedas, whereas Nastikas reject the authority of the Vedas.   The Astika schools are part of Hinduism, while the Nastika schools fall under the broader category of Dharmic faiths.  Now there are six Astika schools: Samkhya, Yoga, Nyaya, Vaisheshika, Purva Mimamsa, and Vedanta.  (They're all dead other than the Vedanta school, which encompasses most Hindus today as I discuss here.)

Because they accept the authority of the Vedas, these schools all believe in Yagnas, the law of Karma, the existence of the soul, the afterlife, reincarnation, and Moksha.  But one thing they disagree on is how to get Moksha.  So my question is, what is the means of attaining Moksha according to each of the six Astika schools?


texts: What is meaning of the word Mimamsa etymologically?

texts: I am aware that Mimamsa is about philosophy and means critical reflection.But I am interested in the actual etymology of the word so please stick to that point.


texts:
Manu Smriti verse 7.96 says:

  rathāśvaṃ hastinaṃ chatraṃ dhanaṃ dhānyaṃ paśūn striyaḥ |
  sarvadravyāṇi kupyaṃ ca yo yaj jayati tasya tat || 96 ||

  Chariots and horses, elephants, umbrellas, wealth, grains, animals,
  women, all goods and baser metals belong to him who wins them.—(96)

Does women in above verse mean that kings can take female sex slaves?


texts: Do Rigveda samhita mention himalyas and mount-kailasha?

texts:
Do Rigveda samhita mention Himalayas? or the Himalayan range? Vedas mention Kailasa as adobe of lord Rudra in Yajurveda but does the Rigveda mention

1. Himalayas

2. Mount Kailasa (as in Yajurveda it is adobe of lord Rudra, is it same in Rigveda or even mentioned?)

For mount kailasha if answer is not sufficient other vedas can be cited for refrence


texts: What is the meaning of this statement by Bhishma?

texts:
I found this in an answer from the question: Does Science contradict Hinduism? How to deal with scientific discoveries that don't line up with Vedas?
*Bhishma said in Mahabharata Shanti Parva Section 142:

Even the words heard from an ignorant person, if in themselves they be fraught with sense, come to be regarded as pious and wise. In days of old, Usanas said unto the Daityas this truth, which should remove all doubts, that scriptures are no scriptures if they cannot stand the test of reason.*

In the comments of that answer, there is some confusion about the meaning of the above. So, I thought I'll start a new discussion about it.


texts: What happened to the divine weapons after Mahabharatha war?

texts:
What happened to all those divine weapons after completion of Mahabharatha war? Where are those weapons now in kali Yuga? Who possess those weapons now? Were they dismantled or hidden somewhere?

As some people say, weapons are invoked using Mantras, what happened to those mantras after Dwapara Yuga? Does anyone know those mantras now?


texts: Why do Sannyasis avoid looking at women?

texts: I have seen many Sannyasis (especially Swaminarayan) that don't look at women unless it's by accident. What is the cause behind this aversive behavior?


texts: Are there any popular works attributed to Govinda Bhagvatpada?

texts:
Govind Bhagvatpada was Guru (teacher) of Adi Shankaracharya who has preached Advaita (one of the most popular philosophy/doctrine of Vedanta). According to Advaita Guruparampara, he was Shisya (disciple) of Gaudapada.

Now, talking about works of Advaita Acharyas, the most popular work/contribution of Gaudapadacharya (grand guru of Adi Shankaracharya) is Karika on Mandukya Upanishad. Others are bhasya on Uttara Gita, Anu Gita, Vidya Ratna Sutra etc. Adi Shankracharya is well known for writing commentaries on Prasthanatrayi and numerous stotras are attributed to him.

But I have not come to know about works of Govinda Bhagvatpada. Are there any works attributed to him?


texts: Which of the six Darshanas are atheistic?

texts:
We have 6 Darshanas.

Vaisheshika,  Nyaya , Purva Mimamsa, Samkhya, Yoga , Uttara Mimamsa or
 Vedanta

Which of them are atheistic, I mean superficially accept God, but ultimately reject God or not talk about God at all or no existence of God at all. If a Darshana has different interpretations like Vedanta has, mention them as well.

Which of them are atheistic?


texts: Can present day teachers be considered as Gurus?

texts:
From Mahabaratha, Ramayana we find Guru's like Dronacharya, Viswamitra, Sandipani  etc.,

It is emphasized many times in Mahabaratha that Guru should be respected well. If a person humiliates/ disrespects his guru, then the person is a sinner.

My doubt is whether any text clearly defines 'GURU'? Does the current teachers in schools/ colleges/ universities are guru's? Does an undeserved person can be a guru? Suppose a person has very much angry behavior, is he eligible to be a guru?


texts: Why Mother Sīta is shown holding lotus in Her left hand?

texts:
In almost all representations of Mother Sita with Lord Rama, She is shown with a lotus in her left hand. As evident in the following images.

While it can be explained why Sri Rama is shown with Bow and Arrow and Lord Hanuman is shown with mace(gada), but what is the significance of lotus in Mother Sita's hand?


texts: How did Varaha's son Narakasura become evil?

texts:
One of Krishna's most famous deeds is his killing of the demon Narakasura, which is the inspiration of the holiday Deepavali. Narakasura was tormenting the gods and had even stolen the earrings of Indra's mother Aditi, so Indra sought the help of Krishna. As I discuss in this question, Krishna rode on Garuda, accompanied by his wife Satyabhama, to Narakasura's capital of Pragjyotishpura and defeated him.

But my question is about Narakasura's past. Narakasura is also known as Bhauma, or son of Bhumidevi goddess of the Earth.  He was born to Bhumidevi and Vishnu's incarnation Varaha in a place called Kokamukha in modern-day Nepal, as described in this excerpt from the Brahma Purana:

  Chaya, the Earth conceived by lord Boar generated asura Naraka known also by the name Bhauma. Lord Vishnu gave him Pragjyotisha, the capital city of Kamarupa.

My question is, how did the son of Vishnu's incarnation Varaha become so evil, to the point where Vishnu's incarnation Krishna had to kill him?

The only potential explanation I've found is the one described in this book:

  According to ... the Kalika Purana and other texts, he was the son of Bhumi or Bhudevi (Prithvi) and of the god Vishnu in his Varaha form.  The baby was left on the sacrificial ground of King Janaka of Mithila, and brought up by the kings, along with his sons.... He went to Pragjyotisha (Assam) and Naraka conquered the region ... and was made king by Vishnu.  Vishnu asked him to worship goddess Kamakhya, and none other.  Naraka was a wise and good ruler, but after he came in contact with Bana, king of Shonitapura, he began to pray to Shiva.  He neglected the goddess and oppressed his subjects.

For those who don't know, Banasura was the son of Mahabali and king of Shonitapura.  As I discuss in this answer, Krishna's grandson Aniruddha fell in love with Bana's daughter Usha, and when Bana found out he kidnapped Aniruddha.  So Krishna went to Shonitapura and fought with Bana, with Shiva fighting on Bana's side because Bana was a devotee of Shiva.  Finally, the situation was resolved and Aniruddha and Usha got married.

But are there any other scriptures that mention that it was Banasura who corrupted Narakasura?  The Kalika Purana is only an Upapurana (minor Purana), so preferably I'd like confirmation of this story from one of the 18 Mahapuranas.


texts:
Can anyone recommend a good translation of the principal Upanishads, preferably a book I can order.
Thanks.


texts: Is a neutral person in a religious war equal to enemy, according to GITA?


texts: What is difference between "Bhagvan" and "Bhagavant"?

texts:
We consider Indra, Varuna, Ganesha as bhagavan. And Matsya to Kalki are bhagavan and also they are Avatar of bhagavant.

So my question is what is the difference between bhagavan and bhagavant.

I just read in Bhagavat Geeta, Bhagavant is the one who created this universe (Can you please eloberate this?), then who are bhagavan??


texts: How many or I can say which Sri Vaishnava works(literature) are lost or exist as citations in other literature?


texts: How Lord Shiva can be defeated by someone?

texts:
I have read that as per Mahabharata (Anushashana parva) where upamanyu says that - there was no deity like Shiva , there was no refuge like Shiva. There is no one who can give so many boons like him & no one was equal to him in battle.
But recently I came across that sabha parva of Mahabharata mentions that Lord Krishna had defeated Lord Shiva when he had taken the side of Banasur.
So,these two statements are confusing or how it can be possible? Please clear my doubt.


texts:
I have learnt that the followers of ISKCON preach that onion and garlic should not be consumed as once god took Rohini awtar and beheaded someone, so from the blood of him onion originated and from bones garlic originated.
So, my question is: Are onion and garlic recommended in Ayurveda?

Source


texts:
In the ninth discourse of the Gita, 29th verse, Vishnu says:

  There is no one whom I hate or love

and then only a few pages later, in the tenth discourse, 1 st verse, Lord Vishnu states:

  Listen to my highest word, which I will tell you, whom I love with desire for your well-being.

How can these both be true? Is this not a contradiction?


texts:
I have read that people who convert to Hinduism do not belong to any specific caste.

If the concept of no caste (or Jati, Varna) exists, and we are willing to allow people to be free of the caste system, then why are there problems (or perceived misunderstandings) among the castes, for whatever reason?

Also, what practices for worship do the converts follow? If they follow a certain sect's way, do they automatically get considered one of that sect?


texts: Why do nakshatras have both a presiding deity and a ruling planet(graha)?

texts:
What is the difference between a presiding deity and a governing planet(graha)?As far as I know,each of the navgrahas has their own governing Lord.

For example take the case of Krittika nakshatra. Its governing planet is the sun,Lord of the planet is Surya Dev, while its presiding deity is Karttikeya and  Agni Dev(God of Fire) .Who has more domination on the nature of the nakshatra,the presiding deity or the governing planet?


texts: What is the reason for whispering a wish in God's ear?

texts:
We often see people whispering in a deity's ear like in the image below:

Normally, when we visit the temple we simply close our eyes and pray or tell our wish to God. But some people do the above action as well.

Does it have any special meaning?


texts: In my mind, two of the ways to achieve enlightenment are to get rid of sensory pleasures and Sandhyavandanam; what else is required?


texts: I read in Linga Purana (Poorva bhaga- Chapter 58 that, Lord Brahma nominated Vaasuki as Adhipati of Nagas and Takshaka as Adhipati of Sarpas. What is the difference between Naaga and Sarpa ?


texts: What is the procedure for performing Vishnu panchayatanam?

texts:
For shiva panchayatanam, usually Rudra namaka Chamaka and purushasukta will be recited and abhishekam is performed during shiva panchayatana puja.

Similarly for Vishnu panchayatana puja, what is the process? Which veda mantras will be recited Apart from Purushasuktham?

Basically I would like to know the veda mantras which will be recited for the respective panchayatana puja. I want to know more especially for Vishnu panchayatana puja and veda mantras which are part of in this scope.


texts:
I'm a day new to Hinduism.  Does Hinduism teach that your God is the creator of good and evil?  The Bible infers this, that God is working everything according to his will.

I have a suspicion that Hinduism teaches something similar, though probably describes it in a very different way.

If we are controlled by Fate, then why is there reincarnation?  Is that just the way your God has decided to orchestrate it all?

EDIT:. Another way of asking, in Hinduism there isn't an eternal "battle" of good vs. evil, is there?


texts: Can anyone explain Rig Veda III.6.9 and how does it relate to chakras?

texts:
Here on page 95 the author states that

  According to the Vedas, there are Seven Chakras in each 'layer', of
  which consists of Three Worlds. But, there are 33 'Layers' of these
  Chakras, of which correspond to the Thirty Three Gods of the Vedic
  Philosophy

This is about Rig Veda. III.6.9.

I would like to understand why

  "With these, borne on one ear, Agni, approach us, or borne on many,
  for thy steeds are able. Bring, witb their Dames, the Gods, the Three
  and-Thirty, after thy Godlike nature, and be joyful

and other verses explain what the author says, that there are ninety-nine chakras. I see no mentioning about chakras in this part of the book.

How to understand/explain that?

Thank you
.


texts: Why don't we perform pooja to the powerful Parashurama?

texts: According to an answer to a question, Parashurama is powerful and attains powers by doing penance in every yuga and transfers them to the avatars of lord Vishnu . In the same way he transfers his powers to lord Rama and gives Sudarshan chakra to Lord Krishna when he was in need of it, as he is the protector of it.Then why won't we perform pooja to Parashurama though he is powerful compared to other avatars, why was he not recognized in the world, why his story was not described in any book?


texts: Do we have a Trishati Namavali for Varahi?

texts: Do we have Trishathi Namavali (a stotra consisting of 300 names) for Varahi? I heard it's there in "Uddamaresha Tantra" (not Uddamareshvara Tantra). If anyone can provide any information it will be very useful.


texts: How is Vishnu remote controlled by Devi Bhagavati?

texts:
From Essence of Devi Bhagavata Purana hosted on kamakoti website:

http://www.kamakoti.org/kamakoti/details/devibhagvatpurana2.html

Maha Vishnu remote-controlled by Devi Bhagavati:

  In the Introductory Recitation of  Devi Bhagavatam, Sage Suta quoted Narada Maharshi as having confirmed by Lord Vishnu Himself to Lord Brahma  that His own  Premordial Energy of Universal Existence is the result of  Her empowerment to Maha Vishnu to execute Her commands! Maha Vishnu reiterated that He is subservient to Devi Bhagavati and is always in Her Tapasya or meditation, but at the same time, enjoys freedom to possess the company of Goddess Lakshmi, to incarnate Himself in various forms and features some times as Dasavataras as Fish, Tortoise, Boar, Man-Lion, Dwarf, Rama, Parasurama, Krishna, Buddha or Kalki; some times as Mohini to distribute ‘Amrit’ or Nectar and so on. But His actions are always remote-controlled and are oriented to protect the Virtuous and punish the Wicked. Thus Maha Vishnu is indeed the Highest Representative of Maha Devi with full freedom to act on His own, within the framework of Her Supreme Control.

Can someone produce the relevant passages from Devi Bhagavatam? How can one be remote controlled and at the same time have full freedom? That seems contradictory.


texts: Why some deeds are experienced in hell and heaven and some in earth?

texts:
We will go to heaven for our dharma activities and hell for adharma activities and experience them for a while.
Affter that we will take birth and experience a life also according to the dharma and adharma

QUESTION :

Which some deeds are experienced in heaven and hell and why some are in earth ?


texts: How do Vaishnavas interpret this verse from Padma Purana which seems to supports system of worship of five deities?

texts:
I found the following verse in Padma Purana, Uttara-Khanda in Karttika Mahatmya wherein Lord Krishna speaks to Satyabhama:

  saivah sauras ca ganesa  vaishnavah sakti-pujakah |
  mam eva prapnuvantiha    varshambhah sagaram yatha ||
  eko'ham pancadha jatah   kridayan namabhih kila |
  deva-datto yatha kascit  putrady-ahvana-namabhih ||

  As the rainwater goes to the ocean, the followers of Siva, the Sun, Ganesa,
  Visnu, so also the worshippers of Sakti come to me only. I am one, born in five ways, and play with names—as one Devadatta calls his sons etc. with (various) names. [6.88.43-44]

How do Vaishnavas interpret this verse which seems to support the system of worship of five deities?


texts: What is the scriptural basis for eternal hell as Madhvas believes?

texts: Madhva doctrine believes in eternal hellish life for some souls.  If I am not wrong, they believe in creation and destruction of this worlds. Then, What exactly is 'eternal' here? What is scriptural basis for this belief?


texts: What Shaivite sects are classified as the ingroup of Shaiva Siddhanta?

texts:
The term "Shaivite" is overused nowadays. For instance, Iyer Brahmins are often called Shaivites, but they're actually followers of Adi Shankaracharya's Smartha sect (which I discuss here and here), and simply adopt Shiva as their Ishta Devata. True philosophical Shaivism is relatively rare nowadays (in contrast to philosophical Vaishnavism which is pretty common). I discussed one genuine Shaivite sect, the Lingayat sect of Basava, in my answer here. But my question is related to a more famous sect of Shaivism, known as Shaiva Siddhanta.  Just as the Sri Vaishnava sect (of which I'm a member) is based on the Pancharatra Agamas and the poems of the Alwars, the Shaiva Siddhanta sect is based on the Shaiva Agamas and the poems of the Nayanars.

Now the reason why it's called Shaiva Siddhanta is because of the Nyaya school's terminology of Purvapaksha and Siddhanta.  In any argument the Purvapaksha is the opponent's position, and the Siddhanta is the final conclusion that refutes the Purvapaksha position.  The Shaiva Siddhanta sect considers all other schools of philosophy to be Purvapaksha positions, and considers itself to be the ultimate Siddhanta which refutes all of them.  In that context, it classifies philosophical schools into different categories according to how closely they agree with Shaiva Siddhanta.  As described in this excerpt from K. Sivaraman's book Shaivism in Philosophical Perspective, the categories are the outermost group, the outer group, the inner-outer group, and the inner group.

The outermost group consists of Nastika schools like Buddhism, Jainism, and Charvaka.  The outer group consists of the six Astika schools.  The inner-outer group consists of Shaivite sects like Pashupata and Kapalika that follow Agamas and consider Shiva supreme, but don't follow the specific Agamas which go by the name "Shaiva" and thus don't recognize the concept of Mala or impurity.  And the inner group consists of Shaivite sects which specifically follow Agamas that are called "Shaiva Agamas" and thereby recognize Mala, but which still disagree with Shaiva Siddhanta in some way.  Here are the sects listed by Sivaraman as comprising the inner group:

  The schools with which Shaiva Siddhanta has closest affinity are six in number - Pashanavada, Bhedavada, Shivasamavada, Shivasankrantavada, Avikaravada, Nimittokarana-Parinamavada (Shivadvaita).

Now the last one is recognizable; I think it refers to the Shivadvaita philosophy of Srikantha Sivacharya, who subscribed to the Vedanta school in contrast to most Shaiva Siddhantins who reject Vedanta.  But my question is, what are the other five Shaivite sects listed in the inner group of Shaiva Siddhanta?

Sivaraman provides some additional information in a footnote:

  Sometimes a Shuddhashaiva-vada is added to the list and the first two, namely pashana-vada and bheda-vada, identified bringing the total again to six.  Mapadiam p. 44 (Cf. also the Agamic citation: "shaivabhedam pravakshyami, aikyapashanavadinau bhedavadi samavadi sankranti cha'vikaravan parinami cha shaivascha siddhanti parairitah"

But does anyone know any details about these sects, like who founded them, what do they believe, and which of them if any still exist?


texts: Has the Tamil language been used in Ramayana and Mahabharata periods?

texts:
The reason behind highlighting Tamil language is that not as I am a Tamilian but that Tamil is as old as Sanskrit (as per the historical record proofs) and it is still used in some parts of the world.

My question may be a assumption but is it possible that people during the Ramayana and Mahabharata periods used Tamil as their language?

Because at that time Tamil was widely spread over Hindustan.

Even, consider Tholkapiyam, which was considered as the oldest literature around South India still now. My question is that there may be a chance when events of Ramayana and Mahabharata were taking place, Tamil was used or when they were being written down by some in Tamil, which is the world's oldest language.


texts: Why should rules be followed while worshipping?

texts:
We are given some ways to worship like burning camphor, doing abhishekam etc. It is said that when we doesn't follow all these God will not be impressed.

It is also said that when one prays with unflinching love, God accepts it just as in the case of the great Bhakta Kannapa who fed non-veg for Lord Shiva.

Burning of camphor indicates burning of ego. If the devotee has surrendered his ego to the Supreme Lord, should he still have to burn the camphor? In a similar way, several practices represent surrendering of several bad qualities. If the devotee doesn't have those qualities, is it always necessary for them to do those practices?

Why is Lord strict about those rituals? Can love dis intensify his strictness?


texts: Looking for english/hindi commentary on parshuram kalpa sutra?

texts: Parshuram kalpa sutra is a manual for srividya. I am searching for good english and hindi commentary on it. Online or book links please.