texts: Does re-birth take place immediately after death according to Hinduism?

texts:
I would like to know if re-birth take place immediately after the death according to Hinduism? Some people say, if the man has done some good karma, he will be gone to heaven and then enjoy the celestial pleasures there and then will be re born.

How much time does it take for a soul to enter another body?
Does this depend upon the karma he has done? For example, if he has done more good karma, he will be in the heaven for more time, so it will take more time for him to enter another body?
Also, is heaven a planet that exists or an imagination? What is meant actually by enjoying the celestial pleasures offered by Indra? Is it enjoying them in the next birth on earth or before birth?


texts: Did Sāyaṇa commentate on Śukla Yajurveda?

texts:
Wikipedia says Sāyaṇa belonged to the Taittirīya Śākhā of Kṛṣṇa Yajurveda. So was his commentary on Yajurveda limited to Kṛṣṇa Yajurveda or did he commentate on Śukla Yajurveda too?

  Sāyaṇa was born to Māyaṇa and Shrimati in a Brahmin family that lived in Hampi. He had an elder brother named Madhava (sometimes identified as Vidyaranya) and a younger brother named Bhoganatha (or Somanatha). The family belonged to Bharadvaja gotra, and followed the Taittiriya Shakha (school) of the Krishna Yajurveda.


texts: Can i offer worship/prayers in Shiva or Shakti temples after having meat and without bathing?

texts:
Suppose, i am going to Assam's kamakhya temple (shakti peeth with lot of killing of animals for offering to devi), then can i eat meat and wash hands properly and then without taking bath, can i enter temple/pray devi in valid sense of shakt scriptures.
In bengal and assam, i have seen people largely not following any such restrictions.

whether that same i applicable in case of shaiva temple? hanuman temple(as he was reincarnation of shiva)?


texts: What to do if doctor says to eat non veg?

texts: If someone is devotee or purely vegetarian, and that person is forced by doctor to eat non veg so that the disease or injury can cure. Is there any option that injury can cure and the religion policy not be disturbed?


texts: Is astrology even true? If it is true, then how these Grahas called Devata become dumb bodies of Moon, Star Sun, Mars etc

texts:
Man is reaching Moon, satellites reached Saturn and Mangal. If these heavenly bodies are Devatas, Chandra and Surya being ''Vedic Deva''. Then how was Chandra Deva not able to stop or even react when Human beings, dogs and satellites landed on him. And if these are only physical entities, then why is it their effect is said to occur on us.

Is Surya Dev made of Hydrogen and Helium. If it is so, then is ParaBrahma Surya made of Atoms I.e. mass and energy?
Brahma is beyond mass, energy, existence or inexistence, then why is Surya Deva, not even able to move and is fixed in our solar system.

And if Surya Deva is not the one whom we see in sky, then why is it in our scriptures that Sun is eclipsed by rahu, the very rahu who was severed by Vishnu's Chakra?

If it is not the same Surya Deva, then this means either astrology is wrong, or it was a mistake of our Sages to write Ved Purans. And how did those sage, knower of Brahma, so careless as to make such great mistakes?

If it be argued that astrology does not at all work, then the other part of our Shastras giving knowledge of God is also false. And this means God is false and just a story. But we know God is true.

And if the planets in our solar system not the same Devatas as mentioned in our Scriptures, then why is that in our jyotish, the placement of these very celestial bodies is seen? And if the Upaayas done for curing them is also based on these very physical celestial bodies, then who is the consumer or see-er of these Upaayas, is he Brihaspati, Shani, Moon? And if it so, then what does Chandra Deva(a vedic God), do when man lands on his physical entity of Moon? Does Chandra Deva become happy or sad? Of is he not able to account for anything.

Mars Planet of our solar system is said to be ruled by Angaraka Mangal. Now, Mangal has to answer to his Prati-adhi-devata Subrahmanya Kartikkeya. So what does Mangal tell to Lord Kartikkeya, when a satellite comes on the Mars Planet or Mangal Graha. (I know planet is not the translation to Graha, but I'm just using it as a convention).

And if Human beings some day would start landing on Mars Planet, then what will Angaraka tell Kartikkeya? And will Kartikkeya , who is son of Shri Shiva, not even tell Lord Shiva about these things? And is then, even a stupid person be able to connect to Supreme Soul Shiva this easily?

If astrology is not a proper or complete Gyan or Vidya, and astrology is spread throughout our scriptures, then how can we say that our scriptures are correct? And if these are not correct, then what path we follow?


texts: A person may get some suffering due to his past karma. However, if he prays to God for his protection, he may be protected from the same suffering. Does this mean prayer has the power to eradicate past karma?


texts: The yogic or tantric significance of devi mahatmya

texts:
What is the yogic or tantric significance of the Durga Saptashati or the devi mahatmya?

Specifically, the devi mahatmya prima facie  seems to be about the qualities of devi and her confrontations with the asuras Madhu-Kaitubha, Mahishasura, Raktabija, Dhoomralochana, Shumbha-Nishumbha and her eventual victory. But, what is the inner import of the hymn?


texts: Can a Sudra attain higher caste according to Manusmriti?

texts:
Manusmriti Verse 9.335 says:

  शुचिरुत्कृष्टशुश्रूषुर्मृदुवागनहङ्कृतः ।

  ब्राह्मणाद्याश्रयो नित्यमुत्कृष्टां जातिमश्नुते ॥ ३३५ ॥

  śucirutkṛṣṭaśuśrūṣurmṛduvāganahaṅkṛtaḥ |

  brāhmaṇādyāśrayo nityamutkṛṣṭāṃ jātimaśnute || 335 ||

Translation from the site Wisdom Library seems to imply that they can attain higher caste in current birth.

But according to the site Sacred Texts they can attain higher caste in next birth.

So, which of the translations is correct?


texts: Karma accumulation by violence against cows

texts:
Does killing a cow accumulate karmas equivalent to suffering those many lives equivalent to the number of hairs on the cow?
(Hairs on a typical cow are millions/trillions in numbers)

Is there any such boon to cows/curse to cow killers?

I was informed this fact is based on the scriptures by my Guru once, so needed clarifications.


texts: What is the source of "thoughts": Mann(mind), Buddhi(intellect), Atma(the Self)?

texts:
Scientifically the thoughts are generated from brain. However in spiritual world, from where do they originate?

Also in case if the source of thoughts isn't in one's own control, then why many scriptures talk about controlling thoughts?


texts: I want scripture-based explanation for "God is Everywhere"

texts:
Most dominant philosophy in Hinduism is that God is everywhere and in everything. I want to understand this in more detail. As per science we know that around us there are two distinct things: Space-Time and matter-energy (or simply stuff).

The stuff (matter-energy) is made of atoms and sub-atomic particles which are existing on space-time.

A nice way to understand this is by comparing space-time to a stage and stuff (matter) to the actors on the stage.

Science still doesn't know what exactly is this "space" made of. Also they do not know what is "time."

Now my question is what exactly does Hinduism (Advaita Vedanta) refer to as God in the above space-time-matter analogy? Is God the stage or is He the actor and why?

I want proper answers with proof from scriptures, not individual opinions or views.


texts:
I have come across a lot of more-religious-less-historic books pertaining to history, which claim that the position of women from the beginning of Vedic civilisation, was ascribed by the scriptures, or 'righteous' norms of society to be 'mariyadit' sort of. The term means donning boundaries supposedly dignified, to be upheld by the sense of dignity in the person, and to be enforced somewhat by the good of society, to prevent obscenity, corruption degradation and all.
There is a particular quote much celebrated, by those 'dignity and boundaries' advocates that

  A woman is never supposed to live independently. During young age, she is to live under the 'protection' of her father, after being married, under her husband, and after being widowed, in aegis of her sons.

This I believe, is from the Manu Samhita.

The question is, what are the verses, which shed light on the position of women, and verses which put regulations on conduct of women, in Vedic and ensuing literature (The Upanishads, the epics Ramayana, Mahabharata, the samhitas, the commentaries, the fiction of the time, or any other work).


texts: Do Vedas talk about Moksha,Kaivalya or Mukti?

texts:
I've heard that the Vedas only talk about three of the four Purusharthas, viz. Dharmam, Arth, and Kam. The fourth Purushartha, Moksha, is said to be added or is made popular or is accepted after the rise of Buddhism. Even the fourth stage of 'Sanyasa' is added after Buddhist way of life.

Are there any specific verses in Vedas which talk about these specific ideas?
What is the ultimate goal of a human being as per Vedas? Which is the the oldest Upanisad which talk about Moksha?


texts: Who are the speakers of the other gitas?

texts:
Bhagavad Gita is the most famous gita. There are two opinions regarding who spoke Bhagavad Gita, one group says it is Krishna and the others says it is Brahman that Krishna was connected to.
This is justified using this quote from Anugita

परं हि बरह्म कथितं यॊगयुक्तेन तन मया param hi brahma kathitaM
yogayuktena tanmayA [Krishna said:]
I discoursed to thee on Supreme
Brahma, having concentrated myself in Yoga.(KM Ganguly's translation)
I immersed myself in yoga and told you about the supreme brahman(Bibek Debroy's translation)

There are other gitas like Devi Gita, Ishwara gita etc..
Does the second group believe that it is Brahman connection through Yoga which enabled the respective deities to speak? If yes, does it have scriptural basis like the above one for Krishna? Or the deities themselves speaking here without connection to Brahman through Yoga?
I am not interested in all the gitas, that will make it too broad. Answer can be just for the above  gitas that I mentioned.


texts: Any examples of remarried widows (punarbhū) in Hindu scripture?

texts:
Here are the dictionary meanings of the word पुनर्भू (punarbhū):

  mfn. being renewed, restored to life or youth RV. AV.

  f. a virgin widow re-married AV. &c

  f. re-existence W.

I'm interested in the second meaning of the word sourced from Atharvaveda. In what context was it used in AV?

Are there any examples of widow remarriages (virgin or not) in Hindu scriptures?


texts: Did Krishna play flute ever post Gokul days?

texts: It is said that Lord Krishna did not play flute after he had left Gokul. But most of the pictures of Lord Krishna ( adult) is shown with the flute. Did he play flute in later period?


texts:
1) Where exactly Shambhala village is located? Is Shangri-La, Tibet will be called as Shambhala, Birth place of Lord Kalki?

2) Why Lord Kalki, Son of VishnuYashyas will be born out of India in Shambhala village in Tibet?

3) Are there any previous Avatars of Lord born or lived in different geographical locations or countries other than India, SriLanka?

4) Who is Mother and Siblings of Lord Kalki?

5) What are the key differences between Kalki Avatar and ParushuRama Avatar?

6) Where will Goddess Lakshmi be born during Lord Kalki Avatara?

7) How many years Lord Kalki will rule and re-establish 'Dharma' on earth?


texts: Are there any scriptures that portray Lord Rama to be the source of all incarnations including Lord Vishnu?

texts:
There are many verses in the Srimad Bhagavatam and the Brahma-Vaivarta Purana which are used by Krishna-centric Vaishnava traditions to show that Lord Krishna is the source of all incarnations, including of Lord Vishnu. Some of such verses are:

  ete cāṁśa-kalāḥ puṁsaḥ kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam indrāri-vyākulaṁ
  lokaṁ mṛḍayanti yuge yuge (Srimad Bhagavatam 1.3.28)

  English Translation: All of the above-mentioned incarnations are either plenary portions or portions of the plenary portions of the Lord, but Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa is the original Personality of Godhead. All of them appear on planets whenever there is a disturbance created by the atheists. The Lord incarnates to protect the theists.

  narayanas tvam na hi sarva-dehinam
  atmasy adhisakhila-loka-saksi
  narayano ’ngam nara-bhu-jalayanat
  tac capi satyam na tavaiva maya (Srimad Bhagavatam 10.14.14)

  English Translation: Are You not the original Narayana, O supreme controller, since You are the Soul of every embodied being and the eternal witness of all created realms? Indeed, Lord Narayana is Your expansion, and He is called Narayana because He is the generating source of the primeval water of the universe. He is real, not a product of Your illusory Maya.

I am not mentioning the verses from the Brahma-Vaivarta Purana as there are too many to quote.

In addition to the these two Puranas, Gaudiya Vaishnavas use the Brahma Samhita, the famous text containing Lord Brahma's prayers to Lord Krishna that was discovered by Chaitanya Mahaprabhu in Adi-Keshava Temple, to reiterate their point of Lord Krishna to be the Original Supreme Personality of Godhead.

So are there any scriptures which say Lord Rama is the source of all incarnations? I have heard that Ramanandi Vaishnavas believe Lord Rama to be the source of all incarnations. Do they have any scriptural evidence to support their view?


texts: What is the process of doing Lingabhishekam?

texts:
I would like to know the process of doing Lingabhishekam.

What are the entities required?
What is the order of pouring those entities?
What is the best time to do? Can we do it any time?


texts: What did the Pandavas have to do before reaching heaven?

texts:
Popular TV shows describe Yudhishthira's journey to heaven after each of the other Pandavas fell (or fail). He was accompanied by Yama Raj in the disguise of a dog.
He had to undergo a series of tests before being able to meet his brothers, wife and cousins.
My questions:

Did the other Pandavas and Kauravas have to undergo any test or punishment before reaching heaven?

What is the difference between what Yudhishthira had to do and what other Pandavas and the Kauravas had to do to reach heaven?


texts: Proper response when we pray, but outcomes are negative?

texts:
What is the proper response/behavior of someone who prays with fervor, but for whom outcomes are negative?

For example:

Praying for someone else’s good health. Praying success in life events. Let’s say people pray in hopes of a better life in some way, yet the outcomes of such events can be failures.

In those occasions, my question is what do scriptures say about how one should react to failures and outcomes? Is there something that should be done, ie, pray more, focus on karma, or simply do nothing?


texts: What are the best authoritative articles on mantra shashtra online?

texts: It will be nice to have list of authoritative practical mantra shashtra n practice article links online which will help all.


texts: Is Bhagavad Gita with 745 verses available?

texts:
I read on a website that the original Bhagavad Gita had 745 verses.
Is it true? If yes, is it available to read online?
Also, why were the 45 verses excised from the current version of Gita which only has 700 verses?


texts: What does it mean by Not accepting Murti puja? And how to do it

texts:
From last few days I am reading Shri Sai Satcharitra. and in Chapter 41 there is something

"Baba Abdul Rahiman is against murti puja or image-worship".

Refrence Shri Sai Satcharitra Chapter 41

As to do a spiritual practice there are many ways out of which one is accepting Murti Puja and other is not accepting Murti puja.

I found many article on murti puja but can't find any on Not accepting Murti puja.

My question are:

What exactly is Not accepting Murti puja?
What is difference between Murti Puja and other is Not accepting Murti puja?
What are the steps to be followed in Not accepting Murti puja?

I hope I have explained my question properly. If not please let me know.


texts: Who is Gajasura whose head is attached to Lord Ganesha?

texts:
There is a popular story on how Ganesha got an elephant head. There was an ardent devotee called Gajasura. He does severe penance  Lord Shiva beheads Lord Ganesha who was guarding the entrance of Parvati Devi. He attaches elephant head of Gajasura, an ardent devotee of Lord Shiva and brings him back to life. Read it in detail.

I tried searching in some puranas and found that according to Padma Purana, Goddess Parvati creates a doll with an elephant face. According to Brahma Vaivarta Purana, Ganesha lost his head due to the vision of Shani on him and due to curse of Kashyapa on Shiva. There are other accounts of birth of Ganesha in other puranas too but I haven't found this story in aforementioned puranas.

Who is this Gajasura? Where is the story of Gajasura performing severe penance and the incidents followed viz his head attached to Ganesha mentioned?


texts: Does Anushasan Parva, chapter 88 of the Mahabharata, allow cow sacrifice?

texts:
In the following video, Dr. Zakir Naik says that Bhishma Pitamaha tells Yudhishtira that sacrificing a cow will satisfy their dead ancestors for a period of 1 year.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KwoJhaWeQqk

Is it right? Does the Mahabharata say so?


texts:
If we remember our past lifes' mistakes then there are less chances of making that mistake again, at our good times we can understand it as result of our past good deeds/punyam and at bad times we understand the mistakes done by us. By this we can easily understand the concept of karma in our lives and through self realization & evaluation there are more chances for us to get free from the cycle of birth & death.

What is the reason behind our memory loss? I heard dog will remember its past life and will cry when it sits on ash heap but forgets once its out of it! Is it true?


texts: What scriptures describe the story of Pancha Mukha Anjaneya (five-faced Hanuman)?

texts:
Pancha Mukha Anjaneya (five faced Hanuman) consisting faces of Hayagriva, Narasimha, Anjaneya, Garuda and Varaha is found in few south Indian temples. Is there any Puranic or scriptural evidence that Pancha Mukha Anjaneya existed during Ramayana period?

Hayagriva, Narasimha, Anjaneya, Garuda and Varaha (from L to R in the picture above)


texts: Is this citation of Anthony De Mello correct?

texts:
In the book "Awareness" of Anthony De Mello I've read the following quotation "from the sacred book of the Hindus":

  ...Lord Krishna says to Arjuna: "Plunge into the heat of battle and keep your heart at the lotus feet of the Lord".

But I can not find such place in the Bhagavadgita. Some of my acquaintance researchers in private conversation told me that this is probably wrong citation based on BhG 3.30.

My question: is it correct citation or not?

P.S. I haven't found this citation in this question: Which famous quotes are wrongly attributed to Bhagavad Gita?

I am curious: if it is wrong, what's the basis of it?


texts: I know that quatrains are called pAdas in Sanskrit. But what is the technical term for couplets in Sanskrit? I'm having lots of trouble identifying this.


texts: What was the name of the form of Devi before Lalitha Devi?

texts: After the death of manmadha for continuity of world devi herself took the bow and arrow and bow of manmadha and took a new form called Lalitha devi. What was the before form name of the form of Devi  before Lalitha devi?


texts: What restrictions should we follow when visiting temples?

texts: What are all the niyama (restrictions) before, during and after visiting temples ? Regarding cleanliness, dress, prostration, pradakshan etc.


texts: Are the texts of Magha Purana, Kartika Purana and Vaisakha Purana available in Sanskrit or English?

texts: Are the texts of Magha Purana, Kartika Purana and Vaisakha Purana available in English or Sanskrit. If they are taken from major puranas, which puranas contain them? Magha purana is said to be part of Vayu purana. But I cannot find it in here or here.


texts: How human age is related to number of breaths?

texts: Is it true that brahma assigns certain number of breaths to each creature based on karma? Why it's breaths count and not time?


texts: Nondualism. There is One only. Why teach?

texts:
In Kashmir Shaivism and Advaita philosophy this entire, infinite universe is the manifestation of the one supreme God. To awaken is to discover oneself as Lord Shiva Himself, and wherever one looks there is only God. As the advaitin sage Ashtavakra says in his gita (2:8):
"Light is my very nature and I am no other than light. When the universe manifests itself, verily then it is I that shine."
So to an awakened master who lives in nondual truth, there is no "other". So why teach? Who is there to teach?


texts: What were Kauravas doing during geetopadesham from Sri Krishna?

texts:
When Arjuna was feeling bad to fight against Bheeshma and his Guru Dronacharya, Shri Krishna tries to enlighten Arjuna by preaching Geethopadesha when they are in the middle of the war field. What were other doing-especially Kauravas, because the war was already started during that time?

Because that could be the right time to shoot an arrow on Arjuna. And it was a complete waste of time for others.

And when Shri Krishna shows Vishwaroopam to Arjuna, will others also see?


texts: Why can't we enter heaven with our physical body?

texts:
Why can't we enter the heaven with our physical body? However if some of the sages have entered, who are all? please list them.

If we can't enter with the human body in the hell then so punishment should be only for our jeeva aatma right?

We couldn't able to stay in the heaven more than 5 days. Is it true?
How many days we need to stay in the hell if we did sin? And return to earth?

Could someone please help me to research on this one.


texts: Can Vedic Deva Prajapati be connected to Vishnu, not to Brahma?

texts:
I know that Prajapati will later be connected to Brahma, and in many rig-Vedic passages He is connected with several other devas, such as Indra, Soma, etc. But what caught my attention, is that it is taught that Prajapati came from the waters, a classic allusion to Vishnu, as Narayana, the "Nara", the one who is from the waters. Would it then make sense to say that the ancient Vedic, in worshiping Prajapati, would be directly worshiping Vishnu, with Brahma being a later addition without Vedic connotation?
Are there other passages that strengthen this argument between Prajapati and Vishnu?


texts: What's story of Devi Savitri's curse on Trimurthi by which they were changed to Rivers?

texts:
When I was googling to know the legend of Krishna River, I found this page, which states

  Legends state that the River Krishna is Lord Vishnu himself who
  turned into a river due to a curse on the Trimurti by Devi Savitri
  (Goddess Parvati). It is said that its tributaries Venna and Koyana
  are said to be Siva and Brahma themselves.

Which Purana says this legend?

But this wiki page says Devi Savitri cursed Brahma that he would never be worshipped, Vishnu to suffer the separation from his wife as a human, which is different from the above curse.

Did Devi Savitri curse them twice?
Which Purana mentions 1st curse on Trimurthi by Devi Savitri, by which they were turned to rivers?


texts: Why each word of Srimad Bhagavad Gita is considered to be so important?

texts:
Bhagavad Gita was compiled by Vyasadeva ('Vyasena grathitam') in the anustubh and indrabajra/upendrabajra metres. To convert the conversations into such metres, He surely had to change or add words to maintain the rigid structures of these metres. Why is it then that each and every word captioned 'Sri Bhagavan uvacha' is taken by the great acharya as the utterance of Lord Krishna Himself?

Why are all the Gitas streelingavachaka, i.e none is named as Giah or Gitam?


texts: Can gods appear to a turiya person, by doing tapas or mantra with pure devotion combined with bodily spiritually purity, , as well as is it possible to ask for and get boons or astras? Considering present seems to be dwapara Yuga, and ravana got his boon in treta Yuga, arjuna got pashupatastra from shiva and various astra from indra in dwapara? and not kaliyuga? Or is it kaliyuga so gods can't appear?


texts: Was Kho Kho played during the times of Ramayana and Mahabharata?

texts:
Was Kho Kho as a game played during the times of Mahabharatha or Ramayana? Are there any real references?

This book mentions so and also This blog


texts: In mahabharata what Karna life said or moral? a good man take down by cheats is that correct?

texts:
In Mahabharata book Karna is god's son. So he had good attitude and character also and he also stronger than Arjuna. But he's bad luck he need to be friend with opposite parties.

Krishna god made few cheats to take down karan like mother son relationship, armor, bug bite, fight with friend (who drive) in war zone  etc,.

If someone want to win then he can make more cheats to win

Is that happen in Karna life or i said something wrong than explain me Karna life and what's moral about him


texts: Why are different forms of Vishnu to be remembered while doing different types of work in the Vishnu Shodasanama Stotra?

texts:
Please explain the reasons for the different forms of Vishnu needing to be remembered when doing different types of work in the Vishnu Shodashnaam Stotra.
For example: Why is the action of taking medicine related to Vishnu and not Ram? Also as Vishnu is himself in all the forms, how are we to understand different forms differently?
Another example: Is it the case that Govinda should be remembered when having a bad dream but not some other form?

औषधे चिंतयेद् विष्णुं
भोजने च जनार्दनं
शयने पद्मनाभं च
विवाहे च प्रजापतिं
युद्धे चक्रधरं देवं
प्रवासे च त्रिविक्रमं
नारायणं तनुत्यागे
श्रीधरं प्रियसंगमे
दुःस्वप्ने स्मर गोविन्दं
संकटे मधुसुदनं
कानने नरसिंहं च
पावके जलशायिनं
जलमध्ये वराहं च
पर्वते रघुनन्दनं
गमने वामनं चैव
सर्वकार्येषु माधवं
षोडशैतानि नामानि
प्रातर् उत्थाय यः पठेत्
सर्वपापविनिर्मुक्तो
विष्णुलोकं समाप्नुयात्


texts: Many people are asking if hindu scriptures are true then why no explanation of dinosour given. As modern science has shown that dinosours exist before humans, do scriptures has any information regarding this.


texts: Can I practice Buddhist practices as a hindu?

texts:
I'm a hindu that seeks to go to amitabha's pureland if I cannot make it to Lalita's abode Manidvipa,or just in the case that out of the two religions,I am wrong about hinduism being true.could I recite amitabha's name or make aspiration prayers,and would I be sinning?

from a Hindu perspective,thru various powers a buddhist master could create a pureland for followers.in
 hinduism we have gyaanganj too.with various shakti powers a yogi of any religion can create even universes as Vishwamitra the Rishi did when devaloka was denied him.

I love amitabha and padmasambhava,and though I agree more with Shaivite philosophy,I wouldnt mind being both a buddhist and a shaivite.in fact in the list of mahasiddhas in the Vajrayana tradition some of them were shaivites and dual shaivite vajrayana like matseyendranath(who was really the first person to institute kali worship after being initiated by yoginis at kamakhya)and his pupil Gorakshanath wich is revered by both buddhists and hindus as a great enlightened being.

my philosophy is actually shaivite,so maybe it would be dishonest to label myself buddhist,but buddhism(of the jonang self atmanic variety) could be true and I dont want to miss out on that possibility and Buddhas are great people with high realizations.I believe at the core Jonang buddhism and Shaivism are philosophically similar,and KalaCakra(jonang's Adibuddha) is said by some occultists to be Shiva(Mahaa kal) anyway.some call him a buddha others a deva,maybe he is both for different people.in the Skanda purana,Shiva says that he guides the buddhists to moksha and the path of the vedas thru their agamas,and in buddhism maheshwar is a yidam ,a wordly protector and a emanation of lokeshwara bodhisattva.

the Newars too practice both shaivite tantra and vajrayana tantra.The Dalai Lama loves and pays respects to Maheshwar and many yogis of the shaktah and shaiva traditions studied with buddhist yogis and compared notes.

like I said in reality my philosophy is Tirumular advaita shaiva/kashmir shaiva(its really the same thing) or Advaita shaktah(I havent decided who is greater shiva or devi)but Buddhism of the jonang school seems sound.if I'm wrong I can still go to eternal pureland if i practice aspirations .

Hope this question doesnt offend anybody.

would I be sinning if I make aspiration to go to sukhavati as a hindu?''just in case''?


texts: What does the Suvarna Gharma Anuvaka of the Taittiriya Aranyaka mean?

texts:
As I discuss in this question, the Srimad Bhagavatam contains the Uddhava Gita, a discourse similar to the Bhagavad Gita between Krishna and his relative Uddhava on the proper way to live one's life.  And in the course of telling Uddhava how to worship him in idol form, Krishna says this:

  The worshiper should bathe the Deity every day, as opulently as his assets permit, using waters scented with sandalwood, uśīra root, camphor, kuṅkuma and aguru. He should also chant various Vedic hymns, such as the anuvāka known as Svarṇa-gharma, the Mahāpuruṣa-vidyā, the Puruṣa-sūkta and various songs of the Sāma Veda, such as the Rājana and the Rohiṇya.

In this question I asked about the Mahapurusha Vidya, but now I'm interested in the Suvarna Gharma Anuvaka.  This book claims that the hymn is lost, but I found it in the Taittiriya Aranyaka of the Yajur Veda (see Anuvaka 3-11-1 on page 50 of this PDF):

  suvarnam gharmam pariveda venam |

  indrasyatmanam dashadh carantam |

  antassamudre manasa carantam |

  brahma'nvavindaddashahotaramarne |

  antaha pravishtashasta jananam |

  ekassanbahudha vicaraha |

  shatam shukrani yatraikam bhavanti |

  sarve veda yatraikam bhavanti |

  sarve hotaro yatraikaM bhavanti |

  sa manasana atma jananam ||

My question is, what does this hymn mean?  Unfortunately, there doesn't seem to be a complete translation of the Taittiriya Aranyaka.  There is this translation of chapter 5, which deals with the Pravargya ritual.  And there are numerous translations of chapter 7-9, which constitute the Taittirya Upanishad, and of chapter 10, which is the Mahanarayana Upanishad.  But are there any translations of chapter 3, where this hymn is found?


texts: Where can I find upanishad's verse in vedas?

texts:
Upaniṣads are the part of vedas. Is it possible to find the verse of upanishad in vedas.
For example :

Bṛhadāraṇyaka Upaniṣad

Chapter I > Section IV - The Creation and Its Cause

In the beginning, this (universe) was but the self (Virāj) of a human form. He reflected and found nothing else but himself. He first uttered, ‘I am he.’ Therefore he was called Aham (I). Hence, to this day, when a person is addressed, he first says, ‘It is I,’ and then says the other name that he may have. Because he was first and before this whole (band of aspirants) burnt all evils, therefore he is called Puruṣa. He who knows thus indeed burns one who wants to be (Virāj) before him. (1.4.1)

Can anyone give the same verse but from vedas. Like rigveda 1:4:1 (just an example).
basically my question is "Where can I find upanishad's verse in vedas as it is a part of vedas"


texts:
Why is marijuana sacred among some Hindus such as Naga Sadhu?

Shiva plays a role in this but does marijuana aid in obtaining moksha or does it have any spiritual benefits?


texts: Is Jagadguru Ramanandacharya considered an incarnation?

texts: Ramanandacharya was a fourteenth century saint, one of the greatest devotees of Sri Rama, Vishishtadvaitin and the founder of the Ramanandi Sampradaya (a sub-sect in Sri Vaishnavism). Kabir, the famous poet-cum-saint who promoted communal harmony, is said to have been one of His disciples. Now my question is whether or not Ramanandacharya is considered an incarnation by His followers?


texts:
Can someone please post the list of female seers to whom the Vedic Samhita mantras were revealed?

Like a list of seer and sukta and mantra with mandala or chapter number would be highly appreciated


texts: What is the Guru Parampara of Kashmiri Shaivism?

texts: I found that the philosophy of Kashmiri Shaivism is said to be similar to Adviata and preaching involves the Yoga. I came to know that Vasugupta is the important contributor to Kashimir Shaivism and he revealed Shiva Sutras. I am interested in knowing the Guru Parampara of Kashimir Shaivism like we have Guru parampara of Advaita and Vishishtadvaita.


texts:
Many scriptures in Sanathan dharma says about cyclic nature of time at many places.
Consider some of the excerpts
From Mahabharata

Hundreds and thousands of great-Kalpas, hundreds and thousands of
Creation and Dissolutions, O king of kings, have been over and have
become incidents of the past.
[Section 340, Mokshadharma Parva, Santi Parva, The Mahabharata]

From Yoga Vasistha

Sir, you have seen the many changes of the world, and have been
experienced in all things in the repeated course of creations; must be
best able to tell me the wonders that you have witnessed during the
revolution of ages.
[27, Chapter 21: Explanation of the cause of the crow’s longevity, Nirvana Prakarana, Yoga Vasistha]

Is there any similar mentioning in Valmiki Ramayana that imply the cyclic nature of time in terms of creation and dissolution?


texts: How do different Vedantic philosophies prove the existence of the soul?

texts:
As I discuss in this question, by far the most popular school of Hindu philosophy is the Vedanta school, which bases its tenets on the doctrines laid out in the Brahma Sutras, a work by the sage Vyasa that summarizes and systematizes the philosophical teachings of the Upanishads. You can read the Brahma Sutras here. In any case, in Adhyaya 3 Pada 3 of the Brahma Sutras, Vyasa says this:

eka ātmanaḥ śarīre bhāvāt

Some deny the existence of the soul, its existence being dependent on the existence of the body.

vyatirekastadbhāvabhāvitvānna tūpalabdhivat

But this is not so; there is a distinction (between the soul and the body) because consciousness may not exist even when the body exists, as it is in the case of perception.

This translation is written from the viewpoint of the Advaita philosopher Adi Shankaracharya, who believed that Sutra 53 is presenting the view of the Charvaka school that the soul is the same as the body, and that Sutra 54 is presenting a logical argument that there exists a soul which is different from the body.
But most commentators on the Brahma Sutras do not think that these Sutras have anything to do with the soul being different from the body.  For instance Ramanujacharya thinks that these Sutras are about the fact that during meditation, one must conceive of one's own soul in its released state, not its state while inhabiting a body; see this section of Ramanujacharya's Sri Bhashya.  And Nimbarka and Srikantha Sivacharya agree with him, as you can see here and here.
So my question is, how do Vedantic philosophies other than Advaita, like Dvaita, Visistadvaita, Achintya Bhedabheda, etc. prove that there exists a soul different from the body?  I'm particularly interested in whether they think Anumana or inference is sufficient to prove it, or whether Sabda Pramana or scriptural testimony is required.  Most of the Astika schools other than the Vedanta school believe it can be proven through Anumana as I discuss here.  Now as I discuss in this answer, the Vedanta school believes that the existence of Brahman cannot be proven through Anumana, but only through Sabda Pramana.  But it may be that the existence of the Jivatma requires different means of proof than the existence of Brahman.


texts: What are the weapons used by Indra other than Vajra

texts:
This question is related to Rainbow question in which I ask about the validity of the word Indra-Dhanusha in Hindu Mythology.

I want to know what are the other weapons Indra has since he is DevaRaja king of Gods he must have a great weaponry. I know that he uses Vajra the great weapon made out of Rishi Dadhichi's Spine , but just vajra is not enough since he is king.


texts: About age restrictions on marriage in Hinduism

texts:
Is there any restriction in Hinduism that female partner must be younger than the corresponding male partner for marriage? If it is there, why?
According to Hindu texts, is there any restriction on the maximum and minimum age gap between the marrying couple?


texts: How to worship Indra and what is the proper way to worship him, can he only be worshipped through yagna or shamanic ways are allowed ?


texts: Why do we see Lord Shiva under the feet of Mother Kali?

texts: Shiva doesn't exist without Shakthi. Shiva and shakthi are one. I recently visited a temple of Mother Kali. I was purplexed to see lord shiva in a smiling face is under the feet of angry Mother Kali. What does this signify?


texts: What boon did Lord Vishnu give to Dhruva?

texts:
I heard he got boon that after this life he will live in dhruv loka as king. But I have doubt on next point. As per my partial knowledge, Lord Vishnu said "You will live in dhruv loka and on time of Mahaa Pralaya, everything will be destroyed but your loka will still remain."

If Lord Vishnu really said same then does that mean Prahlad(as dhruv) will still be stay safe even after mahaa pralaya at the end of Kalpa?

  UPDATE

My question is about Dhruva. Because of temporary confusion I mixed up two different characters(don't know how since I was fully aware about both of their story individually) by thinking they are same. Now confusion got clear.


texts: What are the names of different sects/traditions who follow dakshinachara tantra?

texts:
I only know Shrividya which is a dakshinachara tantric Shakta tradition.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shri_Vidya


texts: What does the Hindu religion think of apostasy?

texts: I'm just wondering what Hindus think of apostasy. Do we discourage it? think low of it? is it a crime according to Vedas?


texts: What is difference between Neeti and Dharma

texts:
Vidura was known as Neetijnya in english one who has knowledge of Neeti. Neeti word Derives from the word Naitikta in sanskrit, which in english is similar to Morality(proof). Since he was the wise consultant of Dhritrashtra and was the Wisest of Kuru Dynasty he was considered wisest consultant despite being born as Shudra.

The Dialogue between Vidura and Dhritrashtra is compiled to form the Vidura Niti. The Niti shastra of Vidura is considered even today as the best work of Niti/Morality knowledge,it is sort of ancient Moral Science Manual.

But Considering Yudhishthira he was Dharmajna one with knowledge of Dharma. He was staunch follower of Dharma,and attained Swarga for his pious deeds. So this means Dharma is above Niti. Since he followed Dharma more than neeti.

If dharma and neeti are two different things then what is exact difference between them, and why was Yudhishtira Consulting Vidura even when he had all the Dharma knowledge, was vidura knower of Dharma and neeti both? since he was greatest consultant in Kuru Dynasty?


texts:
Including myself, many of my family members got their names 12 days after their birth, a day called Namakarana. This is done via a ritual, for example in Nepalese tradition (My ethnicity) we have an extra tradition called Nwaran.

Why do we give names to our newborn on their twelfth (some at eleventh) day? and any references to the scriptures?


texts: Is the object of Putrakāmeṣṭi only a son or a child of either gender?

texts:
Is the object of Putrakāmeṣṭi only a son or a child of any gender?

For example, if a couple already have a girl child, can they still perform putrakāmeṣṭi desiring a son?

Any examples from our scriptures where a couple performed putrakāmeṣṭi seeking a son but instead a baby girl was born?

If the object of putrakāmeṣṭi is to just have a child (of any gender), is it a mere coincidence that Daśaratha in Vālmīki Rāmāyaṇa had all male children and no girls?


texts:
In our scriptures it is said that destiny is given only according to Karma and is Not Predetermined
As in mahabharatha Arjuna Lost his Archery skills and is said that arjuna's power's were Given by Lord Krishna.
After his purpose is fulfilled the Powers were Taken by Lord Krishna as it is Lord krishna's will.
Weakness or Trouble comes to a soul only by its Bad Karma
EXAMPLE :
The Women of Dwarka were cursed by a Muni so they were caught by theives

  It is in consequence, then, of the curse of the Muni Asht́ávakra that these females, who were at first the wives of Keśava, have now fallen into the hands of the barbarians; and there is no occasion, Arjuna, for you to regret it in the least. All this destruction has been effected by the lord of all.

Veda Vyasa said it was due to the Womens curse in previous birth and didn't tell it was due to Arjuna's Bad Karma that caused him to loss his power .
A soul's Karma is experienced fully himself(WOMEN) and Not by others(ARJUNA)

MY QUESTION :

How can Arjuna became Powerless due to Other souls Bad Karma ?
Was his Destiny Predetermined as he experienced Karma's of other soul
If  it was not Pre - Determined by Lord Krishna's will then why did he Forgot the Astras ?


texts:
Where will I get mahabarat books written by maharishi veda vyasa in India? Also I wanted to get srimad Bhagavadam by vyasa and ramayan written by valmiki. When I search for such books I don't get the one that is written by vyasa and valmiki instead I get the ones with other authors.
Is my search correct or should I go for some  other authors can you please clear my confusion and where will I get these books to buy.


texts: Was Duryodhana a better mace-fighter than Bhima?

texts: Does Mahabharata say somewhere that Duryodhana was a better mace fighter than Bhima? If so, was that why Bhima used unfair tactics in their climactic fight?


texts:
In the Anushasana Parva of the Mahabharata, just like in the Shanti Parva, Bhishma gives advice to Yudishthira and concerning how to be a good king and how to be good person, while he is lying on a bed of arrows after the end of the Kurukshetra war.  In this chapter, Bhishma tells Yudhishthira about various actions which are rewarded and punished in the afterlife.  One part of the list seems rather peculiar to me, though:

  śastravikrayakāś caiva kartāraś ca yudhiṣṭhira
  śalyānāṃ dhanuṣāṃ caiva te vai nirayagāminaḥ

  They who sell weapons, they who forge weapons, they who make shafts, and they who make bows, have to sink in hell.

So my question is, is it always a sin to make weapons?

Is the verse just saying that people shouldn't go into a weapons-making as a business?  Or is it actually saying that it is forbidden for anyone to make a weapon under any circumstances? It would be rather strange if making weapons is categorically forbidden; how in the world would Kshatriyas get the weapons they need then?

Do the Manu Smriti or other Dharma Shastras shed any light on this?


texts: What were the names given to countries like Mesopotamia, Egypt (ancient) at the time of the Mahabharatha war?

texts: Are there any writings which give the names of ancient countries like Egypt and Mesopotamia at the time of Mahabharata war?


texts:
In this chapter of the Ashwamedha Parva of the Mahabharata, Krishna brings Abhimanyu's son Parikshit back to life, after he is born stillborn as a result of Ashwatthama's Brahmastra (which I discuss here).  Here is what Krishna says in order to bring the boy back to life:

  Never before have I uttered an untruth even in jest. Never have I turned back from battle. (By the merit of those acts) let this child revive! As righteousness is dear to me, as Brahmanas are specially dear to me, (by the merit of that disposition of mine) let Abhimanyu's son, who is born dead, revive! Never hath a misunderstanding arisen between me and my friend Vijaya. Let this dead child revive by that truth! As truth and righteousness are always established in me, let this dead child of Abhimanyu revive (by the merit of these)! As Kansa and Kesi have been righteously slain by me, let this child revive today by that truth!

My question who is this "Vijaya" who was the friend of Krishna?  Vijaya means victory, so I'm guessing that it refers to Arjuna.  Another friend of Krishna was Sudama (whom I discuss here), but I doubt he would be called Vijaya.

Are there any commentaries on the Mahabharata that address who Krishna is referring to here?


texts: Need a brief analysis of Karna. Is he representative of anything in Indian mythology?

texts:
Can someone please give me a brief analysis of who Karna was and what legacy he left behind?

Is he representative of anything (i.e., any symbolism attached to him) in Indian mythology?


texts: Do any Vaishnav sect believe in Jivan Mukti?

texts:
I used to believe that JivanMukti; a state of liberation while still in this body was something that was specific to advaita Vedant sect only.

But I recently came across a quote by Gaudiya Vaishnav Saint and ISKCON founder Swami Prabhupada that goes something like this

  A person who engages in devotional service to God is liberated while
  still in this body.

But in some of the discourses from advaita Vedantins I heard that Vaishnavas do not believe in JivanMukti(the saint did say that Gaudiyas beliefs are little different, but He did not elaborate).

So which sects of Vaishnavas believe in JivanMukti? Is there any difference in the jivanmukti of advaitins and Vaishnavas(if they believe)?


texts: Is the ocean (sāgara) named after King Sagara or is it the other way round?

texts:
This morning I was simultaneously reading and listening to this śloka from Vālmīki Rāmāyaṇa and this question occurred to me.

  येषां स सगरो नाम सागरो येन खानित: ।

  षष्टि: पुत्रसहस्राणि यं यान्तं पर्यवारयन् ।।1.5.2।।

  येन by whom, सागर: ocean, खानित: was made to be dug, यान्तम् while he was marching (to the battle), यम् whom, षष्टि: पुत्रसहस्राणि sixty thousand sons, पर्यवारयन् surrounded by, स: that, सगरो नाम king named Sagara, येषाम् amongst those.

  Among them a king named Sagara got the ocean dug and his sixty thousand sons surrounded him whenever he went (to battle).

From above, it appears that King Sagara acquired the name because he (or his sons) dug up earth to create the ocean (sāgara). Is it not? If yes, what is King Sagara's real name i.e., birth name?

Or is it a pure coincidence that Sagara and the word sāgara are related?

PS. Does anyone know the female singer reciting the ślokas? Her voice is very melodious; almost divine!


texts: Are current day bathes considered as original bathes in Hinduism?

texts:
Nowadays people bath in personal bathrooms using soap and shampoo. The water will be water from either rivers or other means.

But in Hindu scriptures, bathing generally refers to either bath in sacred rivers or running water etc.,

So, my question is whether the current day bath procedure can be considered as the bathes mentioned in scripture?


texts: When Goddess Parvati was the daughter of sage Bhrigu?

texts:
Meaning of Bhargavi is female descendant of sage Bhrigu. When checking meaning of names, I figured out that Bhargavi is name of Parvati too because

  Goddess Parvati was the daughter of Bhrigu, hence she got the name Bhargavi ~ babycenter

I am aware of Goddess Lakshmi's incarnation as sage Bhrigu's daughter but what's the story of Goddess Parvati's incarnation as sage Bhrigu's daughter?

Update

This website says

  In ancient India, Sage Bhrigu was Shiva's devotee. He had married kardama's daughter Khyati. In answer to the prayer of that couple, Goddess Parvathi was born as their daughter. Because she was the daughter of Bhrigu, she got the name 'Bhargavi'. She later married the Hindu God Shiva's avatar 'ChandraShekar' meaning one who holds the moon and brings solutions to all problems.


texts: What is the actual definition for karma in Hinduism?

texts: Karma as in all actions of a person. Actions of our own thoughts and physical or body. Just queries what could be the actual meaning of karma according to Hinduism.


texts: Why did Bhishma fight with Lord Parashurama?

texts:
In the Mahabharata, there is a story where Bhishma fought with his guru (teacher) Lord Parashurama.

What was the reason behind fighting with his guru? And who won the fight?


texts: What is the meaning of "Swasti na Indro Vridhhashravaha..."?

texts:
This mantra is very famous, mostly also used in TV shows while showing Yajnas. This is also known as Shanti Path Mantra:

  ॐ भद्रं कर्णेभिः शृणुयाम देवाः ।
  भद्रं पश्येमाक्षभिर्यजत्राः ।
  स्थिरैरङ्गैस्तुष्टुवागँसस्तनूभिः ।
  व्यशेम देवहितं यदायूः ।
  स्वस्ति न इन्द्रो वृद्धश्रवाः ।
  स्वस्ति नः पूषा विश्ववेदाः ।
  स्वस्ति नस्ताक्षर्यो अरिष्टनेमिः ।
  स्वस्ति नो ब्रुहस्पतिर्दधातु ।
  ॐ शान्तिः शान्तिः शान्तिः ।।

  Om Bhadram Karnebhiḥ Srinuyaam Devah।
  Bhadram Pashyem Akshabhir Yajatrah।
  Sthirair Angais Tushtuvagamsas Tanoobhih।
  Vyashema Devahitam Yadaayooh।
  Swasti Na Indro Vriddhashrava।
  Swasti Na Poosha Vishwa-Vedaah।
  Swasti Nastaaksharyo Arishtanemih।
  Swasti No Brihaspatir-dadhaatu।
  Om, Shaanti Shaanti Shaanti।।

From where are these mantras taken? And what are their meanings ?


texts: Which is the earliest scripture to depict Brahma as the navel-lotus-born offspring of Vishnu?

texts:
In the earliest scriptures Brahma/Prajapati/Hiranyagarbha is depicted as having no genealogy and sometimes equated with Parabrahmam.

for example:

lord-brahma-be-regarded-as-a-supreme-self:

but in later scriptures he is said to be born from a lotus sprouting from Vishnu's navel.


texts: Is Iyengar Yoga really based on Nathamuni's Yoga Rahasya?

texts:
The Alwars (also spelled Azhwars) are a group of 12 ancient Vaishnava saints who lived in Tamil Nadu and are famous for their poetry in praise of Vishnu. The 4000 verses of the Alwars were compiled by the Vaishnava Acharya Nathamuni into a book called the Naalayira Divya Prabhandam, which is considered by many to be the "Dravida Veda", or South Indian Veda. It is the principles and beliefs embodied in the Alwars' poems that Nathamuni used to found what we now call the Sri Vaishnava sect (of which I'm a member).

In addition to the Naalayira Divya Prabandham, however, Nathamuni is said to have also composed at least two other works: a work on logic called the Nyaya Tattva and a work in Yoga called the Yoga Rahasya.  (He's often credited with the Purusha Nirnaya, although that's sometimes ascribed to his grandson Yamunacharya whom I discuss here.) These works have lost for centuries, but if you go to a bookstore, you may find a book called "Nathamuni's Yoga Rahasya" by T. Krishnamacharya!

For those who don't know, T. Krishnamacharya is one of the fathers of modern Yoga; he was the teacher of B.K.S. Iyengar, founder of the well- known Iyengar Yoga.  What is not as well-known is where the techniques of Iyengar Yoga come from.  You see, T. Krishnamacharya was a descendant of Nathamuni, and he claims that he had a dream where Nathamuni told him to go to Alwar Thirunagari, the town where Nathamuni received the poems of the Alwars as I discuss here.  When he went there, he claims to have experienced a trance where Nathamuni taught him the verses of his lost work, the Yoga Rahasya.  That's the purported origin of the verses published in T. Krishnamacharya' book "Nathamuni's Yoga Rahasya".

Now some people doubt T. Krishnamacharya's claims; his son T.K.V. Desikachariar suggests that the book may have been his father's own composition:

  “My father never acknowledged that he discovered anything even when I have seen that it was he who discovered. He has discovered postures but he would say that it was his teacher who taught him. Rarely has he said that it was his “original” work....  I tend to think that the Nathamuni’s Yoga Rahasya that he taught us is quite likely to be a combination of his own commentary and the lessons he received though he would not accept it.”

But in this essay Desikachariar says that it's genuinely the work Nathamuni:

  The Yoga-Rahasya has unfortunately never been published but there is enough proof to be sure that Nathamuni is definitely the author.

My question is, has anyone examined the Sanskrit verses in Krishnamacharya's book and determined whether they're the work of Nathamuni?  Like does the style of the Sanskrit match Nathamuni's era?

And what is Desikachariar alluding to when he says there's "enough proof"?


texts: What is the result of worshipping Lord Sri Nityananda Rama Chandra Prabhu only/exclusively?

texts:
Srila Prabhupada says here https://prabhupadabooks.com/cc/adi/8/31 that -

  A neophyte student who is not sufficiently educated or enlightened should not indulge in the worship of Śrī Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa or the chanting of the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra. Even if he does so, he cannot get the desired result. One should therefore chant the names of Nitāi-Gaura and worship Them without false prestige. Since everyone within this material world is more or less influenced by sinful activities, in the beginning it is essential that one take to the worship of Guru-Gaurāṅga and ask their favor, for thus despite all his disqualifications one will very soon become qualified to worship the Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa vigraha.

I have also read in many places (cited here - What would please Lord Hanuman more - chanting Hanuman Chalisa or chanting Rama naam?) that worship of the Lord's devotee pleases Him more than worship of Him directly. So I want to worship Lord Sri Nityananda Rama Chandra Prabhu directly by chanting Nitaai (निताइ) nam. I want to know what would be the result.

For example worship of various demigods gives various results, like worship of Lord Ganesh removes obstacles, worship of Goddess Lakshmi or Goddess Durga increases material prosperity, worship of Lord Surya increases eyesight and gives better health etc. (can't find sources at the moment, but I've read these things on the internet and in Srila Prabhupada's books).

In your answers, citations from Srila Prabhupada's books or other Vaishnava acharyas' books would be really nice.


texts: What is the meaning of the word "Rudra"?

texts:
Rudra means king
Dayananda Saraswati has translated Rudra to mean king in the Sri Rudram (Yajurveda Chapter 16)
Does Yajurveda tells about Shiva having the qualities of a king?
What is the meaning of Rudra given in the Nirukta.


texts:
One of the well known spiritual guru of India was SripAda Srivallabha.

Whose avatar was he ?


texts: Do any Deities, other than the Pancha Mahadevatas, have Swayambhu representations?

texts:
The Pancha Mahadevatas are Ganapaty,Shiva,Vishnu,Devi(Ambika) & Surya.

There is a Smarta tradition of worshiping them together in the Panchayatana Puja..In this Puja instead of idols or images of Gods are used 5 stones which are regarded as the "Swayambhu" (self manifested,where divine presence is already present without the help of pranapratishta rituals) rupas of the respective deities.

  Some use natural Stones instead of Murthis.

  For..

  Surya Crystal from Vallam Tamil Nadu.

  Ganesha  Red Sonebhadra from Sone,Bihar.

  Vishnu Saligrama from Gandaki, Nepal.

  Shiva, Bana Linga from Narmada, M.P.

  Ambika Swarnamukhi from Swarna Mukhi from Andhra Pradesh.

Source
One of the purposes of this Panchayatana Puja with Swayambhu shilas is making man realise that God is ultimately without shape(Nirakar).
For example, Ganapaty is represented by the Red Sonebhadra stone(found in the Sonebhadra river,Bihar),Shiva by Banalingas ( found in Narmada river,Madhya Pradesh),Vishnu by Salagrama(found in Gandaki river,Nepal),Devi represented by Swarnamukhi sila(found in Swarnamukhi river,Andhra Pradesh) & Surya represented by Sphatika (found in the Vallam river,Tamil Nadu).

Question-Besides these Pancha Devatas which other deities(like Shanmuga,Lakshmi etc) have similar Swayambhu manifestations & in which parts of India are they found?


texts: How do the Bhagavad Gita and the Brahma Sutras refer to each other?

texts:
The most popular school of Hindu philosophy is the Vedanta school, which bases its tenets on the doctrines laid out in the Brahma Sutras, a work by Vyasa which summarizes and systematizes the philosophical teachings of the Upanishads. You can read the Brahma Sutras here; they consist of concise sayings that people often consider hard to understand without a commentary.  In any case, near the end of the Adhyaya 2 Pada 3 of the Brahma Sutras, Vyasa says this:

  (The individual souls are) parts of God because of the mention that they are different, also because some read otherwise of (Brahman’s) identity with fishermen, slaves, gamblers and others.
  This follows from the words of the mantras also.
  And this is also stated in the Smriti (Gita).

My question is about Sutra 45, which refers to the Bhagavad Gita.  Note that the parenthetical mention of "Gita" was added by the translator; the Sanskrit just says "api smaryate" or "thus it is stated in the Smriti".  (The Bhagavad Gita is a part of the Mahabharata, which is a Smriti text.)  In any case, that Sutra is clearly referring to this verse of the Bhagavad Gita:

  The living entities in this conditioned world are My eternal fragmental parts. Due to conditioned life, they are struggling very hard with the six senses, which include the mind.

This is confirmed in both Adi Shankaracharya's commentary the Brahmasutra Bhashya and in Ramanujacharya's commentary the Sri Bhashya.  So this suggests that the Bhagavad Gita is older than the Brahma Sutra Bhashya.  Now here is where things get weird.  In another chapter of the Bhagavad Gita, Krishna says this:

  That knowledge of the ﬁeld of activities and of the knower of activities is described by various sages in various Vedic writings. It is especially presented in Vedānta-sūtra with all reasoning as to cause and effect.

Note that the translator says "Vedanta-Sutras", an alternate name for the Brahma Sutras, but in any case the Sanskrit says "Brahma Sutras".  So to sum up, the Brahma Sutras refer to Bhagavad Gita, a text that refers back to the Brahma Sutras!

My question is, how is it possible for these two texts to have references to each other?  Which text came first?  Could it be that one or both of these references are interpolations?  This web pages argues that they're not:

  It might be argued that at least one text has had spurious insertions made into it to apparently refer to the other[.]... However, it is not found that the various rescensions of the Brahma-sUtra are different, with some not having the questionable references; all copies of the Brahma-sUtra as obtained from a variety of sources carry them. Moreover, considering the flow of the discourse in the Bhagavad-Gita and the Brahma-sUtra, it seems very unlikely that the references are spurious insertions; they fit in well with the general background of the discussion, and do not stand out as later insertions presumably would.

Here is webpage's alternate explanation:

  [T]he same author could very well have written both works in any order; he could add a reference to an as-yet-unwritten text, knowing that he was going to write it, and also knowing what he was going to write in it.

There's one problem with this explanation though: Vyasa may have composed the Mahabharata as a whole, but Bhagavad Gita constitutes the words of Krishna himself on the battlefield of Kurukshetra.  The Bhagavad Gita is part of the 8800-verse core of the Mahabharata Known as the Jaya, and as I discuss in this answer the Jaya is a record of Sanjaya's narration of the Mahabharata war to Dhritarashtra.  So Vyasa did not insert any content into the Bhagavad Gita, and thus this wouldn't explain things if the Bhagavad Gita came after the Brahma Sutras

Could it be that Vyasa, being a Trikalanyani, knew what Krishna was going to say in the battlefield of Kurukshetra, or could it be that the Mahabharata war had already happened by the time of the composition of the Brahma Sutras, but Vyasa hadn't finalized the Mahabharata yet?


texts: Which is the clearest verse from the vedas that say "vedas are eternal"?

texts: Which is the clearest verse from the vedas that clearly say vedas are eternal?


texts: According to Shri Krishna, who can be trusted as our true friend?

texts: What is a true Friendship according to Shri Krishna? How can someone identify his true friends?


texts: Where in the Rigveda do I find the hyms dedicated to Brihaspati?

texts: I know that Brihaspati has 11 hyms dedicated to him in the Rigveda, but where to find them?


texts: Vishwaksena is said to be his army-chief - but does scripture mention Vishnu maintaining an army?


texts:
It is said that Mantras can be chanted in three ways:

aloud (vaikhari);
whisper (upamshu japa);
in mind, with no sound (manasika Mantra).

It is also said, that for beginners is easier to chant Mantras aloud, but if it disturbs others, then one can whisper Mantra. For those ones with more practice it is also possible to chant Mantra in mind.
My question is - is there any difference if one chants Mantra in one or other way? Is there any influence in result? Or it is all the same and one can chant Mantra on its own preference? Thank you!


texts: How many puranas are there and is there any full list mentioned in any of the scriptures

texts:
How many "puranas" are there?

Are there any authentic full list of all the puranas (not just 18 mahapuranas) backed by some other puranas or scriptures?


texts: I wonder what propelled him to not practice polygamy despite it being custom even followed by his father. Did he give any reason of his monogamy?


texts: Should you consider your elder brother's wife who's younger to you as your sister or your mother?

texts:
In Hindu tradition, should you consider your elder brother's wife who's younger to you as your sister or as your mother?

E.g., can you prostate before her (i.e., do sāśtāṅga namaskāra) as you would to your parents or elder brother? Does your sister-in-law's age play any role in this?

What do the śāstras say?

Any examples from scriptures in this regard?


texts: Is Dramidacharya the same as Thirumazhisai Alwar?

texts:
The Alwars (also spelled Azhwars) are a group of 12 ancient Vaishnava saints who lived in Tamil Nadu and are famous for their devotional poetry in praise of Vishnu. The collection of their 4000 poems, known as the Naalayira Divya Prabhandam, is considered by many to be the "Dravida Veda", or South Indian Veda. The Alwars are crucially important figures in the history of Vaishnavism; it's the beliefs and principles embodied in the Alwars' poems that ultimately gave rise to the Sri Vaishnava sect (of which I'm a member).

One of the Alwars was known as Thirumazhisai Alwar. He was the son of the sage Bhargava, but he was raised by tribal people and became a famous Shaivite poet, before ultimately converting to Vaishnavism. And as I discuss in this question, he is said to have been born in the Dwapara Yuga, almost a thousand years before the birth of Krishna!  In any case, this article from the Hindu makes an interesting claim about Thirumazhisai Alwar:

  This Azhwar is, perhaps, the most controversial in the hierarchy as he is supposed to have lived in the Dvapara Yuga.  Tamil scholars have, however, placed him in the sixth or seventh century A.D. as the Azhwar was a contemporary of a Pallava ruler of Kanchipuram. After critically studying all systems of philosophy like Jainism, Buddhism, Mayavada and Saivism, he became a staunch follower of Vaishnavism. A renowned Sanskrit scholar has identified this Azhwar as Dramidacharya referred to by Ramanuja and has furnished convincing evidence for his conclusion.

My question, who is this "renowned Sanskrit scholar" who said that Dramidacharya is the same as Thirumazhisai Alwar?   For those who don't know, Dramidacharya, aka Dravidacharya, was a famous pre-Shankara Vedantic philosopher whose works are now lost, but quotes from his works survive in other people's works.  In Ramanujacharya's works he is reverentially spoken of as the Bhashyakara.  He wrote a commentary on the Chandogya Upanishad, and probably a commentary on the Brahma Sutras as well.  He may be the Bhashyakara spoken of in this quote from Yamunacharya's Atma Siddhi:

  For the sake of this objective, the Sutras were written by Bhagavat Badarayana; they were then explained by the author of the bhashya, which expressed tersely their profound meaning; this was explained in detail by Bhagavat Srivatsankamishra who declared the truth profound as an ocean.

And he may be the same as the Bhashyakara referenced in my question here.  And here is what Ramanujacharya says about him in this excerpt from his Vedartha Sangraha:

  The philosophical approach herein is one that has been presented by the Vedas, whose import has been clearly revealed by the ancient commentaries on the Vedas and Vedanta and has been unanimously adopted by the great ones like Bhagavan Bodhayana, Tanka, Dramida, Guhadeva, Kapardin and Bharuchi.  By this, the extra-Vedic schools of thought like those of Charvaka, Shakya, Aulukya, Akshapada, Kshapanaka, Kapila and Patanjali along with the schools of some followers of the Vedas whose vision is been perverted, are refuted.

Dramidacharya is also quoted by Adi Shankaracharya in his commentary on the Chandogya Upanishad, and may be quoted in his Brahma Sutra Bhashya as well (as discussed in my question here.)

In any case, who is the Sanskrit scholar who identified Dramidacharya with Thirumazhisai Alwar, and what is the "convincing evidence" that he provided for it?  One thing is that the name Dramida or Dravida meana "South Indian", so it would be a fitting name for a Tamil poet like Thirumazhisai Alwar.  Another thing is that Dramidacharya discusses the steps of Bhakti Yoga, as I discuss in this answer.  So that would be consistent with Thirumazhisai Alwar's Bhakti towards Vishnu.

I would try asking the author of the article, but he passed away ten years ago.


texts: Did lord Shri Ram, Laxman and Sita ever face dangerous wild animals during their exile in forests?

texts:
During lord Rama's exile period they killed many Asuras. And sometimes I assume that, In jungle or forest wild animals like lions, tigers,bears and others would also be present there.

Did they ever face them? If they did many times then what were the behaviours or actions of the wild animals when they face lord Rama, Laxman and Sita mata. And how did lord Rama treat them?


texts: In Ramayana, how was Nala able to build the Rama Setu?

texts:
As per normal human thinking it is impossible to build a bridge on sea.

Then how could Nala, a mere vanara, build the Rama Setu across the sea?


texts: Who were the two priests of Asuras (not Shukracharya)?

texts:
I came across an interesting story while reading the Shatapatha brahmana regarding Manu's encounters with the priests of Asuras:

  Manu was in possession of a bull. Into him had entered an Asura-killing, foe-killing voice; and by his snorting and roaring the Asuras and Rakshas were continually being crushed. Thereupon the Asuras said to one another: 'Evil, alas! this bull inflicts upon us! how can we possibly destroy him?' Now Kilâta and Âkuli were the two priests (brahman) of the Asuras.

These two sacrificed the bull to put an end to the above mentioned voice and I want to know who these two priests of the Asuras are?


texts: What causes mass or weight? Is there any relation between mass and energy?

texts:
Gradually scientists become against to the formula "E=MC2" and General Relativity.In Vedic point of view,is "mass and energy is interchangeable" truth?
In the Srimad Bhavatam, Bumandara is not glove but flat. That means there is no graviti. Then what cause the mass? The chariot of Yudhishthira maharaja floated in the air. What makes weight of the molecules?


texts: Sighting of Garuda (Grudha or vulture) when a person is ill. What does it signify?

texts:
What is the significance of seeing Garuda/Grudha (Vulture) on a tree in front of house ( never appeared in past,
not in the neighborhood too ) and it flew the moment a person looked at it. It appeared as if it wanted him to see it and then it flew Away. Person's family had fell sick day before that sighting.
Keen to know what does this vulture incident signify and its relevance to health of that house/family.


texts: Is there any mention of boon deadlock in scriptures?

texts:
Gods give boons to different people based on what they ask but what if

Person A gets a boon that he will kill everyone he wars against in the next 10 years.
Person B gets a boon that he cannot be killed in the next 10 years.

Now if Person A faces Person B in war, what will happen? Both have the power of boon but boon of both cannot be fulfilled. It's a deadlock, what is the solution to such situations?

Is there any mention in scriptures where there has been a clash between boons and how that situation got resolved?


texts: How were all 100 Kauravas born together?

texts:
Gandhari had a boon from Lord Shiva to have 100 sons. Now, it is impossible for a woman to give birth to 100 sons in a single lifetime.

So how were all 100 Kauravas born together?


texts: Did chekitana survive the Mahabharata war?

texts: I have seen lists of Pandava survivors in which he isn't listed.  Did he die or did he leave the war before the end?


texts: what is practical application of non doership?

texts:
If I am not doer, How should I spend my day?

Should i abandon personal goals as if I am not doer, how can I ensure action on those goals.

Also if I am just witnessing actions under compulsion of Gunas, and I am not the real doer, what should I do if something obviously wrong enters my thought. How do I ensure I don’t act on it


texts: What specifics can be known about past or future universes according to Hinduism?

texts:
Here is another quote from Swami Prabhavananda The Spiritual Heritage of India (1962) that offers a fascinating view on the physical world we life in:

  This process of creation and dissolution goes on for ever and ever,
  for it is as endless as it is beginningless. Eternity is witness, not
  of one universe only -- that, for example, of which we are now a part
  -- but of an infinite succession of universes. The birth, life, and destruction of a universe continues a cycle.

  [...]

  Against the background of these conceptions the orthodox view of the
  origin of the Vedas may be quickly sketched. At the very beginning of
  each cycle, holy seers are born into the world, men who in previous
  universes have ascended far towards the supreme goal and are therefore
  especially capable of perceiving divine truth. These blessed saints --
  rsis, the Hindus call them -- meditate on God, and while so meditating
  discern the everlasting laws of the spirit; and is the concrete record
  of these laws, so discerned, that constitutes in each cycle, the most
  authoritative of sacred writings. The record of the meditations of the
  rsis born at the beginning of our own cycle is, then, what we know as
  the Vedas.

My question is this: Does Hinduism say anything about whether it would be possible to find out specifics about past or future universes (in addition to those general principles in the Vedas)? E.g. would rsis have been able to remember about those parts of their distant earlier lives (say, whether the laws of Physics in a previous universe were all the same).

The question comes to mind because there is an obvious parallel between elements of (old) Indian philosophy and (new) cosmological theories, so I'm curious about that part of ancient thought.


texts: Where is the word 'Bhagavad Gita' found?

texts:
The most famous of the gitas is Bhagavad-Gita, dialogue between Krishna and Arjuna in the beginning of battle of Kurukshetra.

Where is it named as 'Bhagavad Gita'?


texts: Why does only the bride need to move to the groom's place after marriage and not vice versa?

texts:
Is it written anywhere that only the bride has to sacrifice her parents and move to her husband's place permanently?
Why is it not applicable for the groom to move to bride's family? Only in exceptional and in very rare scenarios will this happen, but not always.
What is the significance behind this sacrifice and why should only girls suffer by a lot of sacrifices? What is the origin of this practice/tradition?


texts: Is the worship of white Shivalinga forbidden at home?

texts: I recently got myself a Shwet (white) Shivalinga. But I read somewhere on the Internet that worshipping of shwet shivalinga is only permissible at shamsaan and not at home. Is it true? If false is there any particular process of worshipping the linga?


texts:
Those who are acquainted with Shakta Tantras and Agamas will find that the common feature in all these scriptures is that they are mostly spoken by Lord Shiva upon requests made by His consort or Devi or Adi Shakti or Para Shakti.

Its always Devi asking questions and Shiva answering them. Few Tantras are however exceptions to this rule. Some Tantras are spoken by Devi to Shiva. Examples of such texts are the Rudra Yamala Tantram, Kulachudamani Tantram etc.

Now, i have heard from my Guruji that there is a symbolism and deeper meaning behind this pattern. And it has something to do with the Guru Tattva & Sishya Tattva. And as we can see, even the Guru Gita from Skanda Purana follows the same pattern.

What are the symbolisms behind Lord Shiva speaking tantras and agamas to Devi?

NOTE- I prefer answers that are based on scriptures.


texts: Cloth, flower along with Kalash falling from the altar during Ganesha Puja - is this a good or bad omen?

texts: When I was worshiping Lord Ganesha I offered him cloth that is dhoti and flowers ..after I finished my aarti the cloths and flower just fell off which eventually led the Kalash to fall ..is this a bad omen or something good ?


texts: Where did guru Shukracharya live? Did he live in India or in some other country?


texts: What is the real concept of brahmacharya?

texts:
What is the real concept of brahmacharya as per vedas or Hindu scriptures ?

Is it about remaining bachelor or about celibate?
Or is it abstaining from inter course?
Or controlling desires?
Or striving for Brahman?

Vedas authority would be more desirous.

One of the reference I found this- but unable to understand this completely.

  Now what people call yajña(sacrifice) is really Brahmacharya, for only
  by means of Brahmacharya does the knower attain that world (of
  Brahman). And what people call Ishta (worship) is really Brahmacharya,
  for only worshipping by means of Brahmacarya does one attain the Atman
  (the liberated Self). Now, what people call the
  Sattrayana (sacrificial session) is really Brahmacharya, for only by
  means of Brahmacharya does one obtain one's salvation
  from Sat (Being). And what people call the Mauna (vow of silence) is
  really Brahmacharya for only through Brahmacharya does one understand
  the Atman and then meditate. Now, what people call a Anasakayana (vow
  of fasting) is really Brahmacharya, for this Atman never perishes
  which one attains by means of Brahmacharya. And what people call
  the Aranyayana (life of a hermit) is really Brahmacharya, for the
  world of Brahman belongs to those who by means of Brahmacharya attain
  the seas Ara and Nya in the world of Brahman. For them there is
  freedom in all the worlds.

  — Chandogya Upanishad, VIII.5.1 - VIII.5.4


texts: On Samkhya and Individuality. How many purushas are there?

texts:
Sāmkhya philosophy regards the universe as consisting of two realities, puruṣa (consciousness) and prakṛti (matter).

"It 'enumerates' twenty five Tattvas or true principles; and its chief object is to effect the final emancipation of the twenty-fifth Tattva, i.e. the puruṣa or soul."

How many puruṣas are there in existence? Is it just one and once the emancipation from Ego/ahamkāra tattva is attained there is no difference between purushas or there is something that makes them unique an individual? How come this vision is different from Shvetashvatara Upanishad and Bhagavad Gita 13.14? Advanced meditators have "non-ego" experiences how come Sāmkhya still accepts individuality of the purusha.


texts: Are saguna deities part of Maya in Advaita?

texts: There is the notion of Krama Mukti - going towards nirguna Brahman in stages  - but once the veil of Maya is pierced, does Advaita say the deities are no longer real?


texts: Can anyone recommend some good books on Lord Shiva? I'm interested in learning more, but I'm not sure were to start.


texts: What is the account of Vishnu and Brahma not being able to eat and creating a demi-god to "eat"?

texts: What is the account of Vishnu and Brahma not being able to eat and creating a demi-god who would "eat" for them? I'm not sure if I got major Gods right.


texts: How do the different Hindu sects complete the line "Sri Bhagavat Agna"?

texts:
Before you do any Hindu ritual, you're supposed to begin by saying the Sankalpam, a formulaic utterance in which you tell the gods where you're located in the universe, the time and date when you're performing the ritual, what ritual you'd like to do, the purpose of the ritual, etc. Hindus of all sects say the Sankalpam in an almost identical fashion, except for a single line. (See page 2 of this PDF). The line begins with the words "Sri Bhagavat Agna", meaning (I do this ritual) by the command of Bhagavan or God (similar to the Latin expression Annuit Coeptis).  But how the line is continued depends on what sect you belong to and the philosophical beliefs of that sect.

If you belong to the Smartha sect founded by Adi Shankaracharya, then you would continue the line by saying something like "Parvati Parameshwara Preethiyartham" or just "Parameshwara Preethiyartham", meaning that you are doing this ritual for the pleasure of Parameshwara (a name of Shiva).  As I discuss in this question, Sri Vaishnavas say different things depending on their subsect; Vadakalais say "Sriman Narayana Preethiyartham", meaning you are doing the ritual for the pleasure of Narayana (a name of Vishnu), whereas Thenkalais say "Bhagavat Kainkarya Roopam", meaning the ritual is just a form of work for Bhagavan or God.  (This seems to reflect a philosophical difference between these two subjects.)

But my question is, what do members of other sects say after the line "Sri Bhagavat Agna"?  What do Madhvas say, for instance, or Gaudiya Vaishnavas, or Vaikhanasas?  What did Hindus use to say before the time of Adi Shankaracharya, when these sects weren't so popular?  What would a non-Vedantic Hindu say (for instance a follower of Purva Mimamsa)?  What about members of movements like Arya Samaj?  I want to compile as many different completions of this line as possible.

On a side note, the preamble to the Vishnu Sahasrananam says "Mahavishnu Preethiyarthe", so are there any sects of Hinduism that follow "Sri Bhagavat Agna" with "Mahavishnu Preethiyartham" (as opposed to "Sriman Narayana Preethiyartham as some Sri Vaishnavas say)?


texts: Are there any Hindu stories involving non-artificial weather?

texts: I find the characters in Hinduism rarely discuss the weather, which I find odd.


texts: Why didn't Bharata and Shatrughna help Rama in the war against Ravana?

texts: Hanuman (on the way to Lanka while he was carrying Sanjivani) had told Bharata that Lakshmana was in great danger, Sita was kidnapped and Rama was at war with Ravana. Still Bharata and Shatruhgna didn't help Rama. Why?


texts: Who were Brahma's Manasputras? How many of them were there?

texts:
According to Judeo-Christian theology, there were Adam and Eve in the beginning. They were the progenitor of the human race.
However, according to Hindu Puranas, there were many. They were known as the Manasputras of Brahma. In the beginning, Mahavishnu created Brahma. Then, Brahma created his Manasputras. They were the progenitor of the human race.
How many Manasputras were there? Who were they? Please give direct reference from Puranas.


texts: Which scripture describes the procedure for an ideal marriage including how to find the ideal bride or groom?

texts:
Like Grihya Sutras and Brahmanas of Vedas give details of how 16 Samskaras should be performed, is there any scripture which gives ideal procedure for finding and marrying the ideal bride or groom?

Is the marriage like court/registered marriage and Arya Samaj temple marriage acceptable/ethical?


texts: Why did Indra marry Shachi, the daughter of an Asura?

texts: Shachi is daughter of an Asura Puloma, and is thus an Asuri. Shakra fights always with the Asuras, yet He married Shachi. And Shachi is now become a Goddess. Why did Maghavat marry daughter of an Asura Puloma.


texts:
How to know if someone is a Deva or an incarnation of a Deva?

Do Hindu scriptures talk about how to determine whether someone who claims he is a god or avatar of a god, is actually one?


texts:
In this answer, it is told that Gandharva Veda (Music Theory) is one of the four Upa Vedas, the other three being Ayurveda, Dhanurveda and Arthashastra.

What is the oldest text on Gandharva Veda? Was Gandharva Veda written/conveyed by Gandharvs, like Ayurveda was conveyed by Lord Dhanvantari?


texts:
There are puranas like Brahma purana, Skanda purana, Shiva Purana, Garuda purana. On what basis are these names given to the puranas? Is it that the puranas talk about some god or is that some god spoke particular purana or any other?

How exactly were puranas named?


texts: Is there any shruti law book in Hinduism?

texts:
Vedas are considered to be shruti because it has divine origin. Is there any law book that can be considered as shruti,  like manu Smriti(I know it is Smriti it is just an example).
Or the law book that deriv it law from vedas.


texts: What is the difference between Meditation and Penance?

texts:
People doing Penance are in meditation posture.
Meditating people are also in same posture.
Penance have goals to achieve and Meditators have goals like controlling mind and thoughts,etc,...
Both of them have Motives and Benefits so i cannot experience the difference.

MY QUESTION :

What is the difference between Penance and Meditation ?


texts: Does Mahabharata say that Gokarna darshan can give moksha?

texts:
In Telugu translation of the last slokhas of this section, it has been said that the darshan of Gokarna can give moksha.
But it is not present in the English translation (in the link I provided above). It is only saying that Arjuna proceeded towards Gokarna.
But, does Mahabharata anywhere say that Gokarna Darshan can give Moksha?


texts:
As we know, there is no mention of Sage Valmiki in the Ramayana. He was mentioned or seen only in the Lava-Kusha story. So who told the complete story of the Ramayana to Sage Valmiki? Was it Goddess Sita herself when she left Ayodhya and stayed in Valmiki's hermitage?

Please explain the incident in brief.


texts: What is the Laghunyasam recited before Sri Rudram? What does it symbolize and represent?

texts:
Sri Rudram Laghunyasam

The above is a question about the "Why" of Laghunyasam. The time, precautions and reasons. However my question is not the same and I ask for what Laghunyasam symbolizes and encompasses. What energy does it invoke?


texts:
Are there aNY verses present in Yajur or Sama or Atharvana verses on Akasha mainly or earth?, not Rig
appreciate your response


texts: Are there any strong evidence that Hinduism religion is an ancient one?

texts:
This question seems a bit off-topic to me even though I am daring to ask because it is a must to know. There are many believes that the present days Ayodhya, Kurukshetra, Ram Sethu and many other places are the same ones depicted in Hindu scriptures. But is there any strong evidence to prove that the Hindu culture is an ancient one?

Please share whatever you know.

The intent of this post is to know the oldest evidence related to Hinduism.

EDIT: I am not against Hinduism here. This question is just to show the world how ancient is Hinduism. So, please make everyone believe with a relevant source as evidence in your answer and stop debating with me in comments.


texts: When and why did Duryodhan give sweet kheer mixed with poison to Bhima?

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When Pandavas were children, then Bhima was offered a sweet rice kheer mixed with poison by Duryodhan. After Bhima eats all, he was thrown in to some river or somewhere. But why did Bhima eats if it is mixed with poison?

I like to know the story. When did this happen? and What happen to Bhima afterwords?


texts: Which primary scriptures (that are not commentaries or disputations) cite other scriptures?

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I am not merely talking about one scripture mentioning another scripture (like Purana A describing Purana B as "Tamasic") - I am talking about naming other scriptures along with the cited content.

Obviously Bhashyams and Tikas have to mention the scripture they are commenting on and I would exclude those cases too.

If there are many, a handful of scriptures naming and citing other scriptures are sufficient.


texts: Why do we not consider Brahma's night as a kalpa?

texts:
Why do we consider only the day of Brahma as a kalpa?
1 kalpa = One day of Brahma
2 kalpa = One day + Night of Brahma
Accordingly, "2 kalpa = One day + Night of Brahma" we are in the 101st Kalpa of Brahma.
Could someone please tell me why we consider only the day kalpa of Brahma?


texts: What is the story of the Naga Padmanabha dragging the chariot of Surya?

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The SECTION CCCLVII of Shanti Parva of Mahabharat talks about a Brahmin who goes to meet a renowned Naga Padmanabha only to be told by his wife that he was out on an important errand which is quite interesting:

"The Brahmana said, 'O lady, I am sufficiently honoured by thee with the sweet words thou hast said unto me. The fatigue of my journey has also been dispelled. I desire, O blessed lady, to see thy excellent lord. This is my high object. This is the one object of my desire. It is for this reason that I have come today to the residence of the Naga, thy husband.'
"The wife of the Naga said, 'Reverend sir, my husband has gone to drag the car of Surya for a month. O learned Brahmana, he will be back in fifteen days, and will, without doubt show himself unto thee. I have thus told thee the reason of my husband's absence from home. Be that as it may, what else is there that I can do for thee? Tell me this!'

Furthermore when the Brahmin meets the Naga he addresses him thus:

"The Brahmana said, 'Thou goest away for dragging the one-wheeled car of Vivaswat according to thy turn. It behoveth thee to describe to me anything wonderful that thou mayst have noticed in those regions through which thou sojournest!'

I want to know if this story is detailed somewhere else. The second verse implies that it was a regular feature that was performed by Nagas as Padmanabha went there according to 'his turn'.
So my question is - Why would Surya's chariot need to be dragged when he has seven horses yoked to it and why was this Naga roped in for it?


texts: Where are the tatastha lakshana and svarupa lakshana defined?

texts: Which scripture defines tatastha lakshana and svarupa lakshana and where these terms are mentioned by Shankaracharya?


texts: What is the story of Panduranga and is he an incarnation of Lord Vishnu or devotee?

texts: Anybody knows that Panduranga. Is he a devotee of Lord Vishnu or an avatar of Lord Vishnu or else a normal human sage who has birth and death?


texts: What scriptures describe these four types of living beings?

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The Paratvadi Panchakam is a five-verse poem by the Sri Vaishnava Acharya Nadadur Ammal In praise of the five types of manifestations of Vishnu described in the Pancharatra Agamas: Para, Vyuha, Vibhava, Antaryami, and Archa. Para refers to the supreme form of Vishnu who dwells in Vishnu’s highest abode of Paramapadam; Vyuha refers to Vishnu’s four forms known as Vasudeva, Sankarshana, Pradyumna, and Aniruddha; Vibhava refers to Vishnu’s avatarams or incarnations; Antaryami refers to the form in which he dwells in the heart of living beings; and Archa refers to the form Vishnu takes in his statues.  In any case, here is is what Nadadur Ammal says in verse 4, in praise of the Antaryami form of Vishnu:

  Inside the shell of the Brahmanda, the movable and immovable beings, are classed into four kinds of generations, namely, the Devas, the Naras, the Tiryak, and the Stavaras.  In them he who dwells and pervades the inside and outside of each entity is Vishnu, and he is smaller in all small entities and greater in great things, and he is as limited in size as the person’s thumb when seated in the hearts of Yogis.  To that Lord I prostrate and submit myself unconditionally.

I’m interested in the part in bold.  Deva is clear enough, Nara means human, and the translator clarified that Tiryak means “animals and creatures” and Sthavara means “plants etc.”  My question is, what scriptures discuss this fourfold classification of living beings?

The closest thing I could find was this verse of the Srimad Bhagavatam:

  etan nānāvatārāṇāṁ nidhānaṁ bījam avyayam |
  yasyāṁśāṁśena sṛjyante deva-tiryaṅ-narādayaḥ ||

But it says Devas, Tiryaks, Naras, and so on, so it doesn’t mention Sthavaras.  In any case I want scriptural verses that mention the specific fourfold classification described by Nadadur Ammal, not some other classification of living beings.


texts: Why do Shankaracharya and Ramanujacharya in their Gita Bhasya 18.41 say that Sudras are Tamasik?

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It might indeed be true that a person who serves society has less wisdom than a Brahmana who studies Vedas + Vedanta but that doesn't mean his nature is decided before his conduct is checked. Vidura was a Sudra and Ashwatthama a Bramhana yet we could say Vidura wasn't Tamasic and Aswatthama was Demonic. Lord Shiva does say that A Sudra if controls senses is as worshippable as a Brahmana but how can we predecide that certain group of people are Tamsik? And Sudras are supposed to work for society so they can't be lazy, idle etc. For Hindu theory of knowledge, observation and reason are the primary sources. We can observe on a daily basis Brahmins who are grossly Tamasic and Sudras that are extremely Sattvic. I did refer Prof Radhakrishnan, Gita Press, Swami Ranganathananda and Swami Mukundananda Commentaries also for these verses.
Edit :
Also in Bhagavata we see verses like

Being always very clean, being free from duplicity,not stealing,
always speaking the truth are natural symptoms of Sudras (SB 7.11.24)
Nonviolence, truthfulness, honesty, desire for the happiness and
welfare of all others and freedom from lust, anger and greed
constitute duties for all members of society.(SB 11.17.21)


texts:
I am french. I am looking for an appropriate English translation of ancient Sanskrit texts on yoga, in which the Ashta-Siddhis are described and written word for word exactly as for the version below or about the same as the version Below.
Would you please kindness help me find this.

version of the Ashta-Siddhis described in the ancient yoga texts:
1.- Anima = ability to make one's PHYSICAL BODY small, even smaller than an atome.
2.- Mahima = ability to make one's PHYSICAL BODY as big as one wishes.
3.- Laghima = ability to make the PHYSICAL BODY as light as one wants.
4.- Garima = ability to make the PHYSICAL BODY as heavy as one wishes.
5.- Praapti = ability to acquire any material items in the world.
6.- Prakaamya = ability to satisfy any wish one has in the mind.
7.- Ishitva = ability to roll over anyone.
8.- Vashitva = ability to control anyone's mind and make him work according to his wish.
*(Internet source).

Thank you very much.


texts: Source reference for Lord Kartikeya's peeling off skin incident

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I came across an information that there exists a temple for Lord Kartikeya in Kurukshetra where entry for women is prohibited. The reason for that is an incident in which there was a competition between Lord Kartikeya and Lord Ganesha (as described here) and that Lord Kartikeya was so much angry with his mother Parvati that he peeled off all his skin and only his skeleton was left.

Can anyone tell me which Hindu scripture states the above version of the story?

The stories that I have read and heard till now were a bit different in which Kartikeya was just angry with Mata Parvati and he only moved away from her to South India but there was no incident of peeling off his skin.


texts: What is the favorite oblation to matha kaalratri?

texts: I need to know which oblation maatha Kalratri likes much.


texts: Do the Brahmanas of the Rig Veda mention Brahma and Vishnu's contest?

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This excerpt from the Vidyeshwara Samhita of the Shiva Purana relates a famous story involving a contest between Brahma and Vishnu.  (To read the whole Shiva Purana, see my answer here.)   In this account, Brahma and Vishnu argue about who is superior until this argument turns into a battle. To stop the conflict, Shiva turns into a pillar of fire that seems to go forever in both directions. Brahma turns into a swan to go to the top, and Vishnu turns into a boar to go to the bottom. Brahma lies that he went to the top, presenting a Ketaki flower that arose from the middle of the pillar and claiming it's from the top. Vishnu concedes defeat, but then Shiva appears, Vishnu touches Shiva's feet, and as a result Shiva declares Vishnu the winner. Shiva then creates the demon Kala Bhairava to cut off Brahma's fifth head, but Vishnu persuades Shiva to take mercy on Brahma, so Shiva instead just curses Brahma that he can't be worshiped in temples.

Now as I discuss in this answer, there's some reason to believe the particular version of the story found in the Shiva Purana is a later interpolation.  (For instance, the more commonly attested reason for why Brahma can't be worshipped is a curse by the sage Brighu, not Shiva.)  But in any case, the contest between Brahma and Vishnu is believed to have taken place at the Arunachala hill in Thiruvannamalai in Tamil Nadu.  A.R. Natarajan's book about this hill is called "Arunachala: From Rigveda to Ramana Maharshi", and in his introduction he says this to justify the "From Rigveda" part:

  Again in Rigveda ‘Brahmana’ there is reference to a dispute between the Creator Brahma and Preserver Vishnu as to which of them was superior. Lord Siva appeared before them as a effulgence, a column of light or jyotisthambha which is the symbol or linga of Siva. Later in response to their prayer he took the form of Arunachala.

My question is, where in the Rig Veda Brahmanas is this story of the contest? For those who don't know, each of the four Vedas is divided into four parts: Samhitas, the core part of the Vedas consisting of mantras heard by sages directly from the gods; Brahmanas, or commentaries on the Samhitas which give stories and tell how to do common rituals; Aranyakas, which tell how to do esoteric rituals; and Upanishads, which clarify the philosophical teachings of the Vedas.

The Rig Veda has two Brahmanas, the Kaushitaki Brahmana and the Aitareya Brahmana (they're from two different Rig Veda Shakhas or recensions).  You can read both of them here; at first glance I don't see the story in either one of these texts.  So is A.R. Natarajan mistaken in his claim that the story goes back to the Brahmanas of the Rig Veda?


texts: Are there a finite amount of souls in Samsara according to the Varaha Purana?

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In the Varaha Purana, in the section called "Rudra Gita", it is said:

70.30 - Meaning: In olden times, the residents of the Bhu Loka all worshipped Janardhana. Arriving at Bhuvar Loka, they stayed there and engaged in devotion to Keshava, attaining Svarga loka, and successively progressing to that abode which is (relatively) freed from sorrow.
...
70.32 - He (Hari) who is all pervading, and also ever associated with a form, became manifest before them [the rishis and devas including rudra]. He asked them, “what can I do for you, O best of all yogis, people of great intellect”?
70.33 - They offered obeisance to him [Vishnu], the ruler of the devas, the Lord of all and said: O God of Gods! All people are situated on the path to liberation. How will creation occur and who will then reside in hell?
70.34 - Asked thus by the devas, Janardhana spoke – “In the first 3 yugas, most of those who are competent to meditate will attain me”.
70.35 - In the last yuga (Kali), people who resort to me are very rare. I shall produce delusion which will confuse the people.

This question and answer seems to admit, by the Devas and even Narayana, that it is possible for everyone to be liberated and creation to not continue anymore.
Does this passage admit that there are a finite amount of souls in samsara? What do commentaries say about this verse?
Ramanujacharya in his commentary on the Brahma Sutras says, for this sutra, the following:

...so also the fact of the flow of creation going on from all eternity, 'As the creator formed sun and moon formerly.' [a Vedic verse]

From this he infers that there are an infinite souls in samsara because he interprets the Vedic verse to be saying that creation is always continuous.
But is there any scripture that explicitly says there are an infinite souls in samsara? How can this Purana verse be reconciled with the Vedic verse and the traditional understanding that there are an infinite amount of souls in samsara and that creation is always continuous?