texts: What is the meaning of the verse which Tirumazhisai alwar reminded to the Brahmins?

texts:
Tirumazhisai Azhwar is one of the twelve azhwars (or alwar), a group of Vaishnava saints who sang devotional poems on Lord Vishnu. Those poems are collectively known as Naalayira Divya Prabhandham.
Tirumazhisai Alwar was the son of Bhrigu but raised by a childless tribal couple. He proclaimed that he doesn't belong to any of the four varnas (Avarna) i.e., Brahmin, Vaishya, Kshatriya and Shudra. But there was a couple of incidents other people saw him by the caste he was raised in.
As a part of his journey, Alwar was travelling to Thirukudanthai Sarangapani temple, Kumbhakonam which is also known as Aravamudhar Sannidhi. Alwar stopped at a verndah and sat down. A group of brahmins were reciting Vedas. Because they saw a person who is not a dwija, they stopped reciting (There is a smriti injunction that Vedas should not be chanted in front of a non dwija). Alwar noticed it and moved very distant from them. Later, the brahmins wanted to resume the chanting where they stopped. But they couldn't remember it and clueless. Alwar realised their cluelessness and turned back. He took a black grain, broke it with his nail and dropped it down. By this action, they took the hint and continued the chanting.

kṛṣṇānāṃ vrīhīnām nakhanirbhinnaṃ nakhanirbhinnaṃ
कृष्णानां व्रीहीणां नखनिर्भिन्नं नखनिर्भिन्नं

At this point, those brahmins understood the alwar knew the Vedas but he doesn't open his mouth. They asked for his pardon.
What is the meaning and context of the above verse Alwar hinted to the Brahmins? Where is this mantra located?


texts: Is Ucchista ganapati mentioned in puranas?

texts:
Is Ucchista ganapati mentioned in Puranas?
Is the story of Ucchista ganapati mentioned in scriptures?


texts: I have a doubt that's troubling me from every direction. It is said that there's god in everyone and every action that is going to take place let it be even as small as blinking is predefined somewhere. So is it that all the characters in Mahabharata, Ramayana, the people that have lived till now, the people living now, every animal, every living/non-living thing are all just one God(Krishna) doing everything? And he too already knows the outcome of a certain situation and still becomes a part of it.


texts:
In the Ramanandsagar TV serial Ramayana, a sage (Vashistha or Viswamitra?) defines  duties of a wife i.e., She should provide prerana, chetana and utsaaham (roughly: inducing, motivation and excitement) for mutual progress.

Now do such recommendations echo in other puranas as requirement/expectation in  married life as standard for dharma? i.e., apart from the customary domestic functions of caring and sharing in family life?


texts:
Once every 12 years, the Maha Kumbh is celebrated at Haridwar, Prayag, Nasik and Ujjain. It is generally believed that the reason for celebrating Maha Kumbh at those 4 places is because the Amrita (Nectar) at the time of Samudra Manthan has fallen on those places.

Wikipedia says:

  According to medieval Hindu mythology, the origin of the festival can be found in the ancient legend of samudra manthan. The legend tells of a battle between the Devas and Asuras for amrita, the drink of immortality. During samudra manthan, or churning of the ocean, amrita was produced and placed in a kumbha (pot). To prevent the asuras (malevolent beings) from seizing the amrita, a divine carrier flew away with the pot. In one version of the legend, the carrier of the kumbha is the divine physician Dhanavantari, who stops at four places where the Kumbh Mela is celebrated. In other re-tellings, the carrier is Garuda, Indra or Mohini, who spills the amrita at four places.

I want to know if there's a proper scriptural version of the origin of the Kumbha Mela.


texts: What's the name of the current Brahmā (ब्रह्मा)?

texts:
According to popular scripture views, Brahmā ( ब्रह्मा ) is a post, much like the Manu, Indra, Sapta-Rishis, etc., although with a huge difference in terms of their lifetime span.
Again, by some popular accounts, Lord Hanumān is scheduled to be the next Brahmā and thus, the current Brahmā will get Moksha as per this QnA.
So, some questions in this context I got:

Similar to the case of Brahmā, in some 'cheap' calendars and magazines, I long ago read, this kind of analogy for even Vishnu and Shiva., i.e.,

When 100 years of Brahmā completes and he merges into Vishnu and a new
Brahmā is manifested, and thus, one day of  Vishnu is over. In similar
way, Vishnu too completes his 100 such years and then merges into
Shiva, and thus completing one day of Shiva(or Rudra), when 100 years
of Shiva finishes, the creation is involuted back (vilaya or
dissolved) into a singularity void, which is projected back (srishti) into
creation, again and again, in an eternal cycle. A brief allusion to this proposition is kind of made in this QnA maybe

So, what is the scriptural (any kind) source & validity of this proposition?

If Lord Hanumān is supposed to be the next Brahmā, then Brahmā being the post ( pada ), his name will be Hanumān only, much like the name of our current Indra is Purandara. So does any other scripture mention any list of names of the Brahmās, of the past, the present and the future?
Also, if the proposition in question no. 1 is scripturally valid, what about the, any kind of mention of the names of Vishnu and Shiva for the past, present and future, is that found too?

Which scriptures portray Brahmā (ब्रह्मा) on a par level (or maybe even greater than) with Vishnu and Shiva, (at least in terms of lifespan) ? Like Shiva and Vishnu are centrally glorified as the Para-Brahman in the Shiva Purana and the Vishnu Purana, respectively.

Are there any mention of units bigger than the Mahakalpa (100 years of Brahmā ) also called, para (पर) i.e., Two Para-ardhas ?


texts: Who is the real creator of heaven and earth as per the Vedas?

texts:
In different hymns Vedas talk about different creators of heaven and earth. How to reconcile these differences? Who is the real creator?
Indra

Rig Veda 8.36.4 “Creator of the heaven, creator of the earth, O Śatakratu, drink Soma to make thee glad.”

Purusha

Yajur Veda 31.12 “Forth from his navel came mid-air; the sky was fashioned from his head; Earth from his feet…”

Vishvakarma

Rig Veda 10.82.1 “THE Father of the eye, the Wise in spirit, created both these worlds submerged in fatness. Then when the eastern ends were firmly fastened, the heavens and the earth were far extended.”

Aja

Atharva Veda 9.5.20 “This Unborn cleft apart in the beginning: his breast became the earth, his back was heaven…”

Dhatar

Rig Veda 10.90.3 “…He formed in order Heaven and Earth, the regions of the air, and light.”

Tvastar

Rig Veda 10.110.9 “Hotar more skilled in sacrifice, bring hither with speed to-day God Tvaṣṭar, thou who knowest. Even him who formed these two, the Earth and Heaven the Parents, with their forms, and every creature.”

Ribhus

Rig Veda 4.34.9 “Ṛbhus, who helped their Parents and the Aśvins, who formed the Milch-cow and the pair of horses, Made armour, set the heaven and earth asunder,—far- reaching Heroes, they have made good offspring.”

Hiranyagarba

Rig Veda 10.121.9 “Neer may he harm us who is earth’s Begetter, nor he whose laws are sure, the heavens’ Creator, He who brought forth the great and lucid waters. What God shall we adore with our oblation?”


texts:
Hinduism teaches Lokas, afterlife and spirit worlds.

Abrahamic religions teaches about spirit worlds, mainstream Islam and Christianity teaches Obsession and Exorcism.

Does Hinduism teach Obsession and Exorcism?


texts:
Where are the original versions of the Vedas? Are our oldest scriptures lost in the history of time? Some say that they were lost due to the religious war which happened in the earlier days and some say that due to the emergence of other religions they were stolen part by part and were lost completely.

And other thing is that who wrote these scriptures?

I know that they are supposed to have been directly revealed, and thus are called śruti ("what is heard"), distinguishing them from other religious texts, which are called smṛti ("what is remembered")

I have gotten a few answers like this one.


texts: What is the significance of frogs in the Vedas?

texts:
Rigveda 7.103 is a hymn dedicated to frogs.

  1 They who lay quiet for a year, the Brahmans who fulfil their vows,
  The Frogs have lifted up their voice, the voice Parjanya hath inspired.

  2 What time on these, as on a dry skin lying in the pool's bed, the floods of heaven descended,
  The music of the Frogs comes forth in concert like the cows lowing with their calves beside them.

  3 When at the coming of the Rains the water has poured upon them as they yearned and thirsted,
  One seeks another as he talks and greets him with cries of pleasure as a son his father.

  4 Each of these twain receives the other kindly, while they are revelling in the flow of waters,
  When the Frog moistened by the rain springs forward, and Green and Spotty both combine their voices.

  5 When one of these repeats the other's language, as he who learns the lesson of the teacher,
  Your every limb seems to be growing larger as ye converse with eloquence on the waters.

  6 Onc is Cow-bellow and Goat-bleat the other, one Frog is Green and one of them is Spotty.
  They bear one common name, and yet they vary, and, talking, modulate the voice diversely.

  7 As Brahmans, sitting round the brimful vessel, talk at the Soma-rite of Atiratra,
  So, Frogs, ye gather round the pool to honour this day of all the year, the first of Rain-time.

  8 These Brahmans with the Soma juice, performing their year-long rite, have lifted up their voices;
  And these Adhvaryus, sweating with their kettles, come forth and show themselves, and none are hidden.

  9 They keep the twelve month's God-appointed order, and never do the men neglect the season.
  Soon as the Rain-time in the year returneth, these who were heated kettles gain their freedom.

  10 Cow-bellow and Goat-bleat have granted riches, and Green and Spotty have vouchsafed us treasure.
  The Frogs who give us cows in hundreds lengthen our lives in this most fertilizing season.

In particular, I had a question about the meaning of verse 10: what does it mean that the frogs have granted riches, cows, and longevity?

Now as almost all of the Rigvedic hymns are dedicated to the devas, there must be a special reason why one hymn is dedicated to frogs.

The only other mentions of frogs in the Vedas that I have found is in the Yajur Veda Taittiriya Samhita 4.6.1, requesting a female frog to sanctify the yajna, and in Atharva Veda 4.15.14, in a prayer to hasten the rain (frogs are universally considered a sign of the rain). Atharva Veda 4.15.13 also mentions frogs, but it is a repeat of Rigveda 7.103.1.

This American Oriental Society article from 1917 mentions the possibility that the Rigvedic hymn was comparing the frogs to Brahmanas, since the frogs were considered auspicious. But why were they considered auspicious in the first place?

Beyond this, is there any special reason why frogs are mentioned in the Vedas? Why are frogs held auspicious? If the Vedas were handed down from God, why would God choose to mention such a mundane and worldly thing in scripture--something that does not concern spirituality but seems firmly rooted in the environment of those who first recorded the Vedas in this age?


texts: Devi Annapurna was born on akshay tritiya.Was devi Parvati born on akshay tritiya?


texts: According to Viśiṣṭādvaita, how does Ātman relate to Brahman?

texts: Apart from understanding the relationship between Ātman and Brahman, I'm also interested in the prescribed techniques & modes of realising and sustaining this understanding. please assume no access to qualified Guru.


texts: Do the three Gunas apply only in the materialistic plane?

texts: In other words - Does Brahman and humans who have achieved enlightenment have these Gunas?


texts:
We have been told that Aryans were living in the Indian subcontinent and that they started the caste and creed system.

Is it true that they started the Hindu belief system?


texts: Is time period for rajaswala fixed for all women?

texts:
Every women becomes Rajaswala and in that time period, there are some rules in Hinduism to follow.

According to scriptures,

Is the time period fixed for all women?

Or

Vary from 3 days to (approximately) a week  based on the women?


texts: Where is causal body in this analogy used by Swami Sarvapriyananda?

texts:
Listening to one of the talks by the swami. He explains the three States by using the following analogy of the sun and buckets filled with water.

Sun: Witness Consciousness (ultimate reality, god, etc)
Reflected Sun in Bucket: Reflected Consciousness (us)
Water in bucket: Subtle body.
Bucket: physical body.

Where will the causal body be in the above analogy please? Also, Ego and Vasnas (past impressions) are they part of Subtle body or Causal Body?


texts: Is there anything against Islam in Hindu texts?

texts: Is the Hinduism v/s Islam fight new or has been going on for generations? Is there a mention of Islam in ancient Hindu texts like the Vedas?


texts: Is the commentary on Bhagavatam by Sridhara Swami available?

texts:
Is Sridhara Swami's commentary on Bhagavatam available now
in English or Telugu?
Is the Gita Press translation of the Bhagavatam based on Sridhara Swami's commentary?


texts: What is the meaning of "san/sam" in Sanskrit?

texts:
I'm aware of traditional translations as "refined", "well-done", "perfected", "accomplished" etc. The point is that these adjectives make sense only in comparison to something else and so to fully grasp their meaning one needs to know what is that something is and how exactly Sanskrit is better.

I'm not interested in modern linguistics where this might be answered in the context of PIE, maybe only out of curiosity.

Personally, I have two ideas. One is that the name "Sanskrit" might have been given by ordinary people when they realized how much language of the sages was better than the language they used in their everyday lives, basically the same arguments that are given in comparison with English.

Another, more esoteric idea is that Sanskrit is perfect in the sense it describes gross sense objects and can be used to even produce them (on the evidence of mantra powers of the sages). This ability does not/might not exist in the language of "gods" when they talk to each other because they do not deal with sensory objects in their lives but communicate what we might call thoughts and emotions directly. This might be controversial because it assumes that our Bhu level of existence is more developed than Bhuvar and Svar planes of "gods" but, in a way, it is - we have something they don't and Bhu-Mandala IS the biggest, most developed and accomplished part of the universe.


texts: I am very much intrested in reading every hindu mythology scriptures. I know that in my life time it may not be possible. But would like to cover as many as possible. My daily schedule is very busy. So i would like to understand if there is any sin in reading scriptures in office ( in break of free time, wearing shoes ) and reading them before sleeping ( reading while lying on bed etc) or while travelling or any odd time.


texts: Which all early Hindu scriptures contain references about Shri Radha?

texts:
I recently read an article on the internet claiming that Shri Radha might not be real but an imaginary character and the reason they gave was that although Shri Radha has been given much preference than Rukmini, Her reference is not found in any major Puranas of Lord Vishnu or Lord Krishna. Her reference is only found in Bramha Vaivarta Purana and texts written by Poet Jaidev. If She had been such an important part of Lord Krishna's life then She should have been mentioned in other major Vaishnav Puranas.

So, I wanted to check whether this is true and or not and if not, then which all Puranas or other important Hindu texts contains references about Her.


texts:
We all know there is a gap between Ramayana and Mahabharata, but if so why did Lord Rama's dynasty not participate in Mahabharata? Where were they?

If Mahabharata happened after Ramayana where were the descendants of Rama during Mahabharata?


texts: Can a married man wanting to maintain brahmacharya engage in sex for just sensual pleasure instead of progeny?

texts:
It is known that a married person (grihastha) can practice brahmacharya (by avoiding sex on prohibited days).

It is obviously allowed for him to perform sexual activity for begetting offspring.

But my doubt is:

Will his brahmacharya be preserved even if he engages in sexual activity for sensual pleasure?


texts: Who did Indra receive a prophecy from in a golden ship?

texts:
This excerpt from the Baudhayana Shrauta Sutras, a text associated with the Yajur Veda, describes an interesting story involving a war between the Devas and the Asuras:

  When gods and demons fought a great battle, these creatures dispersed in diverse directions; some went to gods; others to demons. Brihaspati was the priest of gods; Ushanas Kavya of demons. Gods passessed Brahman-power. Demons possessed Brahman-power, They fought many battles without decisive victory. Gandharva bearing solar lustre knew what was going to happen. Indra was the paramour of his wife. He said to her, "O thou whose limbs are immortal. do thou ask the Gandharva as to why the gods of demons do not win." "All right" she said to him, "Do thou come tomorrow." He (Gandharva) sported on the sea together with his wife in a golden ship. Indra came. He became a golden ray and stuck on a major part of the ship, Seeing that he had come, he asked him. "O thou with immortal limbs, please say, why gods or demons do not become victorious," "Do not speak loudly," he said. "The ship has ears." "Gods have Brahman-power, demons have Brahman-power," he said. Hearing it Indra took the form of a yellow parrot and flew up. Looking at him, he said, "O Indra, those will win who have yellow (parrot) on their side." He (Indra) went to Aushanasa Kavya and conferred with the daughter of Jayanti and four desire-yielding cows. Instructed, he left the demons and went to the gods. Consequently the gods won the great battle.

Ushanas Kavya is another name for Sukracharya.  But my question is, who is the Gandharva whose wife was having an affair with Indra, and who gave Indra a prophecy aboard a golden ship?

Now in the Vedas the word "Gandharva" is most often used as a name for Surya the Sun god, rather than as a name for the race of celestial singers the term most commonly signifies now.  And the fact that the Gandharva in this passage is "bearing solar lustre" is more evidence that it's Surya.  But did Indra ever have an affair with one of Surya's wives?  (I discuss Surya's wives here.)

On a side note, who is the "daughter of Jayanti"?


texts: What is story of THREE AND A HALF VAJRA?

texts:
I heard something about this,

What is full story of three and a half vajra?


texts: Quote of Swami Vivekananda on selfishness

texts:
Unselfishness is God. One may live on a throne, in a golden palace, and be perfectly unselfish; and then he is in God. Another may live in a hut and wear rags, and have nothing in the world; yet, if he is selfish, he is intensely merged in the world.
  — Swami Vivekananda

I don’t understand this quote. If a man living in a hut and wear rags it is quite normal to be a selfish person as he don’t have food, clothes and basic needs of life. If he doesn’t have this, how can he donate/charity some poor people because he is also a poor person and to earn something (money for food /clothes) he have to think himself first then what will you call him “selfish”. As I said earlier I didn’t understand. Please elaborate this.


texts: Is 'Why is there suffering?' a valid question according to Advaita philosophy?

texts:
Richard Dawkins in this debate argues that, in science, asking a question such as 'Why we exist?' or 'Why is there suffering in this world?' are not meaningful questions in the same sense as 'Why do mountains exist?', 'What is the color of jealousy?' etc. which cannot be answered objectively.

How does Advaita answer the questions:

Why we exist?
Why is there suffering in this world?

Are these even valid questions as per Advaita?


texts: Why does Adi Shankaracharya use "going to Brahman" metaphor in discussing why Brahman cannot be gone to?

texts:
As I discuss in the this answer, 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 which summarizes and systematizes the philosophical teachings of the Upanishads. You can read the Brahma Sutras here. In any case, Adhyaya 3 Pada 3 of the Brahma Sutras describes the Brahma Vidyas, 32 lessons found in the various Upanishads which can each lead you to Brahman if you meditate on them. You can see the full list of 32 Vidyas here.

Now as I discuss in my questions here and here, one of the 32 Brahma Vidyas is known as the Panchagni Vidya, and it is found in the Brihadaranyaka and Chandogya Upanishads. Among other things, it describes the path of souls to Brahmaloka. Here is how the Brihadaranyaka Upanishads describes this journey:

  Those who thus know this, and those who in the forest worship faith and the True, go to light (arkis), from light to day, from day to the increasing half, from the increasing half to the six months when the sun goes to the north, from those six months to the world of the Devas (Devaloka), from the world of the Devas to the sun, from the sun to the place of lightning. When they have thus reached the place of lightning a spirit comes near them, and leads them to the worlds of ... Brahman. In these worlds of Brahman they dwell exalted for ages. There is no returning for them.

In his commentary on the Brahma Sutras, Adi Shankaracharya argues that the "worlds of Brahman" being referred to here are merely the worlds of the god Hiranyagarbha or Brahma, not the supreme Brahman, because it's impossible to "go" to the supreme Brahman, since it is omnipresent.  In the course of this discussion, Adi Shankaracharya says this:

  When the reabsorption of the effected Brahman world draws near, the souls in which meanwhile perfect knowledge has sprung up proceed, together with Hiranyagarbha the ruler of that world, to 'what is higher than that i.e. to the pure highest place of Vishnu. This is the release by successive steps which we have to accept on the basis of the scriptural declarations about the non-return of the souls. For we have shown that the Highest cannot be directly reached by the act of going.

By the "highest place of Vishnu", I think Adi Shankaracharya means Moksha; here is what he says in his commentary on the Katha Upanishad:

  The man of knowledge attains 'the highest place of Vishnu', i.e. the nature of the all-pervading Brahman, the Paramatman known as Vasudeva (the Self-luminous).

So my question is, why would Adi Shankaracharya use "proceeding to the highest place of Vishnu" as a metaphor for attaining Brahman, in the midst of discussing why an Upanishad passage that talks about proceeding to the world of Brahman is not referring to attaining Brahman?

Is Adi Shankaracharya intentionally doing some kind of word play, composing a passage that uses the metaphor of "going" to the place of Brahman in the midst of discussing another passage that talks about literally "going" to the place of Brahman?  Have any other Advaitins commented on this?


texts: How are gods and goddesses such as Shiva and Shakti seen in the Vaishnava sampradayas?

texts:
How is Shakti/the consort of Shiva (including her various forms such as Kali, Durga, Parvati, Tara, etc.) seen in the various Vaishnava sampradayas?

I have read that, since she is the chaste stri of Lord Shiva, who himself is considered a great Vaishnava, she commands great reverence. I have also read that saints such as Sri Ramakrishna used to worship both Vishnu-tattva forms, such as Lord Rama and Lord Krishna, along with the Divine Mother Kali -- seeing them as one and the same at core.
My question stems ultimately from a curiosity regarding the root of the historical tension between Shaktas and Vaishnavas in Bengal.

Continuing from the same question, are the various devatas manifestations of aspects of the Supreme God or are they subservient to the Supreme God, as is the view in orthodox Gaudiya Vaishnavism? (ISKCON even calls the devatas "demigods", which I never really understood, seeing that "demigod" is a term used to refer to mythological characters that are part god and part human such as Hercules from Greek mythology.) What is the view of the various Vaishnava sampradayas on this matter? What do Shaivites and Shaktas say?


texts: Does Hinduism offer solution for each and every problem of human life?

texts: Like many other I expect Hinduism suggest a way to  live life. Is it true? Can we interpret that it also means there are solutions in Hinduism to every problem one can encounter?


texts: What was the value of trillion during Mahabharata time as population of Yadavas is mentioned as 30 trillion+ in SB 10.90.42?

texts:
SB 10.90.42

  saṅkhyānaṁ yādavānāṁ kaḥ

  kariṣyati mahātmanām

  yatrāyutānām ayuta-

  lakṣeṇāste sa āhukaḥ

  Who can count all the great Yādavas, when among them King Ugrasena alone was accompanied by an entourage of thirty trillion attendants?

30 trillion+ is a very big number, however, the population of Yadavs seems to be quite large at that time:

  The members of the Yadu dynasty are virtually innumerable; indeed, just to educate their children the Yadus employed 38,800,000 teachers. - SB 10.90

  The Yadu dynasty produced innumerable great men of famous deeds. Even in tens of thousands of years, O King, one could never count them all. - SB 10.90


texts:
This article mentions about cows in Atharva Veda

  Cow is believed as theomorphic animal in Atharva-veda.

What does the Atharva Veda say about cows?


texts: Where is the mention of Surya Loka(सूर्य लोकं) in Hinduism?

texts:
One of the famous stotras for Lord Surya in Hinduism is श्रीसूर्याष्टकम् (Surya ashtakam). In the last line of this सूर्याष्टकम्, there is a mention of Surya Loka.

  स्त्रीतैलमधुमांसानि ये त्यजन्ति रवेर्दिने । न व्याधि शोक दारिद्र्यं
  सूर्य लोकं च गच्छति ॥११॥

Meaning: He who ceases from intimate company of women, oil bath, meat, honey on Sunday, will not be affected by miseries caused due to diseases, worries or poverty and shall live happily; at the end He will depart (directly) to Sūryaloka – the abode of Lord Sūrya.

So it seems that Sūryaloka is the abode of Lord Sūrya.

According to An Analysis of the Brahma Sutra by Swami Krishnananda, it is mentioned that

  Highly purified souls travel through the rays of the sun to the orb of
  the sun. The rays of the sun are the paths through which the soul
  travels higher and reaches the Sun. In order to go to the sun, the
  soul has to be as bright, as powerful, as pure as the Sun. The soul
  gets purified in Surya Loka (Solar Region).

My Question is : Which Hindu scriptures describe in detail about the Sūryaloka? Is there any mention of any interesting story leading to the formation of Sūryaloka ?


texts: Why is Goddess Kali's depiction so scary? Do we get less scared of her image as we shed our ego?

texts: I was wondering why Goddess Kali's image is so scary. She is said to be a mother that is compassionate and loving to her children.


texts: Origin of Dhanvantari's maha mantra and moola mantra

texts: Request you to let me know in which book can I find the Dhanvantri moola mantra and Maha Mantra. Also kindly mention the correct wording in Sanskrit of both the mantras.


texts: Has Swami Vivekananda discussed regarding the refutation of Yoga Darshana in Vedanta Sutras?

texts:
For many times I have this question in my mind.  Me and my father (who believes in Yoga from yonghood) often debates on which is the ultimate way to be followed between the Upanishads and Raja Yoga. Finally I (believes in both) concluded that Yoga provides the method/way of mediation and Upanishads provides the goal i.e whom to meditate upon.

Whenever I think about Yoga and Vedanta, one issue comes into my mind that is "Yoga Darshana is refuted in Vedanta Sutra"

We know that Swami Vivekananda propagated Vedanta and also preached Raja Yoga which is based on Yoga Sutras of Patanjali. In other words, I think he was an expert and believed in Vedanta as well as Yoga. So, it would be very useful if he has spread some light on this.

Thus, I want to know whether he has  discussed anything regarding the refutation of Yoga Darshana in Vedanta Sutras. I think possibly one may have asked the interesting question like does Vedanta refutes the Yoga school? and he may have discoursed.


texts: Did Dasharatha fight against the same demon Shambara described in the Rig Veda?

texts:
In the Ayodhya Kanda of the Ramayana, Kaikeyii's evil servant Manthara convinces Kaikeyii to exile Rama and make her son Bharata as king.  Manthara reminds Kaikeyii that she had received two boons from Dasharatha, because she had saved Dasharatha's life in a war:

O Queen! Once upon a time, when there was a battle between celestials and demons, your husband Dasaratha went along with you and other holy kings to help Indra in battle, to a famous city called Vaijayanta in which the demon Timidhvaja lived in a southern direction in the forest of Dandaka. That great demon famously called shambara, who had several magic effects, defeated all the celestials and conferred battle upon Devendra.  In that great battle, demons approached and forcefully killed men who were injured by arrows and also those who were sleeping at night.
Then, king Dasaratha fought a great battle there. With their weapons, demons made into pieces the long armed Dasaratha. O Queen! You saved the life of your unconscious husband by taking him away from the battle field. There also, you again saved him, when beaten by demons with their weapons. O Kaikeyi with auspicious appearance! Getting delighted, he gave two boons to you. Then, you said, "I shall ask you whenever I require them". He then agreed to it.

My question isn't about Kaikieyii's infamous two boons, but rather about the war that Dasharatha was fighting in.  My question is, who is this Asura (demon) called Timidhwaja or Shambara whom Dasharatha and "other holy kings" helped Indra to fight?
There is one demon by the name of Shambara who was famously defeated by Indra to help the king Divodasa, as described in numerous hymns in the Rig Veda including this one:

In the wild joy of Soma I demolished Śambara's forts, ninety-and-nine, together;
And, utterly, the hundredth habitation, when helping Divodāsa Atithigva.

(Who the I is in this hymn is actually a complicated issue that I may discuss in a future question, but suffice it to say that it's about the deeds of Indra even though the "I" may not be Indra.)  So is this Shambara who had a hundred forts the same Shambara that Dasharatha helped fight?  Is this city of Vaijayanta in the Dandaka forest the hundredth fort of Shambara, which Indra "utterly demolished"?  That would explain why Rama didn't encounter any such city when he was exiled to the Dandaka forest many years later.
On a side note, the Kamba Ramayana claims that Jatayu the bird fought alongside Dasharatha in the battle against Shambara, as I discuss in this question.


texts: What are the doctrines of Pratyabhijna school?

texts:
One of the major part of kashmir shvia tradition is pratyabhijna or ishwara pratyabhijna.

What are its fundamental principles?


texts: What is Janeu (Upnayan Sanskar)? What is the importance of it?

texts:
We believe that every religious tradition behind a scientific reason. What is the scientific reason behind this?

Why people of some caste wear it? I have asked some my Brahmin friends, they told me that this is a part of an education and it's a tradition, but am not satisfied with those answers.


texts: Why does Parashara say to keep a black cat and precious stones in home?

texts:
In the Parashara Smriti, there is a verse which instructs to keep a black cat and precious stone in homes.

  One should keep in his house the following things : the wood for striking out a sacrificial fire, a black cat, sandal-wood, a precious stone, ghee, sesamum seed, a skin of a black antelope and a goat. [Parashara Smriti 12.49.]

But Skanda Purana says keeping some animals like dogs, cats etc., as pets is not recommended and people who keep them reach hell.

  One who keeps cats, cocks and hens, dogs and birds, one who sets fire to the houses of the deaf and blind as well as grasses and grains and other things in the fields and one who sustains himself by means of stagecraft and stellar calculations(astrology) - all these men go to Vaitarani. [39.18-20]

So, I think Parashara is not recommending us them to keep but not as pets.

The former verses in the smriti speak about the duties of a householder and the sacrifices.

  A person who preserves his sacred fire, a tawny cow, a person engaged in offering a sacrifice, a king, a religious mendicant, and the great ocean, — the very sight of these purifies one ; therefore one should constantly obtain a sight of them. [Parashara Smriti 12.46]

Observing the former verses, verse 47 might also speaking about the things required for a sacrifice or used in a sacrifice.

Wood for striking out a sacrificial fire - used for striking sacred fire.

Sandal wood - This is also used as firewood.

Sesame seeds, Ghee - Used as offering in sacrifices.

Skin of a black antelope - Used by sages while performing meditation and used in some Yagnas.

Goats - They were used as an offering in sacrifices. Goats are also called as Aja. There is also another interpretation to the word Aja as vegetable seeds.

If the above interpretations are correct, then black cats and precious stones should have some importance in Yagnas.

There is an Agni Purana verse which says it is a good omen when a cat crosses one's path (from right to left) is in fact considered a good omen. (I couldn't understand why right to left is said here?!)

  Good Omens: Good omens while leaving house are facing white flowers, full vessels, meat, distant sounds, goat, cow, horse, elephant, fire, gold, silver, sword, umbrella, fruits, butter or curd, sugarcane, sound of thunder, lightning, dead body without anybody crying, donkey’s braying; buffallo crossing from left to right; horse, cats, donkeys, from right to left.

The Agni Purana verse says cats are a good omen from right to left generally and doesn't specify black cats. Moreover, an omen is an event which happens coincidentally without our involvement.

Question:

Is there any commentary on Parashara smriti which explain these verses about importance of a black cat and precious stones in a sacrifice or any other use for a house holder?


texts: To whom the Durga suktam Of Rig veda is addressed To?

texts: The Durga or Agni Suktam is an ancient hymn Of Rig Veda. So is this hymn addressed to Agni deva or Durga maa? If it is addressed to Agni deva then why it calls Agni as destroyer of hurdle as Durga maa?


texts: What are the meanings of the terms mayavad and tattvavad? What are the differences between them?


texts: In gita 9:16-17 Shri krishna talks about Ṛig Veda, Sāma Veda, and the Yajur Veda but not Atharvaveda, Why?

texts:
BG 9.16-17: It is I who am the Vedic ritual, I am the sacrifice, and I am the oblation offered to the ancestors. I am the medicinal herb, and I am the Vedic mantra. I am the clarified butter, I am the fire and the act of offering. Of this universe, I am the Father; I am also the Mother, the Sustainer, and the Grandsire. I am the purifier, the goal of knowledge, the sacred syllable Om. I am the Ṛig Veda, Sāma Veda, and the Yajur Veda.

In this verse Shri krishna talks about vedas "I am the Ṛig Veda, Sāma Veda, and the Yajur Veda", but he did mention Atharvaveda.
Why didn't he mention Atharvaveda?


texts: Were there conflicts between Gods before the Itihasas and Puranas?

texts:
In the Rig Veda the conflicts are mostly between Gods and anti-Gods like Vritra.  But the Rig Veda does hint at conflict between Indra and Vishnu.

https://sanskritdocuments.org/doc_veda/r06.html?lang=sa

  उ॒भा जि॑ग्यथु॒र्न परा॑ जयेथे॒ न परा॑ जिग्ये कत॒रश्च॒नैनोः॑ ।
  इन्द्र॑श्च विष्णो॒ यदप॑स्पृधेथां त्रे॒धा स॒हस्रं॒ वि तदै॑रयेथाम् ॥ ६.०६९.०८

6.69.8 (Brererton and Jamison translation)

  You both have conquered; you are not conquered. Neither one of these two has been conquered.O Viṣṇu and you Indra, when you two were contending, you broke apart the thousand in three parts.

But head-on conflicts between Gods seem to be recorded only in the Itihasas and Puranas.


texts: Is subdivision of hindusim mentioned anywhere in vedas?

texts:
I am curious on how sub sections in religion are created, for example I am from TamilNadu and there are so many divisions like in Brahmin - Iyer has vadama, vathima brahacharanam and iyengar has thenkalai vadakalai and so many others. Are all these defined somewhere in vedas?

As for as I am aware, the division is based on the rishi one's ancestor followed as we detail it in the अभिवादये .  I am newbie, please excuse if I miss any basic concepts.


texts:
Was he considered the equal of Arjuna in warfare?
What are some of his great deeds in the war?
How was Duryodhana able to kill him?


texts: Do any temples allow donations via e-Hundis?

texts:
People like to go cashless nowadays, so, do any temples have e-Hundis to accept donations either through card or Paytm (a payment gateway) in temples?

Is it permitted in our scriptures? Have any acharyas commented on it?


texts: If a person dies unnatural death accident or by murder, then is it also due to his/her karma?

texts: We know that if a person does good or bad karma then he/she has to suffer during his time of death. So if a good person dies unfortunately by an accident or if he is murdered then does that also is happening to him due to his past or current life karma ?


texts: I want to purchase Bhagwat Gita in Hindi. Which is the original one? How can we verify if it's not duplicate? There are many in the market with the same name.


texts: Are dogs allowed in Lokas like Kailasha and Vaikuntha?

texts:
It is probably a well-known fact that dogs are not allowed in the heaven (Swarga). For e.g. the dog which accompanied Yudhishthira on his way to the heavens was denied entry in there.

The Smritis also say that gods and manes do not accept offerings of those persons who keep dogs.

But, on the other hand, a dog has a clear cut spiritual connection. For example, it is related to Ketu (which is considered as Moksha Karaka-the reason that triggers Moksha/liberation). A black colored dog is also related to Dharma-related deities like Yama and Shani apart from being the Vahana of Lord Bhairava too.

So, obviously dogs are of some spiritual significance and it is allowed in particular in Bhairava Loka.

I am specifically looking for references which talk about as to whether dogs are allowed in Kailasha and Vaikuntha or not.


texts: Has anyone on this website seen God or talked with any form of Brahman?

texts: Has anyone on this website seen God or talked with any form or aspect of Brahman? Did anybody ever meet God? Please write your experiences.


texts: Are there any Unitarian Universalist-like sects in Hinduism?

texts:
Wikipedia defines it as:

  Unitarian Universalism (UU) is a liberal religion
  characterized by a "free and responsible search for truth and
  meaning". Unitarian Universalists assert no creed, but instead
  are unified by their shared search for spiritual growth, guided by a
  dynamic, "living tradition". Currently, these traditions are
  summarized by the Six Sources and Seven Principles of Unitarian
  Universalism, documents recognized by all congregations who choose to
  be a part of the Unitarian Universalist Association. These documents
  are 'living', meaning always open for revisiting and reworking.

  Unitarian Universalist (U.U.) congregations include many atheists,
  agnostics, and theists within their membership - and there are U.U.
  churches / fellowships / congregations / societies all over America -
  as well as others around the world. The roots of Unitarian
  Universalism lie in liberal Christianity, specifically Unitarianism
  and universalism. Unitarian Universalists state that from these
  traditions comes a deep regard for intellectual freedom and inclusive
  love. Congregations and members seek inspiration and derive insight
  from all major world religions.

  Scripture

  All sources admissible, none required. Members are free to observe their own personally-favored literature.

Does Ramakrishna Order count as one?


texts:
From here:

  O best of the Bhāratas, I shall now explain to you the
  different times at which, passing away from this world, the yogī does
  or does not come back.

8.23

  Those who know the Supreme Brahman attain that Supreme by
  passing away from the world during the influence of the fiery god, in
  the light, at an auspicious moment of the day, during the fortnight of
  the waxing moon, or during the six months when the sun travels in the
  north.

8.24

  The mystic who passes away from this world during the smoke,
  the night, the fortnight of the waning moon, or the six months when
  the sun passes to the south reaches the moon planet but again comes
  back.

8.25

  According to Vedic opinion, there are two ways of passing
  from this world – one in light and one in darkness. When one passes in
  light, he does not come back; but when one passes in darkness, he
  returns.

8.26

How can a serious philosophical treatise like Bhagavad-gītā contain verses like these that talk about astrology? That too when discussing the topic of yoga.

If a yogi is meditating deep within a cave, how does it matter to him/her whether it's morning or midnight (outside the cave) or whether the moon is in its new, quarter or full phase?

Are these verses meant to be taken literally? E.g., does "moon" here refer to the Moon that's currently orbiting the Earth? Are these verses suggesting that a yogi needs to keep track of the phases of moon by looking at the sky and time his death accordingly?

Are these verses (taken literally) consistent with the Yoga school of thought?

Have any translators/commentators of the Gītā considered these verses to be interpolations? If yes, what reasons do they offer?


texts: I understand the difference between Nirguna and Saguna Brahman. But I am confused about Isvara. Who is Isvara? Is it just another name of Saguna Brahman? Or he is different from both Saguna and Nirguna Brahman? Here I am only looking for answers from the Advaitic perspective.


texts: Besides Sita, how many other women did Ravana kidnap?

texts:
I recently saw a spiritual TV episode on Sundara Kanda and in that the host said that prior to Sita, Ravana kidnapped 25 or so women (I can't recollect the exact number).

Is this true? Could someone help me with a citation?


texts: Is the Brihadaranyaka Upanishad part of the Brihad Aranyaka?

texts:
As I discuss in this answer, each of the four Vedas consists of four portions: Samhitas, the core part of the Vedas which consist of verses heard from the gods; Brahmanas, which provide instructions on the proper conducting of important rituals; Aranyakas, which provide a guide to rituals meant for forest-dwellers and hermits; and Upanishads, which consist of conversations between teachers and students which clarify the philosophical message of the Vedas.  But the Shukla Yajur Veda is organized differently.  (There are two versions of the Yajur Veda, the Shukla or "white" version and the Krishna or "dark" version.)

The Shukla Yajur Veda only consists of two portions: a Samhita, called the Vajasaneyi Samhita, and a Brahmana, called the Shatapatha Brahmana.  That doesn't mean that it's missing Aranyakas and Upanishads, just that they're located in strange places.  One Upanishad, the Isha Upanishad, is actually part of the Vajasaneyi Samhita, as I discuss in this question.  Another Upanishad, the Brihadaranyaka Upanishad, is part of the Shatapatha Brahmana, specifically forming Adhyayas (chapters) 4-9 of the 14th Kanda of the Shatapatha Brahmana.

But my question is about the Aranyaka of the Shukla Yajur Veda, known as the Brihad Aranyaka.  According to this Wikipedia page, the Brihad Aranyaka is also part of the Shatapatha Brahmana, specifically forming Adhyayss 1-3 of the 14th Kanda of the Shatapatha Brahmana.  So if Wikipedia is right, that would mean that of the nine Adhyayas of the 14th Kanda, the first three form the Brihad Aranyaka and the last six form the Brihadaranyaka Upanishad.  But that doesn't make sense to me; why would the name be Brihadaranyaka Upanishad if it were separate from the Brihad Aranyaka?

Could it be that the Brihad Aranyaka constitutes the entire 14th Kanda of the Shatapatha Brahmana, making the Brihadaranyaka Upanishad part of the Brihad Aranyaka?  To put it another way, is the Brihadaranyaka Upanishad an Upanishad inside of an Aranyaka inside of a Brahmana, or just an Upanishad inside of a Brahmana? (Whew!)


texts: Is it a bad omen to see snakes chasing you in dreams?

texts: Is it a bad omen to see snakes trying to chase you in dreams? What do scriptures say about such dreams? If its a bad omen, what is the remedy for it?


texts: What do Hindu scriptures say about the shape of the Earth?

texts: Religious scriptures of other religions like Christianity say that the Earth is flat, however debunked by Science. But as it is a general belief of Hindu scriptures being more scientific, what do they say about the shape of the Earth ?


texts: Is the true nature of Brahman, Saguna or Nirguna?

texts:
Brahman is said to be amorphous in nature. Apart from the main question in the title, here is a sub-query:

Can we keep away from Brahman after seeing or realizing it?


texts: Why Krishna says He is Sama Veda among Vedas in Bhagavad Gita?

texts:
In Bhagavad Gita chapter 10 Verse 22 Lord Krishna says

vedānāḿ sāma-vedo smi
devānām asmi vāsavaḥ
indriyāṇāḿ manaś cāsmi
bhūtānām asmi cetanā
Of the Vedas I am the Sama Veda; of the demigods I am Indra, the king
of heaven; of the senses I am the mind; and in living beings I am the
living force [consciousness].

Why Lord Krishna says He is Sama Veda among Vedas? Is Sama Veda the best among Vedas? If yes, how?


texts: Is E-Book of Brahma Sutras by Dr.B.N.K Sharma available online?

texts:
Does anyone have link to the pdf ebook of

The Brahmasūtras and Their Principal Commentaries: A Critical Exposition by Dr.B.N.K Sharma

It's a three volume collection.

Please do share it.


texts: Are Simhadri Appanna & Narasimha swamy same?

texts:
Are Simhadri Appanna & Narasimha same gods or different?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Narasimha


texts: Does Rig Veda 3.30.4 say the Earth is immoveable?

texts:
Griffiths Translation:
For, overthrowing what hath ne’er been shaken, thou goest forth alone destroying Vṛtras.
For him who followeth thy Law the mountains and heaven and earth stand as if firmly stablished.


texts: Why is planetary friendship in vedic astrology inconsistent with Hindu mythology?

texts:
According to vedic astrology, Jupiter and Moon are good friends. They conjunction causes the auspicious Gaja Kesari yoga. Jupiter is also exalted in Moon's own sign of Cancer.
However, according to Hindu mythology, Jupiter's (Brihaspati) wife Tara had an affair with Moon (Chandra Dev) resulting in the birth of Budh Dev.
This doesn't make sense logically. Please explain.


texts: Longest samadhi state of Ramana maharshi

texts:
Ramana maharshi is a well known and widely known Jivan muktha, who lived in Arunachalam.
In general, Jivan mukthas can spend time long time in samadhi state. Is there any such incident in the life of Ramana maharshi after he gained so much popularity?
What is the largest one among all samadhis of Ramana maharshi?


texts: Did Devi Parvati ever worship Sri Vishnu?

texts:
I have read that Sri Vishnu worships Devi Parvati and Lord Shiva.

Nama Shivaabhyam sarasothsavabhyam,
Namaskruthabheeshta vara prathabhyam,
Narayanenarchitha padukabhyam,
Namo Nama Sankara Parvatheebhyam

Salutations to Lord Shiva and Goddess Shivaa,
Whose playful love is a festival,
Who grant boons to those who salute them,
And whose feet is worshipped by Lord Narayana,
Salutations and salutations to Lord Sankara
And to that Goddess Parvathy.
-Uma Maheshwar Stotram
But did Devi Parvati worship Sri Vishnu? Which Purana mentions this?


texts: Am I allowed to enjoy work while following the path of Karma Yoga?

texts:
Regarding the Bhagavad Gita and Karma yoga,

Am I allowed to enjoy the work I do while following the path of Karma Yoga?

If yes then doesn't that go against indifference attitude I am supposed to maintain?


texts: Is any way to attempt to prove God futile? How much this quote is in line with Hindu philosophies?

texts:
This is a saying of Nisargadatta Maharaj, a self realized master of nAth Sampradaye. His teachings are non dualistic in nature.

A similar question I have posted here as well. My question is which Indian philosophies are consistent with this thought?

I guess Pratyabhijna philosophy of Kashmiri Shaivism is consistent with this thought but not have reference of this so far.


texts: Where to perfrom the Sandhyavandhanam and subsequent Japam

texts: Can the Sandhyavandanam and the japam both performed outside the house - in the garden for instance. I find it more peaceful.


texts: What is the explanation for Devi bhagavatam 4:20:36?

texts:
What is the explanation and commentary (if any) that Sri Nilakantha Dikshita has provided for Devi Bhagavatam 4:20:36-37? Is the translation for the same available?

[Devi bhagavatam 4:20:36-37] : O King! When Mahādeva, being infatuated with Kāma, went into the forest of Bhṛgu and becoming naked, began to copulate, the ascetic Bhṛgu, seeing him in that state, exclaimed “O You are very shameless” and cursed Him thus :-- Let your penis drop off just now. Mahādeva, then to satisfy his thirst for passion, began to drink the water of the lake Amrita Vapī, dug by the Dānavas.


texts: Is there a collective term for all entities that incur Karma?

texts:
Certainly humans, and it looks like animals are part of the Karmic progression - like in the Gajendra story.

does this list of Karma-bound entities vary by different traditions?


texts: Why is Shiva and Parvati depicted with their children but not Vishnu and Lakshmi?

texts:
We often find pictures of Shiva and Parvati together with their children i.e. Ganesha and Kartikeya/Murugan.

However, we never find pictures of Vishnu and Lakshmi with their son Kamadeva. Why is it so?


texts: Are there temples where Vishwaksena is the main deity?

texts:
Wiki article of Vishwaksena says:

  "Vishvaksena or Vishwaksena, also known as Senai Mudalvar (Sena Mudaliar) and Senadhipathi (all literally "army-chief"), is the commander-in-chief of the army of the Hindu god Vishnu and the gate-keeper and "chamberlain" of Vishnu's abode.

Are there any temples where Vishwaksena is the main deity?


texts: Where is the oldest sculpture of Shiva in world?

texts: Where is the oldest sculpture of lord Shiva situated, or was the oldest one destroyed during attacks from other nations? How old is the sculpture?


texts: Poem on taking care of parents at their old age

texts:
Are there any ancient Vedic Shlokas or poems in Tamil mention about taking care of parents at their old age? I have searched in Thirukkural but am not able to find any.

What does Hinduism says about taking care of parents, particularly at their old age?


texts:
This question is in reference to the question asked before.

Why can Garuda Purana be read on specific days only?

When I talk to people they mention that the Garuda Puranam should be read at sacred places and not at home. Are these recommendations only out of fear of an inauspicious event or are there direct consequences?


texts: History behind Daridraya Dukha Dahana Shiva Stotram?

texts:
I was listening to this stotram on YouTube. Wanted to know more about it!
For knowledge sake just wanted to know some facts about it for instance:

Who wrote it and when?
What was the prime reason behind writing this stotram?
Any other important known facts worth sharing.


texts: Were Nara-Narayana cursed by Sage Durvasa?

texts:
According to the adherents of the Swaminarayana sect, Nara-Narayana, the twin-pair avatara of Lord Vishnu, were cursed by Sage Durvasa which supposedly led Nara-Narayana to incarnate as Sahajanand Swami, the founder of the Swaminarayana sect (a subsect in Sri Vaishnavism). Wikipedia says the following about the particular story:

  Followers of Swaminarayan believe that it was events that took place at Badarikashram, the abode of Nara Narayana, that led to the incarnation of Swaminarayan. It is believed that Narayana took birth as Swaminarayan due to a curse of sage Durvasa Muni which he accepted at his own will. The curse led to Narayana taking the form of an avatar on Earth to destroy evil and establish ekantik-dharma, religion based on morality, knowledge, detachment and devotion.[13] Important Hindu scriptures such as the Bhagavad Gita and Bhagavata Purana confirm that Narayana descends in human form to destroy evil though there is no direct reference to Swaminarayan. He was a human & then a sage or philosopher. Only the Swaminarayan followers specifically interpret the Visvaksena Samhita, 11th part of the Brahma Purana, as well as the Skanda Purana as giving a direct reference to Narayana taking birth in the form of Swaminarayan

As you can see, the adherents of this sect cite Brahma Purana and Skanda Purana to prove their point. Can anybody provide me the verse from the Skanda Purana that supposedly hints towards the advent of Sahajanand Swami? Does Skanda Purana specifically talk about Sage Durvasa cursing Nara-Narayana?


texts: What is non-Brahman said in Devi Atharvashirsha?

texts:
There is Bhaumashvini (भौमाश्विनि) Yoga also known as Amrit Siddhi Yoga Today. (Ashvini Nakshatra on Tuesday). Chanting of Devi Atharvashirsha (also known as Devi Upanishad) has great significance as said in the text itself:

  भौमाश्विन्यां महादेवीसंनिधौ जप्त्वा महामृत्युं
  तरति स महामृत्युं तरति ।
  य एवं वेद ॥ इत्युपनिषत् ॥ २७॥

  Reciting it on Tuesday under
     the asterism Ashvini, in the presence of the great Goddess, one
     overcomes fell death - one who knows thus. This is the secret.

So, while reading it, I found that Devi said that अहं ब्रह्माब्रह्मणी and वेदोऽहमवेदोऽहम्

  अहमानन्दानानन्दौ । अहं विज्ञानाविज्ञाने ।
  अहं ब्रह्माब्रह्मणी वेदितव्ये ।
  इति चाथर्वणी श्रुतिः । अहं पञ्चभूतानि ।
  अहं पञ्चतन्मात्राणि । अहमखिलं जगत् ॥ ३॥

  वेदोऽहमवेदोऽहम् । विद्याहमविद्याहम् ।
  अजाहमनजाहम् । अधश्चोर्ध्वं च तिर्यक्चाहम् ॥ ४॥

  I am   (all forms of) bliss and non-bliss. Knowledge and ignorance are Myself. Brahman and non-Brahman are to be known - says the scripture of the Atharvans. I am the five elements as also what is different from them. I am the entire world. I am the Veda as well as what is different from it.

Here I want to know what it means by ABrahman (non-Brahman) and Aveda (non-Veda), since I think there would not be something like non-Brahman and Aveda.


texts: What are the rituals to be performed for a dead kitten at our house?

texts: A 3 days kitten died in our house. We tried to bring her to life but failed. What type of rituals should we do? Are there any rituals to distribute salt among neighbours and like that?


texts: Is there any statement from scriptures that has been proved false in all possible interpretations?

texts:
Although there are some questions in our site regarding this line, I found no question that is asking directly for such statement.
Is there any statement for scriptures that has been disproved by modern science of any form, without any ambiguity, in all possible interpretations?
Note that the answer should consider all possible interpretations of the scriptural statement and it needs to be false in all such interpretations. I mean there should be no valid interpretation that can be true. So, please refrain from statements or opinions that has been given by atheists or others who may consider only some interpretations.


texts:
Can a sacred cow transmit shaktipat or only humans can do it?
If so, another animals can do it?


texts: What's the significance of Mṛta Sanjeevani Vidyā, when sages (like Bhṛgu Rishi) can revive dead people just by their tapas itself?

texts:
As I ask in this Question about some of my doubts in reference to the Mṛta Sanjeevani Mantra (मृत संजीवनी मंत्र),
similarly, there have been several instances when sages have been able to revive the "apparently" dead people just via their penance aggregated austerities (tapas).
Some examples are:

Revival of Kavyamāta by Bhṛgu Rishi
Revival of Renukā (Parshurām's mother) by  Jamadagni
And several other

So, my question is, what's the significance to specifically obtain the Mṛta Sanjeevani Mantra Vidyā, when sages are very well in possession of the powers (due to their tapasyā) to revive dead people (in some cases, despite getting "beheaded" by Vishnu himself or his aṃśa avatāra)?


texts: Why do Hindus touch Earth before starting the day?

texts:
Before starting the day, or keeping feet on Earth, Hindus usually touch Earth by their hands. What could be the possible reasons behind this ritual?

Is this to show respect to Earth?


texts: "Protective Layers" according to Hindu Scriptures

texts:
I was reading a post about cosmic science and I found that Protective Layers  Already Mentioned in Vedas.

So my question is- Which Hindu scriptures define this?

Please note that, I am not asking about scientific speculation.


texts: Where are the indecipherable Puranic verses discussed by Shiva?

texts:
In this excerpt from the Padma Purana, in a chapter which I think is likely an interpolation, Shiva comes to Rama's court disguised as a Brahmana and tells Rama how you can derive omens by picking verses from a Purana and interpreting their significance in light of whatever problem you're trying to solve. Rama asks what happens if you don't understand a meaning of a particular verse, and Shiva says this:

  The meaning of the verse: Madhuni ca madhunyatra madhurmadhubhujam madhuh; madhuna madhunadyartham visani ca visani ca is unintelligible; it is not recommended in (finding out) an omen. So also the verse: Ruti rute rute rorauriri raram rari-raram; evam karoti suddhatma brahmano brahmanotithih. This verse is intelligible in part (the latter half is intelligible: a pure-souled brahmana, the guest of Brahman, acts like this). (Therefore) it is not recommended in (finding out) an omen. O best of the Raghus, such and other verses occur in the Puranas. They have no explanation.

Now Rama ultimately uses this method to find out that Vibhishana has been tied up in Sri Rangam for killing a Brahmana, and he rescues Vibhishana.  But my question is, which Puranas do the so-called unintelligible "Madhuni ca" and "Ruti rute" verses mentioned by Shiva come from?

Shiva says that the two best Puranas for deriving omens are the Skanda Purana and the Vishnu Purana.  But so far I haven't found either verse outside of the Padma Purana.

Also, is it really hopeless to try to understand these two verses?  Madhu means honey, so is it possible that the verse is talking about honey? It might be connected to the Madhu Vidya found in the Upanishads, which I discuss here and here.


texts: What is Hinduism's view on gender-equality and feminism?

texts: Hinduism has been generally regarded by many western scholars to be supporting male dominance because of texts such as Manusmriti. However, such texts have been found in various versions with some versions saying women should be adorned and worshipped while other versions having sexist remarks. Furthermore, Shakta traditions of Hinduism believe that the Brahman has female gender. So what is the view of Hinduism on gender-equality and feminism?


texts: Is great sage never tried to follow brahmachari ? yes/No

texts:
source : http://www.vedantauk.com/Magazine/2010/Jul-Aug2010.pdf
From this  i got thought in my mind ,my thought is given below
Is  the statement is true/false ?
Great sage  never tried to follow brahmachari they just loved the God deeply and brahmachari qualities  automatically came in their soul
suppose if this statement is true then
My confusion is that lord Buddha  never beleive in God and he never loved the god deeply , then How he have attained nirvana ?


texts:
Which is the best translation for Shankracharya and Ramajuncharya commentary on Upnishads?
I would prefer both hindi or English though I would prefer hindi more .


texts: Why five brothers of bride are invited in "chori/mandap" while marriage is going on and what ritual is performed for what results?

texts:
I have seen till date that in Hindu wedding ceremony five brothers are asked or invited to do some ritual.

They just drop some piece of tree in their sister's jholi one by one and some hymns or mantras are sung by officiating priest.

By the law of karma, If you give something along with mantra, there must be some reason behind good wish for sister.

But I want to know what is that ritual and what are the results of it.

Why five brothers of bride are invited in "chori/mandap" while marriage and what ritual is performed and for what results?


texts: why do we not worship Brahma, the creator of the universe

texts: i think we should worship Brahma as he created the universe and if universe would have not been created then there would be no human.


texts: What is the military count of the army mentioned in devI mahaAtmayam?

texts:
In devi mahaAtmayam we find details of battles between demons and goddesses.

Some of the famous ones are

Mahishasura
Shumbha nishumbha
ChanDa-munDa

I think these armies were higher in number than that of mahabharata

So what was the total number of army employed in these battles?

Information in detail like number of cavalry, infantry, archery and other soldiers.

These can be found in durga saptashati and markandeya puarana.


texts: What is the explanation for Rigveda 5.2.11?

texts:
As a skilled craftsman makes a car, a singer I, Mighty One! this hymn for thee have fashioned. If thou, O Agni, God, accept it gladly, may we obtain thereby the heavenly Waters". – (Rigveda 5.2.11),

Is this verse saying that vedas are saying that the Vedas are authored by humans(rishies).

 I found this translation on quora while I was arguing with someone on the topic, "vedas are divine". That person gave this verse to prove Vedas are authored by humans(enlightened humans)


texts: Was Madhvacharya influenced by Islam or another Abrahamic religion?

texts:
Madhvacharya is the proponent of the Dvaita school of Vedanta philosophy.

This school, unlike the other schools of Vedanta, believes:

God, souls, and the universe are all eternally distinct and
separate.
Souls can be trapped in hell for eternity.
Souls have their own nature. There are "good souls", "ok souls", and
"bad souls" that God creates. These souls are destined to heaven,
eternal transmigration, or eternal hell, respectively.

These beliefs are almost identical to the Abrahamic religions, with a slight Vedantic twist.

Madhvacharya lived from 1238 to 1317, when Islam started making its way into south India and started converting people. Is it possible that he tweaked Vedantic teachings to cater towards converts to Islam, in the hopes that they return to Vedanta?

This is similar to the commonly held belief by most previous Acharyas (Ramanujacharya, etc) that Shankaracharya of the Advaita Vedanta school, who lived when Buddhism was very popular, was preaching Vedanta that was very similar to Buddhism, leading people of later times to think that he was doing so in order to bring followers of Buddhism back to Vedanta.

This is also similar to a much more recent claim, that Swami Vivekananda was preaching a form of Vedanta that was highly politicized and fitting for its time (early 1900s India), with claims like "all religions are the same", "castes are discriminatory so abolish it", "Hinduism is pro women", "Yugas and kalpas aren't true" (because it conflicted with Darwinism).

So, is it possible that Madhvacharya was influenced by Islam, or at least took into consideration?

Are there any works in which Madhvacharya speaks about Islam? Or did he arrive at his Vedantic conclusions solely through an independent study of the Vedas?

NOTE: I am not disparaging Madhvacharya.


texts: Are there specific mantras or hymns created by Navagrahas?

texts:
I have read about Narasimha Stuti By Shani (Saturn).
Was wondering if there were other stotras mentioned in Puranas created by the rest of 8 grahas.


texts: Are the Vedanta Sutras Smriti or Shruti?

texts:
Vedanta Sutras, as you must be knowing, is the primary text of the most popular philosophical school of Hinduism i.e. the Vedanta school. Written by Badarayana Vyasa, it is summary of all the teachings of the Mukhya Upanishads.

Now, Mukhya Upanishads are considered Shruti (that which is heard) by most instead of Smriti (that which is remembered) even though they are neither relevations nor hymns.

My question is whether we should consider the Vedanta Sutras Shruti or Smriti?


texts: How to preserve ancient Hindu culture and traditions in modern days? What steps should be taken to preserve the culture by children, adults and old aged people?


texts: Is it allowed for a guru to wear western clothing?

texts:
All the Hindu gurus I have seen wear some clothes that are indian. Clothes like kurta, dhoti,and other Indian clothes.
I have never seen one wearing a coat pant.
So can a guru wear western clothing?
Edit
Note: the currently posted answer cites Vivekananda and argues that the dress of a guru or any other person shouldn't be the focus of spirituality, however, I'm looking for a scripture-based answer on the kind of attire a spiritual guru/master should be wearing


texts:
I want to know how do we determine that a person or his tribe belongs to this particular "Gotra".?

Is it fixed based on the kuldevis they are worshipping or it differs from community to community.

I myself am a Dasnam-Goswami (brahmin), we have 10 different suffixes like Pari, Giri, Bharthi, Nath, etc.

From the words of my elders I came to know that the gotra for us is decided by the "Dasnam" , whereas in others it is based on the kuldevi they are worshipping.

Can anyone clear the doubt here.?


texts: Question about Mother Parvati and Maa Tara?

texts:
i would like some explanation about this picture.
The legend tell that Mother Parvati became Maa Tara to save the Lord from the Halahala.

My question is:

Does this picture represent Mother Parvati and Her as Maa Tara?


texts: What does other sects & acharyas believe in Bhagavad Gita 7.19 Sloka except Vasinava Acharayas or Sects?

texts:
Most of every acharyas accepted Bhagavad Gita is best medium to attain Moksha and gave their commentary on it. And Bhagavad Gita is also accepted as authenticate holy book in Most of every Vedanta Schools.
So, Here my Question on this Sloka of Shrimad Bhagavad Gita:

बहूनां जन्मनामन्ते ज्ञानवान्मां प्रपद्यते।
वासुदेवः सर्वमिति स महात्मा सुदुर्लभः।।7.19।।

Meaning

"After many births and deaths, he who is actually in knowledge surrenders unto Me, knowing Me Vasudev: to be the cause of all causes and all that is. Such a great soul is very rare."

What does other acharyas and sects talked or interpreted on this particular sloka of Bhagavad Gita, where lord himself declared as Shree Narayana (Shree Krsna) as causes of everything.


texts: Does son of a realized sage become Brahman by birth?

texts: Will the child of a realized soul become realized by birth automatically?


texts: What are the signs of spiritual awakening?

texts:
What is Spiritual awakening? Some say the repetition of numericals like 11111 , 2222 etc is the most prominent and first sign of spiritual awakening.

Are these things real? Is there any books on the same?

Source: http://www.speakingtree.in/allslides/spiritual-awakening-signs

Thank you.


texts: How do dvaitins interpret this verse from Bhagavad Gita?

texts:
In chapter 8.21, Krishna Paramatma says that eternal unmanifest abode as supreme abode of him and never mentions any separate place as his abode.

  Bhagavad Gita chapter 8, verse 21: That supreme abode is called unmanifested and infallible, and it is the supreme destination. When one goes there, he never comes back. That is My supreme abode.

As I understand, Krishna Paramatma describes supreme abode or supreme destination is unmanifested. But I know that Dvaitins believe the supreme destination is a manifest loka like Vaikuntha.

How do dvaitins interpret this passage?


texts: What was Yukteshwar Giri's opinion on meat-eating?

texts: What was Yukteshwar Giri's view on meat-eating? Was He a vegetarian?


texts: Where is Sri Rudram Hymn present in the Vedas? I know it's in Krishna YajurVeda. Is it present In Shukula YajurVeda also?

texts:
Here is a link where i have read that it's present in Adhyaya 16 of Vajasena Samhita: Which verse of Sri Rudram of Yajurveda has the word "Shiva"?

If yes please share the link where this samhita


texts: Is there any English versions available for Dara Shikoh's 50 Upanishadic translations?

texts: Dara Shikoh's translations of 50 out of 108 Upanishads is said to be the most authentic source of the Upanishads available to date. Which is the best book available in the market which compiles all of Dara Shikoh's works on the Upanishads?


texts: Does Hinduism forbid sexual intercourse before marriage?

texts:
Well, I think the Indian society is very orthodox and can't generally accept things like an unmarried girl walking with or talking to a boy.

So is an unmarried girl or boy having sexual intercourse considered bad? Does Hinduism prohibit doing so?

It will be great if you can add some scriptural references to your answer.


texts: What are the characteristics of a human being?

texts:
What should be or are the characteristics of a human being? In today's age, are people real humans? I feel that humans are those who have compassion towards others, and love towards others be it animals, nature or other humans... But I don't see any such characteristics in today's humans (>99%). Should I call them humans just because they have intelligence? I think even the crow is intelligent. Is only self awareness enough to be a human being?

As I've learned those animals who start to develop compassion and love towards other life forms and are self giving have the real characteristics of a human being. As I can remember some parts of the Hindu mythology where Vishnu takes an avatar of a fish and one person to show the character of humans... I don't remember any more of this story, but you people may know a lot about it. I am really sad by seeing that now a days people will not do any good to others unless there is some benefit or some emotional/instinct wise way.


texts: How can an unmarried person repay their debt to parents and ancestors?

texts:
How can a person not interested in marriage (because they think it's a waste of time and money, also causes one to lose their peace of mind) repay their debt to parents and ancestors?

Does adopting a son for this purpose mean the same thing as getting married and procreating (male offspring)?

EDIT: This is not a duplicate of "How to clear our debts?" as there was no mention of how to clear the debt without marrying someone.


texts: Is the story of vamana's promise to aditi found in Vedas?

texts:
There is a story where vamana promises to aditi that he will always take birth from her womb, as kosalya was incarnation of aditi and rama of Vishnu, and devaki was incarnation of aditi and Krishna of Vishnu.
Is the story of this promise found in Vedas?


texts:
What is the difference between Avatar(Incarnation) and Punarjanma(Rebirth)?

Does the first only apply for Swarg Lok and the second apply only for Mrutyu Lok? I mean Avatar happens only with Gods/Goddess Punarjanma happens only with living beings in the world?

Does atma not have a role in case of Avatar(Incarnation)?


texts: Was Aśhvatthāmā born immortal or did he become immortal later by Kṛiṣhṇa's curse? How did Aśhvatthāmā and Kṛipā become immortal?

texts:
From Mahābhārata
Aśhvatthāmā and Kṛipācārya are Chirañjīvī , but how did they become immortal?
Are they born immortal, or it's due to some boon or curse ?


texts: Untouchability during Ramayana or Mahabharata period

texts:
Are there any references to untouchability or the presence of untouchables during the time of Ramayana or Mahabharata?

Or did the practice start afterwards?


texts: How Ekadashi is performed in Shiva Temples?

texts:
In vaishnava Temples Ekadashi is performed as by Vaishnava sampradaya.

Is there is any instructions about how to perform Ekadashi in Shiva temples in any Puranas/ Sacred books?


texts: Can anyone explain the meaning of Ramraksha strotra?

texts:
I heard that to maximize the effect of chanting Ramraksha strotra, I need to understand the Hindi meaning of it. Does anyone know the meaning of it fully? I don't know to read Hindi, but I understand. So writing Hindi with English alphabets is ok for me. Please share if anyone knows. The problem with other sources on the internet is, all are either written in Hindi or in English with translated meaning.

Here is a link of the strotra - https://www.voidcan.org/ramraksha-stotra/


texts: Do Advaitins believe that Vishnu appeared before Gaudapada?

texts:
The most prominent thinker associated with the Advaita Vedanta school is Adi Shankaracharaya, but he wasn't the founder of Advaita; Adi Shankaracharaya's guru Govinda and Govinda's guru Gaudapada were also Advaitins.  Now, as I discuss in this question, according to Advaitin tradition Gaudapada was the student of the sage Shuka, son of the sage Vyasa, and then the Advaita Sampradaya is traced back through Shuka's ancestors: Vyasa, Parashara, Shakti, Vashishta, Brahma, and ultimately Vishnu. But it seems that Advaitins also see a more direct connection between Gaudapada and Vishnu.  Let me explain.

As I discuss in this question, Gaudapada is famous for his Karika or commentary on the Mandukya Upanishad, which you can read here.  In the beginning of chapter 4, Gaudapada says this:

  I bow to the best among men, who, by means of knowledge, which is like akasa and which is non—different from the goal of knowledge, realized the nature of the jivas (dharmas), which, too, are like akasa.

Now Adi Shankaracharya, in this section of his commentary on Gaudapada's Karika, interprets the words "best among men" as referring to Vishnu:

  The first verse has for its purpose the salutation to the promulgator of the philosophy of Advaita, conceiving him as identical with the Advaita Truth.... I bow to the God, known as Nārāyaṇa, who by knowledge, non-different from the nature of Ātman (the object of knowledge) and which resembles Ākāśa, knew the Dharmas which, again, may be compared to Ākāśa. The import of the words “Dvipadām Varam” (Supreme among the bipeds), is that Nārāyaṇa is the greatest of all men, characterised by two legs, that, is to say, He is the “Puruṣottama”, the best of all men.

Anandagiri's Tika or subcommentary on Adi Shankaracharya's Bhashya explains why Gaudapada is praising Vishnu:

  "Nārāyaṇa"—The story runs thus:—In ancient times Gauḍapāda retired to Badarikāśrama, in the interior of the Himalayas, and there worshipped with great austerity the human figure of the Almighty Lord.

Badarikāśrama is the one of the holiest places of Vishnu, being the abode of Vishnu's incarnations Nara and Narayana.  So it seems that Gaudapada went to Badarikāśrama and engaged in Tapasya to propitiate Visshnu.  Now Anandagiri ends things there, but the translator provides an additional detail.

  Ānandagiri says in his Ṭīkā on Śaṅkara’s commentary on the Kārikā (4-1) that Gauḍapāda performed great austerities in the Badarikāśrama, in the interior of the Himālayas, in order to propitiate Nārāyana who is worshipped there as the God-Man. Nārāyana being pleased with his devotion revealed to him the secret of the Advaita Vedānta. Gauḍapāda salutes this Nārāyana in the opening verse of the fourth chapter of the Kārikā.

So my question is, do Advaitins believe that Vishnu appeared before Gaudapada in Badarikāśrama and taught him about Advaita?  Are there any works of Advaita Acharyas which mention this?

On a side note, the name Narayana refers both to Vishnu and to Vishnu's incarnation sage Narayana.  So given that this is Badarikāśrama, it's possible that Advaitins believe that it was Vishnu's incarnation sage Narayana who appeared before Gaudapada, not the supreme Vishnu.


texts:
I saw the name किरणः in some sahastranaamas of goddesses.

Is Kiranya the name of any goddesses in Hinduism according to scriptures?  Is it related to किरणः?


texts: In the Mahabharata, was Shakuni a good person or an evil person by nature?

texts:
All we hear about "Shakuni" is that he's a very bad person. Some also say he is the reason behind the Mahabharata war.

I just want to know the real facts about him. Was he good or evil? If he was evil, was he always evil or circumstances forced him to turn evil?


texts: Where can I find a sanskrit text version of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu's Shivashtakam?

texts:
Where can I find Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu's Shivashtakam rendered in Sanskrit? Can someone on this website do it as a huge favour? I want to chant it but can't be sure of the pronounciation since the places I have found it are all in Roman letters, and that too plain Roman letters, without accurate transliteration.

As this question discusses - Did Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu also write a Shivashtakam? - Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu did write a Shivashtakam, for those who didn't know.


texts: Did the story of Mahabharata start (and end) with a dog?

texts:
Some people say that the tale of Mahabharata starts and ends with a dog. When they say ends with a dog, they are referring to Yama-disguised-as-a-dog who follows Yudhishtira and other Pandavas on their final walk up the Himalayas to retire from the world. This is narrated in the Mahaprasthanika Parva of the Mahabharata and the picture below depicts the scene.

But where is the story of Mahabharata starting with a dog narrated?

This Wikipedia article has the following picture of Janamejaya's brothers beating up a dog which came to see the yajna proceedings just out of curiosity.


texts: Why "Rama" Nama is called Taraka mantra?

texts:
At Manikarnika Ghat of Varanasi (Kashi), Lord Shiva liberates the dead by saying "Taraka mantra" in ears of the dead. Many Puranas assert this fact.

Chapter 30, Purvavadha , Kasi Khanda of Skanda Purana says:

  O Pot-born Sage, without the knowledge that roots out Karmas, a person
  who dies in Käsi becomes immortal, with the favour  of the
  Moon-crested Lord.  With or without effort on one's part, one shall
  abandon the body and die in Käsi. Through the imparting of the
  Täraka Mantra, he shall become immortal.

Chapter 33, Swarga Khanda of Padma Purana also says Lord Shiva liberates by imparting Taraka Mantra. The great saint Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa saw Lord Shiva liberating the dead by imparting Taraka Mantra.

Now, some authors translate Taraka mantra as "Pranava or OM" while others translate it as "Rama Nama". It is also popular belief that Lord Shiva says Rama nama in ears of the dead (at least among Telugu people).

From what i understood, Taraka mantra is mantra which takes us away from samasara  and hence mantra of liberation (tara = carrying across or crossing. Avatara also has tara and Ava means downwards).  It is easy to understand OM as mantra of liberation, as Om is source of everything.

Name of Rama is highly praised in many Puranas. It is also said many miracles were performed by Neem karoli Baba who used to chant Name of "Rama" always.

So, my questions are,

Why Rama Nama is called Taraka Mantra? (Answers from scriptures are preferred but you  can also answer quoting words of Acharyas or Swamis).
Do scriptures mention any other names or mantras which can be used as Taraka mantra besides name of Rama and OM?

Note: I'm not trying to demean Lord Shiva (i don't differentiate Shiva from Rama/Vishnu) or questioning greatness of name "Rama". Name of "Rama" is eternal and it is associated with many Lord Vishnu's avatars like Parasurama, Balarama not Ayodhya Rama alone. Considering cyclic nature of time, name Rama is eternal like Shiva/Rama/Vishnu. I'm just curious to know esoteric  meaning of word "Rama" pertaining to liberation.


texts: After browsing this question on Brahma temples. I was wondering why even Yama temples are very few in the world. Yama is the god that determines whether a person(soul) is sent to Swarga lok (Heaven) or Naraka lok (Hell). Hence I assume that Yama would be worshiped a lot and was wondering why Yama temples are rare.


texts: Was Śatānanda the son of Gautama or Indra?

texts:
It is generally believed that Śatānanda was the son of Gautama and Ahalyā.

But was Śatānanda born before Indra had the brief affair with Ahalyā?

How do we know Śatānanda was not the son of Indra but Gautama?

P.S. I'm looking for answers with some logical analysis, not mere reproduction of statements/verses from scripture.


texts: Does a Brahma jnani also need deeksha in order to make a mantra to work?

texts: if i want to use mantra to work i need to get deeksha from guru. What i am asking is Like that if brahma nani want to use mantra to work whether he also need to get deeksha from guru or not.


texts: I have found people claiming that gods do not procreate like humans but procreate without any bodily union on Quora, does this idea have scriptural backing?


texts:
I want to know what is true meaning for forgive & forget. How can one truly
understand the meaning of this words.


texts: Who was Kohlaasura? How did Mother Lakshmi kill him?

texts: What is story behind him?  Is the story written in some Scriptures? How did Mother kill him?


texts:
When Buddha and some other ascended masters attained enlightenment were gifted with special abilities or Siddhis. Buddha was even able to recall his previous lives and his and other people's karmas but how can we know those were real a not a creation of Maya?

Are Siddhis also illusory in nature?


texts:
Kauravas were more powerful than Pandavas in many areas.

What was the main reason that Kauravas hated Pandavas?

Did Pandavas hate Kauravas too?


texts: How come Vyasa rejected Panchratra Agamas in Vedanta Sutras yet referred back to Bhagavad Gita which is also considered to be a Panchratra scripture?

texts: Badrayana/Vyasa refuted the Bhagavata view yet Mahabharata contains Pancharatra tradition passing down, as well as a Pancharatra scripture, Vyasa refers back to Bhagavad Gita too, which is also considered as a Pancharatra/Vaishnava scripture. Why is it so?


texts: Are there any answers from the School of Advaita to Shri Madhwacharya's Mayavada Khandana and Upadhi Khandana?

texts:
Does any Advaitin has answered or has answers to Shri Madhwacharya's Mayavada Khandana and Upadhi Khandana?
MAYAVADA KHANDANA (Refer ESSENTIALS OF DASAPRAKARANA translated by Prof. K.T. Pandurangi)
UPADHIKHANDANA
Edit: The existing answers have amply replied for Mayavada khandana. But Upadhi Khandana is not yet answered.


texts: Where can I get the works of Jayatirtha and Vyasatirtha in English translation?

texts:
Jayatirtha and Vyasatirtha, two extremely brilliant philosophers of Vedanta, have been characterized by countless scholars both from the East and West as presenting "the highest dialectical skill in the whole of Indian thought". It is therefore a great matter of shame and sadness that their works are not to be found anywhere in English translation.

I am specifically interested in the Nyayasudha of Jayatirtha which was translated in three volumes by BNK Sharma but so far I have not been able to find these online. They were present on archive.org for a while but apparently someone deleted them at one point.

It would be greatly appreciated if any work of either Jayatirtha or Vyasatirtha which is available anywhere in English online be given here. They should be made available in PDF. Specifically, greater interest should be paid to the Nyayasudha of Jayatirtha and the Nyayamrota of Vyasatirtha or anything else by them. The more works are made available, the better.


texts: Are sinful activities performed in dreams considered as sins?

texts:
From this answer, it is clear that

  The objects seen in the dream state are impressions from the waking state. They are nothing but the internal workings of the mind. They are nothing more than internal mental states.

From this answer, it is clear that

  Adharmas or Acts of Sin are mainly of three categories: ‘Sthuula’ (in Gross Form), ‘Sukshma’ (Small in content) and ‘Athyantha Sukshma’ (Minute). These sins are performed by Mind (Manas), Tongue (Vani) or Karma (Action). The Manasik type is four-fold: Thinking of other’s women, wealth, material loss and difficulties. ‘Vachik Paap karma’ (Sinful Utterances) like lies, unpalatable sayings, blaming others and using provocative language

Thus, it is clear that dream contains internal thoughts and some thoughts listed above are sinful. Now my doubt is that if a person performs an Adharma in his/her dream, is he/she to be considered a sinner due to that act(in dream)?

Example : Dream on thinking/stealing other's wealth, other's women, talking lies, blaming others etc.,


texts:
OM namaH sAmavedAya
As this post describes, a form of the puruShasUkta is found in the sAmaveda, How is Purusha Sukta revealed in Samaveda?. Malola Kannan has also recited SrI sUktam from sAmaveda, but I cannot find the text of this. How is the SrIsUktam revealed in the sAmaveda?
I have now answered these two questions by myself:
This page is correct in saying that:

The basic text is expanded by adding new vowels, modifying some syllables and adding numerals at various points to denote the time duration and singing of those syllables. This version is called as gana and found only in books specialising in Samaveda singing.

This gAna text is the one performed like in the video above: see more examples of it on the pdf guide. It is very important for those who want to recite the sAmaveda traditionally. This book contains the gAna text for the first half. It seems to go up to sAman #640, out of 1875 total. It has the poorvArchika (585 sAmans) and AraNyakhAnda (55 sAmans).  Where can the rest of the gAna text for the sAmaveda be found? This would contain mahAnAmnyArchikA and uttarArchikA, or sAmans #641-1875. There are many places where the basic sAmaveda text is found, but it is very hard to find the gAna.
My final question is shorter: what are some prayers to say before reciting the sAmaveda?


texts: Are the symptoms of 4 yugas visible on higher planetary systems?

texts:
We know the symptoms of each of the 4 yugas and pillars of religion(truthfulness, mercy, austerity and cleanliness) reduce with each passing yuga.

Are these symptoms to be seen only on earth or even in other planetary systems?


texts:
NilaLohita which means the Lord who is both Blue and Red. Nila means blue and Lohita means Red.

NilaLohita is one of the popular name of Lord Shiva. Lord Shiva is called by the name NilaLohita itself in the Sata Rudriya (10th Anuvaka) as:

  द्रापे अन्धसस्पते दरिद्रन्नीललोहित (YajurVeda 16.47)
  Oh you who punishes as per sin of people. Oh! Lord of Food. Oh! NilaLohita.

As the Vedas themselves call the Lord NilaLohita which means who is blue and red, there most be something deep meaning inside it.

So, Why is Lord Shiva called NilaLohita? What do the blue and red signify here?


texts: Union of heaven, earth and nether regions

texts:
While reading Mahabharata, I came across following verse over here

That part where Bhagirathi-Ganga flows in a northward direction is
known as the union of heaven, earth, and the nether regions.

They have not mentioned the actual place where this happens. Does this verse have any reference in other hindu scriptures?


texts: Why Indra is not worshiped in general regular worship?

texts:
We have story where Lord Brahma was cursed by Lord Shiva and Sage Bhrigu as discussed here. And due to this reason(s), Lord Brahma is not worshiped in general regular worship.

Is there any similar curse given to Indra, the king of gods?


texts:
Is there any significance of Hindu days of week named by planets?

And that each day, people are suggested to do certain activities to please the planet god, such as Shani?

Also, do the Hindu days of week really align with Gregorian days of week. That is, is Somwar really Monday, or some other Gregorian day?


texts: When did the expression "Supreme Personality of Godhead" start getting used to translate Hindu texts?

texts:
Hindu Texts started getting translated into English and other Western languages at least far back as the late eighteenth century.  As far as I know, the expression "Supreme Personality of Godhead" started getting used from the 1970s on.
Are there any known instances before that?


texts: What is the inner/esoteric meaning of the this Rig Vedic verse?

texts:
Rig Veda 10.72.2 says as follows:

बरह्मणस पतिरेता सं कर्मार इवाधमत | देवानाम्पूर्व्ये युगे.असतः सदजायत
||
These Brahmaṇaspati produced with blast and smelting, like a Smith,
Existence, in an earlier age of Gods, from Non-existence sprang.

Can anyone throw light on the inner/esoteric meaning of this mantra?


texts: Can someone tell what do Chardham Yatra means in Hindu religion. Many people every year undertake this yatra. It is said that the yatra holds religious importance in Hindus. So please explain about the yatra.


texts: Why Shanideva is at Lord Hanuman's feet in statue? Why Lord Hanuman is worshipped to decrease effects of Shani deva?

texts: I have seen Lord Hanuman Temple statue many times. who is there in the feet of Lord Hanuman? Is he shani deva? If so why is he there in his feet? Also Lord Hanuman is worshipped to decrease effects of Shani deva? What is the story behind it?


texts: Did Nala Maharaja had other special abilities besides cooking?

texts: Nala Maharaja story appears in the Mahabharata. Nala Maharaja is known as an expert in culinary art and a great manager of horses. He is also known as a great charioteer. Besides these, did he have any other special abilities? How did he get them?


texts: Bhagavad Geeta 4.14 - How can no work affect Krishna if everything is in Him and He is in everything?

texts:
I have a question regarding shloka 4.14 from the Bhagavad Geeta:

  There is no work that affects Me; nor do I aspire for the fruits of action. One who understands this truth about Me also does not become entangled in fruitive reactions of work.

Somehow I have a feeling that this shloka has a much more profound meaning than is exposed in Praphupada's interpretation.

Since I am a physicist I try to think of Krishna as a transcendental being.
For example in 6.30:

  For one who sees me everywhere and sees everything in Me, I am never lost, nor is he ever lost to me.

I can understand this shloka in the sense that when one has achieved a certain degree of consciousness one has a feeling that one is surrounded by god all the time and he manifests as different people, events, etc as if by intended chance. I have that feeling many times.

But I can't quite make sense of 4.14: "There is no work that affects Me; nor do I aspire for the fruits of action. One who understands this truth about Me also does not become entangled in fruitive reactions of work."

How can no work affect Krishna if everything is in Him and He is in everything?
I think this is related to the first shloka in Purusha Suktam: "Athyathisthaddusangulam".
But somehow I feel it has a more profound meaning...
Does it mean that Krishna is an end in itself (Himself)?


texts: Why is Yoga called union when it is the mind that actually dissolves?

texts: It is said that Mind is simply a bundle of thoughts and the patanajali yoga sutras says "yogachittavritiinirodha".  Since the thought process is restrained through meditation and ego is dissolved,veil of ignorance ceases and self is realised.. So, What is there to unite? as Yoga means union of individual and supreme self.


texts: What is the story of the gods disappearing from the Earth?

texts:
The Agnihotra is a twice-daily Vedic Yagna that is required to be performed by all Dvijas.  (It's not as commonly practiced nowadays, because it can be substituted with Naivedyam, which constitutes a Pranagnihotra; see Yamunacharya's Agama Pramanya for more details.) In any case, this chapter of the Shatapatha Brahmana of the Yajur Veda lists a bunch of reasons for why one should or should not approach the fires of the Agnihotra, before ultimately concluding that one should.  Here's one such reason:

atʰa yásmānnòpatíṣṭʰeta |
ubʰáye ha vā́ idamágre sahā̀surdevā́śca manuṣyā̀śca tadyáddʰa sma manuṣyā̀ṇāṃ na bʰávati táddʰa sma devā́nyācanta idaṃ vaí no nā̀stīdáṃ no 'stvíti te tásyā evá yāñcyā́yai dvéṣeṇa devā́stiróbʰūtā néddʰinásāni neddveṣyó 'sānī́ti tásmānnópatiṣṭʰeta ||
Then as to why he should not approach them. Now in the beginning both the gods and men were together here. And whatever did not belong to the men, for that they importuned the gods, saying, 'This is not ours: let it be ours!' Being indignant at this importunity, the gods then disappeared. Hence (it may be argued) one should not approach (the fires), fearing lest he should offend them, lest he should become hateful to them.

My question is, what is the story of the gods disappearing from the Earth because humans asked them for too many things?  When (e.g. in what Yuga) did this take place?
I suppose this could explain why there are lots of references in Hindu scriptures to the gods residing on Earth, and also why the gods are said for reside in Lokas other than Devaloka.  For instance, this question this describes how Amaravati is a city of the gods at the foot of Mount Meru in Bhuloka, and yet Amaravati is also the capital of Devaloka.  It's possible that the gods used to live in the Bhuloka Amaravati, and then left and went to Devaloka due to being offended by human beings.   Also, Hindu scripture frequently says that the land of the Uttarakurus on the Northern side of the Himalayas is a land inhabited by gods, so perhaps that is where the gods lived before leaving the Earth.
Does anyone know any other scriptures that describe this story?


texts: Is there any permenant hell in Hinduism?

texts:
Consider the following excerpt from Mahabaratha

  "Then Shakra, the lord of the deities, endued with blazing prosperity,
  addressed Yudhishthira and comforting him, said, ‘O Yudhishthira of
  mighty arms, come, come, O chief of men. These illusions have ended, O
  puissant one. Success has been attained by thee, O mighty-armed one,
  and eternal regions (of felicity) have become thine. Thou shouldst not
  yield to wrath. Listen to these words of mine. Hell, O son, should
  without doubt be beheld by every king. Of both good and bad there is
  abundance, O chief of men. He who enjoys first the fruits of his good
  acts must afterwards endure Hell. He, on the other hand, who first
  endures Hell, must afterwards enjoy Heaven. He whose sinful acts are
  many enjoys Heaven first. It is for this, O king, that desirous of
  doing thee good, I caused thee to be sent for having a view of Hell.
  Thou hadst, by a pretence, deceived Drona in the matter of his son.
  Thou hast, in consequence thereof, been shown Hell by an act of
  deception. After the manner of thyself, Bhima and Arjuna, and
  Draupadi, have all been shown the place of sinners by an act of
  deception. Come, O chief of men, all of them have been cleansed of
  their sins. All those kings who had aided thee and who have been slain
  in battle, have all attained to Heaven. Come and behold them, O
  foremost one of Bharata’s race.

Krishna in Geetha says

  As a person sheds worn-out garments and wears new ones, likewise, at
  the time of death, the soul casts off its worn-out body and enters a
  new one.

From the above two, we can comprehend that hell in Hinduism is temporary.  But my doubt is that are there any slokas in Hindu texts mentioning permenant hell? Are there any explicit statements stating either in support or against permanent hell?


texts: What are vatsalya bhava, madhura bhava and sakhya bhava described in the scriptures?

texts:
Shri Krishna is adored in three different ways: vatsalya bhava, madhura bhava and sakhya bhava.

Radha adored Him in madhura bhava. Yashoda and Nanda worshipped Him in vatsalya bhava, and the cowherds with all the sincerity and  loving heart  adored Him in sakhya bhava, as a friend.

What are the those bhavas described in the scriptures?

Related


texts:
Universe has No end can be understood but No beginning cannot be understood
There should be a definite point that the Lord Started this process and it should work forever.
Anything cannot start itself and run forever and the universe must be started or created only by god.

Question :

In normal time souls are born in animals  for Bad Deeds but in the beginning on waht basis were souls in animals were put ?
What basis were the souls were put on the  Manu,Raksahas,Gandharvas,Human Beings,and animal on the Beginning of the universe?


texts: Where to get the dhyana-Mantras of the eight Devis associated with Sri Yantra?

texts:
Sri Yantra has various Devi-s associated with it.Their names are Tripura, Tripureshi, Tripurasundari,Tripuravasini,Tripurashri,Tripuramalini,Tripurasiddha,Tripuramba and Mahatripurasundari.

Where do we get the dhyana-mantras of these deities (i.e. the eight deities apart from Mahatripurasundari)?