texts: What is the story of Vaidyanath Jyotirlinga?

texts:
Lord Shiva has been worshipped in Linga form from time beginning as described in answer here. Among the Lingas there are 12 Jyotirlingas which are of special importance.
Mahatmya of 12 Jyotirlingas is described in Koti Rudra Samhita of Shiva Purana in the chapter "Dwadash Jyotirlinga Mahatmya". It states:

सौराष्ट्रे सोमनाथं च श्री शैले मल्लिकार्जुनम् ।
उज्जयिन्यां महाकालमोंकारे परमेश्वरम् ।।
केदारं हिमवत्पृष्ठे डाकिन्यां भीमशङ्करम् ।
वाराणास्यां च विश्वेशं त्रयम्बकं गौतमीतटे ।।
वैद्यनाथं चिताभूमौ नागेशं दारुकावने ।
सेतुबन्धे तु रामेशं घुश्मेशं च शिवालये ।।
द्वादशैतानि नामानि प्रात्यस्त्थाय यः पठेत् ।
सर्वपापविनिर्मुक्तं सर्वसिद्धिफलं लभेत् ।।
Somanath in Saurashtra, Mallikarjuna in Shri Saile, Mahakala in Ujjaiyana and Parameshawara also manifested as Omkara. Kedara in Himavat and Bhima Shankara in Dakinya. Vishewaswara in Varanasi and Trayambaka in side of Gautami. Vaidyanath in ChitaBhumi and  Nageshwara in forest of Daruka. Rameshwara in Setubandha and Ghusmeshwara in Shivalaya. These name of 12 Jyotirlingas who recites in morning, he gets freed from all sins and is eligible to get all Siddhis.

There are twelve Jyotirlingas mentioned in the similar popular verse.

Saurāṣṭre Somanāthaṃ ca Śrīśaile Mallikārjunam
Ujjayinyāṃ Mahākālam Omkāram Mamleśhwaram
Paraly Vaidyanāthaṃ cha Ḍākinyāṃ Bhīmaśhaṅkaram
Setubandhe tu Rāmeśaṃ Nāgeśhaṃ Dārukāvane
Vārāṇasyāṃ tu Viśveśaṃ Tryambakaṃ Gautamītaṭe
Himālaye tu Kedāraṃ Ghuśmeśaṃ ca Śivālaye
etāni jyotirliṅgāni sāyaṃ prātaḥ paṭhennaraḥ
saptajanmakṛtaṃ pāpaṃ smaraṇena vinaśyati

I have already asked a question about Somanath What is the story of Somanath Jyotirlinga? and Mallikarjun What is the story of Mallikarjuna Jyotirlinga? and Mahakaleshwar What is the story of Mahakaleshwar Jyotirlinga? and Omkareshwar What is the story of Omkareshwar Jyotirlinga?. Now I want to know the story of Vaidyanath Jyotirling.
Please mention the scriptural reference.
Vaidyanath temple is situated in Deoghar, Jharkhand.

By William Hodges - https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=31452951


texts: Did Ramakrishna eat cow's meat during his time as a muslim?

texts:
Srila Prabhupada during a conversation about sakhibekhi(one of thirteen apasampradayas) mentions about Ramakrishna which can be read here

Hari-sauri: Oh, he became a woman sometimes.
Prabhupada: Yes, sometimes. And there was menstrual, menstruation
period. He became so perfect, there was menstruation. (laughter) This
rascal Ramakrishna did it. And he was going to make experiment of the
Muhammadan realization by eating...
Hari-sauri: Meat.
Prabhupada: ...go-mamsa, cow's flesh.
Hari-sauri: I think you said that he...
Prabhupada: Yes.
Hari-sauri: ...was refused entry into some temple because of that

So is it true that Ramakrishna during his time as a muslim, when he stopped worshipping Hindu Gods, ate cow's meat(beef) and for this he was not allowed entry in a particular temple?


texts: Why the names of yugas are satya, treta, dwapara and kali?

texts:
I want to know what are the meanings of yugas' names.

Why are they called  satya , treta , dwapara and kali ? Are there any reasons for such names of the yugas ?

What do our scriptures say about the names of yugas ?

And also I want to know that if the yuga's name is satya yuga
then why the asura and rakhshsa like (Hiranyakashipu and Hiranyaksha) existed in satya yuga
,so why its call satya yuga ?


texts: What is the meaning of Kalki purana 4.15

texts:
In the Kalki purana chapter 4 verse 15 it stated that:

  Being pleased by their devotional service, I incarnate, along with Goddess Lakshmi, in every millennium."

What is meant by this verse? A millenium is 1000 years. There are 10 avatars of Vishnu per kalpa. Is it a mistake? Do they mean a kalpa or mahayuga?


texts:
Sri Pamchanan was the chief disciple of Sri LAhIrI mahAshaya.

Very well known for his geeta commentary.

I would like to know about all books penned by him and if any of these available online as pdf version


texts: Before taking Samadhi Dnyaneshwar did follow Ashtangyoga?

texts:
Ashtangyoga contains 8 parts in yoga. Ashta means 8.

Ashtangyoga - Yam Niyam Aasan Pranayam Pratyahar Dharana Dhyan Samadhi

These are eight parts of Ashtangyoga. The saint Dnyaneshwar has taken Samadhi. It is very difficult to go upto last stage of Ashtangyoga. Common man can not go upto that stage. Did Dnyaneshwar followed all these steps?


texts: What are some of the practices of having pets as per Hinduism?

texts:
Is it ok to have pets in Hinduism and if so, what pets are ok and which are not ok?

Moreover, is there a proper protocol for raising pets? In general, views from Shastras would be very helpful.


texts: Is Veda Vyasa still alive? If yes, where is he? How can one recognize him?

texts:
Some people say that Veda Vyasa is still alive with his body in the Himalayas. When I searched, I found this link. It is stated here also.

But where can we find him and how can we recognize him?

It is also said that with the perfection of the mystic yoga, one can live as long as he wants (one of the siddhis). By the way who is Maru here?


texts: Vow made before becoming hindu-must I follow it?

texts: I was born a christian and as a Christian/Catholic I made a vow of celibacy to Jesus.I am now hindu.must I follow this vow?would I go to hell for breaking this vow?


texts: Do animal and plant clones have souls? (Such as https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dolly_(sheep))


texts: Is Rigveda 6:72:1 asking to kill blashempers?

texts:
Rigveda 6:72:1. GREAT is this might of yours, Indra and Soma: the first high exploits were your own achievements. Ye found the Sun ye found the light of heaven: ye killed all darkness and the Gods' blasphemers.

Who are these blashempers and why Vedas are asking to kill them?


texts:
I know that in Sanskrit, there is nadI shabda for IkArAnthaH. For the name, nalinI, which is also IkArAnthaH strIlinga, would the declensions be the following?

1st - {nalinI, nalinyau, nalinyaH},

2nd - {nalinIm, nalinyau, nalinIH},

3rd -{nalinyA, nalinIbhyAm, nalinIbhyaH},

4th - {nalinyai, nalinIbhyAm, nalinIbhyaH},

5th - {nalinyAh, nalinIbhyAm, nalinIbhyaH},

6th - {nalinyAh, nalinyoH, nalinInAm},

7th - {nalinyAm, nalinyoH, nalinIshu},

8th - {hey nalinI, hey nalinyau, hey nalinyaH}

I just want to make sure I am understanding the shabda correctly.


texts: Which Hindu lineages are most welcoming of converts?

texts: After being a Buddhist for 12 years, I've taken an interest in Hinduism, specifically Advaita Vedanta and Vishishtadvaita. I feel that these lineages—and perhaps lineages I'm unaware of—would be a better fit with my current temperament and goals. I understand that you don't necessarily need to "convert" to Hinduism, but I'd still like to be part of a community to help aid my practice and navigate the scriptures.


texts: Why oil is offered to Lord Hanuman's feet?

texts: We offered ghee or milk to other Lord like Shiva, Rama in their head. Then why we offered oil on Lord Hanuman's feet?


texts: What are references for Rama's abode in Vaikuntha region?

texts:
Ramanandi sect believes that Rama has a planet in Vaikuntha called Sakethloka.
Are there any scriptural references for this loka?


texts: How has Devī Lakshmī 's understanding developed, starting from the Vedic literature up until the recent times?

texts:
Similar to this question, which tries to discuss about the trajectory of Lord Vishnu's theological development and understanding, from the Vedic period to the Paurāṇika period.
I'd like to get an understanding of Devī Lakshmī vis-a-vis her eternal consort, Lord Vishnu, starting from the Vedic Literature period to the Paurāṇika period and to the current times.
How much, has she been correlated or been mentioned (either explicitly or implicitly) to be Lord Vishnu's consort in the Vedic literature?
What spheres did Devī Lakshmī initially preside over in the Vedic Literature and which spheres, possibly belonging to some non-Vedic deities, were further added to her domain, thus, turning her into an over-arching Mother Goddess in the purāṇas ?


texts: Which is responsible behind worldly relation?

texts: Which makes relationship (like mother-son or husband-wife)? The body or the Atma? Is there any role of Paramatman in this regard ?


texts: Should a guru that teaches vedas be a Indian?

texts:
Guru means teacher, he teaches us about vedas and upanishads.
So can a guru be a non Indian ?


texts: What type of thoughts are negative?and can these negative thoughts control our mind?

texts: Evil thoughts can destroy a person's well being


texts: From the Puranas, one can infer that the meaning refers to either the spiritual aura of a person, facial expressiveness that exudes confidence, vigor or valor, etc. Real Gurus are said be endowed with the ability to judge a wannabe-disciple's worthiness by just observing his/her Tejas. In absolute spiritual terms, what exactly does Tejas mean? Which state or evolution of which Kosha among the five koshas - Annamaya, Pranamaya, Manomaya and Anadhamaya does Tejas indicate?


texts: How is Tirumantiram 1st verse by Tirumular 'One Is Many' interpreted?

texts:
Tirumantiram is more than 3000 verses in Tamil written by Tirumular in about 5th Century. In the 1st verse of Tirumantiram he writes:

  1: One Is Many

  The One is He, the Two His sweet Grace,
  In Three He stood, in all the Four witnessed, The Five He conquered, the Six He filled, The Seven Worlds pervades, manifests the Eight And so remains.

How are the figures one, two,  three, ..etc. interpreted here?

In my speculation:
One = Param Shivam

Two= Shiva and Shakti

Three = 'Jeeva, Jagat and Ishwara' or 'Pati, Pashu and Pasha' or 'Sthoola, Karana and Sookshma'

Four = Jagrat, Swapna, Shushupti and Turiya.

Five = Five senses or Pancha Chakra of Kãla.

Six = No Idea

Seven = Seven worlds.

Eight = AshtaMurti forms mentioned in Brahmanas of Vedas.

Some points may match with my speculation above. Also I have no idea about some figures above.

So, are there any commentaries or interpretation of 1st verse of Tirumantiram by someone ?


texts: Lord Krishna in Chapter 2 of Bhagavad Gita exposits Samkhya Yoga to Arjuna. Was he propagating Samkhya philosophy which is dry & devoid of any belief in God? If not, what is the  meaning of Samkhya in this context?


texts: Are Yoginis wild erotic creatures? Is there any truth in it?

texts:
As far as I understand, yogini simply refers to a female yogi or a female rishi.

Who are yoginis according to Hindu scriptures?

Devdutt Pattnaik, one of the populist writers on Hinduism, in his book Indian Mythology: Tales, Symbols, and Rituals from the Heart of the Subcontinent mentions this

  The yoginis of Hinduism, who are handmaidens of the Goddess and are
  wild erotic creatures, recall the witches' coven of the Christian
  mythosphere.

I am pretty sure, it does not refer to wild erotic creatures. Although, I would like to gather more information before I counter this.

Is there any truth in what Mr Pattnaik says?


texts: Where did the notion that cows are sacred originate from?

texts:
Contemporary Hindus believe that cows are the most sacred animals and should not be eaten. There are even groups in North India that kill people who eat cows.

However, many of the Dharma Shastras, such as the Apastamba Dharma Sutras, say you can kill cows in Vedic sacrifices and eat them:

  [But the meat] of milch-cows and oxen may be eaten.
  The Vājasaneyaka declares ‘bull’s flesh is fit for offerings.’

The cow isn't even in the list of "forbidden creatures to eat" list:

  Eating the meat of forbidden [creatures],
  for example:— a dog, a human, village cocks or pigs or carnivorous animals

However, verse 29 does say this:

  [Nor can one eat the meat] of one-hoofed animals, of camels, of the Gayal [wild cow], of village pigs, of Sarabhas, and of cattle.

But it is immediately followed by verse 30 listed above, which says "but milch cows and oxen may be eaten".

Then, later on there is a verse that says this:

  [The same penance as for killing a Shudra must be performed], if a milch-cow or a full-grown ox [has been slain] without a reason.

The commentator, Haradatta, says that a reason for hurting a cow is due to anger or for meat:

  ‘A reason’ for hurting a cow is, according to Haradatta, anger, or for
  meat.

So this probably means you can eat the breeds of bovine that are limited to milch (dairy) cows, oxen, and bulls, but not other breeds of cattle (such as the Gayal).

So, having said all this, where did the notion that cows are sacred come from?


texts: Can woman give diksha to others as per scriptures?

texts:
Can women give diksha to either man or woman as per Hindu scriptures?
If no, what is the reason?
If yes, why don't we see woman gurus who give mantras to others much?

Do dharma shastras allow women to be diksha guru?


texts:
Lord Dattatreya is considered as the united form of trinity i.e. Brahma Vishu Mahesh.There is sect in India which worship him which is called Dattatreya.
Do anybody know good book on Lord Dattatreya in Hindi/English/Marathi.


texts: What is the story of Parashurama's wife Dharani?

texts:
In this passage of the Vishnu Purana, the various incarnations of Vishnu's wife Lakshmi are described:

  For in like manner as the lord of the world, the god of gods, Janárddana, descends amongst mankind (in various shapes), so does his coadjutrix Śrí. Thus when Hari was born as a dwarf, the son of Adití, Lakshmí appeared from a lotus (as Padmá, or Kamalá); when he was born as Ráma, of the race of Bhrigu (or Paraśuráma), she was Dharańí; when he was Rághava (Rámachandra), she was Sítá; and when he was Krishńa, she became Rukminí. In the other descents of Vishńu, she is his associate.

I asked about the wife of Vishnu's incarnation Vamana in the dwarf in this question.  But now I'm wondering about Vishnu's other incarnation Parashurama.  I had always assumed that Parashurama was either a Brahmachari or Sanyasi, but it looks like he was married.  My question is, what is the story of Parashurama's wife Dharani?  Who is she, and how did Parashurama marry her?  At what point during his life did he get married, and what was Dharani doing while Prashurama went around killing the kings of the world?

The only information I can find at first glance is from this Wikipedia article, which mentions a brief incident involving Parashurama and Dharani:

  Parashurama once became annoyed with the sun god Surya for making too much heat. The warrior-sage shot several arrows into the sky, terrifying Surya. When Parashurama ran out of arrows and sent his wife Dharani to bring more, the sun god then focused his rays on her, causing her to collapse. Surya then appeared before Parashurama and gave him two inventions that have since been attributed to the avatar, sandals and an umbrella.

In any case, are there any other scriptures which mention Dharani?


texts: Is there any statement that bhakti destroys karma?

texts:
The Bhagavad Gita 4.37 directly and explicitly says that jnAna or knowledge destroys all karmas.

  मूल श्लोकः -
  यथैधांसि समिद्धोऽग्निर्भस्मसात्कुरुतेऽर्जुन।
  ज्ञानाग्निः सर्वकर्माणि भस्मसात्कुरुते तथा।।4.37।।

  yathaidhāṅsi samiddhō.gnirbhasmasātkurutē.rjuna.
  jñānāgniḥ sarvakarmāṇi bhasmasātkurutē tathā৷৷4.37৷৷

  English Translation By Swami Sivananda:
  4.37 As the blazing fire reduces fuel to ashes, O Arjuna, so does the fire of knowledge reduce all actions to ashes.

Is there any similar statement for bhakti, anywhere in scriptures, which explicitly says that bhakti destroys karmas/actions? I am looking for a statement which is as direct and explicit as the statement given above. Please dont bother posting references which are vague or can be interpreted in multiple ways. Thanks for your understanding.

Edit: I am not looking for statements like "bhakti destroys all sins". Sins are only bad deeds. Where as karmas include good, neutral and bad deeds.


texts: Gargi’s question to Yajnavalkya Brihadaranyaka Upanishad

texts:
In Janaka’s court Sage Yajnavalkya was questioned by his wife and student Gargi, but she refers to him by his name, Yajnavalkya, while asking the question. Is it not vedic custom to give respect and revere one’s husband and Guru? The question, I believe, is:

What does God (Not Demi-God) meditate on? or what brahman is supported?

Then she asked a final question, on what was Brahman (world of the imperishable)? Yagnavalakya put an end to the debate by telling Gargi not to proceed further as other wise she would lose her mental balance. This riposte put an end to their further dialogue at the conference of the learned.[1][15] However, at the end of the debate she conceded to the superior knowledge of Yajnavalkya by saying: "venerable Brahmins, you may consider it a great thing if you get off bowing before him. No one, I believe, will defeat him in any argument concerning Brahman
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gargi_Vachaknavi

Ans: Yajnavalkya warns Gargi on this question because God doesn’t have another God.. Why did he warn her instead of answering?

I have the same question with respect to an Advaitic jivana muktha, because he realised that he is God. On what does he meditate if he doesn’t have any other god other than himself?


texts: Is lord Shiva himself of tamasic guna or he presides only over tamasic guna of the creations?

texts: Is lord Shiva himself of tamasic guna, i.e: he himself has tamasic guna, or he presides only over tamasic guna of people?.


texts: Why would I put Maa Durga idol or building in the South West direction of a home?

texts:
I have read somewhere this is her direction but the article missed to explain why.
I am interested into detailed informations about Dikpala (guardians of directions) and method of correct worship.
Furthermore, can I perform padmasana pose and go into sadhana if I face West or South?
Will this affect me in some way?


texts: Motivation of Adi Shankara in his own words

texts:
As is well known, the Adi Shankara had extensively toured to spread Hinduism in India.

Right from the start what actually was his motivation to undertake his (seemingly self inspired) life mission to spread the philosophy of Advaita through the Vedas?

Did he proclaim to the world with any messages before he set out on his epic journeys or during his first encounters?

What he did is well known. However I like to read or hear about self declarations of his own intent before his Maha Prasthanam.

He expressed much on Bhakthi and a philosophy so new at that time and I wonder if there was an autobiographical note stating his purpose.. a record that may or may not have come down to us.. To come to think of it for one so fiercely objective in enquiry, mundane subjective personal narratives might have appeared rather irrelevant.


texts:
The verse is as follows,

etat ca anyat ca paruSam vaidehii raavaNa a.nka gaa |
bhaya shoka samaaviSTaa karuNam vilalaapa ha || 3-53-25

एतत् च अन्यत् च परुषम् वैदेही रावण अंक गा ।
भय शोक समाविष्टा करुणम् विललाप ह ॥ ३-५३-२५

The popular translation is as given here as,

On saying this much and other exacting words, Vaidehi who has gone
onto the flank of Ravana, indeed lamented lamentably as her dismay is
coalesced with her distress. [3-53-25b, c]

But a person here translates it as,

On saying this much and other exacting words, Vaidehi, who is on the
lap of Ravana and is having sexual intercourse with him, indeed moaned
(in love) as her dismay is coalesced with her coitus.
raavaNa anka gaa= on Ravana's,lap, having sexual intercourse;
vaidehii= Vaidehi; bhaya shoka samaaviSTaa= dismay, coitus, coalesced
with; etat ca anyat ca paruSam= this much, also, other, also, sharp
[saying exacting words]; karuNam vilalaapa ha= [out of] love, moaned,
indeed.

Can anyone shed some light on this alternate translation. Apparently, literally, either of them can be legitimate.


texts: How to stop giving own creation to Shiva?

texts: From my childhood I have offered flower, milk etc to Shiva.  But, I have been offering my own creation to Shiva for the last several years. This is very painful is there a known technique to stop such offering?


texts:
I found the following compilation of the genealogy of the Pandavas, but I am unable to verify its authenticity or find its sources. In known literature there seems to be no knowledge of the descendants of Ashwamedhadatta, the son of Janamajeya and later kings.

http://www.hindunet.org/hindu_history/medieval/kings_chron.html

Are there any historical records that mention the kings that come after Ashwamedhadatta?


texts: What is the oldest scripture that mentions horoscope?

texts:
I've seen conflicting views about horoscope being true by some great people like Vivekananda.

I want to know how old the tradition of horoscope is.

I want to know the oldest scriptures that mentions horoscope.

Also a Wiki type answer mentioning horoscope mentions in different scriptures would be good.


texts:
As per Vishnu Purana: Part1: Chapter 15, in Vaivasvata manwantara, Brahma's son Daksha incarnated as Prachetas' son. As Daksha's mother Márishá was daughter of Soma (Chandra, the Moon god) and daughters of Daksha were later married to Chandra so he was both maternal-grand-father and son-in-law of Daksha's this incarnation!
Daksha's daughter Vasu was married to Dharma. The eight Vasus named Ápa, Dhruva, Soma, Dhava, Anila, Anala, Pratyúsha, and Prabhása were sons of Vasu. Varchas was son of Soma.
Varchas incarnated as Abhimanyu as Arjuna's son in Mahabharata. As per Abhimanyu's death: Was he destined to die at a young age? post and wikipedia article, Varchas was son of Soma (Chandra) which has conflict with the above description from Vishnu Purana which says that Varchas was son of Soma (Vasu).
What is the connection between Soma (Vasu) and Soma (Chandra)? Is there any mention of Soma's (Chandra, son of Atri) incarnation as Soma (one of Vasus, son of Vasu)?


texts: What is the Yogic meaning of getting liberation by reaching Varanasi?

texts:
Varanasi which is also known by the name Kashi is one of the the most sacred place. It is also known as Avimukta which means which is never forsaken by Shiva.

  अविमुक्तं स्वयं लिङ्गं स्थापितं परमात्मना।
  न कदाचित्त्वया त्याज्यमिदं क्षेत्रं ममांशकम्॥ २१॥
  Lord Shiva, the supreme soul, there, had been consecrated as a Shivalinga known by the name of Avimukta and spoke, “You have been formed of my amsa as Jyotirlinga and therefore, you never leave this place.”

It's holyness is described in many Puranas, Itihasas and even Vedas. For eg. Among 88000 verses of Skandha Purana, 15000 verses are part of only Kashi Mahatmya. Thus describing it's glory.

During the time of Pralaya also it doesn't get destroyed as Lord Rudra establishes it in tip of his Trishula and protects it as described in answer here.

  ब्रह्मणश्च दिने सा हि न विनश्यति निश्चितम्।
  तदा शिवस्त्रिशूलेन दधाति मुनयश्च ताम्।। २३ ।।
  Even after the completion of a divine day of Brahmā, the city of Kashi does not get destroyed. O Sages, at that point of time, Shiva holds it over the tip of his trident.

  पुनश्च ब्रह्मणा सृष्टौ कृतायां स्थाप्यते द्विजाः ।
  कर्मणां कर्षणाचैव काशीति परिपठ्यते॥ २४॥

  O Brähmanas, then Brahmā again recreates the universe, then he again establishes Kashi. Because of the bondages of the karmas and their attraction thereto, it is called Kashi.

And Puranas also state that those who reach Varanasi are liberated. Shiva Purana Kailash Samhita 3.2 states:

  अतस्तदेव जानीयात्प्रणव सर्वकारणम् ।
  निर्विकारी मुमुक्षुर्मां निर्गुणं परमेश्वरम् ।।
  एनमेव हि देवेशि सर्वमन्त्रशि रोमणिम् ।
  काश्यामहं प्रदास्यामि जीवानां मुक्तिहतवे ।।

  Hence he who aspires for salvation and is free from aberration shall understand the Pranava as the cause of all, and Me as the Nirguna Parameshwara. I give this crest-jewel of mantras at Kashi for the liberation of all individual souls.

Thus many Puranas state that those who reach Varanasi (or Kashi) are liberated. Most of the times the statements of Purans also contain deep Yogic and metaphorical and allegorical meanings along with their literal meanings. Some ( like Mimamsak) also establish that they are only allegorical and metaphorical.

So in such case, What is the Yogic Meaning of getting liberation by reaching Varanasi ? Puranas clearly state those who reach Varanasi shall surely get liberation. Do the Vedas also state that reaching Varanasi will grant liberation ?

What is meant by reaching Varanasi ?


texts: Does dharma and adharma applicable to a Jivan Muktha?`

texts:
It is well known that a person who is not a Jivan Muktha is bounded by Dharma and Adharma. That is, one needs to do dharma only as per scriptures.
What about a person who achieved a Jivan Muktha state. Is Dharma and Adharma are still applicable to that person?


texts: Understanding the history and construction of beeja mantra

texts:
Surely TM is not the only one to use beeja mantra, and sages probably was using them since time unknown.

The philosophy behind agyamya, nigyama and mantras was that to make it available to all and without question get the benefits. In those days, people will give their all to their gurus, accept them as the incarnation of god and learn from them.

The other guru that is mentioned in the Vedic text is the intuition of the own self.

In this present times, where people are either charging ridiculous amount to just teach a beeja mantra or a fake guru, initiating you and wasting your time and effort, I was wondering if there is any way to learn the basic grammar behind beeja mantra and construct the one that suits the need !


texts: Is there any influence of time on Brahman?

texts:
It is believed that the Supreme God is beyond the time. But this verse from Srimad Bhagavatham says Supreme God's one second (less than a second actually) is equal to life span of Brahma.

  कालोऽयं द्विपरार्धाख्यो निमेष उपचर्यते
  अव्याकृतस्यानन्तस्य ह्यनादेर्जगदात्मनः ॥ ३.११.३८ ॥
   Meaning: The duration of the two parts of Brahmā’s life, as above mentioned, is calculated to be equal to one nimeṣa [less than a second] for the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is unchanging and unlimited and is the cause of all causes of the universe.

Is this verse defining Supreme God's time? or is there anything wrong with this verse? or I misunderstood it?


texts: What are the names of current heads of peethams formed by Adi Shankaracharya in India?

texts:
Currently, In India,
What are the names of the leading heads (peetadhipathi) of pethams formed by Adi Shankaracharya?


texts: In Hinduism, it believes that marriage is a bonding for next 7 lives. Is that mean that he will not attain moksha at least in next 6 lives?


texts: How Balram reached Yashoda's house in Vrindavan?

texts:
The story of Vasudev taking Krishna to Nand and Yashoda is well known by most people. But how did Balram, who was also Vasudev's son, reach Vrindavan?
And what happened to Rohini who carried him as a surrogate mother?


texts: How was Jatayu able to fight with Ravana?

texts:
As I heard, Jatayu was able to fight Ravana and almost won.
How big he was in size and using what power was he able to fight with Ravana? Do any scriptures say about his power?
What are the other activities and role of Jatayu in Ramayana?


texts: Did Ramakrishna Paramahamsa accept Jesus Christ as the begotten son of God?

texts: It is a well known fact that the 19th century mystic saint Ramakrishna Paramahamsa practiced other religions apart from Hinduism. Well known examples are Christianity and Islam (particularly Sufism). However, do any of the biographies of Ramakrishna Paramahamsa indicate that He accepted Jesus Christ as the begotten son of God?


texts: Is it possible for a non vegetarian to attain the birth of a devatās?

texts:
If a non vegetarian do a lot of charity and other good work, will he able to attain the birth of a devatās.
Or the birth of a devatās can only be achieved by a vegetarian who do the good karma as well.


texts:
In MarutiKavacham one might come across the following.

...काकिनीकामिनीग्रहबन्धनाय ।
ब्रह्मग्रहबन्धनाय । ब्रह्मराक्षसग्रहबन्धनाय । चोरग्रहबन्धनाय ।
मारीग्रहबन्धनाय । एहि एहि....

...Kākinīkāminīgrahabandhanāya brahmagrahabandhanāya  brahmarākṣasagrahabandhanāya cōragrahabandhanāya mārīgrahabandhanāya...

There are two words 'BrahmaGrahabandhanāya' and 'BrahmaRākṣasaGrahabandhanāya'.
What is 'BrahmaGraha'? It's quite clear that 'BrahmaGraha' is different than BrahmaRākṣasaGraha.


texts: Is pranayam compulsory in Sandhyavandanam under any situation?

texts: I have a runny nose do I have to perform Pranayama and if yes then how. If I should wash my hands again and again or should I just recite the mantra? and what about people with Asthma and similar breathing problems how should they perform Pranayama?


texts: Will Hanuman be Brahma and create the universe?

texts: Which scripture states that Hanuman will be next Brahma? I recently watched Mahabali Hanuman in which Krishna says Hanuman will become Brahma and will create universe.


texts: How did sages Ekata, Dwita, and Trita help the gods in a calamity in the Treta Yuga?

texts:
As I discuss in this answer, one of the early movements that was important in the development of Vaishnavism was the ancient Pancharatra movement, whose sacred texts consist of detailed procedures to worship the sage Narayana, an ancient incarnation of Vishnu who was the son of Yama god of death and twin brother of the sage Nara. Among the oldest Pancharatra texts are the Satvata Samhita, Paushkara Samhita, and Jayakhya Samhita. But there is another Pancharatra text even older than those, and it's found within the Shanti Parva of the Mahabharata! It's called the Narayaniya, and it is an 18-chapter religious dialogue between Yudishthira and Bhishma, similar to the Bhagavad Gita, another 18-chapter religious discourse between Krishna and Arjuna found in the Bhishma Parva of the Mahabharata.

In any case, this chapter of the Narayaniya section describes how three sages who were brothers, named Ekata, Dwita, and Trita, decided to go to the White Island in the middle of Vishnu's ocean of milk in order to see Vishnu.  They engaged in Tapasya for a long time, but Vishnu didn't appear before him.  Finally, Vishnu spoke to them as an invisible voice, and told them only those with true devotion could see him:

  Go hence, ye Munis, to the place whence ye have come. That great Deity is incapable of being ever seen by one that is destitute of devotion. Incapable of being seen in consequence of his dazzling effulgence, that illustrious Deity can be beheld by only those persons that in course of long ages succeed in devoting themselves wholly and solely to Him. Ye foremost of regenerate one, ye have a great duty to per-form. After the expiration of this the Krita age, when the Treta age comes in course of the Vivaswat cycle [Manvantara], a great calamity will overtake the worlds. Ye Munis, ye shall then have to become the allies of the deities (for dispelling that calamity).

My question is, how did Ekata, Dwita, and Trita help the gods overcome "a great calamity" in a Treta Yuga of the Vaivasvata Manavantara?  We are currently living in the 28th Kali Yuga of the Vaivasvata Manvantara, so this must have happened some time in the present Manvantara.

The only story I've heard involving these three sages is the story of how Trita was abandoned in a well by his brothers Ekata and Dwita, and got himself out by performing a Yagna in the bottom of the well, as described in this chapter of the Shalya Parva of the Mahabharata.  (It's also alluded to in this hymn of the Rig Veda, which was heard from the gods by Trita as you can see in my answer here.)

Does anyone know of any scriptures that describe them helping the gods in a time of calamity?


texts: Where does Yajurveda have "karpūragauraṁ karuṇāvatāraṁ....bhavaṁ bhavānīsahitaṁ namāmi" verse?

texts:
One of the most famous slokas used for Lord Shiva (Rudra) during arti or prayer is

  कर्पूरगौरं करुणावतारम्
  संसारसारं भुजगेन्द्रहारम् |
  सदा वसन्तं हृदयारविन्दे
  भवं भवानीसहितं नमामि ||

  karpūragauraṁ karuṇāvatāraṁ
  sansārsāram bhujagendrahāram |
  sadāvasantaṁ hṛdayāravinde
  bhavaṁ bhavānīsahitaṁ namāmi ||

Translation:

  I bow to Shiva along with Shakti (Parvati),  who resides ever in the
  lotus of my heart,  Who is the color of camphor, who is filled with
  kindness,  who is the support of the world and who wears a snake as a
  garland.

This verse has word "bhujagendrahāram" which means the one who has Lord of serpents as ornament. This is interesting because i think Rudra in Vedas is not mentioned with Serpents (I can be wrong too).

Many sites on internet including wiki say this verse is from Yajurveda and wiki cites Devichand's translation of Yajurveda but I couldn't find it in that book. Also, I couldn't find it through Digital Corpus of Sanskrit.

Where exactly  Yajurveda has this verse? Is it from Krishna Yajurveda or Shukla Yajurveda? If from Samhita, who is Rishi and what is meter for this verse? I think Devata must be Rudra, but also mention Devata for this Mantra. If this is from Brahmana or Aranyaka, mention exact verse location.

Note: I want to know exact location of this verse. Please don't provide some external site which says this verse can be found in Yajurveda.


texts: Devāpi and Maru are over 5000 years old now. What have they been up to? (They become co-kings in the next Satya Yuga)

texts:
What have Devāpi and Maru been doing in their over 5000 year long lives? Also, how did Devāpi get to have such a long lifespan?
Since they are both described as being the originator of the Kṣatriya in the next Satya Yuga, it seems to imply they have children together, either by the gender-swapping in the Kalki Purāṇa, or while both staying male like some of Mitra and Varuṇa's children. I think it's while they are both male, as that nicely fits fit the major theme throughout the future prophecies of revealing The First Human as Sarvavarṇyantaka and eventually Sāvarṇi, as it would end the Sūryavaṃśa and Candravaṃśa.
These only show their story before they were even longer-lived than their siblings and after the events of the Kalki Purāṇa begin, which leaves a massive stretch of time where they are unaccounted for.
https://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/devapi
https://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/maru


texts: Can physical injuries of past life be transferred to the new life?

texts:
If someone dies due to physical injuries, will his injury be transferred to the new body (after reincarnation)?
And can one remember his past life without doing meditation or sadhana?


texts: Where do the Vedas mention sacrificing vegetable seeds rather than goats?

texts:
As I discuss in this question, one of the early movements that was important in the development of Vaishnavism was the ancient Pancharatra movement, whose sacred texts consisted of detailed procedures to worship the sage Narayana, an ancient incarnation of Vishnu who was the son of Yama god of death and twin brother of the sage Nara.  Among the oldest Pancharatra texts are the Satvata Samhita, Paushkara Samhita, and Jayakhya Samhita.  But there's another Pancharatra text even older than those, and it is found within the Shanti Parva of the Mahabharata! It's called the Narayaniya, and it's an 18-chapter religious dialogue between Yudishthira and Bhishma on the importance of worshipping Narayana/Vishnu, similar to the Bhagavad Gita, another 18-chapter religious discourse between Krishna and Arjuna found in the Bhishma Parva of the Mahabharata.

In any case, this chapter of the Narayaniya describes a dispute that a bunch of sages once had with the gods, over the meaning of the word "Aja".  One of the Yagnas (fire-rituals) described in the Vedas is called the Ajamedha Yagna, in which you're supposed to sacrifice "Ajas".  But the Sanskrit word "Aja" can either mean goat or vegetable seed, so there was an argument about which one you had to sacrifice; the gods said it meant goats and the sages said it meant vegetable seeds.  The king Uparichara Vasu came by and said that the gods were right, so the sages cursed him for incorrectly siding with the gods.

  The gods, once on a time, addressing many foremost of Brahmanas, said unto them that sacrifices should be performed by offering up Ajas as victims. By the word Aja should be understood the goat and no other animal.' The Rishis said, 'The Vedic Sruti declares that in sacrifices the offerings should consist of (vegetable) seeds. Seeds are called Ajas. It behoveth you not to slay goats. Ye deities, that cannot be the religion of good and righteous people in which slaughter of animals is laid down. This, again, is the Krita age. How can animals be slaughtered in this epoch of righteousness?' ... Learning what the opinion was that was entertained by the deities, Vasu, moved by partiality for them, said that sacrifices should be performed with animals. At this answer, all the Rishis, endued with the splendour of the Sun, became very angry. Addressing Vasu who was seated on his car and who had (wrongly) taken up the side of the deities, they said unto him,--Since thou hast (wrongly) taken up the side of the deities, do thou fall down from heaven.

The clear implication from the text is that the sages were right after all, and that Ajas does indeed refer to vegetable seeds.

But my question is about the sages' statement that "[t]he Vedic Sruti declares that in sacrifices the offerings should consist of (vegetable) seeds."  Where in the Vedas is the statement that the offerings should be vegetable seeds rather than goats?  And first of all, where in the Vedas is the description of Ajamedha Yagna itself?  That might be the best place to look.


texts: Why people worship Goddess Ganga during Makar Sankranti?

texts: Is there any reason or story behind people worshipping Goddess during Makar Sankranti?


texts: Is Brahma said to have 4 or 5 heads only in the itihasapuranas?

texts: Is it true that in shruti works, Prajapati, Hiranyagarbha and other forms of Brahma are not said to have multiple heads?


texts:
While reading i came across name of a Devi-Stotra called   "Siddha Kunjika Stotra"(सिद्धकुन्जिका स्तोत्रं ) ,it's said that lord Shiva himself told this  stotra to godess parvati.

So  i would like to know -

1) What is this Siddha Kunjika  stotram , What's the central theme , in which scripture this stotra is mentioned.?

2) What is the significance of the Siddha Kunjika Stotram?


texts: Which verse of the Bhagavad Gita says "If you don't fight for what you want, don't cry for what you lost?"

texts: I came across this quote in social media. It's supposedly said by Sri Krishna in the Bhagavad Gita. Which verse of the Gita conveys the same message as the quote?


texts:
Why were all the Upapandavas killed the same day?

Why was no one, including Lord Krishna, able to save them?

Why was only Parikshit saved by Krishna from Uttara's womb?

Was there any story behind their short lifespan?


texts:
Who makes Hindu calendar? Is that authentic calendar or illusory calendar?

Sometimes it has two dates together in one day, is it authentic? I think there is some ambiguity.

Every year they also make changes. Is there any mathematics behind it or superstitious principles?

Why different calendars different Ekadashis?


texts: Is there any mentions in scriptures about the usage of gemstones in astrology and their relationships with the navgrahas?

texts:
In vedic astrology the usage of precious gemstones is common practice to resolve issues in a person's life related to the navgrahas. However,which scriptures mention the relationships of those gemstones to the navgrahas. Also, where can we find justifications for the usage of gemstones as remedies for astrological related issues and what are the criteria(e.g weight,color,clarity of gemstones) in determining the gemstones to be used.
If possible,can we get all/most of the vedic texts that make such mentions for better comparison and analysis.


texts: What is the meaning of the name 'Malolan'?

texts: The god in the Ahobila temple is called 'Malolan'. Can someone with the knowledge of Sanskrit enlighten me on what the word means?


texts:
I know that Vaishya and Shudra are not mentioned in Rig-Veda but Yajurveda verse lists Shudra, so my question is:

Do Rig, Sama, Yajur Vedas mention it (Vaishya)?

and

Does Atharvaveda mention them or not?

(note:— please give answer to the first question and then to another)

It is not related to all castes i want to know about  Vaishaya only rest i know.


texts: How can one try to preserve his semen and make it raise to head (ojas)?

texts: Since semen is considered to be very precious, how to preserve it make it raise to head (ojas)?


texts:
In one of the shlokas of Bhagavath Geetha, Krishna says "I neither love nor hate any one".

The shloka I am referring to is BG 4.11:

  ye yathā māṁ prapadyante tāṁs tathaiva bhajāmy aham mama
  vartmānuvartante manuṣyāḥ pārtha sarvaśaḥ

But why do people say that God has infinite love towards all?

Did I misunderstand the shloka?


texts:
The Vedas are traditionally divided into two parts: Karma kanda and Jnana kanda. The Karma kanda consists of Yajnas involving animal sacrifice. Ancient Sri Vaishnava commentators and acharyas say that the Yajnas in the Karma kanda are a form of worship to Vishnu.

This means that Vishnu is pleased by animal sacrifices.

What do Sri Vaishnava acharyas specifically say about Vishnu being pleased by animal sacrifices?


texts: Why would Brahma create a son called as Irreligion

texts:
Somebody answered one my question's on Kali Demon and said the following:-

Another son of Lord Brahmā was Irreligion, whose wife’s name was Falsity.

But why would Lord Brahma create a son called as Irreligion?

Why would any God create something bad anyways?


texts: How did Arjuna get the celestial bow Gandiva?

texts:
The bow Gandiva  was created by Lord Brahma, the Creator.
No ordinary person could wield the Gandiva bow.
It was one of the most sought after celestial  bows.
And it was worshiped by Devas, Gandharvas and Danavas.

How did Arjuna get the bow Gandiva?

What is the story behind Arjuna getting the Gandiva?


texts: What is the animal on Kubera's lap? Is there a story?

texts: There is an animal on Kubera's lap in the pictures. I posted one such picture below. Also, I want to know if there is a story attached to it.


texts: Do Shaivites believe in something greater than Sadashiva?

texts:
In this excerpt from the Vayaviya Samhita of the Shiva Purana, various time scales are described:

Brahma's one day is equivalent to a kalpa.  He is of unmanifest origin.  A thousand kalpas make a year of Brahma.  A Brahma's yuga comprises of eight thousand Brahma years.  A thousand Brahma yugas make one Savana of Brahma.  Brahma's life span consists of three thousand and three Savanas.... A day of Vishnu is the life time of Brahma.  A day of Rudra is equivalent to the life time of Vishnu.  A day of Sadashiva is life period of Shiva.  A day of Sakshat Shiva is the life period of Sadashiva.  The life time of Sadashiva is equal to the life period of five hundred and forty thousand of the previous deities.  This function of time has been directed by Sakshat Shiva.

This has some discrepancies with time scales given in other scriptures; see my answer here.  But my question is about the hierarchy of gods described in this chapter.  Most of it is not surprising from a Shaivite perspective; the Shaiva Agamas say that the order of the gods from lowest to highest is Brahma, Vishnu, Rudra, Maheshwara, and Sadashiva.
But my question is, who is this "Sakshat Shiva" whose one day is equivalent to the entire lifetime of Sadashiva?  My understanding is that Shaivites equate Sadashiva with the supreme Brahman, in the same way that that Vaishnavas believe the supreme Brahman is Para Vasudeva (see my answer here).  So how can there be a being called Sakshat Shiva is who is superior to Sadashiva?
Are there any other scriptures which discuss Sakshat Shiva and his relation to Sadashiva?  Also, this answer suggests that the Turiya state of the Upanishads is associated with Maheshwara, and that the Turiyatita state which I discuss here is associated with Sadashiva.  So do Shaivites believe in a state of consciousness higher than Turiyatita, associated with Sakshat Shiva?


texts: Does there exist a complete English translation of Narasimha Tapaniya Upanishad?

texts: Is there a complete English translation of the Narasimha Tapaniya Upanishad available online?


texts:
I have learnt Sri Rudram from a guru. Now I would like to keep on practising, learning and improving myself on it. Due to my job, etc. sometimes it may not be possible to learn early in the morning. So I am thinking of practising it during the evening.

My question is, are there any restrictions according to our shastras on practising during the evening? I got this doubt because I would have eaten breakfast and lunch, so I was thinking whether it is right to practise during the evening. Any guidance from people would be very helpful.


texts: What is the origin of Kula Devata or Family Deity?

texts: In India, every house has something called Kula Devata or Family Deity. What is the historical reason for having such Family deity, and on what basis are family deities assigned to families? Is there any historical, ancestral or political connection between the Deity and the family that worships it? Does it have any relation to the region in which the Deity resides? As I see, there is no strict caste specific restriction on having a particular Deity as your Kula Devata. Can anyone here shed light on this, or mention similar practices being followed elsewhere in the world/other religions?


texts: Who coined the term 'Jambudvipa' and 'Bharat' for India as a country?

texts:
I was going through this article in which there is a mention of India or 'Bharat' not being called as a country until in the Third century BC Ashoka used 'Jambudvipa' for 16 mahajanpadas which could be consolidated to realize the northern part of India.
But in our rituals, we take the sankalpa by saying -

'ॐ विष्णुर्विष्णुर्विष्णु:, ॐ अद्य ब्रह्मणोऽह्नि द्वितीय परार्धे श्री श्वेतवाराहकल्पे वैवस्वतमन्वन्तरे, अष्टाविंशतितमे कलियुगे, कलिप्रथम चरणे------- जम्बूद्वीपे भरतखण्डे भरतवर्षे'
oṃ viṣṇurviṣṇurviṣṇu:, oṃ adya brahmaṇo'hni dvitīya parārdhe śrī śvetavārāhakalpe vaivasvatamanvantare, aṣṭāviṃśatitame kaliyuge, kaliprathama caraṇe------- jambūdvīpe bharatakhaṇḍe bharatavarṣe

This means that the term 'Jambudvipa' existed much earlier than Ashoka and so did the term 'Bharat'
Is this correct, or I am missing something?


texts: What are the purification rites for mixed castes mentioned by Manu?

texts:
Consider the following question and answer from the Mahabharata

"The serpent said, 'O king, if thou recognise him as a Brahmana by
characteristics, then, O long-lived one, the distinction of caste
becometh futile as long as conduct doth not come into play.'
"Yudhishthira said, 'In human society, O mighty and highly intelligent
serpent, it is difficult to ascertain one's caste, because of
promiscuous intercourse among the four orders. This is my opinion. Men
belonging to all orders (promiscuously) beget offspring upon women of
all the orders. And of men, speech, sexual intercourse, birth and
death are common. And to this the Rishis have borne testimony by using
as the beginning of a sacrifice such expressions as--of what caste so
ever we may be, we celebrate the sacrifice. Therefore, those that are
wise have asserted that character is the chief essential requisite.
The natal ceremony of a person is performed before division of the
umbilical cord. His mother then acts as its Savitri and his father
officiates as priest. He is considered as a Sudra as long as he is not
initiated in the Vedas. Doubts having arisen on this point, O prince;
of serpents, Swayambhuba Manu has declared, that the mixed castes are
to be regarded as better than the (other) classes, if having gone
through the ceremonies of purification, the latter do not conform to
the rules of good conduct, O excellent snake! Whosoever now conforms
to the rules of pure and virtuous conduct, him have I, ere now,
designated as a Brahmana.' The serpent replied, 'O Yudhishthira, thou
art acquainted with all that is fit to be known and having listened to
thy words, how can I (now) eat up thy brother Vrikodara!"
[section 179, Tirtha-yatra Parva, Vana Parva, The Mahabharata]

Yudhishthira told that Manu himself say that mixed castes are better than other classes after going through ceremonies of purification.
I am thinking that the context is about offspring from mixed caste marriage. Is it true?
Is the word caste here refers to varna or kula or jati or other according to the original Sanskrit verse?
What are those ceremonies of purification for mixed castes told by Manu?


texts: Does Ramayana say that Brahma was born from the belly lotus of Vishnu?

texts: It seems unlikely because he is equated to Parabrahman in some places in the Ramayana.


texts:
As we know that Devi Sati is reborn as Devi Parvati, the daughter of Himavat and Mainavati, and is named Parvati. Which shows King Himavat and Mainavati are parents of Devi Parvati.

But there is no information about parents of Devi Lakshmi. The only thing we know about her is she springs with other precious things from the foam of the ocean of milk when it is churned by the gods and demons for the recovery of Amṛta. I have read it somewhere That she is daughter of Patal.(Can't cite source right now)

We know birth, childhood and life story of Devi Parvati. Similarly, do we have any information about Devi Lakshmi?

Who are the parents of Devi Lakshmi?

In other words  I want to have all information about In law's of Lord Vishnu.


texts: What is or is not considered leftover food?

texts: Would food cooked with the intention of reheating and eating some of it now, some another day, with the second part stored promptly and properly (packaged,canned,refrigerated or frozen) after preparation (never served on a table prior to storing, nothing taken from the cookware to taste with any unclean utensil) be considered the kind of leftovers that hinduism discourages eating?


texts: Who is Suvarchala? Is she wife or daughter of Sun God?

texts:
There are several stories of Hanuman being married or a bachelor. A question was already asked before on this site. Some say that Hanuman promised Sun that he will marry his daughter Suvarchala when he becomes Brahma. Some say that Hanuman was married to Suvarchala the daughter of Sun God in order to teach him nava vyakaranas. Even though He is married, Hanuman continued to be a celibate.

Is she the daughter of Surya or wife? In Valmiki Ramayana Sundara Kanda Chapter 24 verse 9 to 12, Sita cites the examples of great wives to the ogres who threatens Sita with their harsh words and compares herself with those great wives as follows:

  Although wretched or without kingdom, whoever is my husband, He alone is my master. Like Suvarchala with the Sun God, I am fond of Him always. Like the highly fortunate Sachi who waits upon Indra, like Arundhati on Vasishta, like Rohini on the Moon God, like Lopamudra on Agastya, like Sukanya on Chyavana, like Savitri on Satyavanta, like Srimati on Kapila, like Madayanti on Saudasa, like Kesini on Sagara, like Damayanti the daughter of Bhima, devoted to husband Nala, in the same way I am devoted to my husband Rama, the best in Ikshvaku dynasty.

Here this is what I don't understand. All the examples Maa Sita took are of great husband and wives. If we consider like that, Suvarchala should be considered as wife of Surya. But in this answer, it is said that Surya has only two wives and there was no mention of Suvarchala. Is Suvarchala consort of Sun God?

Questions

Is Suvarchala daughter or wife of Surya?
Is Suvarchala a part of power of Sun god?
If she is married to Hanuman, How did Hanuman react when Sita said "Suvarchala is wife of Surya" who was right at the top of the Shimshupa tree?


texts: Do we take Birth with Physical Body in Hell/Heaven?

texts:
EXPLANATION :

People living in Heaven have Childhood and also Marry and Fight with Humans,Vanaras,etc,.this clears that they have Physical Body.
I didn't know whether we take Birth in Hell/Heaven as like Humans or Different Manner.

QUESTION :

Do we take Birth with Physical Body in Hell/Heaven ?
If yes then do we have Childhood in Hell  ?


texts: Is the notion that the supreme being doesn't touch material energy a Hindu one?

texts: Hare Krishnas say that Krishna stays beyond the material plane and interacts with the material world through his "expansions" if I understand correctly.  Does Hindu scripture say anything like this?


texts: Where is the allusion to Venkateshwara in the Taittiriya Upanishad?

texts:
During British rule, the town of Tirupati including its world-renowned Tirumala Venkateshwara Temple came to be controlled by the East India Company, starting in 1801.  And the first East India Company official to control the area, a Collector named Stratton, was very interested in the temple, since it's one of the holiest sites in Hinduism, so he sent a bunch of questions to the temple officials asking all about the temple's history, traditions, stories, etc.  The record of his questions and their answers is known as the "Sawal-E-Jawab".

In any case, this excerpt from the Sawal-E-Jawab claims that Venkateshwara (the Vishnu deity in Tirupati, AKA Srinivasa or Balaji) is alluded to in the Taittirya Upanishad of the Yajur Veda:

  It is said in the Upanishads that [Venkateshwara] is the all-pervading Vishnu present in Vaikunta, on the earth and everywhere.  In the Taittiryopanishad, in the fifth Parva called "Narayanam", it is stated that the Lord shines at the farther end of the water, in the middle of this earthly region, and that he makes the other elements shine through his own light.  This is quoted from the commentary of Vidyaranya on the said Upanishad.

The reason that "the Lord shines at the farther end of the water" seems like a reference to Venkateshwara is that the Tirumala Venkateshwara Temple is located at the Southern end of the Swami Pushkarini lake.

But my question is, where exactly is this statement in the Taittirya Upanishad?  It says it is in the "fifth Parva", but as far as I can tell there's no such thing.  You can read the Taittirya Upanishad here; it's only divided into three Vallis, and each Valli is divided into a bunch of Anuvakas.  And I tried searching through the work but I couldn't find any such quote.  Could the statement be from the Mahanarayana Upanishad instead?  The Taittirya Upanishad constitutes the seventh, eighth, and ninth Vallis of the Taittirya Aranyaka of the Yajur Veda.  But the tenth Valli of the Taittirya Aranyaka is called the Mahanarayana Upanishad, and the Sawal-E-Jawab does say that the quote is from something called the "Narayanam".

In any case, the Sawal-E-Jawab isn't even claiming to take the statement directly from the Taittirya Upanishad, but rather from a commentary on the Upanishad by Vidyaranya, the brother of Sayana (who wrote a definitive commentary on the Vedas).  Does anyone know if Vidyaranya's commentary discusses the quote about being on the farther end of the water?

(P.S.  On a side note, some people may be wondering how the Vedas could possibly mention Venkateshwara, when the Vedas were around long before Rama and Krishna, and Venkateshwara came to the earth after Krishna.  But when people talk about the Vedas being of unfathomable age, they're talking about the the mantras found in the Samhitas of the Vedas.  Those mantras were heard directly from the gods by sages over countless generations, but they were compiled into the Vedic Samhitas by Vyasa at the end of the Dwapara Yuga.  So presumably the Brahmanas, Aranyakas, and Upanishads were only added to the Samhitas some time after the beginning of the Kali Yuga.  So since the Venkateshwara story took place shortly after the death of Krishna and the start of the Kali Yuga, there would have been enough time for information about him to be included in Upanishads.)


texts: Anshavatar and Purnavatar - are there different types of avatars?

texts:
Are there different types of avatars: anshavatar (partial incarnation), purnavatar (complete incarnation) etc.?

One of my friends told me sage Bharadwaja and Parashurama were anshavatars of Vishnu but Krishna and Rama are purnavatars.

Hanuman is known as an ansh of Shiva, does that mean he is an anshavatar?

A simple Google search tells us that;

  Purna Avatar: Complete incarnation
  Anshavatar: Partial incarnation
  Naimittik Avtar: Casual incarnation
  Nittya Avatar: Mundane incarnation

(something like that, cannot access that website now)

Another search result says:

  Rama was 14 kala sampurna but Krishna was 16 kala sampurna thus Krishna is purnavatar.

Is there any scriptural basis for this?

Can you give anymore examples with explanation?


texts: Did lord Brahma commit incest with his daughter?

texts:
According to Shiva purana,

  "Brahma desired Sarasvati and went to her, asking her to stay with him. She, being his daughter, was furious at this and said, 'Your mouth speaks inauspiciously and so you will always speak in a contrary way.' From that day, Brahma's fifth head always spoke evilly and coarsely. Therefore one day when Siva was wandering about with Parvati and came to see Brahma, Brahma's four heads praised Siva but the fifth made an evil sound. Siva, displeased with the fifth head, cut it off. The skull remained stuck fast to Siva's hand, and though he was capable of burning it up, Siva wandered the earth with it for the sake of all people, until he came to Benares." -- Siva Purana, Jnanasamhita 49:65-80.

What does it mean? Did lord Brahma want to commit incest with his own daughter? Please tell me the actual fact.


texts: What do the Snake Idols in Binded form Indicate?

texts:
In many Hindu Temples we can see Snake Idol which has two Snakes, bound to each other like a DNA.

QUESTION :

What does this form of two snakes indicate and why do we worship it ?

Below is a picture for reference:


texts: What is the significance of Dhoti in life of a Hindu male?

texts:
Does Dhoti have any Hindu religious association or is it simply ancient Indian dress for males?
Is there any reference in shastras or elsewhere that a hindu male when doing puja or other religious activities ought to dress in Dhoti and such clothing ?


texts: I was wondering what is the opinion of Tantra on Vedas? Does it oppose the Vedas? Does it accept the authority of the Vedas?


texts: What are the symptoms for kundalini awakening?

texts:
Kundalini can be achieved by different means (yoga or devotion or deep thinking).

Are there any symptoms or experiences the human undergoes before kundalini awakening? If yes, then what are the symptoms that are mentioned in scriptures?


texts: Why Arjuna is attributed as Supreme archer when infact Karna was much skillful than Arjuna?

texts: Why always Arjuna is considered as Supreme archer instead of Karna in Mahabharata? We can see his attribution in Who gave weapons to Shri Krishna and Balarama and how? and in many other articles. When we all know Karna clearly had edge on Arjuna.


texts: What is the History of Election/Voting system in Ancient India?

texts:
Wiki Source:

  In recent days Post-independence India held it's first elections. The
  rest of the India voted only in February–March 1952 for the Lok Sabha
  and Vidhan Sabha elections. Polling was held between 25 October 1951
  and 27 March 1952. The very first votes of the election were cast in
  the tehsil (district) of Chini in Himachal Pradesh.

I heard about ‘Janapada’, It means “People’s Republic, where people come together to choose their leader.

Did Electoral system does exist in Ancient India Mythology? If Yes, What are the Qualification for contestants?

Any Scriptures mention about Election system in Vedas or Ramayana/Mahabharata?


texts: How did Vali defeat Ravana? What's the story?

texts: There is a mention in the Ramayana that Vali defeated Ravana badly. When and how did it happen? During the duel, why didn't Ravana use any of his divine weapons? I think Vali did not possess any divine weapon.


texts: Why was lord Krishna driving Arjuna's chariot in Mahabharat war?

texts: What is the significance and why lord Krishna driving Arjuna's chariot in Mahabharat war?


texts: Why doesn't God not give us anything without doing something?

texts: In Hinduism there are cases where astrologers or pandits ask devotees to chant certain mantras or do fasting on specific days. Why doesn't God give what we want directly (without doing anything) as we are God's children?


texts: At which point in time did Hinduism begin to embrace vegetarianism exactly?

texts: I was watching a BBC documentary where they claimed that early Rig Vedic writers (early Brahmins) practiced "horse sacrifice" and were indeed non vegetarians. So at what point did they decide to embrace vegetarianism and why? Was it because of Buddha or independently?


texts: Which scripture mention Race among the Gods to marry Ahalya?

texts:
Nearly everyone knows the famous story of Adulteration of Indra with Ahalya.
But there is a story of how Ahalya was married to Gautama Rishi.
I have heard there was competition among Gods to marry Ahalya.
This website here also mentions the story I have heard. It tells:

Brahma announced that he would marry Ahalya to the person who would travel around the earth and come back first. On hearing Brahma's words, all the Devtas and Rishis embarked upon their journey. At the same time, while going back to his ashram, Maharshi Gautama saw baby Kamdhenu (divine cow) taking birth. Looking at that site, the sage got overwhelmed by the prominence of the creator and out of respect, did a circumbulation of the cow and a Shivling....
Brahma came to know everything through his meditation powers. He told Rishi Gautama that a cow which had given birth was equal to the earth with seven islands and to move around it (perform parikrama) and the Shivling was equal to travelling around Earth. Brahma was impressed by the patience, knowledge and penance of Rishi Gautam and told him that he deserved to get married to Ahalya.

Which scripture mention this story of Race among Gods to marry Ahalya ?


texts: Punishment for sins or rewards for good deeds in previous births, but how do we know?

texts:
I have heard that, normally, as we go on committing sins, we earn ourselves multiple births, sometimes as humans and other times as other living beings.

But say someone is born as some being other than human then how does he realise that he actually got this as a punishment or reward for his previous life deeds, since animals don't have any such self-consciousness?


texts: Shiva showering gold coins, which form of him is it?

texts: In this picture Shiva is shown showering gold coins just like mother Lakshmi is shown in many pictures of her. Which form of Shiva is it? I think God and Goddess who are receiving golds are Kubera and Mother Lakshmi.


texts: Is there any scriptural basis for this jinx in Hinduism?

texts:
A common belief these days is to not say good will happen for sure lest you jinx it for the person/yourself. For e.g. "I didn't say anything to him as I was afraid I might jinx him"
I was wondering if the above has any scriptural basis or is it just superstition/folklore.


texts:
A Christian once asked me this question when I was explaining him about karma and rebirth philosophy in Hinduism. I told him that if anything happens in anybody's life, it is the result of their karma in a previous birth. He then raised a question with the following example:

If a thief stealing from a house is due to the sin of the houseowner in a previous birth, when a judge gives punishment to the accused, ideally the accused should not be found guilty.

How can karma and rebirth theory be defended against this argument?
So, did the thief not commit a sin because the robbery was destined to happen due to the houseowner's karma? Please answer with an authentic source.


texts: What is the meaning of the word 'Hayagarddabhi',used as a name of lord Shiva?

texts: Anusasana parva of Mahabharata contains the very famous Shiva Sahasranama Stotram discovered by sage Tandi.In 36th sloka I found a name "Hayagardabhi"[49 th name,I think] which literally means ' one whose vehicles are both horse and ass',but i think this is not the true sense and also irrelevant.If someone knows the actual meaning please help.


texts: Which goddess (Ishta devi/Kula devi) sits legs folded & holding shiva linga?

texts: Goddess sitting and holding shivling on one hand. And sitting  folding both legs.Please help me find this goddess and details about the temple I'll find her if possible.


texts: does any scripture say different castes should draw water from different wells?

texts:
If you know Tamil, you can read on u-tube an interview of Shiva Ayyadurai considered the inventor of email in which he says he was told of this practice in childhood by his mother and how upsetting he found it to be.

Is there scriptural basis for this?


texts: Are Gods conscious of their own existence?

texts: Are gods or Hindu deities only forces of nature? Are they conscious of their existence?


texts: Do Gaudiya Vaishnavas believe in eternal damnation?

texts:
Sri Madhvacharya who started the Brahma Sampradaya which have Dvaita Vedanta as its philosophy, believed in the concept of eternal damnation.This means that according to Madhvacharya, some demonic souls who have committed many sins are bound to be born in low births or even suffer in hell for an eternal time.
This almost feels like the abrahamic concept of eternal hell for non-believers. Abrahamic faiths are also known to be Dvaitic.

Gaudiya Sampradaya also came into being from Brahma Sampradaya and Gaudiya themselves consider Brahma as their first Guru in paramparam. Though the only difference is Gaudiyas believe in Achintya BhedaBheda while Madhavites believe in Dvaita.

So my question is is the concept of eternal damnation of Madhvacharya supported by Gaudiya Vaishnavas/ISKCON?


texts: Is the quote "Don't let others lead you, decide your own path" really from the Vedas?

texts:
According to several sites, the following quote is from the Vedas. Some state that it is from the Atharva Veda but the verse no. is not mentioned.

  "Do not be led by others, awaken your own mind, amass your own
  experience, and decide for yourself your own path." — Vedas (specifically Atharva Veda, according to some sites)

Can anyone confirm the Veda/book/chapter this verse is taken from?


texts: Do hearing or reciting any story in scriptures has the capability of pleasing or removing Rahu's adversary affects?

texts:
Rahu is generally considered as a malefic planet in astrology.
Many stories across scriptures has the potency to remove the negative effects by navagrahas.
Do any particular story mentions as phalasruthi (or believed to be) that on hearing or reciting it can remove the negative effects of Rahu especially.
Note that I am asking for story only and asking for Rahu only.


texts: Why did Lord Rama ask for the second Pariksha?

texts:
When Rama faced the negative feedback of his citizens about Sita Devi, he exiled her to the forest. My first question is why did he do that, just for the common talk of some people? Because the logical thing would be to either call for a public audience and address their grievances, or just ignore them. Preferably the first option.

Coming to the main question. After Sitadevi spent twelve years in the forest, and Rama accepted Lava Kusha as his sons, what was the dire need for another Pariksha? I know that one can can it Their Infinite Leela, but what was the logical reason behind it?
That is, when Rama himself accepts Lava Kusha as his own sons, where does the question of chastity arise?

(On a side note, Ashok Banker has portrayed this scene beautifully in his 'Sons of Sita'. That does not mean that I base my question on his series. That also does not mean that I am against Rama or anything.)


texts: Do any sects other than Sri-Vaishnavas worship Viswaksena?

texts: Being generally familiar with major Hindu sects, I never heard of Vishwaksena till recently.  SriVaishnavas like to say that when they worship an elephant-headed God, they are worshiping Vishwaksena or his assistant and not Vinayaka - but is he worshiped by any other Hindus?


texts:
I cam across the following quote

Take Risks in Your Life ~ If you Win, you Can Lead! ~~ If you Lose,
You Can Guide!

and many websites are claiming that the quote is by Swami Vivekananda.
Is it true that Vivekananda quoted it?


texts: Where can I find more details about this debate involving Bhaskararaya?

texts:
Bhaskararaya is probably the most well-known Acharya and authoritative figure from modern history about matters related to Shakti worship. My question is about a debate that happened between him and a host of other scholars at Kashi.
Quoting from the article "Bhaskararaya Makhin" hosted@ Kamakotimandali:

If any one deserves special mention in the field of Srividya after Sri
Adi Shankaracharya, it is undoubtedly Sri Bhaskaracharya. He descended
to earth in the first half of the eighteenth century. He is known to
have been such a great philosopher, scholar, commentator and an
Upasaka that the only phrase suitable to describe him would be: na bhUto na bhaviShyati'. Though he advocated Tantra, he was a devoted follower of the Shrauta path (the path ordained by the Vedas) and also was as much a Shaiva as a Shakta. Though a householder, his Vairagya and Jnana were greater than any accomplished Sanyasin. His works Saubhagya Bhaskara' and `Setubandha' serve as encyclopedias in the
field of mantra Shastra to this day. Though some of his views are not
quiet agreable to the ShAnkara Vedanta, his immense respect for
Acharya Bhagavatpada displays his final faith in Kevaladvaita.
Sri Bhaskararaya, who needs no introduction, introduces himself (in
his work `Saubhagyabhaskara') in the following way:
shriigambhiiravipashchitaH piturabhuudyaH konamaambodare
vidyaaShTaadashakasya marmabhidyaH shriinR^isimhaadguroH | yashcha
shriishivadattashuklacharaNaiH puurNaabhiShikto.abhavat sa tretaa
tripuraa trayiiti manute taameva naathatrayiim ||
To establish Shakta Vidya in its pristine purity, Bhaskaracharya
traveled through the length and breadth of the subcontinent and wrote
many fine books. Bhaskaracharya was born in the period between the
last part of the seventeenth century and the beginning of the
eighteenth century. In his own works, we find a mention of his birth
date. He is known to have completed his commentary on Sri Lalita
Sahasranama in 1728 (Ashwina Shukla Navami) and Setubandha in 1748
(Shivaratri). Though Sri Bhaskaracharya was proficient in all branches
of learning, he was essentially a Shakta. Under the leadership of
Narayana Bhatta (the grandfather of Kamalakara Bhatta, the author of
`Nirnayasindhu'), a large group of scholars assembled in Kashi to
defeat and humiliate Bhaskaracharya in a debate. In the debate the
ensued, Bhaskaracharya answered all questions of the scholars to their
complete satisfaction. A Sanyasin named Kumkumananda, who was present
there and who himself was great Upasaka of Sridevi, told the group of
scholars that they could never defeat Bhaskaracharya in a religious
debate because it was none but Sri Mahatripurasundari who was speaking
from his mouth.
Narayana Bhatta refused to accept this truth without a proper proof.
He questioned Bhaskaracharya regarding a name
`mahAchatuHShaShThikoTiyoginIgaNasevitA' from the Rahasya Sahasranama.
He challenged Bhaskaracharya to list the names of the sixty-four
crores of Yoginis mentioned in this name. Bhaskaracharya accepted this
challenge and began to list the names, seated behind a curtain. The
scholars began to write the names that were uttered by him, but soon
had to give up the impossible task of writing down sixty-four crore
names. Sri Kumkumananda swami suddenly removed the curtain and the
scholars were astonished to see Sridevi seated on the shoulders of
Bhaskaracharya. Though they were unable to have a complete vision of
the form of Sridevi, they were able to see the luminous form of Amba
on his shoulders. Accepting their defeat, they fell at the feet of
Bhaskaracharya.

My questions about this debate are who were all the scholars who were asking Bhaskararaya questions? What were all the questions and what were Bhaskararaya's responses to those questions? Do we have works/books where these information are recorded in detail?


texts: Why are Apsaras always sent to distract sages?

texts: Why are Apsaras frequently sent to distract a sage from his ascetic practices? This theme seems to appear over and over again in many Puranic stories. Is there any significance attached to this theme or is it just part of the stories?


texts:
Please tell me the source of this verse.I had heard that in a movie song. It seemed like a sloka
"Satkarmabhischa satphalitham
Dushkarma yepa dushphalam
Achyutkata punya paapanaam
Satyam paraani bhapamiham"


texts: In Gaudiya Vaishnavism, the distinction is made between Kāraṇodakaśāyī Viṣnu (Mahaviṣnu), Garbhodakaśāyī Viṣṇu and Kṣīrodakaśāyī Viṣnu on a cosmological level as the Paramātmā for the metacosm, the Paramātmā for an individual brahmāṇḍa (universe) and the Paramātmā who is immanent within all living beings, respectively. Furthermore it is believed that the aforementioned forms are expensions of the Chatur-vyūha - the fourfold manifestation of Bhagavan in Vaikuntha, being expensions Saṅkarṣaṇa, Pradyumna and Aniruddha, in that order. Is this understanding in line with Sri Vaishnava theology?


texts: Did Lord Shiva write a stotram of Shri Krishna while coming to meet him at Gokula?

texts: Is there any Stotram of Shri Krishna which Mahadev wrote and sing for the beauty of Baby Shri Krishna (BalKrishna) while coming to meet him in Gokula.


texts:
I read an article on the french version of Wikipedia where it was said that Ahimsâ was personified as a goddess with Ahimsâ dévî, wife of the Dharma god.

I understand what Ahimsâ is but I have trouble understanding the relation between Ahimsâ and Dharma because for me they are concepts.

Can someone explain me who is exactly Ahimsâ dévî and if there is traditional representation of her for exemple?

The french wikipedia link (part Personnification):

  Dans la mythologie hindoue, ahiṃsā est personnifiée par Ahimsâ dévî, la déesse de la non-violence : elle est l'épouse du dieu Dharma (devoir universel), et est donc sa Shakti ; elle est la mère du dieu Vishnou.

English translation :

  In Hindu mythology, is personified by Ahimsa Ahimsa Devi, the goddess of non-violence: it is the wife of the god Dharma (universal duty), and so is his Shakti; she is the mother of the god Vishnu.


texts: Do Hindus believe in Adam and Eve? If not, who is the first person (man or woman) in this world?

texts:
Does any Hindu scripture mention anything about Adam and Eve?

According to Hinduism, who is the first person (man or woman) in this world?


texts: How are the Jyothirlingas formed in 12 places of India?

texts:
What is the reason why these Jyothirlingas have formed on the earth?
What is the story behind these 12 Jyothirlingas?
How many of these are Svayambhu Jyothirlingas?


texts: What significance (if any) does 21st June have for Yoga?

texts: The International yoga day is celebrated on the 21st of June which is the longest day in the year. I was wondering if this day, being the summer solstice, had any special significance related to Yoga?


texts: Three-leaved Aswatha Tree in Hindu iconography

texts:
The three-leaved pipal tree , or Aswatha, seems to appear on one of the Pashupati Seal discovered in Mohenja-Daro.
Are there any recent, or related representation of this tree/leaves in any Hindu iconography over the head of the divinity like in this (possible, but is not very clear) seal?


texts:
This is my common observation. In all the temples one finds a notice

  Photography inside temple is not allowed.

In other words, photography of the temple or deity is prohibited. I fail  to understand its reason.


texts: What are the methods of confession in Hinduism?

texts: How can I confess if I did something wrong or against God in Hinduism? What confession methods are there in Hinduism?


texts: Who wrote Rajyabhishek (coronation) song in Mahabharat?

texts:
I am currently watching Mahabharat on Hotstar online streaming service and I am very much loving it. I have heard this coronation song first during Bhishm’s coronation, then during Pandu’s coronation and also during Yudhishthir’s in later episodes. I searched on google on who wrote this but couldn’t find it.
Link: The Mahabharata serial coronation song


texts: Do agni's immortality contradicts gita 2:27?

texts:
RV 3.26.7

अग्निरस्मि जन्मना जातवेदाः घृतं मे चक्षुरमृतं म आसन् ।
अर्कस्त्रिधातू रजसो विमानो अजस्रो घर्मो हविरस्मि नाम ॥
“I am Agni, omniscient by birth, Light is my eye and Immortality is my mouth. I am the three-fold Light that measures the universe. I am both immortal energy and matter.” SOURCE

In this verse Agni is saying that he is Omniscience by birth. And also he is saying that he is immortal.
But this contradicts Gita 2:27 :

BG 2.27: Death is certain for one who has been born, and rebirth is inevitable for one who has died. Therefore, you should not lament over the inevitable.

It say the one who is born he/she will die.
MY QUESTION : In RV 3.26.7 Agni is saying he is immortal and Omniscience by birth but in the gita anyone who is born is certain to dies.Angi's immortality contradicts gita 2:27.
What is the solution to this apparent contradiction?


texts: What is the text called Mantra Upanishad chanted by Manu as per Bhagavata Purana?

texts:
In the 8th Canto (Skandha) of Bhagavata Purana, Shukadeva described stories of diffrent Manus to king Parikshita. In the story of 1st Svayambhu Manu, it is narrated that he practiced austere penance in forest. It is mentioned that when he was chanting Mantra Upanishad, Asuras become angry and decided to kill Manu and by knowing this, Vishnu taking the incarnation in the form of Yajna killed those Asuras.

SB 8.1.7: Svāyambhuva Manu, the husband of Śatarūpā, was by nature not at all attached to enjoyment of the senses. Thus he gave up his kingdom of sense enjoyment and entered the forest with his wife to practice austerities.
SB 8.1.17: Śukadeva Gosvāmī continued: Svāyambhuva Manu was thus in a trance, chanting the mantras of Vedic instruction known as the Upaniṣads. Upon seeing him, the Rākṣasas and asuras, being very hungry, wanted to devour him. Therefore they ran after him with great speed.
SB 8.1.18: The Supreme Lord, Viṣṇu, who sits in everyone’s heart, appearing as Yajñapati, observed that the Rākṣasas and demons were going to devour Svāyambhuva Manu. Thus the Lord, accompanied by His sons named the Yāmas and by all the other demigods, killed the demons and Rākṣasas. He then took the post of Indra and began to rule the heavenly kingdom.

Here is the original Sanskrit verse (8.1.17) that mention "Mantra Upanishad":

Śrī-śuka uvāca

Iti mantropaniṣadaṁ vyāharantaṁ samāhitam |
dṛṣṭvāsurā yātudhānā jagdhum abhyadravan kṣudhā ||

English translation by Motilal Banarasidas as follows:

Seeing him thus repeating Mantropanishad (the mystical prayer based on Upanishadic text) in meditation, Asuras and Rakshasas fell upon him to devour him out of hunger.

I want to know what is the text referred as "Mantra-Upanishad"? Does it refer to some Upanishad or the prayer chanted by Manu (verse 8.1.9 to 8.1.17) is simply referred as Mantropanishad?


texts: Sanskrit: Full shloka of "sā vidyā yā vimuktaye" (translation & English online reference & oral and written author location)

texts:
Translation & quest for an English online reference

In a post of a certain online discussion group called Advaita-L, Ramesh Krishnamurthy found a reference for the following Sanskrit words:

"sā vidyā yā vimuktaye" (which I found translated as "knowledge is one that liberates", as a quote of a certain non-linguistic natural science publication).

Is "knowledge is one that liberates" the most literal translation possible?

The reference mentioned above is a 1910 edition (Bombay: Venkatesvara Steam Press) of the text called विष्णु पुराण (Viṣṇu Purāṇa), which is ascribed to पराशर ऋषि (Parāśara).

The text can be found in a document in the online GRETIL-register of the university of Göttingen, as inputted by members of the SANSKNET-project.

Does one perhaps know of a better (more reliable and/or better lay-outed) reference/online edition available of the Sanskrit source text, containing this shloka? Perhaps at DSpace.wbpublibnet.gov.in or at the Digital Library of India (DLI)?

The full shloka is as follows:

tatkarma yan na bandhāya sā vidyā yā vimuktaye |
āyāsāyāparaṃ karma vidyānyā śilpanaipuṇam || ViP_1,19.41 ||

Might I ask for your help to translate these surrounding sentences as well, i.e. the full shloka?
How would one write the full shloka without the transliteration, i.e. in the original Sanskrit alphabet?

I hoped to find the translation e.g. in the Viṣṇu Purāṇa at sacred-texts.com, archive.org, DSpace.wbpublibnet.gov.in or at Digital Library of India (DLI).

Can a free English translation of the Viṣṇu Purāṇa, containing this shloka, be found online? Or perhaps, with a lot of luck: does a bilingual edition exists?

Location of the authorship

A final question is about the authorship of the Viṣṇu Purāṇa / Vishnu Purana, which Wikipedia ascribes to पराशर ऋषि (Parāśara / Parashara) as a first narrator. Is it known where the stories were first narrated by him / where this first was written? Would India in general be correct and is a more specific geographic location known?


texts: Why Ganga River is also called "Bhagirathi"?

texts: I don't know that why River Ganga is also called "Bhagirathi River"?


texts:
What is the significance of flowers in Hinduism?

Why are temple decorated with flowers and why are Gods pleased with flowers?


texts: When Shiva & Parvati had met for first time and what was the situation?

texts: According to Shiva purana, I have found that parvati with her father had went to meet Shiva. It was happened before the kaam dahana. Then how they met with each other and what was the situation. Please describe briefly about it.


texts: How did the rishis know what the gods looked like?

texts: In Hindu texts (such as Mahabharata) god is depicted with features more or less similar to Homo sapiens. So how did the rishis/munis who wrote Vedas/Purans after listening to Ākāśavāni predicted how a particular god would look?


texts:
I have not 'read' the Mahabharata yet, but the Hindi poem Rashmirathi by Ramdhari Singh Dinkar narrates how Shri Krishna tried to convince Karna to get on the side of the Pandavas. Yet, Karna chose to fight alongside Duryodhana.

Why did Karna choose not to fight on the side of the Dharma?


texts: When Chaitra Navratri mahurat 2017 is starting - 28th or 29th

texts:
Chaitra Shukla Pratipada has began onTuesday, March 28 at 8.26 am. Chaitra Amavasya is ended on 8.27 am in the morning of March 28 this year and Chaitra Shukla Pratipra has started  from 8.28 minutes and the sunrise standard will end on March 29 at 6.44 minutes. Many Pandit ji has different opinion about it and some are saying that as Chaitra Shukla Pratipra has started  from 8.28 minutes, so Chaitra Navratri mahurat is from 8.28 minutes on 28th march and it is until 29th march morning.

Our pundit ji said that it has started on 28th from 8.28 minutes.

according to different websites, there are different opinions given such as Wikipedia has mentioned that it is starting on 29th march.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_New_Year%27s_days

Anyone has any other opinion on it?


texts: True mental potential of an enlightened human

texts:
I have read many articles stating that the human soul, when enlightened has many possibilities.

What are the various realistic mental abilities, an enlightened individual has?

Is there any mention about all the type of siddhis a normal human can attain through enlightenment?


texts: Who is the first person to quote verses from Uttara Khanda of Padma Purana targeting Shankara and his philosophy?

texts: Uttara khanda, chapter 236 of Padma Purana classifies Puranas into three categories and attacks Shankara's Advaita by saying Shiva incarnated as Shankara to preach a doctrine that resembles Vedas but actually it is apparent. Many philosophers who preached other Vedanta philosophies accused Shankara and his philosophy as crypto-Buddhist and Crypto-Buddhism respectively. My question here is, who is the first ever person quoted verses from Padma Purana 6.236 while accusing him?


texts: What happens to the spiritual progress achieved in this life after death?

texts:
Bhagavad Gita states that:

  On this path, effort never goes to waste, and there is no failure. Even a little effort towards spiritual awareness will protect you from the greatest fear. - Bhagavad Gita (2:40)

My question is: If I get a human birth again will I be attracted to same beliefs which I have in this life? (For example Advaitic)


texts:
Is there any text mentioning about the size of soul in Hinduism?

If there, then what is the size/volume of soul according to it?

Is it a physical thing and has same size for all organisms?

What I mean is physical dimensional explanation of soul.


texts: Importance and Worshiping of Tulasi-devi in every resident

texts:
I read an article of Srimati Tulasi-devi (Reference) and its importance also. Amazing and awesome.
I want to know

1. there is any other historical incidents about the Tulasi Madam in Hinduism and puranas.
2. And how Tulasi related to only in Lord Vishnu (Perumal) temples giving as theertam (holy water)

Could you please anyone can explain in brief with source articles.


texts: does any scripture say worship must be in Sanskrit?

texts:
The most prominent non-Sanskrit scripture is the Tamil Divya prabandham of Southern Vaishnavites.  Non-brahmin Tamils don't have a great love of Sanskrit and one can increasingly see them conduct Puja and even yagnas in Tamil.  I have seen Hindu worship conducted in English also.

Have scriptures said anything about this?


texts: I would like to know that who was the father of Kishkindha King Vali & how did he get the boon the while fighting, his enemy's half of the power will go to Vali ?


texts: Which purana(s) mention story of GarudaAlwar carrying Tiruman mountain from Vaikuntha

texts:
Tiruman literally means 'Sacred/holy' (Tiru)+ (man)'Sand/Rock/Clay', is used by Sri Vaishnavas for applying Urdhwapundra on body.

I've heard a story about Garudalwar aka Garuda Swamy bringing Tiruman hills from Vaikuntha and establishing them in Melkote. Which purana/Itihasa etc discuss this story, add the full story in your answer.


texts: Why is Sadari placed on the palms of Vishwa Brahmins?

texts:
Sadari in temple is placed on the head for the people and my question is why the sadari is placed only on the palms for Vishwa brahmins?

So please give me a clarification about both the differences.


texts: Who was the Brahmin's wife in Atharva Veda hymn that was abducted and restored?

texts:
The Atharva Veda Book 5 Hymn 17 is curiously titled - The abduction and restoration of a Brāhman's wife. I am sharing a few verses of the same here:

  These first, the boundless Sea, and Mātarisvan, fierce glowing
    Fire, the Strong, the Bliss-bestower,

  And heavenly Floods, first-born by holy Order, exclaimed
     against the outrage on a Brāhman.

  King Soma first of all, without reluctance, made restitution of
     the Brāhman's consort.

  Mitra and Varuna were the inviters: Agni as Hotar took her hand and led her.

  The man, her pledge, must by the hand be taken when he hath
     cried, She is a Brāhman's consort.

The further verses also paint a vivid picture with some princes and various gods restoring the lady but don't name any specific person. SO my question is - Is this verse related to a specific incident or is it a general injunction against appropriating a Brahmin's wives?


texts: Can anyone recommend a great Rig Veda with transliteration?

texts:
Spiritual classics seem to be translated either by scholars or practicing ascetics.

Can anyone recommend a great Rig Veda translated by someone with rich spiritual insight (as opposed to dry scholarly insight), and with a transliteration of the Sanskrit?


texts: Why does everyone on the internet say scriptural reference is the final source?

texts:
I have seen few Q&A's on stack exchange and many other platforms. There, people after discussing on a specific topic, at last, ask for scriptural references for proving what they're saying as correct.
For eg.
If someone has asked whether there is rebirth or not?
The other one says

As per XXX, Lord XXX said there will be rebirth only if you there are remaining paap or puny phala to be suffered or to be experienced.

Don't take this example as a valid one because I am a new learner and wrote this eg as far as I learnt.

So, like this, so many people ask for scriptures as evidence.
Aren’t there any other evidences other than them?
(My confusion is they might have changed the meaning of shloka in their own favour in order to prove themselves correct)
(No offense against scriptures, Vedas etc, just a question from my head..)


texts: Why does Brahman not grant moksha to all according to uttara-mimamsa?

texts:
This question is asked purely in regard to Uttara-mimamsa school, please do not mark this question again as a duplicate of this question, which this is not. Firstly it is not referring only to Krishna, but to generalized Brahman and this is not asking in the purview of Bhakti interpretations, it is asking uttara mimamsa interpretation of Brahma Sutras, Upanishads and Bhagavath Gita (Prasthana traya).

You can answer from any Uttara Mimamsa school, Advaitha, Vishishtadvaitha or Dvaitha.

This is actually Hindu version of problem of evil by Epicurus.

Please give the source if you are quoting some scripture

P.S: If you are thinking why do I oppose the sameness of the other question. It is not opposed, but is a subset of the possibilities. It is one of the possible interpretations. If there is already a question asking what are the advantages of wearing blue shirt. And if I ask what are the advantages of wearing clothes, it should not be treated as a duplicate. Last time when I asked this question people thought the same way and marked my question as a duplicate. This is not in opposition to any school.


texts: I am looking for lalita hridaya with English meaning. What is the importance of hridaya strotra.


texts: Are Sri RamaKrishna's statements about attaining Brahman through Bhakti inline with Adi Shankara?

texts: According to Shankaracharya, knowledge of Brahman can only be had through Jnana Yoga but recent Mahatmas like Ramakrishna Paramahamsa say that it can also be gotten through Bhakti Yoga. Why doesn't Adi Shankaracharya agree with that? I'm trying to understand why this is.


texts: Reference Books for Hindu/Indian Mythology, Culture & Philosophy?

texts:
What concise classical references do we have in English of Hindu/Indian mythology, religion and philosophy subjects especially from the colonial period by non-Indian indologists? An objective narrative from a non-indian viewpoint may be interesting in this changing world. The following is one such but is not really sufficient on Indian philosophy.

 Dictionary of Hindu Mythology and Religion


texts:
Please someone provide detail on Smriti, Kalpana and its working.. from Hinduism side of view..
For Example: I recently came to know about Vak, and its working.. on answer written HERE
Im looking for details of Smriti - Memory, Jnana - Knowledge, Buddhi - Intellect, Kalpana - Imagination, Pratibha - Intelligence...
Please Please also give advice/practical tips for improving Smriti, Kalpana, Vak
Reference Questions ONE TWO THREE FOUR


texts: Daily rituals to be performed by a Sudra according to Hindu dharma

texts:
Several daily rituals/practices have been suggested/directed to be followed by Brahman (Brahmins) by holy scriptures in Hinduism.
Likewise, what daily rituals have been suggested especially to Sudras to perform on a daily basis. Please name the authoritative scripture on the subject.


texts: Who are kaala-veditha? Is this is a class of humans or higher beings or is there a definite source for such information?


texts: What's the significance of worshiping Shiva in the month of Shravan?

texts:
We all know about worshipping Shiva in the month of Shravana (श्रावण), especially on every Monday of that month i.e Shravana Somavara.
What's the significance of worshipping Shiva in Shravana? In other words, How is the Shravana month significant or special for Shiva?
Is it described or mentioned in any scripture like Purana?


texts: Why is Mandukya Upanishad considerd to be the most important among all Upanishads?

texts:
Upanishads are the most significant scriptures in the philosophy of Sanatana Dharma. They constitute the essence of Vedas and also known as Vedanta. We know that there are many Upanishads but 108 are recognized in Muktika Upanishad. Among them, 11 Upanishads are considered the Mukhya (principal) Upanishads on which Adi Shankaracharya has written Bhashya (commentary).

Now, among Mukhya Upanishads, I found that Mandukya Upanishad is considered to be most important. According to Muktika Upanishad:

  इयं कैवल्यमुक्तिस्तु केनोपायेन सिद्ध्यति ।
  माण्डूक्यमेकमेवालं मुमुक्षूणां विमुक्तये ॥ २६॥

  I-i-26-29. But by what means is the Kaivalya kind of Moksha got? The Mandukya is enough.

Gaudapadacharya, the grandguru of Adi Shankaracharya has written a work on this Mandukya Upanishad, called Gaudapada Karika or Mandukya Karika which is the most important and ancient philosophical work in Advaita Vedanta, establishing the doctrine of Ajatavada.

As Muktika upanishad says Mandukya is enough for kaivalya, I want to know what makes Mandukya Upanishad so important or why it is considered most important among Upanishads? Acharya's work explaining this would be useful.


texts:
None of the persons I have read about from the Vedic scriptures have surnames. Instead they have patronymics and matronymics e.g. "bhārata", "pārtha", "vēyāsakī", "raghunandana", "jāhnavī" etc. One Indian friend of mine said that his surname "Chander" was created by manipulating the proper name, but he is not living in India.

Most western countries have the custom of inherited surnames. But how is it in India? Do Indian passports even have a field for the surname? If yes, what is the surname originally derived from?


texts: Where can I get complete information about Yugal Maha mantra?

texts: I need complete information including correct spelling of Yugal maha mantra with reference. Also, does the mantra starts with Radhe or Radha?


texts: ISR says birthdate of Lord Rama is 10th January 5114 BC. What about Kalki avatar?

texts:
As per ISR scientific study and research, Lord Rama's birth date is calculated as 10th january 5114 BCE. They used a software named Planetorium, simulated arrangement of planets as per Valmiki Ramayana and determined that the same arrangement of planets existed in 5114 BCE.

Note the position of stars at the time of Rama's birth that Valmiki states in Ramayana Bala Kanda, Sarga 18, Shlokas 8-11:

  ततो यज्ञे समाप्ते तु ऋतूनाम् षट् समत्ययुः |
  ततः च द्वादशे मासे चैत्रे नावमिके तिथौ || १-१८-८

  नक्क्षत्रे अदिति दैवत्ये स्व उच्छ संस्थेषु पंचसु |
  ग्रहेषु कर्कटे लग्ने वाक्पता इंदुना सह || १-१८-९

  प्रोद्यमाने जगन्नाथम् सर्व लोक नमस्कृतम् |
  कौसल्या अजनयत् रामम् सर्व लक्षण संयुतम् || १-१८-१०

  विष्णोः अर्धम् महाभागम् पुत्रम् ऐक्ष्वाकु नंदनम् |
  लोहिताक्षम् महाबाहुम् रक्त ओष्टम् दुंदुभि स्वनम् || १-१८-११

  On completion of the ritual, six seasons have passed by; then in the twelfth month, i.e., in chaitra mAsa, and on the ninth day of that chaitra month [April-May], when it is punarvasu nakshatra yukta navamI tithi, i.e., when the ruling star of that ninth day is punarvasu, for which Aditi is the presiding deity; and when five of the nine planets - sUrya, kuja, guru, shukra, shani are in ucCha sthAna-s, namely, when those planets are in ascension in their respective houses - meSha, makara, karkaTa, mIna, tula - rAshI-s; and when chandra yukta guru, karkaTa lagne - Jupiter in conjuction with Moon is ascendant in Cancer, and when day is advancing, Queen Kausalya gave birth to a son with all the divine attributes like lotus-red eyes, lengthy arms, roseate lips, voice like drumbeat, and who took birth to delight the Ikshwaku dynasty and adored by all the worlds, and who is the greatly blessed epitome of Vishnu, namely Rama. [1-18-8, 9, 10, 11]

To summarize, the conditions were:

9th day after New Moon in Chaitra Lunar Month
Moon was in Punarvasu Nakshatra (20 deg Gemini to 3.20 deg Cancer)
Sun in Aries (Su "exaltation" sign is Aries)
Mars in Capricorn (Ma "exaltation" sign is Capricorn)
Saturn in Libra (Sa "exaltation" sign is Libra)
Jupiter in Cancer (Ju "exaltation" sign is Cancer)
Venus in Pisces (Ve "exaltation" sign is Pisces)
As soon as Moon moved closer to Jupiter and Cancer rose on the Horizon (East Direction / Lagna / First House in Vedic Astrology), Shri Rama was born

Also they validated all the incidents like Bharata's date of birth, Hanuman visiting Lanka to find Seeta that time Lunar Eclipse took place. All of these dates were validated and their research concluded that Rama existed in 5114 BC.

Following is the image of planets in Planetorium software when Rama took birth.

Also they found the date of Mahabharata to be some 3000 BC.

Questions:

Current year is 2015. So 7000 years before now, Lord Rama existed and you can see the difference between Lord Rama (Treta-yuga) and Mahabharata (Dwapara-yuga) is only 2000 years scientifically. Then why Kaliyuga is lasting from 5000 years? Is this true as per Hinduism?

Also, are locations or arrangments of planets mentioned for Kalki avatar's birth or pralaya in any other purana?

If it is there, can we simulate in planetorium software and find out when Kalki will be born?

References:

Quora.com: When & Where was Lord Rama born and what evidence is there to substantiate this?
sarojbala.blogspot.in: Scientific Dating of Ramayana
sarojbala.blogspot.in: Slides on Astronomical dating of events in Ramayana