Q&A

Question What is difference between Shruti and Smriti? Answer Shruti(श्रुति) means that which has been heard or communicated from the beginning. Veda(वेद) are Shruti scripture. It is said/believed that Rishi in the state of Tapasya heard Vedas directly from Parabrahma/Parameshwara, In other words Rishi attained this jnana in state of samadhi which is called Shruti. So, Vedas are called अपौरुषेय that means it is not created by man i.e impersonal/authorless and believed to be the words of Ishwara, eternal....

Question How strong lord krishna and Arjuna’s friendship was? Answer Krishna & Arjuna are believed to be the pair of Nara & Narayana. It's briefly discussed in this question. Their friendship stands immovable on the test of time. Needless to say that Arjuna always regarded Krishna in the highest regards. IMO the reason he got to hear the Gita was, he surrendered himself to Krishna (without knowing his Vishwaroopam yet)...

Question Was Arjuna left-handed? Answer Arjuna was ambidextrous. Hence his name/title "Savyasachi". He was able to use both hands with equal facility. From Virata Parva And since both of my hands are capable of drawing the Gandiva, I am known as Savyasachin among gods and men. Use of the dominant hand will always matter in any physical or mechanical operation. In warfare, I would imagine ambidexterity gives the warrior a wider range of motion and hence target....

Question Why did Lord Rama ask mother Sita for Agni Pariksha? Answer In this chapter of the Yuddha Kanda of the Ramayana, Rama explains why he made Sita walk through fire, despite having complete trust in her: Seetha certainly deserves this pure factory ordeal in the eyes of the people in as much as this blessed woman had resided for a long time indeed in the gynaecium of Ravana. The world would chatter against me, saying that Rama, the son of Dasaratha, was really foolish and that his mind was dominated by lust, if I accept Seetha without examining her with regard to her chastity....

Question Who is kaal? What is kaal? Answer In a philosophical sense, KAla ("kaal") is inclusive of but not limited to Time. When there is something or nothing in the universe, the KAla is always present. It's eternal God. Other things change with respect to it. Hence, because it gives the value of change (duration), it has to remain unchanged! There are below references of the term KAla ("kaal") in Bhagavad Gita:...

Question Does Ramanujacharya believe that inhabitants of Brahmaloka attain Moksha when they die? Answer Ramanujacharya is not stating his own view. Rather, he is stating a Purvapaksha argument which Badari refutes in the next Sutra (Sutra 9). Here is how this PDF presents Ramanujacharya's commentary on Sutra 9. With the dissolution of the of the world of HiraNyagarbha along with him the soul of the one who has reached there goes beyond ....

Question Clarification regarding adultery, extra-marital relations Answer Mutual consent does not make the actions allowable or moral. Thieves may mutually agree on robbing someone and not each other, but it does not make their actions either moral or allowable. Such actions as you describe are condemned by all the scriptures. Swami Nikhilananda in his writings on Hindu ethics says: Besides the objective duties based on the castes and stages of life, there are laid down the common duties of men, the sadharanadharma, which are the foundation of the moral life....

Question I am confused between two shlokas of the Bhagvad Geeta, Bg 9.23 & Bg 9.25 Answer Verse 9.23 Krishna says that he who worships other gods worships him (i.e. Krishna), now why does He say so? because he (Mahavishnu) is the supreme godhead and all the other gods are his ansh(part) or have been originated or created by him. So if they worship him by making him look like any different god it is okay they will be blessed because they are ultimately worshipping Krishna the supreme being....

Question How do I control and slay indriyas (senses)? Answer A complete description of senses and how to control them have been written by the great Seer Sri Swami Sivnananda. 'Control of the Indriyas by Sri Swami Sivananda'. Senses Senses are not different from Mind in 'Control of the Indriyas by Sri Swami Sivananda'. Sri Swami Sivananda says about the senses: Indriyas are objectified desires. Will to see is the eye....

Question If karma works, why are so many evil or corrupted people successful? Answer This is not difficult to explain from the Karma and rebirth doctrine of Hinduism. When you say a person is corrupt, you are only seeing the conducts and acts of the person in the current life. This in the scriptures is known as the Vartamana Karma. But, there are Sanchita Karmas (accumulated over previous births) as well as Prarabdha (which are commenced or ready to bear fruits)....

Question Is Life after Moksha possible? Answer No. It's not possible. After Moksha, a soul has become God by merging into the singularity of God. What God does, that soul does or what that soul does, the God does. Both are same. The question rather should be, Is it required to have a life after Moksha? A soul with no desire left and who has conquered its Rajo-Guna (the mode of passion) will not have anything to do with the material world....

Question Is it true that thieves kidnapped some of Krishna’s wives? Answer Yes. They were kidnapped as they saw Samba, who was born with Amsa of Lord Shiva, with lust. Samba was their son and due to this heinous act, they were cursed by Lord Krishna. This is explained in detail in Chapter 70 of Matsya Purana. Siva said— There will be 16,000 wives of Krspa in the Yuga mentioned above....

Question What do the Vedas say about animal sacrifice? Answer Animal sacrifice, when performed properly according to Vedas, is an exception to the general rule about not harming living beings. Here is what Adi Shankaracharya says in his commentary on the Brahma Sutras: We proceed to refute the remark made by the pûrvapakshin that sacrificial works are unholy because involving harm done to animals ... Now from scripture we derive the certain knowledge that the gyotishtoma-sacrifice, which involves harm done to animals (i....

Question Krishna said in Bhagawad Gita that He is Rama among the weapon wielders. Whom was He referring to Rama (or) Parasurama? Answer Adi Sankaracharya in his Bhagavad Gita Bhashyam says रामः शस्त्रभृताम् अहं शस्त्राणां धारयितृृणां दाशरथी रामः अहम् । rāmaḥ śastrabhṛtām ahaṃ śastrāṇāṃ dhārayitṛṛṇāṃ dāśarathī rāmaḥ aham । Swami Dayananda Saraswati explains the Sankara's commentary to this sloka as Among those who wield weapons, I am Rama who is an avatara of Visnu himself....

Question Does Anushasan Parva, chapter 88 of the Mahabharata, allow cow sacrifice? Answer Yes, Bhishma does say that in chapter 88 of the Anushasana Parva of the Mahabharata: Listen to me, O Yudhishthira, what those Havis are which persons conversant with the ritual of the Sraddha regard as suitable in view of the Sraddha and what the fruits are that attach to each. With sesame seeds and rice and barley and Masha and water and roots and fruits, if given at Sraddhas, the Pitris, O king, remain gratified for the period of a month....