Q&A

Question Does god know our thoughts? and is it a sin to have lustful thoughts? Answer Yes God knows as he is antaryami or one who resides inside us. The Vedas say that the Brahman or God has entered our body and has established himself in the mind. Shariram brahma prAvishat. ........... Brahman (or God) has entered our body. AV 11.8.30 ................. Eko ha devo manasi pravishtah. ............. The sole God (or the one God) has established himself in the mind....

Question What does Hindu scripture say about World Turtle/World Elephant theory? Answer Here are scriptural sources that describe different kinds of animals supporting the Earth: World Elephants: In the Bala Kanda of the Ramayana, Indra steals the horse of Ashwamedha Yagna of Rama's ancestor Sagara, and so Sagara tells his sons to dig the Earth to find the horse, as described in this chapter of the Bala Kanda of the Ramayana:...

Question Who is the greatest personality for an individual? Answer Mother, Father, Teacher and Guest all should be given same respect. Because they play important role at different stages of our life. Taittiriya Upanishad, Chapter 11 convey the same. मातृदेवो भव । पितृदेवो भव । आचार्यदेवो भव । अतिथिदेवो भव ॥ ४ ॥ Treat thy mother as a God; as a God treat thou thy father; as a God shalt thou treat thy teacher; thy guests as Gods shalt thou treat....

Question Regarding some questions on Mahavatar Babaji Answer Birthdate of Mahavatar Babaji is not known, he is the immortal Siddha who is living since many centuries.                                                 Babaji's disciples call him by the name of Sri Guru Babaji, the term "Mahavatar" was coined by Paramahansa Yogananda and due to his autobiography, the name "Mahavatar Babaji" got popular instead of "Sri Guru Babaji". It is well known that Lahiri Mahasaya's guru was Mahavatar Babaji who revived the lost technique of Kriya Yoga which Sri Krishna mentioned in the Bhagavad Gita 5000 years ago:...

Question Is Sachi(Indrani), Radha, the consort of Krishna? Answer The story seems to be from the Panduranga Mahatmya of the Padma Purana, which tells the story of the Krishna deity of the Panduranga Vitthoba temple. Here's how page 22 of this book summarizes the Panduranga Mahatmya's account: It begins in Vaikunta. The time of action was a pleasant dusk. Sri Mahavishnu was seen absorbed then in the colourful spectacle of the west, bathed in the mellowed light of the setting Sun, caressed by cool fragrant breeze, coming over His Nandanodyan, when Sachidevi, wife of Devendra stood before him....

Question What is the alternate way to eliminate our Bad Karmas equal in doing Penance? Answer Manu Smriti 11.227. By confession, by repentance, by austerity, and by reciting (the Veda) a sinner is freed from guilt, and in case no other course is possible, by liberality. So, if you are not willing to do penance or austerity then charity is the best way along with confessions and repentance. All these remove bad karmas or sins as per the above verse....

Question is there any mention of gem stones in puranas? Answer Yes , Gemstones very amply are discussed in Hinduism scriptures. Especially the Puranas we find very detail description of the gemstones. For example Garuda Purana Achar Kanda , chapter 68 ( Agastya Samhita ) Description of te origin of the gems in the treaties of Ratna Pariksha (test of gems ) by Holy Agastya - mentions some of the valuable gemstones , states How to Test genuineness of gems , the rules to wear them etc....

Question Does Hindu morality come from scripture or is it the other way round? Answer There is no consensus on this issue. Some think morality is based on scripture and others disagree. Bhishma said, 'Some say that righteousness consists in what has been upheld in the Srutis. Others do not agree to this. I would not censure them that say so. Everything, again, has not been laid down in the Srutis....

Question What is Lord Hanuman’s weapon of choice from scriptures? Answer As we all know, Hanuman belongs to a class of being called Vānara. As described in this chapter of Balakanda, they are the attackers using trees and rocks. Their favorite weapons are nails and claws. शिला प्रहरणाः सर्वे सर्वे पर्वत योधिनः || १-१७-२५ नख दन्ष्ट्र आयुधाः सर्वे सर्वे सर्व अस्त्र कोविदाः | All of them are the assaulters with stones, and all are the attackers with trees, and all have their nails and claws as their weapons, yet all are experts in missiles....

Question Did Lord Vishnu have 3 wives? Answer YES Narayana Has Three Wives: Lakshmi, Saraswati, Ganga लक्ष्मीः सरस्वती गङ्‌गा तिस्रो भार्या हरेरपि । प्रेम्णा समास्तास्तिष्ठन्ति सततं हरिसन्निधौ ॥ १७ ॥ Narayana says: O Naarada! Lakshmi, Saraswati and Ganga, these are Three Wives of Hari Vishnu, who always abide closest to Vishnu with love and harmony. Devi Bhagwatam, Ninth Book, Chapter 6, verse 17. Note: “The question: Did Lord Vishnu have 3 wives?...

Question Kshatriyas and alcohol consumption Answer Kshatriyas and Vaishyas are allowed to drink certain forms of alcohol. Kumarila Bhatta discusses this in this excerpt from his Tantra Vartika, one of his commentaries on Jaimini's Purva Mimamsa Sutras. The context is that Kumarila Bhatta is discussing the fact that the practices of good men knowledgable about the Vedas are a Pramana or means of knowledge concerning morality, since such men naturally make sure that their actions are in accordance with the Vedas....

Question If a Brahmin doesn’t perform duties as per his varna, is he still called as brahmin? Answer No. He will be considered degraded then. He will be a Brahmin just for the namesake. From Manu Smriti: 2.103. But he who does not (worship) standing in the morning, nor sitting in the evening, shall be excluded, just like a Sudra, from all the duties and rights of an Aryan. From VYasa Smriti , chapter 4:...

Question What is meant by “the world of the Manes”? Answer अथ त्रयो वाव लोकाः—मनुष्यलोकः पितृलोको देवलोक इति; सोऽयं मनुष्यलोकः पुत्रेणैव जय्यः, नान्येन कर्मणा; कर्मणा पितृलोकाः, विद्यया देवलोकः; देवलोको वै लोकानां श्रेष्ठः, तस्माद्विद्यां प्रशंसन्ति। ॥ १६ ॥ atha trayo vāva lokāḥ—manuṣyalokaḥ pitṛloko devaloka iti; so'yaṃ manuṣyalokaḥ putreṇaiva jayyaḥ, nānyena karmaṇā; karmaṇā pitṛlokāḥ, vidyayā devalokaḥ; devaloko vai lokānāṃ śreṣṭhaḥ, tasmādvidyāṃ praśaṃsanti || 16 || There are indeed three worlds, the world of men, the world of the Manes and the world of the gods....

Question Does the Devi Bhagavatam say that Lakshmi and Saraswati are daughters of Parvati? Answer There is nothing bizarre or surprising in it. Even the Brahmanda Purana says that Mother Lalita recreates the entire universe and recreates every deities including Lakshmi and Saraswati. H. At the end of this great fire sacrifice, all of you (the performers of the Yaga) should jump in to the Homa Kunda (fire pit). While doing so, you must possess absolute devotion....

Question Does Geeta have gender and caste discrimination verses? Answer In chapter 10, verse 34 Lord Krishna says: मृत्यु: सर्वहरश्चाहमुद्भवश्च भविष्यताम् | कीर्ति: श्रीर्वाक्च नारीणां स्मृतिर्मेधा धृति: क्षमा || Meaning: I am the all-devouring Death, and I am the origin of those things that are yet to be. Amongst feminine qualities I am fame, prosperity, fine speech, memory, intelligence, courage, and forgiveness. These are the best qualities of women and Krishna is saying that these qualities are Krishna Himself....