Q&A

Question Is it true that Lord Shiva’s description is different in Vedas? Answer ।। Shiva in Vedas ।। vs ।। Shiva in Puranas।। First of all I would like to suggest to read this post: What names of Lord Shiva used today are from Vedas? It's because citing the same thing here would make answer extremely long. In it you can already see attributes like Nilagriva (blue necked one), Tryambakam (Three eyed one), Kapardin (Who has matted hair), etc....

Question What is the meaning of Gayatri Mantra? Answer The English translation of Rigveda 3.62.10 is as follows: तत्सवितुर्वरेण्यं भर्गो देवस्य धीमहि। धियो यो नः प्रचोदयात्॥ ३.०६२.१० May we attain that excellent glory of Savitar the God: So May he stimulate our prayers. Knowing the literal meaning only would not help in understanding the Gayatri Mantra. So, some explanation for it would be useful. Actually the translation or commentary given by Acharyas would be the best source to understand....

Question How can one increase bhakti? Answer Yes, scriptures provide 9 steps of Bhakti known as Navdha Bhakti. In the Ramacharitmanas 3.35 - 3.36, Lord Shri Rama explains Navdha Bhakti to Shabri: प्रथम भगति संतन्ह कर संगा। The first step to devotion (Bhakti) is to keep company of the saints (Satsang). दुसरि रति मम कथा प्रसंगा॥ The second step is to enjoy listening to legends/discourses pertaining to the Lord गुरु पद पंकज सेवा तीसरि भगति अमान। Selfless service to the Guru's lotus feet without any pride is the third step....

Question What is the meaning of Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare …? Answer This mantra is known as Hare Krishna Mantra. According to Gaudiya Vaishnavas, this mantra is: Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna Hare Hare Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama Hare Hare and according to Kali-Santarana Upanishad: Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama Hare Hare Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna Hare Hare. However there are three different interpretations for it....

Question Why “Rama” Nama is called Taraka mantra? Answer By Taraka Mantra we basically mean the Pranavam, the first sound or OM, also called the Nada Brahman. So, Taraka: Deliverer. Taraka Mantra: From the root word tara–that which crosses. The Taraka Mantra is that which enables its invokers to cross over the ocean of samsara and attain liberation. Taraka Nama: The Delivering Name; Om From Sannyasa Upanishad: That which is Om is the indestructible, the supreme and Brahman....

Question Why did god make few people look beautiful and others ugly? Answer Well as they say "beauty lies in the eyes of beholder", how you look at a particular human being is how you generally feel about living beings. There maybe certain factors that make your appearance the way it is and one of them certainly would be your past karmas, but there is another aspect of the same thing, it is said that a soul itself selects a body, circumstances/living conditions it wants to enter in order to experience something specific, gain from it and move ahead to the next level....

Question What is the definition of Veda? Answer The word 'Veda' means "knowledge" which is derived from the root 'Vid' which means "to know". For example, Ayurveda: knowledge (Veda) of longevity More definitions of Veda can be found in Rigvedaadi Bhasya Bhumika by Swami Dayananda Saraswati. You may read it on page 30 from here (Note: pdf might get downloaded on a few devices) Note: “The question: What is the definition of Veda?...

Question What happiness/joy God gets, when we humans pray him? Answer Well, certainly is that the Lord becomes satisfied and feels some joy when his devotee is doing something with devotion and affection (bhakti) for the Lord. Lord Krishna says in the Bhagavad gita 7.17: teṣāṁ jñānī nitya-yukta eka-bhaktir viśiṣyate priyo hi jñānino ’tyartham ahaṁ sa ca mama priyaḥ Of these, the one who is in full knowledge and who is always engaged in pure devotional service (bhakti) is the best....

Question How the original name of “Jai Samhita” changed to “Mahabharat”? Answer The first chapter of the Adi Parva of the Mahabharata describes how the Mahabharata got its name: In former days, having placed the four Vedas on one side and the Bharata on the other, these were weighed in the balance by the celestials assembled for that purpose. And as the latter weighed heavier than the four Vedas with their mysteries, from that period it hath been called in the world Mahabharata (the great Bharata)....

Question What should one choose according to scriptures between thoughtless mind and mind filled with the thoughts of God? Answer A mind becomes thoughtless during SamAdhi in the true sense. Because at that time everything is merged into one. So, what is there then to fix your mind upon? So, then, how can scriptures straightaway recommend in having a thoughtless mind? When it has to come at the very last stage of SAdhana?...

Question Are there any temples exclusively for women? Answer There are certainly a lot of women-only temples. Two of the famous ones, which I can recall are: Kamrupa Temple in Guwahati The Kamrupa Temple is a Shakti Peeth, where the yoni of Sati fell. During the menstrual cycle of the presiding deity, Kamakhya, only the female priests are present, and only women are allowed to visit the temple. Attukal Temple in Trivandrum...

Question Why should god bless us & fulfil our wishes? Answer First of all, we should know the right interpretation of the term "God". If by the word "God" you mean the ultimate reality, then according to various philosophies including Bhagavad Gita, that's called the "Self" (Atma). Atma is common among all beings. Like how the same artist creates 'Jack & Jill', who love each other OR 'Tom & Jerry' who hate each other....

Question Which sect did Ramakrishna’s family belong to? Answer From the preface of the book "A short biography of Sri Ramakrishna": This is in response to a great demand for a shorter biography of Sri Ramakrishna whose message is spreading far and wide with ever increasing rapidity. The matter is taken mostly from the Life of Sri Ramakrishna, published by us, though other available books have been consulted and the plan is quite different....

Question What is name of tiger in vedic-age? Is he present in rig-veda? Answer In the Atharva Veda (denoted by AV here), at least, the tiger is mentioned. It's mentioned as VyAghra. And, the lion as Simha. The following Mantra makes mention of both the tiger and the lion. Ye ta AranyAh pashavo mrigA vane hitAh, SimhA vyAghrAh purushAd charanti, Ulam vrikam prithivi ducchunAmita rakshikam raksho, Apa vAdhayAsmat || The animals of the forest, and wild beasts of the woods, lions, tigers, man-eaters that prowl about, the hyena, the wolf, the bear with its evil ways (ducchunAm), and demons (rakshah), drive these out, from here, away from us, O Earth....

Question What is the meaning of Brahman & Vasudeva? Answer The definition of Brahman is given in this chapter of the Taittiriya Upanishad: yato va imani bhutani jayante । yena jatani jivanti । yatprayantyabhisaṃviśanti । tadvijijñasasva । tad brahmeti । That from whence these beings are born, that by which, when born, they live, that into which they enter at their death, try to know that. That is Brahman. This is the passage that Adhyaya 1 Pada 1 Sutra 2 of the Brahma Sutras is based on:...