Question What is the significance of Kundali in Hindu Family Answer Kundali is the Hindi for what we call 'Horoscope' in English. It is a pretty widely used thing in astrology. It is based on the fact that heavenly bodies and their positions at the time of an event effects how the event goes on. So in the case of the birth of a child, we record when he/she is born, at what place and other details....
Question Who are the children of Vishnu and Lakshmi? Answer As far as I know, the only time that children of Lakshmi are mentioned in Hindu scriptures is in verses 11 - 12 of the Sri Suktam, a hymn from the Khilani (apocrypha or later portions) of the Rig Veda: We are the progeny of our forefather, Sage Kardama, who is one of the sons of Goddess Lakshmi. We invoke that Sage Kardama to install in his family the Universal Mother, Mahalakshmi, who is decked with the garland of lotuses....
Question Why is it necessary to burn incense stick while praying? Answer It is not completely necessary to burn incense sticks while praying. It has just become a traditionally followed practice. What is necessary is to create an environment of sweet fragrance and aroma made out of pure material (like natural products). Because that purifies the air and it helps higher beings and ethereal beings to roam there if you are calling them....
Question What does Hinduism say about masturbation? Answer A glass can be looked on as half empty or half full. I think it is best to rephrase this question by asking instead - What does Hinduism say about continence (self constraint in sexual matters)? 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 Why do Hindus bathe in river Ganges (Ganga)? Answer King Bhagirath did Tapas to bring the Holy Ganga to earth in order to wash the ashes of his forefathers and free them from sin. Bhagirath's wish was granted and Ganga was released from the Heavens to earth. But the great speed with which Ganga descended to earth was capable of destroying everything on its way. So, Lord Shiva, to save the world, caught Ganga on his long hair and released it with reduced speed....
Question Are women allowed to be Hindu sanyasis/monks? Answer Yes woman are allowed to become monks/sanyasinis/rishikas. Hinduism is probably the only living religion which considers God to be feminine. And in ancient times many vedic rishis were women. The notable female rishikas who contributed to the composition of the Vedic scriptures are: The Rig Veda mentions Romasha, Lopamudra, Apala, Kadru, Visvavara, Ghosha, Juhu, Vagambhrini, Paulomi, Yami, Indrani, Savitri, and Devayani. The Sama Veda adds Nodha, Akrishtabhasha, Sikatanivavari and Gaupayana....
Question Why do Hindu temples have Bells? Answer It is believed that deities remain manifest in mandirs in which bells (ghanta) are rung. In Hindu mandirs, bells are usually hung in the area or porch preceding the inner sanctum. Devotees ring them as an invocation to the deity to listen to their prãrthnã and be blessed. There is an art and science of making bells to produce the requisite sounds. There are bells specially made to produce the long strains of the sound OM....
Question Why do people offer mustard oil to Lord Shani? Answer Source: shanidev.co.in blog.templeyatri.com One day, Hanuman was performing some duties for Lord Ram. Shani Dev who noticed this wanted to create problems and tried to disturb Hanuman from his work. Hanuman got his angry as his duties towards his master, Lord Ram was getting delayed. Therefore, the powerful Hanuman caught Shani Dev by the tail and kept knocking him against a big stone....
Question What is the significance of ॐ (Om/Aum)? Answer Meaning Om denotes the supreme Brahma: omiti brahma omitīdaṃsarvam [Tait. Up. - 1.8.1] Om is Brahman. Om is everything here. girām asmy ekam akṣaram [BG - 10.25] Of sound vibrations I am the single syllable (OM) But as we know God is threefold in nature, the same is the case for the single syllable Om. It consists of three different letters A, U, M which are the seed of all other letters, sounds, and words....
Question Does every mantra begin with/contain ॐ(Aum)? Answer Almost every mantra begins with OM. The reason is given below. The syllable Om is the root from which the Vedas have sprung. (Every rite, therefore, should commence with the utterance of that syllable of vast import). Of him who has uttered for him the syllables Om, Namas, Swaha, Svadha, and Vashat, and who has according to the extent of his ability, performed sacrifices, and other rites, there is no fear in respect of next life in all the three worlds....
Question How did the Vedas in Hinduism come into existence? Answer The Vedas are Śruti, which means "that which is heard" (what Christians would call "revelation"). Hindus believe that from time immemorial, sages known as Dhrishtas (literally "seers") have, during a state of Tapasya (deep meditation), heard sacred verses directly from the gods. In the Dwapara Yuga (the age before the one we're currently in), these verses were compiled by a sage named Krishna Dwaipayana Veda Vyasa (or Vyasa for short) into a set of four books we call the Vedas....
Question Is the complete English translation of the Padma Purana available online? Answer I've so far found two legal sources that have certain volumes of the Motilal-Banarsidass translation of the Padma Purana: DSpace, the digital repository of the West Bengal Public Library Network, which has books in PDF format, but breaks each book into 80-page chunks. The Digital Library of India (DLI), which currently has lots of books only in TIFF format but is in the process of converting them all to PDF....
Question Why is there a Damaru attached to Lord Shiva’s trishul? Answer Shiva is often described as cosmic dancer and a great musician. Shiva's Tandavam is the cosmic dance and his Damaru (a small hourglass shape drum) represent the cosmic sound. It is said in Shiva Mahapurana that the sounds from the damaru beats the the rhythm of the cosmic vibrations and the energy is activated by the divine Mother or Shakti....
Question Why does lord Shiva have three eyes? Answer The third eye as seen on Lord Shiva's forehead is also the spiritual eye or ajna chakra which stands for higher consciousness and allows us to see the real world for the world as we see it is an illusion. Hindus believe that every human possesses this 'third eye' which can be activated only after years of meditation. Who gave him the third eye?...
Question Why did Vishnu take on an avatar that was half human and half lion? Answer The reason that Vishnu went through all that rigmarole is described in the Srimad Bhagavatam. To avenge the death of his brother Hiranyaksha at the hands of Vishnu in his Varaha (boar) incarnation, Hiranyakshupu undertook long and arduous Tapasya (deep meditation), until Brahma appeared before him. He asked Brahma for the following boon: O my lord, O best of the givers of benediction, if you will kindly grant me the benediction I desire, please let me not meet death from any of the living entities created by you....