Q&A

Question Is there any proof that none of our ancient rishis were unmarried or left their families? Answer Yes, we have a proof that Yajnavalkya was married and taken Sanyasa: Quoting from Brihadaranyaka Upanishad: IV-v-1: Now Yajnavalkya had two wives, Maitreyi and Katyayani. Of these Maitreyi used to discuss Brahman, (while) Katyayani had then only an essentially feminine outlook. One day Yajnavalkya, with a view to embracing life - IV-v-2: 'O Maitreyi, my dear', said Yajnavalkya, 'I am going to renounce this life for monasticism....

Question What is the position of Durga in Gaudiya Vaishnavism? Answer Chaitanya Bhagavata is not a philosophical book, and it doesn't cover full life of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. It covers till Chaitanya Mahaprabhu takes sanyas and a bit after that. One things we learn from Chaitanya Bhagavata is that Bengali Vaishnavas were quite liberal and culturally sensitive and didn't have any fights/debates with other groups about supremacy. However, Chaitanya Charitamrita covers later details and it is a book mixed with hagiograpy and philosophical teachings....

Question Why Ramcharitmanas received more popularity than Valmiki Ramayana? Answer Summary: Tulsidasji chose to write the story in Awadhi on being ordered to do so by Lord Shiva who appeared before him. The incident is a very interesting one read the detailed part to find out. Further the popularity of the Manas is only restricted to the Hindi belt of Northern India and the part the of the answer describing the factors responsible, is obviously based on my opinion....

Question Following Your Passion/ Dreams against Hinduism? Answer It depends on what my passions/dreams are. The Sanatana Dharma speaks of four 'Purushartha'-s as the four types of fulfillment of life. They are : Dharma (Rightousness),Artha(Wealth), Kama (Desires) and Moksha (Liberation). For most people, the first three constitute the goals and hence the term 'Trivarga' is also used. If Artha and Kama that we have passion for or dream of does not contradict Dharma, they are never condemned,In fact they are encouraged....

Question What is the language(lipi) in which the Vedas are written? Answer संस्कृतम् (Sanskritam) Any language can have 2 components - sound and sight - the words we hear and the script we write. The sounds of Vedas are eternal (literally exist infinite time before and infinite time after). They are not made by man, rather they just exist in nature as the breath of Brahmam, and are perceived by rishis during deep state of tapas....

Question Which form of God is referred to as ‘Hari’? Answer The form of God referred to as 'Hari' is Sri Vishnu, Sri Krishna or His different incarnations. Lord Shiva is also referred to as 'Hari' in the Shiva-Shasranama, but our scriptures do not use the word 'Hari' to imply Lord Shiva. Otherwise, we would not have a separate dhyana-sloka for 'Hari-Hara'. An image of Hari-Hara is enclosed. The dhyana-sloka of Hari-Hara is...

Question Was Sri Krishna’s vishwaroopam seen by anyone before the Gita Upadesha? Answer It was Viraatroop not Vishwaroop which was observed before giving the Gita Upadesh SECTION CXXXI of the Udyoga Parva describes Lord's Viraatroop Saying this Kesava, that slayer of hostile heroes burst out into a loud laughter. And as the high-souled Sauri laughed, from his body, that resembled a blazing fire, issued myriads of gods, each of lightning effulgence, and not bigger than the thumb....

Question Does Gita support doctrine of eternal samsara? Answer Samsara = bhumi + svarga + naraka Samsara is eternal. Creation and Destruction have always happened and will always happen. 'yatha purvam akalpayat' - RigVeda 10.190.3 Krishna says : I forever punish evil men You interpreted : I punish evil men forever Krishna says : Evil men never reach me You interpreted : Evil men never reach me Good or Evil are characteristics of an action, not of a person....

Question Why do we worship Lord Hanuman on these weekdays? Answer Partial Answer Kastabhanjan Hanuman Mandir ( https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hanuman_temple,_Salangpur) is an old temple at Salangpur. According to this video: https://youtu.be/lK3nFGMQNnw when Hanumanji saved His devotees from the horrible effects of Sanidev who took the form of a woman to save himself from the anger of Bala-brahmachari Hanumanji. Hanumanji's idol worshipped there shows Sanidev as a female at His feet.An image is enclosed....

Question How can an unmarried person repay their debt to parents and ancestors? Answer First of all it is recommended in the scriptures that one marries and begets son. The following Aitreya Brahmana 7.13 verses quoted in the Vashishta Dharma Sutras make that explicit: ‘A debt he pays in him and immortality he gains, the father who sees the face of his son born and alive’ (AB 7.13). 2 ‘Eternal are the worlds of those men who have sons....

Question Why has God created material system/universe? Answer Every action (present) has a reaction (future) and had a cause (past). There is no action (work) without a cause. Every cause has its cause(s) material or eternal. God (as the Supreme Person) is the cause of all causes, however, He Himself has no cause. He is the "sarv kaaran-kaaranam", He is the cause of His "Brahman" and "Parmatama" revelation (Supreme Personality) too....

Question Side effects of Initiation by a Guru? Answer Quoting the verse from this answer: Mantridoshascha rAjAnam jAyAdoshah patim yathA | TathA prApnotyasandeham shishyapApam gurum priye || Just like a king gets affected by the sins committed by his ministers, a husband gets affected by the sins committed by his wife, likewise, without any doubt, O Beloved, a disciple's sins affect the Teacher (Guru). KulArnava Tantram 11.110 This means that if after initiation, the disciple commits a sin, the Guru will also have to share that guilt....

Question What to do when scriptures go against conscience? Answer Sri Krishnaprem, the great Gaudiya Vaishnava saint ( https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Krishna_Prem) writes in His 'Cruelty and Religion' However divine the ShAstras may have been in its origin, it has been transmitted to us through the memories and writings of purely human beings who like all human beings are subject to error...There are many other practices which..are..intolerable cruelties...If we once admit the principle that Bhagavan would never sanction,let alone command cruelty, we must then fearlessly erase from our religions teachings of all such acts however well-established they may be....

Question What is ShiroVrata (a vow of holding fire on head)? Answer The Devī Bhāgavata Purāṇa has the description of a vrata by the same name. Chapter IX On the rules of Śirovrata 1-43. Śrī Nārāyana said :-- The Brāhmanas that will perform duly the Śirovrata, to be described in the following, are the only ones who will attain very easily the highest knowledge, destroying all Avidyā or Ignorance. So much so that the rules of right living and right conduct as ordained in the Śrutis and Smritis are not necessary to be observed by those who duly and devotedly perform the Śirovrata (i....

Question What is the most confidential knowledge in Bhagavad-Gita spoken in BG 18.64? Answer Firstly, although Krsna (beginning with Chapter 2, verse 11: "While speaking learned words you are mourning for what is not worthy of grief. Those who are wise lament neither for the living nor the dead") appears to be speaking the Bhagavad-gita in order to incite Arjuna to fight, this is not Krsna s actual purpose. Krsna does not need to convince Arjuna to fight, for Arjuna will fight anyway (Chapter 18, verse 60: "...