Question What are the components of the word om (ॐ) Answer The Omkāra is made up of 3 letters: (1) akāra - अ; (2) ukāra - उ; (3) makāra - म and also an anusvāra (ardhamātrā). It is often a misconception that it has only the first three letters but the Upanishads are clear that it has even an anusvāra. So you will pronounce it as Om and let the ma resonate after for a bit in the mouth/ nose area....
Question Is gita 2:45 asking us to reject the Vedas? Answer Absolutely not. But for understanding this verse's clear meaning we have to also know the other two verses before it. Here they are: Chapter 2 यामिमां पुष्पितां वाचं प्रवदन्त्यविपश्चितः । वेदवादपराः पार्थ नान्यदस्तीतिवादिनः ॥ ४३ ॥ The undiscerning, delighting in the study of the Veda, O Pārthа, speak flowery words declaring that there is nothing else. कामात्मानः स्वर्गपरा जन्मकर्मफलेप्सवः । क्रियाविशेषबहुला भोगैश्वर्यगतीः प्रति ॥ ४४॥...
Question If God alone exist(advaita) then what’s wrong with following materialistic desire? Answer Firstly from Brahman alone this whole world comes and from that, Sat (Eternal i.e Atman ) and Asat(Non Eternal like Body, Elements in Prakriti etc) come from. But still Brahman transcends everything and is in-dweller of the body as well as the creation. Desires only in accordance with Dharma will lead to good path. Other desires keep binding man in Samsara....
Question Can anybody share the ebook link of Manubhashya of Medhatithi Part II (English Translation)? Answer Manusmrti with the Manubhashya of Medhatithi (translated by Ganganath Jha) has 10 volumes. The first two volumes contain Sanskrit verses. The English translation is present in the 3rd to 7th volumes. These five volumes are also known as Part I to Part V. 8th-10th volumes have some additional notes. Here I have added the links to the important volumes (3rd to 7th)....
Question Where can I find the English translation of Parashara Smriti? Answer The link everyone is sharing is not a published book. Someone created that document. The only published translation of Parashara Smriti that I could find is part of the following book The Dharma Sastra or The Hindu Law Codes (English Translation) Vol. II by Manmatha Nath Dutt (Shastri). Apart from Parasar Samhita, it also contains translations of Sankha, Gautama, Apastamba and Vashistha Samhitas....
Question What is karma? Why god tell to perform duties? Perform your actions but do not have any expectation of the fruits. अद्वैतामृतवर्षिणीं भगवतीम्- अष्टादशाध्यायिनीम् अम्ब त्वामनुसन्दधामि भगवद्- गीते भवद्वेषिणीम् ॥ १॥ Om Parthaya prathi bodhithm bhagawataa naaraayanena swayam, Vyasaena gratitaam Puraana muninaa madhye Mahabaratam… “Oh Bhagavad Gita, destroyer of rebirth(s), thou hast been instructed to partha(son of prutha) by Lord Narayana himself and later included by the ancient sage Vyasa within the Mahabharata....
Question What were the heights of Rama and Krishna? Answer Partial Answer: Lord Rama Valimiki Ramayana: Sundara Kanda: Sarga 35: Verse 18, Lord Rama's height is given as four Hindu cubits or four kishku(चतुष्किष्कुः): त्रिवलीवांस्त्र्यवनतश्चतुर्व्यङ्गस्त्रिशीर्षवान्। चतुष्कलश्चतुर्लेखश्चतुष्किष्कुश्चतु स्समः।।5.35.18।। Translation चतुष्किष्कुः he is four cubits in height He has three folds in the skin of his neck and belly, is depressed in the middle of his soles and the nipples, undersized at four placesthe neck, penis, shanks and back, has three spirals on his head, has four lines under his thumb, has four lines on his forehead, he is a person with four cubits in height and symmetrical arms, cheeks and thighs....
Question Which scripture mentions Yuga length? Answer I have given below a discussion of the length of the yugas in Linga Purana. O brahmins, the Krta yuga consists of four thousand years. Four hundred, three hundred, two hundred and hundred years respectively constitute the period of transition both at the beginning and end of a yuga. [1] Linga Purana I.4.5-6 [1] Each Yuga is prefixed and suffixed by a sandhya which specifies the advent and culmination of yuga....
Question What exactly does Bhagavadh Gita say about athesits Answer Bhagavadgita condemns only atheists who do evil acts to destroy the world. This is what Gita says about Demonic people - Those who are demoniac do not know what is to be done and what is not to be done. Neither cleanliness nor proper behavior nor truth is found in them. They say that this world is unreal, with no foundation, no God in control....
Question How can I work without desires? Answer Dharma, Artha, Kama and moksha are four purusharthas. So Sanatana dharma accepts that ordinary people will have desires. So people are free to work with desires. Nishkama karma, work with out desire, is only for people who want to attain moksha. Karma Yoga is explained below. You are asking about the practicality of nishkama Karma which is part of Karma Yoga. A person practices Karma Yoga when his work benefits other people and the work is done without caring about the result or name, fame, promotion, wealth etc....
Question Question for Advaitins: If I am Brahman, then why do I (who is already Brahman) need to find out that I am Brahman? Who is this “I”? Answer The second point is wrong. 'I' does not refer to Brahman. Here 'I' is the subtle body of Jiva that consists of manas, buddhi, chitta and ahamkara. It is this I that is searching for Brahman. Marwari Devotee: "Who is this 'I' that says, 'O Lord, I am Thy servant'?...
Question Proof of hereditary caste system in Vedas OR Ramayana and Mahabharata Answer Short answer to your question is yes caste is hereditary as per Hindu scriptures whether Veidic or itihasas. I) FROM VEIDIC LITERATURE: Chhandogya Upanishad 5.10.7 - Those whose conduct has been good here will shortly get birth such as a Brahmana (brahmana yonim), a kshatriya, or a vaishya. But those whose conduct has been evil will be born in evil births shortly such as the birth of a dog (shva yonim), or as a pig, or a chandala....
Question Who was incarnation of Laxmi: Radha Rani or Rukmini Devi? Answer Quoting texts from the Bhagavata Purana: "O hero among the Kurus, the Supreme Lord Himself, Govinda, married Bhīṣmaka’s daughter, Vaidarbhī, who was a direct expansion of the goddess of fortune. The Lord did this by her desire, and in the process He beat down Śālva and other kings who took Śiśupāla’s side. Indeed, as everyone watched, Śrī Kṛṣṇa took Rukmiṇī just as Garuḍa boldly stole nectar from the demigods....
Question Why do yogis prefer bathing with cold water? Answer Probably because hot (specially boiled) water isn't considered pure. So, bathing with/in that water will not be purifying. See for example Manu Smriti 2.61: अनुष्णाभिरफेनाभिरद्भिस्तीर्थेन धर्मवित् । शौचेप्सुः सर्वदाऽचामेदेकान्ते प्रागुदङ्मुखः ॥ ६१ ॥ anuṣṇābhiraphenābhiradbhistīrthena dharmavit | śaucepsuḥ sarvadā'cāmedekānte prāgudaṅmukhaḥ || 61 || One who knows his duties, when desiring cleanliness, should always sip, through the proper receptacle, water which is neither hot nor frothy,—in solitude, with his face towards the North or the East....
Question Who gets the remnants of homa/sacrifice/puja? Answer Rudra (Shiva) is said to preside over sacrificial remnants, which is known as Ritual Remnant - Ucchiṣṭa (उच्छिष्ट) or śeṣa, or vāstu; and thus, as such he's the one who "metaphysically" takes/gets the remnants of sacrifice. Some scriptural references 1. Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam MahāPurāṇa: ŚB 4.7.56 रुद्रं च स्वेन भागेन ह्युपाधावत्समाहित: । कर्मणोदवसानेन सोमपानितरानपि । उदवस्य सहर्त्विग्भि: सस्नाववभृथं तत: ॥ ५६ ॥ With concentrated mind, he waited upon Rudra, by offering the share due to him (viz....