Hinduism Questions & Answers

Question Circumstances sanctioning falsehoods Answer In certain circumstances it is allowed. For example: Manu Smriti 8.103. In (some) cases a man who, though knowing (the facts to be) different, gives such (false evidence) from a pious motive, does not lose heaven; such (evidence) they call the speech of the gods. Manu Smriti 8.104. Whenever the death of a Sudra, of a Vaisya, of a Kshatriya, or of a Brahmana would be (caused) by a declaration of the truth, a falsehood may be spoken; for such (falsehood) is preferable to the truth....

Question Unknown creature mentioned in the Hindu mythology? Answer Makara means a crocodile or a shark. It might also mean a giant mythical being which carries Ganga devi. Also it is a constellation i nastrology which is the shape of a crocodile. Hence the name. The word "Makara" is not only used in the Itihasa Mahabharata, it is used in Ramayana several times to indicate crocodiles and sharks. तन् नक्र मकर आकीर्णम् तिमिम्गिल झष आकुलम् |...

Question Which scriptures describe Vritra as an Asura? Answer Well the following verse from Rigved 1.32.9 mentions Vritra as the son of Danu: 8 There as he lies like a bank-bursting river, the waters taking courage flow above him. The Dragon lies beneath the feet of torrents which Vṛtra with his greatness had encompassed. 9 Then humbled was the strength of Vṛtra's mother: Indra hath cast his deadly bolt against her....

Question Are there any Mantras to bring rain? Answer The Rishis of vedic times stressed on treating nature and one’s environment with total reverence worthy of worship. So they created hymns in honor of every element of nature. Thus we can find prayers /Mantras for rain in different Hindu scriptures like Vedas and Upanishads. Here are some of the verses from Fifth Mandala of Rig-Veda which prays for the rain.Here are Sanskrit verses...

Question What’s the English transliteration of this Sanskrit mantra? Answer Om Hreem dharaNendra paarshvanaathaaya namah nidhi darshanam kuru-kuru svaahaa This is the English transliteration of the above mantra. However, it looks like Jain mantra. P.S: There are many variants of Parshvanatha and its consort Sri PadmAvati. It can be found in various agamas (jaina). Note: “The question: What’s the English transliteration of this Sanskrit mantra?” is licensed by Stack Exchange Inc (https://hinduism....

Question Are ALL devotees of Lord Shiva cursed by Rishi Bhrigu to follow anti-Vedic principles? Answer According to Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, Bhrigu's curse is not applicable to all devotees of Shiva. It is only applicable to those who worship Lord Shiva as different from or superior to Lord Vishnu: After bathing in Bindu-Sarovara and taking darshana of Sri Bhuvaneshvara, the all- opulent Lord, Sri Krishna Chaitanya sat contentedly, wholly immersed in the bliss of prema....

Question Which are the Five faces of Lord Shiva? Answer Taittariya Aranyaka of YajurVeda from 10.17.1 to 10.21.1 contains five mantras and first word of each mantra represents each face of Lord SadaShiva. These Mantras are also in AtharvaVeda Parishista. सद्योजातं प्रपद्यामि सद्योजाताय.....वामदेवाय नमो ज्येष्ठाय नमः ....अघोरेभ्योऽथ घोरेभ्यो घोरघोरतरेभ्यः ।.......तत्पुरुषाय विद्महे महादेवाय धीमहि ।.... ईशानः सर्वविद्यानामीश्वरः सर्वभूतानां sadyojātaṃ prapadyāmi sadyojātāya ..... vāmadevāya namo jyeṣṭhāya namaḥ ....aghorebhyo'tha ghorebhyo ghoraghoratarebhyaḥ ।.......tatpuruṣāya vidmahe mahādevāya dhīmahi ।....

Question Are pregnant women allowed to go to temples? Answer I will be surprised if one can find direct references to your question in scriptures. At least, there is nothing in the Vedas, Smritis and the Agamas. So, it remains only to see if the PurAnas and the ItihAsas have something in them or not. I am answering your question with an indirect reference, which says, a woman should be allowed to go to temples till the last month of her pregnancy....

Question Are there Hindu scriptural references for “Simulation hypothesis” or the “theory of simulation”? Answer I discuss in my answer here, AtharvaVeda states Universe as like projection in space-time: पूर्ण कुम्भोदिः काल आहितस्तं वै पश्यामो बहुदा नु सन्तः । [AtharvaVeda 19.53.3] A full pot has been placed in Time and it is that which we see manifoldly. Similarly as I discuss here, RigVeda states the present creation is similar like the past creation:...

Question Is Sanskrit considered divine language to those of the Hindu faith? Answer Yes it is considered divine and is referred to as Dev-bhasha or the 'Language of the Gods'. The following verses from Mahabharat Shanti Parva महाभारते १२.२३१.५६ and महाभारत १२.२३२.२४ clearly declare its divine status: अनादिनिधना ह्येषा वागुत्सृष्टा स्वयम्भुवा । आदौ वेदमयी दिव्या यतस्सर्वाः प्रसूतयः ॥ English Translation - Beginning-less and endless is this vāk manifested on its own,...

Question What is the meaning of Indra? Answer There are different meaning of the word Indra is given by Yaska in Nirukta 10.8. इन्द्र इरां दृणातीति वाँ। इरां दद्तीति वा। इरां दधातीति वा । इरा दारयतैं इति घा। इरा धारर्थत इति वा । इन्दवे द्रर्वतीति वा । इन्दी रमत इति वा । इन्धे भूतानीति वा । तद्यदेनं प्राणैः समैनैधंस्तदिन्द्रस्येन्द्रत्वैम् ।। इति विज्ञायैते । इदं करणादित्याग्रयणैः । इदं दर्शनादित्यौपमन्यवः । इन्दतेर्वैश्र्वर्यकर्मणः !...

Question What is the definition of sin according to Hinduism? Answer From the direct inference from the verse which I am gonna post below, Sin is the opposite of Yoga. Any act which breaks the bond of unity with the fellow creatures or the creator or the ultimate reality is sin. From ShivRahasya chapter 11.I have answered on another answer about Explanations on the laws of unity. Verily, My Love for man manifests itself in that I give him life of my Own Life and that I offer him sustenance, guidance and protection....

Question Who is Ishwar according to Advait Vedanta - Lord Shiva or Vishnu? Answer Yeah, there can be only one Saguna Brahman as the following verse maintains- B.Su. 4,4.17. (The released soul attains all lordly powers) except the power of creation etc., on account of (Iswara being) the subject-matter (of all texts where creation etc. are described), and (the released souls) not being mentioned (in that connection)...Moreover, this would lead to many Iswaras, which may give rise to a conflict of wills with respect to creation etc....

Question Is Hinduism anti-foreigner? Answer Is Sanatana Dharma anti-foreigners? No, most certainly not. For example, the following mantra from Shukla Yajur Veda clearly states that the holy mantras should be spoken among all men including strangers. Here, the word stranger denotes people who are alien to our Vedic culture. So, the Vedic knowledge should be spread among them too. No question of discrimination or hostility towards those who are unfamiliar with our culture....

Question How difficult or rare is it to get human life? Answer The scriptures definitely say that human life is rare or difficult to get. But IMO it will be hard to answer the "how much" part in your question. Given below are a few relevant verses, which are the words of Lord Shiva. Atra janma sahasreshu sahasrairapi PArvati | KadAchit labhate jantur mAnushyam puntyasanchayAt || Meaning [Lord Shiva says to Goddess PArvati] Thousands and thousands of jivas are getting equally numerous births, but among them only rarely (kadAchit) one gets a human birth due to its accumulated merits (punyasanchaya)....