Hinduism Questions & Answers

Question Why Vedas are called inferior in Upanishads? Answer The Vedas are divisible into two parts which are Purva Mimamsa or Karma Mimamsa dealing with rituals for Dharma, Artha, Kama and Gyana Kanda or Uttara Mimamsa/Upanishads for Moksha. Dharma, Artha, Kama and Moksha together are Purusartha or purpose of society and its beings. Upanishads have called Purva Mimamsa as inferior when compared to Gyana Kanda Vedanta. Mundaka Upanishad Chapter 1...

Question Do gods like Brahma, Vishnu, Indra and Yama, in their Lokas, have bodies or are they just Atmans? Answer Do gods like Brahma, Vishnu, Indra and Yama, in their Lokas, have bodies or are they just Atmans? Yes they have bodies according to the Brahma Sutras. Ramanujacharya in his Sri Bhashya says: The devas, from Brahma downward, possess a body and sense-organs, is declared in all the Upanishads. ......

Question Was Daśaratha/Dasharatha at fault to receive a curse for killing a boy unintentionally? Answer It is mentioned in Valmiki Ramayana that Dasratha was an ace hunter who could shoot unseen (just on hearing ) Ayodhya Kanda Ch 63 Verse 11 "This sin was done by me while I was young and wielding a bow. At that time, I was famous as a young man, who can shoot heard (but unseen) object by an arrow, O Kausalya!...

Question Original version of Raghupati Raghav Raja Ram bhajan? Answer The original lyrics of Raghupati Raghava Rajaaram are written by Sri Lakshamanacharya in a religious text titled Shri Nama Ramayanam Source: Raghupati Raghav Rajaram – The Original Lyrics Original text of Bhajan: रघुपति राघव राजाराम पतित पावन सीताराम सुंदर विग्रह मेघश्याम गंगा तुलसी शालग्राम भद्रगिरीश्वर सीताराम भगत-जनप्रिय सीताराम जानकीरमणा सीताराम जयजय राघव सीताराम These devotional songs falls in category called as Nām Jap / नाम जप (chanting of various names of any god / goddess)....

Question If mother is superior to father then why did Parashurama kill his mother on his father’s command? Answer So why did Parashurama obey his father's command ? This is answered in the Srimad Bhagavatam: राम: सञ्चोदित: पित्रा भ्रातृन् मात्रा सहावधीत् । प्रभावज्ञो मुने: सम्यक् समाधेस्तपसश्च स: ॥ ६ ॥ Jamadagni then ordered his youngest son, Paraśurāma, to kill his brothers, who had disobeyed this order, and his mother, who had mentally committed adultery....

Question Does South India comes within land of mlechhas? Answer No, South India is not the land of mlechhas. Why? Because people possessing vedic knowledge reside in South India also. What is the pramANa for all this? It is Shankara's commentary on brihadaranyaka upanishad 1.3.10. https://www.wisdomlib.org/hinduism/book/the-brihadaranyaka-upanishad/d/doc117898.html Upanishad Verse 1.3.10: सा वा एषा देवतैतासां देवतानाम् पाप्मानम् मृत्युमपहत्य यत्रासां दिशामन्तस्तद्गमयांचकार, तदासां पामनो विन्यदधात्; तस्मान्न जनमियात्, नान्तमियात्, नेत्पाप्मानम् मृत्युमन्ववायानीति ॥ १० ॥ sā vā eṣā devataitāsāṃ devatānām pāpmānam mṛtyumapahatya yatrāsāṃ diśāmantastadgamayāṃcakāra, tadāsāṃ pāmano vinyadadhāt; tasmānna janamiyāt, nāntamiyāt, netpāpmānam mṛtyumanvavāyānīti || 10 ||...

Question How can one meditate? Answer Meditation is a step by step process and the sadhak (seeker) should start the process with Ashtanga Yoga, the first being Yama and then gradually move on to the next step. If you think that closing the eyes and trying to stop the mind is meditation, then you can try it. But you will not be successful unless you have developed very strong willpower. Without the power of anashakti, vairagya or non-attachment, meditation is very difficult to practise....

Question Mantras, Prayer for Health? Answer There are some special types of Stotras called Kavachas (literally "armours"), where the presiding deity is requested to protect the devotee's various body parts. So, possibly you can take help of them. Recitation of these Kavachas will help increase the well-being of the corresponding body parts. These Kavachams are mostly found in the Tantras. I am giving here two such examples. Durga Kavacham Srunu devi pravakshyami Kavacham sarva sidhitham,...

Question Are Itihasa and puranas superior than Vedas? Answer For this we have to do comparison of scripture as per the scriptures Devi Bhagwatam 11:1 Where you will find differences between S’ruti, Smriti and Purânas, accept the words of the S’rutis as final proofs. Wherever Smriti disagrees with the Purânas, know the Smritis more authoritative. And where differences will crop up in the S’rutis themselves, know that Dharma, too, is of two kinds....

Question Is the Advaita concept of jiva aNu (atomic) or vibhu (all-pervading)? Answer The 'size' of the soul is discussed in Brahma Sutras Chapter 2, Section 3 Adikarana 13 (II.3.19-32) here with commentary (https://www.wisdomlib.org/hinduism/book/brahma-sutras): Adhikarana summary: The size of the individual soul 19. (As the Sruti texts declare the soul’s) passing out, going (to other spheres) and returning (thence), (the soul is not infinite in size). From this up to Sutra 82 the question of the size of the soul--whether it is atomic, medium-sized or infinite—is discussed....

Question Is working according to desire is right dharma Answer Before replying the main issue " Desire", it would be in the fitness of things to give some relevant information. Among few others Karma, Attachment, Desire has been the focal theme of Geeta. Almost all copies of Geeta quote around dozen shlokas under the caption Geeta Mahatmya wherein we find a beautiful analogy of lead characters of Mahabharata . There is the mention of "...

Question contradiction between Nasadiya Sukta and Hiranyagarbha Answer I agree that most of translation of Nasadiya Sukta concludes that " he knows - or maybe even he does not know." Rigveda 10.129.7 Whence all creation had its origin, he, whether he fashioned it or whether he did not, he, who surveys it all from highest heaven, he knows - or maybe even he does not know. However another interpretation I found for this line is No other than him does know it completely (only he knows)....

Question Does consuming non-vegetarian food hinder our spiritual progress? Answer I have found some scriptures of what they say about eating non-vegetarian from a vlog: Anumantaa vishasitaa nihantaa krayavikrayee Samskartaa chopahartaa cha khadakashcheti ghaatakaah : Manusmrithi 5.51 Those who permit slaying of animals, those who bring animals for slaughter, those who slaughter, those who sell meat, those who purchase meat, those who prepare dish out of it, those who serve that meat and those who eat are all murderers....

Question Are aggressive sages like Durvasa not true sages? Answer There are 3 methods of adoring the Almighty, as far as I understood. Performing religious rituals, as laid down in Sastras, offering prayers at prescribed times, following Dharmic way of life - ritualistic life.- Example: Dasaratha, Yudhisthira, etc. Performing tantric rituals, as laid down in tantra texts, undergoing severe austerities, if necessary by performing various Homas, which are prohibited by Vedic way of life (dakshinachAra), for achieving powers in a shortest possible period - Example: Ravana, Indrajit, etc....

Question What does Chanakya impliy when he says “Dharma” and “Kama” depends on “Artha”? How do the two depend on Artha? Answer The interdependence between the dharma (virtue), artha (wealth) and kama (pleasure) can be understood well form the words of Bhimasena in Mahabharata. Note that the words of Chanakya are mainly intended for a Kshatriya and hence my answer is. I will divide my answer into two parts. First part addresses the dependence of dharma on artha and the second part addresses the dependence of kama on artha...