Hinduism Questions & Answers

Question What is the duration (Timeline) of the four “Yugas”? Answer I would agree with those answers, which suggest following durations: Krita Yuga 4800 years Treta Yuga 3600 years Dwapara Yuga 2400 years Kali Yuga 1200 years Here is the scriptural proof from Moksha Dharma Parva (assuming that it's not interpolated): I shall, in their order, tell thee the number of years, that are (thus) for different purposes computed differently in respect of the Krita, the Treta, the Dwapara, and the Kali yugas....

Question Is Jesus an avatar of Lord Vishnu? Answer According to Bhavishya Purana, Jesus is reincarnation of one of the greatest Bhaktas of lord Vishnu known as Dhruva Rishi. That's why he was born out of kumari garbha (virgin's womb) under Pole star (Dhruva Tara in Hindi). Bhavishya purana addresses Jesus reincarnation of Dhruva Rishi as Kumarigarbhasambhavaam(born from a virgin Kumari). Bhavishya purana describing about Jesus Christ. Here is some of the excerpt from above source:...

Question Does any God exist without form/image in Hinduism? Answer In Hinduism God has two forms or modes: Saguna Sakara (with form and characteristics) and Nirguna Nirakara(without form and characteristics): dve vāva brahmaṇo rūpe, mūrtaṃ caivāmūrtaṃ ca [Brh. Up - 2.3.1] -God (Brahman) has two modes, formless (nirakara) and form (sakara). So even though we see God being worshipped in many forms, all of them do not have a form too....

Question Are Lord Shiva and Lord Shankar two different deities? Answer Yes, there is a technical difference. Generally these two terms are used interchangeably as a synonym. But Shankara, Rudra, Mahadeva, etc. mean the God who dwells in the Kailasha mountain. And Shiva means His absolute formless mode of bright light. Shiva The Linga Purana has the description regarding the origin of Siva which goes something like below: Just before the beginning of the creation, Brahma and Vishnu had some disagreement and a quarrel ensued....

Question Did Ravana have ten heads? Answer Yes, Ravana literally had ten heads. This excerpt from the Uttara Kanda of the Ramayana describes Ravana's birth: [T]he girl [Kaikeshi]... after a length of time brought forth a very terrible and hideous offspring having the form of a Rakshasa, — having ten necks, furnished with large teeth, and resembling a heap of collyrium, with coppery lips, twenty arms, huge faces, and flaming hair....

Question Who gave boon to Vikramaditya to live for 2000 years and why? Answer Lord Indra offered with a throne to King Vikramaditya for solving a curious quest of greatest dancer among Aspsaras (Rambha, Urvasi, Menaka and Tilottama). Blog link Indra was pleased. He had found someone who could be sent to Kaushika. He turned to Vikramditya, 'King! You may not know it, but you have done a great service for me!...

Question How can we know that an Aatma got Moksha? Answer No there isn't any way to identify that one got mokshya or not as no one has any idea about how the atma is(as its so small as mentioned below and no ordinary human being can see it without the help of supreme Lord) and whose atma it is, only paramathma knows about it. When the upper point of a hair is divided into one hundred parts and again each of such parts is further divided into one hundred parts, each such part is the measurement of the dimension of the spirit soul....

Question How do you find out your Ishta-Deva (personal deity)? Answer The key role in revealing one's Ishta Devata plays the Atma Karaka. Atma Karaka is the planet that has the highest longitude. To find one's Ishta Devata we have to look at the Atma Karaka in Navamsa, since the Navamsa shows blessings of God onto the native and the way in which the native communicates with God. Atma Karaka in Navamsa is called the "Karakamsa"....

Question Why do Hindus worship different Gods if they believe in only one God which is parabrahma? Answer It is because, the one supreme God doesn't offer any material benefits to the worshipper. Rather, because material things cause attachment and bondage, He snatches away whatever material things his true devotee may have: yasyāhamanugṛhṇāmi hariṣye taddhanaṃ śanaiḥ tato'dhanaṃ tyajantyasya svajanā duḥkhaduḥkhitam [SB - 10.88.8] Meaning I gradually take away his wealth whomever I show my favour and grace....

Question How applicable is the phrase “I am God” to Hinduism? Answer If you want to know whether the phrase "I am God" has validity in Hinduism, that exact phrase is present in the Brihadaranyaka Upanishad (Nikhilananda's translation): They say: “Since men think that by the Knowledge of Brahman they become all, what, pray, was it that Brahman knew by which It became all?” This [self] was indeed Brahman in the beginning....

Question Can animals attain moksha? Answer No, animals don't attain moksha. Because the natural order is as below: sthāvarāḥ krimayo'vjāśca pakṣiṇaḥ paśavo narāḥ dārmmakāstridaśāstadūnamokṣiṇaśca yathākramam [VP - 2.6.34] Meaning After experiencing the sufferings of hell, the sinners go through the various stages of existence in the following order: immovable trees, worms, birds, animals, men, pious men, gods and liberated souls. Moreover, if by moksha you mean, the advaita one, then by no means animals can attain that because they cannot cultivate the knowledge to ward away ignorance....

Question Why didn’t lord Hanuman help Sugriva to kill Vali? Answer Be Happy is right in answering this. Shri Hanuman ji was certainly more powerful than Vali as well as Ravana. This fact is supported here, go through 35th and 36th sarga for details in Valmiki Ramayana. The text in image translates as (this is my translation, not the literal one): Shri Rama: Undoubtedly, there was no match of the strength that Vali and Ravana possessed, but i believe that even the strength of both of these put together cannot be matched with the strength of Hanuman....

Question Can anyone explain the family tree of Pandavas? Answer Name of sons of Draupadi are Prativindhya from Yudhishthira Sutasoma from Bheema Srutakirti from Arjuna Satanika from Nakul Srutakarma from Sahadev Reference : Wikipedia Yudhisthira, Nakula and Sahadeva also had a wife other than Draupadi Yudhisthira had other wife Devika, the daughter of Govasana of the Saivya tribe, who bore him a son named Yaudheya. Refer : Yudhisthira Nakula had other wife Karenumati, the daughter of the king of the Chedi Kingdom, who bore him a son, Niramitra....

Question Why did only Lord Rama kill Ravana? Answer One important reason goes far back to even before Ravana was born. Ravan was actually one of the two gatekeepers at Lord Vishnu's abode Vaikuntha. Once, they stopped the four Sanat kumaras from entering into Vaikuntha and they got cursed. So they took take birth in demonic families as the Lord had desired: The Lord replied: O brāhmaṇas, know that the punishment you inflicted on them was originally ordained by Me, and therefore they will fall to a birth in a demoniac family....

Question Why did Lord Chaitanya appear on earth? Answer Harinama Sankirtana (chanting of the Lord's names) is the prescribed spiritual duty for the people of Kali Yuga: kṛte yad dhyāyato viṣṇuṁ tretāyāṁ yajato makhaiḥ dvāpare paricaryāyāṁ kalau tad hari-kīrtanāt [SB - 12.3.52] Meaning Whatever result was obtained in Satya-yuga by meditating on Viṣṇu, in Tretā-yuga by performing sacrifices, and in Dvāpara-yuga by serving the Lord’s lotus feet can be obtained in Kali-yuga simply by chanting the name of Hari....