Question Converting to Hinduism and Caste Answer There has already been a lot of discussion on converting to Hinduism and about caste system here on this site. The OP's question is slightly redundant. But I will answer the last part which hasn't been talked about here. And, what practices for worship do the converts follow? If they follow a certain sect's way, do they automatically get considered one of that sect?...
Question Did Dasharatha have 60,000 wives? Answer The claim of Dasharatha having 60,000 wives is from later versions of the Ramayana, particularly the Kamba Ramayana. But as far as the Valmiki Ramayana goes, Dasharatha has at least 350 wives, as described in the Ayodhya Kanda of the Ramayana: That king Dasaratha, who speaks truth, whose mind is virtuous, who is like an ocean by his depth of character and who is blemish less like a sky, replied to Sumantra as follows: "...
Question Which Upanishads are quoted in sage Vyasa’s Brahma Sutras? Answer The Badarayana-Vyasa Brahma Sutras are a compilation of extremely terse Sutras. These Sutras are impossible to understand without the commentary attached to them. There is no direct quote from any Upanishad in any of these Sutras. These Sutras are often not even complete sentences. It is the commentaries that claim that the Sutras are talking about particular shlokas from specific Upanishads....
Question Origins of God names - Lord Siva and Lord Vishnu Answer Shiva Shiva got most of his major names at birth, as I discuss in this answer. When Shiva was born, he immediately started to cry, and Brahma gave him numerous names to calm him down, as described in the Shatapatha Brahmana of the Yajur Veda: [Brahma] said to him, 'My boy, why criest thou, when thou art born out of labour and trouble?...
Question What do Hindu scriptures say about Hindu temples? Answer General perspective on temple worship: Deity worship was the main process in dvapara yuga. In kaliyuga the recommended process is chanting of the holy names of Lord Hari. You can see this for more information on this point. Do Hindu scriptures say that we should build temples? (Yes | No) Building temples is beneficial for our own self and for the society....
Question Who is Ruchi, father of Vishnu’s incarnation Yagna? Answer According to Vayu Purana, Chapter 9, Verse 100, Sage Ruchi was the mind-born son of Lord Brahma. Of Brahma, a son named Ruci, the mindborn one, deserves to be recognised as such. And from the breath, he created Daksa and from the two eyes Maricin (i. e. the Sun). Note: “The question: Who is Ruchi, father of Vishnu’s incarnation Yagna?” is licensed by Stack Exchange Inc (https://hinduism....
Question Do great saints know everything? Answer Here is one perspective about 'knowing everything' based on some scriptural statements: I don't think the saints, mystics or bhaktas would know everything in the sense you have described. Only the Supreme Lord knows everything. The sages can know as much as He allows them to know for their service to Him. We see in Bhagavatam/Mahabharata that Arjuna had so many powers but on an occasion, right after Krishna left the planet, Arjuna says this (copied from here):...
Question Who does the Mahabharata call the “best of men”, Nara or Narayana? Answer The root words (namas) to consider here are nārāyaṇa, nara, devī and sarasvatī. All of them are used in the above verse in dvitiya(second case) serving as an object or as a qualifier to an existing object. Devīm is the qualifier for sarasvatīm. Now narottamam in the above case is applied to nara as a qualifier. I don't think it is a translation error while philosophical reasoning may differ....
Question What do Hindu scriptures or Gurus say on How to Introduce Hinduism to Children? Answer Let me start from the last question, YES, there is prescribed ways in our texts. Shodasa Sanskara is the answer for your question. The parenting actually starts before the birth of your child. Because it is scientifically proven that the child learn when it is in the womb. The thoughts of mother at the time of pregnancy will deeply influence the child....
Question Why was Surya killed by Lord Shiva? Answer The story of Shiva (temporarily) killing Surya the sun god is told in the Ganesha Khanda of the Brahma Vaivarta Purana. (See page 349 here.) As I discuss in this answer, one of the most prominent incarnations of Vishnu in ancient times was the sage Narayana, son of Yama god of death and twin brother of the sage Nara. (Nara and Narayana were the prevous births of Arjuna and Krishna....
Question How many days did Ravana keep Sita confined? Answer Ravana kidnapped maa Sita in the season of Hemanta (comes before winter) and had given Her twelve months time to make up Her decision to accept Ravana before his demons kill Her: शृणु मैथिलि मत् वाक्यम् मासान् द्वादश भामिनि || कालेन अनेन न अभ्येषि यदि माम् चारु हासिनि | ततः त्वाम् प्रातः आशा अर्थम् सूदाः छेत्स्यन्ति लेशशः || [VR - 3....
Question Can a devotee do love marriage? Answer Love is eternal. Love is God himself. Will god agree for love marriage of his devotee, if the devotee is at strong will and fix in his mind about the marriage? Yes. Your Lord is your Guru, he will bless you with powers and purity to fulfill your duties. Will the god do some maya (like spoiling the relationship between he and his lover) and make sure that his devotee doesn't marry at all (because he doesn't want his devotee to get into the material desires)....
Question Why do we need a guru? Can Lord be our Guru? Answer Yes, you can assume anything or anyone as your Guru and how much faith and devotion you have to that anything or anyone will make all the difference. Guru is for helping you and guiding you but ultimately it's you whose efforts will matter the most. Nature constantly pushes you and presents before you situations which are basically aimed at moving you in the right direction but not everybody will recognizes that, one who is really wise will only understand....
Question Is the complete Shiva Purana available online in English? Answer As I far as I know, the only unabridged translation of the Shiva Purana is the four-volume translation published by Motilal Banarsidass. Here is a link to the table of conents. The translation is available online on DSpace, the digital repository of the West Bengal Public Library Network. Here are the links to all four volumes: Volume 1 Volume 2 Volume 3 Volume 4 Note that DSpace breaks each book up into 80-page chunks....
Question What is the actual meaning of Gayathri mantra? Answer Gayatri is Rig veda (III. lxii. 10.) Ralph Griffith's translation is May we attain that excellent glory of Savitar the God : So May he stimulate our prayers. A better translation might be : We meditate on the glory of that Being who has produced this universe. May He enlighten our minds Note: “The question: What is the actual meaning of Gayathri mantra?...