Q&A

Question Why do Hindus believe in cremation instead of burial? Answer Earlier answerers have given a sociological explanation for the cremation ritual, but I'll try to provide a purely theological explanation. In Hinduism, every jiva is made of five Mahabhootas, namely, Dhara (Earth), Nabh(Ether), Vayu(Air), Varuna(Water), Agni(Fire). After death, the body is supposed to disintegrate back into these many Mahabhoota. Hindus believe that souls after living in the body for so long time, get attached to the body and if left to rot on its own or buried, will linger in the vicinity....

Question Why is Krishna portrayed to be blue? Answer Krishna's color is quoted from scripture to be like the hue of newly formed rain clouds. See Brahma Samhita 5.30: veṇuṁ kvaṇantam aravinda-dalāyatākṣam- barhāvataṁsam asitāmbuda-sundarāṅgam kandarpa-koṭi-kamanīya-viśeṣa-śobhaṁ govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajāmi For the full word for word translation, see Bhaktivedanta VedaBase. An overall translation is below: I worship Govinda, the primeval Lord, who is adept in playing on His flute, with blooming eyes like lotus petals with head decked with peacock's feather, with the figure of beauty tinged with the hue of blue clouds, and His unique loveliness charming millions of Cupids....

Question What is the origin of the word “Hindu”? Answer Hindus didn't call themselves Hindu. It was the name given by Islamic invaders. To them, everyone living beyond the river Sindhu were Hindus including Buddhists, Jains & animistic tribals. Sindhu becomes Hindu in Persian and Indus in English. And the land of these people beyond Sindhu was called Hindustan. To the native, i.e ancestors of today's Hindus, their religion was just called Dharma....

Question Do any texts explicitly forbid Hindus from eating beef? Answer Not just beef, eating any kind of meat is by default prohibited in Hinduism. Consider the following statements from the primary Hindu book of law: Meat can never be obtained without injury to living creatures, and injury to sentient beings is detrimental to (the attainment of) heavenly bliss; let him therefore shun (the use of) meat. [Manu Smriti - 5....

Question How can the ideology of Cārvāka exist within Hinduism? Answer There will always be two groups of people. One who will believe in afterlife, God, etc. (the theists) and the other who will not believe in afterlife, God, etc. (the atheists). The ideology of Cārvāka fills the atheistic position in Hinduism. However, the thing to note is that this school of thought being faulty has already lost its prominence being refuted by other theist schools of thought hundreds of years back....

Question Why is Ganga considered sacred? Why do so many devotees worship this river? Answer As per the scripture, river Ganga is considered sacred because it has arisen from the feet of Vishnu and destroys the sins of a person: caraṇābjasamudbhutā gaṃgā nameti viśrutā pāpāanāṃ sthūlarāśīnāṃ naśinī śeti nārada [Padma Pu. - 6.22.3] Meaning O Narada, renowned as Ganga, it has arisen from the lotus like feet (of Vishnu) and destroys sins in larger quantities....

Question What is “Moksha” in Hinduism? Answer Moksha in Hinduism and Nirvana in Buddhism are closely related concepts. One of the core beliefs of Hinduism is re-incarnation. Everyone is subjected to this never ending cycle of misery and is bound to this suffering by the laws of Karma. Again, Karma mean 'your deeds'. It can be good or bad and you will be given the fruits of your Karma in your next life....

Question Why can we eat ’living’ plants but not ’living’ animals? Answer I am going to give the answer from a different perspective. The conception of Guna (property). There are Three types of Guna Sattva (the quality of goodness): Sattva is Calm, Saintly. Its brings up quality that allows spiritual holiness, forgiveness and submission to God. Foods dear to those in the mode of goodness increase the duration of life, purify one’s existence and give strength, health, happiness and satisfaction....

Question Does Hinduism acknowledge the existence of other religions? Answer No. Hinduism or more properly Sanathana Dharma predates mature religions which are well known today. Also, Hinduism evolved as a way of living or culture as opposed to a strict set of rules enforced by a religious/political/other influential body hence there is no need to compare or take examples from other religions. The scriptures focus on stories (historical or folklore) to serve as examples for human living of what is right or wrong....

Question Why do Hindus have no restrictions on going to churches or any other religious places? Answer Because Hinduism is not structured like Islam or Christianity. There is no 'one' supreme god or 'one' single book to guide you. Everyone is free to find their own way to the ultimate freedom (moksha) and most of the religious books (Vedas, Upanishads, Geeta etc.) prohibit harming other living things. As long as you don't hurt anyone, you can live even without praying and not be condemned....

Question Why don’t men wear the likes of Mangal-Sutra to signify they are married? Answer First a small clarification from Wikipedia entry Contrary to false impression generated in recent decades by Indian movies and TV soap opera, the practice does not exist in every part of India, nor is it an integral part of a marriage ceremony. Apart from the mangala sutra, the toe rings (bichhua), kumkum, bangles, nalla pusalu (black pearls) and nose ring form six symbols that may indicate that a woman is married....

Question How exactly does karma work? Answer A complex topic, but I will try to give the basics and make some points. First, let's understand what creates karma from the Vaishnava perspective. In the Bhagavad Gita (Chapter 4.16-23), Krishna explains that are three different types of work: akarma, which is work done in pure consciousness, which produces no karma karma, prescribed work, which accrues either good or bad karma (work produces fruit), vikarma, or forbidden activities....

Question Does the concept of Evil Spirits occur in Hinduism? Answer There's no equivalent of Satan in Hinduism. Hinduism has a universal Brahman which pervades all things good as well as evil. Satan (an absolute evil) is a necessity in Abrahamic faith to explain all things bad because the Abrahamic God cannot do anything evil. Hindu God on the other hand pervades everything good as well as bad. According to the Vedas, there are only three principles or entities that exist in reality, in sum total....

Question What does Hinduism say about third-gendered people? Answer From hrc.org The erotic sculptures on ancient Hindu temples at Khajuraho and Konarak, and the sacred texts in Sanskrit constitute irrefutable evidence that a whole range of sexual behavior was known to ancient Hindus. The tradition of representing same-sex desire in literature and art continued in medieval Hinduism. Ayyappan is a Hindu deity who is believed to be an incarnation of Dharma Sasta, the offspring of Shiva and Vishnu (in the form of Mohini)...

Question What is the difference between sacrifice (yajna) and charity (dana)? Answer Yajna, the fire sacrifice, is the central ritual of the Vedic sacrificial cult. The basic idea of Yajna according to the Vedic ritualists was that man can have a happy and prosperous life only if he lived in harmony with his environment, consisting of Nature and the Devas who control the forces of Nature. Man gets his progeny and his sustenance as the gifts of Nature and he should express his thanks to the Devas....