Q&A

Question How shall a foreigner develop their practice of Sanātana Dharma? Answer A foreigner inclined to the path of knowledge after getting acquainted with Bhagwat Geeta may step into following three aspects to further acceletare his/her illumination. Theoretical - Read Advaita philosophies like Kashmiri Shaivism or Advait Vedanta. If one is more inclined to Shiva-Shakti then better to inclined to Kashmiri Shaivism. Practical - Once one starts Advaita philosophies (primarily Kashmiri Shaivism) one can use the knowledge derived from the theories to raise one's consciousness....

Question If Ramayana is much older than Mahabharata, then why don’t we find any character in Mahabharata discussing Lord Rama or worshipping him? Answer In the Vana Parva of Mahabharata there is Ramopakhyana section ie. Ramayana is told there by Markandeya to Yudhisthira. One example from that section is: "Markandeya said, 'O bull of the Bharata race, even Rama suffered unparalleled misery, for the evil-minded Ravana, king of the Rakshasas, having recourse to deceit and overpowering the vulture Jatayu, forcibly carried away his wife Sita from his asylum in the woods....

Question Should one give up Moha? Answer Yes, would be good to give up moha. Patanjali uses the word in YS II.34. Patanjali is an extensively commented author. It is usually understood as blind attachment, delusion. He names moha as one of the causes to "perverse, unwholesome, troublesome, or deviant thoughts", what is obviously an serious obstacle to your practice. Note: “The question: Should one give up Moha?” is licensed by Stack Exchange Inc (https://hinduism....

Question How can we identify a self realized person? Answer Some of the quintessential qualities of an enlightened person are: He always observes silence. In other words, he is in a trance state most of the time. He is child like and most of his actions resembles those of a 6 or 7 year old kid. He is in perpetual ananda or bliss state mostly emanating from within and as such he rarely get angry unless otherwise severely provoked....

Question Do farmers have the right to kill pests? Answer It can not be mentioned as disallowed because it is unavoidable. But at the same time, it is recognized as a sin, and to remedy that sin, prescriptions are also being provided. See the following verses from the Parashara Smriti's 2nd Chapter: अयोमुखेन काष्ठेन तदेकाहेन लाङ्गली । पाशकोमत्स्य घाती च व्याधः शाकुनिकस्तथा ॥९॥ A hunter who makes his living by killing beasts ; one who lives by ensnaring them ; a fisherman and a fowler ; as also an agriculturist who makes no gifts (of paddy) :-— all these five incur the same identical sin....

Question Why is Surya referred to as Martanda? Answer Is this story of Surya being born dead and revived later given in any scripture? Yes , apart from Brahma Purana , we find the brief mentioning of Aditya or Sun God being born dead and revived later in Satapatha Brahmana - Kanda 3 - Adhyaya - 1 - Brahmana 3 . .But here instead it's said that Martanda was born unformed or immature than dead ....

Question Karmic result of a gay man marrying a straight woman fraudulently Answer Fraudulent marriages may distinctly fall under "PishAcha" marriage (sub demonic), which is the lowest category among all types of marriages. According to Manusmruti, chapter 3, among 8 types of marriages, 2 of them, viz. Asura & PishAcha -- should never by practiced. When (a man) by stealth seduces a girl who is sleeping, intoxicated, or disordered in intellect, that is the eighth, the most base and sinful rite of the Pisakas....

Question What are steps for following karma yoga (in all aspects of life)? Answer Bhagavad Gita describes 2 ways of Moksha (liberation): SAmkhya & Yoga. [BG 5.5] It describes Yoga in 4 ways: Karma-Yoga, GyAna-Yoga, DhyAna-Yoga, Kriya-Yoga [BG 12.12] (Bhakti should not be considered as part of Yoga) But before we delve into the Karma-Yoga, one should ask oneself: "Why do I want to follow Karma Yoga?" The product of any Yoga (or SAmkhya) is "indifference" (i....

Question The Oracle said that the eighth son of Devaki would kill Kansa, then why did he kill seven sons? Answer The reason was the fear and insecurity created in Kamsa's mind after meeting with sage Narada. After hearing a prophecy by an unembodied voice (Akash vani. It was not by a sage) that eighth son of Devakī would kill him, Kamsa was shocked and decided to kill his sister Devakī....

Question Is a neutral person in a religious war equal to enemy, according to GITA? Answer Gita is quite clear that one must oppose the wicked and fight on the side of dharma. There is no room for neutrality in a war against adharma. The concrete example is that of Arjuna. He refused to fight against adharma on personal grounds. Sri Krishna chastised him for such unmanliness. O Arjuna! Whence has this loathsome stupidity come upon you in this crisis?...

Question Is it true that the next life depends on our thoughts while dying? Answer Yes. BG 8.6 — Also [when] the body is left remembering whatever "Nature" at the end, O son of Kunti, [it] always approaches towards establishing those nature(s) only. This is further confirmed by below verse, which though said in the context of the Yogi-s, is applicable to all. i.e. we carry forward the practices/samskAra-s of our past births....

Question Was there a process of impeachment if a king was found to be in violation of dharma? Answer No such thing as impeachment is found in the Smritis. But I've found something relevant in the Mahanirvana Tantra's 11th Chapter, which talks about Prayaschittas (expiatory rites), regarding what shall be the punishment for such a King. [Lord Shiva says] O Kula−nayika! know that there are two kinds of sin−− that which contributes merely to the injury of one's own self, and that which causes injury to others (15)....

Question Is sexual activity by devadasi sanctioned in Hinduism? Answer There is no sanction in Hindu scripture for sexual activity by Devadasis. The Temple Dancers The tradition of women being dedicated to a temple can be found in all ancient civilisations including Greece and Egypt. In India, the devadasis, the handmaiden of god. was married to the deity as a child and became part of a temple establishment. A devadasi was supposed to have the highest status of a hierarchy of the temple after the temple priests and their presence was considered essential during religious relations....

Question Who records Karma of all living beings? Answer The Atman and the five organs of perception do. Bhishma said,’ No act done with the aid of the five organs of sensual perception, is ever lost. The five sensual organs and the immortal soul which is the sixth, remain its witnesses.’ Mahabharata Anusasana Parva Section VII Records of all our deeds are kept in the casual body. The reason for calling this body causal is that the record of our karma kept in this body causes rebirth....

Question What are the different sources that describe vedangas or limbs of the vedas? Answer Vedangas literally mean the limbs of the Vedas. The Vedanga are six auxiliary disciplines traditionally associated with the study and understanding of the Vedas. They are six in number. Just like the limbs of the body, they perform various supportive and augmenting functions in the study, preservation and protection of the Vedas and the vedic traditions....