Q&A

Question Caste System in Vedas Answer Why do Vedas, which are authorless and eternal They are not authorless and eternal. The Vedas are authored by the rishis based on their spiritual experiences. This is said by the rishis themselves in the Vedas. For example: RV 1.61.4: asmā idu stomaṃ saṃ hinomi rathaṃ na taṣṭeva — “For him, I design this hymn, just as a carpenter designs a chariot” RV 1.94.1: imaṃ stomamarhate jātavedase rathamiva saṃ mahemā manīṣayā — “This stotra we make for the most sacred Jātaveda with deep meditation, just like building a chariot”...

Question Why do Bramha sutras say that Shudras cannot listen to Vedas? Answer The specific sutras you reference have always been controversial. All the arguments, on all sides, narrow down to one question - who is sudra, who is not; is varna from birth, or from conduct. The specific verses are Brahma Sutras 1.3.34-38. Before quoting these verses and some commentary in both Shankaracharya and Ramanuja, it is best to first reference Chandogya Upanishad as both reference it....

Question How does one start in Hinduism? Answer I was like you, similar. Till 25 years I was an agnostic although a born Brahmin. When I came to the west around that time there weren’t any big groups etc. Now we see a lot of faith groups The best book that I found that helped me initially was “Hindu Dharma : The Universal way of life” by Chandrasekarendra Saraswati’s Tamil lectures translation....

Question Is it possible to live like in Krita Yuga [Satya Yuga] for an individual, despite being in Kali Yuga? Answer As you may already know, in Hinduism Dharma is represented as a Bull having four feet. In Krita Yuga, the Bull has its four legs intact. So, Dharma is fully functional in that age. In Treta the Bull has 3 legs, in Dwapara 2 and finally in Kali Yuga the Dharma-Bull is standing on just one leg....

Question Can a non-Indian person trust Sanatan Dharma, follow it and so become Hindu? Answer The proof of the pudding is in eating. Find out about Sister Nivedita who was a disciple of Swami Vivekananda. Her European name is Margaret Noble. So the answer to your question is a resounding yes. A good discussion is in wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sister_Nivedita I am posting some excerpts about Sister Nivedita. 'Great things can be done by great sacrifices only!...

Question Clarification on one of Ramana Maharshi’s quote is requested Answer Beautiful answers and here is a more detailed answer. I guess you are aware of the background in which Maharshi Quotes(Wrote on a Paper)these words. At the outset, when Bhagavan left home, his family tried to trace him, but failed. Only some years later they discovered him at Tiruvannamalai. The Mother, not yet ripe to renounce the world and join him, went to persuade her son to return home....

Question Is nAma-japa beneficial? Answer This is a supplementary answer and not a primary answer as I do not consider myself an expert on this field. If I understand correctly, you ask whether nama-japa can contribute positively to your life and well being, if practiced, given your atheistic background, along with strategies to increase devotion. My answer in short, is yes it will benefit you. Now for the detailed answer: I would suggest you to read Hindu epics, which are most easily understood and do not contain any special terminologies/difficult concepts, and have stories/incidents which give you a glimpse into the Hindu way of looking at things, about Hindu ethics, spirituality, tradition....

Question Can you get rid of bad karma by self harm? Answer There are methods to reduce the effect of bad karmas. Yudhisthira says,'…a perpetrated sin is expiated by auspicious acts, by publishing it wildly, by repentance, by alms-giving, by penances, by trips to tirthas after renunciation of everything, by constant meditation on the scriptures. Of all these, he that has practiced renunciation is believed to be incapable of committing sins anew....

Question Why are our scriptures contradicting so much? A Bramhana can beat anyone as he wishes? Answer Firstly as rightly said by RickRoss and Ikshvaku, the verses are talking about punishment inflicted by kings for certain acts. Nowhere does scripture sanction Brahmins to beat lower caste people. 1. General view: The general majority view of the Smritis (See other comparative notes to Manu 8.279 as well) seems to be only the injuring of a Brahmin being punishable by censuring the aggrieving limb:...

Question Why Maa Lakshmi says that neither Lord Brahma nor Lord Vishnu only Lord Shiva commands her to move from one place to another.? Answer Well I am answering my own question because I got some new proofs to validate the point of my own question. In the above verse It is said that no one but just Lord kala controls maa Lakshmi. It's gonna be a bit long so just read till the last....

Question Is it more helpful in any way to worship multiple deities? Answer The answer to this question becomes more of an open-ended opinion-based discussion rather than one with a definitive & authoritative answer . So brace up for a long answer.:)) As it is with the Sanātana Dharma aka Hinduism, there's no singular monolithic directive authority, since it being more of a loose conglomerate of various Schools of Thought and Sects (saṃpradāya)....

Question Deceit in dice game Answer The dice game was considered as unfair and deceit because Yudhistira was not skilled to play. Krishna says this in Karna parva when Karna asks for time to lift his car wheels and reminds as it is unfair to shoot on unarmed. Similarly, Krishna repeats again Shalya parva [1], while responding to Duryodana's claim that his warriors were slain unfairly. Thou hadst, through Subala's son well-versed in dice, unfairly vanquished the virtuous Yudhishthira who was unskilled in gambling!...

Question Differences in Yogic Virtues Answer The Devi Bhgavatam's 7th book's 35th chapter talks about these details of Yoga and Mantra Siddhi. Yoga is known to have eight limbs namely: Yama, Niyama, Asana, Pranayama, Pratyahara, Dharana, Dhyana and Samadhi. Yama includes non-injury, non-stealing, continence, compassion etc. Niyama includes Tapasya, Santosha (contentment), Astikya etc. Asanas are the Yogic postures like Padma, Swastika, Vira etc. Pranayama is about controlling the breath or Prana....

Question Is eating meat allowed if the animal died naturally? Answer Manu Smriti 5.48. 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. From the above, it is clear that the reason why meat eating is not recommended is because it involves Ahimsa (injury to other beings). But, when the animal has naturally died, there is no Ahimsa involved and the above prohibition or reasoning is not applicable....

Question How can Brahman/consciousness be all pervading including living and non living things? Answer Brahman is both the nimitta-kāraṇa (efficient cause) and upādāna-kāraṇa (material cause) of the universe. Otherwise, definition of Brahman is meaningless. If Brahman was not everything, then it would mean there is a second pole of power that Brahman has to contend with or be dependent on. But as we see from Upanishads, Brahman is everything that exists....