Q&A

Question Why is a major upanishad called “major upanishad”? Answer This classification must have originated from the way the Upanishads' "importance" are described in the Muktika Upanishad (linked to Shukla Yajurveda), which lists the names of the 108 Upanishads. Hanuman: How many are the Vedas and how many branches do they have ? Of these what are the Upanishads ? Rama: Vedas are four, Rig-Veda etc., many branches and Upanishads exist in them....

Question Do the different schools of thought in Hinduism believe that where way of getting moksha is the only correct way and others are wrong? Answer The various Vedantic sects are divided into those that consider Brahman to be different from Jiva (dualists) and those that consider them to be identical (non-dualists). Most of these schools acknowledge that people following other schools can attain high spiritual states. What nondualists are not sure of is whether dualists must have the experience of Nirvana....

Question Is there any shruti law book in Hinduism? Answer Is there any shruti law book in Hinduism? The shruti "lawbook" is the Brahmana section of the Vedas. This is the basis on which the Dharma shastras are written. The Brahmanas describe how to conduct yajnas (rituals), how to use the Samhita mantras in the yajnas, and also Dharma in general. Āpastamba (1.4.10) — ‘the injunctions are those laid down in the Brāhmaṇas’...

Question Why do enlightened people contradict each other? Answer The Ultimate Reality is infinite. An enlightened person may not have experienced the whole of this Reality. The partial experience of the Reality leads to apparent contradictions. Let me give here the experience of Totapuri, the Advaita Vedanta Guru of Sri Ramakrishna. Sri Puri has had the Advaita moksha experience after 40 years of effort. He did not accept the reality of Hindu Devatas....

Question How can we understand vedas? Answer Sanskrit is a very rich language and old language. One word may have multiple meaning. Language evolve on change time to time. Vedas were at least written around 1500bce. So how do we know that the translation we are reading and understanding is correct. And that's how people have understood the Vedas when they were first composed. That is why the Rishis have created four Vedangas: Vyakarana, Nirukta, Shiksha, and Chandas....

Question How many Tantra (Sakta Agamas) texts are there? Answer Arthur Avalon mentioned in the Principles of Tantra(English translation of the Bengali work Tantratattva written by his guru Shivachandra Vidyârnava) that each Krântâ has it's own 64 sets of Shâktâgamas. There are 3 Krântâs, which makes a total of 192 Shâktâgamas. For Vishnukrântâ, these 64 Shâktâgamas are : Siddheshvara Tantra, Kâlî Tantra, Kulârnava Tantra, Jnanârnava Tantra, Nîla Tanta, Phetkârinî Tantra, Devî Âgama, Uttara Tantra, Shrîkrama Tantra, Siddhayâmala Tantra, Matsyasûkta, Siddhasâra Tantra, Siddhasârasvata Tantra, Vârâhî Tantra, Yoginî Tantra, Ganeshavimarshinî Tantra, Nityâ Tantra, Shivâgama, Châmundâ Tantra, Mundamâlâ Tantra, Hamsamaheshvara Tantra, Niruttara Tantra, Kulaprakâshaka Tantra, Devîkalpa Tantra, Gândharva Tantra, Kriyâsâra Tantra, Nibandha Tantra, Svatantra Tantra, Sammohana Tantra, Tantrarâja Tantra, Lalitâ Tantra, Râdhâ Tantra, Mâlinî Tantra, Rudrayâmala Tantra, Brihatshrîkrama Tantra, Gavâksha Tantra, Sukumudinî Tantra, Vishuddheshvara Tantra, Mâlinîvijaya Tantra, Samayâchâra Tantra, Bhairavî Tantra, Yoginîhridaya Tantra, Bhairava Tantra, Sanatkumâra Tantra, Yoni Tantra, Tantrântara Tantra, Navaratneshvara Tantra, Kulachudâmani Tantra, Bhâvachudâmani Tantra, Devaprakâsha Tantra, Kâmâkhyâ Tantra, Kâmadhenu Tantra, Kumârî Tantra, Bhûtadâmara Tantra, Yâmala Tantra, Brahmayâmala Tantra, Vishvasâra Tantra, Mahâkâlasamhita, Kuloddîsha Tantra, Kulâmrita Tantra, Kubjikâ Tantra, Yantrachitâmani Tantra, Kâlîvilâsa Tantra, Mâyâ Tantra...

Question What is the proper translation of Rig Veda 10.95.15? Answer No the translation is absolutely fine. We need to see the context here. According to legend, Pururava and Urvashi lived together and Urvasi leaves him one day. Pururva goes back to her and asks her to come back. She refuses and then Pururva threatens her that he will die and never return, hence she speaks these words. By this, we can conclude that these verses don't have any philosophical/prescriptive but only descriptive usage as part of a Legendary Story....

Question Are fire cracks really a part of diwali celebration? Answer Are fire cracks really a part of diwali celebration? Short Answer: NO There's no scriptural injunction in any way whatsoever which prescribe for burning crackers on the auspicious day of Diwali or Deepavali. Also, contrary to the popular belief that "Diwali is celebrated only because Shri Rama returned back to Ayodhaya after his vanavasa, there are several other reasons in different parts of India, another popular one being, the "Emergence of Bhagawati Lakshmi from Samundra Manthan and thus subsequent tradition of extolling and worshipping Goddess Mahalakshmi on the night of Diwali....

Question Why killing someone, stealing and drinking, all are equated on a same level of offense? Answer Summary: (Read conclusion below for a summarised compact understanding, since answer is long.) Upapātaka doesn’t mean minor sin but general sin. There’s no hierarchy of sins per say except the 5 major ones and killing of women (or anyone) is in no way inferior. There is no differentiation between the killing of Men and women both have been accorded an equal status but yet an exception has been made in the case of fertile women....

Question Is it true that if supreme lord kills someone then she/he will attain Moksha? Answer Yes. Anyone killed by Lord gets Moksha. Lord awards Moksha to even people who hate and reject him. I will give few examples of people who got liberated from Bhagavatam. These two associates of Lord Viṣṇu — Jaya and Vijaya — maintained a feeling of enmity for a very long time. Because of always thinking of Kṛṣṇa in this way, they regained the shelter of the Lord, having returned home, back to Godhead....

Question Shri Ramakrishna was from which school of thought? Answer The great mystic & Saint, Sri Ramakrishnan Paramahamsa, born in Bengal, started his journey with unflinching devotion to Maa KAli which later also took him towards the Advaita School of Vedanta, after the incident - " when he cut Maa Kali into two pieces using the sword of jnana (knowledge) ". His Wikipedia Page quotes as follows Sri Ramakrishna experienced spiritual ecstasies from a young age, and was influenced by several religious traditions, including devotion toward the Goddess Kali, Tantra, Bhakti and Advaita Vedanta....

Question Do all Non-Hindus remain as Pretas after death? Answer Usana Smriti's Chapter 7 has the following verse: It is laid down that Sapindikaran, S'raddha should be preceeded by the Daiva, (i.e., offerings made to the Deities). There one should invite the departed Manes and point out again (i.e., invoke) the deceased.* (17) On this verse the translator/commentator (Manmatha Nath Dutta) says: A deceased person is called Preta till the celebration of the Sapindikaran Shraddha , after which he is designated Pitri,...

Question Is Rigveda 10:138:4 is asking to kill Non Hindus? Answer Well if you look at the Hindi translation of it here on Vedakosh, the complete translation says: (धृषितः) शत्रुओं का धर्षणकर्ता दबानेवाला (अनाधृष्टानि) न धर्षण करने योग्य बलों को (वि-आस्यत्) विशेषरूप से फेंकता है (अयास्यः) अभ्रान्त-न थका हुआ (निधीन्-अदेवान्) बलनिधि नास्तिक उद्दण्ड शत्रुओं को (अमृणात्) हिंसित करता है (मासा इव सूर्यः) अपनी रश्मि से सूर्य रस खींच लेता है, उसी प्रकार (पुर्यं वसु-आददे) शत्रु के पुरि नगरी में होनेवाले धन को बल को ले लेता है (गृणानः) प्रार्थना में लाया हुआ (विरुक्मता शत्रून्-अशृणात्) विशेष तेजस्वी वज्र से शत्रुओं को मारता है ॥४॥...

Question What is the explanation for Yajur Veda 19.37? Answer We need to read and understand the underlying sloka/verse to decipher the correct meaning intended in the Vedas. But you need to be careful with western translations when relying on their interpretations of vedas. I will write the sanskrit verse below and provide meaning for it, and then clarify what its intention is thereafter. But first, one thing I need to caveat - you said "I mean how it is possible, because once you are dead your soul goes for reincarnation....

Question What are some similar verses to Gita 2:26 Answer Mandukya Karika has a similar verse - Ātman, in regard to its birth, death, going and coming (i.e., transmigration) and its existing in different bodies, is not dissimilar to the Ākāśa (Mandukya Karika 3.9) Shankaracharya comments "The point which has been just stated is again thus developed:—Birth, death, etc., of the Ātman as seen in all bodies is like the creation, destruction, coming, going and existence of the Ghaṭākāśa"...