alberto98fx/HinduLlama3.1-8B
Text Generation • 1B • Updated
qpid stringclasses 1
value | q_body stringlengths 46 17.9k | AcceptedAnswerId stringlengths 2 5 | aa_pid stringlengths 1 5 | q_score stringclasses 52
values | PostTypeId stringclasses 1
value | Id stringlengths 1 5 | aa_score stringclasses 54
values | Title stringlengths 15 150 | AnswerCount stringclasses 11
values | aa_id stringlengths 2 5 | aa_body stringlengths 208 31.9k |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
<p><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orthodoxy">Orthodoxy</a> in Christianity is the holding to the oldest beliefs. It is of course impossible for the religion not to evolve at all as new questions and there answer have to addressed. The "Orthodox" version is often considered to be the least evolved sect of a rel... | 83 | 1 | 14 | 2 | 1 | 15 | Is there an Orthodox Hinduism? | 3 | 83 | <p>Today all most all of Hinduism is Orthodox. Due to the classification of Buddhism and Jainism as separate religion they are no longer treated as part of Hinduism. Hence, as what is left in Hinduism is being primarily based on the Vedas (the revealed scriptures) all of Hinduism is orthodox. </p>
<p>The definition of... | |
<p>Every major religion has several different belief systems (sects) that have the same general core belief, but have a significant enough different to have be separated from each other.</p>
<p>What are the major (3-10) sects of Hinduism? How are they different from each other?</p>
| 802 | 3 | 16 | 2 | 3 | 11 | What are the major sects of Hinduism? | 3 | 802 | <p>Hinduism has many sects. It depends upon what perspective you are considering it from.</p>
<p>It all starts from the Vedas. However, Vedas being not consistent in their philosophies, different schools of thought emerged in India either by accepting or rejecting the authority of the Vedas. Those schools of thought w... | |
<p>How is the concept of rebirth or reincarnation handled in Hinduism?</p>
<ul>
<li>Does it occur? </li>
<li>Will everyone be reborn? </li>
<li>Are people always reborn as people?</li>
</ul>
| 66 | 4 | 23 | 2 | 4 | 24 | Does rebirth or reincarnation occur in Hinduism? | 6 | 66 | <h2>Does it occur?</h2>
<p><strong>Yes, it does</strong>. As per Bhagavad Gita:</p>
<blockquote>
<p><em>jātasya hi dhruvo mṛtyur dhruvaṁ janma mṛtasya ca</em> [BG- 2.27]<br>
- Death is certain after birth and birth is certain after death.</p>
</blockquote>
<h2>Will everyone be reborn?</h2>
<p><strong>No, not ev... | |
<p>I am just curious for what religious reasons there might have been. In certain sects of Hinduism, women are asked to not enter the kitchen, eat and sleep separately from the rest of the family, not enter temples, etc. when they are menstruating. One obvious reason may have been sanitary reasons, but it is still foll... | 42 | 8 | 45 | 2 | 8 | 43 | Why are menstruating women (at least in the Brahmin community) asked to be separate from the family for three days? | 7 | 42 | <p>Menstruation is considered to be "muci," or impure. For many brahminical families, temple worship and puja were their primary occupations. One cannot worship the Deity or perform rituals if one is unclean. The concern was that women would contaminate the offerings prepared.</p>
<blockquote>
<p><strong>Manu-smriti... | |
<p>We have been told that Aryans were living in the Indian subcontinent and that they started the caste and creed system.</p>
<p>Is it true that they started the Hindu belief system?</p>
| 41 | 11 | 10 | 2 | 11 | 9 | Were Aryans the forefathers of Hindus? | 4 | 41 | <p>Preface: this answer is hugely lacking in details, which I hope to add later. For more detailed and evidence-based views on the matter, consider consulting the following discussions:</p>
<ul>
<li><a href="https://history.stackexchange.com/questions/1860/what-are-the-latest-publications-demolishing-the-aryan-invasion... | |
<p>In India, people do drugs and drink alcohol. This can be interpreted as there being no law in India to stop them from drinking and doing drugs.</p>
<p>Many Indian people are also Hindu. What does Hinduism say about the use of drugs and alcohol?</p>
| 52 | 14 | 10 | 2 | 14 | 20 | Are drugs allowed in Hinduism? | 6 | 52 | <blockquote>
<p>Is taking alcohol really allowed in Hinduism, or people forgot what
were the teachings</p>
</blockquote>
<p>There is no "commandment" regarding use of drugs or alcohol. </p>
<p>It is considered bad for socio-cultural reasons than religious reasons in most cases. </p>
<p>Many Hindu schools/teachin... | |
<p>Gods and Goddesses have been mentioned in many areas in India as well as many articles written by scholar of hinduism.</p>
<p>But does Hinduism have a concept similar to angels - not the Gods but lesser heavenly beings that are messengers of the Gods?</p>
<p>This is not about explicitly Judeo-Christian angels like... | 28 | 17 | 10 | 2 | 17 | 13 | Are there angels in Hinduism? | 4 | 28 | <p>There are also Gandharvas, Kinnaras, and other subtle beings mentioned in the Vedic literatures, which can likened to the Christian idea of angels. It really depends on what your perspective of "angels". If you're thinking of subtle beings flying in the sky with heavenly voices, those are Gandharvas. If you're imply... | |
<p>What are the teachings of Hinduism for dealing with other religions and their followers? To be more precise, what does Hinduism teach its followers about how to treat other people like Muslims and Christians?</p>
| 77 | 18 | 17 | 2 | 18 | 20 | How should Hindus treat people of other religions? | 3 | 77 | <p>Hindu Dharma is non-exclusive. I.e it does not claim it possesses the exclusive right to grant salvation/liberation. It recognizes that every path can lead to the truth.</p>
<blockquote>
<p>"ekam sat viprāḥ bahudhā vadanti"</p>
<p>-Rig Veda (Book 1, Hymn 164, Verse 46)</p>
</blockquote>
<p>This means "The T... | |
<p>Most Indian newspapers write in good English. The only oddity across all papers I've seen lies in the choice of vocabulary talking about the passing away or death of someone. Invariably, people don't seem to die, but to "expire".</p>
<p>What part, if any, of Hindu philosophy concerning death would have people choos... | 56 | 29 | 0 | 2 | 29 | 6 | Death vs. expiration in Hindu philosophy | 4 | 56 | <p>I don't think that this has anything to do with Hindu conceptions of death. Rather, this is most likely a peculiarity of Indian English. </p>
<p>In many varieties of English, <a href="http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/expire" rel="nofollow"><em>expire</em></a> is a somewhat archaic, euphemistic synonym for "die". Howev... | |
<p>The other two major religions, Christianity and Islam both practice burial after death. What factors influence the Hindus to practice cremation instead?</p>
| 93 | 36 | 92 | 2 | 36 | 139 | Why do Hindus believe in cremation instead of burial? | 8 | 93 | <p>Earlier answerers have given a sociological explanation for the cremation ritual, but I'll try to provide a purely theological explanation.</p>
<p>In Hinduism, every <em>jiva</em> is made of five <em>Mahabhootas</em>, namely, <em>Dhara (Earth)</em>, <em>Nabh(Ether)</em>, <em>Vayu(Air)</em>, <em>Varuna(Water)</em>, <... | |
<p>Humans (at least Asians) are wheatish-brown in color. Why was Krishna portrayed as blue? Is it just to show his purity, or is there some story background of it (e.g. is it based in reality)?</p>
| 50 | 46 | 22 | 2 | 46 | 16 | Why is Krishna portrayed to be blue? | 4 | 50 | <p>Krishna's color is quoted from scripture to be like the hue of newly formed rain clouds. See Brahma Samhita 5.30:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>veṇuṁ kvaṇantam aravinda-dalāyatākṣam-<br>
barhāvataṁsam asitāmbuda-sundarāṅgam<br>
kandarpa-koṭi-kamanīya-viśeṣa-śobhaṁ<br>
govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajāmi</p>
</block... | |
<p>It is a fact that the term "Hindu" derives from the river "Sindh". But most of Hinduism's tenets and teachings derive from the Vedas. Why wasn't it named after the Vedas, but it's rather given a name derived from a river?</p>
<p>Can anyone shed light on this?</p>
| 75 | 65 | 41 | 2 | 65 | 45 | What is the origin of the word "Hindu"? | 7 | 75 | <p>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.</p>
... | |
<p>I have been told many a times that I shouldn't eat beef because I am a Hindu by religion. Even though I have <em>never worshiped a cow in my life</em> or interacted with any on more than exotic basis, I find it hard to understand the logic behind not eating beef.</p>
<p>My argument against this has been the same as... | 72 | 67 | 28 | 2 | 67 | 49 | Do any texts explicitly forbid Hindus from eating beef? | 9 | 72 | <p><strong>Not just beef, eating any kind of meat is by default prohibited in Hinduism</strong>. Consider the following statements from the primary Hindu book of law:</p>
<blockquote>
<ol>
<li>Meat can never be obtained without injury to living creatures, and
injury to sentient beings is detrimental to (the atta... | |
<p>Cārvāka (or charvak), which is a sub-ideology within Hinduism, contains highly conflicting ideals with the core religious views. For example, it's dominantly atheistic (and that sort of defeats the purpose of a religion).</p>
<p>Moreover, according to this ideology:</p>
<ul>
<li>There's no soul.</li>
<li>Metaphysi... | 70 | 68 | 10 | 2 | 68 | 3 | How can the ideology of Cārvāka exist within Hinduism? | 5 | 70 | <p>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... | |
<p>What is river Ganga considered sacred? Why do so many devotees worship her?</p>
<hr>
<p>Note: This is not a dup. of <em><a href="https://hinduism.stackexchange.com/q/285">Historically, when (and why) did Ganga become a holy river? Is it after Sarasvati dried up?</a></em> as that's about when and how Ganga as a riv... | 797 | 81 | 18 | 2 | 81 | 12 | Why is Ganga considered sacred? Why do so many devotees worship this river? | 3 | 797 | <p>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:</p>
<blockquote>
<p><em>caraṇābjasamudbhutā gaṃgā nameti viśrutā<br>
pāpāanāṃ sthūlarāśīnāṃ naśinī śeti nārada</em> [Padma Pu. - 6.22.3] </p>
<p><strong>Meaning</strong... | |
<p>I have heard the word "Moksha" in Hinduism. I know it is related to death and birth. What exactly it is? </p>
| 88 | 84 | 16 | 2 | 84 | 6 | What is "Moksha" in Hinduism? | 7 | 88 | <p><em>Moksha</em> in Hinduism and <em>Nirvana</em> in Buddhism are closely related concepts.
One of the core beliefs of Hinduism is <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reincarnation" rel="noreferrer">re-incarnation</a>.</p>
<p><img src="https://i.stack.imgur.com/Pvgpy.jpg" alt="enter image description here"></p>
... | |
<p>I attended a session of a priest. He described how eating non-veg food is disfavoured in Hinduism. He told us that a verse of Bhagavad-Gita says that eating non-veg food is evil.</p>
<blockquote>
<p><em>Priest:</em> If you eat non-veg food, you share the <em>karma</em> of killing an innocent animal.</p>
<p><em>Me:</... | 112 | 97 | 96 | 2 | 97 | 96 | Why can we eat 'living' plants but not 'living' animals? | 19 | 112 | <p>I am going to give the answer from a different perspective. The conception of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gu%E1%B9%87a" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Guna</a> (property).</p>
<h2>There are Three types of Guna</h2>
<ol>
<li><p><strong>Sattva (the quality of goodness):</strong> Sattva is Calm, Saintly. Its bring... | |
<p>Hinduism isn't a religion but a way of living. Koran and Bible both mention Hinduism, Islam and Christianity and treat Hinduism and themselves as a religion but nowhere in a Hindu text Hinduism is considered a religion (at least not in my knowledge).</p>
<p>Is there any mention of other religions in any Hindu text?... | 145 | 110 | 14 | 2 | 110 | 16 | Does Hinduism acknowledge the existence of other religions? | 4 | 145 | <p>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 religion... | |
<p>Hinduism is known for its wide acceptance of other cultures. Most religions, like Christianity, Islam, etc. have very strict rules regarding this. They are not allowed to worship or visit any other religious places. But in Hinduism, I don't see such restrictions like in other religions- Hindus are allowed to visit o... | 132 | 111 | 28 | 2 | 111 | 36 | Why do Hindus have no restrictions on going to churches or any other religious places? | 4 | 132 | <p>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 ... | |
<p>In Hinduism, brides wear Mangal Sutra to signify that they are married. Additionally, the use of sindoor, red kumkum powder also applied along the parting of the hair, is also worn by married women. These are all symbols that signify that a woman is married.</p>
<p>Why don't such symbols exist for men?</p>
| 520 | 125 | 25 | 2 | 125 | 10 | Why don't men wear the likes of Mangal-Sutra to signify they are married? | 7 | 520 | <p>First a small clarification from <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Mangala_sutra&oldid=614610642" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Wikipedia entry</a></p>
<blockquote>
<p><strike>Contrary to false impression generated in recent decades by Indian movies and TV soap opera, the practice does not exist in... | |
<p>I've heard tales where if you're bad, you are re-incarnated as a bug or something. I'm sure there is more to it than this - can someone clear it up?</p>
| 149 | 138 | 22 | 2 | 138 | 18 | How exactly does karma work? | 4 | 149 | <p>A complex topic, but I will try to give the basics and make some points.</p>
<p>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: </p>
<ul>
<li><em>akarma,</em> which is work done in pure consc... | |
<p>Some of the western religions have evil spirits like devils and demons. Does the concept or belief in evil spirits occur in Hinduism? </p>
| 151 | 147 | 8 | 2 | 147 | 5 | Does the concept of Evil Spirits occur in Hinduism? | 7 | 151 | <p>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 ... | |
<p>Recently, gay rights have been a very hot topic, and some politicians say that they are un-natural and against Hindutva. But how? I mean I don't remember any Veda or religious book saying anything against a third gender. And even the Mahabharata has a transgender character (Shikhandi). Is there anything in the Vedas... | 206 | 175 | 13 | 2 | 175 | 9 | What does Hinduism say about third-gendered people? | 4 | 206 | <p>From <a href="http://www.hrc.org/resources/entry/stances-of-faiths-on-lgbt-issues-hinduism" rel="noreferrer">hrc.org</a></p>
<blockquote>
<p>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 be... | |
<p><a href="http://bhagavad-gita.org/Gita/verse-18-03.html">Bhagavad-gita 18.3</a> and <a href="http://bhagavad-gita.org/Gita/verse-18-05.html">18.5</a> specifically mentions them as separate.</p>
<p>In Christianity they are understood as giving something up and giving something to others, which is quite similar, and ... | 204 | 196 | 13 | 2 | 196 | 9 | What is the difference between sacrifice (yajna) and charity (dana)? | 3 | 204 | <blockquote>
<p>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 force... | |
<p>Hindu sanyasis/monks wear saffron colored robes. Is there any scriptural reasons for saffron? Or is it just cultural since Buddhist monks also wear saffron ?</p>
| 214 | 203 | 20 | 2 | 203 | 11 | What is the significance of the saffron color? | 7 | 214 | <p>Quoting from <a href="http://hinduism.about.com/od/artculture/a/major_hindu_symbols.htm" rel="nofollow noreferrer">About.com</a></p>
<blockquote>
<p>If there is any color that can symbolize all aspects of Hinduism, it's
saffron - the color of Agni or fire, which reflects the Supreme Being.
As such, the <a hre... | |
<p>In the Ramayana, Shri Ram was an avatar of Vishnu; in the Gita or Mahabharata, Shri Krishna was an avatar of Vishnu. Everything they did in human form, they were perfectly able to do it in their original/God form.</p>
<p>Then why did they opt for a human avatar/form? Was it in order to come and live amongst normal ... | 268 | 205 | 23 | 2 | 205 | 14 | Why do Gods take avatar? | 4 | 268 | <p>This is indeed a very good question. But unfortunately <strong>no specific reason can be pointed out as the sole cause for God's incarnations</strong>:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>हरि अवतार हेतु जेहि होई। इदमित्थं कहि जाइ न सोई।। [Ramcharit Manas - 1.121]</p>
</blockquote>
<p>However, from scriptures and whatever sages have... | |
<p>I've seen that Hindus worship lord Ganesha before starting any <em>puja</em> (act of worship) or important task.</p>
<p>I've also seen people worshipping lord Ganesha before they start off with marriage proceedings, and on marriage invitation cards. </p>
<p>They also keep idols of lord Ganesha in their cars, home ... | 222 | 213 | 49 | 2 | 213 | 27 | Why is lord Ganesha worshipped first before any puja? | 9 | 222 | <p>Here's the story of its origin.</p>
<p>Shiva Bhagwan left his abode on Mt. Kailas in the Himalayas to meditate in a cave. Parvati’s friends suggested that she should have an attendant (gana) of her own because they were not pleased with Shiva’s ganas. </p>
<p>Thus, she used her divine powers and bore a son. She na... | |
<p>According to the Ramayana, when Sugriva approached Lord Rama for help in taking his kingdom and wife back from his monstrous brother Vaali, Lord Rama helped him by killing Vaali from behind without his knowing, while the combat between him and Sugriva was going on.</p>
<p>My question is: Why did Lord Rama strike Va... | 246 | 236 | 25 | 2 | 236 | 27 | Why did Lord Rama strike from behind to kill Vaali? | 5 | 246 | <p>We don't need to speculate; we can look at the justification Rama himself gave for his actions: (This is all taken from <a href="http://www.valmikiramayan.net/utf8/kish/sarga18/kishkindha_18_frame.htm">this translation</a> of the Valmiki Ramayana by Desiraju Hanumanta Rao and KMK Murthy.)</p>
<ol>
<li><p>In respons... | |
<p>In Hinduism, there are three supreme gods, <strong>Brahma, Vishnu & Mahesh (Shiva)</strong>. Brahma is the creator, Vishnu is the protector, and Shiva is the destroyer.</p>
<p>But how were these gods born? Did the Supreme Lord (Brahman) create them?</p>
| 13639 | 237 | 55 | 2 | 237 | 42 | How were the Trimurthi born? | 11 | 13639 | <p>Basically by asking "<strong>How were Trimurthis born?</strong>" This question is asking "Who is the originator of whom?" Or "Who is the Ishwara?" Several answers are given here, but most of them are only from their perspective. Here I present all perspectives of all Trimurty.<br></p>
<... | |
<p>Like many other Hindu pujas (prayers), the Maa Durga puja is celebrated by creating an idol for her. But, even though I saw it happen in many movies (Devas, Aanand), I never understood why the soil for such holy rituals are taken from the land of prostitutes. </p>
<p>Is there any divine context for this? </p>
| 249 | 248 | 6 | 2 | 248 | 5 | Soil for Maa Durga puja | 3 | 249 | <p>As we know, prostitution is considered as taboo in Hindu Religion.</p>
<p>So when a person decides to have sex with a prostitute, he is aware that he is going to do a bad thing, and hence he loses his good deeds/goodness outside the brothel.</p>
<p>As many people visit the brothels, the soil outside holds all the ... | |
<p>Hindus believe in Murthi pooja or idol worship. What is the reason behind this?</p>
<p>Since my childhood, I believed that God does exist in an idol but I don't have the exact clarification or history behind it.</p>
| 257 | 253 | 26 | 2 | 253 | 17 | What is the significance of Murthi pooja (idol worship)? | 7 | 257 | <p>From the Vaishnava perspective:
Taken as the summary of Srimad-Bhagavatam, Canto 11, Chapter 27. <a href="http://vedabase.com/sb/11/27" rel="noreferrer">Click here</a> for the specific verses.</p>
<blockquote>
<p>Worshiping the Deity form of the Supreme Lord automatically brings purity and satisfaction to the mind. ... | |
<p>The Abrahamic religions have <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biblical_apocrypha">Biblical apocrypha</a>, sections of the work claimed by some to be authentic but excluded by the main body of the religion. Does the Gita have any similar sections? </p>
| 282 | 262 | 9 | 2 | 262 | 16 | Does the Gita have any apocrypha? | 3 | 282 | <p>Hindu scriptures, including the Mahabharata which contains the Bhagavad Gita, were originally passed down through countless generations via oral tradition. But nowadays the main source we have on them (other than the limited oral tradition that still goes on in some ashrams) is via written manuscripts, and manuscri... | |
<p>It is well-known that temples devoted to Brahma are <em>extremely</em> rare compared to temples devoted to Vishnu and Shiva (or, indeed, any number of other deities, e.g. Murugan, Ganesh, Hanuman, etc.). </p>
<ul>
<li>Question 1: <strong>Why is this?</strong></li>
</ul>
<p>I am of course familiar with (what I assu... | 267 | 264 | 42 | 2 | 264 | 30 | Why are temples devoted to Brahma so rare? | 4 | 267 | <p>"I am of course familiar with the standard mythological justification."<br>
The story you mention isn't actually the standard justification for why Brahma isn't worshiped. But since you were wondering, the justification you give is from the <a href="http://gdurl.com/G2pU" rel="noreferrer">Vidyeshwara Samhita</a> of ... | |
<p>What is the difference between Devas, Daevas, Asuras and Rakshasa fundamentally?
It is very confusing to distinguish and characterize them without clear examples.</p>
| 673 | 270 | 19 | 2 | 270 | 9 | Difference between Devas, Daevas, Asuras and Rakshasa | 6 | 673 | <p>The usual translations are dēva=sura=divine, āsura=demoniac, rākšasa=man-eating.</p>
<h2>The divine qualities</h2>
<p>The <strong>dēvas</strong> are supposed to have these: fearlessness (abhayam), purification of existence (sattva samšuddhih), adherence to knowledge (jnāna vyavastitih), cooperation (yoga vyavasthi... | |
<p>As per the Vedas, getting married to a girl after kidnapping is considered devil or daemon (दानव <em>dānava</em>) Vivaha (marriage) which isn't righteous (धर्मानुकूलन <em>dharmānukūlana</em>).</p>
<p>And Lord Krishna kidnapped Rukmini. I want to know why Lord Krishna did that.</p>
<p>Or is this kind of marriage ri... | 338 | 286 | 16 | 2 | 286 | 20 | Why did Lord Krishna kidnap Rukmini to get married? | 5 | 338 | <blockquote>
<p>As per vedas getting married to a girl after kidnapping is considered
devil/daemon (दानव) Vivaha (marriage) which isn't righteous
(धर्मानुकूलन).</p>
</blockquote>
<p>You have perfectly stated the correct thing. Shri Krishna indeed married Rukmani in a <em>rākṣasa</em> style:</p>
<blockquote>
<... | |
<p>A lot of Hindu gods have human heads. However, this is not the case with Lord Ganesha, who has an elephant head. Why does he have an elephant head?</p>
| 316 | 315 | 23 | 2 | 315 | 12 | Why does Lord Ganesha have an elephant head? | 4 | 316 | <p>There is a story behind the elephant head. I would certainly write one but with some broken grammar so I preferred <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mythological_anecdotes_of_Ganesha#Elephant_head">quoting it from Wikipedia</a>.</p>
<blockquote>
<p>One day Goddess Parvati was at home on Mt.Kailash preparing f... | |
<p>Sri Rama was a great and just king of Ayodhya. There were some rumors reported by his subjects against the purity of Lady Sita.</p>
<p>So, as per the <em>Raja Dharma</em>, Rama had to banish Sita. But was it against <em>Raja Dharma</em> when Rama and his brother were witnesses to Sita's purity (no matter what the e... | 2445 | 343 | 28 | 2 | 343 | 14 | Why did Sri Rama banish Lady Sita when he was a witness of her fire-test himself? | 7 | 2445 | <p>I will try to answer your question despite the comments pointing to a certain other answer.</p>
<p>It is not about justification, but about decision making. If there were rumors about Sita Devi then that could potentially reduce respect to her king by their subjects and eventually lead to lesser able administration... | |
<p>We know Bhishma Pitamaha was a legendary warrior. He always fought for the right thing and for truth.</p>
<p>Then, if Kamsa was doing so much evil, and Bhishma Pitamaha was already there on Earth, why didn't he try to stop Kamsa?</p>
| 2313 | 346 | 7 | 2 | 346 | 7 | Why didn't Bhishma Pitamaha stop Kamsa? | 3 | 2313 | <p>There's no reason to believe that Bhishma would try to stop Kamsa. You can ask the same question about a million different people: why didn't Bhishma kill Kamsa, Shishupala, Jarasandha, Narakasura, etc. And why didn't Drupada kill any of them, and why didn't the Pandavas kill any of them (other than Bhima killing J... | |
<p>Sanatana Dharma originated in India. India also has another name: "<strong>Bharata/Bharathavarsha</strong>". The term ArshaBharata culture is commonly used for pointing out the Sanatana Dharma in South India. How did the nation get this name?</p>
| 357 | 352 | 10 | 2 | 352 | 12 | Why is India also called Bharata? | 3 | 357 | <p>After the name of an ancient king <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bharata_%28emperor%29" rel="noreferrer">Bharata</a>, India is also known as Bharata-varṣa since the prehistoric times. Before it, this land was called as Ajanābha-varṣa. This is stated in Shrimad Bhagavatam:</p>
<blockquote>
<p><em>ajanābhaṁ nām... | |
<p>Given that Karma and punarjanma (rebirth) are the prime beliefs of Hinduism, why do we need Yamalokam and punishment in it?</p>
<p>I mean, through Karma, the fruits of both good and bad deeds are obtained either in the same birth or the next one. Then why do we need Yamalokam?</p>
| 364 | 363 | 22 | 2 | 363 | 16 | Why do we need Yamalokam? | 3 | 364 | <p>The answer to this question is linked to the concept of residual karma. This residual karma idea and what happens to evil-doers is explained in Brahma Sutra. </p>
<blockquote>
<p>But of others (i.e. those who have not performed sacrifices etc.) the ascent is to the abode of Yama, and after having experienced (the... | |
<p>Is there a difference between <em>God</em> and <em>Devi-Devta</em> or are they same?
As we know there are thousands of <em>devis</em> and <em>devas</em>, are they the same as God or is there any difference between them? If they are different, then what is the difference?</p>
<p>What is the exact count of God, Devi,... | 369 | 368 | 12 | 2 | 368 | 4 | What is the difference between God and Devi-Devta or are they same? | 7 | 369 | <p>Yes, there is a difference between Gods and Devtas.</p>
<p>In Hinduism, the <em>Trimurti</em> is the God. <em>Bhagvatam</em> further clears that <strong><em>Krishna</em> is the supreme God</strong> (<a href="http://vedabase.com/sb/1/3/28" rel="nofollow">verse here</a>).</p>
<p><em>Devtas</em> are God's helpers. Al... | |
<p>I have seen people keeping numerous fasts in an year. Where does the idea of fasting originate, and what is the reason behind keeping a fast?</p>
| 412 | 385 | 15 | 2 | 385 | 8 | What is the reason behind fasting (vrat)? | 3 | 412 | <p>One reason for fasting is to atone for one's <em>papa</em> (usually translated as sin). </p>
<p>For example, in Mahabharata Santi Parva, section 36, Vyasa said, </p>
<blockquote>
<p>By penances, religious rites, and gifts, O Bharata, a man may wash off his sins if he does not commit them again. By subsisting upo... | |
<p>One of my friends told me that you are either born as a Hindu or not. You cannot convert from any other religion to Hinduism or the other way round. Is something of that sort mentioned in the Vedas or any other religious text?</p>
| 441 | 407 | 28 | 2 | 407 | 18 | Is it true that one can not convert to Hinduism from any other religion or vice versa? | 6 | 441 | <p>No, there is no bar in converting from any religion to Hinduism or vice-versa. </p>
<p>Vedas speak about <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mleccha">Mlecchas</a> as someone who is not Vedic and not Indian. Basically, mlecchas are people who speak an illegible language and not Sanskrit. The concept of geography, ... | |
<p>There are many festivals in Hinduism. But some of them are considered very important. One of them is Diwali, a festival of lights. What is the significance of the festival? Why is it celebrated?</p>
| 409 | 408 | 13 | 2 | 408 | 11 | What is the significance of the festival Diwali? Why is it celebrated? | 3 | 409 | <p>Diwali is also known as <em>Dipavali</em> which is a Sanskrit word formed from <em>dipa</em> (<em>light</em> or <em>lamp</em>) and <em>avali</em> (<em>row</em> or <em>series</em>). Hence, it means a "<em>row of lights</em>". There are many beliefs behind the festival.</p>
<ul>
<li>It is celebrated for the return of... | |
<p>According to Ramayana, Lord Hanuman was a <em>Brahmachari</em> (celibate/bachelor). Why did he decide to spend his life as a celibate? What is the reason behind it?</p>
| 413 | 411 | 22 | 2 | 411 | 19 | Why did Lord Hanuman decide to spend his life as a celebate? | 7 | 413 | <p>No, Hanuman was technically not a bachelor (<em>Brahmachari</em>). His wife was Suvarchala<a href="https://www.speakingtree.in/allslides/hanuman-was-married-to-whom/45652" rel="nofollow noreferrer">¹</a> who was the daughter of Surya (the Sun god). According to Surya, Suvarchala was an <em>ayonija</em> (born without... | |
<p>In Hinduism, all male brahmins are required to go through an <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Initiation">initiation</a> called <strong>thread ceremony</strong> (<strong><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Upanayana">upanayanam</a></strong> or yagnopachhedan) in which their heads are shaved before they are ... | 442 | 418 | 28 | 2 | 418 | 15 | What is the significance of the janeva (sacred thread)? | 4 | 442 | <p>The term "upa" means near and "nayanam" means leading. So <em>Upanayam</em> means "leading near". It's one of the 13 <em>samskara</em> prescribed by the Vedas.</p>
<p><strong>What does the Sacred Thread signify?</strong></p>
<p>The <em>Janeu</em> or <em>yajñopavītam</em> symbolizes the ability of the wearer to per... | |
<p>I have seen people pouring milk on the Shivling. </p>
<p>What is the significance of this?</p>
<p><img src="https://i.stack.imgur.com/qbcqc.jpg" alt=""><br>
<sup>Image taken from <a href="http://shivmandirsarthali.com/?page_id=26">shivmandirsarthali.com</a></sup></p>
| 426 | 425 | 19 | 2 | 425 | 11 | What is the significance of pouring milk on the Shivling? | 6 | 426 | <p>From <a href="http://shivmandirsarthali.com/?page_id=26">shivmandirsarthali.com</a>: (emphasis mine)</p>
<blockquote>
<p>Abhishek is a Sanskrit term denoting a devotional activity of giving Holy bath to a deity. It literally means “to cleanse.” Before starting the ritual, a devotee washes his hands and pours wate... | |
<p>I want to know more about Yami. Is it believed that there was a twin sister of Yama named Yami?</p>
| 443 | 438 | 13 | 2 | 438 | 7 | Is Yami the twin sister of Yama? | 3 | 443 | <p>The story is described in chapter 77 of the <a href="http://www.ramayana.pushpak.de/pdf/markandeya_en.pdf" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Markandeya Purana</a>:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>The daughter of Vishwakarman [the divine architect] was the wife of the sun, by name Sajna who begat on her a son, by name Manu, who, illu... | |
<p>What are the steps to take if a person wants to convert to Hinduism?<br>
Is it possible for anyone to convert to Hinduism?</p>
| 37971 | 455 | 16 | 2 | 455 | 3 | What are the steps for a person to take if he/she wants to convert to Hinduism? | 5 | 37971 | <blockquote>
<p><strong><em>Is it possible for anyone to convert to Hinduism?</em></strong></p>
</blockquote>
<p>As <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pandurang_Vaman_Kane" rel="nofollow noreferrer">P. V. Kane</a> says in <a href="https://archive.org/stream/in.ernet.dli.2015.24397#page/n445/mode/1up" rel="nofoll... | |
<p>I've heard that the Gayatri mantra is actually used to worship the sun, and that the mantra was titled "Gayatri mantra" because the mantra is formed using Gayatri meter (a Vedic meter).</p>
<p>Is that true?</p>
| 472 | 459 | 24 | 2 | 459 | 13 | Is the Gayatri mantra used to worship the sun or Goddess Gayatri? | 6 | 472 | <p>Gayathri is not <strong>a</strong> mantra. There are classes of mantra called Gayathri which follow a particular meter called Gayathri.</p>
<p>The most popular Gayathri mantra <strike><code>ॐ भूर्भुव: स्व:</code></strike> <code>तत्सवितुर्वरेण्यं । भर्गो देवस्य धीमहि, धीयो यो न: प्रचोदयात् ।।</code> happens to be on... | |
<p>You can see in many pictures of lord Shiva a flow of water like this:</p>
<p><img src="https://i.stack.imgur.com/qARsEm.jpg" alt=""><br>
<sup>Source: <a href="http://satishverma.deviantart.com/art/Lord-Shiva-104258391" rel="noreferrer">satishverma.deviantart.com</a></sup></p>
<p>What exactly is it? </p>
| 474 | 473 | 8 | 2 | 473 | 6 | What is that flow of water on the head of lord Shiva? | 4 | 474 | <p>I would like to state that, the water which comes out of lord Shiva's hair is River Ganges or Ganga, as <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bhagavata_Purana" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Bhagavata Purana</a> depicts...</p>
<blockquote>
<p>Lord Vishnu in one of his incarnations, appeared as
Vamana in the sacrificial a... | |
<p>In Hinduism, we do <em>Namaskar</em> to the God statues in the temples as a symbol of belief, respect, and worship. In addition, we also do <strong><em>Sashtang</strong> Namaskar</em>. </p>
<p>What exactly is <em>Sashtang Namaskar</em>, and why must one do it? </p>
| 501 | 492 | 15 | 2 | 492 | 8 | What is the significance of Sashtang Namaskar? | 4 | 501 | <p><strong>What is Sashtang namaskar or dandvat?</strong></p>
<p>Sashtang namaskar or dandvat is a symbol of complete submission that reminds devotees to respect God.</p>
<p>Devotees perform sashtang dandvat pranam by lying fully prostrate on the floor with their arms stretched out towards the Idols.</p>
<p>Eight sp... | |
<p>Most of us heard this famous quote <em>"Loka samastha sukhino bhavanthu"</em> (let everybody live peacefully). </p>
<p>Where it is originated from and which shloka mention this line and from which text ?</p>
| 538 | 517 | 8 | 2 | 517 | 10 | The origin of "Loka samastha sukhino bhavanthu"? | 4 | 538 | <p>This phrase is from one of the <strong><em>Mangala Mantra</em></strong> often recited after a <em>pooja</em> or religious ceremony.</p>
<blockquote>
<p>स्वस्तिप्रजाभ्यः परिपालयंतां न्यायेन मार्गेण महीं महीशाः ।</p>
<p>गोब्राह्मणेभ्यः शुभमस्तु नित्यं <strong>लोकाः समस्ताः सुखिनोभवंतु</strong> ॥</p>
<p>ॐ ... | |
<p>It is known that Hinduism is one of the oldest religions.</p>
<p>But why is it so difficult to date the beginning of Hinduism. We have a lot of scriptures and texts which give us a lot of information but why are scholars still debating as to when Hinduism actually began?</p>
| 524 | 523 | 23 | 2 | 523 | 27 | When did Hinduism begin? | 5 | 524 | <p>In ancient period, Hinduism was known as "Sanatana Dharma". </p>
<blockquote>
<p><strong>Sanatana Dharma</strong> is by its very essence a term that is devoid of sectarian leanings or ideological divisions. This is evident by the very term itself. The two words, "Sanatana Dharma", come from the ancient Sanskrit l... | |
<p>Meaning of the words used :</p>
<ul>
<li>Kundali - Horoscope</li>
<li>Mangal - Planet Mars</li>
<li>Peepal Tree - Ficus religiosa or Sacred Fig</li>
<li>Dosh - Blame</li>
</ul>
<p>Indian people often match Kundalis before they allow the boy and the girl to marry. The most often thing I always mark is that they see... | 569 | 567 | 9 | 2 | 567 | 5 | What is Mangal Dosh (Mangalik) | 3 | 569 | <p>In the <em>lagna kundali</em> (birth chart with the ascedant) of a person if any malefic planet (especially the planet mars) is present at least in the lagna (1st house) or in the 7th house (house of the spouse or marriage) then the person is considered to be a <em>mangalik</em>. Other houses that are considered for... | |
<p>Why is it that people shave babies' head, be it a boy or girl, when they go for the baby's first haircut? According to my sub religion i.e. Vaishnav (Gujarati), we call it as a Mundan <em>(Head shaving ceremony)</em>.</p>
<p>This is done after a specific period of time after the birth of the child, and as far as I ... | 589 | 572 | 16 | 2 | 572 | 13 | Why do Hindus shave a baby's head (first hair cut)? | 4 | 589 | <p>As per the scripture, it is <strong>done for the spiritual benefit</strong> of the child <strong>in the first or the third year</strong> after his/her birth:</p>
<blockquote>
<p><strong>As per the direction of the revealed texts</strong>, the <em>chuda karma</em>
(tonsure) must be performed, for the sake of spi... | |
<p>I have heard that in Kalki avatar, God Vishnu will marry Goddess Vaishnav devi as promised(<em>The promise event occurs when God Vishnu were in Ram avatar and returning to Ayodhya after 14 years of exile</em>). It is also said that Lord Ram has offered his complete army (<em>including Lord Hanuman</em>) to protect t... | 582 | 579 | 22 | 2 | 579 | 20 | What is the story of Kalki (tenth avatar of God Vishnu)? | 3 | 582 | <blockquote>
<p>The Appearance of Lord Kalki (<em>the Avatar or incarnation of Godhead</em>) is foretold in the "<strong>Srimad Bhagavatam</strong>" 12th Canto and described also in detail in the "<strong>Brahmanda-purana</strong>". Therein it gives predictions as to where he will appear (<em>the village name</em>), ... | |
<p>Lord Brahma is said to be the creator of Earth but what about other planets? Who created them?</p>
<p>I have heard that for every planet there is a creator like Brahma.</p>
<p>I have also seen an incident in Shri Krishna when Lord Brahma feels that no one is more powerful than him and abducts friends of Shri Krishna... | 9329 | 593 | 27 | 2 | 593 | 22 | Are there other Brahmas and universes? | 6 | 9329 | <p><a href="http://sacred-texts.com/hin/db/bk03ch03.htm" rel="noreferrer"><strong>Chapter III On seeing the Devî</strong></a> <strong>of Devi Bhagavatam</strong> says, there are multiple Brahmas, multiple Vishnus and multiple Rudras.</p>
<p>After killing Dânavas Madhu Kaitabha, three deities got into a beautiful Vimana... | |
<p>None of the persons I have read about from the Vedic scriptures have surnames. Instead they have <strong>patronymics</strong> and <strong>matronymics</strong> e.g. "<em>bhārata</em>", "<em>pārtha</em>", "<em>vēyāsakī</em>", "<em>raghunandana</em>", "<em>jāhnavī</em>" etc. One Indian friend of mine said that his surn... | 607 | 604 | 9 | 2 | 604 | 7 | Do Indians have real surnames? | 3 | 607 | <p>The practice amongst Hindus in modern India varies. Indian Passports are standard with First Name and Last Name fields.</p>
<p>In <strong>North India</strong>, for many people surnames have been standard for generations and are dependant on caste and family group. Some family groups may have multiple interchangeabl... | |
<p>When a baby is born in Hindu family the very first thing they do is prepare a <em>Kundali</em> of that child.</p>
<p>In that Kundali they draw a chart like</p>
<p><img src="https://i.stack.imgur.com/vKpJn.jpg" alt="Kundali" /></p>
<p>From this Kundali the future of that guy is predicted. It is also used
to match wit... | 643 | 642 | 15 | 2 | 642 | 7 | What is the significance of Kundali in Hindu Family | 5 | 643 | <p>Kundali is the Hindi for what we call 'Horoscope' in English. It is a pretty widely used thing in astrology. It is based on the fact that heavenly bodies and their positions at the time of an event effects how the event goes on.</p>
<p>So in the case of the birth of a child, we record when he/she is born, at what p... | |
<p>Most of us are aware of the children of Shiva and Parvati ⇒ Kartikeya, Ganesh and many others.</p>
<p>I have never come across the children of Vishnu and Lakshmi.</p>
<p>Lastly, I am aware of the avatars of Vishnu and Lakshmi who had children, e.g.</p>
<ul>
<li>Ram―Sita ⇒ Lava & Kusha</li>
<li>Krishna―Rukmani ⇒ ... | 868 | 646 | 44 | 2 | 646 | 24 | Who are the children of Vishnu and Lakshmi? | 5 | 868 | <p>As far as I know, the only time that children of Lakshmi are mentioned in Hindu scriptures is in verses 11 - 12 of the <a href="http://www.stephen-knapp.com/prayers_to_goddess_lakshmi.htm">Sri Suktam</a>, a hymn from the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Khilani">Khilani</a> (apocrypha or later portions) of the ... | |
<p>If you do not light a lamp while doing a prayer and reciting any mantras. But it is necessary to burn an incense stick. This is practised by Buddhist too. Why do we need to do so?</p>
| 653 | 650 | 13 | 2 | 650 | 13 | Why is it necessary to burn incense stick while praying? | 5 | 653 | <p>It is not completely necessary to burn incense sticks while praying. It has just become a traditionally followed practice. <strong>What is necessary is to create an environment of sweet fragrance and aroma made out of pure material (like natural products).</strong> Because that purifies the air and it helps higher b... | |
<p>Semitic religions such as Islam and Christianity consider masturbation to be a sin. What about Hinduism? Please give some authentic quotes for the answers.</p>
| 3760 | 697 | 50 | 2 | 697 | 41 | What does Hinduism say about masturbation? | 5 | 3760 | <p>A glass can be looked on as half empty or half full. I think it is best to rephrase this question by asking instead - What does Hinduism say about continence (self constraint in sexual matters)?</p>
<p>Swami Nikhilananda in <a href="https://archive.org/details/moralprincipleso0000ansh/page/615/mode/2up" rel="norefe... |
End of preview. Expand in Data Studio
License
License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/
This analysis includes content from the Stack Exchange Network.
The original question can be found at https://hinduism.stackexchange.com/.
The content was authored by multiple Users and is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Downloads last month
- 3
Models trained or fine-tuned on alberto98fx/hinduism-stackexchange