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What is the importance of Ekadashi?
In Hindu mythology it is said Ekadashi is said to be most auspicious day among the fifteen days of of krishna paksha or shukla paksha and it is very good to perform any fasting or any ritual or pooja on this day.
What is the importance of…
Sid M
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Why did Indra deliver Sanyasis to the wolves as the Kaushitaki Upanishad says?
In chapter 3 of the Kaushitaki Upanishad, the prince Pratardana, son of the famous king Divodasa and seer of a Vedic hymn as I discuss here, dies and goes to Devaloka (heaven), where he meets Indra. Indra offers him a boon, and Pratardana asks…
Keshav Srinivasan
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Were cows sacrificed in Gomedha Yagnas brought back to life as Chaitanya Mahaprabhu says?
In the Chaitanya Charitamrita, the traditional biography of Gaudiya Vaishnava founder Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, a Muslim Kazi asks Chaianya Mahaprabhu about the Gomedha Yagna, a Vedic fire-ritual where cows were sacrificed. Here is his response:
As a…
Keshav Srinivasan
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Did Ravana ever meet Parashurama?
Ravana was a great devotee of Lord Shiva and Parashurama is an avatar of Lord Vishnu and also a devotee of Lord Shiva.
I know TV serials/comic stories are just baseless so I want to know if Ravana has come into contact with Parashurama during his…
Friendy
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Why do Gaudiya Vaishnavas think the order of the Yugas is Satya, Dwapara, Treta, Kali?
Throughout Hindu scripture, the order of the Yugas is given as Satya, Treta, Dwapara, Kali. (See my answer here for more information on Hindu timescales.). Yet in his ISKCON commentary on the Srimad Bhagavatam, Bhaktivedanta Prabhupada says…
Keshav Srinivasan
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Are there any English translations of the Bhavishyottara Purana or just the Srinivasa Kalyana section?
Most people are only familiar with the Bhavishya Purana, one of the 18 Mahapuranas (major Puranas) which deals primarily with prophecies about the future. But the Bhavishya Purana also comes with an appendix - the Bhavishyottara Purana, which gets…
Keshav Srinivasan
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Do any non-Vaishnava Agamas trace their origins to a Vedic Shakha?
As I discuss in this answer, Hindu scripture is made up of two categories, Shruti or that which is heard from the gods, and Smriti or that which is composed by humans authors and passed down from teacher to student via oral tradition. It's…
Keshav Srinivasan
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Why can't we do tasks like cutting nails on three alternate weekdays?
We have a lot of things that we can't do on certain week days. (Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday).
They include cutting nails, getting a hair cut, shampooing hair etc. Why is it so?
Vishal
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Do any scriptures say that the hunter Jara was a rebirth of Vali?
As I discuss in this answer, Krishna departed the Earth after he was shot by a hunter named Jara. Now there's a popular story that this Jara was actually the next birth of Sugriva's brother Vali, whom Rama shot from behind. (Rama shooting Vali was…
Keshav Srinivasan
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6 answers
How many kilometers equals to a Yojana
After reading this answer, I am curious to know how many kilometers or miles are equal to one yojana.
Below is some of the information taken from the above link. Here a league equals one yojana
The sphere of the earth (or Bhúr-loka), comprehending…
Nishant Solanki
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Mention of Tamil and other languages in ancient sanskrit Hindu texts
Most of the ancient Hindu literature including the puranas were first written down in Sanskrit. But is there any mention of other languages like Tamil in the Puranas..? Does Skandha Purana mention Tamil in reference to ancient Chola King conferring…
Naveen
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The story behind Pashupatinath temple in Nepal
Long ago I have heard the story about Pashupatinath temple located in nepal, it was related to Mahabharata, when the Pandavas were on their way to Heaven, they wanted to find lord Shiva and lord shiva was in form of bull in group of bulls, and when…
Nishant Solanki
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How Skanda in North India to Kandha (Lord muruga) in South India?
While reading an article I got this line,
The references to Murugan can be traced back to the first millennium
BCE. There are references to Murugan in Kautilya's Arthashastra, in
the works of Patanjali, in Kalidasa's epic poem the…
user3164187
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Why is Bhishma's time of Death (Uttarayana) considered auspicious?
In the Mahabharatha epic Bhishma waits on the bed of arrows for 40 days towards the auspicious day of Uttarayana to leave his body in order to attain Mukthi.
My questions are the following.
What is the significance of Magha Shukla Ashtami and…
Naveen
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11
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Why do mantras usually end with Shantih Shantih Shantih (3 times)?
At the end of most of Mantras from Vedas & Upanishads, we find Om Shanti Shanti Shanti. As in the end of this Mantra,
ॐ असतो मा सद्गमय ।
तमसो मा ज्योतिर्गमय ।
मृत्योर्मा अमृतं गमय ।
ॐ शान्तिः शान्तिः शान्तिः ॥
Om Asato Maa Sad-Gamaya |
…
LightAchala
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