I am a seeker and having practiced Buddhism for the past two years. My studies have brought me to understanding the rejection of jiva by Buddhist. This doesn't sit well with me. A Westerner needs guidance... Hinduism was never on my RADAR.

I recently finished the Bhagavadgita; and the strong push to worship only Krishna has me believing that, even though Hinduism is a polytheistic religion, at its core it is monotheistic. This doesn't sound correct to me and I believe it is only one view of many. Could someone please clear this up for me?

I’ve decided to work on a high-Fantasy novel based upon Lord Kartikeya (or Murugan) and his apotheosis. But I wanted to familiarize myself with his story.

What texts depict his origin and what other books could provide me with source material.

So far I know he is mentioned in: The Skanda Purana, Kalidasa’s Kumarasambham and in Sangam Literature.

Please let me know if there any other books outside of religious texts that could help me, like historical non-fiction.

In Judaism, Christianity, Islam, etc, humans know about this kind of stuff because Yahweh told 'em. Does anything similar apply to Hinduism?

Hello, quick question as i only have 20minutes untill its midnight in new delhi. As i live in the uk should i fast from 00:00 - 24:00 gmt or should i do it in time with new delhi? Trying to work this out on my own and im struggling

I follow Vaishnavism and love making dresses for Krishna as a part of vigraha seva.

My mother wants me to make dresses for her Krishna vigraha and I would love to but she follows/ worships certain some baba that used to be a non vegetarian. She herself is a vegetarian but still worships him as her ishta devata and guru.

Killing and eating others goes against Vaishnavism and my values.

Is it disrespectful towards Kanha to help someone with vigraha seva that worships someone like that despite knowing all this?

What should I do? Am I overthinking?

I(f) am from Buddhists family and marrying Hindu person. I am required to be vaishnavas from Hindu family after marriage so I could join ritual at funeral of parents or else I won’t be able to. I thought vaishnavas was sole worshipper of vishnu. I believe everyone has their own beliefs and mine is Buddha. Wouldn’t that be converting my beliefs forcefully? I don’t think my buddhist parents will be happy to hear that, my parents would never force him to be Buddhist. We both have our own beliefs.

Below you will find a complete translation of a work of the Mahārtha (aka Krama) school of Śaiva Tantra that is intended specifically for those who wish to access its sublime wisdom directly through the embodied practice of its techniques.

This text, the Svabodhodaya-mañjarī, teaches inner yoga, that is, subtle but powerful techniques of awareness cultivation that effect the unfolding of awakening and thereby give rise to the unconditioned joy of pure Being which is entirely free from all mental constructs of Varna, social status and all other artificial barriers.

The author of this text, Vīranātha, was taught under one of the greatest gurus of the tradition. So revered was She that the disciples didn’t even dare to say Her name, only calling Her “Goddess K” as She was seen as the full embodiment of the supreme Shakti.

Translation of the first 16 verses:

1.By [realizing] the essencelessness of [all] entities and states of mind through a thorough investigation of [the nature of] awareness (bodha), one attains an awakeness (bodha) which gives rise to unconditioned joy. That joy is the natural state of the Self, and that is the deity I worship. OR

1. I venerate the natural condition of [our] innate being, which is the joy that arises from the awakening (bodha) attained due to [realizing], through a thorough investigation of awareness (bodha), the fact that [all] entities and states of mind (bhāva) have no separate or independent existence [apart from Consciousness, which is the Self].

2. The group of five subtle sense elements (color, flavor, odor, texture, and sound) comprise the [sensual] world. They are grasped by the five cognitive powers of sight, taste, smell, touch, and hearing.

3. In all conditions, the sense-faculties of embodied beings are founded on the mind. If that can be dissolved, everything is dissolved for him.

4. The means to the dissolution of that very [thinking mind] was taught by the Guru(s) of previous times. Due to fear that this sacred teaching (āgama) will be lost, it is [here] clarified by me, [Vīranātha/Vāmanadatta].

5. Everyday behavior is formed by mental constructs such as universal categories like caste etc. and so is based on the mind. But these categories do not actually exist. By realizing this, [the yogin] will attain tranquillity (śama).

6. When the semen and blood is mixed, [producing the zygote,] the mind is nowhere to be found. It is not in the embryo, nor in the fetus, it exists nowhere in the body [as a static, specific, objectifiable thing].

7. Whether it is newborn, juvenile, or youthful, the body is decaying in every moment, ending in complete destruction. It cannot be grasped [as a thing in itself]

8. name is one thing, form is another, its parts such as hair etc. each have their individual existence [and name]—the whole can be broken down [indefinitely] into parts, as we can see. So where is the “body” [as an independent object]?

9. Upon reflecting in just this way, the concept of ‘caste’ or 'class' is likewise blocked [since it consists only of specific individuals, subsumed into a category constructed by the mind]; it is not actually connected [to reality], nor is it manifest to anyone [as an objective thing].

10. One’s name is given by one’s father; [to label someone with] a verbal noun [like ‘a teacher’ or ‘a cook’] is illusion, since s/he is not restrained [to that action alone]. If someone is considered in terms of the fact that s/he bears a certain quality, [we object that] there are many qualities [therefore to label someone according to any one of them is arbitrary].

11. Seeing in this way that the mind is unstable, overwhelmed/ inundated [as it is] by the impressions (saṃskāras) arising from false mental constructs, one can and should dissolve it.

12. ‘Cessation’ (nirodha) [of the mind] was taught by previous [masters] through the yoga/method of renunciation [of the mind and senses] and arduous practice. Here I will teach a cessation that is [comparatively] effortless.

13. Focus the mind upon something that then dissolves. Because it is not grasping anything else [other than the dissolving object], the mind comes to rest in one’s Self.

14. It is similar to the case of a powerful thunder-clap gradually fading: when it dies away, the mind, due to being [totally] focused on it, comes to rest.

15. One should give oneself to one-pointedness [i.e. meditate] on any enchanting (manohara) sound that comes into one’s hearing, until ceasing it brings about the cessation [of mind].

16. In precisely the same way one may meditate on the beauty of the visible and other [objects of the senses]; after the object-perception has dissolved, one should let one’s awareness remain empty/clear [/not thinking on what has dissolved], invigorated by the sense of one’s own immediate being (ātmabhāva).

For full translation of the entire text as well as videos explaining each verse: https://hareesh.org/blog/2018/3/9/the-blossoming-of-your-awareness

Hello, I’m wondering if anyone knows what exact Astras Ravana used or had in the epic from my research I know he had Brahmastra, Varunastra, and Agneyastra.

Is there any connection between two. His life story happens in Mathura, Vrindavan but in Mahabharata we see a quite different Krishna who is mature and wisdomful.

I suspect after mention in Mahabharat some anti-Hindu elements which spoiled many other Shastras they created a backstory of Krishna's childhood where he is stealing, dancing and doing other not so innocent things. Even if we take the argument of these being metaphorical what was need to use such absurd & indecent metaphors?

Someone knowledgeable please guide.

Edit: In title - Mahabharat*

Usually Sri Venkatesha Suprabhaatam, Venkatesha Stotram, Venkatesh Prapatti and Venkatesha Mangalaashaasanam are recited together traditionally.

Can we recite only Sri Venkatesha Prapatti daily?

Thank you.

is gotra really sub caste for example mine gotra is vats whats the history , reason , significance of gotra

I was talking to a lady who does sadhana , whose isht is hanuman ji .....

I was about to ask her a question about the story of his tail which I read in a book called hanuman chalisa written by Shubha Vilas .... Where it's written that when Shiva wants to take avatar of dedicated ram bhakth he wanted to stay celibate all his life but parvati maa asks shiva to allow her to be the tail of that avatar as shakthi wants to be with Shiva in every avatar......

I was about to ask her whether she believes it or not.... without me asking... out of the blue with no context she said Hanuman has no tail he looks like a human being very bulky and with beard and moustache....she denied to reply when I asked where did she found this..... And she also said Ganesh doesn't have elephants head he looks like a Yogi with large stomach that's it ......

What do you guys have to say about these statements. ?

I am Brahmin by birth. But my father and I never wore janeu. We are ashamed of it. My father wore for 7 days after his marriage but then due to corporate culture removed it. I was primarily brought up outside india so again same logic. My grandfather was the last person who wore it properly. Now post his death, when we went to haridwar ... During hair removal the barber left a shikha for us on the bald head. Now hair is coming but I wanna know how what to do with shikha ? What does the rules say ? Is this now equivalent to the shikha we keep at janeu ? To be clear we don't wear janeu even now but want to. Pls let me know, I also work full time so I wanna know ... Can I just keep growing it and not tie it ... Cut it when it's too long ? Is it imp to tie it ? Even if I grew it without janeu ?

I’m a second generation Indian in the US giving birth soon and I live near my parents. My mom is upset that I don’t want to do something called a “chhatthi” puja 6 days after the baby is born with all our extended family nearby. I told her that I will still be recovering from a major medical event and will not be ok with wearing a sari, sitting on the floor, and socializing with 15 family members, and I don’t feel comfortable exposing the baby to so many people before the baby is vaccinated (in the US, the important vaccinations for pertussis etc happen at 2 months).

I said if it was really important to her, we could do it on day 6 just with her and my dad. And if she wanted to do a bigger one, it would have to wait until after vaccination. So if it’s about the 6th day thing for religious reasons, we have a solution, and if it’s about social showing off (which is my suspicion) we have a solution.

She got really upset with me, even though I thought I was proposing two very rational alternatives.

I don’t understand - is it common for women in India to do public facing pujas and events right after they give birth? Do people just ignore the fact that you need recovery time just to do a religious event? That sounds so uncomfortable for the person giving birth - you are usually still bleeding!

Would love to hear perspectives from women who have given birth.

I have been worshipping Lord Ram and hanuman ji from past 1-2 weeks. I start my day with hanuman chalisa and end with ram. Recently in 3-4 days, I have been listening to sunderkand especially while walking at night, wherein I literally felt somebody walking behind me and I can feel courage and extreme energy, when I close my eyes, I see myself from front view and can see hanuman ji walking behind me. Is this Normal or have I gone too far crazy?

Is just thinking on something while listening to mantra meditation or does it have to be japa or in a position is it a type of thinking or just more like a action

Are we both really different or one and the same ?

I was a bit lonely , broken , surrounded completely by darkness. I was having a good family and very comfortable life but there has always been a void deep inside me which had no solution. This has been a normal to me ever since my birth.

Then in the darkest of the darkest times and dark mindspace I saw him approaching me to befriend me. I knew him from a very long time. But I was surprised to see that he knows me too.

I knew him as a person who begs food from his own wife . I knew him as a father who chopped off his own son's head. I knew him as person with anger issues. I knew him as a person who wears no clothes but animal skin. I knew him as a person who roams in graveyards. I knew him as a person whose generous nature is taken for advantage by bad guys and as a person who gives whatever they wish for.

Despite all these stories what I heard about him I somehow started being a friend with him....

Then I came to know that .......

He was The husband who gave half of everything that he owns including his body to his wife..... He was the one who chose to consume poison to save worlds when everyone was mad after amrutham...... He became the Guru of the Brahma by cutting off creator's ego which is in the form of head..... He could befriend all the profane entities that we fear like ghosts and spirits.... He , despite being the purest of pure existences ate meat when his devotee served it him with love.... He stays with the soul of the burning dead body and consoles it when everyone that body once owned were leaving the grave but not Him..... He wears the garland of skulls of nemurous creators who were born and left ....as gratitude to them and to transfer the memory to future creations...... He became the greatest devotee of his greatest devotee to set his greatest devotee's ego on fire....... He is wearing the animal skin as it was the last wish of that animal..... He is an embodiment of purest love who doesn't even think twice to give away what other person wishes for even if the other person's love is fake....... He starts when the imagination and thoughts end at their limits.....

I have seen people praising him all the time but I found them ending up describing his qualities.....

I didn't finish understanding him .... never will I ever understand even one percent of his existence even after a billions of life times.....

But when I tried to understand him I understood myself better like never before....Then this question came in my mind are we both different people or he is just my inner Tyler durden.....

Hello guys,

I don’t know Hindi, I love this Hindi song so much and would love to know the meaning of the lyrics in English. Please help me by translating it, I have tried google translate and Chat GPT but they were unsuccessful. I would highly appreciate it you can translate and explain this song in English.

https://youtu.be/txXXRMfp12w?feature=shared

Kaushlya, Dashrath Ke Nandan Ram Lalat Pe Shobhit Chandan Raghupati Ki Jai Bole Lakshman Ram Siya Ka Ho Abhinandan

Anjani Putr Padhe Hain Charan Mein Ram Siya Japte Tan Man Mein

Mangal Bhavan Amangal Haari Drabahu Sudasarath Achar Bihari

Ram Siya Ram Siya Ram Jai Jai Ram Ram Siya Ram Siya Ram Jai Jai Ram Ram Siya Ram Siya Ram Jai Jai Ram Ram Siya Ram Siya Ram Jai Jai Ram

Mere Tan Man Dhandkan Mein Siya Ram Ram Hai Man Mandir Ke Darpan Mein Siya Ram Ram Hai

Tu Hi Siya Ka Ram Radha Ka Tu Hi Shyam Janamo Janam Ka Hi Ye Sath Hai

Mira Ka Tu Bhajan Bhajate Hari Pavan Tulsi Mein Bhi Likhi Ye Baat Hai

Mangal Bhavan Amangal Haari Drabahu Sudasarath Achar Bihari

Ram Siya Ram Siya Ram Jai Jai Ram Ram Siya Ram Siya Ram Jai Jai Ram Ram Siya Ram Siya Ram Jai Jai Ram Ram Siya Ram Siya Ram Jai Jai Ram

Mangal Bhavan Amangal Haari Mangal Bhavan Amangal Haari Drabahu Sudasarath Achar Bihari

Ram Siya Ram Siya Ram Jai Jai Ram Ram Siya Ram Siya Ram Jai Jai Ram Ram Siya Ram Siya Ram Jai Jai Ram Ram Siya Ram Siya Ram Jai Jai Ram

This was my second time here, first was when i was 3 years old for my Mundan ceremony.

Story behind the temple

According to the legends, Ravana was performing penance in the Himalayan region to appease Shiva. He offered nine of his heads as an offering to Shiva. As he was to sacrifice his tenth head, Shiva appeared before him and expressed satisfaction with the offering. Then, Shiva asked what boon he desired. Ravana asked to take the "Kamna Linga' to the island of Lanka and expressed his desire to take Shiva from Kailash to Lanka.

Shiva agreed to Ravana's request but with a condition. He said that if the lingam was placed en route, it would become the permanent abode of the deity and could never be moved.

Celestial gods became worried upon hearing that Shiva had departed from his abode on Mount Kailash. They sought a resolution from Vishnu. Vishnu asked Varuna, the deity associated with water, to enter Ravana's stomach through achamana, a ritual that involves sipping water from the palm of one's hand. As a consequence of performing achaman, Ravana departed for Lanka with the lingam and felt the need to urinate in the vicinity of Deoghar.

The story states that Vishnu took the form of a cowherd named Baiju. While Ravana was off to urinate, he gave a lingam to this cowherd. Due to the presence of Varun Dev, Ravana took a very long time to relieve himself. Baiju got angry, having to wait for Ravana, for a very long time. He then positioned the lingam on the ground and left the place.

hello sirs.. i am student of samskrutam language and decide to try compose poem to shree krushna ji in rhyming shaardool vikreedit chand which is masajasatatag chand... please giving me feed back very much will appreciated

क्रुष्णाजी तव नाम मे श्रवणयोः शशवत् ध्वनन्नस्तितम

क्रोषामि प्रमुदात् कदाचिद तवा मूर्तिꣳ ददर्षा अहम।

यत् त्वꣳ इंदरपराजितꣳ अथ गिरौः श्री भागवद् मे कथे

तत् क्रुष्णा नववैदिकस्य असतो आदाद्रुशः अंतमे।

in angl lipi per my guru ji's taittreey pronunciation this is

krushna ji tav naam meh shravnayohu shashwatu dhwananan astitam

kroshaami pramudaathu kadachida tava moorthigum dadarsha aham

yathu twagum indraparaajitagum atha girauhu sheebhaagawad meh katheh

thathu krushnaa navavaidikasya asato aadaadrushaha antameh

and english transaltion is

o krushna ji, you name is always eternly the most roaring around in my ears!!

and i am crying from happiness only whenever i have seeing your moorthihi...

and when u defeating indr at mountain according to shree bhaagawtham,

then you have once and forall proving falsehood of neovedics (who are claiming worship indra aur deny achievement of krushnaji)

i hope that this poem is inspire you also.. just like i have been inspiring to worship shree krushna ji by bhakti poem "adharam madhuram",

I went to Kali then Rama then shiva I can’t decide I fall Inlove with each one after I read text about them

namaste! i am very new in my humble journey into hinduism. i recently began training at my local bharatanatyam class about a month ago. i am in love with this dance form so much i hope to train for the rest of my life. i was curious are there any other bharatanatyam (or even kathak or odissi) dancers here? thank you all my friends.

om namah shivaya!

I want to buy a brass Kali Murti like the one pictured above, how would I do a puja with it?

I have learned the Shivling Abhishekam and use the Gangajal, Panchamrit, etc

Would I simply pour milk, ghee, dahi, honey, and chini and then wash it with gangajal while saying Kali mantras?

Are there specific pujas or rituals that need to be done?

Would I have to consecrate it first?

Hi, so I am re reading Gita and came accross alot of misinterpretation and negative comments on it. So I don't know about others but I guess even if I'm not seeing from a religious POV it's still a great philosophical book. Let me tell you the philosophical aspects that I picked from gita.

1. you gotta do your work, no matter what the outcome might be.
2. learn to control your mind or it's your worst enemy.
3. to stay detached (not that you own nothing but nothing owns you).
4. happiness coming from delusion is poisonous, but true happiness coming from hardwork is nectar.

Now to the points I grabbed from a religious POV.

1. do your work because almighty's gonna help you if you do your prescribed work without greed, jealousy and negativity.
2. Krishna is actually the demi gods. So worship the one you feel most connected to. He's gonna make your faith grow more.
3. no big ritual is needed. But a leaf offered to him with pure heart is enough to have his blessings.
4. Krishna is the source of everything.

So that's all from my first read. What I meant to say is. You can read it being a theist or an atheist, it'll still guide you and make sense to you. Stop spreading negativity towards a book that basically says that Dharma is not religion, it's what you do. And cast is not given by birth. It's what your work decides.

I have seen many illuminated manuscripts of the bible and Quran, but not as many of Hindu scriptures. What are some of our greatest manuscripts?

I did it.

I finished my development.

This morning I purged the last few wounds that were brought to the surface.

I've accepted the dark parts of myself as well as the light completely.

I couldn't have done it without all of your help. I especially want to thanks those that criticized me unjustly or left insulting comments just to make me feel bad.

I used your words and transmuted them into gold. Your words pressed the bruises still present with my ego and helped me see where I still needed to do shadow work.

I completely forgive all of you and no longer seek external validation for what I believe. I couldn't have done it without you!

There's a movie scene that I came to my spirit recently from a movie called Antoine Fisher.

It's based on a true story. He gets abused in every way by his foster mom when he was younger. When he's older he goes back to confront her. She tries to embrace him like nothing happened and he says you couldn't break me "I'm still standing, I'm still strong" and he walks away and his foster mom is speechless.

That's my testimony as well. As much as people tried to break me, they couldn't. They only helped me. They were blessings in disguise. Thank you all again, especially the naysayers.

I now understand what the Hindu scriptures mean by jivanmukti (one liberated while still on the body).

I don't know what to say.

It's done. It's finished. I've done what I needed to do. I denied myself and ran my course against all odds.

You can get here too.

"Come out from among them and be separate."

I'm going to have the best day just enjoying the beauty around me without any regrets.

Have a blessed day everyone, especially those hurting so bad that they hurt others.