Questions tagged [animals]
Use this question to ask about the role and references of animals in Hinduism.
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About combined Elephant and Bull
In Batu Caves, i saw first picture that head of elephant and bull are combined together.
Also, it's likely to be connection of Shiva and Vishnu. So my question is, do any scriptures mentions about it ...
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Does Hinduism consider animals as well as lower life forms to have a moral compass?
If the law of karma applies to all living things, one would have to infer that lower life forms and animals are endowed with some kind of moral compass. If not, a human being who is evil and is reborn ...
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Is it true that people who keep dogs as pet go to hell?
Is it true that people who keep dog as a pet goes to hell ?
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What does Hinduism think of sex with animals? [duplicate]
Does Hinduism support sex with animals or is against sex with animals?
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What does Hinduism say about fishing and hunting?
I am wondering, what does Hinduism say about sports fishing ?
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Do Animals only have Tamo Guna?
Do Animals have only Tamo Guna ? Or Do they have other two gunas as well ?
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Is the vahana (mount) of Lord Ganesha a shrew or a mouse?
Is the vahana (mount) of Lord Ganesha a shrew or a mouse?
The internet is ambiguous about this. Some sources say that mooshika is a shrew 1 while others say that it is a mouse 2; both of which are ...
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Regarding rebirth of animals and other non humans
The human birth is considered to be an opportunity to realise oneself and attain moksha through punya karmas. Hence only the vedas propound such truths.
My question is regarding animals, how could ...
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What is the creature Yuyukkhura?
According to Wikipedia and this dictionary, there exists a type of beast that is some sort of small-sized mix of a wolf and a tiger (may be related to the hyena). It is called a Yuyukkhara. There ...
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In which scripture it is written that there are 84 Lakh types of organisms?
In which scripture it is written that there are 84 Lakh types of organisms? Who was the person who said it? Is it written in Gita? Was it said by god?
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Do non-human animals have all five koshas?
Do non-human animals have all of the five koshas? What about plants?
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Do Hindu Texts Say Wild Animals Come Close To Yogis
I recall Vivekanand saying wild animals that are ferocious will become calm around yogi types.
Do Hindu texts say clearly that wild animals will come close to yogis, be unafraid of them ? I mean wild ...
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What is the horse breed that is used in Ashvamedha yagna?
Is it Equus sivalensis?
I remember them being white for the ritual but do we know the breed?
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How were various organisms created by Brahma?
How were various organisms were created by Brahma ?
Were humans first created and then 84L organisms were created ?
I want the answer strictly according to Hindu scriptures.
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How can I stop feeling guilty that I’ve taken the lives of so many insects in my life unintentionally
Recently I’ve been come to realize that over the course of my life, I’ve probably taken the lives of so many insects unintentionally or even intentionally. It’s come to the point that I feel guilty ...
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Do dreams that signify death always come true?
If someone sees a dream that signify death such as wedding, buffaloes etc. Would that really mean the person is going to die soon. Or it could be just your fear of death?
Edit: This answer however ...
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I got pooped on by a bird (maybe a pigeon) during puja in the temple. Is it good or bad?
I got pooped on by a bird (maybe a pigeon) during puja in the temple.
Is it a good omen or a bad omen, as per the scriptures?
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How long pet animals or birds mourn?
It feels immense pain to lose a pet bird and due to this its pair bird is screaming and behaving so weird, silent sometimes and arrogant toward us. How long this will continue? Is there a chanting ...
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What happens if a snake comes from the river during Varsi ritual of pitru?
Recently I was doing the ritual of Varsi at Haridhwar on the banks of river Ganga. The Shivalinga was there, and suddenly a snake appeared from the river and we had to go around it in order to ...
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Is the following thing true? [duplicate]
I have seen long before in one of Dhruv Rathe's video that there was one ritual before in which hindus were to kill buffalo just like in the movie bahubali. I guess the ritual was thread ceremony or I ...
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Antyesti for dogs
Jai Sri Ramakrsna!
Why do we Hindus not perform cremation for dogs (& other animals)? If we are to move past this body into the next, are not all creatures subject to this?
If anyone does know how ...
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Is the story of Gajendra-Mokṣa mentioned in other texts besides the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam Purāṇa?
We find the complete story of the Elephant named - Gajendra getting Mokṣa through god Viṣṇu's grace, (and hence the reason for calling it the 'Gajendra Mokṣa'), in Chapter 2, 3 & 4 of the Canto 8 ...
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Dogs with Dattatreya
As mentioned in this question and answers, Dattatreya is depicted with dogs.
At the same time dogs are considered not allowed at places of worship; example is quoted in this question.
When dogs are ...
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Where do souls of animals go after their death?
Does the scriptures say where they go after death? Do animals go to heaven like humans?
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Is there any scriptural opposition to humane animal slaughter?
Note that I'm not talking about general ethics - I mean only from a religious scriptural perspective.
To give you full context on why I have this question:
Because cow slaughter is banned in many ...
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What is the view of Vedanta on attaining Realization in other than human form; as plant, animal, fish etc.? [duplicate]
Gita
Upanishads
Hindu texts on philosophy
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Why do Ganesha temples house doves/pigeons?
Many temples in South India dedicated to Ganapati maintain dovecotes. For instance,
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=35ocltmUtEw
https://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g304556-d3268808-r151055818-...
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Does Sanatana Dharma Endorse Animal Sacrifice? [duplicate]
I've heard in Vedic yajna, the sacrifice of animals was a must. Nevertheless, Vedic texts are riddled with contradictions. I've also heard of SrimadBhagavad Gita and Puranas which endorse animal ...
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Is it True that Vivekananda admitted in a letter to Ms. Christina Greenstidel to sacrificing a goat? [closed]
The letter at issue was written by Swami Vivekananda to Ms. Christina Greenstidel on Nov. 12, 1901, and it contained these words:
'Day before yesterday, however, came the Puja of Kali. We had an ...
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How can killing a Human being and killing an Animal be on the same level?
Why does Manu Smriti say that by killing certain Animals one should perform the same penance that must be done for killing a Sudra?
Manu 11.131 - Having killed a cat, an ichneumon, a blue jay, a frog,...
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How did Gods select their animal vehicles?
For example,
Ganesh --> Mouse
Durga --> Lion
Shiva -–> Bull, and the list is endless....
So, how are these assigned or rather selected by all the Gods as their vehicles?
OR
Is it just that ...
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Hindu Gods associated with ravens
Many Hindu Gods and Goddesses are often associated with animals : Shiva with the bull, Durga with the lion, Vishnu with the eagle etc.
Which of them is associated with the raven?
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Sighting of Garuda (Grudha or vulture) when a person is ill. What does it signify?
What is the significance of seeing Garuda/Grudha (Vulture) on a tree in front of house ( never appeared in past,
not in the neighborhood too ) and it flew the moment a person looked at it. It appeared ...
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Why do many Gods and Goddesses bear a serpent? [duplicate]
I've observed that many Gods in one form or the other bear a serpent. For example, Devi Durga holds a serpent in one hand. Is there a spiritual significance to this?
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Why are buffaloes sacrificed during Maa Kali's Puja?
First of all, this isn't meant to hurt anyone's sentiment.
In which scripture, is the ritual mentioned?
Secondly, is it allowed to take the meat in the form of prasad? Why or why not? [1]
Edit (4/...
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Do animals dream?
Human beings can experience atleast three states: Jagart (waking state), swapna (dream state) and sushupti (deep sleep).
How many states, among the three, can an animal experience? Are there any ...
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Who are not included in Paap or Punya system? [duplicate]
The Paap and Puniya system is applicable to human beings because we have the power of reasoning. So does that mean that who doesn't have power of reasoning are not judged in this system?
For example -...
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How Can An Animal Accumulate Karma?
If we take into consideration the behavior of certain animals whose intelligence and perception are radically different from our human perspective (e.g. a flatworm , a jellyfish or even an Amoeba) ...
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Did Rantideva kill cows and cook in his kitchen to feed the hungry?
I was listening to Mahabharata audio podcasts. My doubt was when Rishi Kaushika met the butcher in Mithila nagara, did the butcher mention that king Rantideva also killed many animals including cows ...
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Was/is there a caste/subcaste designated to actually kill the animal at animal sacrifices?
An example of a specialized occupation in Tamil Nadu is the inherited, highly stigmatized office of funeral drummer and graveyard attendant, called vettiyan (drawn from the Paraiyar subcaste).
Is the ...
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Did any sect reject animal sacrifice from the time of its founding?
I believe Sankara, Ramanuja et al condoned the idea of animal sacrifice. I think Ramanuja says the sacrificed animal may feel some pain but it would reach a higher state after being sacrificed.
If ...
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Is Kṛṣṇasāra mentioned in Manusmṛti 2.23 the spotted deer (Axis axis) or the blackbuck (Indian antelope)?
Ganganath Jha translates 'kṛṣṇasāra' as 'spotted deer':
kṛṣṇasārastu carati mṛgo yatra svabhāvataḥ |
sa jñeyo yajñiyo deśo mlecchadeśastvataḥ paraḥ || 23 ||
But the region where the spotted ...
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Which group of currently active Hindus (not necessarily a sect) reject the least from the totality of Hindu scripture?
Most modern Hindus would probably reject animal sacrifice - although it is actively practiced by many Hindus today.
Many sects are currently active today and many of them are defined more by what ...
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Whose translation of AV 7.5.5 is this?
A couple of answers on this site (e.g., this one) cite this translation of AV 7.5.5:
Atharvaved 7:5:5:- All those are foolish who use cow, dog or any other animal in yajnas.
From another answer:
...
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Why Cow is considered as GOD in Hinduism? [duplicate]
I want to know the reason why Cow is considered as GOD in Hinduism?
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The number of legs of creatures/animals
Yayati in his conversation with Ashtaka mentioned about two-legged, four-legged and six-legged animals.
"Yayati answered, 'After falling from heaven, the being becometh a
subtile substance ...
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Is it okay to dispose a dog's dead body in the river?
My dog passed away last night and as far as the rituals in my family are concerned, we have to dispose the dead body into the river. But most of my relatives and friends are now saying we should have ...
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Way of beheading before consuming meat
In north part of India, I have observed, Hindus only eat meat of goat/chicken beheaded at once. They say it "jhatakA"; literal meaning "at once". Is this concept backed up by scriptures ? If not then ...
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What scriptures describe the Rishi Shalihotra cutting the wings off of horses?
The Ashva Shastra is a work of unknown authorship about the nature and proper care of horses. Now this chapter of the Ashva Shastra says that there used to be winged horses, but then Indra asked the ...
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