Questions tagged [dharma]
Dharma (Sanskrit: धर्म ) is a key concept with multiple meanings in the Indian religions Hinduism, Buddhism, Sikhism and Jainism.
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Is organ donation allowed? Have any Hindu acharyas commented on this practice?
According to some religions, donating the human organs (especially after one's death) is considered a good practice.
So is it a good thing to do according to Hindu scripture?
Have any Hindu acharyas ...
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Do any texts explicitly forbid Hindus from eating beef?
I have been told many a times that I shouldn't eat beef because I am a Hindu by religion. Even though I have never worshiped a cow in my life or interacted with any on more than exotic basis, I find ...
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Why did Sri Rama banish Lady Sita when he was a witness of her fire-test himself?
Sri Rama was a great and just king of Ayodhya. There were some rumors reported by his subjects against the purity of Lady Sita.
So, as per the Raja Dharma, Rama had to banish Sita. But was it against ...
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How is "Patriotism" seen from the Hindu Dharma perspective?
Are there any scriptures (Dharma Shastra-s) or Hindu saints who have talked about patriotism?
Related: This post discusses specific to Kshatriya class, Martyr concept in Hinduism
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What is the difference between dharma and religion?
Hinduism is called "Dharma" unlike Christianity or Islam, which are called "religions".
My question is: What is the difference between Dharma and Religion?
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Why praying is not a compulsion in Hinduism?
In some religions like Christanity and Islam there are some forced praying time. Christians have to attend mass in weekends (sundays) whereas muslims congregates on fridays in mosques. As far I know ...
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What to do when scriptures go against conscience?
TL;DR WHAT TO DO WHEN SCRIPTURES GO AGAINST CONSCIENCE?
What to do when Parshara Smriti go against my conscience? How can I treat a chandala (I do not even know what that means, except that it is a ...
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What is good karma? What is bad karma? Who defines it?
Who defines 'good' or 'bad' karma - like this is bad and this is good?
It depends on time or generation?
Is there any book, Veda or any other holy book, where it's defined?
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What is Dharma according to the Bhagavad Gita?
What is Dharma according to the Bhagavad Gita? Are hymns and worship of God compulsory in the Bhagavad Gita ?
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As a Hindu, can I feed other people beef?
I am a volunteer who helps feed elderly and disabled people. They choose their meal from the cafeteria, and I feed it to them.
My role (which I recently began) has led me to a dilemma. As a Hindu, I ...
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What are the duties of an ideal husband as per Hinduism?
As a follow-up to a recent question Dharmic role of wife in marriage, what are the duties of an ideal husband?
user6981
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Is it wise to kill an insect just because it is bothering you
Is it wise to kill an insect just because it is wandering around your apartment or just because it is bothering you?
I've seen people killing small insects just because it is wandering/jumping/hiding ...
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What are the four legs of Dharma?
It is said that Dharma has four legs (pillars) and it is depicted in the form of vrushabham (nandi). What are those four legs? As far as I know, cow's four legs are also seen as four legs of Dharma.
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What exactly is a leela (लीला)? Is there a scriptural definition of leela (लीला)?
When people cannot logically explain certain actions of Gods, their incarnations, Saints, Ṛṣis etc., they often use the term leela which is sometimes spelled as līlā and lIlA.
I think the word ...
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Can a married woman take out her Mangala Sutra and keep it anywhere?
I have seen many of our sisters and mothers wear the Mangala Sutra. The question Why do brides wear a mangal sutra? answers why they wear it in the first place.
But my question is:
Nowadays we see ...
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Dharmic role of wife in marriage
In the Ramanandsagar TV serial Ramayana, a sage (Vashistha or Viswamitra?) defines duties of a wife i.e., She should provide prerana, chetana and utsaaham (roughly: inducing, motivation and ...
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Why did Lord Krishna kidnap Rukmini to get married?
As per the Vedas, getting married to a girl after kidnapping is considered devil or daemon (दानव dānava) Vivaha (marriage) which isn't righteous (धर्मानुकूलन dharmānukūlana).
And Lord Krishna ...
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Should Krishna be considered good or bad?
I have read the Mahabharata and it seems that unrighteous behaviour or adharma is followed by Krishna in many places, but most people do not care about Krishna's character/behaviour and righteousness, ...
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Does the shloka 'ahiṃsā paramo dharma' or excerpt appear in Mahabharata?
Ahimsa paramo dharma, is it taken from Mahabharata?
Many sources over internet say so and claim that it is a half-truth and the remaining half is Himsa dharma tadaivacha. Is it true?
Who is the ...
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Why did Lord Krishna give another life to Parikshit? Was it the only way? Why didn't Pandavas plan another child?
According to Mahabharat, after the epic Kurukshetra war, only Parikshit was the final successor of the Kuru dynasty and while he was still in Uttara's womb, Ashwathama killed him using a Brahmastra.
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Are these verses from Garuda Purana and Brihadaranyaka Upanishad asking men to beat women? If not, how should they be interpreted?
Brihadaranyaka Upanishad, 6.4.7:
If she is not willing, he should buy her over; and if she is still unyielding, he should strike her with a stick or with the hand and proceed, uttering the following ...
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Why did god create us even though he knew that we will partake in adharma? [duplicate]
God knows that humans will partake in adharma. So why did he create us?
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What is the definition of sin according to Hinduism?
What is a definition of a sin? What are the criteria by which an act becomes sinful?
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Do farmers have the right to kill pests?
To control caterpillars, thrips, mites and whiteflies, farmers use insecticides and kill a large number of these insects.
It is in fact necessary to use these pesticides, otherwise crops will not ...
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Is it adharma to give Dana without considering what we are giving and to whom we are giving?
Dana is a dharma action followed in every yuga as it prevents selfishness, ignorance and helps other beings to live very peacefully.
But, the Dana which helps society can also bring problems to it if ...
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How can one save Sanatana Dharma?
It is said on multiple occasions that we need to protect our sanskriti, our dharma, etc.
But is there any reference in our shastras on what should we do to save dharma?
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In Hinduism, what exactly is a lie? And is lying adharma?
I would like to know what is considered a lie in Hinduism? Sometimes we speak good but we speak the same thing in a different way which appears as a lie to the listener but it's not really a lie.
In ...
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Do scriptures allow Hindus to marry foreigners?
Do scriptures allow Hindus to marry foreigners, or non-Hindus of other races?
Inter-caste marriage has its restrictions, but what about interracial marriages?
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What are different types of sins?
According to Sanatana Dharma, what are the types of sins?
What types of sins can be washed and how and in what cases it is not considered as sin even if people commit one?
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Does Hindu morality come from scripture or is it the other way round?
Background:
The question Is the Gadhimai massacre a Hindu ritual? has an answer which says animal sacrifice is against the Hindu principles of ahimsa while the other answer says 'Animal sacrifice is ...
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What do Hindu scriptures say about gambling?
Is gambling considered righteous or is it a sin?
Are Kshatriyas allowed to gamble?
Do Kshatriyas have accept a gambling invitation compulsarily? (The Mahabaratha answer seems to say so)
Is ...
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Kshatriyas and alcohol consumption
What are the alcoholic beverages suitable for consumption by a Kshatriya?
What about other three varnas? Are they allowed to consume alcohol?
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What is the relevance of "Dharmo Rakshati Rakshitah" in Kaliyuga? How is it justified now?
This world is divided on dharma and all are involved in fighting for their respective dharmas. In this fight of dharmas, many people lose their lives, families and sometimes get punished in this world....
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What are duties and goals of a Brahmin and how should he behave?
Can anyone say the duties of a Brahmin and how he should behave? What should be his goals?
As said in Bhagavat Gita, One should follow his own duties to attain liberation and so. If with any ...
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What all Hindu scriptures advocate The Golden Rule? And what is the oldest Hindu scripture to advocate it?
According to Wikipedia, The Golden Rule, treat others as you treat yourself, is common to most world religions. Here are a couple of references from Hindu scripture:
One should never do that to ...
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What is Dharma according to Veda or Upanishad?
I know that the question asked before What is dharma? but the question and answer shows what Dharma is according to Bhagavad Gita.
I am interested in the explanation of Dharma according to shruti. So,...
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How to reconcile prāyaścitta (expiation) involving death with suicide (itself a big sin)?
A twice-born person, having, through folly, drunk wine, shall drink wine red-hot; he becomes freed from his guilt, when his body has been completely burnt by it. — (90)
(Manusmriti verse 11....
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How is Rukmi's killing by Balarama justified?
The slaying of Rukmi by Lord Balarama is described in Srimad Bhagavatam, Harivamsa and Vishnu Purana.
This page gives a comparative study of all three texts as to how they differ in the details of ...
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Why did Rāma kill Śambūka? And is Rāma justified in killing him without a second chance?
In Uttara-kāṇḍa of Vālmīki Rāmāyaṇa, we see Vālmīki narrate the story of Śambūka.
Questions:
Why did Rāma kill Śambūka? Is it because Śambūka was a śūdra or is it because he was doing Tapasya for the ...
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What are the Hindu Code of Conduct (Ethics)?
Codes of Conduct or Ethical codes are very essential norms, rules and values that guides the right living practices and standard behaviour for individual as well as social welfare.
For example Code ...
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Did Yudhishthira lie more than once?
From the childhood I was knowing that Yudhishthira had lied just once at the time of Guru Drona Vadha and that was also the half truth half lie. But recently, I came to know that Yudhishthira had also ...
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Is the Manusmriti written to favor a particular Varṇa?
Critics say the Manusmriti is pro-Brahmin, and written by casteist Brahmins by favoring a particular section of society and thereby oppressing Shudras, women, and other lower castes.
Edit Note: While ...
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What is dharma for Mlecchas according to Hinduism?
Dharma is eternal and fixed. Each varna in Hinduism has its own dharma, which is defined by the Vedas.
What is the dharma for Mlecchas?
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After Dhritarashtra, why was Yudhishthira and not Duryodhana considered the next in line to be the king?
Duryodhana was the son of a king and should be made the next king but still generally all people consider Yudhishthira to be the righteous owner of the throne. Why should Yudhishthira be the crown ...
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Is invincibility in a battle dharma or adharma?
Background:
Many warriors like Bhishma, Indrajit, etc., had boons which made them invincible in a battle.
Even Karna had Kavacha and Kundalas which made him invincible (or almost immortal) in any ...
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What are the 10 doors of the Dharma?
When I read Adi Parva about the families of the gods and how they were classified, I read that when Brahma gave ten wives to the Dharma, they were "the ten doors of the Dharma":
13 नामतॊ ...
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What do scriptures say about using swear or abusive words for cursing people?
I am asking this question from a modern perspective.
Does Hinduism consider the use of abusive words as "Vaani Hinsa"?
Is there any punishment for this and also does it affect our deeds (...
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Do we take rebirth if we help others?
Lord Krishna told us to surrender to him and do our duties for him and not for dharma and adharma and if we do it (for dharma or adharma) we will take rebirth to take the effects of good deed or bad ...
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How do we decide what is dharma and adharma?
In real life there are circumstances where we are in dwanda (indecisive state of mind) and we cannot make a clear decision on what is dharma and what is adharma. For example:
When someone with the ...
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How do the scriptures describe an ideal Sanyasi?
This page describes some of the Dharmas that a "Sanyasi" has to follow.
For example, a Sanyasi:
Should always have a dhanda (bamboo staff) and kamandulu (used for abulations made of wood). If ...
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