Questions tagged [mahabharata]
The epic by Veda Vyasa narrating the great war fought in India between the Kauravas and the Pandavas.
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Can Sati leads to moksha if husband attains moksha?
Consider the following paragraph related to the funeral rites of Vasudeva, the father of Krishna
Thus addressed by Pritha’s son of pure deeds, all of them hastened
their preparations with eagerness ...
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What is the frequency and impact of Amavasya on Chaturdasi day?
Consider the following excerpt from the Mahabharatha, which discuss possible implications of the astrological phenomenon
"Beholding these signs that indicated the perverse course of Time, and
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Do attendants of yama mistakenly kill wrong people due to the confusion in names?
When I read Mahabharatha in Telugu, I came across a conversation between Uma and Siva. In the conversation, Siva says that sometimes the attendants of Yama take the wrong jiva to hell mistakenly. It ...
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Is it true that trees shouldn't present inside home?
Consider the following statement of Dhaumya from Mahabharatha
Under the roots of a tree scorpions and snakes undoubtedly find
shelter. Hence, one should never plant a tree within one's abode.
[...
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Krishna's time with gopis and Bhagavad Gita verses 3.21-23
Even though I am a great devotee of Sri Krishna,It has always been troublesome for me to understand Rasa Lila and Sri Krishna's relation with Gopikas. Some were even married.
Sukhadeva's explaination ...
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In which chapter of Mahabharatha, the narrator did not enumerate all names due to complexity?
In many scriptures, if there is a large list of names, the authors or narrators generally do not take the burden of enumerating all the names due to the complexity i.e., the size of the list.
While ...
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Which other scriptures say that inter-caste marriages can give better children?
In a discussion between Yudhishthira and Yaksha, Yudhishthira says that children from inter-caste couples can be treated better compared to the same caste couple if the inter-caste couple undergoes ...
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Is Indra's vehicle Airavata a Naga?
According to Astika Parva section XXXV, Airavata is the third son of Kadru and Kashyap
Sesha was born first, and then Vasuki. (Then were born) Airavata, Takshaka, Karkotaka, Dhananjaya, Kalakeya, the ...
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Conch use in Mahabharata and Ramayana
Conch
Shankha
Can you provide all references in Mahabharata and Ramayana where Conch was used?
I feel during the start of Mahabharata war, every day and last day the couch was used.
Was the Conch used ...
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Does the universe get recreated at the end of every Yuga?
I read in Mahabharata that at the end of every Yuga , the universe gets destroyed and new universe is created again. But it was not very much explicit.
Adi Parva
And what is seen in the universe, ...
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Source of saying: नित्यं एकमनस्कौ तौ (Nithyam Ekamanaskou tou)
In this video, a Swamiji belonging to Shri Madhwacharya order of Sannyasis, say that Lord Krishna and Bhima had the same mindset and same opinons.
He says in Sanskrit,
नित्यं एकमनस्कौ तौ
They both ...
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When did Kamsa defeat the Devas?
I was going through the Vishnu Puran and came across the following description in Book V, Chapter IV:
KANSA, much troubled in mind, summoned all his principal Asuras, Pralamba, Keśin, and the rest, ...
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Yama took birth as Vidura, then who was performing the work of Yama as god of death? [duplicate]
Since Yama had taken birth as Vidura, then while he was alive on earth as Vidura , who was performing the work of him as god of death ?
My second question is related to first, can Devtas like - ...
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How does Veda Vyasa reconcile the praise of Indra as Brahman with this citation from Aitareya Brahmana?
Who was the earliest Vedic scholar to claim that only Indra and no other Deva is Brahman?
In answer to the above question, Mahabharata is cited:
BhagavAn veda vyAsa considers Indra as the supreme ...
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Is there a guna-based classification of Puranas in the Mahabharata?
https://ramanuja.org/sri/BhaktiListArchives/Article?p=sep96%2F0054.html
One must watch out which purana is being quoted : The puranic evidence has
to be from satvic puranas (as per classification in ...
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Do the tridevi (Saraswati,Lakshmi,Parvati) play any role in the Mahabharata?
Sita as Lakshmi's avatara, plays a primary role in Ramayana.
The three Moola female deities don't seem to participate actively as their spouses do in the epic and there are conflicting theories as to ...
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Drupada’s Rite for Dhṛṣṭadyumna
yājas tu havanasyānte devīm āhvāpayat tadā ǀ
praihi māṃ rājñi pṛṣati mithunaṃ tvām upasthitam ǁ
devy uvāca ǀ
avaliptaṃ me mukhaṃ brahman puṇyān gandhān bibharmi ca ǀ
sutārthenoparuddhāsmi tiṣṭha ...
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Are there any similar statements from scriptures that reject "setting up of religious standards"?
Consider the following question and answer from the scripture named Mahabharatha
The Yaksha asked,--'... what is hypocrisy?...
Yudhishthira answered,--'... The setting up of a religious standard is
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Why did Krishna ask Arjuna to adharmically deprive Bhurishrava of a victory Krishna himself said was deserved?
Page 3041 of Bibek Debroy translation.
O Partha! Truth is Satyaki’s valour. But in this
battle, Varshneya’s valour has been rendered false by Bhurishrava.’
This is a clear statement of a fairly won ...
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Does any scripture other than Mahabharatha has the story of Savitri and Satyavan?
Markandeya tells the story of Savitri and Satyavan to Yudhishthira in Mahabharatha. It is such a great story in which a woman named Savitri brings the kingdom and vision to her father-in-law, life to ...
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do the warring parties in the Mahabharata divide approximately into Siva and Vishnu devotees?
There are exceptions of course - Bhishma recognized Krishna as Parabrahman and Amba(Shikhandi) got the boon of being able to kill Bhishma from Siva.
As far as I can tell Shikhandi is the only Siva ...
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How were scriptures, stotras & other texts preserved from the ancient ages to the modern days?
We have two main itihasas, ramayan and mahabharat and hundreds of stotras which actually say in viniyoga that they were given by many ancient rishis or figures like bhishma or various gods and ...
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What is the History of Nāgavaṃśa? Is there any mention of them in the Puranas or other texts?
A lot of jati-s claim descent from the Naga-s, I wanted to know more about their History
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Did Yuddhiṣṭhira's feet never touch the ground?
As discussed in this QnA, Yuddhiṣṭhira was such a pious adherent of truth that his chariot never touched the ground. Well! not until he spoke a half-truth about Aśvatthāmā's death.
But, some blogs ...
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Why did not demons think of burning only prahlad (without holika) on fire?
I am watching Shri Krishna, story of holika and prahlad, Is the story true? Why did holika with prahlad on fire? I cannot believe that Demons were that dumb, that they did not think of burning only ...
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Was wife of Ved-Vyas a Brahmini or Murdhabhishikta?
I am asking this question as I wanted to know if a Murdhabhishikta man can marry a Brahmini girl or not.
Ved-Vyas was a Murdhabhishikta as he had a Brahmin father(Parashara) and Kshatriya mother( ...
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Did Krishna undertake the peace mission to Duryodhana only to ensure that a war took place?
If you know Tamil, you can hear noted Srivaishnavite preacher Velukkudi Krishnan say exactly that
4:42 "Krishna went as a messenger only to incite the war".
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=...
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What is scriptural source for the Madhwas' claim that Lord Vayu took avatar as Lord Hanuman in Ramayana and again as Bhima in Mahabharata? [duplicate]
Madhwas claim a unique thing which as far as I know, no other Hindu denomination claims explicitly that
Lord Vayu was first born as Lord Hanuman to serve Lord Rama in Treta Yuga.
Lord Vayu was then ...
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What is the best way to overcome or get rid of pitru dosh
What is pitru dosha according to scriptures and How to get rid of the pitru dosha?
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Sankhya vs Advaitha
Can anyone please list out most common misconceptions between them? Are they same? View on division of parbrahamn? View on aatma? Which is the right one according to the Gita?
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Mighty warriors in Mahabharata and Ramayana who were left handed
Can you give references of mighty warriors in the Mahabharata and the Ramayana who were left handed in using Bow & Arrow, Mace etc weapons in battlefield ?
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How does one sanctify meat for consumption?
There is a popular misconception among Hindus that jhatka meat is fit for consumption (apparently it is quick death for the animal). While it maybe true in Sikhism, I have not come across anything ...
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Is death always part of Prarabdh?
Is death always part of prarabdh (i.e. fruit of actions of previous birth). Or Can death be caused by the fruit of actions of this birth also?
Eg-Krishna died due to prarabdh (he had killed Baali ...
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How the balance of Trigunas were determined for the first birth?
If the inclinations of the previous birth or actions cause the balance of Sattva, Tamas and Rajas Gunas, then how was the first birth's balance determined? Pure chance?
So do all possible copies of ...
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Is there any similarity in cooking items by Vallav (Bheema) and Bahuka (Nala) in Mahabharatha during their tough times?
Mahabharata has Nalopakyana Parva, which explains the life of Nala in some chapters.
Nala appoints as rider and chef in the court of Rithuparna. Bheema was appointed as entertainer and chef in the ...
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Does the soul have thinking power?
Does the soul have thinking power? Or all the experiences are stored as latent memory that later builds karmic tendencies, the phase transition point for them being Self Realization?
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On the nature of Krishna
I want to know whether
Lord Krishna was a realized person but at birth born like us normal creatures (because he says many times that=he was aware of the divine nature of the soul and his previous ...
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To whom does the Chatur Vyuha Avatars of Lord Vishnu exactly meditates upon according to scriptures.?
According to Mahabharata, other scriptures and Vaishnava agamas, Lord Vishnu has his Chatur Vyuha Avatars they are Vasudeva, Samkarsana, Pradyumna, Aniruddha. Mahabharata ( Shanti Parva) says that, ...
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The Akshaya Patra's legend in the Mahabharata
Akshaya Patra
Akshaya Patra
As per the Wikipedia, the Akshaya Patra was handed by King Surya to Yudhishthir.
Why not to Arjuna, Bheem, Sahadev & Nukul?
Is it because Yudhishthir was the eldest ...
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Three sacrifices by Pandavas
When Arjuna was born, the incorporeal voice said "...This mighty hero, vanquishing all the effeminate monarchs of the earth, will, with his brothers perform three great sacrifices."
Pandavas ...
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Why did Vyasa accept Vaishampayana as his student?
Vaishampayana was the student of Vyasa. Vyasa himself gave him the permission to narrate the Mahabharata to Janamejaya. He was the first narrator of Mahabharata. My question is why did Vyasa allow ...
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Which Maruts incarnated as Satyaki, Kritavarma, Virata, and Drupada?
https://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/m01/m01068.htm
And he who was Satyaki of sure aim, that upholder of the pride of Vrishni race, that oppressor of foes, begotten of the portion of gods called the ...
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Why did Bhishma never use Chakravyuh in the Mahabharata War like Drona?
Dronacharya was the commander of Kaurava forces who used Chakra Vyuha, the most complex war formation. Why did Bhishma not use it?
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Why did Vyasa advice Ashwatthama to release his Brahmashira in the wombs of Pandava women?
https://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/m10/m10015.htm
Vyasa said, "Do then this. Do not, however, entertain any other purpose, O sinless one! Throwing this weapon into the wombs of the Pandava women, ...
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How did Arjuna know that Krishna would submerge Dwarka in the ocean before it happened?
https://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/m03/m03012.htm
The relatives of the Pandavas visited them after they were banished.
Vaisampayana said, 'Hearing that the Pandavas had been banished, the Bhojas, the ...
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Did Vaishampayana ever visit the Pandavas like Vyasa?
Vyasa was the grandfather of the Pandavas and the author of Mahabharata who helped Pandavas on numerous occasions and was even present at the snake sacrifice of Janamejaya, the great-grandson of the ...
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What were the circumstances surrounding Srutayudha's birth and how did he become king of Kalinga?
Srutayudha (aka Srutayusha) was king of Kalinga who fought on side of Kauravas in Mahabharata.
And Suvala's son Sakuni, and Salya, Jayadratha and the two princes of Avanti named Vinda and Anuvinda, ...
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Does the version of Ramayana and Mahabharata we have , each of them belong to different kalpa?
We find the story of Lord Rama present in detail in Valmiki Ramayana.But in Mahabharata,when Yudhishthira asks Sage Markandeya about Lord Rama,he said the story with some differences.
So how correct ...
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Why Vyasa is not son of Santanu?
Karna, born before Kunti's marriage is considered as Pandu's son. However, Krishna Dwaipayana Vyasa is not considered as Santanu's son but is son of Parashara. What is the reason for this difference?
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