Questions tagged [sacrifice]
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74 questions
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In aiterya brahmana, it is stated that animals like cow, camel, goat, horse, etc are not to be sacrificed, but other scriptures validate animal sac
Many commentators of different sampradayas conclude that Vedic sacrifice is just. But this encounter with aiterya brahmana and jaiminiya brahmana maybe says something otherwise? Well I would like to ...
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Question about karmyog(need guidance)
I want to ask few things
how to sacrifice all my karma to shri hari? Is it a mental state , if yes please describe?
if problems arises I get a bit tense and anxious , so is being a little anxious and ...
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To those who know Sanskrit, what exactly is the mystery of Yajur Veda chapter 23?
Chapter 22-25 is supposed to contain ashwamedha sacrifice. As I have heard, Hindus and non-Hindus have a secretive debate about this because this sacrifice is said to have bestiality as per non-Hindus ...
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Are there any temples of Vishnu or certain forms of Vishnu where he is worshipped with animal sacrifices?
Recently, I came across the following reference from Varaha Purana (A Vaisnava Purana), where Varaharoopi Bhagavana Vishnu approves of animal sacrifice and meat offerings of certain kinds in his ...
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What is the significance of sacrificing animals in front of God?
Can anyone kindly tell me the significance of sacrificing animals (like goat) in front of God/Goddess? During Durga Puja I have seen that people sacrifice different things (aka "Balidan") in ...
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Fanning fire during Homa/Sacrifice
I have seen during homa/fire sacrifices air is blown by using fan (handheld fans/plates/etc.). I was always told that blowing through mouth is impure (because may be saliva dropping on fire).
However, ...
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Who is the Hindu god of sacrifice?
Who is the Hindu god of sacrifice?
I tried to find out by Googling it, but all I found out was that it was Agni. But I thought that Agni was the god of fire. So, who is it then?
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Is it true we cannot change the minds of the Gods?
Is it true that we cannot change the minds of the Gods, and that we cannot change their plans?
I assume it is true that we cannot change them, but I'm asking to see if there are any scriptures or ...
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Which passage from the Scripture and the holy texts forbids human sacrifice?
I have been searching for the passage from the Vedas that puts an eternal ban on the practice of human sacrifice.
If there isn't a passage from the Vedas forbidding human sacrifice, than find the next ...
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What is the meaning of Rig Veda, Shakhala Shakha, Aitareya Brahman 1.1.1.?
In the Aitareya Brahman section of the Rig Veda, under the Shakhala Shakha school, in verse 1.1.1, it states the following.
अग्निर्वै देवनामवमो विष्णुः परमः तदन्तरं सर्व देवताः
agnirvai devanamavamo ...
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Scriptural source for saying animal sacrifice and non vegetarian food for Brahmins are not for Kali Yuga
One can see ample amount of evidences for animal sacrifice and Brahmins eating meat in Vedic and Smriti literature.
When I pointed out this to a learned Pandit, he just said it has been forbidden in ...
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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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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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When was the last Rajasuya yajna conducted?
Many kings such as Yudhishthira and Bharata conducted Rajasuya yajna. Who was the last king to conduct the Rajasuya yagna?
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Who gets the remnants of homa/sacrifice/puja?
When pujas performed, normally, the officiating priest takes the items (like rice, wheat, grains,...) remaining after the puja or used during the puja. I have seen priests take the grains, some also ...
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Gold as substitute for Agni in sacrifices
While explaining the origin of gold, Vasishta says
It is well-known that gold is the offspring of Agni. When fire is not obtainable (for the purposes of a sacrifice), gold is used as substitute. ...
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According to Vedas, how to cook & eat sacrificed animal's meat?
I know Tantric and Puranic traditions may be different, but how to cook & eat animals as per Vedas? Rig Veda 10.28.3:
अद्रिणा ते मन्दिन इन्द्र तूयान सुन्वन्ति सोमान पिबसि तवमेशाम |पचन्ति ते वर्षभा...
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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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Why are bali/sacrifices of non-Asuric animals & humans so satisfying to Kaali Mata?
The most common sacrifice is the goat and the Buffalo/Mahisha is the second most common. Both are Asuric. Kali maa loves to receive the sacrifice of Asuras of any kind.
Do lion & tiger also have ...
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Are the human sacrifice based practises by "tantrika babas" a part of any tantra system, as popularly shown in the tv shows?
Several Indian tv shows have portrayed the popular trope of a "tântrik guy" performing some rituals and ultimately sacrificing a human, especially a Child.
In fact, occasionally one can read ...
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Five sacrifices of domesticity
The pigeon in Sibi's story says
one is especially bound to do so if one happens to lead a life of domesticity that consists of the five sacrifices. If one, while leading a life of domesticity, does ...
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Scriptural reference of Prabhupada's commentry on S.B. 4:19:11
Srila Prabhupada wrote in the purport of S.B. 4:19:11,
King Indra is known as śata-kratu, which indicates that he has performed one hundred horse sacrifices (aśvamedha-yajña). We should know, however,...
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Lord Krishna's opinion on animal sacrifice
In Srimad Bhagwatam 11:21:29-30, Lord Krishna opposes animal sacrifice,
Those who are sworn to sense gratification cannot understand the confidential conclusion of Vedic knowledge as explained by Me. ...
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Who are gratified when the sacrifices are performed by the demigods?
Who are gratified when the sacrifices/yajna are performed by the demigods? Like when humans make sacrifices they gratify demigod (like Indra, Agni, etc.).
I mean Indra is a god that had performed a ...
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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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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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Were so-called "mlecchas" sacrificed to the Gods?
https://archive.org/stream/ShivaPurana/Bhavishya%20Purana_djvu.txt
Suta Goswami said: Once upon a time in Plastinapura, Pradyota the son of Kshemaka was leading an assembly and meanwhile the great ...
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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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Is sacrifice required for devotion?
If yes, how to quantify it? Is there any real devotion without sacrifice?
Suppose someone says he is really devoted, but doesnt sacrifice anything (time, money, thoughts etc) is he really devoted?
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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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How is it possible to do a sacrifice of one thousand years in Kali Yuga?
in the Srimad Bhagavatam 1.1.4
It says quote:
Once, in a holy place in the forest of Naimiṣāraṇya, great sages
headed by the sage Śaunaka assembled to perform a great thousand-year
sacrifice ...
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What is ShiroVrata (a vow of holding fire on head)?
Ending of Mundaka Upanishad talks about śirovrata (शिरोव्रत):
तदेतदृचाऽभ्युक्तम् ।
क्रियावन्तः श्रोत्रिया ब्रह्मनिष्ठाः
स्वयं जुह्वत एकर्षिं श्रद्धयन्तः ।
तेषामेवैतां ब्रह्मविद्यां वदेत
शिरो...
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What are sacrifices done on new moon and full moon where a part is thrown for Rakshasas?
Sage valmiki uses many metaphors and writes in a poetic sense while explaining an incident in the Valmiki Ramayana. There are hundreds of usages of Upama and rupaka alankara which is used to explain ...
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Do any commentators interpret "from yajña arises rain" in BG 3.14 allegorically i.e., not involving a physical sacrifice, fire and smoke?
Bg. 3.14
annād bhavanti bhūtāni
parjanyād anna-sambhavaḥ
yajñād bhavati parjanyo
yajñaḥ karma-samudbhavaḥ
Rāmānuja's commentary on this verse points to a verse from Manusmṛti which is ...
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Are there any animal sacrifices specifically for Vishnu?
There are animal sacrifices for Indra, Vayu, Agni, Prajapati and Shiva, etc in the Vedas.
For example, in the Ashvalayana Grihya Sutras:
1 1. Now the spit-ox (sacrificed to Rudra).
In ...
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Does Tantrik, avaidik, or agamic animal sacrifice have any scriptural authority?
No one has done a Vedic animal sacrifice for hundreds of years, but the Shakta, Shaiva, and Vamachara traditions, especially in East India, are known to perform lots of avaidik animal sacrifices for ...
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Does Vishnu like animal sacrifices?
The Vedas are traditionally divided into two parts: Karma kanda and Jnana kanda. The Karma kanda consists of Yajnas involving animal sacrifice. Ancient Sri Vaishnava commentators and acharyas say that ...
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Do the Devas and Pitrs like eating meat?
The body of animals killed in Yajnas and Sraddhas go to the world of the Devas as well as the world of Pitrs. The Devas and Pitrs eat the flesh of the animals killed in the yajnas offered by humans.
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Which scripture talks about killing baby cows in sacrifices?
Manusmriti verses 5.41-42 say this:
madhuparke ca yajñe ca pitṛdaivatakarmaṇi | atraiva paśavo hiṃsyā
nānyatraityabravīn manuḥ || 41 || eṣvartheṣu paśūn hiṃsan
vedatattvārthavid dvijaḥ | ...
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How are animals killed in the Soma Yajna?
In the Soma yajna, a few animals are killed (I think 3 different animals are killed). My question is, how are they killed? Through beheading, strangulation, etc?
This answer says that the horse is ...
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Who was the wife of Manu who was sacrificed by the priests of the Asuras?
I came across an interesting story while reading the Shatapatha brahmana regarding Manu's encounters with the priests of Asuras about whose identity I had asked a separate question. These two had ...
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Who is this King Bhavya who lived on the banks of Indus?
Rig Veda Book 1 Hymn 126 is dedicated to a king who has given a lot of gifts to a certain Kakshivan in a sacrifice:
1 WITH wisdom I present these lively praises of Bhāvya dweller on the bank of ...
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Which mantras should be chanted for Agnihotra more than aahuti?
I perform it daily and I know about
SaptaShloki , sunrise and sunset mantras but I wish to chant more and different shlokas like mantras, Vedic Shlokas and Vedic Sukta. Can I ?
Can I chant Purush ...
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Do scriptures specify how animals should be killed during the sacrifice?
I think the horse in the Ashwamedha was killed with knives. The Somavajapeya involves suffocating the sacrificial animal if I am not mistaken.
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Were horses killed in the ashvamedh performed by Lord rama?
Lord rama performed ashvamedh and that too without a wife, who did the ritual killing, and were animals actually sacrificed?
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What was Swami Vivekananda's stance on animal sacrifices?
What was Swami Vivekananda's view on animal sacrifices? Did he support it or criticise it?
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Why is the queen required to sleep next to the dead horse at the end of Aśvamedha Yajña?
From the Wikipedia article on Aśvamedha Yajña:
After this, the horse, a hornless he-goat, and a wild ox (go-mrga, Bos gaurus) are bound to sacrificial stakes near the fire, and seventeen other ...
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Do Hindu scriptures talk about how to handle conflicts between prescriptions in scripture and the secular law of the land?
Organizations like PETA seem to be working through the judicial system to end the practice of animal sacrifice. A recent example of this was a petition by another organization to end animal sacrifice ...