32
votes
Accepted
Do Yajurveda 40.9, Yajurveda 32.3 and Bhagavadgita 7.20 reject idol worship?
Don't believe blindly what you see on internet. Hinduism or सनातन धर्म (Sanātana Dharma) can't be false as name itself says it is eternal and has "Dharma" in it. Hinduism is confusing for some people ...
18
votes
Were Ganesh and Kartikeya mentioned in Vedas? Is Ganapati Elder to Kartikeya?
Yes, Ganesh and Kumara both are mentioned in Vedas. Here are the references.
रुद्रो रुद्रश्च दन्तिश्च नन्दिः षण्मुख एव च ।
गरुडो ब्रह्मा विष्णुश्च नारसिहंस्तथैव च ।।
rudro rudrascha dantischa ...
17
votes
Accepted
Bhagavad Gita and views on other religions?
@Krishna's comment above to your question is right; the Gita was spoken long before any of the other great world religions were around.
Krishna says (Gita IV. 7-8):
Whenever there is a decline of ...
17
votes
Accepted
Is taking interest from bank a sin?
Lending at interest is not a sin at all. Its perfectly legitimate. But usury (lending money at unreasonably high rates) is a minor sin(an Upapataka).
Manu Smriti 10.115. There are seven lawful ...
16
votes
Accepted
How important is the Bhagavad Gita when compared to other Hindu texts?
Swami Tattvavidananda Saraswati of Arsha Vidya Gurukulam writes:
Question
Swamiji, is there some basic text, for example, the Bible in Christianity, that defines the Hindu religion?
...
15
votes
How much time did Sri Krishna take to preach Gita to Arjuna?
Not more than 2 hours.
Actually recitation of Gita was in form of plain Q&A where Arjuna is clearing his doubts one by one. Arjuna was gifted with concentration abilities (e.g. aiming bird's/fish'...
15
votes
According to Bhagvad Gita, Lord Krishna is the ultimate God. So why are there other beliefs in Hinduism?
There are many scriptures in Hinduism which are classified as Shruti, Smriti, Itihasa, Puranas etc...
And among all scriptures Shruti (Veda) has the highest authority and the ultimate Shabda-Pramana.
...
14
votes
Accepted
I am confused between two shlokas of the Bhagvad Geeta, Bg 9.23 & Bg 9.25
Verse 9.23
Krishna says that he who worships other gods worships him (i.e. Krishna), now why does He say so? because he (Mahavishnu) is the supreme godhead and all the other gods are his ansh(part) ...
14
votes
According to Bhagvad Gita, Lord Krishna is the ultimate God. So why are there other beliefs in Hinduism?
It was Supreme Brahman (through Krishna) who said Bhagavad Gita to Arjuna. In Anugita Parva of Aswamedha Parva, Arjuna asked Krishna to repeat Bhagavadgita but Krishna said it was not possible to him ...
14
votes
Accepted
Should ONLY ISKCON English translations of Scripture be cited when Traditional versions are also available?
Here's what I will say about this with all due respect. I had been a member of ISKCON for several years during my undergraduate degree (no longer one). My observations are as follows:-
1) ISKCON is a ...
13
votes
Accepted
'Playing football takes us nearer to heaven rather than reading Bhagavad Gita' but how and why?
Swami Vivekananda meant that a strong body can help you have the frame of mind needed to understand things like the Upanishads and Bhagavad Gita, and thus ultimately attain Jnana. Here's the quote in ...
13
votes
Accepted
Regulative principles for sex life
First of all, let me explicitly state that I assumed that you are asking about the rules & regulations that a husband and his wife should abide by.Because ,sexual activities, of any other forms ...
12
votes
I am confused between two shlokas of the Bhagvad Geeta, Bg 9.23 & Bg 9.25
Swami Gambhirananda translates Sri Sankaracharya's Sanskrit commentary on BG 9.23 as:
9.23 Even those who, being devoted to other deities and endowed with faith, worship (them), they also, O son of ...
12
votes
Accepted
What is the seed of desire as per scripture?
According to Vivekchudamani of Adi Shankara Ignorance is the seed of Samsara tree. From ignorance comes Ego (Ahamkara) [Identification with body]. From Ego comes desires. Hence Ego and Ignorance are ...
12
votes
Accepted
BG 4.40 - What does Kṛṣṇa mean by saṁśayātmā (doubting mind)?
The word संशयात्मा does not literally mean doubting mind. But it has an inner meaning. Samshayatma means a cynic who does not agree with the scriptures.
If we consider only shloka you are quoting, ...
12
votes
Can't Shudras read the Bhagavad Gita?
There are no specific restrictions for reading and understanding Bhagavad Gita based on castes, differentiation apart from two cases, where Krishna himself emphasizes on to whom this Gita knowledge ...
11
votes
Accepted
Is Bhagavad Gita text Shruti or Smriti?
According to Prasthanatrayi concept of Vedanta, Bhagavad Gita is considered as Smriti Prashthana.
As presented in forward by T.M.P Mahadevan in English translation of BrahmaSutra Bhasya of Adi ...
11
votes
Accepted
Is Vishnu present in the current time?
I think you are referring to verse 2.12.
न त्वेवाहं जातु नासं न त्वं नेमे जनाधिपा | न चैव न भविष्याम: सर्वे
वयमत: परम् || 12||
na tvevāhaṁ jātu nāsaṁ na tvaṁ neme janādhipāḥ na chaiva na
...
11
votes
Accepted
Which Scriptures say that by chanting Lord's name during the time of one's death one can attain "Moksha"?
This Brahma Vaivarta Purana chapter states that, one, who chants the name "Shiva", during his/her dying moments, is sure to attain moksha.
Shri Krishna then revealed the excellent value of Shiva ...
11
votes
Accepted
Giving Alms (Donation/charity) with the intention of getting merit will give me merit?
Yes, if your intention is getting merit then you will get it.
Manu Smriti 4.234. For whatever purpose (a man) bestows any gift, for
that same purpose he receives (in his next birth) with due ...
11
votes
Accepted
What is the difference between Shrimad Bhagavatam and Bhagavad Gita?
What is the difference between Shrimad Bhagavatam and Bhagavad Gita?
Srimad Bhagavatam or the Bhagavat Puran, is the 5th major purana amongst 18 different puranas. It contains 12 different parts (...
11
votes
Can Sri Krishna be called 'a person'?
Can Sri Krishna be called 'a person'?
Yes, here is what Ramanujacharya says in the introduction to his Bhagavad Gita Bhashya:
Nārāyaṇa is the Consort of Sri, He is absolutely auspicious and is the
...
11
votes
Accepted
Does Gita support doctrine of eternal samsara?
Samsara = bhumi + svarga + naraka
Samsara is eternal. Creation and Destruction have always happened and will always happen. 'yatha purvam akalpayat' - RigVeda 10.190.3
Krishna says :
I forever ...
10
votes
What about the different interpretations of Bhagavad Gita?
Ramakrishna Paramahamsa said the following on the ultimate message of the Gita. In many ways all the different interpretations would probably agree as to what He says (Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna, ...
10
votes
Accepted
Why are there two versions of Chapter 1 - Verse 8 of Bhagavad Geetha?
In his footnote to this verse, Swami Gambhirananda writes in his translation of the Bhagavad Gita (p 14):
Asvatthama, son of Drona: Mention of Asvatthama before Karna's son Vikarna, and others, as ...
10
votes
Why Krishna says He is Sama Veda among Vedas in Bhagavad Gita?
Samaveda is the Veda of melodies and chants. It's verses are primarily derived from Rigveda (which is believed to be oldest/first and important veda from all). It includes many mysterious verses which ...
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