19
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Why are brahmins represented by names of Vedas?
TL;DR They basically indicate the occupations that Brahmanas used to have back when they were officiating Vedic Yagnas rather than being temple priests and the like.
In order to understand what it ...
- 96k
18
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Brahmins used to eat Five-nailed animals?
First of all, the quote is from this chapter of the Kishkindha Kanda of the Ramayana, where Vali accuses Rama of acting sinfully in killing him:
My skin is unwearable, holy people forbid my hair and ...
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17
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Should a Brahmin be vegetarian?
Many of our scripture are the inverse of rationality, especially in today's time. Respecting this sites rules, I will refer the text from Bhagavad Gita (BG), which I feel still relevant to this date (...
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17
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Can a Brahmana raise a war or kill someone?
The Brahmins can indeed raise war in times of emergencies or when their life is endangered or when the situation demands so.
The Shastras clearly allow it.
Manu Smriti ,Chapter 8,Sloka 348,says:
...
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17
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Why is killing a brahmin considered sin while killing other caste people is not?
Your confusion arises because you think that Hindu scripture supports the Hindu caste system as seen today. That is not the case. The term Brahmana in Hindu scripture has a different connotation from ...
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17
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Why Gayatri mantra is widely recited by non-bramhins nowadays which was once the stronghold of only the brahmins?
gAyatri mantra HAS TO BE recited by non brahmins also, Kshatriyas and vysyas too have right for vedic initiation/upanayana.
Secondly women too have right to study and chant vedas and conduct vedic ...
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15
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Is Shalagram worship forbidden to non-Brahmins?
No. It is not forbidden.
The importance of Gandaki river is explained in chapter 20 of Patala Khanda of Padma Purana. In that chapter, the importance of śālagrāma is also said.
The disc born (...
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14
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If a Brahmin doesn't perform duties as per his varna, is he still called as brahmin?
No. He will be considered degraded then. He will be a Brahmin just for the namesake.
From Manu Smriti:
2.103. But he who does not (worship) standing in the morning, nor sitting in the evening, ...
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13
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Colors of different varṇas: Is it their physical complexion or their qualities?
These "colors" are to be understood metaphorically or allegorically as Gunas (qualities). As mentioned in this answer, white represents Satva, Red represents Rajas and Black represents Tamas.
...
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12
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Why are Sudras fined very harshly for adultery whereas Dwijas aren't fined much? Also why is killing a Sudra same as killing animal?
Please do read the summary and appreciate the post as the detailed part is disastrously long.
Summary: There are a few things to keep in mind:
Adultery (intercourse outside marriage) is a sin.
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10
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Was Ravana a vegetarian?
Ravana was not a vegetarian.
As per UTTARA KANDA of Valmiki Ramayana, this is what Ravana did in king Marutta's Maheshvara yajna:
And then devouring the Maharshis that were present at the place of
...
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10
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Can a brahmin eat meat according to shastras
Manu Smriti includes meat (prepared without spices) among Havi (i.e. food that are fit to be offered in Vedic sacrifices).
3.257. The food eaten by hermits in the forest, milk, Soma-juice, meat which ...
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10
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On doing what a Brahmin and Kshatriya lose his caste?
Generally by not following one's own duties (as per caste/Varna) and by following duties prescribed for others one looses their caste.
Manu smriti 10.97. It is better (to discharge) one’s own (...
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9
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Which scripture says that during eclipse all water become pure like Ganges water?
Parashar Smriti, Chapter 12 source 1 source 2 says , during eclipse all waters become pure like Ganges.
सर्वं गंगा समं तोयं राहुग्रस्ते दिवाकरे।
सोमग्रहे तथैवोक्तं स्नानदानादि कर्मसु।।
When the sun ...
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9
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What do scriptures say regarding Immigration & Emigration?
Where is it mentioned that such journey is prohibited?
Chapter 22, "Varnasramavidhi" (Rules to be followed by four Varnas) of Brihan Naradiya Purana states "Samudrayatra" (voyage over sea) is ...
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9
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If a brahmin has qualities of sudra should he be prohibited from duties of a brahmin?
Yaksha asked Yudhishtir the following question-
राजन् कुलेन वृत्तेन स्वाध्यायेन शृतेन वा।
ब्राह्मण्यं केन भवति? प्रब्रूह्मोतत्सुनिश्चितं
Meaning: King, how does one become a Brahmin: by birth? ...
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9
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Vivekananda said Brahmins ate beef, is this correct?
I believe Swamiji must have been referring to the few verses in Dharma Sutras that do mention consumption of bovine meat. The Apastambh Grihya Sutra mentions that cattle may be slaughtered when a ...
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9
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If my father doesn't study the Veda, does this make me ineligible to learn Vedas?
If the father is not learned in the Vedas, even then the son is allowed to study them.
Manu Smriti 3.136. If there is a father ignorant of the sacred texts
whose son has learned one whole ...
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8
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What is the Apasthambha sutra? And is eating cow meat considered holy according to it?
The Grihya Sutras are scriptures that detail the rules and regulations regarding Vedic domestic rituals for householders (Griha - House in Sanskrit). There are various such Sutras written by different ...
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8
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Who was the wife of Kaushik who stopped the Sun from rising to save her husband's life?
According to Skanda Purana, Volume 15, Chapter 171, her name was Sandili.
According to this chapter, Sage Mandavya was ordered by a King to be impaled though he was not in fault. When Sage Mandavya ...
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8
votes
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Who was the Brahmin's wife in Atharva Veda hymn that was abducted and restored?
The name of the Atharva-Veda -Kanda 5 -Sukta 17 is Brahmajaya sukta. The meaning of word Brahmajaya is wife of guru , or Guru-Patni. Which is also called as Brahmani or consort of Brahmana. Since ...
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7
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Why are brahmins represented by names of Vedas?
Kanyakubja, Konkanastha, Deshastha are geological regions in which the ancestors of those Brahmins lived.
Each Brahmin family specialized in a particular Veda. Their lineage thus took the name of ...
- 6,894
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Which scripture says that during eclipse all water become pure like Ganges water?
Padma Purana also says that during the eclipse, all waters become same like Ganges and all Brahmins become equivalent to Vyasa.
कुर्याद्ग्रासंसैम्हिकेयस्तत्क्षणंदुर्लभंभवेत् |
सर्वगङ्गासमंतो...
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7
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Which scripture says that during eclipse all water become pure like Ganges water?
The Katyayana Smriti also says the same :
During solar and lunar eclipses all the waters, that exist on earth
and even that in a well, become like that of the Ganges.
Katyayana Smriti,...
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7
votes
Sects of Hinduism
Being a devotee of Lord Shiva does not give him rights to alter the Kula Devata of his family.So that is not right.
Moreover, if one is a "true" devotee of any God,then he sees all Gods as same and ...
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7
votes
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How do the scriptures describe an ideal Sanyasi?
Vishnu Purana, Book 3, Chapter 9 describes about the four orders of life: Brahmacharya, Grihastha, Vanaprastha and Sanyasa. In Vanaprastha, one prepare himself for Sanyasa, so I am mentioning all the ...
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7
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Why is killing a brahmin considered sin while killing other caste people is not?
Why is killing a brahmin considered sin while killing other caste
people is not?
It's a wrong notion that only killing Brahmins is a sin and killing persons belonging to other varnas isn't.
Penances ...
- 109k
7
votes
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Does not performing the Garbhadana samskara result in Sudra progeny?
This issue arises only when we relate Garbhadhana with "varna". We must understand that all the samskaras are not related to varna.
I have given references of "varna" in my answers ...
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7
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Can Brahmin be a teacher on any other topics other than Vedas
Apparently Yes.
See the following verse from the Manu Smriti:
10.75. Teaching, studying, sacrificing for himself, sacrificing for others, making gifts and receiving them are the six acts (...
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