18 votes
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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 ...
Keshav Srinivasan's user avatar
18 votes
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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: ...
Rickross's user avatar
  • 111k
17 votes
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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 ...
Pradip Gangopadhyay's user avatar
17 votes
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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 ...
Rakesh Joshi's user avatar
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16 votes
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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, ...
Rickross's user avatar
  • 111k
15 votes
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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 (...
Sarvabhouma's user avatar
  • 25.7k
13 votes

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. ...
The Destroyer's user avatar
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12 votes
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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. ...
Adiyarkku's user avatar
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11 votes
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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 ...
YDS's user avatar
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11 votes
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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 ...
Rickross's user avatar
  • 111k
10 votes

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 (...
Rickross's user avatar
  • 111k
9 votes
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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 ...
Triyugi Narayan Mani's user avatar
9 votes

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 ...
The Destroyer's user avatar
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9 votes

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? ...
ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤ's user avatar
9 votes

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 ...
Dr. Vineet Aggarwal's user avatar
9 votes
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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 ...
Rickross's user avatar
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8 votes
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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 ...
Dr. Vineet Aggarwal's user avatar
8 votes
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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 ...
Triyugi Narayan Mani's user avatar
8 votes
Accepted

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 ...
SwiftPushkar's user avatar
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7 votes

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...
Sarvabhouma's user avatar
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7 votes

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,...
Rickross's user avatar
  • 111k
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 ...
Rickross's user avatar
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7 votes
Accepted

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 ...
Triyugi Narayan Mani's user avatar
7 votes

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 ...
Rickross's user avatar
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7 votes
Accepted

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 ...
Rakesh Joshi's user avatar
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7 votes

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 (...
Rickross's user avatar
  • 111k
7 votes

Do any other scriptures mention Brahma Tirtha, bathing where non-Brahmins become Brahmins?

Yes. The property of Brahma Tirtha : bestowing Brahman-hood after a holy bath has been mentioned in other scriptures such as Narada Purana. In a conversation between Vasu and Mohini, Vasu tells about ...
hanugm's user avatar
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7 votes
Accepted

Prohibitions on Brahmins regarding reading Bhagavad Gita

There are no such restrictions whatsoever. Krishna DvaipAyana VyAsa (also known as Veda VyAsa) was a Maharshi & son of a Brahmana named ParAshara. Sage VyAsa himself had passed on Gita (as part of ...
iammilind's user avatar
  • 19.7k
7 votes

Why Gayatri mantra is widely recited by non-bramhins nowadays which was once the stronghold of only the brahmins?

Why are Shudras reciting the Gayatri mantra? The answer is partly because of adopting Western beliefs, which all Indians are taught in Indian public schooling, such as "all men are created equal" and ...
Ikshvaku's user avatar
  • 22k

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