13
votes
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What is source for claim that Sruti is more important than Smriti ? That Itihasa/Purana can be discarded if they conflict with Vedas?
The answer is no. There are five Vedas as follows:-
1: Rigveda
2: Atharvaveda
3: Samveda
4: Yajurveda
5: Itihaas and puranas
The Atharvaveda supports this claim.
Atharvaveda 11:7:24 says that god ...
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12
votes
Where did the Brahmastra, which Bhagwan Rama launched to dry up the sea, eventually fall?
The place name is Drumatulya. It is mentioned in Valmiki Ramayana, Yuddha Kanda, Sarga 22.
रामस्य वचनम् श्रुत्वा तम् च दृष्ट्वा महाशरम् || २-२२-३०
महोदधिर्महातेजा राघवम् वाक्यमब्रवीत् |
...
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9
votes
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Is K.M. Ganguli's translation of the Anu Gita in line with other Mahabharata translators?
I am posting Bibek Debroy's translation. It agrees with K. M. Ganguli's translation.
Having been thus addressed, the greatly energetic Krishna, supreme
among eloquent ones, embraced Phalguna and ...
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9
votes
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How many wives did Ravana have?
Ravana has multiple wives. The following lines from sarga 10 of Sundara Kanda confirms it
That Hanuma saw in the house of that king of Rakshasa's, wives at the
feet, Ravana being a gigantic one ...
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9
votes
Are mythologies real (historical) or merely allegorical?
It is difficult to say if Hindu mythology has any history or how much is history and how much allegory. It is definite that there is a lot of allegorical component in Hindu mythology.
Brahma tells ...
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8
votes
What are the bows of the warriors of the Mahabharata?
The partial list of names of bows that was mentioned in Mahabharata
are :
Krishna : Saranga
Arjuna : Gandiva
Rukmi : Vijaya
Siva : Pinaka
Yudhishthira : Mahendra
Bhimasena : Vayavya
Nakula : ...
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7
votes
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Why does the Apsara Menaka keep abandoning her children?
What business an Apsara will have with a settled married life which is dedicated to rearing up children?
What is the basic purpose of their existence?
They are endowed with unmatched physical ...
- 111k
7
votes
Accepted
Why are only Ramayana and Mahabharata classified as Itihasa?
Iti-ha-asa means This has happened. Iti means This; ha- aasa means has happened really; Itihasas are the stories which really happened once in the past. They are not myths. Ramayana and Mahabharata ...
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7
votes
References to Varanasi in the Ramayana and the Mahabharata
I'm not sure about Ramayana, but Varanasi is certainly mentioned in Vedas and Mahabharata. I discuss about Varanasi in Vedas in my answer here. The Mahabharata also mentions the name Varanasi and ...
- 48k
7
votes
Did Vyasa himself name the chapters and Skandas of puranas/itihasas?
Name of the eighteen Parvas and their divisions are mentioned in Mahabharata, Adi Parva, SECTION II. This whole chapter is dedicated to Parvas and their divisions, so I am quoting only relevant parts.
...
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6
votes
Accepted
Who was Nachiketa's brother Ashtavakra?
I do not know that Ashtavakra is the brother of Nachiketa but the story of Ashtavakra is described in Mahabharat :
The sage Uddalaka had a disciple named Kahoda of subdued passions, and entirely ...
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6
votes
Accepted
Where has it said in the authentic scriptures, that a year in the Yuga schematic of Manu is actually a Daiva year?
The years are daiva (divine) years.
Mortal's one years is equal to 1 day and night of Devas.
1 divine year = 360 human years
1 Chauturyuga = 12000 divine years
1 Manwantara = 71 Chauturyugas = 71 * ...
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5
votes
Are mythologies real (historical) or merely allegorical?
I am giving here the opinion of Sri Chandrasekharendra Saraswathi MahaSwamiji on the topic. Quoting from the book "Hindu Dharma", which is composed of various speeches given by him.
Our ...
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5
votes
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Ganapati Gayatri Mantra | In which Shastra it is contained this mantra and who wrote it firstly?
The mantra you are referring to (the one that is found the link given in the question) is Ganapaty Gayatri mantra viz:
Aum Ekadantaya Viddhamahe, Vakratundaya Dhimahi, Tanno Danti
Prachodayat॥
It is ...
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5
votes
Which incarnations of Lord Vishnu are mentioned in the Rāmāyaṇa?
From Dashaavtaras:
Varaha
Vamana (Upendra)
Parashu Rama
Rama
Narasimha
Kurma (the tortoise)
From others:
Narada
Rishi Narayana
Mandhata
Sanatkumara
Dhanvantari, Mohini and other avtaras of Samudra ...
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5
votes
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Who edited the Puranas?
(Refer last para in bold for short answer)
It has been "presumed" by many indolgists (cited many times on the site) that Puranas underwent adulterations over generations. Yet, assuming the ...
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5
votes
Are the other avatars of Lord Vishnu mentioned in Mahabharata.?
The Twin Avatars of Nara-Narayana.:
Book 7. Drona Vadha Parva.:
SECTION CCI.:
Vyãsa said, "... He that is called Narayana is older than the oldest ones. For accomplishing some purpose, that ...
5
votes
Accepted
Who is the god of craft?
As stated in my comment above Vishvakarma or Vishvakarman (विश्वकर्मा) is a craftsman deity and the divine architect of the devas in contemporary Hinduism. In the early texts, the craftsman deity was ...
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4
votes
Is there any mention of the previous or next Sri Brahma (the creator) in the Puranas or Ithihasas?
Different names of Lord Brahma (during different Kalpas) are mentioned in this chapter of Skanda Purana:
Parvati curiously asked Lord Shiva about the reason why Somnath was
known by so many ...
- 111k
4
votes
Accepted
Do Itihāsas other than Bhagawat Geetā talk about the three Gunas?
Yes, Itihasa other than Shrimad Bhagavat Gita talk about three gunas at many places. Below are some examples:
Mahabharata, Book 3: Vana Parva: Markandeya-Sanyasa Parva: SECTION CCXI: Sage Markandeya ...
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4
votes
What is source for claim that Sruti is more important than Smriti ? That Itihasa/Purana can be discarded if they conflict with Vedas?
Sruti, the vedas, and more specifically, the Upanishads, define Sruti. One of the three Prasthanas accepted by all Hindus as the authoritative texts, The Brahma Sutras, section 2.1. says (Swami ...
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4
votes
How Kurus in mahabharata were considered Kshatriyas when they were descendants of rishi vedvyas (a Brahmin)?
From the the link of this section of Adi Parva of Mahabharata which OP provided in comments:
In a former millennium, Parashurama, killed Kartavirya Arjuna in
battle for the sin of slaying his father. ...
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4
votes
Level of collateral damage acceptable in Hinduism
The violence should be minimum.
Tuladhara said, ‘O Jajali, I know morality, which is eternal, with all
its mysteries. It is nothing else than that ancient morality which is
known to all, and ...
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4
votes
Help me find this verse from Mahabharata
I have not read it in the Mahabharata but it's quoted in the commentary of a Kularnava Tantram verse. The verse from Mahabharata is quoted there to show that KAla or time is not merely the destroyer ...
- 111k
4
votes
Accepted
Are the other avatars of Lord Vishnu mentioned in Mahabharata.?
Some other avatAras of viShNu are described in this chapter of harivamsa:
bhUyo bhUta-Atmano viShNoH prAdurbhAvo mahAtmanaH |
dattAtreya iti khyAtaH kShamayA parayA yutaH ||1-41-104 tena naShTeShu ...
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