41
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Does Science contradict Hinduism? How to deal with scientific discoveries that don't line up with Vedas?
Science must be accepted even when science contradicts the Vedas. Vedas should be used only in matters which can not be probed by any scientific method. Vedic authority does not extend to matters ...
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25
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Is there any scripture that tells story about Lord Vishnu and MahaVishnu?
First of all, yes, there is a notion of a greater Vishnu and a lesser Vishnu. This concept is expressed in simplest terms in this chapter of the Vishnu Purana:
Affecting then the quality of ...
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23
votes
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Dvaita vs Advaita vs Vishistadvaita vs Shuddhadvaita vs any other
Q. I hear these terms Dvaita, Advaita, Vishistdvaita, Shuddhadvaita, and may be any other XYZdvaita, etc in most of the questions but I am not very sure what do they refer to.
There are six Darshan (...
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21
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Does Science contradict Hinduism? How to deal with scientific discoveries that don't line up with Vedas?
Hinduism is an intrinsically scientific religion.
The Vedas themselves accurately describe very complicated geometric concepts including six-dimensional spaces, distances between celestial bodies, and ...
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20
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Did ancient Yogis float in the air and what is the method to do it?
First we should know our body is not just physical body, but has five sheaths (Pancha Kosha). What we see externally is Annamaya Kosha (food sheath). After death we shed Annamaya kosha and jiva with ...
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19
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Have any Hindu philosophers attempted to solve the Riddle of Epicurus?
The cruelty and evil seen in the world are the results of Karmic factors of Jeevas and God can't be blamed for that. It is stated in Brahma Sutra 2.1.34 as:
Inequality (of dispensation) and ...
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18
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What is the difference between Thenkalai and Vadakalai sects of Sri Vaishnavism?
First of all, these aren't the two main sub-sects of Vaishnavism, they are the two main sub-sects of Sri Vaishnavism. There are other Vaishnava Sampradayas, like the Gaudiya Vaishnava sect that ...
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18
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Moksha for the Soul of Brahma
Yes, the current Brahma attains Moksha at the end of his life. As I discuss in this answer, the Srimad Bhagavatam describes what happens to the inhabitants of Brahmaloka, including Brahma himself, at ...
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18
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I want scripture-based explanation for "God is Everywhere"
Vedas state "Sarvakhalvidam Brahman" which means "Everything is Brahman." So, everything is Brahman in the absolute level. Chandogya Upanishad states:
सर्वं खल्विदं ब्रह्म तज्जलानि...
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17
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Do the Trimurti (Brahma, Vishnu, Shiva) cleanly map onto the 3 gunas (sattva, rajas, tamas)?
There are different perspectives. This is an advaita perspective (the belief that all Gods are One.)
What are the three gunas
The three gunas are:
Tamas - this is the quality of laziness, darkness (...
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17
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Do some people have more Grace of God and some have less?
I am not answering from the scriptures right now. I am only using Sri Ramakrishna Paramhamsa's "Kathamrita" as the reference.
Such apparent differences can be explained by taking into account our ...
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16
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What is Shakti Visishtadvaita philosophy?
Shakti Vishishtadvaita is the philosophy of a Shaivite sect known as Lingayatism, AKA Virashaivism, founded by the 12th century philosopher Basava. Note that the term "Shaivite" actually ...
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16
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What are all doctrines or philosophies discussed in Brahma Sutra?
Here are the main philosophical schools discussed by Vyasa in the Brahma Sutras (which you can read here:
Vedanta: The Brahma Sutras are the defining text of Vedanta school, so in some sense all the ...
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16
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Did ancient Yogis float in the air and what is the method to do it?
By practicing Yoga and pranayama (control of prana vayu) a Yogi can float in the air, walk in air. This is called Vayu-Siddhi or mastery over air. It can be achieved in the third stage of pranayama ...
- 102k
15
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Difference between Smartas and Advaitins?
As I discuss in this answer, the word Smartha originally just meant "follower of Smriti. (Hinduism has two sets of scripture, Shruti or "that which is heard" and Smriti or "that which is remembered.) ...
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15
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Why does God allow us to suffer?
It's true that Brahman is conscious, and that Brahman is the one that gives both rewards and punishments, so in that sense it is the efficient cause of all suffering. But it is not being cruel or ...
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15
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According to one thought "If you can't explain anything simply that means you don't understand it"
human beings don't know about god am I right?
See what Kena-Upanishad says about your question.
यस्यमतं तस्य मतं मतं यस्य न वेद स:। अविज्ञातं विजानतां
विज्ञातमविजानताम ॥3॥
YasyaMatam ...
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14
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Was Ubhaya Bharati right in asking a question related to Kama Sutra?
It's because it was a separate debate. It's true that Mandana Misra's wife Ubhaya Bharati is said to have been the referree of the debate between Adi Shankaracharya and Mandana Misra. But this ...
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14
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Is the length of a man's life predetermined?
Yes, it is predetermined. Right when a person is a foetus in the womb, his span of life is already determined based on his past karma. Here's what chapter 32 of the Uttara Kanda of the Garuda Purana ...
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14
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K.S. Bhagavan's critique of Adi Shankara
In brief, the situation is:
A rationalist has analyzed a text written in C++ into English because both look similar. He has critisized C++ for "bad grammar". Certain extremists are behind his life ...
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14
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What's the meaning & relevance of LIC logo "yogakshemam vahamyaham"?
Q. What's the source and meaning of this verse?
Srimad Bhagavad Gita is the source of this verse:
अनन्याश्चिन्तयन्तो मां ये जनाः पर्युपासते।
तेषां नित्याभियुक्तानां योगक्षेमं वहाम्यहम्।।9.22।।
And ...
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13
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'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 ...
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12
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What is the source of this (Kayena vacha...) text? or Where does it come from?
The verse occurs in this chapter of the Srimad Bhagavatam. Here is what the sons of Rishabha tell Nimi (the solar dynasty king whom I discuss here):
I consider that one whose intelligence is ...
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12
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Why did Vedvyasa mention his shishya Jaimini's opinion/saying in Brahma Sutra?
It's because Vyasa and Jaimini were working together. Vyasa and two of his disciples, Jaimini and Kasakritsna, together composed a unified work called the Mimamsa Shastra, designed to analyze the ...
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12
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Is it possible for one to have animal birth after human birth?
Yes, this is a possibility according to the Vedanta schools of Sri Madhva and Sri Vallabha. This view is based on the following shloka:
O son of Kunti! Falling into demoniac wombs, in life after ...
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12
votes
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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, ...
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11
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Debate between Maṇḍana Miśra and Ādi Śankara
According to this website, there are a number of biographies of Shankaracharya called shankara vijaya.
The oldest among them is the Madhaviya Shankara Vijaya, by Vidyaranya
mAdhavIya Sankaravijaya ...
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11
votes
Why isn't there one Absolute Reality?
Q. In the annals of Sanaatana Dharma why isn't there One Absolute Reality? Every "seer of truth" saw/interpreted the way they saw it.
Absolute Reality is only one but it is expressed differently ...
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11
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According to ShankarAchArya in Advaita, is the universe "unreal" or "unworthy"?
There is a common popular misconception in People that according to Advaita World doesn't exist at all. It is not true.
When we are deciding reality of things as per Advaita. Then, Advaita itself ...
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11
votes
Accepted
What are Vivartavada and Ajatavada?
1. Vivartavada:
Sanskrit word विवर्त means [1] transformation, more precisely [2] apparent form in Vedanta philosophy. Vivartavada means the doctrine of apparent transformation.
According to Adi ...
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