11
votes
Accepted
What is the story of the origin of Sraadha ritual?
The same question has been asked by Yudhishthira to Bhishma in Mahabharata, Anushashana Parva, SECTION XCI.
"Yudhishthira said, 'By whom was the Sraddha first conceived and at what time? What also ...
- 23.7k
11
votes
Accepted
Does rAmAyaNa mention women chanting vedic mantras?
Valmiki Ramayana: Ayodhya Kanda - Sarga 20 answers your questions:
सा क्षौम वसना ह्ऱ्ष्टा नित्यम् व्रत परायणा |
अग्निम् जुहोति स्म तदा मन्त्रवत् क्ऱ्त मन्गला || २-२०-१५
Kausalya, who was ...
- 23.9k
10
votes
Conditions for changing sacred thread?
The Manu Smriti simply says to change the thread when its damaged.
Manu Smriti 2.64. His girdle, the skin (which serves as his upper
garment), his staff, his sacrificial thread, (and) his water-...
- 111k
9
votes
Which rituals need Soma? If the Soma plant is extinct, is there any substitute for it?
Soma is indeed an important section of vedas as rightly pointed by you. Soma is also a name of herb/hervs, drink, deity etc. The importance of soma is so much that even the Devas are desperate to ...
- 19.1k
8
votes
Accepted
How to perform Pashupat Vrata as per Vedas?
AtharvaVeda Parishistam contains a separate chapter for the rituals consisting of Pashupat Vrata.
In the AtharvaVeda Parishistam chapter 31 it is stated:
शुभं मोक्षकरं पुण्यं प्रियम् पाशुपतेर् ...
- 48k
8
votes
Time to perform Sandhyavandanam
Sri Chandrasekhara Paramacharya of Kanchi Kamakoti Peetham says in Hindu Dharma The Universal Way of Life says
Daytime, we have seen, is divided into eight parts. But it can also be
divided into ...
- 3,489
8
votes
Rules for wearing yagyopavit by women (yes it is possible)
Vedas do not have any gender based discrimination. When it comes to vaidika dharma and practices both men and women enjoy same freedom. However, after the advent of sanyasa, the society slowly turned ...
- 19.1k
8
votes
Every Brahmin does aachman (purification) in the name of Vishnu. Then on whose name shukracharya will do so (aachman)?
Because every Brahmin does aachman in the name of Vishnu
That is obviously not true.
First of all, the Smarta achamana, which is prescribed in Manu Smriti and several other Smritis, does not require ...
- 111k
8
votes
Accepted
Can I do Pitru Paksha rituals while my parents are still alive?
If the father is alive even then the son is allowed to do the ancestral offering for his deceased grand father, great grand father etc..
I thought that this was not allowed but see the following ...
- 111k
7
votes
What happens to the horse after the Ashvamedha Yagya?
It is strangled to death, as a sacrificial animal in the yaga ritual.
The Shatapatha Brahmana describes in great detail the Vedic rituals regarding; the preparation of altars, ceremonial objects, ...
- 731
7
votes
Accepted
Did Dasaratha think of performing Putrakamesthi apart from Aswamedha Yagna that itself could give sons?
You are right in surmising that the Putrakaameshthi Yagya may not have been required after the Ashwamedha as mentioned in this verse:
चिन्तयानस्य तस्य एवम् बुद्धिः आसीन् महात्मनः |
सुतार्थम् वाजि...
- 19.1k
7
votes
Accepted
Which direction should one face while doing Sayam Sandhyavandanam?
The book Nitya Karma Puja Prakash quotes the following verse from the Devi Bhagavatam, according to which, the evening Sandhya should be done facing the west.
Pratah sandhyam sanakshtram ...
- 111k
7
votes
What is the mudra to be used when performing Achamanam?
Note that scriptures like Manu Smriti do not specify whether we have to form a Mudra in the right hand while sipping water during Achamana.
But some other scriptures do. The Mudra is called the Go ...
- 111k
7
votes
Is sannyasa a Vedic way of life? Is it recommended by the Vedas, the ten authentic Upanishads or Grhyasutras?
Is sannyasa a Vedic way of life? Is it recommended by the Vedas?
I am answering only this question.
Since it is not possible to answer the question without going through all the 4 Vedas, and ...
- 111k
6
votes
Accepted
Why Manushya bali (Human Sacrifice) was practised in ancient times?
The Purushamedha Yagna does not involve human sacrifice. The Purushamedha Yagna is a mock-human sacrifice where a bunch of humans are tied up, but then released at the end. Here is what this chapter ...
- 96.9k
6
votes
Accepted
What was the position of Women in the Vedic era?
I would like to write a detailed post with extensive references from Vedas, Vedangas and extra vedic literature. Also, along with this one can also refer to my another post on menstruation (which most ...
- 19.1k
6
votes
Accepted
Can a person before upanayana perform anga nyasa and kara nyasa?
As you may be knowing that during Anga/Kara Nyasas Mantras like Om, Swaha, Vashat, Vaushat, Bhurbhuvasuvar (which has portions of the Gayatri Mantra) etc should be recited.
But, according to ...
- 111k
6
votes
Accepted
Which verse of taittiriya brAhmana talks of extinguishing agnihotra fire as sinful?
I think it's Taittirīya Saṃhitā (TS 1.5.2.1) not the Brāhmaṇa you are referring to.
Translation of the verse from here:
i. 5. 2.
He who removes the fire casts away the sacrifice and cattle. ...
- 30.5k
6
votes
Which scripture talks about killing baby cows in sacrifices?
I am answering only the question that is in the body.
Madhuparka is not a sacrifice as you think. Madhuparka is a mixture of honey, milk - a sweet offering prescribed to be done to guests in a Hindu ...
- 111k
6
votes
Accepted
Which scripture talks about killing baby cows in sacrifices?
The Manu Smriti verse quoted in the question talks about situations where killing animals is sanctioned. One of them is Madhuparka.
There are several meanings to Madhuparka. Madhuparka is a rite ...
- 25.7k
6
votes
Does Vedic karma yield fruit in foreign countries? Will it give adverse results?
Many contemporary Acharyas say that Yajnas don't yield fruits overseas, or they say that Yajnas only yield fruits for the first generation of Indians living overseas, but that it's recommended to do ...
- 21.9k
6
votes
Accepted
Is sannyasa a Vedic way of life? Is it recommended by the Vedas, the ten authentic Upanishads or Grhyasutras?
I am referring to Rig Vedic mantras alone, which are the oldest and considered to be apaurushEya.
The definition of Sannyasa was already elaborated by the OP. Hence, I am not reproducing similar ...
- 17.2k
6
votes
Accepted
Which deity is to be invoked (or appeased) first in a Vedic ritual?
According to Gobhila Grihya Sutra: 1.4.4, first oblation is sacred to Prajapati.
1 He then should silently offer the Balis.
Let him speak only what refers to the due preparation of the food. With ...
- 23.7k
6
votes
Can one do deeparadhana and pooja after 12pm? If not, why?
Purvanha or forenoon is the best time for doing rites related to Devas (deities). Where as afternoon (Aparanha) is best suited for performing rites related to deceased ancestors.
The following verses ...
- 111k
6
votes
Accepted
Five sacrifices of domesticity
It is talking about householders and the necessity of doing the Pancha Mahayajnas daily. For a householder it's stated that there are five slaughter houses in their home itself.
Manu 3.68. A ...
- 111k
5
votes
Accepted
What is the substitute for sikhA for a sannyAsi who wants to perform Vedic rituals?
Para-Brahma Upanishad is one of the 108 Upanishads which deals with Sanyasin. It is said to be included in Atharva Veda. According to Parabrahma Upanishad, Pranava is the substitute of Shikha for the ...
- 23.7k
5
votes
Are Upanishad's really parts of the Vedas?
I am not touching the title of question much, I am providing a possible reason behind the philosophical difference between Vedas and Upanishads.
First of all talking about whether Upanishads are part ...
- 25.9k
5
votes
Do Vedas & Grihya sutras prescribe rules only for a Brahmin?
No the injunctions are not just for the Brahmins. The Grihya Sutras in fact prescribe rules for the first three Varna even though the Parashar Smriti actually mentions the roles and responsibilities ...
- 19.1k
5
votes
Are these rituals really done in Ashvamedha as per Brahmanas? Is the translation correct?
The particular sexual interaction “Then they draw out the penis of the horse and place it in the vagina of the chief queen...” is nowhere to be found in the paralel English translation by Julius ...
- 3,337
5
votes
Accepted
What is the difference between Yajna and Havana?
Havana:
Havana means the act of offering oblations in fire. Homa has exactly the same meaning.
From Sanskrit Dictionary, few meanings of Havana are as follows:
हवन n. havana invocation ...
- 111k
Only top scored, non community-wiki answers of a minimum length are eligible