Hinduism
What is the difference between Vedas, Upanishads and Puranas?
Difference between Shruti & Smriti
Shruti (श्रुति) means that which has been heard or communicated by a tradition with...
What are ten directions as per Hinduism and their Dikpala ?
Dikpala (दिक्पाल)
Dikpala (दिक्पाल) is mentioned as deity who dominate certain direction. As a group of eight...
What are the six school of Indian philosophy ?
Six school of Indian philosophy
Indian Philosophy or Hindu Philosophy is generally classified into six orthodox schools and...
How many Hindu gods are there ?
How many Hindu gods are there ?
Do you really believe in 33 crore gods in Hinduism ? where...
What are fourteen Manvantara and who is the assigned Manu ?
Manvantara
Manvantara (मन्वन्तर) means मनोरन्तरमस्मिन्निति ( time period of a Manu).
Fourteen Manvantara makes...
पंच महायज्ञ क्या है ?
मानव जीवन का उद्देश्य धर्म, अर्थ, काम व मोक्ष की प्राप्ति है। इन चारों की प्राप्ति तभी संभव है, जब वैदिक विधान से पंच...
What is the Maya in Hinduism ?
What is Maya ?
Maya is the power of Brahman which is the source and creator of this world.
Who was the narrator of Mahabharata, Puranas & many Hindu texts?
Ugrashrava ( उग्रश्रवा ) or Maharshi Suta ( श्री सूत जी )
Ugrashrava or Maharshi Suta was the narrator of...
What is the difference between Swaha & Svadha ?
Difference between Swaha & Svadha
Daksha Prajapati has two daughters with name as Swaha (स्वाहा) & Svadha (स्वधा)
What is a Manvantara?
Manvantara (मन्वन्तर)
Manvantara or age of a Manu (मनु), is a period of time measurement.
Each...
What is the significance of Pitru Paksha ?
Pitru Paksha (पितृ पक्ष)
Pitru Paksha (पितृ पक्ष) is a 16–lunar day period in Hindu calendar, when Hindus...
Who was Kartavirya Arjuna ? Why Parashurama killed Kartavirya Arjuna ?
Kartavirya Arjuna
Kartavirya Arjuna (कार्तवीर्य अर्जुन), also known as Sahasrabahu (सहस्त्रबाहु) was a king of an Haihayas kingdom (हैहयवंश)...
Who are Maruta and how were they born ?
Maruta and their birth
This story is mentioned in Valmiki Ramayan - Balakanda - chapter 46 , after...
What is the significance of Makar Sankranti ?
What is Makar Sankranti (मकर-सङ्क्रान्ति) ?
Sankramanam (सङ्क्रमणम्) means movement – transmigration. Makara (मकर) means the zodiac Capricorn.
What are the main Hindu Shastra ?
Meaning of Shastra
शास्त्र - शिष्यतेऽनेन (शास्-ष्ट्रन्) - means an order, a command, rule.
As...
How many parvas are in Mahabharata ?
How many parvas are in Mahabharata ?
Mahabharata consists of eighteen parvas.
Following is the list of 18 parvas :
No. of Parva
Parva...
How were Rakshasa & Yaksha were born ? Who was the...
Rakshasa (राक्षस) & Yaksha (यक्ष)
As mentioned in Ramayana - Uttarakand - Chaturath Sarga ( चतुर्थ सर्ग )
Why Indra is called as Shatakratu ?
Why Indra is called as Shatakratu ( शतक्रतु ) ?
As mentioned in Mahabharata Shantiparva Chapter 33 verse 39
Do we take rebirth after death and pass through the cycle...
Rebirth belong to whom ?
Rebirth does it belong to soul or the physical body. All major philosophies point...
What is the meaning and source of “sarvamangala mangalye” ?
Sarvamangala Mangalye (सर्व मङ्गलमाङ्गल्ये) mantra
Sarvamangala Mangalye mantra is taken from Devi Mahatmyam (देवीमाहात्म्यम्) or Durga Saptashatī (दुर्गासप्तशती)...
What according to Hinduism, is the purpose of life?
Purpose of life in Hinduism
Understand current birth
Lets consider these scenario’s, before answering the...
How Lord Shiva got his bow Pinaka ?
How Lord Shiva got his bow called Pinaka (पिनाक) ?
There are many stories surrounding this claim. In Mahabharata...
What are Sixteen Samskara (षोडश संस्कार) of this physical body ?
Samskara (संस्कार)
As per Hinduism, the samskara is a series of sacraments or rituals that are performed at the...
Why did Shukracharya, teach Kacha, his arch rival’s son?
Kacha was the son of Guru of Devtas ( Brahspati ), he was sent to Shukracharya to learn Sanjivani Vidya. He went and requested Shukracharya...
Who was rishi Brihadashva ?
Brihadashva (बृहदश्व)
Brihadashva (बृहदश्व) — is a rishi mentioned in Mahabharata Vana Parva chapter 52.
Brihadashva went...
What differentiate between bad deed (paap) and good deed (punya) ?
If this question is asked to Vedanta follower, than the answer is that there is no good or no bad.
Why Indra is called Paksan and Purandar ?
Why Indra is called as Paksan (पाकशासन) ?
As mentioned in Vamana Puran - Chapter 71, Narada ask Rishi Pulastya...
How was Ravana and his brother were born ? – Mahabharata...
Birth of Ravana and his brothers - Mahabharata View
There is another view about the birth of Ravana and...
Why Vishnu is called Narayana ?
Meaning of Narayana (नारायण)
Narayana - One who has water his abode, is called as Narayana (नारा जलं...
अश्विनीकुमार – आयुर्वेद के आचार्य
अश्विनीकुमार - आयुर्वेद के आचार्य
वैदिक साहित्य और हिन्दू धर्म में 'अश्विनौ' यानि दो अश्विनों का उल्लेख देवता के...
Why Vishnu is called Hari ?
Meaning of Hari (हरि)
This word हरि - is derived from Sanskrit dhatu हृ meaning "to take, carry, strip off"
What is the meaning of Govind ?
Word गो: has many meanings like वाणी / वेदः, धरा, धेनुः, इन्द्रियं ( speech, earth, cow, senses )
गोविन्दम्...
Story of Nala-Damayanti
Nala-Damayanti (नल-दमयन्ती)
Nala-Damayanti story is mentioned in the Vana Parva (वन पर्व) under Nalopakhyana Parva ( नलोपाख्यान पर्व) of...
What is the meaning of Krishna ?
What is the meaning of Krishna ?
कृष्णवर्णात्मकत्वाद्वा कृष्ण: - Due to his black color (कृष्ण वर्ण) , He...
What is the meaning of Vishnu ?
Meaning of Vishnu
विष्णुः ( Vishnu) is made of विष् धातु (to pervade, to spread) when used with नुक् प्रत्यय
What is the origin and significance of Ratha Yatra ?
Ratha Yatra (रथ यात्रा)
Ratha Yatra is a Hindu festival associated with Lord Jagannath held at Puri, Odisha.
Who was Ashtavakra and why his body has eight bends ?
Ashtavakra (अष्टावक्रः)
Ashtavakra is a sage who got this name because his physical body was having eight bends since...
How did Garuda got his name as Garuda (गरुड)?
How did Garuda got his name as Garuda (गरुड)?
Garuda's mother, Vinata (विनता) mother of the birds, was tricked into becoming...
Meaning & Source of Mahamrityunjaya Mantra
Source of Mahamrityunjaya Mantra :
Mahamrityunjaya Mantra (महामृत्युंजय मंत्र) is found in Rig Veda 7.59.12 and Yajur Veda 3.60. The Rishi...
How Kartikeya got his name “Kartikeya” ?
How Kartikeya (कार्त्तिकेय) got his name as "Kartikeya" ?
Daksha Prajapati (दक्ष) has 50 daughters, out of which 10...
What according to Hinduism, is the purpose of life?
Before we seek answer to this question, consider these scenario's :
Suppose if I am born as pygmy in Africa and I was unaware...
How Mahabharata got its name as ‘Mahabharata (महाभारत)’ ?
इदं शतसहस्रं तु श्लोकानां पुण्यकर्मणाम्।उपाख्यानैः सह ज्ञेयं श्राव्यं भारतमुत्तमम्।। - Mahabharata Adi Parva 1.101
This text which contains one...
Story of Ramahrada (राम-ह्रद ) pilgrimage
Ramahrada (राम-ह्रद ) - is holy place situated approximately 12 Km far from Jhind -Hansi Road in RamRai village. Parshurama does the offering to his ancestors at...
What is Vidura Niti ? Where it is mentioned ?
Vidura Niti (विदुर निति)
Vidura Niti, is a dialogue between Vidura and King Dhritarashtra, which appears in Mahabharata...
Dialogue between King Janaka and Ashtavakra
Dialogue between King Janaka and Ashtavakra
These dialogue between King Janaka and Ashtavakra is mentioned in Mahabharata Vana Parva...
What is the difference between Devi Mahatmyam, Durga Saptashati, Chandi...
Devi Mahatmyam (देवीमाहात्म्यम्)
Devi Mahatmyam is a religious text describing about goddess Durga. It is part of the Markandya Purana...
Why Krishna is called Damodar ?
Why Krishna is called Damodar (दामोदरः) ?
As mentioned by Adi Sankara in Vishnu Sahasranamam verse 53
What is a Hindu Calendar and its months ?
Hindu Calendar - Panchang (पञ्चाङ्ग),
A Hindu calendar also called as Panchang, meaning having five parts (पञ्च +...
How river Beas & Sutlej were named ?
How river Beas was named ?
कल्माषपादका नामक राक्षस ने महर्षि...
Who are the sons of Lord Brahma ?
Manasa Putra (मानस) - sons born using the mind or will .
The name and number of sons...
What is Dharma ?
The eight ways of Dharma is explained by Rishi Saunaka (शौनक) to Yudhishthira , it is mentioned in Mahabharata Vana Parva chapter 2...
What is Guru Purnima ? Why it is celebrated ?
What is Guru Purnima ? Why it is celebrated ?
Guru Purnima is celebrated each year as the...
What is Vairagya ?
Vairagya
Vairagya (वैराग्य) is a Sanskrit word which means dispassion, detachment, or renunciation from the objects and pleasure of...
Importance of Bhagavad Gita
Importance of Bhagavad Gita
These verses which are said by rishi Vaishampayana (वैशंपायन) in Mahabharata Bhisma Parva chapter 43, they...
What is Brahmahatya ? What does scriptures say about Brahmahatya ?
Brahmahatya (ब्रह्महत्या)
Brahmahatya means "the act of killing a brahmin". A brahmin is considered as most supreme being and...
What is the significance of the month of Shravana or Sawan...
Shravana month is dedicated to worshipping Lord Shiva.
Sawan or Shravana is the fifth month of the Hindu solar...
What is the importance of doing Japa?
What is Japa ?
The recitation or chanting of the mantra is called as Japa, it accompanied by a...
How Dhanushkodi got its name ?
Dhanushkodi
Dhanushkodi is an abandoned town at the south-eastern tip of Pamban Island of the state of Tamil...
Why did Lord Parashurama kill his mother?
Parashurama
Lord Parashurama (परशुराम) is the sixth incarnation of Vishnu. Lord Parashurama was born in Treta Yuga on...
What is Manvantara, Kalpa, and Yuga in Hinduism?
Hindu Time Calculation
The calculation for Hindu time is mentioned in Mahabharata - Vana Parva - Markandeya Samasya...
Why Vedanta requires to be learned from a teacher ?
Why Vedanta requires to be learned from a teacher (guru) ?
There are multiple reference for the same in...
What is the meaning of “Vishwarupa” ?
Vishwarupa
Vishwarupa (विश्वरूप) or Viratarupa (विराटरूप), refers to the form associated with Lord Vishnu, a form with numerous heads,...
What is the meaning of word “ऊष्मपाः” ?
ऊष्मपाः (Usmapas)
ऊष्मपाः means ऊष्मभागा हि पितरः ( taittiriya brahmana 1।3।10।6) - Those ancestors who feed on hot food