r/hinduism • u/chakrax • Aug 23 '23
Welcome to our Hinduism sub! Sanātana Dharma (Devanagari: सनातन धर्म meaning "eternal dharma") is the original name of Hinduism. It is considered to be the oldest living religion in the world. Hinduism is often called a "way of life", and anyone sincerely following that way of life can consider themselves to be a Hindu.
If you are new to Hinduism or to this sub, review this material before making any new posts!
We also recommend reading What Is Hinduism (a free introductory text by Himalayan Academy) if you would like to know more about Hinduism and don't know where to start.
If you are asking a specific scriptural question, please include a source link and verse number, so responses can be more helpful.
In terms of introductory Hindu Scriptures, we recommend first starting with the Itihasas (The Ramayana, and The Mahabharata.) Contained within The Mahabharata is The Bhagavad Gita, which is another good text to start with. Although r/TheVedasAndUpanishads might seem alluring to start with, this is NOT recommended, as the knowledge of the Vedas & Upanishads can be quite subtle, and ideally should be approached under the guidance of a Guru or someone who can guide you around the correct interpretation.
In terms of spiritual practices, you can choose whatever works best for you. In addition, it is strongly recommended you visit your local temple/ashram/spiritual organization.
Lastly, while you are browsing this sub, keep in mind that Hinduism is practiced by over a billion people in as many different ways, so any single view cannot be taken as representative of the entire religion.
Disclaimer: Sanatana Dharma is a massive, massive religion in terms of scope/philosophies/texts, so this FAQ will only be an overview. If you have any concerns about the below content, please send us a modmail.
Hinduism is a religion that is inclusive of everyone. The ultimate goal for all Sanatani people is moksha, but there is incredible diversity in the ways to attain it. See this post : Vastness and Inclusiveness of being Hindu. Hinduism is like a tree springing from the core beliefs above and splitting up into innumerable traditions/schools/practices. It is natural that there are different ways to practice just like there are many leaves on the same tree.
Sanatanis are not believers, but seekers. We seek Truth, and part of that process is to question and clarify to remove any misunderstandings. The Bhagavad Gita is a dialog between a teacher and student; the student Arjuna questions the teacher Krishna. In the end Krishna says "I have taught you; now do what you wish". There is no compulsion or edict to believe anything. Questioning is welcome and encouraged.
Healthy debates between different sampradayas and darshanas are accepted and welcomed in Hinduism. Every school typically has a documented justification of their view including refutations of common objections raised by other schools. It is a shame when disagreements with a view turn into disrespect toward a school and/or its followers.
This issue of disrespect between darshanas is serious enough to warrant a separate section. Diversity of views is a great strength of Hinduism. Sanatanis should not let this become a weakness! We are all part of the same rich tradition.
Here is a great post by -Gandalf- : Unite! Forget all divisions. It is worth repeating here.
Forget all divisions! Let us unite! Remember, while letting there be the diversity of choice in the Dharma: Advaita, Dvaita, Vishistadvaita, etc*, we should always refer to ourselves as "Hindu" or "Sanatani" and not just "Advaiti" or any other specific name. Because, we are all Hindus / Sanatanis. Only then can we unite.
Let not division of sects destroy and eliminate us and our culture. All these names are given to different interpretations of the same culture's teachings. Why fight? Why call each other frauds? Why call each other's philosophies fraud? Each must stay happy within their own interpretation, while maintaining harmony and unity with all the other Sanatanis, that is unity! That is peace! And that is how the Dharma shall strive and rise once again.
Let the Vaishnavas stop calling Mayavad fraud, let the Advaitis let go of ego, let the Dvaitis embrace all other philosophies, let the Vishistadvaitis teach tolerance to others, let the Shaivas stop intolerance, let there be unity!
Let all of them be interpretations of the same teachings, and having the similarity as their base, let all the schools of thought have unity!
A person will reach moksha one day, there is no other end. Then why fight? Debates are supposed to be healthy, why turn them into arguments? Why do some people disrespect Swami Vivekananda? Let him have lived his life as a non-vegetarian, the point is to absorb his teachings. The whole point is to absorb the good things from everything. So long as this disunity remains, Hinduism will keep moving towards extinction.
ISKCON is hated by so many people. Why? Just because they have some abrahamic views added into their Hindu views. Do not hate. ISKCON works as a bridge between the west and the east. Prabhupada successfully preached Sanatan all over the world, and hence, respect him!
Respecting Prabhupada doesn't mean you have to disrespect Vivekananda and the opposite is also applicable.
Whenever you meet someone with a different interpretation, do not think he is something separate from you. Always refer to yourself and him as "Hindu", only then will unity remain.
Let there be unity and peace! Let Sanatan rise to her former glory!
Hare Krishna! Jay Harihara! Jay Sita! Jay Ram! Jay Mahakali! Jay Mahakal!
May you find what you seek.
r/hinduism • u/AutoModerator • 26d ago
**For Political Discussion outside this thread, visit r/politicalhinduism**
This is a monthly thread to discuss worldwide news affecting Hindu society, as well as anything else related to Hindu politics in general.
Questions and other stuff related to social affairs can also be discussed here.
r/hinduism • u/Jak_witwicky • 8h ago
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This is the beauty of Hinduism. When you reach a certain level of spirituality, degrees, wealth, and job titles no longer matter. The search for inner peace and truth becomes more important than material success.
r/hinduism • u/Adorable_Shirt_1431 • 1h ago
श्रीगणेशाय नमः ।
ॐ श्री पञ्चवदनायाञ्जनेयाय नमः । ॐ अस्य श्री
पञ्चमुखहनुमन्मन्त्रस्य ब्रह्मा ऋषिः ।
गायत्रीछन्दः । पञ्चमुखविराट् हनुमान्देवता । ह्रीं बीजं ।
श्रीं शक्तिः । क्रौं कीलकं । क्रूं कवचं । क्रैं अस्त्राय फट् ।
इति दिग्बन्धः ।
श्री गरुड उवाच ।
अथ ध्यानं प्रवक्ष्यामि श्रृणुसर्वाङ्गसुन्दरि ।
यत्कृतं देवदेवेन ध्यानं हनुमतः प्रियम् ॥ १॥
पञ्चवक्त्रं महाभीमं त्रिपञ्चनयनैर्युतम् ।
बाहुभिर्दशभिर्युक्तं सर्वकामार्थसिद्धिदम् ॥ २॥
पूर्वं तु वानरं वक्त्रं कोटिसूर्यसमप्रभम् ।
दन्ष्ट्राकरालवदनं भृकुटीकुटिलेक्षणम् ॥ ३॥
अस्यैव दक्षिणं वक्त्रं नारसिंहं महाद्भुतम् ।
अत्युग्रतेजोवपुषं भीषणं भयनाशनम् ॥ ४॥
पश्चिमं गारुडं वक्त्रं वक्रतुण्डं महाबलम् ॥
सर्वनागप्रशमनं विषभूतादिकृन्तनम् ॥ ५॥
उत्तरं सौकरं वक्त्रं कृष्णं दीप्तं नभोपमम् ।
पातालसिंहवेतालज्वररोगादिकृन्तनम् ॥ ६॥
ऊर्ध्वं हयाननं घोरं दानवान्तकरं परम् ।
येन वक्त्रेण विप्रेन्द्र तारकाख्यं महासुरम् ॥ ७॥
जघान शरणं तत्स्यात्सर्वशत्रुहरं परम् ।
ध्यात्वा पञ्चमुखं रुद्रं हनुमन्तं दयानिधिम् ॥ ८॥
खड्गं त्रिशूलं खट्वाङ्गं पाशमङ्कुशपर्वतम् ।
मुष्टिं कौमोदकीं वृक्षं धारयन्तं कमण्डलुम् ॥ ९॥
भिन्दिपालं ज्ञानमुद्रां दशभिर्मुनिपुङ्गवम् ।
एतान्यायुधजालानि धारयन्तं भजाम्यहम् ॥ १०॥
प्रेतासनोपविष्टं तं सर्वाभरणभूषितम् ।
दिव्यमाल्याम्बरधरं दिव्यगन्धानुलेपनम् ॥ ११॥
सर्वाश्चर्यमयं देवं हनुमद्विश्वतोमुखम् ।
पञ्चास्यमच्युतमनेकविचित्रवर्णवक्त्रं
शशाङ्कशिखरं कपिराजवर्यम ।
पीताम्बरादिमुकुटैरूपशोभिताङ्गं
पिङ्गाक्षमाद्यमनिशं मनसा स्मरामि ॥ १२॥
मर्कटेशं महोत्साहं सर्वशत्रुहरं परम् ।
शत्रु संहर मां रक्ष श्रीमन्नापदमुद्धर ॥ १३॥
ॐ हरिमर्कट मर्कट मन्त्रमिदं
परिलिख्यति लिख्यति वामतले ।
यदि नश्यति नश्यति शत्रुकुलं
यदि मुञ्चति मुञ्चति वामलता ॥ १४॥
ॐ हरिमर्कटाय स्वाहा ।
ॐ नमो भगवते पञ्चवदनाय पूर्वकपिमुखाय
सकलशत्रुसंहारकाय स्वाहा ।
ॐ नमो भगवते पञ्चवदनाय दक्षिणमुखाय करालवदनाय
नरसिंहाय सकलभूतप्रमथनाय स्वाहा ।
ॐ नमो भगवते पञ्चवदनाय पश्चिममुखाय गरुडाननाय
सकलविषहराय स्वाहा ।
ॐ नमो भगवते पञ्चवदनायोत्तरमुखायादिवराहाय
सकलसम्पत्कराय स्वाहा ।
ॐ नमो भगवते पञ्चवदनायोर्ध्वमुखाय हयग्रीवाय
सकलजनवशङ्कराय स्वाहा ।
ॐ अस्य श्री पञ्चमुखहनुमन्मन्त्रस्य श्रीरामचन्द्र
ऋषिः । अनुष्टुप्छन्दः । पञ्चमुखवीरहनुमान् देवता ।
हनुमानिति बीजम् । वायुपुत्र इति शक्तिः । अञ्जनीसुत इति कीलकम् ।
श्रीरामदूतहनुमत्प्रसादसिद्ध्यर्थे जपे विनियोगः ।
इति ऋष्यादिकं विन्यसेत् ।
ॐ अञ्जनीसुताय अङ्गुष्ठाभ्यां नमः ।
ॐ रुद्रमूर्तये तर्जनीभ्यां नमः ।
ॐ वायुपुत्राय मध्यमाभ्यां नमः ।
ॐ अग्निगर्भाय अनामिकाभ्यां नमः ।
ॐ रामदूताय कनिष्ठिकाभ्यां नमः ।
ॐ पञ्चमुखहनुमते करतलकरपृष्ठाभ्यां नमः ।
इति करन्यासः ।
ॐ अञ्जनीसुताय हृदयाय नमः ।
ॐ रुद्रमूर्तये शिरसे स्वाहा ।
ॐ वायुपुत्राय शिखायै वषट् ।
ॐ अग्निगर्भाय कवचाय हुम् ।
ॐ रामदूताय नेत्रत्रयाय वौषट् ।
ॐ पञ्चमुखहनुमते अस्त्राय फट् ।
पञ्चमुखहनुमते स्वाहा ।
इति दिग्बन्धः ।
अथ ध्यानम् ।
वन्दे वानरनारसिंहखगराट्क्रोडाश्ववक्त्रान्वितं
दिव्यालङ्करणं त्रिपञ्चनयनं देदीप्यमानं रुचा ।
हस्ताब्जैरसिखेटपुस्तकसुधाकुम्भाङ्कुशाद्रिं हलं
खट्वाङ्गं फणिभूरुहं दशभुजं सर्वारिवीरापहम् ।
अथ मन्त्रः ।
ॐ श्रीरामदूतायाञ्जनेयाय वायुपुत्राय महाबलपराक्रमाय
सीतादुःखनिवारणाय लङ्कादहनकारणाय महाबलप्रचण्डाय
फाल्गुनसखाय कोलाहलसकलब्रह्माण्डविश्वरूपाय
सप्तसमुद्रनिर्लङ्घनाय पिङ्गलनयनायामितविक्रमाय
सूर्यबिम्बफलसेवनाय दुष्टनिवारणाय दृष्टिनिरालङ्कृताय
सञ्जीविनीसञ्जीविताङ्गदलक्ष्मणमहाकपिसैन्यप्राणदाय
दशकण्ठविध्वंसनाय रामेष्टाय महाफाल्गुनसखाय सीतासहित-
रामवरप्रदाय षट्प्रयोगागमपञ्चमुखवीरहनुमन्मन्त्रजपे विनियोगः ।
ॐ हरिमर्कटमर्कटाय बंबंबंबंबं वौषट् स्वाहा ।
ॐ हरिमर्कटमर्कटाय फंफंफंफंफं फट् स्वाहा ।
ॐ हरिमर्कटमर्कटाय खेंखेंखेंखेंखें मारणाय स्वाहा ।
ॐ हरिमर्कटमर्कटाय लुंलुंलुंलुंलुं आकर्षितसकलसम्पत्कराय स्वाहा ।
ॐ हरिमर्कटमर्कटाय धंधंधंधंधं शत्रुस्तम्भनाय स्वाहा ।
ॐ टंटंटंटंटं कूर्ममूर्तये पञ्चमुखवीरहनुमते
परयन्त्रपरतन्त्रोच्चाटनाय स्वाहा ।
ॐ कंखंगंघंङं चंछंजंझंञं टंठंडंढंणं
तंथंदंधंनं पंफंबंभंमं यंरंलंवं शंषंसंहं
ळंक्षं स्वाहा ।
इति दिग्बन्धः ।
ॐ पूर्वकपिमुखाय पञ्चमुखहनुमते टंटंटंटंटं
सकलशत्रुसंहरणाय स्वाहा ।
ॐ दक्षिणमुखाय पञ्चमुखहनुमते करालवदनाय नरसिंहाय
ॐ ह्रां ह्रीं ह्रूं ह्रैं ह्रौं ह्रः सकलभूतप्रेतदमनाय स्वाहा ।
ॐ पश्चिममुखाय गरुडाननाय पञ्चमुखहनुमते मंमंमंमंमं
सकलविषहराय स्वाहा ।
ॐ उत्तरमुखायादिवराहाय लंलंलंलंलं नृसिंहाय नीलकण्ठमूर्तये
पञ्चमुखहनुमते स्वाहा ।
ॐ उर्ध्वमुखाय हयग्रीवाय रुंरुंरुंरुंरुं रुद्रमूर्तये
सकलप्रयोजननिर्वाहकाय स्वाहा ।
ॐ अञ्जनीसुताय वायुपुत्राय महाबलाय सीताशोकनिवारणाय
श्रीरामचन्द्रकृपापादुकाय महावीर्यप्रमथनाय ब्रह्माण्डनाथाय
कामदाय पञ्चमुखवीरहनुमते स्वाहा ।
भूतप्रेतपिशाचब्रह्मराक्षसशाकिनीडाकिन्यन्तरिक्षग्रह-
परयन्त्रपरतन्त्रोच्चटनाय स्वाहा ।
सकलप्रयोजननिर्वाहकाय पञ्चमुखवीरहनुमते
श्रीरामचन्द्रवरप्रसादाय जंजंजंजंजं स्वाहा ।
इदं कवचं पठित्वा तु महाकवचं पठेन्नरः ।
एकवारं जपेत्स्तोत्रं सर्वशत्रुनिवारणम् ॥ १५॥
द्विवारं तु पठेन्नित्यं पुत्रपौत्रप्रवर्धनम् ।
त्रिवारं च पठेन्नित्यं सर्वसम्पत्करं शुभम् ॥ १६॥
चतुर्वारं पठेन्नित्यं सर्वरोगनिवारणम् ।
पञ्चवारं पठेन्नित्यं सर्वलोकवशङ्करम् ॥ १७॥
षड्वारं च पठेन्नित्यं सर्वदेववशङ्करम् ।
सप्तवारं पठेन्नित्यं सर्वसौभाग्यदायकम् ॥ १८॥
अष्टवारं पठेन्नित्यमिष्टकामार्थसिद्धिदम् ।
नववारं पठेन्नित्यं राजभोगमवाप्नुयात् ॥ १९॥
दशवारं पठेन्नित्यं त्रैलोक्यज्ञानदर्शनम् ।
रुद्रावृत्तिं पठेन्नित्यं सर्वसिद्धिर्भवेद्ध्रुवम् ॥ २०॥
निर्बलो रोगयुक्तश्च महाव्याध्यादिपीडितः ।
कवचस्मरणेनैव महाबलमवाप्नुयात् ॥ २१॥
॥ इति श्रीसुदर्शनसंहितायां श्रीरामचन्द्रसीताप्रोक्तं
श्रीपञ्चमुखहनुमत्कवचं सम्पूर्णम् ॥
r/hinduism • u/Jalbwakkolnaji4756 • 17h ago
Rakt Beej, a demon became invincible due to great powers. Goddess Durga was urged to kill him. As soon as she injured him, his blood fell on the earth and from every drop that fell a hundred demons emerged. So, she took the ferocious form of Kali, killed each demon, and drank all the blood without letting it spill to the earth.
Kali started her victory dance that caused havoc on earth and she became irrepressible.
Then the Gods pleaded to Lord Shiva to stop Kali. Once He realized the looming destruction of all, He rushed towards Kali and in a desperate final effort to calm her down He lay down at her feet while she danced trampling the uncountable corpses. Being in a state of trance she failed to realize that it was Shiva laying down and stepped on Him. The folklore further says that soon she realized Her mistake and calmed down.
r/hinduism • u/FederalTemperature56 • 16h ago
Recently I got know how hanuman depicted in ramayana .color of his face ,hair weapon and many things are different.
What we mostly seen is a mascular man with monkey type mouth with a tail .but many vanara features are missing why they were represented clean shaved face and body .it complete misrepresentation vanaras have human type body with dense body hair different colors . hanuman body hair is golden brown with curly hair with red face as I heard.many depictions claims he doesn't weild any permanent weopen no gada
Are this are true or what we see of depicted hanuman?
r/hinduism • u/Fun-Weight9087 • 12h ago
r/hinduism • u/AnonymousGuy147 • 1d ago
r/hinduism • u/Cthulhu0313 • 8h ago
Visited Kumortuli today and posted some pictures I clicked of Goddess idols being made...shared my experiences n all...was being completely respectful and sharing how I'm excited for the upcoming Kali Puja. And yea the post got deleted. Was it because I posted photos of Kali while Naked?
It was Kali...the naked Godess in herself, Gosh wtf is this sub? Is it even hinduism with this moderation standard?
And even if it was done to ensure that someone from other faiths don't mock us, wtf kind of a moderation tactic is this? If someone does that u take action against that specific acc, not on OP for posting it. It was nothing wrong...was completely fine for a 'Hinduism' subreddit.
Wtf is this sub becoming? Are we so scared that we can't even post Maa Kali (that too the post was removed by the moderator perhaps)...or is this some kind of Moral policing?
Atp rename the sub into something else. The action suggests that either we're very coward or absolute Moral polices. Nothing in between.
r/hinduism • u/PrashantMishrax • 19h ago
r/hinduism • u/Prestigious_Roof_709 • 9h ago
I am 16 male from kerala, and i am going through one of the worst phase of my life and i have been diagnosed with hypothyroidism. I am not sure if its permanent thyroid or not, if its permanent the chances of being medically fit in NDA medicals are very low.I don’t have anyone to express my feelings. I wanted to know how to worship shiva.I wanted to pray that its only a temporary thyroid and not a permanent one.
r/hinduism • u/LongFar7911 • 1h ago
I am really confused about what time should be best to do my daily abhyaas like I do surya namaskar, dand, baithak, yogic asanas and then Pranayam
Kindly tell what time is best
r/hinduism • u/ridheehee • 14h ago
I’m a 22 year old uni student. I grew up in a Hindu family outside India.
I’ve been going through an incredibly difficult phase in my life. I recently (4 days ago) failed an important exam and I now have only one attempt left to pass it. If I fail again, I would lose the opportunity to continue studying my degree subject anywhere in the country. My boyfriend and I recently broke up too (2 days ago). The relationship was hurting us both and I made mistakes .. I’m still trying to process everything that happened. And last night my grandfather passed away.
I feel as though very few things in my life have come easily to me. During my internship, I went through a particularly difficult period where I experienced a lot of racism, and the stress took a toll on my health and I developed alopecia. My hair has grown back again now.
I also had a traumatic childhood which has affected the way I connect with people. I have struggled to form and maintain friendships and I recognise that some of those unresolved experiences have also affected my romantic relationships.
I feel incredibly lonely, emotionally exhausted, and overwhelmed by everything happening at once. It feels like I barely have time to recover from one difficult experience before something else happens.
I’m trying to make sense of everything and find a way to move forward.
For those who have experienced similarly difficult phases in life, how did you get through them? How did you learn to cope with grief, loss, loneliness, and the feeling that life keeps testing you?
I don’t really have a support system. I had my boyfriend but I don’t have anyone else except him anymore. I have friends but I struggle to open up with them. I also feel like I complicate relationships. I don’t know what to do about that as well.
r/hinduism • u/Key_Week_3830 • 2h ago
My parents had a guru when I was a child, and we used to visit him all the time and stuff like that . Although i didn’t take diksha from him as he passed away before i turned 18, he was a realised man. I took Diksha from a mutt in gondavle . Will i meet him in my next births
r/hinduism • u/IllNatural3257 • 9h ago
I really feel connected to Lord Krishna and Durga Maa and I feel so much energy when I listen to storams and slokas. But at the same time I don’t want to call myself religious because for the starters I’m not and I don’t like all the misogyny and performative stuffs that’s attached to the religion. Like people being hateful and judgemental and justifying wrongdoings in name of religion.
So what does that make me? A devotee? An agonist?
r/hinduism • u/Immediate_Stress7382 • 9h ago
I bow to thee, thou Lord of all the Gods! I bow to thee, thou slayer of Vritra! I bow to thee, thou slayer of Namuchi! O thou of a thousand eyes, lord of Sachi! By thy showers, be thou the protector of the snakes scorched by the Sun. O thou best of the deities, thou art our great protector. O Purandara, thou art able to grant rain in torrents. Thou art wind, the clouds, fire, and the lightning of the skies. Thou art the propeller of the clouds, and hast been called the great cloud (i.e., that which will darken the universe at the end of Yuga). Thou art the fierce and incomparable thunder, and the roaring clouds. Thou art the Creator of the worlds and their Destroyer.
Thou art unconquered. Thou art the light of all creatures, Aditya, Vibhavasu, and the wonderful elements. Thou art the ruler of all the Gods. Thou art Vishnu. Thou hast a thousand eyes. Thou art God, and the final resource.
Thou art, O God, all ambrosia, and the most adored Soma. Thou art the moment, the lunar day, the bala (minute), thou art the kshana (4 minutes). Thou art the lighted fortnight, and also the dark fortnight. Thou art kala, thou kashtha, and thou Truti. Thou art the year, the seasons, the months, the nights, and the days.
Thou art the fair Earth with her mountains and forests. Thou art also the firmament, resplendent with the Sun. Thou art the great Ocean with heaving billows and abounding with whales, swallowers of whales, and makaras, and various fishes. Thou art of great renown, always adored by the wise and by the great Rishis with minds rapt in contemplation.
Thou drinkest, for the good of all creatures, the Soma juice in sacrifices and the clarified butter offered with sacred invocation.
Thou art always worshipped at sacrifices by Brahmins moved by desire of fruit. O thou of incomparable mass of strength, thou art sung in the Vedas and Vedangas. It is for that reason that learned Brahmins bent upon performing sacrifices, study the Vedas with every care.
r/hinduism • u/HousingNo1846 • 13h ago
Hi everyone!
I have a few questions about Karwa Chauth and would really appreciate some guidance, especially from people who are familiar with the traditions.
A little background:
My community doesn’t traditionally celebrate Karwa Chauth, so I never really thought about observing it before.
However, this year, my husband and I went through an emotional roller coaster. We faced some of the toughest situations of our lives, and at times, our marriage was really tested.
But through everything, we stood by each other. Our faith in God grew stronger, and somehow, our marriage became even stronger than before.
This experience made me realize how incredibly blessed I am to have my husband. I genuinely don’t think I could have found a better person to share my life with. He’s not perfect, but he fits perfectly into the puzzle of my life. ❤️
That’s why I want to observe Karwa Chauth this year.
For me, it’s not just about following a religious tradition. It’s my way of expressing love and gratitude, and praying for his health, happiness, and long life.
I don’t know whether fasting can actually extend someone’s lifespan, but regardless, I would love to dedicate this day to praying for his well-being.
Now, here’s where I’m confused.
I recently heard that Karwa Chauth in 2026 falls during Shukra Asta, and that women shouldn’t start observing the vrat for the first time during this period.
My husband and I have been married for five years, so I’m not a newlywed. However, this would be my very first Karwa Chauth vrat.
My questions are:
Does the restriction apply only to newly married women, or to anyone observing Karwa Chauth for the first time?
Is it okay for me to start the vrat this year despite Shukra Asta?
According to your family’s or community’s beliefs, what are the consequences, if any, of starting during this period?
r/hinduism • u/Bubbly-Home-2639 • 5h ago
Tonight, I was just randomly searching for a powerful Shiva jaap and stumbled upon this.
It's not your usual calm soothing chant. This one actually has proper rock instrumentation, like real drums, electric guitars, and the vocalist absolutely rips the high notes, Gives you chills.
I've had it on loop for 2 hours now. I am out of words. It's devotional but also makes you feel powerful, if that makes sense.
If you're into that Skanda kind of powerful devotional rock vibe, you'll love this.
Does anyone else know tracks like this?
r/hinduism • u/Da_Vyas • 17h ago
वाल्मीकि जयंती की शुभकामनाएं 🙏
r/hinduism • u/SillyFlatworm31 • 16h ago
Hello folks!
I am a Catholic but I enjoy dialoguing with followers of other religions and sharing our views. Hinduism is a religion which I feel I don’t know all that much about and I’m not sure how big Catholic Christianity is in India, which is of course where most Hindus live. I want to put out a post here to offer some opportunities for discussion and learning :) I did one of these on the LDS (Mormons) subreddit and it was quite successful.
I have some questions here for you guys, feel free to ask any questions you may have about Catholics, our beliefs, or our relations with Hinduism!
EDIT: A big thank you to everyone who respectfully contributed! I have had a great opportunity to learn about your beliefs and share some of my own and have had some lovely discussions with people on here! All the best to you all :-)
r/hinduism • u/TheLimitlessVOID2 • 21h ago
20M, Iam a person who has no idea about tantra🙏, so iam very sorry for posting this here but i genuinely feel that maybe spirituality can help me.
My life has been utter gutter since Covid, it began with my maternal grandparents who were everything to me passing away. Grandmother died from heart attack, i couldn't even see her last moments as she died in ICU of hospital and my grandfather was diagnosed with hodgkins lymphoma( cancer), since surgery was not possible at old age there was nothing that could be done, he too passed away within 1 yr of my grandmothers death.
My life has been chaos since then, my Father's personality suddenly changed as he was almost caught having an affair in 2025, my mother was at a very vulnerable position at that time. He has suddenly transformed into a completely rude person who judges me and my mother all the time. Verbal abuse has become common now.
I used to be topper in studies but it has faded away as if i have lost my spark in life, somehow managed to get 82% in 12th and now second dropper for NEET. Have changed coachings, found lots of problems, i have difficulty in grasping concepts, memory and so many things which i never had before. Honestly i don't know why iam no longer able to find success despite working hard or why iam facing so many problems in my life when i want to improve.
is there any kind of mantra, or any specific deity or ritual that i can do to change my life like before
r/hinduism • u/FantasticHat471 • 16h ago
Most of us know Shiva as Neelkanth, the one who drank the poison. But the older texts tell it with more detail than the usual summary.
During the churning of the ocean (Samudra Manthan), the first thing to emerge wasn’t nectar. It was Halahala, a poison so potent that devas and asuras alike feared it would end all creation. When they went to Shiva, he drank it. In the version in the Bhagavata Purana (Canto 8), Parvati’s hand on his throat stops it from going further, and that is why it turned blue.
What stands out to me is the choice. Nobody could force him to do it. He took it on so everyone else wouldn’t have to.
Which version of this story did you grow up with, and does it change between regions or texts? I’d love to hear the retellings I haven’t come across.
I covered the full story with the scripture references in a ~10 minute video here, if anyone wants it: https://youtu.be/5FkBEpL81vQ
r/hinduism • u/kamikaibitsu • 10h ago
few days ago shared this post
https://www.reddit.com/r/hinduism/comments/1xbdbzq/there_is_only_one_soul/
https://www.reddit.com/r/hinduism/comments/1xe1suz/there_is_only_one_soul_pt_2/
Bhagvat Geeta 2.18
The material body of the indestructible, immeasurable and eternal living entity is sure to come to an end; therefore, fight, O descendant of Bharata.
BG 2.20
For the soul there is neither birth nor death at any time. He has not come into being, does not come into being, and will not come into being. He is unborn, eternal, ever-existing and primeval. He is not slain when the body is slain.
BG 2.23
The soul can never be cut to pieces by any weapon, nor burned by fire, nor moistened by water, nor withered by the wind.
BG 2.24
The soul is unbreakable and incombustible; it can neither be dampened nor dried. It is everlasting, in all places, unalterable, immutable, and primordial.
We had made a mistake of thinking that soul can be quantified and are in multiple . And this is the cause of our downfall.
Whiele in reality there is only one soul. Even our scriptures hints at that.
Try imagining anything (using it here for ease of communication) that has never made- and is there since even before creation (yeah, before creation, as creation has a beginning, but soul doesn't).
It also can't be slained/divided or differentiated and is there without changing its state. Now try imagining multiple of such things which are there together.
A question arises—how can we imagine multiple of such things?
To count anything—the basic idea is-
1- That it's somehow different from the surrounding: meaning there is some sort of division b/w it and the surrounding. Like some sort of boundary- separating it from the surrounding- does soul have a boundry? Because if it does, then it can't be immeasurable.
2- It should undergo changes- But the soul doesn't undergo any change. Even if eternity passes, soul(s) will remain same as ever. So how can there be division?
3- Historical Trajectory: An entity is discrete if it carries a unique, non-replicable trajectory through time.Does soul have such thing? because of it does the it becomes time -dependent. Is soul time dependent?
4- It occupies some space unique to itslef- Is it same for the soul?
If all these criteria don't apply to the soul, then how can it be counted? It it can't be count'es then how can we be sure that there are multiple of such entities? Maybe they are a single entity that is perceived like a multiple entity by us because of avidhya!
Edit: Using soul here only for ease of communication
Edit 2- By "preceive by us mean"- As in how we think/imagine about it- & not in as how we see it.
r/hinduism • u/Outrageous-Hawkk • 1d ago
If you have spent any time browsing social media, watching YouTube video narratives on Hinduism, or scrolling through AI-generated slop videos on short-form platforms, you have likely come across a sensational claim linking the end of Lord Śrī Krishna's earthly pastimes to the origin of Lord Jagannath in Puri. Driven by algorithms that prioritize shock and dramatic value over accuracy, these viral videos push a bizarre story: that Lord Krishna’s physical body was cremated after His departure, but His heart refused to burn, floating across the oceans until it was retrieved and placed inside the deity as the mysterious Brahma Padartha. While this dramatic legend makes for high-engagement internet clickbait, it is an absolute fabrication that distorts basic Vedic theology and misinterprets authentic śāstra.
In reality, the authentic origin of Lord Jagannath as a manifestation/form of Śrī Krishna / Viṣṇu and the sacred principle of Dāru-Brahma are documented in scriptures like the Skanda Purāṇa (Puruṣottama-Kṣetra-Māhātmya), Brahma Purāṇa, and Nārada Purāṇa. These sacred texts detail how Lord Jagannath manifested as Dāru-Brahma (the Supreme Being embodied in sacred timber) and how King Indradyumna was divinely instructed to retrieve a radiant log floating on the ocean shore to carve the deities, without a single mention of a burnt organ or floating heart anywhere in Puranic literature.
What makes this online narrative even more absurd is that it completely ignores the explicit statements of the Śrīmad Bhagavad Gītā, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, and the unanimous consensus of Ācāryas across history. Saints, philosophers, and commentators across the entire breadth of Indian geography and spanning every major philosophical tradition whether Advaita, Dvaita, Śuddhādvaita, Viśiṣṭādvaita, Dvaitādvaita, or Acintya-Bhedābheda stand united on this point:
Lord Śrī Krishna’s divine form is non-material (abhautika / aprākṛta), and as the Bhāgavata Purāṇa itself affirms, He ascended directly to His supreme abode in His selfsame divine body (svatanvā), leaving no physical corpse or unburnt remains/heart behind.
Below is the chain of authoritative commentaries spanning every major Vedāntic tradition that confirms this point:
1. Ādi Śaṅkarācārya
(Advaita Vedānta — Bhagavad Gītā Bhāṣya, Verses 4.6 & 4.9)
Sanskrit Snippet:
दिव्यम् अप्राकृतम् ऐश्वरम्... न मे जन्म कर्म वा प्राकृतम् अस्ति।
Translation & Commentary:
Commenting on Bhagavad Gītā 4.9 (janma karma ca me divyam...), Ādi Śaṅkarācārya explicitly expands divyam as aprākṛtam (beyond the workings of material nature / prakṛti) for Krishna. Maintaining that birth is "as if" due to maya and not like real birth of human and activities and birth/form are from his divine aprakritk nature.
2. Śrīdhara Svāmī
(Advaita Vedānta — Bhavārtha-Dīpikā, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 1.15.35–36 & 11.31.6)
Sanskrit Snippet:
यथा नटो निजरूपेण स्थितो रूपान्तराणि धत्ते ’न्तर्धत्ते च तथा तदपि कलेवरम् जहौ अन्तर्धाद् इत्याद्यर्थः॥ स्वतन्वा जहौ स्वतन्वैव वैकुण्ठारोहात्॥
Translation & Commentary:
"Just as an actor, remaining in his own true identity, assumes different roles and then makes them disappear, similarly, 'He left that body' means He simply made it disappear from sight (antardhāt). 'He left with His own body' (svatanvā jahau), because His ascension to Vaikuṇṭha occurred with His actual divine form (svatanvā-eva vaikuṇṭhārohāt)."
Canto 11 Commentary: Furthermore, commenting on Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 11.31.6 (lokābhirāmāṁ svatanuṁ...), Śrīdhara Svāmī explicitly defines the word adagdhvā ("without burning"). He notes that while yogis consume their physical bodies through internal yogic fire (āgneyyā dhāraṇayā), Śrī Kṛṣṇa did not burn His form; He ascended directly into the spiritual realm in His eternal, divine form.
3. Vīrarāghavācārya
(Viśiṣṭādvaita / Śrī Vaiṣṇavism — Bhāgavata-Candrikā, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 1.15.35–36)
Sanskrit Snippet:
यां मनुष्यसंस्थानस्थितां तनुं भूभारमपनेतुं जग्राह, तां तनुं तिरोधाय स्वासाधारणतन्वा जगामेत्यर्थः।
Translation & Commentary:
"Having concealed (tirodhāya) that humanlike form which He had assumed to remove the burden of the earth, He departed in His original, extraordinary, eternal divine form."
4. Vijayadhvaja Tīrtha
(Dvaita Vedānta / Mādhva Sampradāya — Pada-ratnāvalī, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 1.15.35–36 and 11.31.6)
Sanskrit Snippet:
यदा श्रवणीयसत्कथः मुकुन्दः स्वतन्वा स्वाभिमतया मूर्त्या इमां महीं जहौ त्यक्तवान्... आग्नेय्या योगधारणया जातेनाग्निना तनुमदग्ध्वैव परं पदं स्वकं धामाविशत्— "आग्नेय्या तन्वे धारण्या देहं दग्ध्वा परं पदम्। यान्ति देवाः समस्ताश्च तेषामन्यां तनुं हरिः॥ ... अदग्ध्वैव तनुं याति नित्यानन्दस्वरूपतः॥"
Translation & Commentary:
"Explaining the reason for His departure: 'When Mukunda left this earth in His own beloved form (svatanvā)... Without burning His body (adagdhvaiva) through internal yogic fire, He entered His supreme abode. As scriptural authority explicitly declares: All other demigods and yogis enter the supreme realm after burning their material bodies with yogic fire. But Hari enters His supreme realm completely without burning His form (adagdhvaiva tanuṁ yāti), in His eternal, blissful, intrinsic identity (nityānanda-svarūpataḥ).'"
5. Śrī Jīva Gosvāmī
(Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇavism / Acintya-Bhedābheda — Krama-Sandarbha, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 1.15.35–36)
Sanskrit Snippet:
...सोऽयमजोऽपि येन मायिकेन लक्ष्यतां प्रापितेन रूपेण भूभाररूप असुरवर्गः क्षपितः... तच्च कलेवरं जहौ अन्तर्धापितवानित्यर्थः... त्यागोऽत्र स्वतनुकरणक इति न तु स्वतन्वा सह इति व्याख्येयम्... 'उपपदविभक्तेः कारकविभक्तिर्बलीयसी' इति न्यायाच्च॥
Translation & Commentary:
"The unborn Supreme Lord—having destroyed the demoniac class representing the earth's burden through that illusory appearance visible to them—'left that body' (kalevaraṁ jahau) simply means He made it disappear from sight (antardhāpitavān). The act of leaving (tyāgaḥ) here has His own divine form as the direct instrument (svatanu-karaṇaka); it should not be interpreted as 'along with a separate body.' This is because according to the grammatical maxim: 'the direct instrumental case (kāraka-vibhakti) is stronger than an adjunct prepositional relationship (upapada-vibhakti)'."
Key Takeaway: Śrīla Jīva Gosvāmī proves that "leaving the body" simply means Kṛṣṇa withdrew His divine form from material vision (antardhāpitavān), leaving no physical corpse behind. Furthermore, by Sanskrit grammar rules (kāraka-vibhakti), the term svatanvā proves that His own eternal body was the direct agent of His ascension.
6. Vallabhācārya
(Śuddhādvaita / Puṣṭimārga — Subodhinī, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 1.15.34–36)
Sanskrit Snippet:
...यथा नटः स्वरूपमेव नानाविधक्रीडार्थं मत्स्यादिरूपेण प्रदर्शयति निवृत्ते च कार्ये तानि रूपाण्युपसंहरति एवमिदमपीत्यर्थः... यद्यपि भगवतः नित्यसम्बन्धात् क्वापि त्यागो नास्ति तथापि प्रकटितपरमानन्दरूपस्य परिच्छिन्नतया प्रदर्शनात् तन्वा जहौ तनुद्वारा जहावित्यर्थः। भूमित्यागस्य पूर्वमनुक्तत्वात् नटवत् तनुत्यागस्योक्तत्वात् त्यक्तस्य वस्तुत्वाभावात्...
Translation & Commentary:
"Just as an actor displays his own form in various guises for the sake of diverse play (krīḍā) and withdraws those forms when the task is finished, similarly does the Lord withdraw His forms. Although due to His eternal connection (nitya-sambandha) there is no actual abandonment anywhere, He simply withdrew the limited manifestation of His supreme bliss-form (tanvā jahau) from the world. Since His form is not a separate material object to be abandoned, there is no scope for interpreting svatanvā otherwise.
7. Śukadevācārya
(Dvaitādvaita Vedānta / Nimbārka Sampradāya — Siddhānta-Pradīpa, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 1.15.35–36)
Sanskrit Snippet:
...कलेवरं स्वाभाविकं शरीरं... प्रशमाय प्रसादाय तत्रैवान्तर्दधे हरिरितिवज्जहौ प्रत्यक्षतां त्यक्त्वान्तर्हितोऽभूदित्यर्थः... यदा स्वतन्वा श्रीमूर्त्या इमां महीं जहौ...
Translation & Commentary:
"'He left that body' (kalevaraṁ jahau) simply means He relinquished visibility and became unmanifest (pratyakṣatāṁ tyaktvā antarhito 'bhūt), just as He previously vanished during the Rāsa-līlā. When He left this earth directly in His own divine form (svatanvā śrī-mūrtyā)..."
8. Sant Eknath Maharaj
(Vārkarī and Advaita Vedānta — Eknāthī Bhāgavata, Canto 11, Chapter 31, Verses 64, 66–68)
Marathi Snippet:
कृष्णे देहो नेला ना त्यागिला। तो लीलाविग्रहे सचैला। भक्तध्यानीं प्रतिष्ठापिला। स्वयें गेला निजधामा॥ ६४॥
हो कां कृष्णमूर्ति जरी सगुण। तरी देहदाह न लगे जाण। कृष्णाश्रयें जग संपूर्ण। तेव्हा होईल दहन जगाचे॥ ६६॥
जेणे मायेसी निजपोटीं। दाखविल्या ब्रह्मांडांच्या कोटी। त्या कृष्णदेहदाहापाठीं। जगाची गोठी नुरवावी॥ ६७॥
ऐशियाही युक्ति विचारितां। अतिस्थूळ ते योग्यता। कृष्णदेहाची विदेहता। तेथ दाहकता ते कैची॥ ६८॥
Translation :
"Krishna neither carried away a physical body nor abandoned one behind. Attired in His divine play-form (līlā-vigraha), establishing Himself in the loving meditation of His devotees, He ascended directly to His supreme abode (nijadhāma). Know for certain that even though Krishna's form manifests with divine attributes (saguṇa), no burning of His body (deha-dāha) can ever take place! The entire cosmos rests supported within Krishna; if His body were burned, the entire universe itself would be burned to ashes! He who showed millions of universes resting inside His stomach to Mother Yaśodā—if His body were to burn, not a trace of the world would remain! Considering this through sound logic, claiming Krishna's body could burn is the grossest misconception. Where the body of Krishna is purely transcendental (videhatā), where is there any scope for fire to burn it?"
9. Ācārya Abhinavagupta
(Kashmir Shaivism — Gītārtha-saṁgraha, Commentary on Bhagavad Gītā 4.6-9)
An commentary from Tantric Shaivism master.
Sanskrit Snippet:
बहूनि इत्याद्यर्जुन इत्यन्तम्। श्रीभगवान् किल पूर्णषाड्गुण्यत्वात् शरीरसम्पर्कमात्ररहितोऽपि स्थितिकारित्वात् कारुणिकतया आत्मांशं सृजति। आत्मा पूर्णषाड्गुण्यः अंश उपकारकत्वेन अप्रधानभूतो यत्र तत्त्वात्मांशं शरीरं गृह्णातीत्यर्थः।
Translation & Explanation:
"The Lord, because He possesses full sixfold divine majesty (pūrṇa-ṣāड्guṇya), is entirely devoid of any contact with a physical body (śarīra-saṁparka-mātra-rahito 'pi). Nevertheless, because He is the cause of the world's sustenance and out of sheer compassion, He projects an aspect of Himself (ātmāṃśaṁ sṛjati). The Lord (Ātmā) is this full sixfold divine majesty (pūrṇa-ṣāḍguṇyaḥ), and He manifests a body/form that acts as the helper. Thus, the meaning is: He assumes a body (śarīraṁ gṛhṇāti) which is a direct projection/expression of His own Divine* Self (ātm*āṃśam), not a regular physical body."
Conclusion
Whether you consult the Bhāṣyas of Ādi Śaṅkarācārya, the Sanskrit commentaries of Advaita, Viśiṣṭādvaita, Dvaita, Śuddhādvaita, Dvaitādvaita, Gauḍīya Vaishnavism, the Vārkarī Advaita tradition, or Kashmir Shaivism, the verdict across centuries of Indian philosophy is unanimous: Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s form/body is divine in incarnation (aprākṛta). And He ascended and/or withdrew that divine form into Himself when His avatāra-līlā concluded, leaving no body or unburnt remains behind.
There is a complete consensus across every major Vedāntic/Tāntrik tradition on this point.
Readers and seekers should always turn to authentic śāstric sources rather than sensationalist online narratives. Canonical texts like the Skanda Purāṇa and Brahma Purāṇa make it explicitly clear that Lord Jagannath is directly the sacred mūrti (vigraha) of Śrī Kṛṣṇa/Viṣṇu Himself, manifested as Dāru-Brahma out of supreme grace, not a wooden idol carved to house a mortal heart. Furthermore, in the living tradition of the Jagannath Temple, the Brahma Padartha is not a physical human organ or relic. Ritually and esoterically, it metaphorically symbolizes the caitanya-sattā transferred in complete secrecy during the periodic Nabakalebara ("New Body") ceremony, not a mortal organ or relic.
Next time you see a clickbait video pushing this AI-slop dramatic story sourced from random blogs, share the authentic śāstric sources and the unanimous words of our Ācāryas across sects and the entire length and breadth of Sanatana Dharma/India.
r/hinduism • u/Ok-Apricot246 • 1d ago
so many people are stealing hindu traditions while rebranding it without giving us culture. they also mock us and always talk about their hatred towards religion while always looking at every religion through an abrahamic lense. the list could go on and on about the hate we receive and the credit we don’t, but how do we deal with this hate when it breaks us and makes us so sad?
i understand that every religion is a path to God and sanatana dharma is for everyone, but i always just have the urge to stand up for the lies people have made about our religion as well as stand up for the hate we have received. it just genuinely breaks my heart and also when people talk about how religion in bad ways, i just always want to tell them about hinduism and correct them but no one ever gives credit and no one will ever know 💔 i just wish we were given credit and recognition as well as got less hatred
how do i not feel sad or affected by this? i try to obviously maintain my connection with Bhagwan and ignore the negative things, but it’s really hard to just ignore it when you know it’s just false information that’s not true and pure hatred.
