In Hinduism, time is cyclical. Also, some stories in the Hindu texts prove that ancient Hindus were aware of the fact that time is different on different lokas (planets). In Sanskrit, time is called Kala, which also means death. Lord Yama is considered the god of death. Lord Shiva is called Mahakala, which means “Beyond the time”. How was the Time Created? This universe was born from Hiranyagarbha, the golden egg. Before Creation, there was no time. After trillions of years, this universe will cease to exist (Mahapralaya). Then there will be no time. After some time, the universe will…

The meaning of the word Avatar in English is “incarnation (of a god)”. In Sanskrit, it means “descent” or “descended from the sky”. It mainly refers to gods coming to Earth in different forms. Hindus believe that there are many planets in the universe. Hindu gods live on some of them and descend on Earth in material forms, especially to restore dharma (righteousness). Avatar Meaning: Avatar is originally a Sanskrit word and is derived from the prefix “ava” (down) and the root “tra” (to cross over). Therefore, the word Avatar in general means “descended from the sky”. Avatar Meaning in…

Sanatan Dharma is the universal code of conduct for all intelligent living beings with a conscience. Therefore, these laws apply not only to human beings but also to gods, asuras, and other intelligent species. The term is interchangeably used for Hinduism. Some Hindus believe that Sanatana Dharma is different from Hinduism, while some say that Hinduism is a nickname of Sanatana Dharma, and they are essentially the same. Etymology: The word Sanatana comprises two words, viz. Sana and Tana. Sana means without any beginning, and Tana means without any end. Therefore, the word Sanatana means eternal/everlasting. Dharma is derived from…

There are many different views about alcohol in Hinduism. Some people say in the Vedic times, gods used to drink Soma drink which was an intoxicating drink. Hence, there is no problem with drinking alcohol. While some scriptures say, consumption of alcohol is one of the biggest sins. Therefore, it is forbidden in Hinduism. Some scriptures say only Brahmins can’t drink alcohol, but the people from the other three Varnas can do so. When it comes to religion, we should look at what the scriptures say and not what the individuals say. Therefore, let us see what Hindu scriptures say…

The five deadly sins in Hinduism known as Mahapatakas are the murder of a Brahmin, stealing gold, drinking alcohol, an illicit relationship with one’s teacher’s wife, and keeping the company with the before-mentioned sinners (Chandogya Upanishad and Usana Smriti, Chapter 8, Verse 1). “A person who steals gold, or drinks liquor, or goes to bed with his teacher’s wife, or kills a brāhmin—these four are lost. Also lost is the fifth—one who keeps company with such people.” – (Chandogya Upanishad 5.10.9) According to Manu Smriti (9.235), there are four deadly sins. They are the same as mentioned above except the last…

Har Har Mahadev Meaning: Har Har Mahadev is a chant associated with Lord Shiva. Why do Hindus chant Har Har Mahadev: There are many reasons for this. Hindus use it as a war cry. Especially, the Maratha army used this slogan extensively during wars. Devotees of Lord Shiva use it in person or in a group to hail Lord Shiva. Chanting this slogan gives energy to devotees. Also, chanting the name of a god is considered a good Karma. Therefore, many Hindus chant Har Har Mahadev. Why are there different meanings of Har Har Mahadev? As Sanskrit is an ancient…

Religion is a set of beliefs that guides the person on how to live life ideally. It includes restricting the person from doing such things which are not either good for him or the society. It also tells us how to do things in the right manner. Hinduism also has a set of beliefs and puts some restrictions on us so that we would live an ideal and healthy life. We will try to list out all those things which are not allowed in Hinduism. 1. Hindus are not allowed to eat beef because the cow is considered as the…

There are seven days in a week. Each day is assigned to different Hindu deities. e.g. Monday for Shiva, Saturday for Hanuman, Thursday for Dattatreya, etc. The day for Ganesha is Tuesday but fasting is not done for him on this day. The days to fast for Ganesha are Chaturthi days i.e., the fourth day of each fortnight. The fourth day of the first fortnight in a month according to the Hindu calendar is called Vinayak Chaturthi. The fourth day of the second fortnight in a month according to the Hindu calendar is called Sankasht Chaturthi. If the Chaturthi comes…