Author: Bhojraj Dwivedi
Publisher: Diamond
Year: 2006
Language: English
Pages: 158
ISBN/UPC (if available): 8171825117
Description
Hinduism is like a Banyan tree whose braches of knowledge enriched the entire universe. It is not a religion in the strictest term but a way of life; an ongoing process which remained unruffled, despite unfavorable influences. There are certain traits, traditions, rituals, practices which signify its distinct qualities.
This book unravels certain practices which are backed by scientific and well-tried methods. Generally Hindus practice certain rituals and practices, without knowing the utility and significance thereof. The author has laid open and explained, in fairly reasonable details, the reasons and justification lying behind such practices, which will dispel myths, misgivings, disinformation and slander campaign unleashed by vested interests. When a fact is backed by scientific explanation, its utility and significance grows multifold and general public gets benefited.
After reading the book, the discerning readers will feel to have been guided, enlightened and motivated to practice Hindu beliefs with more determined desire and inclination. In a way this book is a treatise on Hindu traditions, beliefs and practices.
Contents
About the Book
1. What is vighan, or science?
2. What is the definition of vigyan?
3. What is the modern definition of vigyan?
4. Is Astrology science or art?
5. What is eclipse?
6. Where do we get the earliest mention of ‘eclipse’?
7. Do we find a mention of eclipse in the Mahabharata period?
8. Do Muslims also believe in eclipse?
9. Do we find references to eclipse during the Ramayana period?
10. Where do we find the first description of solar eclipse?
11. What are the main solar eclipses on which the scientists have carried out research?
12. Suppose I see full solar eclipse today in my village or city, when will a complete solar eclipse be seen on the same spot in future?
13. What is the ‘Saros Chakra’ or Saros Cycle?
14. What is a lunar eclipse?
15. What is a Salar eclipse?
16. When does the lunar eclipse take place?
17. What is a full lunar eclipse?
18. What is a partial lunar eclipse?
19. On the day of Purnima in the horoscope, what/where will be the position of the sun and the moon?
20. How does lunar eclipse take place?
21. What is ‘Moksha’ (Salvation) called in the Language of the eclipse?
22. How many times can a lunar eclipse take place in one year?
23. When does a solar eclipse happen?
24. How many times can a solar eclipse happen in a year?
25. How is the solar eclipse formed, and on which Amavasya?
26. Where will the total solar eclipse take place?
27. What can be the maximum duration of an all eclipsing solar eclipse?
28. How does a partial eclipse take place?
29. From which part of the earth can a solar eclipse be seen?
30. Can we see the solar eclipse on the whole
31. What research should be conducted in case of total solar eclipse?
32. How are Rahu and Ketu responsible for solar and lunar eclipses?
33. Do we find a mention of Rahu and Ketu in the Vedas?
34. Why were Rahu and Ketu not assigned a place among signs of Zodiac earlier?
35. If Rahu and Ketu are planets, then why are they not visible in the sky like other planets?
36. Being planets, do Rahu and Ketu have any astronomical form?
37. What is the kal-sarpayoya formed of Rahu and Ketu?
38. In Hindu religion it is believed that one should not eat during eclipse time. Ehat are its scientific and religious bases?
39. If someone’s ancestor’s death anniversary falls on the day of eclipse, then what are the arrangements for taking food?
40. What are the religious and scientific bases of taking a bath after the eclipse?
41. Why should we give alms or charity during eclipse time?
42. Why are people in Hindu religion advised not to see the solar or lunar eclipse?
43. Should we see the setting sun or the moon?
44. What is the scientific reason supporting seeing the rising sun?
45. How can the bad effect caused by solar and lunar eclipse be removed?
46. Why the Cow’s milk is is considered pious?
47. Why is the cow’s urine pious?
48. What is the scientific reason behind the peepal’s piety?
49. What What is Drishta (Seen)?
50. What is adrishta (unseen)?
51. Kindly cite the example of a scripture dealing with drishta and adrishta?
52. What is ‘sadi’?
53. What is ‘anadi’?
54. What is sant’?
55. What is ‘anant’?
56. How many kinds of Evidences there?
57. What is guess evidence?
58. What is direct or real evidence?
59. What is aapta vakya (word) evidences?
60. Which is the most prominent of all evidences? Kindly explain through and example.
61. What are the advantages of rising in Brahma-muhurta (early in the morning, say 400 am)?
62. Kindly explain its scientific aspect.
63. Why should one see his palms in the morning?
64. Whom should we see as we rise in the morning?
65. What should one not see in the morning?
66. What are its scientific bases?
67. Why should one keep quit during urination or visit to a road
68. Why should we not urinate or discharge stool on the
69. Why should we use paper, soap, soil or water for cleaning after stool discharge? Present a scientific view.
70. Which datum should be used?
71. Which datum is better, toothpaste or vegetational?
72. Why oil massage?
73. Why an oil massage, and not a ghee massage?
74. Which oil should be used?
75. Besides religious scriptures, what is the scientific basis of oil massage?
76. When oil massage is a part of daily routine, why is it prohibited on Sundays and Tuesdays?
77. Kindly clarify its scientific aspect.
78. How can one die due to oil massage on Tuesday? What are its scientific bases?
79. How can massage be the cause of pain on Friday?
80. Is there a way out of these prohibitions?
81. What is the scientific basis of the above view?
82. What is the real meaning of tel (oil)?
83. Why should we bathe daily?
84. Why should we not eat before bath?
85. Kindly tell us its scientific reason.
86. What is the scientific reason of religious activities?
87. Is there a system in which food can be taken if a man feels hungry before bath?
88. Why do Hindus turn to east during Pooja-path, or when they perform religious activities?
89. Kindly focus on its scientific aspect.
90. Why do Hindus turn southwards while performing ‘Pitra-karma’ (offerings to the dead)?
91. Why is the afternoon accepted as the best time for offering shraddha food?
92. What is the scientific secret of wearing tilak (mark) on forehead?
93. Why the tilak of kumkum (vermilion)?
94. Is it just a ritual, or does it have a scientific aspect to it?
95. What is the scientific basis of maintaining a ‘shikha’ (a tuft of hair on head)?
96. Why the seat of kush (grass)?
97. Why is a kusha-ring (Pavitri) worn during religious anushthans (ceremonies)?
98. Kindly clear the scientific aspect of wearing kusha in hands.
99. How is death at will possible through pranayam (deep breathing)?
100. What are the main parts of pranayam?
101. What is purak?
102. What is kumbhak?
103. What is rechak?
104. How many varieties does pranayam have in total?
105. Please tell us their names.
106. What is the scientific basis of aachaman?
107. Why is aachaman taken thrice?
108. Why arghya (water offering) to the sun?
109. Why suryopasthan?
110. What is a mala?
111. What is the scientific aspect of the mala?
112. Why is malajapa performed through the middle finger?
113. Why are there 108 beads in the mala?
114. What is the scientific secret behind it?
115. Why can not we take food with shoes on?
116. Why should we walk after taking food?
117. Why should not we have our feet southwards when we sleep?
118. How can the planets arrive, if invoked?
119. Kindly elucidate the scientific aspect of invoking planets.
120. Can you give an example of this logic?
121. Are Brahmins (Pandits) the agents of planets?
122. Why are til and jau (sesame and barley) used for haven fire?
123. Kindly elucidate the scientific aspect of the yajna.
124. In fire an object is multiplied a lakh times. Kindly, give a direct example, if there is any?
125. What is rajodarshan (menstruation)?
126. What is rajaswala?
127. Why is a rajaswala untouchable?
128. Kindly give some concrete instance of infection.
129. What rules and regulations are prescribed for a rajawala woman in religious scriptures?
130. What happens if she sleeps during day time?
131. What happens if she pencils her eyes?
132. What happens if she weeps?
133. What happens if she baths?
134. What happens due to oil massage?
135. What happens due to running?
136. What happens due to laughing?
137. What happens if she talks too much?
138. What happens if she hears terrible words?
139. Who is a ritusnata?
140. What should a ritusnata do, and why?
141. Should a new born infant be fed on mother’s milk or tinned milk?
142. Why can we not give milk of a wet nurse to children?
143. Why should we wear on our ears janeu (sacred thread) during stool or urine discharge?
144. Why should the janeu be on right ear during urine discharge?
145. Elaborate, if there is a scientific reason for this?
146. Why are both the ears covered during stool discharge?
147. Why is raksha-sutra tied to the bride and groom?
148. Why is cow-dung used for smearing?
149. Which other elements in cow-dung have been acknowledged by science?
150. Why is cow-dung necessary?
151. Can we take a bath of cow-dung?
152. Is cow-dung useful in cleansing the environment?
153. Are cow-dung cakes also useful?
154. Why is kusha (grass) spread?
155. Why the head in the north direction?
156. Why should a dead body be burnt, necessarily?
157. Why a bath with clothes on?
158. Why are ashes immersed in the Ganges?
159. Why are marriages banned in the same gotra?
160. Why a Tulsi plant in the courtyard of the house?
161. Why is a dangerous disease smallpox called Sheetala Mata? What science is there in it?
162. Why the use of basi (thanda) food?
163. Lord Shri Ram was an incarnation of twelve kalas, and Lord Shri Krishna of Sixteen. Are there gods small and big? What is this kala all about?
164. Why idol worship?
165. Hindus blow conch in aarti-puja, religious discourses and anushtans. What science is involved in blowing the conch?
166. Why is the water from conch sprinkled over people?
167. Is the Hindu Shak-Samvat scientific?
168. Is re-birth scientific?
169. Do we have to bear/suffer the fruits/consequences of actions compulsorily?
170. If a man is born to suffer the consequences of actions of earlier lives, then what is the advantage of yajna, stuti, prayer and worship of God?
171. We are worldly persons. What use do we have for a God who, in the presence of all our good actions cannot do any good even if He wants; or who, in the event of evil deeds performed by us, cannot forgive us?
172. Can future be changed?
173. Do prayers offer relief?
174. How science is involved in seeing the moon on chaturthi, the fourth day of Shukla Paksha?
175. What is the scientific aspect of fasting?
176. What is shraddha? What is the benefit of doing it? What is its scientific aspect?
177. How does a dead man get the food offered as shraddha? Suppose a dead man is re-born as a tiger. We feed kheer to a Brahmin in the dead man’s name.
178. Why should the son only perform the shraddha related activities after death?
179. Can the dead forefathers be seen?
180. Why shraddha in the month of Ashwin only?
181. Why should we not eat meat?
182. What is the scientific secret of panchamakar as enunciated by Tantra-shastra?
183. What is the scientific truth behind swastika mark?
184. What is the scientific mystery behind the seven horses in the chariot of the sun?
185. What is the secret behind mouse as a carrier of Ganesh?
186. The scientidic mystery behind offering Durva-jamun to Ganapati?
187. Why is Ganapati worshipped first of all gods?
188. Why is death not desirable when the sun is dakshinayan? What science is behind this?
189. Where does Lakshmi live and where not? What psychology is involved in it?
190. Why should we sleep with our head in the east and the south?
191. Why should we sleep with our head in the east and the south?
192. Why is gold considered the best metal in dharma shastras? What is the relative position of other metals in Pooja-path?
193. Why should ratna (stone) studded ornaments be worn?
194. Can a son be born by using Paras Peepal?
195. Is it possible to compare astrology with geology and geography?
196. Is it possible to compare physics with astrology?
197. Was Newton the discoverer of the law of gravitation?
198. Why are planets round?
199. Is a comparison between astronomy and astrology possible?
200. Is it possible to compare medical science with astrology?
201. Is it possible to compare meteorology and astrology?
202. What is the difference between the astronomer and the astrologer?
203. How ancient is Indian civilization and culture?
204. How ancient are the Vedas?
205. How can that happen? After all, there was a man who wrote than 400 years old. Therefore, the Vedas cannot be more than 400-500 years old.
206. The tradition of writing literature on Bhoj-patras and Tad-patras is of 1000-1500 B.C old. Therefore, the Vedas would also be fifteen hundred B.C old creations. Many ancient Muslim, Christian, and scientists also acknowledge this fact.
207. Famous German scholar, Max Mueller has accepted 6000 B.C. years old period as the time of the origin of the Vedas. Keith, Baber and many other scholars have proved the Vedas to be 6 or 8 thousand B.C. years old, using historical and geographical evidences along with their other scientific factors, and rejecting the fact of their being apaurushey. Is the fact-based logic of the foreign scholars wrong? If so what are the bases of your calling it wrong?
208. What is Kalp?
209. What is the principle of the beginning of Kaliyug?
210. Since when Deepawali is being celebrated?
211. Does the modern science accept so much ancientness of Lord Shri Ram?
212. What was the standard of calculating time in astrology during Vedang period?
213. Who is elder according to Hindu shastras? Who should be worshipped first? Who should be saluted first?
Acknowledgements
About the Author