When people recite Shiva's name, they often do it in couplets, such as "Shiva Shiva, Shiva Shiva, ..." My question is the following. Is the correct pronunciation "Shiva" or "siva?" I know that sometimes you are to pronounce "sh" and sometimes you just say "si." So what is the correct way to say ...

Every I time I go to a temple,when the priest performs archana,he asks us the gotra.What I want to ask what is the gotra specifically tell about us?and also in our state,Brahmanas and Gouds have the same gotras like Koundinya gotra.How is this possible that two different varnas have the same gotr...

In Bhagvad Gita most of the slokas are in Anushtup chhanda (except few which are in Trishtup chhanda).. ie, Each verse of Gita exactly consists of 32 letters arranged in 4 quarters in a specific pattern of laghu and guru..[except few verse containing Trishtup meter] During the real conversation...

Before performing sandhyavandanam in the evening, should a brahmin take bath? Or do the shastras prohibit it? We live in southern Chennai and there are times when the sun sets well over 6 or 6:30 p.m. During such times, in case I plan to take bath immediately before starting sandhyavandanam, it'...

I don't mean to ask whether we can skip sandhyavandanam and do Gayatri japam instead. I know we can't. Say, I feel like doing the japam at around 3 or 4 p.m. Is that allowed?

I am aware that we need to be initiated into something like Shri Rudram or Purusha Suktam or Shri Suktam. But, would learning them using audio files amount to getting initiated into them? Or do we have to approach a guru in person? Just for the record, I'm not opposed to learning it from a gur...

Uttar kanda of Ramayan mentions Ravan having 10 heads and 20 arms... Is there any mention somewhere in which head was the body attached ? 10 heads would make a body asymmetrical as there is no middle point.. Is somewhere mentioned that Ravan's right side contained more heads or left side contai...

Since Hinduism is such vast and full of rich and diverse subject, as a community we need to agree on few on-topics/off-topics hints I guess. According to Hinduism.SE Help centre below are on-topic Questions here: Hindu scripture and mythology. Academic questions about Hindu philosophical thoug...

I have seen many pictures and photos of chaturmukha brahma deva with white hair and white beard. Why is Brahma looking old? All the devatas are known to be drinking elixir(amruth). Those who drink it are known that they do not feel hunger,thirst and do not experience growth of age and look yo...