There was no 'burning of widows' as per scriptures. P.V. Kane uses the word 'self-immolation by the widows' instead of 'widow burning' which is normally used by Indologists.

https://twitter.com/JoeAgneya/status/1472607377299951617

Swami Vivekananda points out that a widow who insisted to undergo self-immolation, had to pass a fiery test (agni-pariksha), as a proof of her resolute will power. (complete works of Swami Vivekananda Vol 4)

Why did Sri Rama chase the golden deer?

There are two reasons.
1. Sita Devi, who was enchanted by the beauty of the deer, pleads Sri Rama to catch the deer dead or alive. Sri Rama is unable to say 'no' to Sita, knowing how much she wants the deer. 2. Lakshmana requests Sri Rama not to go after the deer and says that it could be Maricha, son of Tataka, who has come in the form of the deer. Sri Rama, then, tells the story of Rishi Agastya and the demon Vatapi.

The Sambuka episode of Ramayana cannot be a medieval or modern creation as it is cited as a popular story in Mahabharata.

In the Grdhra Gomayu samvada (dialogue between vulture and jackal) in Apaddharma-parva, the jackal mentions the killing of Sambuka by Sri Rama.

https://twitter.com/Koenraad_Elst/status/1463039022738124807

श्रूयते शम्बुके शूद्रे हते ब्राह्मणदारकः।
जीवितो धर्ममासाद्य रामात्सत्यपराक्रमात्॥ Mahabharata CE 12.149.62
"It has been heard that Rama, truthful in his valour, killed the shudra Shambuka, resorted to dharma, and brought a brahmana child back to life."

Dharmasastras on #Rape

Death penalty
स्त्रीषु कृतोपभोगः स्यात् प्रसह्य पुरुषो यदा ।
वधे तत्र प्रवर्तेत कार्यातिक्रमणं हि तद्॥ Katyayana Smrti 830
When a man has forcibly had sexual intercourse with a woman, he must be given capital punishment since it is violation of conduct.

https://twitter.com/LiveLawIndia/status/1395610926577950721

A #rape victim should not be looked down upon.

बलात्कारोपभुक्ता वा वैरिहस्तगतापि वा ।
न संत्यजेद्दूषितां नारीं ऋतुकालेन शुद्ध्यति॥ Agni Purana 165.6
A woman ravished forcibly or fallen into the hands of an enemy should be abandoned. She becomes pure after the menstrual period.

1/n
It is strange that there are still people who claim that Vatsyayana Rishi's Kamasutra is 'an Islamic, British, anti-Hindu vulgar text'.

Sri Madhusudana Sarasvati (16th C. CE) classifies 𝐊𝐚𝐦𝐚𝐬𝐮𝐭𝐫𝐚 𝐚𝐦𝐨𝐧𝐠 𝐀𝐲𝐮𝐫𝐯𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐜 𝐭𝐞𝐱𝐭𝐬, in his 'Prasthanabheda'. 2/n
कामशास्त्रमप्यायुर्वेदान्तर्गतमेव, तत्रैव सुश्रुतेन वाजीकरणाख्य कामशास्त्राभिधानात् । तत्र वात्स्यायनेन पञ्चाध्याय्यात्मकं कामशास्त्रं प्रणीतम् । तस्य च विषयवैराग्यमेव प्रयोजनम्, शास्त्रोद्दीपितमार्गेणापि विषयभोगे दुःखमात्रपर्यवसानात् । (Prasthanabheda, Section on Upavedas)

Is it possible to have Rama-rajya in Kali-Yuga?

It is generally believed that Dharma declines steadily in the four yugas as declared in Manusmriti 1.82, धर्मश्चापैति पादशः. i.e. The Dharm,a which is perfect in Kritayuga, declines quarter by quarter in each Yuga. Yet, this idea of decline of Dharma in each Yuga is not universal.

Our scriptures reveal that the ruler can create Krita-Yuga even in Kali-yuga. It is possible for a dharmik ruler to create Rama-rajya, a replication of Krita-Yuga in any of the other three yugas.

One who is pure in heart need not go to Kasi.

यमो वैवस्वतो देवो यस्तवैष हृदि स्थितः।
तेन चेदविवादस्ते मा गङ्गां मा कुरून् गमः॥ Manusmriti 8.92

"If you have no quarrel with the god Yama Vaivasvata who sits in your heart, you need not visit the Ganga, nor the Kurukshetra." Commentator Medhatithi adds, "the reward of going to holy places like Kasi and Kurukshetra consists in the destruction of पाप and acquiring पुण्य; and all this is obtained by a man here and now, if he is at peace with the Supreme Self (within him)."

Sivasamhita considers self-realisation as the highest dharma. So, all lower dharmas which cannot lead one to self-realisation are considered obstacles.

Yajnavalkyasmriti also says that attaining self-knowledge is the supreme dharma - अयं तु परमो धर्मो यद्योगेनात्मदर्शनम्।

https://twitter.com/VedicWarrior1/status/1353273262185144320

We find this in other darsanas too. Vivekachudamani says the Self is not known by taking bath in the sacred places, by charity or pranayama, but ony by reasoning guided by the Guru.

Bhagavad Gita is Hindu

Concepts of Isvara, Jagat (Universe), Jiva (individual soul), Devatas, Rebirth, Karma, Moksha, Svarga, Naraka, etc. in the Bhagavad Gita are unique to Hinduism.

Abrahamic religions cannot accept these concepts.

Details in the tweets below. (1/n)

https://twitter.com/digi_karma/status/1339804835659587584

2/n
Isvara is all-pervading and resides in the hearts of all beings.

मया ततमिदं सर्वं जगदव्यक्तमूर्तिना ।
मत्स्थानि सर्वभूतानि न चाहं तेष्ववस्थितः ॥ Bhagavad Gita 9.4

All this world is pervaded by Me in My unmanifested form: all beings exist in Me, but I do not dwell in them.

How ancient in Bharatavarsha? What is the greatness of Bharata?

The above question was addressed to Sankaracharya Niranjan Dev Tirtha of Govardhan Pith. Both the question and the response of the acharya were published in 1966 oct. issue of Sanskrit journal 'Sarada'. ss below. When requested by Dhritarashtra to describe the glory of Bharatavarsha, Sanjay said, "O descendant of Bharata, I shall now speak to you about the country named after Bharata. It is the beloved land of Indra. ++

@Drexler72_ @sarvayajnadhipa Yes, in a short while. @Drexler72_ @sarvayajnadhipa Regarding marriage of widows, the general rule in dharmasastras is that a widow cannot marry (there are exceptions under certain conditions which will be specified succeeding tweets).
Rules prohibiting widow marriage in ss. (1/n)

The words Bhagavan & Paramatma are synonyms.

वदन्ति तत्तत्त्वविदस्तत्त्वं यज्ज्ञानमद्वयम् ।
ब्रह्मेति परमात्मेति भगवानिति शब्द्यते ॥ Srimad Bhagavata 1.2.11

"The enlightened souls say that the reality of nondual knowledge is known as Brahman, Paramatma & Bhagavan."

https://twitter.com/AnantyaWisdom/status/1295404494247919618

As per Gita 13.23, Isvara & Paramatma are synonyms.

उपद्रष्टाऽनुमन्ता च भर्ता भोक्ता महेश्वरः।
परमात्मेति चाप्युक्तो देहेऽस्मिन्पुरुषः परः॥

The Supreme Soul in this body is also called the spectator, the permitter, the supporter, the enjoyer, the great Lord & the Supreme Self.

Why this country is called Bharata?

Puranas and other works in Sanskrit give various derivations of the word 'Bharata'. Let us have a look at a few of them here. As per Vishnu Purana and Bhagavata Purana, the name Bharata has its origin from the king Bharata, son of Rishabha.

Explaining the episode Vrinda Vishnu Samagama

There is an important rule about Puranic episodes. Whenever we have a doubt regarding a particular episode, we need to consult the other Puranas. Every puranic episode is described in multiple puranas.

https://twitter.com/ImtiazMadmood/status/1269399469134696458

In this case, if we check Devi Bhagavata version of Vrina's story, we will find that both Vrinda and her husband Jalandhara aka Sankhachuda are Vishnu's parts. Jalandhara is श्रीकृष्णांशसमुद्भवः and Vrinda is तदंशा तत्सखी प्रिया as per Devi Bhagavata 9.18.23-28.