u/Business-Bathroom-22

I’ve noticed that Avestan sounds strangely incomplete or broken whereas Vedic Sanskrit sounds much more phonetically rich and developed.

I’m aware that this is subjective and that describing one natural language as “incomplete” isn't linguistically accurate. I’m specifically interested in the phonological/phonetic reasons behind this perception.

Let me give an example of Yasna 28:5 to explain my perspective:

Avesta (original) -

Ašā kat θβā darəsānī, manascā vohū vaēdəmnō.

Gātūmcā ahurāi, sēvištāi sraošəm mazdāi.

Anā māθrā mazištəm, vāurōimaidī xrafstrā hizvā.

Vedic Sanskrit (its equivalent) -

Ṛta kat tvā darśāni, manaś ca vásu vedamānaḥ.

Gātúṃ ca ásurāya, śáviṣṭhāya śróṣam médhase.

Anéna mántrā máhiṣṭham, vāvṛmahi krapstrā́ jihváyā.

Some points I noted:

1. The word, xrafstrā or krapstrā́, is in Avestan. I do not know where it is used in the Vedas.

2. The ṛ developed differently in Avesta, while it is the same in Sanskrit from PIE’s r̥: ṛ-ta & a-ša.

3. Tvā (in accusative, "you") becomes θβā. Same but still so much different.

Or simply putting,

I've been listening to a lot of Yasnas these days from YT and dr. Ramiyar Karanjia’s website, but all of those recitations sound phonetically "irregular and ugly [can’t describe well enough 🥀]" to my ears.

I am a nineteen-year-old boy from struggling middle class. Also, my parents only child.

My parents tell me how other children younger than me have achieved so much in life that made their parents really proud, while I only waste the resources and potential. Even though, I tried my best to apply for part time jobs to independent but couldn’t. Tried new things for long time but failed miserably.

Never smoked. Never drank. Never got into any trouble.

In studies, I am average. Or maybe below average.

I don't have very good friends either. I sit alone in the university. But my classmates love to make fun of my ugly face, immature behaviour and some jokes on me that I don't even understand but someone else always has to explain me how it was intended to make fun of me. Recently, I applied for scholarship because my financial condition isn't great, but two of my friends with whom I like to talk to made fun of it themselves, and how backward it was to bring roti/paratha and pickle/jam in lunch. :') This is like my everyday in class and campus, I can't take it anymore. Complained to parents but they said: "you are still immature."

My cousin studies too here, but he ignores me. Pretends as if he doesn't even know me.

I tried to stay home and stop going to college but my parents took all their frustrations on me. So, I have to go to the university.

I think I am the cause of problems. The financial condition of my parents is because of me. My friends make fun of my appearance.

I don't see an escape. My school life had been the same. What do I do? I don't know. I sit alone in the bus' middle seat and sometimes cry quietly.

YouTube, X, Reddit and Quora are all that I have to comfort myself.

On Instagram/X reels and comments I keep seeing the same fantasy from both guys and girls: “I can’t wait to be a parent… of a little girl.”

It’s become a repetitive pattern. Preference is personal, but when one gender is the default dream child and the other is basically an afterthought, and saying that out loud gets you called a misogynist (or worse: “your mom should’ve aborted you” as I got told for sharing my opinion on Free4Talk).

Gender isn’t chosen. The healthy baseline is still supposed to be: you get a kid, you love and raise that kid, boy or girl.

One thing I've noticed is that many Hindus seem to have an isht devta they feel naturally devoted to whether through family tradition, personal experiences or simply an inner attraction. I don’t really have that.

I think one reason could be that I don’t feel a personal connection to any particular deity yet. It is not that I dislike any of them; I just don’t know them well enough to develop genuine bhakti or preference.

The only deities I have found myself somewhat drawn to are Mitra and Varuna, partly because my gotra is Maitra Varuni Vasishtha. Beyond that, I don't know whether a gotra has any relevance to choosing an ishta devta or if that’s just a coincidence. Sounds illogical but this word Mitra-Varuna come across everyday nowadays like while chanting sandhya vandana mantras and chanting full Taittiriya Upanishad’s Shanti Path (this is the swadhyaya part). Sounds illogical, I know.

Coincidentally, Arya Samaj’s Satyarth Prakash starts with this Shanti Path. Or maybe I am hallucinating.

How do I know who my ishta devta is? Can Mitra/Surya and Varuna be worshipped as ishta devta?

नमस्ते। I know somewhat about Arya Samaj, so I’m asking these questions in good faith and out of curiosity. I’d appreciate answers from people who are familiar with the tradition.

1. How is Vedic chanting taught in Arya Samaj? Do they preserve traditional Vedic accents (svaras) or do they use a different method of recitation?

2. How valid is the Arya Samaji Sandhya Vandana (since their mantras don’t have viniyoga, sankalp, and suryargha) and Agnihotra?

3. Are there different schools/sects within Arya Samaj today?

4. What are the other Yajñas beside Agnihotra that Arya Samajis perform?

5. Why is Satyarth Prakash’s Hindi kinda tough?

6. My acquaintances accuse Swami Dayanand Saraswati of distorting meaning of the Vedic mantras. Why?

7. How is upanayana sanskar done in Arya Samaj?

8. I just have completed reading the 1st and 2nd samullasah of Satyarth Prakash (doesn’t mean I fully understood, still trying to grasp). In the conclusion of first samullasah, Swami Dayanand ji says; “हरिः ओम्” is completely Tantric-Pauranic and should be replaced with “ओ३म्” and “अथ” because “अथातो ब्रह्मजिज्ञासा”, “ओमित्येतदक्षरमिदँ” have been used in the Vedic scriptures, but isn't हरि in Vedic usage since one of Indra’s epithets is हरिवान्?

I am not looking to start a debate. I am simply trying to understand Arya Samaj as accurately as possible. Thank you!

My parents are Nepali sunars (from the hills), but I was born and raised in India. Growing up in Indian cities, I haven’t personally experienced much caste-based discrimination that some people face in rural village settings. Have heard that Nepal’s society, especially in the Pahadi/hilly areas, has its more discriminatory caste history. I would really appreciate learning more from people with direct knowledge or experience.

1. How do different castes traditionally interact in villages versus towns/cities today? Has discrimination or social separation lessened with modernization, education, and migration? Any personal stories or observations about rural life?

2. What is the historical background of the caste system in Nepal’s hilly regions?

I am asking this out of genuine curiosity about my heritage and family roots, not to judge or stir controversy. Please share reliable info and personal experiences.

Let’s keep the discussion civil and informative!

Thank you!

I am a nineteen-year-old university student, 2nd year, studying computer science (parents forced). Interested in linguistics, mathematics, learning new words, metaphysics, morality, ethics, theology, history and cooking.

But there is a problem… a big one that I am unable to focus on one thing at once due to which my CGPA (8.75 to only 7) got affected.

I need help to be able to focus because none of the things I could do perfectly. As a twelve-year-old boy, I learnt Spanish and Indonesian for 4th & 5th language. But now I struggle with learning new things.

What should I do to help myself?

The Qur'an describes itself as being revealed in "clear Arabic" (Qur'an 26:195). However, many linguists and Islamic scholars acknowledge that the Qur'an contains words whose ultimate origins are in other languages.

Examples commonly discussed include:

1. Tawrāh (توراة) — generally traced to the Hebrew Torah.

2. Injīl (إنجيل) — derived through Syriac from the Greek Euangelion ("Gospel").

3. Jahannam (جهنم) — often connected to the Hebrew Ge-Hinnom.

Some scholars also argue that certain other Qur'anic words have Persian, Ethiopic, Syriac, or Aramaic origins.

If these words are indeed borrowings from other languages, how should this be reconciled with the Qur'an's description of itself as being in "clear Arabic"?

My proposition is: The presence of foreign loanwords in the Qur'an appears to be in tension with the claim that it is in "clear Arabic".

Those who disagree would need to explain whether:

These words had already become part of the Arabic language before the Qur'an. "Clear Arabic" refers to grammar and style rather than the etymological origin of every word.

The claimed foreign origins are incorrect.