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Bhandasura
Bhandāsura is an asura who appears in Hindu texts, Hindu literature, most prominently in Shaktism. He is featured in the ''Lalita Mahatmaya'' of the Brahmanda Purana, where he is slain by the goddess Tripura Sundari, Lalita. Legend The battle between Goddess Tripura Sundari, Lalita Tripura Sundari and Bhandasura is described in the Lalitopakhyana of Brahmanda Purana and Jnana Khanda of Tripura Rahasya. Lord Shiva married Sati (Hindu goddess), Sati, the daughter of the king Daksha. Sati's father did not invite Shiva to a great sacrifice as Daksha and Shiva were dissatisfied with each other. Sati, however, went to attend the ceremony despite Shiva's opposition. Daksha insulted Lord Shiva in front of Sati and she jumped into the fire to end his humiliation, killing herself. As a result, Shiva beheaded Daksha, but when Shiva's anger subsided, he revived him with a goat's head. Adi Parasakti was also reborn as Parvati as a result of a favor bestowed on King Himavan, and Tarakasura ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Tripura Sundari
Tripura Sundari (Sanskrit: त्रिपुरा सुन्दरी, IAST: Tripura Sundarī), also known as Rajarajeshwari, Shodashi, Kamakshi, and Lalita is a Hindu goddess, worshipped as a principal aspect of supreme goddess Mahadevi mainly venerated in Shaktism, the goddess-oriented sect of Hinduism. She is also one of the ten Mahavidyas. She is praised in many Shakta texts, with '' Lalita Sahasranama, Soundarya Lahari'' being the most popular one. She is known as Adi Parashakti in Lalitopakhyana of Brahmanda Purana. According to the Srikula tradition in Shaktism, Tripura Sundari is the foremost of the Mahavidyas, the supreme divinity of Hinduism and also the primary goddess of Sri Vidya. The Tripura Upanishad places her as the ultimate Shakti (energy, power) of the universe. She is described as the supreme consciousness, ruling from above Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva. Kinsley says, "In one instance she is said to be sitting on Shiva's lap in the Kameshwara form, the ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Bala Tripurasundari
Devi Bala Tripurasundari, also known as Bala-Ambika, is the younger aspect of the Hindu Goddess Tripura Sundari one of the ten forms of the Supreme Goddess Mahadevi. There are 64 forms of Devi Bala and her Bala Tripurasundari form is widely worshipped because of the Shri Vidya community. Apart from the Shri Vidya community there is also worship of Bala forms in the Uchchista Chandalini community and the Bhuvaneswari community. Those community are now merged into the Shri Vidya community. References in Hindu literature Within the Brahmanda Purana, Devi Bala Tripura Sundari is mentioned in chapter 26 of the Lalita Mahatmya, where she joins the battle against the forces of the arch-demon Bhandasura:Shastri, J.L.: "The Brahmanda Purana - Part IV" pages=1174-1175. Motilal Barnasidass Publishers, reprint 1999 : On hearing that the sons of Daitya Bhaņḑa the chief of whom was Caturbāhu had come for the purpose of fighting, Bālā (the daughter of Lalitā) showed interest in it. Sh ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Asura
Asuras (Sanskrit: असुर) are a class of beings in Indic religions. They are described as power-seeking clans related to the more benevolent Devas (also known as Suras) in Hinduism. In its Buddhist context, the word is sometimes translated "titan", " demigod", or "antigod". According to Hindu scriptures, the asuras are in constant battle with the devas. Asuras are described in Indian texts as powerful superhuman demigods with good or bad qualities. In early Vedic literature, the good Asuras are called ''Adityas'' and are led by Varuna, while the malevolent ones are called '' Danavas'' and are led by Vritra. In the earliest layer of Vedic texts Agni, Indra and other gods are also called Asuras, in the sense of their being "lords" of their respective domains, knowledge and abilities. In later Vedic and post-Vedic texts, the benevolent gods are called ''Devas'', while malevolent Asuras compete against these Devas and are considered "enem ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Mahishasura
Mahishasura is a bovine asura in Hinduism. He is depicted in literature to be a deceitful demon who pursued his evil ways by shape-shifting. Mahishasura was the son of Mahisi (Buffalo) and the great-grandson of Brahmarshi Kashyapa. He was ultimately killed by goddess Durga with her trishula (trident) after which she gained the epithet Mahishasuramardini ("Slayer of Mahishasura"). The Navaratri ("Nine Nights") festival eulogises this battle between Mahishasura and Durga, culminating in Vijaya Dasami, a celebration of his ultimate defeat. This story of the "triumph of good over evil" carries profound symbolism in Hinduism, particularly Shaktism, and is both narrated as well as reenacted from the Devi Mahatmya at many South and Southeast Asian Hindu temples. Legend Mahishasura is a Sanskrit word composed of ''Mahisha'' meaning “buffalo” and ''asura'' meaning “demon”, translating to “Buffalo Demon”. As an asura, Mahishasura waged war against the devas, as the devas a ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Sumbha And Nisumbha
In the Devi Mahatmya, Sumbha (शुम्भ) and Nisumbha (निशुम्भ), were two ''asuras'' that confronted, and were ultimately slain by Kaushiki; an avatar of Devi Chandi. In the Devi Mahatmyam The story of Sumbha and Nisumbha begins in the fifth chapter of the Devi Mahatmyam. Parvati relates how two brothers of Asura stock sought to conquer the Three Worlds by subjecting themselves to severe penance and purification rituals so that no man or demon could destroy them. Sumbha and Nisumbha traveled to Pushkara, a sacred place, and remained there in prayer for ten thousand years. God Brahma saw the brothers' penance, and was pleased, granting them the boon they requested. It was at this time that Chanda and Munda, two lesser Asuras in the service of Shumbha, encountered Parvati, and were overwhelmed by her beauty. They carried reports of this goddess to Shumbha, who sought to possess Parvati and her beauty. Shumbha sent the demon Sugriva (asura) to court Parvat ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Raktabīja
Raktabija () is an asura in Hinduism. According to the Puranas, he fought with Sumbha and Nisumbha against the goddesses Kali and Chandi, both forms of Durga. Raktabija had acquired a boon from Shiva that whenever a drop of his blood fell on the ground, various Raktabijas would emerge from the spot, equivalent to his strength, form, and weapons. Legend Origin According to the Puranas, Raktabija was, in his previous birth, Rambha, the son of Danu, the king of the asuras. Due to being childless, Rambha and his brother, Karambha, performed a penance to seek offspring. The brothers performed a tapas, with Rambha seated in the midst of five fires, and Karambha in the midst of water. Alarmed, Indra assumed the form of a makara and dragged Karambha into the depths, drowning him. Enraged, Rambha decided to offer his own head to the fires as a sacrifice. Agni appeared before him, and urged him to desist from performing suicide, denouncing it as a great sin. He offered Rambha a b ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Chanda And Munda
In Hinduism, in the Devi Mahatmya, Chanda and Munda are asuras (demons) in the service of Sumbha and Nishumbha. After the death of Dhumralochana, Sumbha sent them to fight Devi Kaushiki. After Chanda and Munda approached Devi Kaushiki, she turned black and Kali sprung from her head and killed them. Then, Kaushiki gave the name Chamunda to Kali. Afterward Raktabīja was sent, but was also slain by Goddess Kali. See also * Rambha (asura) * Raktabīja * Sumbha and Nisumbha * Mahishasura * Dhumralochana * Sugriva (asura) ''This character is about the vanara, in the Ramayana.'' Sugriva ( sa, सुग्रीव, , ) is a character In the ancient Indian epic Ramayana. He is the younger brother of Vali, whom he succeeded as ruler of the vanara kingdom of Kis ... References Danavas {{Hindu-myth-stub ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Madhu-Kaitabha
Madhu ( sa, मधु, ''Madhu'') and Kaitabha ( sa, कैटभ, ''Kaiṭabha''), also rendered Madhu-Kaiṭabhas, are the names of two asuras in Hindu scriptures, and are associated with Hindu cosmology. Legend Madhu and Kaitabha both originated from the earwax within the deity Vishnu's ears, while he was in the meditative state of yoganidra. From his navel, a lotus sprouted, upon which Brahma, the creator, sat contemplating the creation of the cosmos. Two dewdrops of water upon the lotus were created by Vishnu. One drop was as sweet as honey, and from that drop emerged Madhu, imbued with the attribute of tamas (darkness). The other drop was hard, and from it was born Kaiṭabha, imbued with the attribute of rajas (activity). According to the Devi Bhagavata Purana, Madhu and Kaitabha originated from Vishnu's earwax, and performed a long period of '' tapas'' devoted to the goddess Mahadevi, employing the Vāgbīja mantra. The goddess granted them the boon of death befa ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Kartikeya
Kartikeya ( sa, कार्त्तिकेय, Kārttikeya), also known as Skanda, Subrahmanya, Shanmukha (), and Murugan ( ta, முருகன்), is the Hindu god of war. He is the son of Parvati and Shiva, the brother of Ganesha and a god whose legends have many versions in Hinduism. Kartikeya has been an important deity in the Indian subcontinent since ancient times, worshipped as Mahasena and Kumara in North India and is predominantly worshipped in the state of Tamil Nadu and other parts of South India, Sri Lanka, Singapore, and Malaysia as Murugan. Murugan is widely regarded as the "God of the Tamil people". It has been postulated that the Tamil deity of Murugan was syncretised with the Vedic deity of Subrahmanya following the Sangam era. Both Muruga and Subrahmanya refer to Kartikeya. The iconography of Kartikeya varies significantly; he is typically represented as an ever-youthful man, riding or near an Indian peafowl, called Paravani, bearing a vel an ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Mahaganapati
Mahaganapati ( sa, महागणपति, ), literally "Ganesha, the Great"), also spelled as Maha Ganapati, and frequently called Mahaganadhipati, is an aspect of the Hindu god Ganesha. He is the representation of Ganesha as the Supreme Being Paramatman and is the most important deity of the Ganesha-centric Ganapatya sect. He is one of the most popular of the thirty-two forms of Ganesha, worshipped as a representation of the ultimate truth Para brahman. Mahaganapati is depicted as elephant-headed with ten arms carrying various objects and is accompanied by a goddess. Iconography Like all aspects of Ganesha, Mahaganapati has an elephant head. Sindoor, is generally used for his red colour, in depictions. His colour is a reference to the dawn. He is often depicted with a third eye on his forehead, a crescent moon over his head, ten arms which hold; a lotus, a pomegranate fruit, a gada (mace), a chakra (discus), his own broken tusk, a pasha (noose), a jewelled water vessel o ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Sri Yantra
The Sri Yantra, Shri Yantra, or Shri Chakra is a form of mystical diagram ('' yantra'') used in the Shri Vidya school of Hinduism. It consists of nine interlocking triangles - four upward ones which represent Shiva, and five downward ones representing Shakti. All these surround the central point, the ''bindu''. These triangles represent the cosmos and the human body. Because of its nine triangles, Shri Yantra is also known as the ''Navayoni Chakra''. When the two-dimensional Shri Yantra is represented in three dimensions, it is called a ''Mahameru''. Mount Meru derives its name from this shape. In addition to Mount Meru, all other yantras derive from the Shri Yantra. Appearance In the 2009 issue of Brahmavidya (the journal of the Adyar Library), Subhash Kak argues that the description of Shri Yantra is identical to the ''yantra'' described in the Śrī Sūkta in the Rigveda. The Sri Yantra's 9 constituent triangles vary in size and shape and intersect to form 43 smaller t ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Pasha (Hinduism)
Pasha (), often translated as " noose" or "lasso", is a supernatural weapon depicted in Hindu iconography. Hindu deities such as Ganesha, Yama and Varuna are depicted with the pasha in their hands. Pasha is a common attribute of Ganesha, the Lord of removing obstacles; a pasha represents his power to bind and free obstacles. Yama, the god of death, uses the Pasha to extract a soul from a being's body at the time of death. In sculpture, it is depicted as two or three bound into one or a double loop. The Sanskrit word "pasha" originally meant "knot" or "loop". In general usage, the pasha is used to bind a foe's arms and legs or for hunting animals. Pasha represents worldly attachment as well as power of a deity to capture and bind evil and ignorance. Ananda Coomaraswamy explores the connection of pasha to worldly bonds. In the Shaiva Siddhanta school of Hinduism, pasha is part of the trinity Pati-pashu-pasha, meaning "Master, animal, tether", symbolizing God, man and world. Pat ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
