|
Khecchar Vasu
Uparichara Vasu () is a king featured in Hindu literature, a member of the Chandravamsha (Lunar dynasty). The son of Kruti, he rules over the kingdom of Chedi. He is described to be a friend of Indra and a great devotee of Vishnu in the Puranas. His legend is also described in the Mahabharata. Legend Puranas The Skanda Purana and the Vayu Purana state that Uparichara Vasu is a king so pious that he is able to ride his chariot across the sky. When there is a dispute that arises between the devas and the sages about the interpretation of the term 'Aja' in a Vedic injunction that prescribed for a sacrificial offering, they decide to go to Uparichara Vasu for arbitration. The sages state that such a sacrifice must be performed using grains, and the devas insist that such a sacrifice must be performed using animals such as goats. The king rules in favour of the devas. The sages, angry that the king had advocated against ahimsa, cursed him to fall towards the netherworld. He is sav ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Puranas
Purana (; sa, , '; literally meaning "ancient, old"Merriam-Webster's Encyclopedia of Literature (1995 Edition), Article on Puranas, , page 915) is a vast genre of Indian literature about a wide range of topics, particularly about legends and other traditional lore. The Puranas are known for the intricate layers of symbolism depicted within their stories. Composed originally in Sanskrit and in Languages of India, other Indian languages,John Cort (1993), Purana Perennis: Reciprocity and Transformation in Hindu and Jaina Texts (Editor: Wendy Doniger), State University of New York Press, , pages 185-204 several of these texts are named after major Hindu gods such as Vishnu, Shiva, Brahma, and Adi Shakti. The Puranic genre of literature is found in both Hinduism and Jainism. The Puranic literature is encyclopedic, and it includes diverse topics such as cosmogony, cosmology, genealogies of gods, goddesses, kings, heroes, sages, and demigods, folk tales, pilgrimages, temples, medic ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Patala
In Indian religions, Patala (Sanskrit: पाताल, IAST: pātāla, lit. ''that which is below the feet''), denotes the subterranean realms of the universe – which are located under the earthly dimension. Patala is often translated as underworld or netherworld. Patala is described as more beautiful than Svarga (subtle dimensions, loosely translated as heaven). Patala is described as filled with splendid jewels, beautiful groves and lakes. In Vajrayana Buddhism, caves inhabited by asuras are entrances to Patala; these asuras, particularly female asuras, are often "tamed" (converted to Buddhism) as dharmapala or dakinis by famous Buddhist figures such as Padmasambhava. In Hindu cosmology, the universe is divided into the three worlds: Svarga, Prithvi or Martya (earth/mortal plane) and Patala (gross dimensions, the underworld). Patala is composed of seven realms/dimensions or lokas, the seventh and lowest of them is also called Patala or Naga-loka, the region of the Nagas. T ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Darshan (Indian Religions)
In Indian religions, ''Darshana'', also spelt ''Darshan'', (Sanskrit: दर्शन, , ) or ''Darshanam'' (darśanam) is the auspicious sight of a deity or a holy person. The term also refers to six traditional schools of Hindu philosophy and their literature on spirituality and soteriology. Etymology The word darshana, also in the forms of ''darśana'' or ''darshanam'', comes from Sanskrit दर्शन, from ''dṛś'', 'to see', vision, apparition or glimpse. Definition ''Darshana'' is described as an "auspicious sight" of a holy person, which bestows merit on the viewer. It is most commonly used for theophany, meaning a manifestation or vision of the divine, in Hindu worship, e.g. of a deity (especially in image form), or a very holy person or artifact. One can receive ''darshana'' or a glimpse of the deity in the temple, or from a great saintly person, such as a great guru. In Hinduism The term ''darshana'' also refers to the six systems of thought, called ''dars ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ashvamedha
The Ashvamedha ( sa, अश्वमेध, aśvamedha, translit-std=IAST) was a horse sacrifice ritual followed by the Śrauta tradition of Vedic religion. It was used by ancient Indian kings to prove their imperial sovereignty: a horse accompanied by the king's warriors would be released to wander for a year. In the territory traversed by the horse, any rival could dispute the king's authority by challenging the warriors accompanying it. After one year, if no enemy had managed to kill or capture the horse, the animal would be guided back to the king's capital. It would be then sacrificed, and the king would be declared as an undisputed sovereign. The best-known text describing the sacrifice is the ''Ashvamedhika Parva'' ( sa, अश्वमेध पर्व), or the "Book of Horse Sacrifice," the fourteenth of eighteen books of the Indian epic poem ''Mahabharata''. Krishna and Vyasa advise King Yudhishthira to perform the sacrifice, which is described at great length. Th ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Narayana
Narayana (Sanskrit: नारायण, IAST: ''Nārāyaṇa'') is one of the forms and names of Vishnu, who is in yogic slumber under the celestial waters, referring to the masculine principle. He is also known as Purushottama, and is considered the Supreme Being in Vaishnavism. Etymology L. B. Keny proposes that Narayana was associated with the Dravidian, and ultimately, the Indus Valley Civilisation, prior to his syncretism with Vishnu. To this end, he states that the etymology of the deity is associated with the Dravidian ''nara'', meaning water, ''ay'', which in Tamil means "to lie in a place", and ''an'', which is the masculine termination in Dravidian languages. He asserts that this is also the reason why Narayana is represented as lying on a serpent in the sea. He quotes, "This Nārāyana of the Āryan pantheon seems to be the supreme being of the Mohenjo-Darians, a god who was probably styled Ān, a name still kept in Tamil literature as Āndivanam, the prototype ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Pancharatra
''Pancharatra'' (IAST: ''Pāñcarātra'') was a religious movement in Hinduism that originated in late 3rd-century BCE around the ideas of Narayana and the various avatars of Vishnu as their central deities.Pancharatra: religious movement Encyclopaedia Britannica The movement later merged with the ancient Bhagavata tradition and contributed to the development of Vaishnavism. The Pancharatra movement created numerous literary treatises in Sanskrit called the ''Pancharatra Samhitas'', and these have been influential Āgama (Hinduism), Agamic texts within the theistic Vaishnava movements.Oriental Institute, Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda (1940). Gaekwad Oriental Series, Issue 86, p.7. Literally meani ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Satya Yuga
''Satya Yuga'' ( ''Krita Yuga''), in Hinduism, is the first and best of the four ''yugas'' (world ages) in a ''Yuga Cycle'', preceded by ''Kali Yuga'' of the previous cycle and followed by ''Treta Yuga''. ''Satya Yuga'' lasts for 1,728,000 years (4,800 divine years). ''Satya Yuga'' is known as the age of truth, when humanity is governed by gods, and every manifestation or work is close to the purest ideal and humanity will allow intrinsic goodness to rule supreme. It is sometimes referred to as the "Golden Age". The god ''Dharma'' (depicted in the form of a bull), which symbolizes morality, stood on all four legs during this period. The legs of ''Dharma'' reduce by one in each ''yuga'' that follows. Etymology ''Yuga'' ( sa, युग), in this context, means "an age of the world", where its archaic spelling is ''yug'', with other forms of ''yugam'', , and ''yuge'', derived from ''yuj'' ( sa, युज्, , to join or yoke), believed derived from ' (Proto-Indo-European: 'to j ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Brhaspati
Brihaspati ( sa, बृहस्पति, ), also known as Guru, is a Hindu deity. In the ancient Vedic scriptures of Hinduism, Brihaspati is a deity associated with fire, and the word also refers to a rishi (sage) who counsels the devas (gods). In some later texts, the word refers to the largest planet of the solar system, Jupiter, and the deity is associated with the planet as a Navagraha. Sage Brihaspati appears in the Rigveda (pre-1000 BCE), such as in the dedications to him in the hymn 50 of Book 4; he is described as a sage born from the first great light, the one who drove away darkness, is bright and pure, and carries a special bow whose string is ''Rta'' or "cosmic order" (basis of dharma). His knowledge and character is revered, and he is considered Guru (teacher) by all the Devas. In the Vedic literature and other ancient texts, sage Brihaspati is also called by other names such as Bramanaspati, Purohita, Angirasa (son of Angiras) and Vyasa; he is sometimes identifie ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Yamuna
The Yamuna (Hindustani language, Hindustani: ), also spelt Jumna, is the second-largest tributary river of the Ganges by discharge and the longest tributary in List of major rivers of India, India. Originating from the Yamunotri Glacier at a height of about on the southwestern slopes of Bandarpunch peaks of the Lower Himalayan Range, Lower Himalaya in Uttarakhand, it travels a total length of and has a Drainage system (geomorphology), drainage system of , 40.2% of the entire Ganges Basin. It merges with the Ganges at Triveni Sangam, Allahabad, which is a site of the Kumbh Mela, a Hindu festival held every 12 years. Like the Ganges, the Yamuna is highly venerated in Hinduism and worshipped as the Yamuna in Hinduism, goddess Yamuna. In Hinduism she is the daughter of the sun god, Surya, and the sister of Yama, the god of death, and so is also known as Yami. According to popular legends, bathing in its sacred waters frees one from the torments of death. It crosses several s ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Apsara
An apsaras or apsara ( sa, अप्सरा ' lso ' pi, अक्चरा, translit=accharā) is a type of female spirit of the clouds and waters in Hinduism and Buddhist culture. They figure prominently in the sculpture, dance, literature and painting of many Indian and Southeast Asian cultures. There are two types of apsaras: ''laukika'' (worldly) and ''daivika'' (divine). Urvasi, Menaka, Rambha, Tilottama and Ghritachi are the most famous among them. They are most often depicted in the court and discretion of Indra. Apsaras are widely known as ''Apsara'' ( ) in Khmer, and also called as ''Accharā'' in Pāli, or ''Bidadari'' (Malay, Maranao), ''Biraddali'' ( Tausug, Sinama), ''Hapsari/Apsari'' or ''Widadari/Widyadari'' ( Javanese), ''Helloi'' ( Meitei) and ''Apsorn'' ( th , อัปสร). English translations of the word "Apsara" include "nymph", "fairy", "celestial nymph", and "celestial maiden". In Hinduism, apsaras are beautiful, supernatural female beings. ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Pitrs
The pitrs () are the spirits of departed ancestors in Hinduism. Following an individual's death, the performance of the antyesti (funeral rites) is regarded to allow the deceased to enter Pitrloka, the abode of one's ancestors. The non-performance of these rituals is believed to result in the fate of wandering the earth as a restless preta. The amavashya (new moon day), as well as the occasion of Pitru Paksha during the Hindu month of Ashvin is recommended for the veneration of pitrs. Development Ancestor veneration is an ancient Indian practice that emerged in the Vedic religion, dating back to 1500 BCE, during the Vedic period. The custom of a death anniversary is still practised in India, where the deathday of one's parents involves a number of rituals and offerings, that are elaborated in the Puranas. Balls of rice (Piṇḍa) are traditionally offered on certain occasions, due to the belief that one's ancestors still need to be fed by their descendants. For the Brahmin ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Svarga
Svarga (), also known as Indraloka and Svargaloka, is the celestial abode of the devas in Hinduism. Svarga is one of the seven higher lokas ( esoteric planes) in Hindu cosmology. Svarga is often translated as heaven, though it is regarded to be not the equivalent of the Abrahamic Heaven. Description Svargaloka is a set of celestial worlds located on and above Mount Meru, where those who had led righteous lives by adhering to the scriptures delight in pleasures, before their next birth on earth. It is described to have been built by the deity Tvashtar, the Vedic architect of the devas. The king of the devas, Indra, is the ruler of Svarga, ruling it with his consort, Indrani. His palace in the abode is called Vaijayanta. This palace holds the famous hall, Sudharma, unrivalled among all the princely courts. The capital of Svarga is Amaravati, and its entrance is guarded by the legendary elephant, Airavata. Svarga is described to be the home of Kamadhenu, the cow of plenty, as w ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
