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Kadru
Kadru () is usually regarded as the daughter of Daksha and the consort of the sage Kashyapa in Hindu scriptures. Kashyapa is the son of Marichi, who is a manasaputra, a mind-born son of Brahma. Kadru is best known as the mother of the nagas, the race of serpents. Legends of Kadru detail her relationship with her elder sister Vinata, who was also one of Kashyapa's many wives. In one story, Kadru and Vinata vie to bear the children of Kashyapa who are more powerful than the other. While Kadru gives birth to a thousand nagas, Vinata bears two sons, Aruṇa and Garuda. Kadru is also portrayed as more scheming and wily than Vinata. She challenges Vinata to guess the colour of the tail of Uchchaihshravas, the divine white horse. After Vinata says the tail is white, Kadru tricks Vinata by directing her sons to coil around the horse's tail, causing it to appear black. As a result, Vinata loses the bet and she and her sons are forced to become the slaves of Kadru and her sons. Anoth ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Vinata
In Hinduism, Vinata is the mother of Aruna and Garuda. She is one of the daughters of Prajapati Daksha. She is married to Kashyapa, along with several of her sisters. She bears him two sons, the elder being Aruna and the younger being Garuda. Legend Vinata is a daughter of Daksha. Kadru is her elder sister, and when they both lived with Kashyapa as his wives, and attended to all his comforts, he blessed them by granting each of them a boon. Kadru asked for a thousand naga sons who should be valiant. Prompted by her sister's demand for sons, Vinata asked for only two sons, who should be more powerful and brighter than Kadru's children. Kashyapa granted them their wishes. After his wives became pregnant, he advised them to look after the children, and then left for his penance in the forest. Birth of Aruna According to the Mahabharata, Kadru went on to lay a thousand eggs, and Vinata, two eggs. Both of them kept their eggs in hot pots. In their five-hundredth year, the eggs of ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Kashyapa
Kashyapa ( sa, कश्यप}, ) is a revered Vedas, Vedic Sage (philosophy), sage of Hinduism., Quote: "Kasyapa (Rudra),(Vedic Seer)..." He is one of the Saptarishis, the seven ancient sages of the ''Rigveda''. Kashyapa is the most ancient and venerated Rishi, rishi, along with the other Saptarishis, listed in the colophon verse in the ''Brihadaranyaka Upanishad''. Kashyapa is an ancient name, referring to many different personalities in the ancient Hindu and Buddhist texts. The place Kashmir is named after him, as well as numerous other Sanskrit texts and Indian scriptures. Name Kashyapa means "turtle" in Sanskrit. According to Michael Witzel, it is related to Avestan ''kasiiapa'', Sogdian language, Sogdian ''kyšph'', New Persian ''kašaf'', ''kaš(a)p'' which mean "tortoise", after which Kashaf Rūd or a river in Turkmenistan and Khorasan is named. Other relations include to Tocharian languages, Tokarian B ''kaccāp'' ("brainpan"), Tocharian languages, Tokarian A ''kā ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Garuda
Garuda (Sanskrit: ; Pāli: ; Vedic Sanskrit: गरुळ Garuḷa) is a Hindu demigod and divine creature mentioned in the Hindu, Buddhist and Jain faiths. He is primarily depicted as the mount (''vahana'') of the Hindu god Vishnu. Garuda is also the half-brother of the Devas, Daityas, Danavas and Yakshas. He is the son of the sage Kashyapa and Vinata. He is the younger brother of Aruna, the charioteer of the Sun. Garuda is mentioned in several other texts such as the Puranas and the Vedas. Garuda is described as the king of the birds and a kite-like figure. He is shown either in a zoomorphic form (a giant bird with partially open wings) or an anthropomorphic form (a man with wings and some ornithic features). Garuda is generally portrayed as a protector with the power to swiftly travel anywhere, ever vigilant and an enemy of every serpent. He is also known as Tarkshya and Vainateya. Garuda is a part of state insignia of India, Indonesia and Thailand. The Indonesian official ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Shesha
Shesha (Sanskrit: शेष; ) , also known as Sheshanaga (Sanskrit: शेषनाग; ) or Adishesha (), is a serpentine demigod (Naga) and Nagaraja (King of all serpents), as well as a primordial being of creation in Hinduism. In the Puranas, Shesha is said to hold all the planets of the universe on his hoods and to constantly sing the glories of Vishnu from all his mouths. He is sometimes referred to as Ananta Shesha, "Endless-Shesha", or Adishesha, the "First Shesha". It is said that when Adishesa uncoils, time moves forward and creation takes place; when he coils back, the universe ceases to exist. The Narayana form of Vishnu is often depicted as resting on Shesha, accompanied by his consort Lakshmi. Adishesha is considered as one of the two mounts of Vishnu alongside Garuda. He is said to have descended upon Earth in the following human forms or incarnations: Lakshmana, brother of Vishnu's incarnation Rama during the Treta Yuga, and according to some traditions, as Bala ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Aruṇa
Aruna ( sa, अरुण ) is the charioteer of Surya (Sun god) in Hinduism. He is the elder brother of Garuda. Aruna and Garuda are the sons of Vedic sage Kashyapa and his wife Vinata, daughter of Prajapati Daksha. His children were Sampati and Jatayu. He is also found in Buddhism and Jainism literature and arts. Mythology Birth Aruna is found in different, inconsistent Indian legends. In the epic ''Mahabharata'',Mani p. 55 he was born prematurely and partially developed from an egg. According to this version, Kashyapa Prajapati's two wives Vinata and Kadru wanted to have children. Kashyapa granted them a boon. Kadru asked for one thousand 'Dirghadeha' (meaning long bodied) Nāga (serpent) sons, while Vinata wanted only two yet extremely strong 'Divyadeha' (meaning emitting golden aura from body). Kashyapa blessed them, and then went away to a forest. Later, Kadru gave birth to one thousand eggs, while Vinata gave birth to two eggs. These incubated for five hundred years, ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Uchchaihshravas
In Hinduism, Uchchaihshravas ( sa, उच्चैःश्रवस्, Uccaiḥśravas or sa, उच्चैःश्रवा, Uccaiḥśravā, label=none, "long-ears" or "neighing aloud") is a seven-headed flying horse, created during the churning of the milk ocean. It is considered the best of horses, the prototype and the king of the horses. Uchchaihshravas is often described as a ''vahana'' ("vehicle") of Indra (the king of the gods), but is also recorded to be the horse of Bali, the king of the asuras (demons). Uchchaihshravas is said to be snow white in colour. Literature Mahabharata The ''Mahabharata'' mentions that Uchchaihshravas rose from the Samudra Manthana ("churning of the milk ocean") and Indra—the god-king of heaven—seized it and made it his vehicle (vahana). The stallion rose from the ocean along with other treasures like goddess Lakshmi - the goddess of fortune, who chose Vishnu as her consort, and the amrita - the elixir of life. The legend of Uc ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Surasa
Surasa also Siras is a Hinduism, Hindu goddess, who is described as the mother of the nāga, nagas (serpents)." Her most popular tale appears in the Hindu epic ''Ramayana'', where she is tasked to test the god Hanuman on his way to Lanka. Birth and children In the Hindu epic ''Ramayana'', Surasa is one of the 12 daughters of Daksha, who are married to the sage Kashyapa. She became the mother of the nāga, nagas (a class of serpents), while her co-wife and sister Kadru gave birth to uragas, another class of snakes. Vasuki (snake), Vasuki, Takshaka, Airavata and other sons of Surasa are described to live in Bhogavati. The epic ''Mahabharata'' describes her being born from the wrath of Krodhavasha, another wife of Kashyapa. Surasa has three daughters: Anala, Ruha and Virudha. The serpents descend from the daughters of Surasa. She is thus called the mother of nagas and also cranes; another snake race Pannagas descends from Kadru. The ''Matsya Purana'' and the ''Vishnu Purana'' descr ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Karkotaka
Karkotaka ( sa, कर्कोटक, translit=Karkoṭaka) is a naga king in Hinduism. One of the children of Kashyapa and Kadru, Karkotaka is regarded to have lived in a forest near the Nishadha Kingdom. According to Hindu mythology, he stings King Nala, transforming him into a twisted and ugly shape. Legend Karkotaka once deceived Narada, the divine sage, in a game of chance. Angered, Narada cursed him that he would remain stationary in the forest until he is saved by King Nala. In the Mahabharata, Karkotaka encountered King Nala when there was a wildfire in the forest where he dwelt, calling out to the king to rescue him. Reducing himself to the size of a thumb, he urged Nala to save him, and the king promptly moved the serpent to a safer spot. Thus, he was freed from Narada's curse. Karkotaka asked the king to step forward ten steps, and after he did so, stung him, causing him to turn ugly. The serpent explained that he had bit the king because the malevolent Kali had ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Manasa
Manasa () is a Hindu goddess of snakes. She is worshipped mainly in Bihar, Bengal, Jharkhand, Lower Assam and other parts of northeastern India and in Uttarakhand, chiefly for the prevention and cure of snakebite, and also for fertility and prosperity. In Hindu mythology, Manasa is the sister of the first two naga kings, Shesha and Vasuki, and the wife of Sage Jaratkaru. She is the mother of the sage Astika. She is also known as ''Vishahari'' (the destroyer of poison), ''Nityā'' (eternal) and ''Padmavati''. In the Puranas, the sage Kashyapa is considered to be her father, one legend stating that she was created from his mind, and the other stating that she is his daughter from his wife, Kadru. In regional tradition, her myths emphasise her bad temper and unhappiness, due to rejection by her father, Shiva, and her husband, and the hate of her stepmother Chandi (Shiva's wife, identified with Parvati in this context). Manasa is depicted as kind to her devotees, but harsh toward ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Daksha
In Hinduism, Daksha (Sanskrit: दक्ष, IAST: , lit. "able, dexterous, or honest one") is one of the '' Prajapati'', the agents of creation, as well as a divine king-rishi. His iconography depicts him as a man with a stocky body and a handsome face or the head of a goat. In the ''Rigveda'', Daksha is an ''Aditya'' and is associated with priestly skills. In the epics and ''Puranic'' scriptures, he is a ''son'' of the creator god Brahma and the father of many children, who became the progenitors of various creatures. According to one legend, an egoistic Daksha conducted a yajna (fire sacrifice) and didn't invite his youngest daughter Sati and her husband Shiva. He was beheaded by Virabhadra for insulting Sati and Shiva but was later resurrected with the head of a goat. Many ''Puranas'' state that Daksha was reborn to Prachetas in another ''Manvantara'' (age). Etymology and textual history The meaning of the word "Daksha" (दक्ष) is "able", "expert", "skillful" or ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Panchajani
In Hindu mythology, Asikni ( sa, असिक्नी, Asiknī, the dark one' or 'night), also known as Panchajani and Virani, is a consort of Daksha in the Puranic pantheon. Most scriptures mention her as the mother of 6000 sons and 60 daughters. Etymology and epithets The Sanskrit word "Asikni" means 'dark' or 'night'; it can also refer to "a girl attending woman's apartment". The word is used in the ''Rigveda'' (c. 1500 BCE) to describe the river Chenab. She is also known by the patronymic "Panchajani" and "Virani". Life Birth Puranas differ about her parentage. Devi-Bhagavata Purana, Kalika Purana, Garuda Purana, and Brahma Purana note Asikni to have been born of Brahma's left thumb. According to the Bhagavata Purana and Shiva Purana, she was the daughter of Prajapati Panchajana. Brahma Purana, Brahmanda Purana, Vayu Purana, Kalika Purana, Kurma Purana, Padma Purana, Garuda Purana, and Shiva Purana note her to be the daughter of Prajapati Virana. Marriage The br ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Aditi
Aditi (Sanskrit: अदिति, lit. 'boundless' or 'limitless' or 'innocence') is an important Vedic goddess in Hinduism. She is the personification of the sprawling infinite and vast cosmos. She is the goddess of motherhood, consciousness, unconsciousness, the past, the future, and fertility. She is the mother of the celestial deities known as the adityas, and is referred to as the mother of many deities. As celestial mother of numerous beings, the synthesis of all things, she is associated with space (''akasha'') and with mystic speech (''Vāc''). She may be seen as a feminine form of Brahma, and associated with the primal substance (''mulaprakriti'') in the Vedanta. She is mentioned more than 250 times in the ''Rigveda,'' the verses replete with her praise. Family Aditi is the daughter of Daksha and Asikni (Panchajani). The ''Puranas'', such as the ''Shiva Purana'' and the ''Bhagavata Purana'', suggest that Daksha married all of his daughters off to different people ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
