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Nalakuvara
Nalakuvara, also known as Nalakubara (), appears in Hindu and Buddhist mythology as the brother of Manigriva (also known as Manibhadra), the son of the yaksha king Kubera (also known as Vaishravana), and husband of Rambha and Ratnamala. Nalakuvara often appears as a sexual trickster figure in Hindu and Buddhist literature. Names Various Sanskrit and Prakrit texts offer the name "Nalakuvara", "Nalakūvala", "Mayuraja", "Narakuvera", and "Naṭakuvera" to describe the son of Kubera. The god also appears in Chinese texts as "Nazha", and later "Nezha", a shortened transliteration of the word "Nalakuvara". Legend Hinduism Ramayana In the Ramayana, Nalakuvara's, first wife, Rambha, was sexually assaulted by his uncle, Ravaṇa. In the Valmiki Ramayana, Nalakuvara curses Ravana that he would never be able to approach another youthful woman unless she shares her love; if, carried away by lust, he does violence to any woman who does not love him, his head would split into sev ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Manibhadra
Manibhadra is one of the major yakshas. He was a popular deity in ancient India. Iconography Several well known images of yaksha Manibhadra have been found. The two oldest known image are: Yaksha Manibhadra from Parkham Yaksha Manibhadra coming from Parkham near Mathura, datable to period 200 BCE – 50 BC The statue is 2.59 meters high. On stylistic grounds and paleographical analysis of the inscription, the statue is datable to the middle of the 2nd century BCE. The inscription says "Made by Gomitaka, a pupil of Kunika. Set up by eight brothers, members of the Manibhadra congregation ("puga")." This inscription thus indicates that the statue represents the Yaksa Manibhadra. According to John Boardman, the hem of the dress is derived from Greek art. Describing a similar statue, John Boardman writes: "It has no local antecedents and looks most like a Greek Late Archaic mannerism". Similar folds can be seen in the Bharhut Yavana. File:Parkham Yaksha inscription.jpg, Parkham Y ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Rambha (apsara)
Rambha () is one of the prominent apsaras, the celestial nymphs of Svarga (a heaven), in Hindu mythology. She is extolled to be unrivalled in her accomplishments in the arts of dancing, music, and beauty. Legends Birth According to the '' Adi Parva'' of the epic ''Mahabharata'', Rambha and her apsaras sisters Alambusha, Mishrakeshi, Vidhyutparna, Tilottama, Aruna, Rakshita, Manorama, Subahu, Keshini, Surata and Suraja are the daughters of the sage Kashyapa and his wife Pradha. In the ''Bhagavata Purana'', the name of the mother of the Apsaras is Muni. In some ''Puranic'' scriptures, a varying account is found, according to which Rambha and other apsaras emerged from Kshira Sagara (the ocean of milk) during Samudra Manthana (the churning of the ocean). Encounter with Vishvamitra Rambha and other apsaras are frequently sent by the king of the devas, Indra, to seduce rishis (sages) and ensuring that they don't gain divine powers by self-abnegation and austerities. The '' Bal ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Yashoda
Yashoda ( sa, यशोदा, translit=Yaśodā) is the foster-mother of Krishna and the wife of Nanda Baba, Nanda. She is described in the Puranic texts of Hinduism as the wife of Nanda Baba, Nanda, the chieftain of Gokul, Gokulam, and the sister of Rohini Devi, Rohini. According to the Bhagavata Purana, Krishna was born to Devaki, but Krishna's father, Vasudeva Anakadundubhi, Vasudeva, brought the newborn Krishna to his cousin Nanda (Hinduism), Nanda, and his wife, Yashoda, in Gokul, Gokulam. This was for his upbringing, as well as to protect Krishna from Devaki's brother, Kamsa, the tyrannical king of Mathura, Uttar Pradesh, Mathura. Etymology The name Yashoda means 'one who is giver (da, ) of fame or glory (Yash, )'. Legends Origin According to the ''Bhagavata Purana'', Yashoda was the incarnation of Dhara, the wife of the Vasu, Drona. Little is known about Yashoda's early life, other than her marriage with Nanda Baba, Nanda. Yashoda's Father Sri Sumukha was the tre ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Nezha
Nezha ( 哪吒) is a protection deity in Chinese folk religion. His official Taoist name is "Marshal of the Central Altar" (). He was then given the title "Third Lotus Prince" () after he became a deity. Origins According to Meir Shahar, Nezha is ultimately based on two figures from Hindu mythology. The first is a yaksha from the ''Ramayana'' named Nalakubar, the son of Yaksha King Kubera and nephew of the antagonist Ravana. The link to Nalakubar is established through variants in his Chinese name appearing in Buddhist sutras. The original variant Naluojiupoluo () changed to Naluojubaluo (), Nazhajuwaluo (), and finally Nazha (). The simple addition of the " mouth radical" () to Na () changes the name to the current form Nezha (). The second figure is the child god Krishna. Both Krishna and Nezha are powerful children that defeat mighty serpents, Kaliya in the case of the former and Ao Bing in the latter. The ''Bhagavata Purana'' describes how Nalakubar was rescued from impri ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Kubera
Kubera ( sa, कुबेर, translit=Kuberā) also known as Kuvera, Kuber and Kuberan, is the god of wealth, and the god-king of the semi-divine yakshas in Hinduism. He is regarded as Guardians of the directions, the regent of the north (''Dikpala''), and a protector of the world (''Lokapala''). His many epithets extol him as the overlord of numerous semi-divine species, and the owner of the treasures of the world. Kubera is often depicted with a plump body, adorned with jewels, and carrying a money-pot and a club. Originally described as the chief of evil spirits in Veda, Vedic-era texts, Kubera acquired the status of a ''Deva (Hinduism), deva'' (god) only in the Puranas, ''Purana''s and the Hindu epics. The scriptures describe that Kubera once ruled Lanka, but was overthrown by his half-brother Ravana, later settling in the city of Alaka in the Himalayas. Descriptions of the "glory" and "splendour" of Kubera's city are found in many scriptures. Kubera has also been assim ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Bala Krishna
Bala Krishna ( sa, बाल कृष्ण, lit=child Krishna/divine child Krishna, translit=Bālakṛṣṇa). Present day Krishna worship is an amalgam of various elements. According to historical testimonies Krishna-Vasudeva worship already flourished in and around Mathura several centuries before Christ. A second important element is the cult of Krishna Govinda. Still later is thworshipof Bala-Krishna, the Divine Child Krishna - a quite prominent feature of modern Krishnaism. The last element seems to have been Krishna Gopijanavallabha, Krishna the lover of the Gopis, among whom Radha occupies a special position. In some books Krishna is presented as the founder and first teacher of the Bhagavata religion. or Bala Gopala, refers to the boyhood form of the Hindu deity Krishna. The worship of Krishna as a divine child was historically one of the early forms of worship in Krishnaism. Legend The eighth son of Devaki and Vasudeva, Krishna was born to fulfil the prophecy of sl ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Yaksha
The yakshas ( sa, यक्ष ; pi, yakkha, i=yes) are a broad class of nature-spirits, usually benevolent, but sometimes mischievous or capricious, connected with water, fertility, trees, the forest, treasure and wilderness. They appear in Hindu, Jain and Buddhist texts, as well as ancient and medieval era temples of South Asia and Southeast Asia as guardian deities. The feminine form of the word is or ''yakshini'' ( sa, यक्षिणी ; Pali:Yakkhini). In Hindu, Jain and Buddhist texts, the has a dual personality. On the one hand, a may be an inoffensive nature- fairy, associated with woods and mountains; but there is also a darker version of the , which is a kind of ghost ( bhuta) that haunts the wilderness and waylays and devours travellers, similar to the . Early yakshas Several monumental yakshas are known from the time of the Maurya Empire period. They are variously dated from around the 3rd century BCE to the 1st century BCE. These statues are monumental ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Bhadra
''Bhadra''Feminine: sa, भद्रा, Bhadrā is a Sanskrit word meaning 'good', 'fortune' or 'auspicious'. It is also the name of many men, women and objects in Hindu mythology. Male Figures King of Chedi Bhadra was a king of Chedi Kingdom who participated in the Kurukshetra War from the side of the Pandavas. He was killed by the warrior Karna. Grandson of Manu The first man Svayambhuva Manu and his Shatarupa had a daughter named Shraddha. Bhadra was one of her twelve sons. Yaksha Bhadra was also the name of a Yaksha who served their king, Kubera. Due to a curse of sage Gautama, he was born as a lion. Krishna's son The god Krishna married the river goddess Kalindi and had 10 sons. Bhadra was one of them. Sage Bhadra was a renowned Maharishi. He was the son of Pramati and the father of Upamanyu. Female Figures Bhadrakali Bhadrā or Bhadrakālī is one of the fierce forms of the Supreme Goddess Devi. Kubera's wife Bhadrā is the queen of Yakshas. She was the daughter of a ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Yaksha
The yakshas ( sa, यक्ष ; pi, yakkha, i=yes) are a broad class of nature-spirits, usually benevolent, but sometimes mischievous or capricious, connected with water, fertility, trees, the forest, treasure and wilderness. They appear in Hindu, Jain and Buddhist texts, as well as ancient and medieval era temples of South Asia and Southeast Asia as guardian deities. The feminine form of the word is or ''yakshini'' ( sa, यक्षिणी ; Pali:Yakkhini). In Hindu, Jain and Buddhist texts, the has a dual personality. On the one hand, a may be an inoffensive nature- fairy, associated with woods and mountains; but there is also a darker version of the , which is a kind of ghost ( bhuta) that haunts the wilderness and waylays and devours travellers, similar to the . Early yakshas Several monumental yakshas are known from the time of the Maurya Empire period. They are variously dated from around the 3rd century BCE to the 1st century BCE. These statues are monumental ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Narada
Narada ( sa, नारद, ), or Narada Muni, is a sage divinity, famous in Hindu traditions as a travelling musician and storyteller, who carries news and enlightening wisdom. He is one of mind-created children of Brahma, the creator god. He appears in a number of Hindu texts, notably the Mahabharata, regaling Yudhishthira with the story of Prahalada and the Ramayana as well as tales in the Puranas. A common theme in Vaishnavism is the accompaniment of a number of lesser deities such as Narada to offer aid to Vishnu upon his descent to earth to combat the forces of evil, or enjoy a close view of epochal events. He is also referred to as ''Rishiraja'', meaning the king of all sages. He was gifted with the boon of knowledge regarding the past, present, and the future. Hinduism In Indian texts, Narada travels to distant worlds and realms (Sanskrit: ''lokas''). He is depicted carrying a khartal (musical instrument) and the veena, and is generally regarded as one of the great ma ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ganges
The Ganges ( ) (in India: Ganga ( ); in Bangladesh: Padma ( )). "The Ganges Basin, known in India as the Ganga and in Bangladesh as the Padma, is an international river to which India, Bangladesh, Nepal and China are the riparian states." is a trans-boundary river of Asia which flows through India and Bangladesh. The river rises in the western Himalayas in the Indian state of Uttarakhand. It flows south and east through the Gangetic plain of North India, receiving the right-bank tributary, the Yamuna, which also rises in the western Indian Himalayas, and several left-bank tributaries from Nepal that account for the bulk of its flow. In West Bengal state, India, a feeder canal taking off from its right bank diverts 50% of its flow southwards, artificially connecting it to the Hooghly river. The Ganges continues into Bangladesh, its name changing to the Padma. It is then joined by the Jamuna, the lower stream of the Brahmaputra, and eventually the Meghna, forming the major ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Kākāti Jātaka
Garuda's abduction of Queen Kakati is a famous Buddhist tale about the former lives of the Buddha, called a Jataka. In this story, the Buddha was born in a previous life as the king of Benares, and therefore was still a Bodhisattva, and ruled with his beloved queen, Kakati.Indian Temple Sculpture, John Guy, Harry N. Abrams, 2007, p.24 The royal solar bird Garuda came to the court disguised as a man and gambled with the king. He then became enamored of the queen and abducted her. He carried her off to his nest by the Simbali-Lake and there lived with her.Dictionary of Pāli Proper Names, Volume 1, by Gunapala Piyasena Malalasekerp.559/ref> When Garuda heard of the king's great sadness and of his true love for Kakati, he restored her to him. The story is one of those related by the bird Kunala, in the kunala Jataka. The story is also very close to that of the Sussondi Jataka. According to Buddhist mythology, the Garudas were enemies to the nāga The Nagas (IAST: ''nāga''; ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
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