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Pativrata
Pativrata () is a term used in Hinduism to refer to the conjugal fidelity of a woman towards her husband. It also refers to the term used to refer to a married woman who is faithful and dutiful to her husband. Hindus generally believe that when a wife is devoted to her husband and serves his needs, she brings prosperity and well-being to her family. Etymology Pativrata literally means a virtuous wife who has made a vow (''vrata'') to her husband (''pati'') of her devotion and protection. Beliefs A pativrata is described to listen to her husband and act accordingly to his needs. A pativrata is regarded to protect her husband in two ways. Firstly, she attends to his personal needs and encourages him to do his duty (''dharma''). Secondly, she undertakes various rituals and fasts to please the deities, hoping that they would protect her husband from harm and grant him a long life. Sati is often used as a synonym for a pativrata - one who preserves her purity (sattva) - physicall ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Savitri And Satyavan
In Hinduism, Savitri and Satyavan ( sa, सावित्री ''Sāvitrī'' and ''Satyavān'') are a legendary couple, known for Savitri's love and devotion to her husband Satyavan. According to the legend, princess Savitri marries an exiled prince named Satyavan, who was prophesied to die early. The later part of legend focuses on Savitri's wit and love, which saved her husband from the death god Yama (Hindu), Yama. The oldest known version of the story of Savitri and Satyavan is found in ''Vana Parva'' ("The Book of the Forest") of the ''Mahabharata''. The story occurs as a multiply-embedded narrative in the ''Mahabharata'' as told by sage Markandeya. When Yudhishthira asks Markandeya whether there has ever been a woman whose devotion matched Draupadi's, Markandeya replies by relating this story. Story The childless king of the Madra Kingdom, Madra Kingdom#King Aswapati, Ashwapati, lives ascetically for many years and offers oblations to Sun God Savitr. His consort is Ma ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Marriage In Hinduism
The Hindu marriage () is the most important of all the Samskara (rite of passage), samskaras, the rites of passage described in the Dharmaśāstra, Dharmashastra texts. Variously defined, it is generally described to be a social institution for the establishment and regulation of a proper relationship between the sexes, as stated by Manu (Hinduism), Manu. Marriage is regarded to be a sacrament by Hindus, rather than a form of social contract, since they believe that all men and women are created to be parents, and practise dharma together, as ordained by the Vedas. The Brahmana, Brahmanas state that man is only said to be "complete" after marrying a woman, and acquiring progeny. Aspects Conception The ideal conception of marriage that was laid down by the ancient Indians is one in which it is a ceremonial gift of a bride (Vadhū) by her father, or another appropriate family member, to a bride-groom (Vara), so that they may fulfil the purposes of human existence together. In ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ekapatnivrata
A Hindu wedding, also known as Vivaha (Devanagari: विवाह; Kannada script: ವಿವಾಹ; ''Vivaaha'') (), Lagna (लग्न), or Kalyanam (Devanagari: कल्याणम्; Kannada script: ಕಲ್ಯಾಣಮ್; ta, கல்யாணம்), is the traditional wedding ceremony for Hindus. The wedding ceremonies are very colourful, and celebrations may extend for several days. The bride's and groom's home—entrance, doors, wall, floor, roof—are sometimes decorated with colors, flowers, and other decorations.Yee, A. (2008 May 17Sari nights and henna parties ''The Financial Times''. The word ''vivāha'' originated as a sacred union of people as per Vedic traditions, i.e. what many call marriage, but based on cosmic laws and advanced ancient practices. Under Vedic Hindu traditions, marriage is viewed as one of the saṁskāras, which are lifelong commitments of one wife and one husband. In India, marriage has been looked upon as having been designed by the ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Sati (practice)
Sati or suttee is a Hindu practice, now largely historical, in which a widow sacrifices herself by sitting atop her deceased husband's funeral pyre. Quote: Between 1943 and 1987, some thirty women in Rajasthan (twenty-eight, according to official statistics) immolated themselves on their husband's funeral pyre. This figure probably falls short of the actual number. (p. 182) Although it is debated whether it received scriptural mention in early Hinduism, it has been linked to related Hindu practices in the Indo-Aryan speaking regions of India which diminished the rights of women, especially those to the inheritance of property. A cold form of sati, or the neglect and casting out of Hindu widows has been prevalent in India from ancient times. Quote: Sati is a particularly relevant social practice because it is often used as a means to prevent inheritance of property by widows. In parallel, widows are also sometimes branded as witches – and subjected to violent expulsion fr ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Karva Chauth
Karwa Chauth is a festival celebrated by Hindu women of Northern and Western India on the fourth day after Purnima (a full moon) in the month of Ashwin. Like many Hindu festivals, Karwa Chauth is based on the lunisolar calendar which accounts for all astronomical positions, especially positions of the moon which is used as a marker to calculate important dates. The festival falls on the fourth day after the full moon. On Karwa Chauth, married women and unmarried women, especially observe fast from sunrise to moonrise for the safety and longevity of their husbands. The Karwa Chauth fast is traditionally celebrated in the states of Delhi, Haryana, Rajasthan, Punjab, Jammu,Madhya Pradesh,Uttar Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh. It is celebrated as Atla Tadde in Andhra Pradesh. Origins ''Karva'' is another word for ' pot' (a small earthen pot of water) and ''chauth'' means 'fourth' in Hindi (a reference to the fact that the festival falls on the fourth day of the dark-fortnight, or ''K ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Mandavya
Mandavya (), also called Aṇi Māṇḍavya, is a sage in Hinduism. He is best known for a legend where he is wrongfully punished by a king by impalement. Legend Impalement According to the Mahabharata, Mandavya was once performing a tapas with his arms raised, standing in front of his ashrama for many years. During this period, some thieves happened to pass by his ashrama, having stolen property belonging to the king. Finding that the king’s men were pursuing them, the thieves fled, after leaving their stolen property in the sage's ashrama. The king’s men seized Mandavya, believing him to be an accomplice. Mandavya refused to talk to his accusers. When the thieves were caught, Mandavya also along produced before the king, and they were all condemned to death. The thieves and the sage were struck at the tip of a trident, and while the thieves died, Mandavya stayed alive. According to the Brahmanda Purana, even as the sage underwent this suffering, Ugrashravas, the h ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Pati (title)
Pati (Sanskrit: पति, 𐬯𐬙) is a title meaning "master" or "lord". The word is in common usage in the Indian subcontinent today. Etymologically, the word derives from the Indo-European language family and finds references in various classical Indo-Iranian languages, including Sanskrit, Old Persian language and Avestan. In modern-day Hindustani and other Indian languages, ''pati'' and ''patni'' have taken on the meanings of ''husband'' and ''wife'' respectively when used as standalone words. The feminine equivalent in Indo-Aryan languages is ''patni'' (literally, "mistress" or "lady"). The term ''pati'' is frequently used as a suffix, e.g. ''lakhpati'' (meaning, master of a lakh rupees). Modern usage *As a standalone term indicating husband, ''pati'' *In an official titles, e.g. ''Rashtra-pati'' (राष्ट्रपति, راشٹرپتی , National President), ''Sena-pati'' (सेनापति, سیناپتی , General of an Army, Master of an Army) *In adjective ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Savitri Brata
Savitri Brata (also Savitri Vrata) or Savitri Amavasya is a fasting day observed by married Hindu women on the Amavasya, the no moon day in month of Jyeshtha. It is celebrated in the Indian states of Odisha, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and in Nepal. Married Hindu women whose husbands are alive observe it as a vow with great dedication and pray for their husband to have a long life. The word reflects the origin and significance of the Vat-Savitri puja. The fast is dedicated to Savitri, who saved her husband Satyavan from being taken by the death god. The same festival is observed on Vat Purnima, the full moon of Jyestha in other regions including Maharashtra, Goa, Gujarat, Karnataka. Legend behind the festival The vrata was named after Savitri, the beautiful daughter of King Aswapati of Madra Desa. She selected Satyavan, a prince in exile who was living in the forest with his blind father Dyumatsen, as her life partner. She left the palace and lived with her husband and the in- ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
North India
North India is a loosely defined region consisting of the northern part of India. The dominant geographical features of North India are the Indo-Gangetic Plain and the Himalayas, which demarcate the region from the Tibetan Plateau and Central Asia. The term North India has varying definitions. The Ministry of Home Affairs in its Northern Zonal Council Administrative division included the states of Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab and Rajasthan and Union Territories of Chandigarh, Delhi, Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh. The Ministry of Culture in its ''North Culture Zone'' includes the state of Uttarakhand but excludes Delhi whereas the Geological Survey of India includes Uttar Pradesh and Delhi but excludes Rajasthan and Chandigarh. Other states sometimes included are Bihar, Gujarat, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh and West Bengal. North India has been the historical centre of the Mughal Empire, the Delhi Sultanate and the British Indian Empire. It has a diverse culture, and includ ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Lakshmi
Lakshmi (; , sometimes spelled Laxmi, ), also known as Shri (, ), is one of the principal goddesses in Hinduism. She is the goddess of wealth, fortune, power, beauty, fertility and prosperity, and associated with ''Maya'' ("Illusion"). Along with Parvati and Saraswati, she forms the Tridevi of Hindu goddesses. Within the goddess-oriented Shaktism, Lakshmi is venerated as the prosperity aspect of the Mother goddess. Lakshmi is both the consort and the divine energy (''shakti'') of the Hindu god Vishnu, the Supreme Being of Vaishnavism; she is also the Supreme Goddess in the sect and assists Vishnu to create, protect, and transform the universe. She is an especially prominent figure in Sri Vaishnavism, in which devotion to Lakshmi is deemed to be crucial to reach Vishnu. Whenever Vishnu descended on the earth as an avatar, Lakshmi accompanied him as consort, for example, as Sita and Radha or Rukmini as consorts of Vishnu's avatars Rama and Krishna, respectively. The eight ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
South India
South India, also known as Dakshina Bharata or Peninsular India, consists of the peninsular southern part of India. It encompasses the Indian states of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and Telangana, as well as the union territories of Lakshadweep and Puducherry, comprising 19.31% of India's area () and 20% of India's population. Covering the southern part of the peninsular Deccan Plateau, South India is bounded by the Bay of Bengal in the east, the Arabian Sea in the west and the Indian Ocean in the south. The geography of the region is diverse with two mountain ranges – the Western and Eastern Ghats – bordering the plateau heartland. The Godavari, Krishna, Kaveri, Tungabhadra, Periyar, Bharathappuzha, Pamba, Thamirabarani, Palar, and Vaigai rivers are important perennial rivers. The majority of the people in South India speak at least one of the four major Dravidian languages: Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam and Kannada (all 4 of which are among the 6 Classic ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Varalakshmi Vratam
Varalakshmi Vratam , also called Varalakshmi Puja, is a Hindu observance to propitiate the goddess of prosperity, Lakshmi. Varalakshmi is the manifestation of Lakshmi who grants boons (''vara''). It is a puja primarily performed by married Hindu women in the states of South India. This occasion is observed on the Friday before the day of the full moon - Purnima - in the Hindu month of Shravana, which corresponds to the Gregorian months of July – August. The Varalakshmi Vratam is primarily performed by married women (''sumangali''), for their own well-being, and in order to ask the goddess to bless their husbands with health and longevity. Many believe that worshipping the aspect of Varalakshmi on this day is equivalent to worshipping the Ashtalakshmi – the eight aspects of Lakshmi, all of whom represent different forms of wealth. Ceremony On this occasion, women worship the goddess Lakshmi with utmost devotion, offering fruits, sweets and flowers, usually a ''kalasham'' ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
