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Rudras
Rudras refer to the forms of the god Rudra, whose traditions have since been associated with Shiva. They make up eleven of the thirty-three gods in the Vedic pantheon.Hopkins pp. 172-3 They are at times identified with the storm deities referred to as Maruts, while at other times considered distinct from them. While the ''Vamana Purana'' describes Rudras as the sons of Kashyapa and Aditi, Maruts are described distinct from the Rudras as the 49 sons of Diti, sister of Aditi, and the attendants of Indra, rather than Rudra. Birth and names The ''Ramayana'' tells they are eleven of the 33 children of the sage Kashyapa and his wife Aditi, along with the 12 Adityas, 8 Vasus and 2 Ashvins, constituting the Thirty-three gods.Mani pp. 654–5 The ''Vamana Purana'' describes the Rudras as the sons of Kashyapa and Aditi. The ''Matsya Purana'' notes that Surabhi – the mother of all cows and the "cow of plenty" – was the consort of Brahma and their union produced the eleven Rudras. Here ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ekapada
Ekapada refers to a one-footed aspect of the Hindu god Shiva. This aspect is primarily found in South India and Orissa, but also occasionally in Rajasthan and Nepal. The Ekapada is primarily represented in three iconographical forms. In the Ekapada-murti ("one-footed icon") form, he is depicted as one-legged and four-armed. In the Ekapada-Trimurti ("one-footed Trinity") form, he is depicted with the torsos of the deities Vishnu and Brahma, which together with Shiva form the Hindu Trinity (Trimurti) emanating from his sides, waist upwards and with one leg; however, sometimes, besides the central one leg of Shiva, two smaller legs of Vishnu and Brahma emerge from the sides. While some scriptures also call the latter configuration Ekapada-Trimurti, some refer it to as Tripada-Trimurti ("three-footed Trinity"). In Orissa, where Ekapada is considered an aspect of Bhairava—the fearsome aspect of Shiva—the iconography of Ekapada-murti becomes more fierce, with motifs of blood sacrific ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Vamadeva
In Hinduism, Vamadeva ( sa, वामदेव) is the preserving aspect of the God Shiva, one of six aspects of the universe he embodies, as well as the name of an ancient rishi. On a five-faced Shivalingam, Vamadeva appears on the right hand side. This face/aspect of Śiva is considered the peaceful, graceful and poetic one — the lord of the female aspect of it is associated with water. The Brahman or parashiva splits into male (shiva) and female ( Parasakti) and manifests as the universe. Then sadashiva comes he has five faces: # Sadyojata – west-aspect that propagates manifest Brahman; associated with Brahma; represents water (Bhava). # Tatpurusha – east-aspect that conceals; associated with Maheshwara, Rishi, Muni, Jnani, yogi; represents light (rudra) and moon (Mahadeva). # Vamadeva – north-aspect that sustains manifest Brahman; associated with Vishnu; represents air or vital life force (Ugra). # Isana – upper-aspect that reveals; associated with Sadashiva, Ris ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Thirty-three Gods
The Thirty-three gods or Tridasha (Sanskrit "three times ten") is a pantheon of Hindu deities, of Vedic origin and a few of later development.Mani pp. 654–5 The Samhitas, which are the oldest layer of text in Vedas, enumerate 33 devas, either 11 each for the three worlds, or as 12 Adityas, 11 Rudra, 8 Vasus, and 2 Ashvins in the Brahmanas layer of Vedic texts.George Williams (2008), A Handbook of Hindu Mythology, Oxford University Press, , pp. 90, 112Monier Monier-Williams, A Sanskrit-English Dictionary" Etymologically and Philologically Arranged to cognate Indo-European Languages, Motilal Banarsidass, p. 492 The identity of the 2 Ashvins sometimes varies. List The 33 are: * Eight Vasus (deities of material elements) – "Sky", "Earth", Vāyu "Wind", Agni "Fire", "Stars", "Water", Sūrya "Sun", Chandra "Moon" * Twelve Adityas (personified deities) – Vishnu, Aryaman, Indra (), , , Bhaga, , Vivasvat, , Mitra, , (This list sometimes varies in particulars) * El ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Rudra
Rudra (; sa, रुद्र) is a Rigvedic deity associated with Shiva, the wind or storms, Vayu, medicine, and the hunt. One translation of the name is 'the roarer'. In the Rigveda, Rudra is praised as the 'mightiest of the mighty'. Rudra means "who eradicates problems from their roots". Depending upon the periodic situation, Rudra can mean 'the most severe roarer/howler' (could be a hurricane or tempest) or 'the most frightening one'. This name appears in the Shiva Sahasranama, and R. K. Sharma notes that it is used as a name of Shiva often in later languages. The ''Shri Rudram'' hymn from the Yajurveda is dedicated to Rudra and is important in the Shaivism sect.For an overview of the Śatarudriya see: . In Prathama Anuvaka of Namakam (Taittiriya Samhita 4.5), Sri Rudram the 'mightiest of the mighty' Rudra, is revered as ''Sadasiva (meaning 'mighty Shiva')'' and Mahadeva. Sadashiva is the Supreme Being, Lord Paramashiva in the Mantra marga Siddhanta sect of Shaivism. ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Thirty-three Gods
The Thirty-three gods or Tridasha (Sanskrit "three times ten") is a pantheon of Hindu deities, of Vedic origin and a few of later development.Mani pp. 654–5 The Samhitas, which are the oldest layer of text in Vedas, enumerate 33 devas, either 11 each for the three worlds, or as 12 Adityas, 11 Rudra, 8 Vasus, and 2 Ashvins in the Brahmanas layer of Vedic texts.George Williams (2008), A Handbook of Hindu Mythology, Oxford University Press, , pp. 90, 112Monier Monier-Williams, A Sanskrit-English Dictionary" Etymologically and Philologically Arranged to cognate Indo-European Languages, Motilal Banarsidass, p. 492 The identity of the 2 Ashvins sometimes varies. List The 33 are: * Eight Vasus (deities of material elements) – "Sky", "Earth", Vāyu "Wind", Agni "Fire", "Stars", "Water", Sūrya "Sun", Chandra "Moon" * Twelve Adityas (personified deities) – Vishnu, Aryaman, Indra (), , , Bhaga, , Vivasvat, , Mitra, , (This list sometimes varies in particulars) * El ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Manyu (deity)
Manyu () is a war god in Vedic Hinduism. He is a deity referenced in the Rigveda, with hymns dedicated to him in the eponymous Manyu Sukta. Literature Vedas The hymns of the Rigveda extol Manyu as the "slayer of foes", "self-existent", "wielder of the thunder", and "much-invoked". Manyu is identified with deities such as Indra, Varuna, and Agni. These hymns urge Manyu to grant treasure and wealth, strength in battles, and overwhelm the enemy with terror. The Atharvaveda also mentions the deity in a hymn dedicated to Kama. Brahma Purana The Brahma Purana describes the origin of Manyu. It states that a terrible war was once waged between the devas and the asuras, in which the former were defeated. The devas are stated to have travelled to the Gautamī river valley, where they performed a penance to propitiate Shiva. The destroyer deity is said to have produced Manyu from his third eye, and presented him to the devas. In the subsequent battle that followed, Manyu's ass ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Surabhi
Kamadhenu ( sa, कामधेनु, , ), also known as Surabhi (, or , ), is a divine bovine-goddess described in Hinduism as the mother of all cows. She is a miraculous cow of plenty who provides her owner whatever he desires and is often portrayed as the mother of other cattle. In iconography, she is generally depicted as a white cow with a female head and breasts, the wings of a bird, and the tail of a peafowl or as a white cow containing various deities within her body. Kamadhenu is not worshipped independently as a goddess. Rather, she is honored by the Cattle in religion#In Hinduism, Hindu veneration of cows, who are regarded her earthly embodiments. Hindu scriptures provide diverse accounts of the birth of Kamadhenu. While some narrate that she emerged from Samudra manthan, the churning of the cosmic ocean, others describe her as the daughter of the creator god Daksha, and as the wife of the sage Kashyapa. Still other scriptures narrate that Kamadhenu was in the posse ... [...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] |
Vasus
The Vasus () refers to a group of deities in Hinduism associated with fire and light. They are described to be the attendant deities of Indra, and later Vishnu. Generally numbering eight and classified as the Ashtavasu, they are described in the Ramayana as the children of Kashyapa and Aditi, and in the Mahabharata as the sons of Manu or Dharma and a daughter of Daksha named Vasu. They are eight among the thirty-three gods featured in the Vedas. Etymology The Sanskrit term ''Vasu''(s) is translated as the "bright ones". List There are varying lists of the eight Vasus in different texts, sometimes only because particular deities have varying names. The following are names and meanings according to the Brihadaranyaka Upanishad, Manava Purana, and according to the Mahabharata, as normally equated: Though the ''Shatapatha Brahmana'' uses the '' Brhad-Aranyaka'' names, most later texts follow the ''Mahabharata'' names with the exception that Āpa 'water' usually appears in place ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ardhanari
The Ardhanarishvara ( sa, अर्धनारीश्वर, Ardhanārīśvara, the half-female Lord, translit-std=IAST), is a form of the Hindu deity Shiva combined with his consort Parvati. Ardhanarishvara is depicted as half-male and half-female, equally split down the middle. The right half is usually the male Shiva, illustrating his traditional attributes. The earliest Ardhanarishvara images are dated to the Kushan period, starting from the first century CE. Its iconography evolved and was perfected in the Gupta era. The Puranas and various iconographic treatises write about the mythology and iconography of Ardhanarishvara. Ardhanarishvara remains a popular iconographic form found in most Shiva temples throughout India, though very few temples are dedicated to this deity. Ardhanarishvara represents the synthesis of masculine and feminine energies of the universe (Purusha and Prakriti) and illustrates how Shakti, the female principle of God, is inseparable from (or the ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
