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Vadavagni
Vadavagni (), also referred to as Vadavanala () refers to a submarine fire embodied in the form of a destructive being in Hindu mythology. It is described to be a being that manifested with the head of a mare, but a body of blazing flame. The Vadavagni is regarded to wander the seabed and consume its waters, awaiting the moment it could emerge and destroy the earth during the Pralaya, the dissolution of the earth at the end of an age. Various legends regarding the origin and suppression of the Vadavagni exist in Hindu literature, most prominently the descent of the goddess Saraswati as the Sarasvati river. Description The Vadavagni is described to emerge from the mouth of a mare called ''Vadavamukha'' (mare-face). This mare's mouth is sometimes described to be present under a sea at the South Pole. It is stated to remain under the sea until it finally erupts, leading to the destruction of the earth. It is stated to be a metaphor for insatiable energy. The Vishnu Purana states t ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Saraswati
Saraswati ( sa, सरस्वती, ) is the Hindu goddess of knowledge, music, art, speech, wisdom, and learning. She is one of the Tridevi, along with the goddesses Lakshmi and Parvati. The earliest known mention of Saraswati as a goddess is in the Rigveda. She has remained significant as a goddess from the Vedic period through the modern period of Hindu traditions. She is generally shown to have four arms, holding a book, a rosary, a water pot, and a musical instrument called the veena. Each of these items have a symbolic meaning in Hinduism. Some Hindus celebrate the festival of Vasant Panchami (the fifth day of spring, and also known as Saraswati Puja and Saraswati Jayanti in many regions of India) in her honour, and mark the day by helping young children learn how to write the letters of the alphabet on that day. The goddess is also revered by believers of the Jain religion of west and central India, as well as some Buddhist sects. Etymology Saraswati, is a Sans ... [...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] |
Aurva
Aurva () is a fierce sage in Hinduism, a member of the Bhargava race. He was born during a bloody feud between the Kshatriyas and the descendants of Bhrigu. He was also the grandson of Vatsa, after whom the Srivatsa gotra is named. His son is Ruchika, the grandfather of the sixth avatar of Vishnu, Parashurama. Legend Birth According to the Mahabharata, there was a Haihaya king named Kritavirya who was very liberal to his priests, who belonged to the race of Bhrigu. As such, they became very rich due to his generosity. After the death of the king, his descendants fell into poverty. They begged for help from the Bhrigus, who at that time were very rich; but the Bhrigus refused to help the kings, saying that wealth which is once given to a Brahmin cannot be taken back. To protect their wealth they buried their gold in a secret place. Learning of this, the Kshatriya kings invaded the ashramas of the Bhrigus, and killed all the Bhrigus, not sparing even children that were growing ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Kama Shiva
''Kama'' (Sanskrit ) means "desire, wish, longing" in Hindu, Buddhist, Jain, and Sikh literature.Monier Williamsकाम, kāmaMonier-Williams Sanskrit English Dictionary, pp 271, see 3rd column Kama often connotes sensual pleasure, sexual desire, and longing both in religious and secular Hindu and Buddhist literature, as well as contemporary Indian literature, but the concept more broadly refers to any desire, wish, passion, longing, pleasure of the senses, desire for, longing to and after, the aesthetic enjoyment of life, affection, or love, enjoyment of love is particularly with or without enjoyment of sexual, sensual and erotic desire, and may be without sexual connotations. Kama is one of the four goals of human life and is also contemplated as one of the primary needs to fulfill during the stages of life according to the Hindu tradition. It is considered an essential and healthy goal of human life when pursued without sacrificing the other three goals: Dharma (virtu ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Brahmin
Brahmin (; sa, ब्राह्मण, brāhmaṇa) is a varna as well as a caste within Hindu society. The Brahmins are designated as the priestly class as they serve as priests (purohit, pandit, or pujari) and religious teachers (guru or acharya). The other three varnas are the Kshatriya, Vaishya and Shudra. The traditional occupation of Brahmins is that of priesthood at the Hindu temples or at socio-religious ceremonies, and rite of passage rituals such as solemnising a wedding with hymns and prayers.James Lochtefeld (2002), Brahmin, The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Hinduism, Vol. 1: A–M, Rosen Publishing, , page 125 Traditionally, the Brahmins are accorded the highest ritual status of the four social classes. Their livelihood is prescribed to be one of strict austerity and voluntary poverty ("A Brahmin should acquire what just suffices for the time, what he earns he should spend all that the same day"). In practice, Indian texts suggest that some Brahmins historicall ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ficus Religiosa
''Ficus religiosa'' or sacred fig is a species of Ficus, fig native to the Indian subcontinent and Indochina that belongs to Moraceae, the fig or mulberry family. It is also known as the bodhi tree, pippala tree, peepul tree, peepal tree, pipal tree, or Ashvattha, ashvattha tree (in India and Nepal). The sacred fig is considered to have a religious significance in three major religions that originated on the Indian subcontinent, Hinduism, Buddhism and Jainism. Hindu and Jain ascetics consider the species to be sacred and often meditate under it. This is the tree under which Gautama Buddha is believed to have attained enlightenment. The sacred fig is the List of Indian state symbols, state tree of the Indian states of Odisha, Bihar and Haryana. Description ''Ficus religiosa'' is a large dry season-deciduous or semi-evergreen tree up to tall and with a tree trunk, trunk diameter of up to . The leaf, leaves are Wiktionary:cordate, cordate in shape with a distinctive extended Glo ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Pippalada
Pippalada () is a sage and philosopher in Hindu tradition. He is best known for being attributed the authorship of the Prashna Upanishad, which is among the ten Mukhya Upanishads. He is believed to have founded the Pippalada school of thought, which taught the Atharvaveda. He is regarded to be an ''amśa'' of Shiva in some Puranas. Legend Birth Pippalada is described to be the son of the sage Dadhichi and his wife, Suvarcas. After the death of Dadhichi, when Suvarcas was about to ascend the funeral pyre, she heard an ''aśarīriṇī vāṇī'' (a celestial voice) that informed her that she was pregnant. Suvarcas removed the foetus from her womb with a stone, and placed it near a peepal tree, proceeding to end her life. Pippalada was the child who was born to her, and grew up to become a great sage. He was sustained by the amritam offered to him by the tree, furnished by Chandra. In another account, Pippalada is described to be the product of an accidental insemination. Y ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Subhadra
Subhadra ( sa, सुभद्रा, Subhadrā) is a Hindu goddess mentioned in ancient Hindu scriptures like the ''Mahabharata'' and the ''Bhagavata Purana''. She is described as the favourite child of Vasudeva and the younger sister of deities Krishna and Balarama. According to the Mahabharata, Arjuna—one of the Pandava brothers—married her, with whom she bore one son, Abhimanyu. Subhadra is one of the three deities worshipped at the Jagannath Temple at Puri, along with Krishna (as Jagannatha) and Balarama (or Balabhadra). One of the chariots in the annual Ratha Yatra is dedicated to her. Etymology and epithets The word 'Subhadra' is made up of two words 'su' and 'bhadra'. Many scholars translate this name into 'glorious', 'fortunate', 'splendid' or 'auspicious'. * Chitra (चित्रा) - the text '' Harivamsa'' mentions Chitra (lit. bright, clear, excellent or colourful) as her birth name. * Bhadra (भद्रा) - sister of Balbhadra * Veer Sōdari ( ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Dadhichi
Dadhichi (), also rendered Dadhyanga and Dadhyancha, is a sage in Hinduism. He is best known for his sacrifice in the Puranas, where he gives up his life so that his bones could be used to manufacture the Vajra, the diamond-like celestial thunderbolt of the deity Indra, in order to slay Vritra. Literature In the Bhagavata Purana, Dadhichi is described as the son of the sage Atharvan and his wife, Chitti. Atharvan is said to be the author of Atharvaveda, which is one of the four Vedas. Chitti was the daughter of the sage Kardama. The names of Dadhichi's wife and son were Suvarcas and Pippalada, respectively. After the death of Dadhichi, when Suvarcas was about to ascend the funeral pyre, she heard an ''aśarīriṇī vāṇī'' (a celestial voice) that informed her that she was pregnant. Suvarcas removed the foetus from her womb with a stone, and placed it near a banyan tree, proceeding to end her life. Her child, Pippalada, became a famous rishi, associated with the Pippal ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Tarakamaya War
The Tarakamaya War () is described to be an ancient conflict in Hindu mythology, instigated by the elopement of Tara, the consort of Brihaspati, by Soma, the god of the moon. It is mentioned in the Padma Purana, and described to be the fifth war in the series of ''Devasura Sangrama'', the battles between the devas and the asuras. Legend According to one legend, this abduction had occurred to punish Brihaspati for his extramarital affair with Mamata, the pregnant wife of Utathya. Another legend states that the abduction occurred due to Soma's arrogance, due to the success of his rajasuya ceremony. /sup> Soma refused to return Tara to her husband, despite an intervention by Indra. Brihaspati, the preceptor, was aided by Indra and the devas, allied with the yakshas, while Soma was assisted by Shukra and the daityas, allied with the danavas. Led by Rudra, /sup> the devas assaulted the asuras with divine missiles, and the asuras returned this assault with a barrage of their own. Th ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
1895 CE Saraswati On Hamsa सरस्वती हंस Painting
Events January–March * January 5 – Dreyfus affair: French officer Alfred Dreyfus is stripped of his army rank, and sentenced to life imprisonment on Devil's Island. * January 12 – The National Trust for Places of Historic Interest or Natural Beauty is founded in England by Octavia Hill, Robert Hunter and Canon Hardwicke Rawnsley. * January 13 – First Italo-Ethiopian War: Battle of Coatit – Italian forces defeat the Ethiopians. * January 17 – Félix Faure is elected President of the French Republic, after the resignation of Jean Casimir-Perier. * February 9 – Mintonette, later known as volleyball, is created by William G. Morgan at Holyoke, Massachusetts. * February 11 – The lowest ever UK temperature of is recorded at Braemar, in Aberdeenshire. This record is equalled in 1982, and again in 1995. * February 14 – Oscar Wilde's last play, the comedy ''The Importance of Being Earnest'', is first shown at St James's Theatr ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Himalayas
The Himalayas, or Himalaya (; ; ), is a mountain range in Asia, separating the plains of the Indian subcontinent from the Tibetan Plateau. The range has some of the planet's highest peaks, including the very highest, Mount Everest. Over 100 peaks exceeding in elevation lie in the Himalayas. By contrast, the highest peak outside Asia (Aconcagua, in the Andes) is tall. The Himalayas abut or cross five countries: Bhutan, India, Nepal, China, and Pakistan. The sovereignty of the range in the Kashmir region is disputed among India, Pakistan, and China. The Himalayan range is bordered on the northwest by the Karakoram and Hindu Kush ranges, on the north by the Tibetan Plateau, and on the south by the Indo-Gangetic Plain. Some of the world's major rivers, the Indus, the Ganges, and the Tsangpo–Brahmaputra, rise in the vicinity of the Himalayas, and their combined drainage basin is home to some 600 million people; 53 million people live in the Himalayas. The Himalayas have ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
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