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Dvadashi
Dwadashi (also Dvādaśi, Dwadasi or Dhuvadasi) (Sanskrit for Twelve) is the twelfth lunar day (Tithi) of the ''shukla'' (bright) or ''krishna'' (dark) fortnight, or Paksha, of every lunar month in the Hindu calendar. Dwadashi is especially suitable for the worship of the sacred Tulasi tree (Tulasi stava of srishti khanda of Padma Purana), much like Ekadashi is especially suitable for the worship of Vishnu. In fact, the Ekadashi fast is a three-day fast, starting on Dashami and concluding on Dwadashi. The saint poet Annamacharya died on Phalguna Bahula (Krishna) Dwadasi (12th day after full moon) in the year Dhundhubhi, on 4 April 1503 after living for 95 years. Celebrations on Dwadashi Dwadashi Tithis have various other religious observances throughout the year. Kurma Dwadashi is dedicated to the worship of Kurma, the second Avatar of Vishnu. Govinda Dwadashi or Narasimha Dwadashi, which falls in the month of Phalguna celebrates the Narasimha Avatar of Vishnu, before Holi. Ra ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Kurma
Kurma ( sa, कूर्म; , 'Turtle', 'Tortoise'), is the second avatar of the Hindu preserver deity, Vishnu. Originating in Vedic literature such as the Yajurveda as being synonymous with the Saptarishi called Kashyapa, Kurma is most commonly associated in post-Vedic literature such as the Puranas. He prominently appears in the legend of the churning of the Ocean of Milk, referred to as the Samudra Manthana. Along with being synonymous with Akupara, the World-Turtle supporting the Earth, Kurma is listed as the second of the Dashavatara, which are the ten principal incarnations of Vishnu. Nomenclature and etymology The Sanskrit word 'Kurma' (Devanagari: कूर्म) means 'Tortoise' and 'Turtle'. The tortoise incarnation of Vishnu is also referred to in post-Vedic literature such as the Bhagavata Purana as 'Kacchapam' (कच्छप), 'Kamaṭha' (कमठ), 'Akupara' (अकूपार), and 'Ambucara-Atmana' (अम्बुचर-आत्मना), all of w ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Sanskrit
Sanskrit (; attributively , ; nominally , , ) is a classical language belonging to the Indo-Aryan branch of the Indo-European languages. It arose in South Asia after its predecessor languages had diffused there from the northwest in the late Bronze Age. Sanskrit is the sacred language of Hinduism, the language of classical Hindu philosophy, and of historical texts of Buddhism and Jainism. It was a link language in ancient and medieval South Asia, and upon transmission of Hindu and Buddhist culture to Southeast Asia, East Asia and Central Asia in the early medieval era, it became a language of religion and high culture, and of the political elites in some of these regions. As a result, Sanskrit had a lasting impact on the languages of South Asia, Southeast Asia and East Asia, especially in their formal and learned vocabularies. Sanskrit generally connotes several Old Indo-Aryan language varieties. The most archaic of these is the Vedic Sanskrit found in the Rig Veda, a colle ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Moksha
''Moksha'' (; sa, मोक्ष, '), also called ''vimoksha'', ''vimukti'' and ''mukti'', is a term in Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism and Sikhism for various forms of emancipation, enlightenment, liberation, and release. In its soteriology, soteriological and eschatology, eschatological senses, it refers to freedom from ''saṃsāra'', the cycle of death and Reincarnation, rebirth. In its epistemology, epistemological and psychological senses, ''moksha'' is freedom from ignorance: self-realization, self-actualization and self-knowledge. In Hindu traditions, ''moksha'' is a central concept and the utmost aim of human life; the other three aims being ''dharma'' (virtuous, proper, moral life), ''artha'' (material prosperity, income security, means of life), and ''kama'' (pleasure, sensuality, emotional fulfillment). Together, these four concepts are called Puruṣārtha in Hinduism. In some schools of Indian religions, ''moksha'' is considered equivalent to and used interchange ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Andhra Pradesh
Andhra Pradesh (, abbr. AP) is a state in the south-eastern coastal region of India. It is the seventh-largest state by area covering an area of and tenth-most populous state with 49,386,799 inhabitants. It is bordered by Telangana to the north-west, Chhattisgarh to the north, Odisha to the north-east, Tamil Nadu to the south, Karnataka to the west and the Bay of Bengal to the east. It has the second longest coastline in India after Gujarat, of about . Andhra State was the first state to be formed on a linguistic basis in India on 1 October 1953. On 1 November 1956, Andhra State was merged with the Telugu-speaking areas (ten districts) of the Hyderabad State to form United Andhra Pradesh. ln 2014 these merged areas of Hyderabad State are bifurcated from United Andhra Pradesh to form new state Telangana . Present form of Andhra similar to Andhra state.but some mandalas like Bhadrachalam still with Telangana. Visakhapatnam, Guntur, Kurnool is People Capital of And ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Pithapuram
Pithapuram, historically known as Pittapore, is a town and a municipality in the Kakinada district in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. The town also forms a part of Godavari Urban Development Authority. The town is home to one of the eighteen Maha Sakthi Peethas, which are significant shrines and pilgrimage destinations in Shaktism. Sripada Sri Vallabha, a prominent Hindu saint of 14th century was born and lived in Pithapuram. He is considered by his devotees as one of the first complete avatars (incarnations) of the deity Dattatreya in Kali Yuga. History Pithapuram was originally called Pithikapuram. The earliest extant inscription to mention the city is the fourth century king Samudragupta's Allahabad Pillar inscription, which states that he defeated the king Mahendra of Pithikapuram. The inscriptions of the fourth and fifth century Vasishtha and Mathara dynasties also mention Pishtapura, describing it as a part of Kalinga. In the seventh century, the Chalukya king ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Sripada Sri Vallabha
Sripada Srivallabha (Telugu language, Telugu: శ్రీపాద శ్రీవల్లభ, Tamil language, Tamil: ஸ்ரீபாத ஸ்ரீவல்லபர், Hindi: श्रीपाद श्रीवल्लभ, Kannada: ಶ್ರೀಪಾದ ಶ್ರೀವಲ್ಲಭ, Marathi language, Marathi: श्रीपाद श्रीवल्लभ, Malayalam: ശ്രീപാദ ശ്രീവല്ലഭ) is an Indian guru of the Dattatreya Sampradaya (Lineage) who is regarded as an incarnation of Dattatreya, Lord Dattatreya. He is considered as one of the first complete Avatars (incarnations) of the deity Dattatreya in Kali Yuga. Of note, Narasimha Saraswati, Manik Prabhu, Swami Samarth, Shirdi Sai Baba , are believed to be other incarnations of Lord Dattatreya that followed Sripada Srivallabha. Sripada Srivallabha was born and lived in Pithapuram, formerly known as Pitikapuram, a town in present-day Andhra Pradesh in India. The grandparents of Sripa ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Diwali
Diwali (), Dewali, Divali, or Deepavali ( IAST: ''dīpāvalī''), also known as the Festival of Lights, related to Jain Diwali, Bandi Chhor Divas, Tihar, Swanti, Sohrai, and Bandna, is a religious celebration in Indian religions. It is one of the most important festivals within Hinduism where it generally lasts five days (or six in some regions of India), and is celebrated during the Hindu lunisolar months of Ashvin (according to the amanta tradition) and Kartika (between mid-October and mid- November).''The New Oxford Dictionary of English'' (1998) – p. 540 "Diwali /dɪwɑːli/ (also Diwali) noun a Hindu festival with lights...". It is a post-harvest festival celebrating the bounty following the arrival of the monsoon in the subcontinent. Diwali symbolises the spiritual "victory of light over darkness, good over evil, and knowledge over ignorance".Jean Mead, ''How and why Do Hindus Celebrate Divali?'', The festival is widely associated with Lakshmi,Suzanne Barche ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Govatsa Dwadashi
Govatsa Dwadashi is a Hindu cultural and religious festival which marks the beginning of Diwali celebrations in some parts of India, especially in the state of Maharashtra, where it is known as ''Vasu Baras''. In Gujarat, it is celebrated as ''Vagh Baras'' and as ''Sripada Vallabha Aradhana Utsav'' of Sripada Sri Vallabha, at Pithapuram Datta Mahasamsthan in the state of Andhra Pradesh. In Hinduism, cows are considered very sacred, equivalent to human mothers for providing people with nourishing milk. In some North Indian states, Govatsa Dwadashi is referred to as ''Vagh'', which implies the repayment of one's financial debts. It is therefore a day when businessmen clear their accounting books and do not make further transactions in their new ledgers. Govatsa Dwadashi is also observed as ''Nandini Vrat'', as both Nandini and Nandi are considered sacred in the Shaivite tradition. It is a thanksgiving festival to the cows for their help in sustaining human life, and thus both cows a ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Utkala Brahmin
Utkala Brahmins, also known as Utkal Brahmins, are a Brahmin community who belong to the state of Odisha, India. Utkala Brahmins are the historical caretakers of the Jagannath Temple in Puri. The Utkala Brahmins are one of the five Pancha Gouda Brahmin communities that originally resided to the north of the Vindhyas. They constitute about 7% of Odisha's population. History During ancient period Utkala was centre of Buddhism and Jainism. Shailodbhava dynasty were follower of Shaivism who ruled the region from 6th century to 8th century. They had built Parashurameshvara Temple in 7th century which is oldest temple in Bhubaneswar. Shailodhava king Madhavaraja II in his inscriptions state that he performed the ashvamedha sacrifices to assert his independence from Gupta Empire which indicates presence of Brahmin in Odisha in 7th century. Keshari dynasty ruled from 9th to 12th century in medieval period who constructed Lingaraj Temple, Mukteshvara Temple and Rajarani Temple in Bhuba ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Puri
Puri () is a coastal city and a Nagar Palika, municipality in the state of Odisha in eastern India. It is the district headquarters of Puri district and is situated on the Bay of Bengal, south of the state capital of Bhubaneswar. It is also known as ''Sri Jagannatha Dhama'' after the 12th-century Jagannath Temple (Puri), Jagannath Temple located in the city. It is one of the original Char Dham pilgrimage sites for Hindus. Puri is known by several names since the ancient times, and was locally known as "Sri Kshetra" and the Jagannath temple is known as "Badadeula". Puri and the Jagannath Temple were invaded 18 times by Muslim rulers, from the 7th century AD till the early 19th century with the objective of looting the treasures of the temple. Odisha, including Puri and its temple, were part of British India from 1803 till India attained independence in August 1947. Even though princely states do not exist in India today, the heirs of the House of Gajapati still perform the ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Jagannath Temple
The Jagannath Temple is an important Hindu temple dedicated to Jagannath, a form of Vishnu - one of the trinity of supreme divinity in Hinduism. Puri is in the state of Odisha, on the eastern coast of India. The present temple was rebuilt from the tenth century onwards, on the site of pre existing temples in the compound but not the main Jagannatha temple, and begun by Anantavarman Chodaganga, the first king of the Eastern Ganga dynasty. The Puri temple is famous for its annual Ratha Yatra, or chariot festival, in which the three principal deities are pulled on huge and elaborately decorated temple cars. Unlike the stone and metal icons found in most Hindu temples, the image of Jagannath (which gave its name to the English term ' juggernaut') is made of wood and is ceremoniously replaced every twelve or 19 years by an exact replica. It is one of the Char Dham pilgrimage sites. The temple is sacred to all Hindus, and especially in those of the Vaishnava traditions. Many gre ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Rama
Rama (; ), Ram, Raman or Ramar, also known as Ramachandra (; , ), is a major deity in Hinduism. He is the seventh and one of the most popular '' avatars'' of Vishnu. In Rama-centric traditions of Hinduism, he is considered the Supreme Being. Rama is said to have been born to Kaushalya and Dasharatha in Ayodhya, the ruler of the Kingdom of Kosala. His siblings included Lakshmana, Bharata, and Shatrughna. He married Sita. Though born in a royal family, their life is described in the Hindu texts as one challenged by unexpected changes such as an exile into impoverished and difficult circumstances, ethical questions and moral dilemmas. Of all their travails, the most notable is the kidnapping of Sita by demon-king Ravana, followed by the determined and epic efforts of Rama and Lakshmana to gain her freedom and destroy the evil Ravana against great odds. The entire life story of Rama, Sita and their companions allegorically discusses duties, rights and social responsibil ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
