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Amaravati () is the capital city of
Svarga, the realm of
Indra, the king of the
devas
Devas may refer to:
* Devas Club, a club in south London
* Anthony Devas (1911–1958), British portrait painter
* Charles Stanton Devas (1848–1906), political economist
* Jocelyn Devas (died 1886), founder of the Devas Club
* Devas (band), ...
, in
Hinduism
Hinduism () is an Indian religion or '' dharma'', a religious and universal order or way of life by which followers abide. As a religion, it is the world's third-largest, with over 1.2–1.35 billion followers, or 15–16% of the global p ...
,
Buddhism
Buddhism ( , ), also known as Buddha Dharma and Dharmavinaya (), is an Indian religions, Indian religion or Indian philosophy#Buddhist philosophy, philosophical tradition based on Pre-sectarian Buddhism, teachings attributed to the Buddha. ...
, and
Jainism
Jainism ( ), also known as Jain Dharma, is an Indian religion. Jainism traces its spiritual ideas and history through the succession of twenty-four tirthankaras (supreme preachers of ''Dharma''), with the first in the current time cycle bein ...
. It is also called Devapura, ‘city of the devas’ and Pūṣābhāsā, ‘sun-splendour’ in the
Puranas.
Description
![Candi Prambanan - 041 Kalpataru and Kinnara (12041745124)](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/96/Candi_Prambanan_-_041_Kalpataru_and_Kinnara_%2812041745124%29.jpg)
In Hindu tradition, Amaravati was built by
Vishvakarma
Vishvakarma or Vishvakarman ( sa, विश्वकर्मा, Viśvakarmā, all maker) is a craftsman deity and the divine architect of the devas in contemporary Hinduism. In the early texts, the craftsman deity was known as Tvastar and the ...
, the architect of the devas, a son of
Brahma
Brahma ( sa, ब्रह्मा, Brahmā) is a Hindu god, referred to as "the Creator" within the Trimurti, the trinity of supreme divinity that includes Vishnu, and Shiva.Jan Gonda (1969)The Hindu Trinity Anthropos, Bd 63/64, H 1/2, pp. 21 ...
, but sometimes also depicted as a son of
Kashyapa
Kashyapa ( sa, कश्यप}, ) is a revered Vedic sage of Hinduism., Quote: "Kasyapa (Rudra),(Vedic Seer)..." He is one of the Saptarishis, the seven ancient sages of the ''Rigveda''. Kashyapa is the most ancient and venerated rishi, ...
. At the centre of Amaravati is Vaijayanta, the palace of Indra, or
Śakra (Buddhism)
Śakra (Sanskrit: शक्र Śakra; Pali: सक्क Sakka) is the ruler of the Trāyastriṃśa Heaven according to Buddhist cosmology. He is also referred to by the title "Śakra, Lord of the Devas" (Sanskrit: '; Pali: '). The name Śa ...
in Buddhism. The heaven of Indra is a region for the virtuous alone, with celestial gardens called ''Nandana Vana'', that houses sacred trees, like the wish-fulfilling
Kalpavriksha
Kalpavriksha () is a wish-fulfilling divine tree in Indian religions, like Hinduism, Jainism, Buddhism, and Sikhism. Its earliest descriptions are mentioned in Sanskrit literature. It is also a popular theme in Jain cosmology and Buddhism. ...
, as well as sweet-scented flowers such as hibiscuses, roses, hyacinths, freesias, magnolias, gardenias, jasmines, and honeysuckles. Fragrant almond extract is sprinkled on the sides of palaces. The fragrant groves are occupied by
apsaras
An apsaras or apsara ( sa, अप्सरा ' lso ' pi, अक्चरा, translit=accharā) is a type of female spirit of the clouds and waters in Hinduism and Buddhist culture. They figure prominently in the sculpture, dance, litera ...
. Low sweet music is stated to play in this land. Indra's abode is eight hundred miles in circumference and forty miles in height.
The denizens of Amaravati include the devas,
danavas
In Hindu mythology, the danavas are a race descending from Kashyapa and his wife Danu, a daughter of the progenitor god, Daksha. It is mentioned that there are one hundred danavas.
Origin
The danavas are a mythological race of demigods, t ...
,
gandharvas
A gandharva () is a member of a class of celestial beings in Dharmic religions, such as Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism, whose males are divine performers such as musicians and singers, and the females are divine dancers. In Hinduism, they are ...
,
kinnaras
In the Mahabharata, Kinnara Kingdom is referred to the territory of a tribe called Kinnaras. The Kinnaras, along with other exotic tribes, were inhabitants of the Himalaya mountains. In the epic Mahabharata the Kinnaras are described as half-ma ...
, uragas, and
rakshasas
Rakshasas ( sa, राक्षस, IAST: : Pali: ''rakkhaso'') lit. 'preservers' are a race of usually malevolent demigods prominently featured in Hindu mythology. According to the Brahmanda Purana, the rakshasas were created by Brahma when ...
, as well as fortunate human beings who are on par with the devas in this realm.
The pillars of Amaravati are composed of diamonds, and its furniture is made of pure gold. Amaravati's palaces are also made of gold. Pleasant breezes are described to carry the perfume of rose-coloured flowers. The inhabitants of Amaravati are entertained by music, dancing, and every sort of festivity. Divinity is stated to fill up the entire region. The audience chamber of Amaravati accommodates the thirty-three celestials called the
Trāyastriṃśa
The (Sanskrit; Pali ) heaven is an important world of the devas in the Buddhist cosmology. The word is an adjective formed from the numeral , "33" and can be translated in English as "belonging to the thirty-three evas. It is primarily t ...
, together with the forty-eight thousand
rishis
''Rishi'' () is a term for an accomplished and enlightened person. They find mentions in various Vedic texts. Rishis are believed to have composed hymns of the Vedas. The Post-Vedic tradition of Hinduism regards the rishis as "great yogis" or ...
, and a multitude of attendants. In the
Mahabharata
The ''Mahābhārata'' ( ; sa, महाभारतम्, ', ) is one of the two major Sanskrit literature, Sanskrit Indian epic poetry, epics of ancient India in Hinduism, the other being the ''Ramayana, Rāmāyaṇa''. It narrates the s ...
,
Indra has another celestial meeting hall at Amaravati, known as ''Pushkara-Malini'', which he is described to have built himself.
Literature
Skanda Purana
In the
Skanda Purana
The ''Skanda Purana'' (IAST: Skanda Purāṇa) is the largest '' Mukyapurana'', a genre of eighteen Hindu religious texts. The text contains over 81,000 verses, and is of Kaumara literature, titled after Skanda, a son of Shiva and Parvati, w ...
, the environs of the city are described:
Brahma Purana
In the
Brahma Purana
The ''Brahma Purana'' ( sa, ब्रह्मपुराण or ; ) is one of the eighteen major Puranas collections of Hindu texts in Sanskrit Language. It is listed as the first Maha-Purana in all the anthologies, and therefore also called A ...
, the city of
Dvaraka built by
Krishna
Krishna (; sa, कृष्ण ) is a major deity in Hinduism. He is worshipped as the eighth avatar of Vishnu and also as the Supreme god in his own right. He is the god of protection, compassion, tenderness, and love; and is one ...
is stated to describe Amaravati, consisting of grand parks and outer walls, boasting hundreds of lakes, as well as hundreds of thick ramparts.
See also
*
Svarga
*
Devaloka
*
Vaikuntha
Vaikuntha ( sa, वैकुण्ठ, lit=without anxiety, translit=Vaikuṇṭha), also called Vishnuloka (), and Tirunatu (Tirunāṭu) in Tamil, is the abode of Vishnu, the supreme deity in the Vaishnava tradition of Hinduism,Gavin Flood, A ...
*
Satyaloka
Brahmaloka (Sanskrit: ब्रह्मालोक, IAST: Brahmāloka) or Satyaloka (Sanskrit: सत्यलोक) is the abode of Brahma, the creator god, a member of the Trimurti along with Vishnu and Shiva, along with his consort Saraswat ...
*
Kailasa
References
External links
*
* {{cite web, url=http://sacred-texts.com/hin/m03/m03043.htm , title=The Mahabharata, Book 3: Vana Parva: Indralokagamana Parva: Section XLIII , publisher=Sacred-texts.com , date= , accessdate=2014-03-30
Locations in Hindu mythology
Hindu cosmology