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Añjanā
Anjana (), also known as Anjani and Anjali, is the mother of Hanuman, one of the protagonists of the Hindu epic the ''Ramayana''. She is said to have been a resident of Kishkindha in the text. Legend According to a version of the legend, Anjana was an apsara named Punjikastala, who was born on earth as a vanara princess due to the curse of a sage. Anjana was married to Kesari, a mighty vanara, the son of Bṛhaspati and ruler of Mount Meru. Anjana was the mother of Hanuman. Being Anjana's son, Hanuman is also called ''Anjaneya'' or ''Anjanayar''. There are several legends about the birth of Hanuman. Eknath's ''Bhavartha Ramayana'' (16th century CE) states that when Anjana was worshipping Lord Shiva, King Dasharatha of Ayodhya was performing the ritual of Putrakameshti yagna in order to bear children. As a result, he received some sacred pudding ( payasam) to be shared by his three wives, leading to the births of Rama, Lakshmana, Bharata, and Shatrughna. By divine ordinanc ...
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Hanuman
Hanuman (; , ), also known as Maruti, Bajrangabali, and Anjaneya, is a deity in Hinduism, revered as a divine ''vanara'', and a devoted companion of the deity Rama. Central to the ''Ramayana'', Hanuman is celebrated for his unwavering devotion to Rama and is considered a '' chiranjivi''. He is traditionally believed to be the spiritual offspring of the wind deity Vayu, who is said to have played a significant role in his birth. In Shaiva tradition, he is regarded to be an incarnation of Shiva, while in most of the Vaishnava traditions he is the son and incarnation of Vayu. His tales are recounted not only in the ''Ramayana'' but also in the '' Mahabharata'' and various ''Puranas''. Devotional practices centered around Hanuman were not prominent in these texts or in early archaeological evidence. His theological significance and the cultivation of a devoted following emerged roughly a millennium after the ''Ramayana'' was composed, during the second millennium CE.Paula Richman ...
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Kesari (Ramayana)
Kesari is a male ''vanara,'' and a figure in Hindu mythology. He is the father of Hanuman and the husband of Anjana. Legend Early Life While mighty Kesari ruled the Mount Meru/Sumeru, Brahmā cursed an apsara named Managarva, and turned her into a vanara. She married Kesari, under the name Anjana. For a long time, the couple were childless. Anjana propitiated Vayu for a child. In Shaiva tradition, Shiva was requested to beget a son to help Vishnu, who was about to incarnate as Rama to slay Ravana. Shiva and Parvati took the form of vanaras and engaged in intercourse. When Vayu appeared, the couple made their presence known, and Parvati revealed the child inside her. Parvati refused to take the foetus in the form of a vanara to Kailasha. As Shiva had instructed, Parvati offered the child to Vayu, who transferred it to Anjana's womb, who gave birth to Hanuman. Later Life Kesari, Anjana and child Hanuman moved to Kishkindha on the request of its king Riksharaja, father of ...
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Vanara
In Hinduism, Vanara () are either monkeys, apes, or a race of forest-dwelling people. In the epic the ''Ramayana'', the Vanaras help Rama defeat Ravana. They are generally depicted as humanoid apes, or human-like beings. Etymology There are three main theories about the etymology of the word "Vanara": * Aiyanar suggests that ''vanara'' means "monkey" derived from the word ''vana'' ("forest"), Literally meaning "belonging to the forest" Monier-Williams says it is probably derived from ''vanar'' (lit. "wandering in the forest") and means "forest-animal" or monkey. * Devdutt Pattanaik suggests that it derives from the words ''vana'' ("forest"), and ''nara'' ("man"), thus meaning "forest man" and suggests that they may not be monkeys, which is the general meaning. * It may be derived from the words ''vav'' and ''nara'', meaning "is it a man?" (meaning "monkey") or "perhaps he is man". Identification Although the word Vanara has come to mean "monkey" over the years and th ...
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Lakshmana
Lakshmana (, ), also known as Laxmana, Lakhan, Saumitra, and Ramanuja, is the younger brother of Rama in the Hindu epic ''Ramayana''. He is considered as an incarnation of Shesha, the lord of serpents. Lakshmana was married to Urmila, and is known for his loyalty and dedication towards Rama. Lakshmana was born to King Dasharatha of Ayodhya and Queen Sumitra. Shatrughna, is his twin brother. He was married to Urmila, after his brother Rama married Sita in her swayamvara. Lakshmana devoted himself to Rama since childhood and accompanied him during his fourteen-year exile, serving him and Sita endlessly. He also played a pivotal role in the war and killed Meghanada. Lakshmana is worshipped in Hinduism, at various places in India, alongside Rama and Sita. Etymology The name Lakshmana is of Sanskrit origin, which means 'the one endowed with auspicious signs'. He bears the epithets of Saumitra (, ) and Ramanuja (, ). Legend Birth and early life King Dasharatha of A ...
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Bharata (Ramayana)
Bharata ( ) is the younger brother of Rama in Hindu epic ''Ramayana'', and the regent of Ayodhya during Rama's exile. Bharata is considered as an incarnation of the Panchajanya of god Vishnu, and was married to Mandavi. Bharata is regarded for his devotion towards his elder brother Rama. He went against his mother and refused the throne of Ayodhya while elder brother, Rama, was exiled. Bharata also lived a life in exile, in Nandigram, Ayodhya, till Rama, Sita and Lakshmana returned to Ayodhya. He is mostly worshipped in Kerala. Etymology The name Bharata is of Sanskrit origin. His name means "one to be r beingmaintained". Legend Birth and early life King Dasharatha of Ayodhya had three wives: Kausalya, Kaikeyi, and Sumitra. Bharata was born to Kaikeyi, while Rama was born to Kausalya, and Lakshmana and Shatrughna were born to Sumitra. In the ''Ramayana'', he is described as an incarnation of Panchajanya. While Lakshmana was a loyalist of Rama, his twin, Shatrughn ...
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Shatrughna
''Shatrughna'' (, ), also known as Ripudaman, is the younger brother of Rama, and King of Mathura, Madhupura and Vidisha, in the Hindu epic ''Ramayana''. He is considered as an incarnation of the Sudarshana Chakra of god Vishnu, and was married to Shrutakirti. Shatrughna is the twin of Lakshmana. He is a loyalist of Bharata (Ramayana), Bharata, just like Lakshmana is to Rama. Shatrughna appears as the 412th name of Vishnu in the ''Vishnu Sahasranama'' of the ''Mahabharata''. Etymology The name Shatrughna is of Sanskrit origin. ''Shatru'' means 'enemy' and ''Ghna'' means 'kill'. His name means 'killer of enemies'. Legend Birth and early life King Dasharatha of Ayodhya (Ramayana), Ayodhya had three wives: Kausalya, Kaikeyi, and Sumitra. Shatrughan and his elder brother Lakshmana were born to Sumitra, while Rama and Bharata (Ramayana), Bharata were born to Kausalya and Kaikeyi. In the ''Ramayana'', he is described as an incarnation of Sudarshana Chakra. Marriage to Shrutakir ...
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Kite (bird)
Kite is the common name for certain birds of prey in the family Accipitridae, particularly in the subfamilies Elaninae and Perninae and certain genera within Buteoninae."kite". Encyclopædia Britannica. Encyclopædia Britannica Online. Encyclopædia Britannica Inc., 2014. Web. 24 Nov. 2014 . The term is derived from Old English , onomatopoeic from the call notes of the buzzard (''Buteo buteo'') and red kite (''Milvus milvus''). The name, having no cognate names in other European languages, is thought to have arisen in England; it apparently originally denoted the buzzard, as the red kite was then known by the widespread Germanic name 'glede' or 'glead', and was only later transferred to the red kite as "fork-tailed kite" by Christopher Merret in his 1667 ''Pinax Rerum Naturalium Britannicarum''. By the time of Thomas Pennant's 1768 ''British Zoology'', the name had become fixed on the red kite, other birds named 'kite' around the world being named from their then-percei ...
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Vayu
Vayu (; ), also known as Vata () and Pavana (), is the Hindu deities, Hindu god of the winds as well as the divine messenger of the gods. In the ''Vedic scriptures'', Vayu is an important deity and is closely associated with Indra, the king of gods. He is mentioned to be born from the breath of Supreme Being Vishvarupa, Vishvapurusha and also the first one to drink Soma (drink), Soma. The ''Upanishads'' praise him as ''Prana'' or 'life breath of the world'. In the later Hindu scriptures, he is described as a dikpala (one of the guardians of the direction), who looks over the north-west direction. The Hindu epics describe him as the father of the god Hanuman and Bhima. The followers of the 13th-century saint Madhva believe their guru as an avatar, incarnation of Vāyu. They worship the wind deity as Mukhyaprana () and consider him as the son of the god Vishnu. Connotations The word for air (classical element), air (''vāyu'') or wind (''pavana'') is one of the Classical eleme ...
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Anjani With Child Hanuman - Bronze - Pallava Period - ACCN 15-524 - Government Museum - Mathura 2013-02-24 6603
Anjani Thomas (born July 10, 1959) is an American singer-songwriter and pianist, best known for her work with singer-songwriter Leonard Cohen, as well as Carl Anderson, Frank Gambale, and Stanley Clarke. She became a solo artist in 2000. Life Anjani was born in Honolulu, Hawaii, where she trained in guitar, piano and voice. She attended Berklee College of Music for a year then moved to New York City to a pursue a music career. She performed in jazz clubs before meeting producer John Lissauer, who hired her to provide backup vocals on Leonard Cohen's influential song "Hallelujah" from ''Various Positions''. Anjani went on to tour with Cohen in 1985, as his keyboardist and backup vocalist, and worked with Cohen for many years after, lending her talents to '' I'm Your Man'', '' The Future'', '' Dear Heather'' and ''Old Ideas''. Anjani launched a solo career with ''Anjani'' in 2000 followed by ''The Sacred Names'' in 2001 – an ode to the Aramaic, Greek and Hebrew names of G ...
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Hindu
Hindus (; ; also known as Sanātanīs) are people who religiously adhere to Hinduism, also known by its endonym Sanātana Dharma. Jeffery D. Long (2007), A Vision for Hinduism, IB Tauris, , pp. 35–37 Historically, the term has also been used as a geographical, cultural, and later religious identifier for people living in the Indian subcontinent. It is assumed that the term ''"Hindu"'' traces back to Avestan scripture Vendidad which refers to land of seven rivers as Hapta Hendu which itself is a cognate to Sanskrit term ''Sapta Sindhuḥ''. (The term ''Sapta Sindhuḥ'' is mentioned in Rig Veda and refers to a North western Indian region of seven rivers and to India as a whole.) The Greek cognates of the same terms are "''Indus''" (for the river) and "''India''" (for the land of the river). Likewise the Hebrew cognate ''hōd-dū'' refers to India mentioned in Hebrew BibleEsther 1:1. The term "''Hindu''" also implied a geographic, ethnic or cultural identifier for ...
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Rama
Rama (; , , ) is a major deity in Hinduism. He is worshipped as the seventh and one of the most popular avatars of Vishnu. In Rama-centric Hindu traditions, he is considered the Supreme Being. Also considered as the ideal man (''maryāda'' ''puruṣottama''), Rama is the male protagonist of the Hindu epic '' Ramayana''. His birth is celebrated every year on Rama Navami, which falls on the ninth day of the bright half ( Shukla Paksha) of the lunar cycle of Chaitra (March–April), the first month in the Hindu calendar. According to the ''Ramayana'', Rama was born to Dasaratha and his first wife Kausalya in Ayodhya, the capital of the Kingdom of Kosala. His siblings included Lakshmana, Bharata, and Shatrughna. He married Sita. Born in a royal family, Rama's life is described in the Hindu texts as one challenged by unexpected changes, such as an exile into impoverished and difficult circumstances, and challenges of ethical questions and moral dilemmas. The most not ...
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