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Jayanta
Jayanta ()), is a character who appears in Hindu literature. He is the son of Indra, the king of the devas (gods), and his wife, Shachi (Indrani). He has a sister called Jayanti. He appears in various Hindu scriptures, fighting in wars on behalf of the devas. Jayanta also appears in the epic ''Ramayana'' and other lore, in which he disguises himself as a crow. Legends Crow form In the '' Sundara Kanda'' (the fifth Book of the epic ''Ramayana''), when Hanuman meets Sita, she narrates an incident that happened in the forest in Chitrakuta. The prince of Ayodhya and an avatar of the god Vishnu, Rama, is exiled to the forest with his wife Sita (an avatar of Vishnu's wife, Lakshmi) and his brother, Lakshmana. A fatigued Rama was sleeping in the lap of Sita, when a crow attacked her. The crow pecks at her twice; once on her breast or between her breasts in some versions. The ''Ramcharitmanas'' replaces the breast with feet. In a hurry to drive away the crow, she tries to fas ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Indra
Indra (; ) is the Hindu god of weather, considered the king of the Deva (Hinduism), Devas and Svarga in Hinduism. He is associated with the sky, lightning, weather, thunder, storms, rains, river flows, and war. [3 volumes] Indra is the most frequently mentioned deity in the ''Rigveda''. He is celebrated for his powers based on his status as a god of order, and as the one who killed the great evil, an Asura (Hinduism), asura named Vritra, who obstructed human prosperity and happiness. Indra destroys Vritra and his "deceiving forces", and thereby brings rain and sunshine as the saviour of mankind. Indra's significance diminishes in the post-Vedic Indian literature, but he still plays an important role in various mythological events. He is depicted as a powerful hero. According to the ''Vishnu Purana'', Indra is the title borne by the king of the gods, which changes every Manvantara – a cyclic period of time in Hindu cosmology. Each Manvantara has its own Indra and the In ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Shachi
Indrani (Sanskrit: इन्द्राणी, IAST: ''Indrāṇī''), also known as Shachi (Sanskrit: शची, IAST: ''Śacī''), is the queen of the devas in Hinduism. Described as tantalisingly beautiful, proud and kind, she is the daughter of the asura Puloman and the consort of the king of the devas, Indra. According to legend, due to her heavenly beauty and sensuality, Indrani was desired by many men, many of whom tried to marry her. When Indra was away performing his penance for the slaying of Vritasura, Nahusha, a mortal king of the Lunar dynasty, was chosen as the ruler of heaven. The latter tried to seduce Shachi and make her his queen, though she cleverly executed a scheme to dethrone him and later reunite with her husband. Indrani (or Aindri) is also one of the Sapta Matrika—the seven divine mothers. She is an important goddess in Shaktism, a major sect of Hinduism. Indrani is rarely worshipped as an independent deity and is most often worshipped with I ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Jayanti (Hinduism)
Jayanti (, ) is a character in Hindu mythology. She is the daughter of Indra, the king of the Deva (Hinduism), devas and the ruler of Svarga, and his consort, Shachi. Jayanti is described as the wife of Shukra, the god of the planet Venus and the guru of the asuras. Their union results in the birth of a daughter, Devayani. Jayanti is also described as the sister of Jayanta. She is sometimes identified with Urjjasvati, Shukra's another wife. Literature Jayanti appears primarily in the description of one event, the tale of her marriage with Shukra. The tale is retold in many Hindu scriptures with some variations as per the interpretations. The texts include the ''Vayu Purana'', the ''Matsya Purana'', the ''Brahmanda Purana'', the ''Devi Bhagavata Purana'', and the ''Padma Purana''. Legend The ''Matsya Purana'' narrates that the asuras were almost decimated in battle with the Devas (Hinduism), devas. Their guru, Shukra, goes to Mount Kailash to please the god Shiva and acquire ne ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Brahmastra
The () is a celestial weapon (''astra'') created and owned by the god Brahma along with its more powerful variant, the ''Brahmashirastra. The later is considered as the most destructive, powerful, and irresistible weapon mentioned in all of Hinduism. Only a handful of gods and warrior-heros, namely Parasurama, Parashurama, Rama, Meghnada, Meghanada, Bhisma, Bhishma, Drona, Karna, Ashwatthama, Arjuna, and Lakshmana, were said to have possessed the knowledge to invoke this weapon. Description It is termed as a fiery weapon that creates a fierce fireball, blazing up with terrible flames and countless horrendous thunder flashes. When discharged, all nature including trees, oceans, and animals tremble. The sky surrounds with flame, glaciers melt, and mountains shatter with copious noise all around. When used, the Brahmastra which is person-centric can destroy a powerful enemy if they do not possess an alternate counter weapon. If it is Brahmashirā astra, it causes collateral ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Kumbha Mela
Kumbh Mela (, ; ) is an important Hindu pilgrimage, celebrated approximately every 6 or 12 years, correlated with the partial or full revolution of Jupiter. It is the largest peaceful gathering of people in the world. A ritual dip in the waters marks the festival. It is also a celebration of community commerce with numerous fairs, education, religious discourses by saints, mass gatherings of monks, and entertainment., Quote: "The special power of the Kumbha Mela is often said to be due in part to the presence of large numbers of Hindu monks, and many pilgrims seek the darsan (Skt., darsana; auspicious mutual sight) of these holy men. Others listen to religious discourses, participate in devotional singing, engage Brahman priests for personal rituals, organise mass feedings of monks or the poor, or merely enjoy the spectacle. Amid this diversity of activities, the ritual bath at the conjunction of time and place is the central event of the Kumbha Mela." The seekers believe ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Nashik
Nashik, formerly Nasik, is a city in the northern region of the Indian state of Maharashtra situated on the banks of the river Godavari, about northeast of the state capital Mumbai. Nashik is one of the Hindu pilgrimage sites of the Kumbh Mela, which is held every 12 years. According to the ''Ramayana'', Nashik is the location on the banks of the Godavari River where Lakshmana cut the nose of the demoness Shurpanakha. It is also called Panchavati. It was known as "Gulshanabad" during the Mughal period. History Mythology Nashik was known as "Padmanagar" during the Satya Yuga, "Trikantak" during the Treta Yuga, "Janasthana" during the Dvapara Yuga, and finally "Navashikh" or "Nashik" during the Kali Yuga, according to Hindu traditions. Nashik is significant in history, social life, and culture. The city is located on the banks of the Godavari River, making it a sacred site for Hindus around the world. During his 14-year exile from Ayodhya, Rama, the king of Ayod ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ujjain
Ujjain (, , old name Avantika, ) or Ujjayinī is a city in Ujjain district of the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh. It is the fifth-largest city in Madhya Pradesh by population and is the administrative as well as religious centre of Ujjain district and Ujjain division. It is one of the Hindu pilgrimage centres of Sapta Puri famous for the ''Kumbh Mela'' (Simhastha) held there every 12 years. The ancient and world famous temple of Mahakaleshwar Jyotirlinga is located in the center of the city. The city has been one of the most prominent trade and political centres of the Indian Subcontinent from the time of the ancient Mahājanapadas until the British colonisation of India. An ancient city situated on the eastern bank of the Shipra River, Ujjain was the most prominent city on the Malwa plateau of central India for much of its history. It emerged as the political centre of central India around 600 BCE. It was the capital of the ancient Avanti kingdom, one of the sixteen ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Haridwar
Haridwar (; ; formerly Mayapuri) is a city and municipal corporation in the Haridwar district of Uttarakhand, India. With a population of 228,832 in 2011, it is the second-largest city in the state and the largest in the district. The city is situated on the right bank of the Ganges river, at the foothills of the Sivalik Hills, Shivalik ranges. Haridwar lies in Doab, doab region where people speak Kauravi dialect, khari boli, other districts of doab region lies in western Uttar Pradesh. Haridwar is regarded as a holy place for Hindus, hosting important religious events and serving as a gateway to several prominent places of worship. Most significant of the events is the Kumbha Mela, which is celebrated every 12 years in Haridwar. During the Haridwar Kumbh Mela, millions of pilgrims, devotees, and tourists congregate in Haridwar to perform ritualistic bathing on the banks of the Ganges to wash away their sins to attain ''moksha''. According to Puranic legend, Haridwar, along with ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Allahabad
Prayagraj (, ; ISO 15919, ISO: ), formerly and colloquially known as Allahabad, is a metropolis in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh.The other five cities were: Agra, Kanpur, Kanpur (Cawnpore), Lucknow, Meerut, and Varanasi, Varanasi (Benares). It is the administrative headquarters of the Prayagraj district, the most populous district in the state and 13th most populous district in India and the Prayagraj division. The city is the judicial capital of Uttar Pradesh with the Allahabad High Court being the highest judicial body in the state. Prayagraj is the List of cities in Uttar Pradesh by population, seventh most populous city in the state, list of North Indian cities by population, thirteenth in North India, Northern India and List of cities in India by population, thirty-sixth in India, with an estimated population of 1.53 million in the city. In 2011, it was ranked the world's 40th fastest-growing city. The city, in 2016, was also ranked the third most liveable Urba ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Asura
Asuras () are a class of beings in Indian religions, and later Persian and Turkic mythology. They are described as power-seeking beings related to the more benevolent Devas (also known as Suras) in Hinduism. In its Buddhist context, the word is translated as "titan" or " antigod". According to Hindu texts, the asuras are in constant fear of the devas. Asuras are described in Indian texts as powerful superhuman demigods with good or bad qualities. In early Vedic literature, the good Asuras are called '' Adityas'' and are led by Varuna, while the malevolent ones are called '' Danavas'' and are led by Vritra. In the earliest layer of Vedic texts, Agni, Indra and other gods are also called Asuras, in the sense of their being "lords" of their respective domains, knowledge and abilities. In later Vedic and post-Vedic texts, the benevolent gods are called ''Devas'', while malevolent Asuras compete against these Devas and are considered "enem ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Amrita
''Amrita'' (, IAST: ''amṛta''), ''Amrit'' or ''Amata'' in Pali language, Pali, (also called ''Sudha'', ''Amiy'', ''Ami'') is a Sanskrit word that means "immortality". It is a central concept within Indian religions and is often referred to in ancient Indian texts as an Elixir of life, elixir. Its first occurrence is in the Rigveda, where it is considered one of several synonyms for ''soma (drink), soma'', the drink of the Deva (Hinduism), devas. Amrita plays a significant role in the Samudra manthan, Samudra Manthana, and is the cause of the conflict between devas and asuras competing for amrita to obtain immortality. Amrita has varying significance in different Indian religions. The word ''Amrit'' is also a common first name for Sikhs and Hindus, while its feminine form is ''Amritā''. Amrita is cognate to and shares many similarities with ambrosia; both originated from a common Proto-Indo-European mythology, Proto-Indo-European source."Ambrosia" in ''Chambers's Encyclopædi ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Samudra Manthan
The Samudra Manthana () is a major episode in Hinduism that is elaborated in the Vishnu Purana, a major text of Hinduism. The Samudra Manthana explains the origin of the elixir of eternal life, amrita. Nomenclature *Sāgara manthana (सागरमन्थन) – ''Sāgara'' is another word for '' Samudra'', both meaning a sea or large water body. *Kshirasāgara manthana (क्षीरसागरमन्थन) – ''Kshirasāgara'' means the ocean of milk or milky ocean. ''Kshirasāgara'' = ''Kshira'' (milk) + ''Sāgara'' (ocean or sea). *Amrita Manthana (अमृतमन्थन) – ''Amrita'' means the elixir. “''Churning for the Elixir”'' Legend Indra, the King of Svarga, was riding on his divine elephant when he came across the sage Durvasa, who offered him a special garland given to him by an apsara. The deity accepted the garland and placed it on the trunk (sometime the tusks or the head of the elephant in some scriptures) of Airavata (his mount) as a tes ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
