|
Kāśī (kingdom)
Kāśī () was an ancient kingdom of India whose existence is attested during the Iron Age. The inhabitants of the Kāśī were named the Kāsikas in Pāli and the Kāśeyas and Kāśikas in Sanskrit. Location The Kāśī kingdom covered an area of 300 leagues. The northern border of Kasi which separated it from Kosala was the Sarpikā or Syandikā river, and the river Son formed its southern and eastern boundaries, separating it from Magadha in the east. The capital of Kāśī was the city of Vārāṇasī, which was also named Ketumatī, Surundhana, Sudassana, Brahmavaddhana, Pupphavatī, Ramma, and Molinī. History The Kāśikas were first mentioned in the recension of the Atharvaveda. The ruling clan of Kāśī appears to have been member of the Bhārata clan, and at one point Kāśī was ruled by one Dhṛtarāṣṭra (in Sanskrit) or Dhataraṭṭha (in Pāli) whom the calls a "Bharata prince." This Dhṛtarāṣṭra was defeated in battle by another Bharata ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
India
India, officially the Republic of India, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, seventh-largest country by area; the List of countries by population (United Nations), most populous country since 2023; and, since its independence in 1947, the world's most populous democracy. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the south, the Arabian Sea on the southwest, and the Bay of Bengal on the southeast, it shares land borders with Pakistan to the west; China, Nepal, and Bhutan to the north; and Bangladesh and Myanmar to the east. In the Indian Ocean, India is near Sri Lanka and the Maldives; its Andaman and Nicobar Islands share a maritime border with Thailand, Myanmar, and Indonesia. Modern humans arrived on the Indian subcontinent from Africa no later than 55,000 years ago., "Y-Chromosome and Mt-DNA data support the colonization of South Asia by modern humans originating in Africa. ... Coalescence dates for most non-European populations averag ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Jataka Tales
The ''Jātaka'' (Sanskrit for "Birth-Related" or "Birth Stories") are a voluminous body of literature native to the Indian subcontinent which mainly concern the previous births of Gautama Buddha in both human and animal form. Jataka stories were depicted on the railings and torans of the stupas. According to Peter Skilling, this genre is "one of the oldest classes of Buddhist literature."Skilling, Peter (2010). ''Buddhism and Buddhist Literature of South-East Asia,'' pp. 161–162. Some of these texts are also considered great works of literature in their own right.Shaw, Sarah (2006). ''The Jatakas: Birth Stories of Bodhisatta'', p. xxii. Penguin UK. The various Indian Buddhist schools had different collections of jātakas. The largest known collection is the '' Jātakatthavaṇṇanā'' of the Theravada school, as a textual division of the Pāli Canon, included in the '' Khuddaka Nikaya'' of the ''Sutta Pitaka''. In these stories, the future Buddha may appear as a king, an o ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Tirthankara
In Jainism, a ''Tirthankara'' (; ) is a saviour and supreme preacher of the ''Dharma (Jainism), dharma'' (righteous path). The word ''tirthankara'' signifies the founder of a ''Tirtha (Jainism), tirtha'', a fordable passage across ''Saṃsāra (Jainism), saṃsāra'', the sea of interminable birth and death. According to Jains, ''tirthankaras'' are the supreme preachers of ''dharma'', who have conquered ''saṃsāra'' on their own and made a path for others to follow. After understanding the true nature of the self or soul, the ''Tīrthaṅkara'' attains ''kevala jnana'' (omniscience). A Tirthankara provides a bridge for others to follow them from ''saṃsāra'' to ''moksha'' (liberation). In Jain cosmology, the wheel of time is divided into two halves, Utsarpiṇī', the ascending time cycle, and ''avasarpiṇī'', the descending time cycle (said to be current now). In each half of the cycle, exactly 24 ''tirthankaras'' grace this part of the universe. There have been infini ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Jainism
Jainism ( ), also known as Jain Dharma, is an Indian religions, Indian religion whose three main pillars are nonviolence (), asceticism (), and a rejection of all simplistic and one-sided views of truth and reality (). Jainism traces its spiritual ideas and history through the succession of twenty-four , supreme preachers of ''dharma''. The first in the current time cycle is Rishabhadeva, who tradition holds lived millions of years ago; the 23rd is Parshvanatha, traditionally dated to the 9th century Common Era, BCE; and the 24th is Mahāvīra, Mahavira, who lived . Jainism is considered an eternal ''dharma'' with the guiding every time cycle of the Jain cosmology, cosmology. Central to understanding Jain philosophy is the concept of ''bhedavijñāna'', or the clear distinction in the nature of the soul and non-soul entities. This principle underscores the innate purity and potential for liberation within every Jīva (Jainism), soul, distinct from the physical and menta ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Puranas
Puranas (Merriam-Webster's Encyclopedia of Literature (1995 Edition), Article on "Puranas", , page 915) are a vast genre of Indian literature that include a wide range of topics, especially legends and other traditional lore. The Puranas are known for the intricate layers of symbolism depicted within their stories. Composed originally in Sanskrit and in Languages of India, other Indian languages,John Cort (1993), "An Overview of the Jaina Puranas" in ''Purana Perennis: Reciprocity and Transformation in Hindu and Jaina Texts,'' (Editor: Wendy Doniger), State University of New York Press, , pages 185-204 several of these texts are named after major Hindu deities such as Vishnu, Shiva, Brahma, and Mahadevi, Devi. The Puranic genre of literat ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
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 ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Dasharatha
Dasharatha (, IAST: Daśaratha; born Nemi) was the king of Kosala, with its capital at Ayodhya, in the Hindu epic ''Ramayana''. Dasharatha married Kausalya, Sumitra and Kaikeyi. He was the father of Rama, the protagonist of the epic Ramayana, Bharata, Lakshmana, and Shatrughna. Dasharatha also finds mention in the ''Vishnu Purana''. Legend Early life and marriage King Dasharatha was believed to be an incarnation of Svayambhuva Manu, the son of the Hindu creator god, Brahma. Dasharatha was born as the son of King Aja of Kosala and Indumati of Vidarbha. He was originally named Nemi, but he acquired the moniker ''Dasharatha'' ('ten chariots') as his chariot could move in all ten directions, fly, and return to earth, and he could fight with ease in all of these directions. Dasharatha became the ruler of Kosala after the death of his father. He was a great warrior who subjugated many of the neighbouring kingdoms with his prowess and slew many asuras in battle. According ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Kaushitaki Upanishad
The ''Kaushitaki Upanishad'' (, ) is an ancient Sanskrit text contained inside the Rigveda. It is associated with the ''Kaushitaki'' shakha, but a Sāmānya Upanishad, meaning that it is "common" to all schools of Vedanta. It was included in Robert Hume's list of 13 Principal Upanishads, and lists as number 25 in the Muktikā canon of 108 Upanishads. The Kaushitaki Upanishad, also known as Kaushitaki Brahmana Upanishad, is part of the '' Kaushitaki Aranyaka'' or the ''Shankhayana Aranyaka''. The ''Kausitaki Aranyaka'' comprises 15 chapters and four of these chapters form the Kaushitaki Upanishad. Chronology The chronology of Kaushitaki Upanishad, like other Upanishads, is unclear. It is based on an analysis of archaism, style and repetitions across texts, driven by assumptions about likely evolution of ideas, and on presumptions about which philosophy might have influenced which other Indian philosophies.Stephen Phillips (2009), Yoga, Karma, and Rebirth: A Brief History and P ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Gārgya Bālāki
Gārgya (feminine Gārgī, "descendant of Garga") may refer to: * Author of some of the sukthas of Atharva Veda, son of Garga and father of Kalayavana * King of Gandharvas * Author of the Samaveda The ''Samaveda'' (, , from '' सामन्'', "song" and ''वेद'', "knowledge"), is the Veda of melodies and chants. It is an ancient Vedic Sanskrit text, and is one of the sacred scriptures in Hinduism. One of the four Vedas, it is a l ...-Padapatha See also * Garga (other) {{disambig ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Upanishads
The Upanishads (; , , ) are late Vedic and post-Vedic Sanskrit texts that "document the transition from the archaic ritualism of the Veda into new religious ideas and institutions" and the emergence of the central religious concepts of Hinduism. They are the most recent addition to the Vedas, the oldest scriptures of Hinduism, and deal with meditation, philosophy, consciousness, and ontological knowledge. Earlier parts of the Vedas dealt with mantras, benedictions, rituals, ceremonies, and sacrifices.A Bhattacharya (2006), ''Hindu Dharma: Introduction to Scriptures and Theology'', , pp. 8–14; George M. Williams (2003), Handbook of Hindu Mythology, Oxford University Press, , p. 285Jan Gonda (1975), ''Vedic Literature: (Saṃhitās and Brāhmaṇas)'', Otto Harrassowitz Verlag, While among the most important literature in the history of Indian religions and culture, the Upanishads document a wide variety of "rites, incantations, and esoteric knowledge" departing from Vedic ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Śvetaketu
Svetaketu (), also spelt Shvetaketu, was a sage mentioned in the Chandogya Upanishad. He was the son of the sage Uddalaka, whose real name was Aruni, and represents the pursuit of knowledge. The Upanishads entail the journey of Svetaketu from ignorance to knowledge of the self and truth (''sat''). In the Mahabharata, Svetaketu is credited for creating the practice of the "wife being loyal to one husband for life" after observing a brahmana catching his mother's hand in front of his father. The case of Svetaketu appears in three principal (''mukhya'') Upanishads, namely, the Brhadaranyaka Upanishad S. 6.2.1 to 6.2.8, Chandogya Upanishad S.5.3 and in the Kausitaki S.1. Svetaketu is the recipient of the knowledge enshrined in the mahavakya which appears in the sixteen chapters of the 6th section (Prapathaka) of the Chandogya Upanishad. First Reincarnation Story Svetaketu's story in the Chandogya Upanishad is the first time that reincarnation is mentioned in the Vedas and perh ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Uddālaka Āruṇi
Uddalaka Aruni (fl. c. 8th century BCE), (Devanagari: उद्दालक आरुणि) also referred to as Uddalaka or Aruni or Uddalaka Varuni, was a revered Vedic sage of Hinduism.Ben-Ami Scharfstein (1998), A comparative history of world philosophy: from the Upanishads to Kant', Albany: State University of New York Press, pp. 9-11 He is mentioned in many Vedic era Sanskrit texts, and his philosophical teachings are among the centerpiece in the ''Brihadaranyaka Upanishad'' and ''Chandogya Upanishad'', two of the oldest Upanishadic scriptures. A famed Vedic teacher, Aruni lived a few centuries before the Buddha, and attracted students from far regions of the Indian subcontinent; some of his students such as Yajnavalkya are also highly revered in the Hindu traditions. Both Aruni and Yajnavalkya are among the most frequently mentioned Upanishadic teachers in Hinduism. According to Ben-Ami Scharfstein, a professor emeritus of Philosophy at Tel Aviv University, Uddalaka Aruni ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
