Astra (weapon)An astra (Sanskrit: , lit.'weapon (that is thrown)/missile/bolt/arrow') is a supernatural weapon in Hindu epics. It is presided over by a specific deity and imbued with spiritual powers. The term came to denote any weapon that was released from the hand (such as an arrow), compared to holding it (such as a sword). The bearer of an astra is an astradhari (Sanskrit: अस्त्रधारी, romanized: astradhārī).
BrahmastraThe Brahmastra (Sanskrit: ब्रह्मास्त्र, romanized: Brahmāstra, lit.'Astra of Brahma') is the supreme Hindu celestial weapon (astra) created and owned by the god Brahma along with its more powerful variant, the Brahmashirastra. The latter is considered to be the most destructive, powerful, and irresistible weapon mentioned in all of Hinduism.
BrahmaCreator god in HinduismBrahma (Sanskrit: ब्रह्मा, IAST: Brahmā) is a Hindu god, referred to as "the Creator" within the Trimurti, the trinity of supreme divinity that includes Vishnu and Shiva. He is associated with creation of everything, knowledge, and the Vedas. Brahma is prominently mentioned in creation legends. In some Puranas, he created himself in a golden embryo known as the Hiranyagarbha. Brahma is frequently identified with the Vedic godPrajapati.
ArjunaArjuna (Sanskrit: अर्जुन, IAST: Arjuna) is one of the central characters of the ancient Hindu epicMahabharata. He is the third oldest of the five Pandava brothers and is widely recognised as the most distinguished among them. He is the son of Indra, the king of the gods, and Kunti, wife of King Pandu of Kuru dynasty, making him a divine-bornhero. Arjuna is famed for his extraordinary prowess in archery and mastery over celestial weapons.
SanskritAncient Indo-Aryan language of South AsiaSanskrit (; stem form संस्कृत; nominal singular संस्कृतम्, saṃskṛtam,) 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.
DronaDroṇa (Sanskrit: द्रोण, IAST: Droṇa), also referred to as Dronacharya (Sanskrit: द्रोणाचार्य, IAST: Droṇācārya), is a major character of the Hindu epic Mahabharata. He initially serves as the royal preceptor of the Kauravas and the Pandavas of the Kuru dynasty, and later emerges as one of the epic’s principal counsellors and warriors. Drona is the son of the sage Bharadvaja, and a descendant of the sage Angirasa.
KarnaKarna (Sanskrit: कर्णः, IAST: Karṇa), also known as Vasusena, Anga-Raja, Sutaputra and Radheya, is one of the major characters in the Hindu epic Mahābhārata. He is the son of Surya (the solar deity) and princess Kunti (later the Pandava mother). His birth occurred after Kunti invoked a divine boon to test its power in her youth; fearing societal stigma over her premarital motherhood, she is forced to abandon the infant in a basket on the Ganges.AgniveshaAgnivesha (Sanskrit: अग्निवेश, romanized: Agniveśa) is a legendary rishi (sage) in Hinduism, reputedly one of the earliest authors on Ayurveda (Indian alternative medicine). He is described to have codified the knowledge of his preceptor, Atreya, and arranged it in the form of a treatise, named the Charaka Samhita.
HinduismHinduism () is an umbrella term for a range of Indian religious and spiritual traditions (sampradayas) that are unified by adherence to Dharma, a cosmic order maintained by its followers through rituals and righteous living, as expounded in the Vedas. The word Hindu originated as an exonym, and while Hinduism has been called the oldest surviving religion in the world, it is also described since the 19th century by the term Sanātana Dharma (lit. 'eternal dharma').
AshvatthamaAshvatthama (IAST: Aśvatthāmā, also spelt as Ashwatthama and Ashvatthaman) is one of the major characters in the ancient Hindu epicMahabharata. He is the son of Drona, the royal preceptor to the Kuru princes—the Pandavas and the Kauravas. Ashvatthama is a close companion of Duryodhana, the leader of the Kauravas, and receives military training alongside the Kuru princes under the tutelage of his father.
RomanizationIn linguistics, romanization or latinization is the conversion of text from a different writing system to the Roman (Latin) script, or a system for doing so. Methods of romanization include transliteration, for representing written text, and transcription, for representing the spoken word, and combinations of both.
Deva (Hinduism)This article contains Indic text. Without proper , you may see question marks or boxes, misplaced vowels or missing conjuncts instead of Indic text.*As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.