RamayanaThe Ramayana (; Sanskrit: रामायणम्, romanized: Rāmāyaṇam), also known as the Valmiki Ramayana, as traditionally attributed to Valmiki, is a Hindu smriti epic poem (also described as a Sanskrit epic) from ancient India. It is one of the two important epics of Hinduism known as the Itihasas, the other being the Mahabharata, narratives of past events (purāvṛtta), interspersed with teachings on the goals of human life.
VayuVayu (Sanskrit: , romanised: Vāyu, lit.'Wind/Air'; Sanskrit pronunciation:), also known as Vata (Sanskrit: , romanised: Vāta, lit.'Wind/Air') and Pavana (Sanskrit: , romanised: Pávana, lit.'Purifier'), is the 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.
ShivaShiva (; Sanskrit: शिव, IAST: Śiva, lit. 'The Auspicious One'), also known as Mahadeva (; Sanskrit: महादेव, IAST: Mahādevaḥ, [mɐɦaːd̪eːʋɐh], lit. 'The Great God') and Hara, is one of the principal deities of Hinduism. He is the Supreme Being in Shaivism, one of the major traditions within Hinduism. In the Shaivite tradition, Shiva is the Supreme Lord who creates, protects and transforms the universe.
PuranasHindu scripturesPurana manuscripts from 15th to 19th century CEPuranas (Sanskrit: पुराण, romanized: Purāṇa, lit. 'Ancients') are a vast genre of Hindu 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.
ShaivismHindu tradition that worships ShivaShaivism (; Sanskrit: शैवसंप्रदायः, romanised: Śaivasampradāyaḥ) is an umbrella-term for a number of Hindu religious traditions, which worship Shiva as the supreme being. The followers of Shaivism are called Shaivas or Shaivites, numbering about 385 million people, across South Asia predominantly in India, Sri Lanka, and Nepal.
Bhakti movementThe Bhakti movement was a significant religious movement in medieval Hinduism that sought to bring religious reforms to all strata of society by adopting the method of devotion to achieve salvation. Originating in Tamilakam during the 6th century CE, it gained prominence through the poems and teachings of the Vaishnava Alvars and Shaiva Nayanars in early medieval South India, before spreading northwards.
RamaRama (; Sanskrit: राम, IAST: Rāma, Sanskrit: [ˈraːmɐ] ), also known as Ram, is a major deity in Hinduism, who is worshipped as one of the prominent avatars of Vishnu. Rama is considered an ideal man (maryāda puruṣottama) and is the heroic protagonist of the Hindu epic Ramayana. In Rama-centric Hindu traditions, he is considered the Supreme Being.
ChiranjiviIn Hinduism, the Chiranjivi (Sanskrit: चिरञ्जीवी SG.NOM, romanizedcirañjīvī, pronounced; चिरञ्जीविनः PL.NOM, romanizedcirañjīvinaḥ, pronounced, lit.'long-living, immortal') are a group of immortals set to remain alive on Earth until the end of the current epoch, the Kali Yuga.
VanaraIn Hinduism, Vanara (Sanskrit: वानर, lit.'forest-dwellers') 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.
VaishnavismMajor Hindu tradition that reveres Vishnu as the Supreme BeingVaishnavism (Sanskrit: वैष्णवसम्प्रदायः, romanised: Vaiṣṇavasampradāyaḥ), also called Vishnuism, is one of the major Hindu religious traditions, that considers Vishnu as the supreme being leading all other Hindu deities, that is, Mahavishnu. It is one of the major Hindu denominations along with Shaivism, Shaktism, and Smartism.
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').
MahabharataThe Mahābhārata ( mə-HAH-BAR-ə-tə, MAH-hə-; Sanskrit: महाभारतम्, IAST: Mahābhāratam, pronounced [mɐɦaːˈbʱaːrɐt̪ɐm], 'Great Bharata') is one of the two major Sanskrit epics of ancient India revered in Hinduism, the other being the Ramayana. Both are considered smṛti and itihasa texts.*As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.