The vaṃśa (vamsa) of Maharṣi (Maharshi; Great Sage) Abhijit is one of the ṛṣivaṃśa(s) (genealogical or disciple-wise order of sages)belonging to the order of Maharṣi Aṅgirā (Angira). Maharṣi Abhijit was one of the Āṅgirasa (Angirasa; belonging to Angira) gotra-pravartaka (clan-founder).

Abhijit is a nakṣatra (nakshatra; star), the twenty second among the twenty eight major stars; Brahmā (Brahma)is its presiding deity. Abhijit was like the younger sister of the star Rohiṇī (Rohini), and she got jealous of Rohiṇī. In order to attain the respect due to seniority, she went off to forest to perform tapasyā (tapasya, hard […]

Ten sons were born of the womb of Naḍvalā (Nadvala), and sired by Cākṣuṣa (Chakshusha)Manu. The youngest among these sons was Abhimanyu.

Ābhīra (Abhira) is an ancient tribe dwelling in the basin of the river Saraśvatī (Saraswati). In Mahābhārata(Mahabharata) and Purāṇa (Purana), we find that ‘Abhīra’ is mentioned along with the Śūdra (Sudra) people — śūdrābhīragaṇāścaiva ye cāśritya sarasvatīm. In the army of Kārtavīryārjuna (Kartaviryarjuna), the Ābhīra people were included along with other non-Aryan tribes.During the battle […]

According to Matsyapurāṇa (Matsyapurana), Abhūmi (Abhumi) was one of the sons born of the womb of Aśvinī (Aswini), and sired by Akrūra (Akrura).

Ābhūtaraja(Abhutaraja) is one of the gaṇa (gana; genus) of the gods in Raivata Manvantara.

Acala (Achala) was one of the kings of Vṛhadratha’s (Vrihadratha) lineage who ruled over the kingdom of Magadha, in Kaliyuga. He was the son of Mahīnetra (Mahinetra), the king of Magadha, and the father of Ripuñjaya (Ripunjaya). It is known that King Acala ruled over Magadha for thirty-two years.

Acchoda (Achchhoda) is one of the greatest of all the famous lakes mentioned in Purāṇas (Puranas). In significance it is at par with the lakes Mānasa and Vindu. Due to variance in pronunciation it is sometimes spelled as Akṣoda (Akshoda). The lake was dug by a particular sect of manes called Agniṣvātta (Agnishvatta). It is […]

The river Acchodā (Achchhoda) emerged out of lake Acchoda (Achchhoda). The famous Caitraratha (Chaitraratha) forest was located on the banks of this river. According to a story in Purāṇas (Puranas), Acchodā was the mānasī (manasi; female conceived by the mind) daughter of a sect of divine manes called Agniṣvātta (Agnisvatta). Her form was that of […]

One of the names of Mahādeva Śiva (Mahadeva Shiva). In the Śiva Sahasranāma Stotra (Shiva Sahasranama Stotra; the hymn praising the thousand names of Shiva), the word acintya (achintya) is mentioned twice as one of the names of Mahādeva. The word acintya refers to the one who cannot be validated, proved or established through logic, reason or idea. […]

Matsyapurāṇa (Matsyapurana) describes natural calamities like earthquake, downpour, aridity and so on as utpāta (utpata). Following the dictionary meaning of utpāta, the subject may be elaborated in the following manner. Those incidents which do not have a  common rationale or logically set rules of explanation or those incidents that very rarely take place were indicated as […]

A sage. The great sage Adhacchāya’s (Adhachhaya) descendants constitute a prominent order of sages, featuring in the genealogy of sages that Purāṇas (Purana) accord to sage Kaśyapa (Kashyapa), son of the great sage Marīci (Marichi). Adhacchāya is attributed as one prominent originator of gotras (gotra; descendants in an unbroken patriline) belonging to the Kaśyapa lineage.

Svāyambhuva Manu (Svayambhuva Manu; the first of the fourteen Manus) is known as adhipuruṣa (adhipurusha). In Matsyapurāṇa (Matsyapurana) it is said that as humankind is born from its progenitor Svāyambhuva Manu and as he is the foremost archetype of a complete man in appearance and characteristics, therefore, the primordial progenitor of humankind – Svāyambhuva Manu […]

Different purāṇas (puranas) refer to King Adhisīmakṛṣṇa (Adhisimakrishna) as Adhisāmakṛṣṇa (Adhisamakrishna) or Adhisomakṛṣṇa (Adhisomakrishna), but the most commonly used name was Adhisīmakṛṣṇa. Abhimanyu’s grandson was Pārīkṣita (Parikshita) Janamejaya whose son was known as Śatānīka (Shatanika). According to Matsyapurāṇa (Matsyapurana), Adhisomakṛṣṇa was the son of Śatānīka. However, other Purāṇas record that Śatānīka’s son was Aśvamedhadatta (Ashwamedhadatta).This piece […]

At the outset of yajña (yajna) ceremonies, the priest of Ṛgveda (Rigveda), or ṛtvika (ritwika) used to execute the functions of both the priest and the hotā (hota) or the performer of the yajña. [See Ṛtvika, Hotā] Later, when the rituals of a yajña became more intricate, four priests or ṛtvika of Caturveda (Chaturveda) were appointed separate vedic tasks. […]

Āḍi (Adi)is a terrible dānava (danava; demon). According to Skandapurāṇa (Skandapurana), Āndhakāsura(Andhakasura) is the uncle of Āḍi. However, Matsyapurāṇa (Matsyapurana) refers to Āḍi as being the son of Andhakāsura, who was slain by Śiva (Siva). In order to take revenge, Āḍi started performing a great tapasyā (ascetic practice). Pleased by his tapasyā, when Brahmā wished […]

When Hariścandra (Harischandra) lost his kingdom to Sage Viśvāmitra (Viswamitra), the former’s kulapurohita (family-priest through generations) Vaśiṣṭha (Vasistha) became angry and cursed Viśvāmitra so that he would be born of a lower-order creatures, and become a bird, vaka (a heron). Hearing this curse, Viśvāmitra also cursed Vaśiṣṭha in turn, so that Vaśiṣṭha assumed the form […]

In the Purāṇas (Purana), twelve great battles between the Devas (gods) and the Asuras (a kind of demons) have been described. The sixth battle is known as Āḍi-vaka (Adi-vaka). Kakutstha, son of King Śaśāda (Sasada) of the Ikṣvāku (Iksvaku) clan, helped Indra in this battle. Virocana (Virochana), son of Prahlāda (Prahlada), died at the hand […]

In the process of exterminating the Andhakāsura (Andhaka-demon), Śiva (Shiva) created innumerable mātṛkā (matrika; female deities of a lesser category) from his own body to be of service in the execution. Aditi is one prominent mātṛikā.

Āditya (Aditya) is the Sun. The most important observation about Āditya has been made in Aitareya Brāhmaṇa (Aitareya Brahmana). The One who provides heat, is manifested as Agniṣṭoma yajña (Agnishtoma yajna). Āditya is associated with daytime, and the Agniṣtoma yajña has to be performed in one day. So Āditya  himself is Agniṣṭoma. When rises in the morning, he emits a […]

In Matsyapurāṇa (Matsyapurana), when Mārkaṇḍeya (Markandeya) describes the greatness of Prayāga (Prayaga), we have the mention of another Ādityatīrtha (Adityatirtha), located towards the north of Yamunā (Yamuna). Still, the Ādityatīrtha that is found during the antarvedī parikramā (antarvedi parikrama; travelling around the inner altars, in a ritualistic mode) in the town of Prayāga, is probably identical […]

A sacred site of pilgrimage. Visiting and having a darśana (darsana) of this pilgrigame-site yields the result of visiting all pilgrimage-sites. There is a sacred Śivaliṇga (Sivalinga) in this pilgrimage-site, located on the bank of river Narmadā (Narmada).

The son of Viśvaga (Viswaga) or Śīghraga (Sighraga) of Suryavaṃśa (Suryavamsa; the Sun-dynasty).

According to the Purāṇas (Puranas), Ādya (Adya) is one of the ṛṣivaṁśas (rishivamsa; hereditory or disciple-wise line of sages) belonging to Sage Viśvāmitra (Viswamitra), who came of the gotra (clan) of Sage Kauśika (Kausika). According to the geneological or disciple-wise tradition associated with Viśvāmitra, they were also known as Kauśika.

Mahābhārata (Mahabharata) mentions  Agāvaha (Agabaha) who was a brave warrior from the Vṛṣṅi clan. During the Kurukṣetra (Kurukshetra) war, Dhṛtarāṣtra (Dhritarashtra), who had become very anxious at the death of Abhimanyu, expressed his concern that this incident could enrage the warriors of the Vṛṣṅi clan and incite them to leave the Kauravas’s side for joining the […]

When God Srīhari (Shrihari) created Urvaśi (Urvashi) from his thighs, all the gods were bewitched by her. Mitra was one of the gods of the pair Mitrāvaruṇa (Mitravaruna). Urvaśī consented when Mitra sought union with her. But Varuṇa (Varuna) followed her, pulling at the corner of her dress. Urvasī told him, “Mitra has courted me […]

The rākṣasa (rakshasa, a type of demons) belonging to the clan of Agastya. In the Purāṇas, it is described that Kuvera, king of the yakṣa (yaksa; a type of demi-gods), was their ruler.

Agastyeśvara (Agastyeshwar) is an extremely holy place of pilgrimage located on the banks of river Narmada. A visit to this holy place on the fourteenth day of the dark fortnight in the month of Kārtika (the lunar month in Indian calendar overlapping October and November) yields exceptional results. 

One of the thirteen brahmiṣṭha (brahmishta) sages of the Kauśika (Kaushik) clan. Purānas (Puranas) mention sage Aghamarṣaṇa’s (Aghamarshana) kindred as one of the family lines linked to Sage Viśvamitra’s (Bishwamitra) lineage. The lineages of the sages Viśvamitrā, Madhuchandā (Madhuchhanda) and Aghamarṣaṇa were closely related by blood; therefore, marital alliances among the three families were not […]

A mātṛkā (matrika), a lesser female deity. She is one of the deities like Māsheshvarī (Maheshwari), Brāhmī (Brahmi), Kaumārī (kaumari), et al, created by Mahādeva (Mahadev) to destroy Andhakāsura (Andhakasur).

Kalpa described in Bhaviṣyapurāna (Bhavishyapurana). Bhaviṣyapurāna describes the time when Brahmā, following Ādityamahātma (Adityamahatma), imparts to Manu wisdom regarding the manifestations of the world and its inhabitants during the aghorakalpa.

Āgna (Agna) is one of the clans belonging to the gotra of Sage Kaśyapa (Kasyapa). Through the genealogical line of Kaśyapa, or through the line of disciples, they are also known as Kāśyapa.

Among the thirty kalpas (periods of Creation), the eighteenth kalpa is called Āgneya (Agneya).

Āgneyī (Agneyi)  is the wife of Uru, son of Cākṣuṣa Manu (Chakshusha Manu) and Nadvalā (Nadwala). Āgneyī (Agneyi) had six sons by Uru, namely — Agni, Sumanā (Sumana), Khyāti (Khyati), Kratu, Aṅgirā (Angira) and Gaya. According to Viṣnupurāṇa, the six sons born of Uru and Āgneyī are : Anga, Sumanā, Svāti (Swati), Kratu, Aṅgirā and […]

Agni is the Sanskrit word for ‘fire’. Agni is one of the foremost among the Vedic deities. In regard of the number of Vedic hymns (sūkta; sukta) attributed to the deities, Agni comes only second to Indra (almost two hundred hymns have been dedicated to Agni). Since Agni’s deeds and actions are mainly observable on […]

Agnibāhu (Agnibahu) was one of the ten sons of Svāyambhūva (Swayambhuva) Manu.  According to a different opinion, Agnibāhu was one of the ten sons of Svayambhuva Manu’s eldest son, Priyavrata. Brahmāṇḍapurāṇa (Brahmandapurana) says that Priyavrata’s wife was Kāmyā (Kamya), the daughter of Kardama Prajāpati (Prajapati). Agnibāhu was born to this Kāmyā. Agnibāhu carried memories from […]

Pṛśni (Prishni), the wife of Savitā (Savita), a representative form of Sūrya (Surya), gave birth to a sacrificial rite of immense significance known as agnihotra.  Agnihotra has been compared to the grinding of teeth of yajñavaraha (yajnavaraha), the sacrificial boar conceptualised as the mythical presiding deity of a yajña (yajna).  Bhāgavatapurāṇa (Bhagavatapurana) opines, while commenting on the […]

A sage. Matsyapurāṇa (Matsyapurana) includes Agnijihva’s lineage among the lineages of sages that had descended from the great sage Aṅgirā (Angira). This means, sage Agnijihva was a member of the lineage of disciples descending from Aṅgirā. 

Agniliṅga (agnilinga) is a śivaliṅga (shivalinga) with a fiery form. Maheśvara (Maheshwara) Śiva (Shiva) chanted the text of Liṅgapurāṇa (Lingapurana), consisting of eleven thousand verses, from within the central portion of agniliṅga. 

The person who can always keep the gārhapatya (garhapatya) Agni aflame is known as agnimān (agniman). Such a person should perform the funeral rite called piṇdānvāhāryaka (pindanvaharyaka) for his manes on every new moon. 

When the security of a king or of his kingdom was in danger, facing warfare for instance, the chief priest used to fast for three nights and then worship Agni uttering Vedic mantra for the deity. The oblations which were offered with the chanting of agnimantra consisted of sacrificial wood from a peepul tree, ghee […]

Anu was fathered by Yayāti (Yayati) to Śarmiṣṭhā (Sharmishtha). When Anu refused to take up Yayāti’s senility, Yayāti cursed Anu that he would be taken over by agnipraṣkandana (agniprashkandana). Agnipraṣkandana is probably a visceral affliction or a kind of dysentery as determined by Ayurveda. 

Puraṇās (Purana) mention many members of the great sage Kaśyapa’s (Kashyapa) pravara who set up various gotra and spread his lineage. Agniśamāyana (Agnishamayana) was one of them. 

Puraṇās (Purana) mention many members of the great sage Kaśyapa’s (Kashyapa) pravara who founded various gotra and thus spread the lineage of the great sage. Agniśamāyana (Agnishamayana) was one of them. 

During the obsequies performed in honor of the manes, the soul of the departed person is imagined to reside with Agni (the Fire-god), Soma (the Moon-god) and Yama (the god of death). The invitation offered to these three is known as agniṣomayama (agnishomayama). 

Agniṣṭoma (Agnishtoma) was one of the ten sons born to Naḍvalā (Nadwala), fathered by Cākṣuṣa (Chakshusha) Manu. Because of this he has been referred to as Nāḍvaleya (Nadvaleya) Manu.  Matsyapurāṇa (Matsyapurana) and Brahmāṇḍapurāṇa (Brahmandapurana) refer to him by the name Agniṣṭut (Agnishtut). 

Agniṣvātta (Agnishvatta) is the term referring to a particular sect of the manes (pitṛ; pitri) as well as the space allocated to them. The region called Agniṣvātta, named after the pitṛ residing there, is located in the south of the cosmos, beneath the Earth and above the upper regions of the abyss called atala — […]

Agniveśya (Agniveshya) was an incarnation of Agni, the Fire-god. Agni himself was born as a son of Devadatta, a descendant in the line of Nariṣyanta (Narishyanta), son of Manu. Agniveśya was also known by the names Kānīna (Kanin) and Jātukarṇa (Jatukarna). Agniveśya’s lineage came to be known as Agniveśyāyana (Agniveshyayan). Purāṇas (Purana) even contain a […]

After creating prajā (praja; people), the divine grandsire Brahmā (Brahma) found that there were no distinguishing attributes in them — nor in appearance , nor in qualities. So, collecting all beauty and charms from all other people, and combined them to create a beautiful woman, and she was Ahalyā (Ahalya) — yad yat prajānāṃ pratyaṅgaṃ […]

According to Matsyapurāṇa (Matsyapurana), this tīrtha is situated on the bank of the river Narmadā (Narmada). It is said that Ahalyā (Ahalya) attained salvation, by performing tapasyā (tapasya; ascetic penance) in this place — ahalyā ca tapastatvā tatra muktimupāgatā. Again, according to Brahmapurāṇa (Brahmapurana), this tīrtha was located by Godāvarī (Godavari)or Gautamī Gaṅgā (Gautami Ganga). […]