A kind of dāna (dana;donation), for which one has to repent afterwards, is called āsuradāna (asuradana). Such a donation is futile.

Aśvatara(Aswatara) was one of the Nāga(s) (Naga; snake) born of the womb of Kadrū (Kadru), daughter of Dakṣa (Daksha). In Āstīkaparva (Astikaparva), while describing the names of snakes, his name is mentioned along with another Nāga called Kamvala– kamvalāśvatarau. In Mahābhārata (Mahabharata), and several Purāṇa(s) (Purana; Mythological Scripture), we have several mentions of Kamvala and […]

Of the seven tiers of pātāla (patala; the netherworld), the first tier is known as atala. The Puranic texts describe the soil of atala as black. But Viṣṇupurāṇa (Vishnupurana) differs on this matter and describes the soil of atala as white, and the only tier of pātāla to have such soil. This tier of atala boasted exquisite […]

A male offspring conceived by Satī (Sati) and fathered by Aṅgirā (Angira). A prominent sage. The descendants and disciples of this lineage grew into a clan or an order of sages (varga). The entire Atharvaveda divided in two parts is known as Atharvāṅgirasa (Atharvangirasa) Veda and the supremacy of Atharvaveda over Ṛgveda (Rigveda), Sāmaveda (Samaveda) […]

Atibala was one of the two warrior aides donated by Vāyu (Vayu; the Wind-god) to Skanda Kārtikeya (Kartikeya), when the latter was installed as the general of the divine army by the gods with the goal of killing Tārakāsura (Tarakasura). Each of them also gave him a few of their own followers to help him […]

Atiśṛṅga (Atisringa) was one of the two warrior aides donated by Vindhya Parvata (the Vindhya mountains, hailed a divine mountain in Hinduism) to Skanda Kārtikeya (Kartikeya), when the latter was installed as the general of the divine army by the gods with the goal of killing Tārakāsura (Tarakasura). Each of them also gave him a […]

Ativarcā (Ativarcha) was one of the two warrior aides donated by Himālaya (Himalaya; personification of the Himalayas in Hindu mythology) to Skanda Kārtikeya (Kartikeya), when the latter was installed as the general of the divine army by the gods with the goal of killing Tārakāsura (Tarakasura). Each of them also gave him a few of […]

Atri was one of the six supreme patriarch ṛṣi (rishi; sage) — like Marīci (Marichi) and Aṅgirā (Angira) — who were born at the onset of the Creation. Many legends are associated with the birth of these six prime sages, and the great sage Atri is no exception. The foremost of these legends is that all […]

Purāṇas (Purana) refer to Kumārikā (Kumarika; Cape Comorin), the stretch of land lying along the southern sea as a holy land.  Atrīśaliṅga (Atrishalinga) is positioned in this area to the south of Kedāraliṅga (Kedaralinga)

Atri the sage performed tapasyā (tapasya) at the confluence of Mahīsāgara (Mahisagara) and consecrated a śivaliṅga (shivalinga) by the name of Atrīśvara (Atrishwara) towards south from Koṭitīrtha (Kotitirtha). He also established a lake adjacent to Atrīśvara śivaliṅga.

A sage. According to Puranic accounts, Aṭṭahāsa (Attahasa) would appear in the era of śvetakalpīya kali (shwetakalpiya kali) and preach briefly the ways of worshipping Śiva (Shiva) or the religion of Śiva’s cult.  40.211.214″]

King Vatsa, blessed by Jagadambā, the Primordial Mother Goddess, slayed a rākṣasī (rakshasi; female demon) called Aṭṭālayā (Attalaya). The city founded on the site of the killing was named Aṭṭālaja (Attalaj). 

In Śāntiparva (Santiparva) of Mahābhārata (Mahabharata), it is said that the airy sphere above the ground-level, where moisture from water is created by the help of sun-rays, is called ‘Pravaha’. The next sphere, whereto the clouds filled with moisture are transported from ‘Pravaha’, is called Āvaha (Avaha). Its modern name is Troposphere. In Mahābhārata (Mahabharata), […]

Avantī was the capital of Indradyumna, king of Mālava (Malava). This is called the best city on earth. The sacred river Śiprā (Sipra) flows across the place. Śrī Hari (Sri Hari) resides here as Govindasvāmī (Govindaswami). In Purāṇa(Purana; Mythological Scriptures), we get a long description of Avantī (Avanti). The inhabitants of this beautiful, rich and […]

Vārāṇasī (Varanasi), the abode of Śiva-Maheśvara (Siva-Maheswara) is called Avimuktakṣetra (Avimuktaksetra; the space called Avimukta). In Matsyapurāṇa (Matsyapurana) while speaking of the greatness of Vārāṇasī, Goddess Pārvatī (Parvati) wanted to know about Avimuktakṣetra. Śiva then said, “Vārāṇasī is my perpetual abode. I have never left this sacred place, nor will I leave it ever in […]

Thirty days and night or two fortnights make a month. Six months make an Ayana.  Ayana is of two kinds — Dakṣināyana (Daksinayana; the southward journey) and Uttarāyana (Uttarayana; the northward journey). Uttarāyana is the daytime for gods, and Dakṣināyana is their night. So, one whole year makes a full day for the gods.

The birthplace of the famous Rāmacandra (Ramacandra), also the place of his many deeds, and the land of Ādikavi (Adikavi) Vālmīki’s conception. In Rāmāyaṇa (Ramayana), Kośala (Kosala) is described as a rich land, situated on the southern bank of Sarayū (Sarayu). The capital of this Kośala was Ayodhyā (Ayodhya). Rāmacandra (Ramachandra) ruled Ayodhyā. Manu, lord of […]

Haribaṁśa (Haribamsa) explains the word Ekānaṁśā (Ekanamsa) in the following way- Though Ekānaṁśā (Ekanamsa) was born from a part of Lord Viṣñu (Vishnu), the saviour of his subjects, conceptually and by nature, she was one and all. She was the Māyāśakti (Mayasakti or feminine power) of the Lord- Yogamāyā (Yogamaya)- Viddhi caināmathotpannāthaṁśāddevīṃ prajāpateḥ. Ekānaṁśāṃ yogakanyāṃ […]

In Matsyapurāṇa (Matsyapurana), it is mentioned that Goddess Śakti (Sakti; the divine manifestation of elemental female power or the feminine principle behind creation) is known as Ekavīrā (Ekavira) in Sahyādri (Sahyadri; a mountain in South India). In Skandapurāṇa (Skandapurana) it is said that , Goddess Ekavīrā resides in a place that is a million yojana (a […]

Elāpatra (Elapatra) is one of the Nāga(s) (Naga; Snake) born of the womb of Kadru, and sired by Kaśyapa (Kasyapa) Prajāpati (Prajapati). Elāpatra was one of the distinuished Nāga  living in Bhogavatīpurī (Bhogavatipuri, the city of Bhogavati), as mentioned by Nārada (Narada)to Mātali (Matali). When the gods wanted to know the way to stop Janamejaya’s […]

King Priyavrata sired a son named Idhnajihva (Idhnajihwa), born of the womb of Varhiṣmatī (Varhishmati), daughter of Prajāpati (Prajapati; Ruler of the people) Viśvakarmā (Viswakarma). Priyavrata appointed Idhnajihva, to be the ruler of Plakṣadvīpa (Plakshadwipa, the island of Plaksha). Idhnajihva divided Plakṣadvīpa in seven varṣas (varsha; a vast plot of land) and distributed them among […]

Indradyumna was a king belonging to Sūryavaṁśa (Suryavamsa) ,in Satyayuga. According to Skanda Purāṇa (Purana), Indradyumna was the fifth-generation descendant of Brahmā (Brahma). Āsīt kṛtayuge viprā indradyumno mahānṛpaḥ. Suryavaṁśe sa dharmātmā sraṣṭuḥ pañcamapuruṣaḥ. Avantī (Avanti) in the land of Mālava (Malava) was the capital of Indradyumna. The name of this Viṣṇu (Vishnu) devotee king is […]

According to Purāṇa (Purana; Mythological Scriptures), when Bhagīratha (Bhagiratha)brought Gaṅgā (Ganga) down to Martyaloka (the earthly abode), she divided herself in seven flows and flowed on earth. Sindhu was one of the three branches that flowed westward, and Indrapada was one pf the regions of the west across which the Sindhu had flowed. In Vāyupurāṇa […]

A sacred tīrtha (tirtha; pilgrimage site) located in Avantīkṣetra (Avantiksetra). God Śiva (Siva) is worshipped here in the form of a liṇgam (lingam; a symbolic manifstation of Siva, the divine progenitor), named Indreśvara (Indreswara). Probably Indra, king of the gods, once worshipped Mahādeva(Mahadeva) here, and so Śiva’s name is Indreśvara. If one visits Indeśvara after […]

Oṁkāreśvaratīrtha (Omkareswaratirtha) is a famous tīrtha (tirtha; site of pilgrimage) belonging to Vārāṇasīkṣetra (Varanasikshetra).

Before the slaying of Tārakāsura (Tarakasura), the gods accepted Skanda-Kartikeya (30.56) as their leader, and gave him their associate gods to assist him. At that time Vindhyaparvata gave his follower called Ucchṛta to help Kārtikeya.

One of eight Yoginis (tantrik companions) of Devī (Devi) Ugratārā (Ugratara).

Umā is the daughter of Himālaya, king of the mountains, and wife of God Śiva-Mahādeva. In Vālmīki Rāmāyaṇa, Maharṣi Viśvāmitra was taking Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa for slaying Tāḍakā. On the way, seeing Suradhunī Gaṅgā wanted to know about the history of the origin of Gaṅgā. In that context, Viśvāmitra said, Himavāha parvata, resource of all […]

In the war against Tārakāsura (Tarakasura), the gods selected and hailed Skaṇda Kārtikeya (Skanda Kartikeya) as the army chief of the divine army. At this time, Indra and other important gods sent some of their special followers with Skaṇda (Skanda) to help him in destroying Tārakāsura (Tarakasura). Uṇmāda (Unmada) was one of these three followers […]

In the war against Tārakāsura (Tarakasura), the gods selected and hailed Skaṇda Kārtikeya (Skanda Kartikeya) as the army chief of the divine army before the beginning of this great war. At this time, Indra and other important gods sent some of their special followers with Skaṇda (Skanda). These followers would eventually work as Skaṇda’s (Skanda’s) […]

According to Skandapurāṇa (Skandapurana), Ūrdhvavāhu(Urdhvavahu) is a Daitya (a kind of demon). He aided a demon-king called Kuśa (Kusa), in his battle against Kṛṣṇa (Krishna).

Uttareśvaratīrtha  (Uttareswaratirtha) is one if the famous tīrthas (tirtha; sites of pilgrimage) in Avantīkṣetra (Avantiksetra). Taking a bath in this tīrtha (tirtha), a puṇyārthī (punyarthi; seeker of virtue) redeems all his lineage from sins.