Amvarīṣa (Amvarisha) is one of the mantradraṣṭā (mantradrasta; seer of holy hymns) ṛṣi(s) (rishi; sage) of Ṛgveda (Rigveda). Amvarīṣa and his five brothers were sons of Vṛṣāgīra (Vrishagira). In Ṛgveda, they found to be chanting hymns to Indra — etatttya indra vṛṣṇa ukthaṃ vārṣāgirā abhi gṛṇanti rādhaḥ ṛjrāśvaḥ praṣṭibhiramvarīṣaḥ sahadevo bhayamānaḥ surādhāḥ. In Purāṇa(s) (Purana; […]

According to Mahābhārata (Mahabharata)and Manu, Amvaṣṭha (Amvashtha) is the hybrid child born of the womb of a Vaiśya(vaisya) woman, and sired by a Brāhmaṇa (Brahmana) man – brāhmaṇād vaiśyakanyāyāmvaṣṭho nāma jāyate. They are quite ancient as a jāti (jati), since they are mentioned in Aitareya Brāhmaṇa (Aitareya Brahmana). Maharṣi (Maharshi; Great Sage)Parvata and Devarṣi (Devarshi; […]

Amvālikā (Amvalika) is the daughter of the king of Kāśī (Kasi), she was the youngest among his three princes. Bhīṣma took by force the three daughters of the Kāśī — Amvā (Amva), Amvikā (Amvika) and Amvālikā, from their Svayamvara-sabhā (Swayamvara-sabha; an assembley where the bride chooses her own groom), in order to to get them […]

Amvikeya is a rough and ice-covered mountain. Another name for this mountain is Sumanā (Sumana). God Varāha(Varaha) killed the demon-king Hiraṇyākṣa (Hiranyaksha) on this mountain. Two other readings, Āmvikeya (Amvikeya)and Añcikeya (Anchikeya) can be found respectively in Vāyupurāṇa(Vayupurana) and Viṣṇupurāṇa (Vishnupurana).

A mountain in Śākadvīpa (Sakadwipa; the island of Saka), mentioned in Vāyupurāṇa (Vayupurana) and Viṣṇupurāṇa (Vishnupurana). In another version of Viṣṇupurāṇa (Vishnupurana), the name is given as ‘Āñcikeya’ (Anchikeya).

Anagha was the fifth of the seven sons born of Vaśiṣṭha (Vashishtha) to Urjjā (Urjja). During the third epoch of Manu (manvantara), these seven sons of Vaśiṣṭha became saptarṣi (saptarshi) [the seven sages].

While describing the future epochs of Manu (manvantara), Viṣṇupurāṇa (Vishnupurana) chronicles that during the eleventh manvantara, when Dharmasārvarṇi (Dharmasarvani) would become Manu, Anagha would be one of the seven sages or saptarṣi (saptarshi) .

One of the sons of Ugrasena, a hero of the Vṛṣṇi(Vrishni) clan.

Vasudeva was born of the womb of Māriṣā (Marisha), or Vāsī (Vasi), daughter of King Bhoja — according to Vāyupurāṇa (Vayupurana). He is also called Ānakadundubhi (Anakadundubhi). As soon as Vasudeva was born, the gods, with their divine vision, could realise that the incarnation of the Supreme Divinity will be born in the house of […]

Prajāpati (Prajapati) was Manu’s son, and Manu was Brahmā’s (Brahma’s) son. Anala was born of Prajāpati to Śāṇḍilī (Shandili). He was a luminous god. He was one of the eight Vasu. In some Purāṇas (Puranas) it is said that the eight Vasu were born of Kaśyapa (Kashyapa). In others, it is said that they were […]

According to one version of Viṣṇupurāṇa (Vishnupurana), Anala was the son of Niṣadha (Nishadha) belonging to the lineage of the Ikṣvaku (Ikshvaku) king Rāmacandra’s (Ramachandra’s) eldest son, Kuśa (Kusha). Anala’s son was Nabha.

Vṛṣṇi (Vrishni) was the son of Sātvata (Satwata) of the Yadu lineage. Yudhājit (Yudhajit) was the youngest son of Vṛṣṇi. Śini (Shini) was elder and Anamitra was the younger of Yudhājit’s two sons. Anamitra had three sons— Nighna (alternatively, Nimna), Śini (Viṣṇupurāṇa or Vishnupurana, however, does not mention a Śini being Anamitra’s son), and Vṛṣṇi […]

In the hereditary line of Priyavrata, Ānanda (Ananda) was one of the seven sons of Medhātithi (Medhatithi). This Ānanda was also the ruler of Plakṣadvīpa (Plakshadwipa; the island of Plaksha) and reigned over the varṣa (varsha, a plot of land) known by his name.

Ananta was the renowned son born to Kaśyapa (Kashyapa) and Prajāpati Dakṣa’s (Prajapati Daksha’s) ninth daughter Kadrū (Kadru). Anantadeva’s wife was called Tuṣti (Tushti). In the lower parts of the multitudes of hells lies the universal flame of annihilation or kālāgni (kalagni). Below that resides Anantadeva. Balanced on his head like a grain of mustard […]

Śaryāti (Saryati) is one of the sons of Vaivasvata Manu. Ānarta (Anarta) is the son of Śaryāti. The region ruled by Ānarta is known as the land of Ānarta. Reva (According to Viṣṇupurāṇa and Bhāgavatapurāṇa, the name is Revata) was the son of Ānarta. According to Matsyapurāṇa (Matsyapurana) , Ānarta established Kuśasthalī (Kusasthali), capital of […]

Ānarta is a locality in the western part of India. The inhabitants of that region are also called Ānarta. Ānarta is the abode of Vāsudeva Kṛṣṇa. The alternative name of this place is Antargiri. The name of the son of Śaryāti is Ānarta. The land is named after him. Raivata is the son of Ānarta. […]

Andhaka was one of the sons born of the womb of Kauśalyā (Kausalya), and sired by Sātvata (Satwata), belonging to Yaduvaṃśa (Yaduvamsa; lineage of Yadu). According to Matsyapurāṇa (Matsyapurana), daughter of Kaṅka (Kanka)was the wife of this Andhaka. She gave birth to four sons –Kukura, Bhajamāna (Bhajamana), Śaśī (Sasi) or Śuci (Suchi) and Kamvalavarhiṣa (Kamvalavarhisha). […]

The Andhaka community is a part of the Yādava (Yadava) community living in the region of Mathurā and Śūrasena. Their relatives belong such such communities as Vṛṣṇi (Vrishni), Bhoja, Kukura and so on. Kroṣṭu (Kroshtu)was the son of Yadu, who was the son of Yayāti and Devayānī.  Sātvata was a descendant of Yadu’s lineage . […]

Andhakāraka (Andhakaraka)was one of the seven sons varṣaparvata(s)(major mountains, indicating a varsha) or kulaparvata of Krauñcadvpa (Kraunchadwipa).

Andhatāmisra is the name of a naraka (hell). If one takes away by deceit another person’s wife and property and enjoy them, one is thrown into this naraka.

In the genealogical line of Turvasu, the second son of Yayāti (Yayati), Marutta was without a son. So he adopts Duṣmanta (Dushmanta) of Puruvaṁśa (the hereditary line of Puru), as his son. According to Vāyupurāṇa (Vayupurana), this adopted son is Duṣkṛta (Dushkrita). According to Brahmāṇḍapurāṇa (Brahmandapurana), Sarupya is the son of Duṣmanta. Āndīra (Andira) is […]

An ancient sage-king. Most Purāṇas (puranas) have identified him as a descendant of Svāẏambhuva Manu (Swayambhubha Manu). Aṅga (Anga) was the child of Ulmuka of Svāẏambhuva Manu’s lineage, conceived by Puṣkariṇī (Pushkarini). Another version, however, recognises Aṅga as the child borne of Agneẏī (Agneyi) and Uru. Some Purāṇas, on the other hand, identify him as […]

Vali was the son of Titikṣu (Titikshu) who belonged to the bloodline of Anu, Yayāti’s (Jajati) son. Aṅga (Anga) was the eldest of the kṣetraja (kshetraja; literally, child borne of a surrogate) sons conceived by King Vali’s wife Sudeṣṇā (Sudeshna) from Sage Dīrghatamā (Dirghatama). King Bali appointed Aṅga as the ruler of a newly formed kingdom […]

A country or kingdom. The word Aṇga (Anga) is also used to refer to the citizens of the kingdom of Aṇga. Usually, it is mentioned along with four other kingdoms situated in eastern India—Aṇga, Vaṇga (Banga), Kaliṇga (Kalinga), Suhma (Suhma) and Puṇḍra (Pundra). Perhaps these five kingdoms formed a confederacy of which the capital was […]

Son of the Rāma’s (Rama’s) brother Lakṣmaṇa (Lakshmana), a renowned character in Rāmāyaṇa (Ramayana). Before his death, Rāma instructed Lakṣmaṇa to look for suitable regions so that Rāma could enthrone each of Lakṣmaṇa’s sons as kings of separate states. Eventually, on Bharata’s advice, Rāmachandra crowned Aṅgada (Angada) the king of the Aṅgadīya (Angadiya), a city […]

Aṅgirā (Angira) or Aṇgirasa (Angirasa) is one of the six sons born to Brahmā (Brahma) at the beginning of Creation— marīcyatryaṅgirasau pulastyaḥ pulahaḥ kratuḥ; ṣaḍete brahmaṇaḥ putrā bīryavanto maharṣayaḥ. Numerous tales can be found in Purāṇas (Puranas) about the birth of the great sage Aṅgirā. Apart from describing him as a spiritually conceived son of […]

While making offerings to the Ādityas (aditya) in Ṛgveda (Rigveda), Aṃśa has been mentioned as one of the many Ādityas — imā gira ādityebhyo ghṛitasnuḥ śṛiṇotu mitro/ aryamā bhago na stubijāto baruṇo dakṣo aṁśaḥ. Twelve ādityas were created after being cast from the mouth of Sun god Sūrya of Vivasvān— mukharāgaṁ tu yat pūrbat mārtaṇḍasya mukhacyutam. Aṃśa […]

Aṃśu (Angshu) literally means ray or glow of light. According to Ṛgveda (Rigveda), when a certain portion part or aṃśa of the sacrificial moon-plant or somlatā (somlata) is grounded, what we have is known as aṃśu. Therefore, aṃśu is that which flows from the moon— pra syandasvba soma biśbebhiraṁśubhiḥ.  The word aṃśu literally refers to the moon, […]

Aṃśu (Angshu) was the son of Purumitra of the Jyāmaghar (Jyamaghar) clan which descended from the Yadu clan. He was the father of Satvata (Satwata), who founded the Bṛiṣñi (Brishni) Andhaka clan. But the Bengali version of Viṣṇupurāṇa (Vishnupurana) has identified him as Puruhotra’s son, Aṃśa (Angsha).

According to some Purāṇas (Puranas), all but four of the sixty thousand sons born of King Sagara’s first wife perished by the fire of Sage Kapila’s wrath. Pañcajana (Panchajana)(Pañcavana or Panchabana according to Vāyupurāṇa or Vayupurana) was one of the sons of King Sagara who survived. Śivapuraṇa (Shivapurana) states that Pañcajana became king after Sagara. Aṃśumāna (Angshuman) was Pañcajana’s […]

Aniruddha was a grandson of Kṛṣṇa (Krishna) and son of Pradyumna. He took training of martial arts from Arjuna, the third Pāṇḍava (Pandava) brother. When the Pāṇḍavas had scarcely got the kingdom of Indraprastha, along with many other kings and noblemen, Kṛṣṇa’s progeny also visited King Yudhiṣṭhira (Yudhishthira) there. Some of them stayed back at the city to receive […]

Son of Kuṇi [Kuni (or Kṛti; Kriti)], a descendant in the Nimi lineage. His son’s name was Ṛtujit (Ritujit). Wilson, citing Vāyupurāṇa (Vayupurana) attempts to identify this Kuṇi with Śakuni; but in that case the name of his son in Vāyupurāṇa does not match with Ṛtujit.

Antardhāna (Antardhana) is the son of king Pṛthu (Prithu). A son named Havirdhāna (Havirdhana) was born of the womb of his wife Śikhaṇḍinī (Sikhandini), and sired by Antardhāna. According to Bhāgavatapurāṇa (Bhagavatapurana), Vijitāśva (Vijitaswa) was the original name of this son of Pṛthu. He received the lessons of Antardhāna (the art of disappearing from the […]

Anu was the second son sired by King Yayāti (Yayati) to Śarmiṣṭha (Sarmishtha).  When Yayāti, cursed of acquiring untimely senility by Śukrācārya (Sukracharya), requested each of his sons to exchange his youth with the king’s old age, Anu directly refused this plea of his father. He said that old men, like infants and lowly people, eat whenever […]

Anu was son of Kuruvaśa (Kuruvasa) of the Vṛṣni (Vrishni) clan. He sired Puruhotra (or Purumitra), who was the grandfather of the famous Vṛṣni warrior Sāttvata (Sattwata). 

Anu was son of Vilomā (Viloma) in the line of Andhaka of the Vṛṣṇi (Vrishni) clan. He was a friend of Tumburu, a noted gandharva (a kind of demigods) musician. This ancestor of Vasudeva apparently was also known as Ānakadundubhi (Anakadundubhi). But the Bengali edition of Viṣṇupurāṇa (Vishnupurana) identifies the son of Viloma as Bhava.  This […]

Aṇuha (Anuha) was a son of Vibhrāja (Vibhraja), a king of the Nīpa (Neepa) dynasty. His wife was Kīrti [Kirti; some texts mention her as Kṛtvī (Kritwi) or Kīrtimatī (Kirtimati) as well], daughter of Śukadeva (Shukadeva) and granddaughter of Vedavyāsa (Vedavyasa). With Kīrti, Aṇuha sired Brahmadatta who became famous as rājarṣi (rajarshi; a sagely king).  In […]

Anumati is one of the daughters born of the womb of Śraddhā, and sired by Maharṣi Aṅgirā (Angira). She was the wife of Dhātā (Dhata), and mother of Pūrṇimā (Purnima), as described in Bhāgavatapurāṇa (Bhagavatapurana). According to other Purāṇa(s), Anumati was the daughter born of the womb of Smṛti (Smriti), sired by Aṅgirā (Angira). According […]

Anutaptā (Anutapta) is one of the seven major rivers flowing in Plakṣadvīpa (Plakshadwipa). 

Anuvinda was a king from the Kekaya country who, along with his brother, joined forces with the Kauravas. Noticeably, his elder brother was also named Vinda – vindānuvindau kaikeyau sātyakiḥ samavārayat. Both of them were killed in the hand of Sātyaki (Satyaki) when Karṇa (Karna) was the commander-in-chief of the Kauravas.  Vāyupurāṇa (Vayupurana) states that Vinda […]

Śrutakīrti (Srutakirti), one of the daughters fathered by Śūra (Sura) to the Bhoja princess, was the queen of the Kekaya king. A son called Anuvrata was born out of this marriage. Although Matsyapurāṇa (Matsyapurana) states that Anuvrata was the only son of Śrutakīrti, according to other Purāṇas (Purana) she had begotten five sons – one of whom […]

Aparānta (Aparanta) is an ancient locality. When Paraśurāma destroyed the Kṣatriya(s) (Kshatriya)for twenty one times, and freed the earth of the Kṣatriya clan, Maharṣi (Maharshi; Great Sage) Kaśyapa(kasyapa) asked him to stop. He also told him, ‘You should not live here, rather go to the place across the southern sea. Thus instructed, Paraśurāma came there […]

According to the description of Viṣṇupurāṇa (Vishnupurana) and Bhāgavatapurāṇa (Bhagavatapurana), Apratiratha was one of the sons of King Rantināra (Rantinara), belonging to Puruvaṃśa (Puruvamsa; the royal lineage of Puru). Apratiratha was the father of Kaṇva (Kanva).

From the eastern face of caturānana(chaturanana; the four-faced one) Brahmā (Brahma), emanated the major acts of yajña(yajna). Like the yajña-rituals called Ṣoḍaśī(Shodasi) and Ukthya, Atirātra (Atiratra) and Āptoryāma (Aptoryama) also emanated from his mouth. In Viṣṇupurāṇa (Vishnupurana), though the name of Āptoyāma is not separately mentioned, it is said that Atirātra was created from the […]

Āpūraṇa is one of the Nāgas (Naga; Snake) born of the womb of Kadrū (Kadru), sired by Kaśyapa Prajāpati (Kasyapa Prajapati; Kasyapa, Ruler of the People). In Āstīkaparva (Astikaparva) of Mahābhārata (Mahabharata), while speaking of the names of the snakes, Vaiśampāyana(Vaisampayana) mentioned him. Nārada (Narada), too, while describing to Mātali (Matali) the distinguished Nagas who […]

According to Bhāgavatapurāṇa, Āpya (Apya) is one of the gaṇa (gana, genus) of the gods in Cākṣuṣa (Chakshusha) Manvantara. In Viṣṇupurāṇa (Vishnupurana), the name Ādya(Adya) has been used instead of Āpya.  

According to Bhāgavatapurāṇa (Bhagavatapurana), in the genealogical line of Druhyu, Āraddha(Araddha) is the son of Setu and father of Gāndhāra (Gandhara). In Viṣṇupurāṇa (Vishnupurana) the name ‘Āradvān'(Aradvan) has been mentioned instead of Āraddha (Araddha).

At one place in Viṣṇupurāṇa (Vishnupurana), it is said that, in the genealogical line of Kuru, Ārādhita (Aradhita) is the son of Jayasena, and father of Ayutāyu (Ayutayu). Another place in Viṣṇupurāṇa refers to the name as ‘Ārāvī’ (Aravi) instead of ‘Ārādhita’. In Vāyupurāṇa (Vayupurana) it is said that in the genealogical line of Kuru, […]

Arbhaka is one of the kings belonging to Śiśunāgavaṁśa (Sisunagavamsa,  the Sisunaga dynasty), who would be ruling in  Kaliyuga (the Era of Kali)–as mentioned in Purāṇa (Purana). He is the son of king Ajātaśatru (Ajatasatru), and father of Udayana. In the southern version of Viṣṇupurāṇa (Vishnupurana), the name is mentioned as Arbhaka, though the name […]