Amvuvāhinī is a river mentioned in Mahābhārata. However, there are debates regarding its name — hether it is Amvuvāhinī or Madhuvāhinī. Though name is Amvuvāhinī in the verse of Mahābhārata, H.H. Wilson has accepted the name Madhuvāhinī , in the second volume of his edition of Viṣṇupurāṇa, where he speaks of several rivers in the […]

Primarily, kṣatriya (kshatriya) and the other two varṇa (varna; caste) are not worthy of a brāhmaṇa‘s (brahmana) greetings [Sanskrit abhivādana (abhivadana) means ‘greetings’. Anabhivādya (anabhivadya) literally means ‘ungreetable’ or ‘not worthy of salutation’]. An atheist, one without a sense of respect, one who is ungrateful, a village priest, a sinner, a heretic, a fallen ignorant, an […]

Ten great warrior sons were sired by Raudrāśva (Raudraswa), the third son of King Puru, to apsarā (apsara; celestial nymph) Miśrakeśī (Misrakesi). Ṛceyu (Richeyu) was the foremost of them and later became known as one of the most powerful kings of the lineage. He was invincible in the battlefield. One meaning of the Sanskrit word dharṣaṇa […]

Anādhṛṣṭi (Anadhrishti) was one of the most prominent sons sired by Śūra (Sura) of the Vṛṣṇi (Vrishni) clan to Bhojā (Bhoja). Although Vāyupurāṇa (Vayupurana) reads his name as Anādhṛṣṭikara (Anadhrishtikara), authenticity of this reading is not established.  In Sabhāparva (Sabhaparva) of Mahābhārata (Mahabharata), Kṛṣṇa (Krishna) refers to seven principal Vṛṣṇi warriors while describing Jarāsandha’s prowess. Anādhṛṣṭi is one […]

Anādhṛṣṭi (Anadhrishti) was a son of Dhṛtarāṣṭra (Dhritarashtra). In Bhīṣmaparva (Bhishmaparva) of Mahābhārata (Mahabharata) we see Bhīma (Bhima) fighting the Kaurava soldiers with bow and arrows, when he disarmed a number of Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s sons and made them fall out of their chariots. The bodies of the unconscious sons of Dhṛtarāṣṭra, lying spread-eagle on the ground of the […]

Anādhṛṣṭi (Anadhrishti) was one of the sons of Bṛddhakṣatra (Briddhakshatra). He defeated the Kaliṅga (Kalinga) warriors, abducted a girl of that country and married her. He seems to have fought for the Pāṇḍavas (Pandava) in the battle of Kurukṣetra (Kurukshetra), for we find Dhṛtarāṣṭra (Dhritarashtra) asking Sañjaya (Sanjaya) who lured bārdhakṣemi (bardhakshemi; son of Bṛddhakṣatra) Anādhṛṣṭi […]

Anādhṛṣya (Anadhrishya) was one of the one hundred sons sired by Dhṛtarāṣṭra (Dhritarashtra) to Gāndhārī (Gandhari). 

Anadhyāya (anadhyaya) literally means ‘not to study’. Ancient Indian society fixed certain dates and events (natural as well as man-made) on or during which studying (traditional texts and knowledge) was prohibited. This act of refraining from study – in general or of a particular branch of knowledge – is called anadhyāya. Purāṇas (Purana) vary in […]

One of god Viṣṇu’s (Vishnu’s) one thousand names. To explain the meaning of the name Anādi (Anadi), the annotator Saṃkarācārya (Sankaracharya) has said— ādiḥ kāraṇamasya na vidyata iti                                        anādiḥ sarvakāraṇatvāt. God himself has created the world, […]

A holy place of pilgrimage that falls within the area of Avantī (Avanti). One who pays a visit to this sacred place, gains kingdom and heaven. Attainment of divine grace is inevitable if one visits the deities Vīrabhadra (Virabhadra), Caṇḍikā (Chandika) and Siddheśvara (Siddheshwara).

One of God Viṣṇu’s (Vishnu’s) one thousand names. To explain the meaning of this name the annotator Śaṃkarācārya (Shankaracharya) has said— ādirjanmaḥ nidhanaṃ vināśaḥ taddvayaṃ yasya                                           na vidyate sa anādinidhanaḥ. One who has no […]

Anādṛṣṭa (Anadrishta) was a sagely king in the Puru lineage. Vāyupurāṇa (Vayupurana) mentions his son as Riveyu. 

Anādṛṣṭi (Anadrishti) was a son of Aśmakī (Asmaki) sired by Vasudeva of the Yadu-Vṛṣṇi (Yadu-Vrishni) clan. 

One of the seven major rivers flowing through Śākadvīpa (Shakadweepa; the land of Shaka).

To console a bereft Dhṛtarāṣtra (Dhritarashtra) devastated by the loss of his sons, Sañjaya (Sanjaya) had listed many great kings who had had to sacrifice the comfort of a prosperous kingdom and embrace death instead. While recording the names of such monarchs, Sañjaya had mentioned the ancient king Anagha.

Anagha was the son of Vibhrāja, the king of Pañcāla (Panchala). Anagha had a son named Brahmadatta.

One of the one thousand names of Śiva (Shiva). Dictionaries define agha as ‘vice’ or ‘sin’. Mahādeva (Mahadeva) lies beyond any epithet signifying demerit such as sin or vice. No imperfection can ever touch him, and therefore he is renowned as anagha. Nīlakaṇṭha (Nilakantha), the annotator, explains Śiva’s appellation of Anagha in the following way: even when […]

The term anagha has been used twice to refer to Viṣṇu (Vishnu) in the stotra of his one thousand names (Viṣṇu Sahasranāmastotra; Vishnu Sahasranamastotra). The word agha means vice, unhappiness or sin. In Upaniṣadas (Upashinadas) the absolute brahma or the Supreme Being is imagined as a formless embodiment who is beyond earthly qualities such as virtue or vice. In […]

Agha means sin. Anagha signifies one who bears no sins, or one who cannot be touched by immorality or sin. In this context, this names acts as an appellation to Viṣṇu (Vishnu), Śiva (Shiva), and also Skanda Kārtikeya (Kartikeya). [See Śiva Sahasranāma (One Thousand Names of Śiva) and Viṣṇu Sahasranāma (One Thousand Names of Viṣṇu)]

Anagha was one of the names found in the brief catalogue of the names of the sons of Garuḍa (Garura) or garuḍātmaja (garuratmaja) — ete pradeśamātreṇa mayoktā garuḍātmajāḥ.  

In a description of Yama’s court recounted by Nārada (Narada) to Yudhiṣthira (Yudhishthira), Anagha was one of the great kings dedicated to serving Vaivasvata (the son of the Sun-god) Yama . In Haridas Siddhantabagish’s edition of Mahābhārata (Mahabharata), Anagha is also referred to as Anaya or Naya.

Of all the gods and demigods who gathered to bless Arjuna at the time of his birth, Anagha is named as one of the gandharva deities present. The gandharva named Anagha is also mentioned in Vāyupurāṇa (Vayupurana). It is chronicled here that apsarā (apsara; celestial nymphs) and gandharva were born of Kaśyapa Prajāpati (Kashyapa Prajapati) to Dakṣa’s […]

One version of Mahābhārata (Mahabharata) mentions a township names Anagha. Before the Rājasūya (Rajasuya) yajña (yajna), during the conquest period, Bhīmasena (Bhimasena) headed towards the east. He reached Anagha from the kingdom of Matsya and vanquished this territory. However, Haridas Siddhantabagish’s version of Mahābhārata does not mention the word anagha. The line anaghānabhayāṃścaiva paśubhūmiñca sarvaśaḥ has […]

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) .

Four sons, including Duṣmanta (Dushmanta) were born to Upadānavī (Upadanavi) of Ilina, a king of the Candra (Chandra) dynasty. Anagha was the youngest of these four sons.

The Sanskrit word āhitāgni (ahitagni) refers to a brāhmaṇa (brahmana) who ceaselessly performs the ritual of agnihotra everyday; therefore, the ones not to perform agnihotra in this manner are known as anāhitāgni (anahitagni). Ayodhyā (Ayodhya), the capital of King Daśaratha (Dasaratha), has been described as abode of no anāhitāgni brāhmaṇa – nānāhitāgni-nāyajvā. The Śiromaṇi (Siromani) commentary of Rāmāyaṇa (Ramayana) explains that […]

A holy place of pilgrimage devoted to lauding the greatness of Sage Nārada (Narada). In Vanaparva of Mahābhārata (Mahabharata), Yudhiṣṭhira (Yudhisthira) was asked to visit this site of worship falling within the ambit of Kurukṣetra (Kurukshetra). It is situated to the east of the holy place at Saraka— sarakasya tu pūrveṇa nāradasya mahātmanaḥ. kuruśreṣṭha śubhaṃ […]

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

Ānaka(Anaka) is one one of the sons of Māriṣā (Marisha), sired by Śura (Sura), a valiant hero of the Vṛṣṇi (Vrishni) clan. He is the younger brother of Vasudeva — father of Śri Kṛṣṇa (Sri Krishna).

One kind of musical instrument covered with leather. This instrument is also known as mṛdaṇga. When Vasudeva was born, the gods were playing ānaka(anaka) or mṛdaṇga (mridanga). In Mahābhārata (Mahabharata) and the Purāṇas (Purana), it is found that this instrument was played before some festivities, celebrations, before the beginning of a battle or to celebrate […]

One of the branches of the Yadu clan is Kukuravaṁśa (Kukuravamsa; the Kukura clan). Ānakadundubhi(Anakadundubhi) is the son of Tama, and the grandson of Kapotaromā (Kapotaroma). He performed a great ascetic penance in the Govardhana mountain, and was granted a boon from God Brahmā (Brahma). Receiving this boon, Ānakadundubhi started singing a song in praise […]

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 […]

An alluring rākṣasī (rakshasi, or female demon) born of the rākṣasa (rakshasa or demon) king Rāvaṇa’s (Ravana’s) maternal grandfather Sumālī’s (Sumali’s) elder brother Mālyavāna (Malyavana) to his enchanting wife. Analā (Anala) was the wife of Viśvāvasu (Vishwabasu). A beautiful daughter named Kumbhīnasī (Kumbhinasi) was born of Viśvābasu to Analā; Kumbhīnasī was married to a great […]

A rākṣasa (rakshasa, roughly translated as demon) born of Mālī (Mali), the brother of rākṣasa king Rāvaṇa’s (Ravana’s) maternal grandfather Sumālī (Sumali), to the gandharva woman Vasudā (Vasuda). Before the battle of Laṅkā (Lanka), while telling Rāmacandra (Ramachandra) about Laṅkā’s defense structure, Vibhīṣaṇa (Vibhishana) mentioned four of his own ministers; Anala was one of them. […]

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 […]

Surabhī (Surabhi) was one of the nine daughters of Krodhavaśā (Krodhavasha). Analā (Anala) was Surabhī’s daughter. According to many South Indian versions of Mahābhārata (Mahabharata), Analā was one of the three daughters of the nāga (naga; snake) matriarch Surasā (Surasa). Rāmāyaṇa (Ramayana) recounts that Prajāpati Dakṣa (Prajapati Daksha) had sixty accomplished daughters; Kaśyapa (Kashyapa) married […]

A monkey warrior.

A mountain. It is inhabited by rākṣasas (rakshasas or demons).

One of the sons of Garuḍa (Garura), the king of birds.

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.

In Sahasranāmastotra (Sahasranamastotra) of God Viṣṇu (Vishnu) the word anala has been uttered twice as his name. The meaning of the word ‘ana‘ is life. In Sanskrit, the transitive verbal root la means ‘to give’ or ‘to accept’. Parameśvara (Parameshwara, roughly meaning the Supreme One) gives life to his own creations, or receives within himself the living […]

In Aṣṭottarasahasranāmastotra (Ashtottarasahasranamastotra) of Śiva-Mahādeva (Shiva-Mahadeva), we find that the word ‘anala‘ appears thrice in all as an appellation for Mahādeva. The word ‘ala‘ means abundance. One whose great appetite or flame of consumption is eternally insatiable—it is in this sense that the term ‘anala‘ carries the connotation of agni or fire. Mahādeva has been […]

Anāmaya (Anamaya) is one of the one thousand epithets of Viṣṇu (Vishnu). Śaṅkarācārya (Sankaracharya) comments on the term – āntarairbahyairvyadhibhiḥ karmajairna pīḍayata iti anāmayaḥ. The word anāmaya literally means ‘one devoid of āmaya (amaya)’. The Sanskrit word āmaya means ‘ailment’, ‘malady’ or ‘means of suffering’. God, as the Supreme Being, is above all ailments. All the classical religious texts, […]

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 […]

Anamitra was the son of Nighna, a king of the Ikṣvāku (Ikshvaku) lineage. He left his kingdom for the forests to undertake rigorous religious austerities.

Anamitra was one of the sons of Dakṣasāvarṇi (Dakshasavarni) Manu, the ruler of the tenth epoch of Manu (manvantara).

A sage king (rājarṣi; rajarshi). His wife’s name was Bhadrā (Bhadra) and his son was Ānanda (Ananda). Ānanda later became renowned as Cākṣuṣa (Chakshusha) Manu, the ruler of the sixth epoch of Manu (manvantara).

One of God Viṣṇu’s (Vishnu’s) one thousand names.

One of the warrior-followers of Skanda-Kārtikeya (Skanda-Kartikeya) . He helped Skanda-Kārtikeya when he killed Tārakasura (Tarakasura).