Ānanda (Ananda) is one of the Thousand names of God Viṣṇu (Vishnu). In several Purāṇa(s) (Purana; Mythological Scripture), Viṣṇu has been identified with the Supreme Brahman, and so the Ānanda-svarūpa (the blissful Self) of Brahman is also attributed to Viṣṇu. In his commentary on Viṣṇusahasranāma (Vishnusahasranama), citing the words of Vṛhadāraṇyaka Śruti (Vrihadaranyaka Sruti) Sankarācārya(Sankaracharya) […]

In another birth, Ānanda (Ananda) was born out of the eye of Parameṣṭi Brahmā (Parameshti Brahma; the Supreme God Brahma). So he was known as Cākṣuṣa (Chakshusha)Manu. Cākṣuṣa Manu’s previous name was Ānanda. Rājarṣi (Rajarshi; a king with the attributes of a sage) Anamitra was his father, and mother was Bhadrā. One day, when Bhadrā (Bhadra) […]

According to Brahmāṇdapurāṇa (Brahmandapurana), Ānanda (Ananda) was one of the twelve gods included in the godly gaṇa (gana; genus) called ‘Satya’, during the era of Uttama Manu.  

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.

The first kalpa (a measure of worldly time according to the time in Brahmaloka — the abode of God Brahmā) of the creation of the loka (people) is known as ‘Bhava’. The name of Bhagavān (Bhagavan; the Supreme Divinity) in this kalpa is Ānanda.

The varṣanāma (varshanama; name according to the location in a plot of land) of the Mountain Dundubhi in Plakṣdvīpa (Plakshadwipa; the island of Plaksha) is Ānanda (Ananda).

According to Vāyupurāṇa, Ānandajala (Anandajala) is a sacred sarovara ( a lake) associated with great puṇya (punya; virtue) situated in the Jārudhi (Jarudhi) mountain. A Nāga (Naga, Snake) called Caṇḍa (Chanda) lives in this lake.  

The varṣa (varsha)or plot of land in Paurāṇika (pauranika; as mentioned in the Purāṇa, or ancient) Śakadvīpa (Sakadvipa; the Saka island), in which Śyama (Syama) parvata (the mountain named Syama ) is situated, is called Anīcaka-varṣa (Anichaka-varsa) . Its alternative name is Ānandaka. See Anīcaka-varṣa (Anichaka-varsha).

A sacred site of pilgrimage in Vārāṇasi (Varanasi; Benares), as mentioned in Padmapurāṇa.

A sacred pilgrimage site situated in Avantīkṣetra (Avantikhsetra). One who visits Ānandesvara (Anandeswara) , after taking a bath in Vijayatīirtha (Vijayatirtha), gets a pure and sinless body, and achieves a triumphant position in svarga (heaven).

One of the names of God Viṣṇu (Visnu), included in Viṣṇu-Sahasranāmastotra (Visnusahasranamastotra; The Hymn of Thousand names of God Visnu).

Another name of Madana, the presiding deity of lust, love and affection. Once he was burnt to ashes by the fire of the third eye of Śiva-Mahādeva’s (Shiva-Mahadeva’s). Aṅga (anga) means body. Charred by Mahādeva’s fire of rage, Madana became incorporeal and hence came to be known as Anaṅga (Ananga; ‘one without a body’). An exceptional […]

A river mentioned in Bhīṣmaparva (Bhishmaparva) of Mahābhārata (Mahabharata). It is possible that the river flows through the southern part of India. The river Anaṅgā (Ananga) is mentioned in Padmapurāṇa (Padmapurana) too, after Śuktimatī (Shuktimati) River, and the primary verse of Mahābhārata remains nearly unchanged here. Only the text of Padmapurāṇa reads Śuktimatī as ‘Muktimatī’ (Muktimati).

A monkey warrior mentioned in Rāmāyaṇa (Ramayana). In Kiṣkindhyākāṇda (Kishkindhyakanda) of Rāmāyaṇa it is chronicled that Anaṅga (Ananga) and Ulkāmukha (Ulkamukha) are sons of of the the monkey warrior named Hutāśana (Hutashana).

At Lākula (Lakula), a holy place, Harapriyā Pārvatī (Harapriya Parvati) is known as Sarvamaṅgalā Anaṅgā (Sarvamangala Ananga). Alternately, at Bharatāśrama (Bharatashrama), Devī Bhagavatī (Devi Bhagavati) is renowned as Anaṅgā.

Anaṅga (Ananga) was the son Kardama Prajāpati (Prajapati). In Śāntiparva (Shantiparva) of Mahābhārata (Mahabharata), Anaṅga has been referred to as a just and fair king well conversed in political science. However, it is also mentioned that even though Anaṅga was a conscientious king during the initial part of his reign, he later turned into a […]

Anaṅga (Ananga) was a sage belonging to the Mādhyandina (Madhyandina) branch of Śukla (Shukla) Yajurveda.

The tale of the sage king Marutta has been chronicled in Āsvamedikaparva (Ashwamedhikaparva) of Mahābhārata (Mahabharata). Under the counsel of his priest, the great sage Saṃvarta (Sangvarta), Marutta was engaged in prayers of God Śiva (Shiva). At this time, Anaṅga (Ananga) was one of the names Marutta used to invoke Śiva.

A holy place mentioned in Rāmāyaṇa (Ramayana). Sage Viśvāmitra (Vishwamitra) was on his way back to his hermitage along with Rāmacandra (Ramachandra) and Lakṣmaṇa (Lakshmana). After crossing the Sarayū (Sarayu) River, they spotted another hermitage at the confluence of the rivers Gaṅgā (Ganga) and Sarayū. Rāmacandra and Lakṣmaṇa asked whom it belonged to. Viśvāmitra told […]

A woman hailing from the village of Bārāṅgana (Barangana). It chronicled in Matsyapurāṇa (Matsyapurana) that she religiously observed the ascetic austerities of the Vibhūtī Dvādaśī (Vibhuti Dwadashi) vow, and consequently became Kāmadeva’s (Kamadeva’s) second wife when she went to heaven.

Pṛthivī (Prithivi; earth) embodies many forms of nature, and hence it is also known by the name Anantā (Ananta).

The renowned Ananta was born of Kaśyapa (Kashyapa) to Prajāpati Dakṣa’s (Prajapati Daksha’s) ninth daughter, Kadrū (Kadru). Tuṣṭi (Tushti) was Anantadeva’s wife. In the lower part of the hells lies kālāgni (kalagni), the fire of universal annihilation. Beyond that lies haṭṭaka (hattaka), and below that resides Anantadeva. He bears on his head like a grain […]

Another name for God Sūrya (Surya).

Wife of Svāyambhuva (Swayambhuva) Manu. Priyavrata and Uttānapāda (Uttanapada) were born of Svāyambhuva Manu to Anantā (Ananta).

A soldier of Skanda Kārtikeya (Kartikeya).

Anantā (Ananta) was the wife of Yayāti’s (Yayati’s) grandson and Puru’s son, King Janamejaya. In Haridas Siddhantabagish’s version of Mahābhārata (Mahabharata), she has been identified as māgadhī (magadhi; hailing from Magadha). But in other versions of the text, she has been recognised as Mādhavī (Madhavi). A son named Prācīnvān (Prachinwan) was born of Janamejaya to Anantā.

Ananta was the son of Vītihotra (Vitihotra) or Vīrahotra (Virahotra), a king belonging to the lineage of Kārtavīryārjuna (Kartaviryarjuna). Ananta had a son named Durjaya.

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 […]

The great sage Anantabhāgin (Anantabhagin) or Anantabhāgī (Anantabhagi) was one of those sages mentioned in Vaṃśapurāṇa (Vamshapurana, or the purāṇa with an account of all lineages) as the patriarchs and progenitors of the Bhārgava (Bhargava) line. He was related to Sage Bhṛgu (Bhrigu) by the association of being his disciple or of his biological lineage.

One of the one thousand names of God Viṣṇu (Vishnu) mentioned in the Viṣṇusahasranāmastotra (Vishnusahasranamastotra) in Anuśāsanaparva (Anushasanaparva) of Mahābhārata (Mahabharata).

A holy mountain. It is extremely suitable for performing obsequies. Subodh Kapoor relates that according to Bārhaspatyasūtra  (Barhaspatyasutra), the Ananta mountain is a Vaiṣṇava (Vaishnava) site. It is also known as Anantapadmanābha (Anantapadmanabha). It is the Anantapura area of the present Trivandrum. There is a temple dedicated to God Padmanābha (Padmanabha) in Anantapura. It is […]

One of Śiva’s (Shiva’s) one thousand names. Ananta, in dictionaries, is defined as antahīna (antahina; anta means end, and hīna means without, together, endless). While on one hand, ananta denotes immense expanse without beginning or end, on the other it means that beyond prediction or enumeration and is a signifier for many words. In both […]

One of Viṣṇu’s (Vishnu’s) names mentioned in Viṣṇusahasranāmastotra (Vishnusahasranamastotra) in Anuśāsanaparva (Anushasanaparva) of Mahābhārata (Mahabharata).

One of God Viṣṇu’s (Vishnu’s) one thousand names mentioned in Viṣṇusahasranāmastotra (Vishnusahasranamastotra).

A holy place of pilgrimage. Bathing in the Rāhulā (Rahula) and Surasā (Surasa) rivers and going to Anantatīrtha (Anantatirtha) has been mentioned in Nīlamatapurāṇa (Nilamatapurana). Visitation of this holy site results in attainment of Nāgaloka (Nagaloka). The place has been so named after Anantanāga (Anantanaga). Anantatīrtha is situated at the western foot of the Mārtaṇḍa […]

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

Observation of Anantatṛtīyāvrata (Anantatritiyavrata) is recommended on the third lunar day.

The name of the conch shell belonging to Yudhiṣthira (Yudhishthira), the eldest son of Pāṇḍu (Pandu). It is known that like Arjuna’s Devadatta and Kṛṣṇa’s (Krishna’s) Pāñcajanya (Panchajanya), Yudhiṣthira’s conch shell, Anantavijaya, too, was blown before the Kurukṣetra (Kurukshetra) war had begun. However, it is not mentioned in Mahābhārata (Mahabharata) where Yudhiṣthira procured this conch […]

In Yayāti’s (Yayati’s) son Anu’s lineage, Aṅga (Anga) was the eldest of the sons born to King Bali of a male surrogate. Bali crowned Aṅga king of Aṅgadeśa (Angadesha; the land of Aṅga). Dadhivāhana (Dadhivahana) was Aṅga’s son. Under a curse placed on him by the great sage Dīrghatamā (Dirghatama), he was born without apāna […]

One of the Mauneya apsarā (apsara).

A renowned place of pilgrimage situated in Avantīkṣetra (Avantikshetra). Ablution at this sacred site spares one’s ancestors from suffering in naraka or hell. Once Devī Pārvatī’s (Devi Parvati’s) skin turned dark. She was dismayed at losing her fair complexion. Even though Śiva (Shiva) consoled her, he also teased Pārvatī by calling her ‘Kālī’ (Kali). Enraged, she […]

This pilgrimage site is situated at Kurukṣetra (Kurukshetra), on the western side of the river Yamuna. Located here are temples of abode dedicated to Brahmā (Brahma) and Mahādeva (Mahadeva). Rudrāṇī (Rudrani) occupies the west, and Padmanābha (Padmanabha) occupies the north of this holy place. It has been referred to as sarvadevatīrtha (sarvadevatirtha, or the place […]

A township located in the southern part of the country.

It is known from Vāyupurāṇa (Vayupurana) that Kuṣmāṇḍa (Kushmanda) piṣācas (pishachas) were divided into sixteen sects or classes. Anarka was one of these groups.

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. […]

One of the names of god Viṣṇu (Vishnu) in Viṣṇusahasranāmastotra (Vishnusahasranamastotra).

[See Anarvā (Anarva)]

Not eating. A mode of asceticism or severe self-discipline. Right after uttering the eminence of the eleventh day of the lunar fortnight it is said that just like there is no ritual of observing a vow of penance on this day, there is no religious austerity such as anaśana (anashana) or starvation by choice. Here, by […]