The roots of the fingers are known as Āryatīrtha (Aryatirtha).

The Northern region of Bhāratavarṣa (Bharatavarsha;India) is called Āryāvarta (Aryavarta). It is said in Manusaṁhitā that the  part of the land from the Himālaya(Himalaya) in the north to the Vindhya mountain in the south and between the two seas in the east and west ( the Bay of Bengal and the Arabian Sea)  is Āryāvarta. […]

The vaṁśa(vamsa; genealogical or disciple-wise order of sages) of ṛṣi (rishi; sage) Asakṛt (Asakrit) is one of the ṛṣivaṁśa(s) belonging to the vaṁśa-pravara (vamsa-prabara; clan) of Maharṣi (Maharshi; Great Sage) Bhṛgu (Bhrigu), as mentioned in Matsyapurāṇa (Matsyapurana). He is referred to as a gotra-pravartaka (clan-founder)belonging to the order of Bhṛgu.

Asākṣī (Asakshi) is one of the thousand names of God Viṣṇu (Vishnu), as mentioned in Viṣṇusahasranāmastotra (Vishnusahasranamastotra; Hymn of the Thousand Names of Vishnu).

In Svāyambhuva (Swaymbhuva ) Manvantara , gods were divided into several gaṇa(s) (gana; genus). Ajita was one of these gaṇa(s), and Asama was a god belonging to this gaṇa.

Asamāmnāya(Asamamnaya) is one of the Aṣṭottara Sahasranāma (Ashtottara Sahasranama; Thousand and eight names) of God Śiva (Siva). [See Samāmnāya (Samamnaya)]    

Asamañja (Asamanja)was the eldest son of Sagara, a king belonging to Ikṣvākuvaṃśa (Ikshwakuvamsa; the Ikshwaku dynasty). In  Mahābhārata (Mahabharata), king Sagara, along with his two wives, worshiped Mahādeva (Mahadeva), in order to get the boon of having a son. Please with their tapasyā (tapasya; ascetic penance), Mahādeva said, “The moment in which you have asked for […]

Devārha (Devarha) was one of the ten sons of Hṛdika (Hridika), belonging to Yaduvaṁśa (Yaduvmsa; the genealogical line of Yadu). Kamvalavarhiṣ (Kamvalavarhish)or Kamvalavarhi was the son of Devārha. Asamaujā (Asamauja) was the elder one of the two sons of Kamvalavarhi. In Matsyapurāṇa (Matsyapurana), he is referred to as Asamañjā (Asamanja), and here it is further […]

Asaṁkhyeya (Asamkhyeya) is one of the names of God Viṣṇu (Vishnu) as mentioned in Viṣṇusahasranāmastotra (Vishnusahasranamastotra; Hymn of the Thousand Names of God Vishnu).

Asammita is one of the thousand names of God Viṣṇu (Vishnu), as mentioned in Viṣṇusahasranāmastotra (Vishnusahasranamastotra; Hymn of the Thousand Names of Vishnu)

Āsana (Asana; a seat) is called Yogapītha (Yogapitha; the seat for Yogic practices). A seat like Yogapītha is called Āsana. Donating the āsana brings about good fortune and deliverence. An ascetic can use four types of āsana — made of kāṣṭha (kastha, wood), carma (charma; leather), vastra (cloth), and taijasa (metal). During worship, the devotee […]

Āsandī (Asandi) is the Vedic name for the wooden platform used for sitting. The term, however, is not mentioned in Ṛgveda (Rigveda), but in Atharvaveda, āsandī is mentioned as a seat used during a marriage-ritual– yathāsandyāmupadhāne. In Atharvaveda, there is also a description of āsandī (asandi) used as a siting platform for vrātyajana (vratya jana; […]

Āsandīvat is the capital of Pārikṣhit Janamejaya, though this Janamejaya is not the descendant of the Pāṇḍava, and the grandson of Abhimanyu.He is the ancient Pārikṣhit Janamejaya mentioned in Aitareya and Śatapatha Brāhmaṇa. According to Aitareya Brāhmaṇa, he kept his horse of Aśvamedha bound, in this very place. It has been said in Aitareya Brāhmaṇa– […]

In the genealogical line of Yadu, Āsaṇga(Asanga) is one of the twelve sons of Gāndinī (Gandini), sired by Śvaphalka (Swaphalka).

Asaṅga (Asanga) is the son of Sātyaki (Satyaki) or Yuyudhāna (Yuyudhana), in the the genealogical line of Anamitra, belonging to Vṛṣṇivaṁśa (Vrishnivamsa; the genealogical line of Vrishni).

While killing Andhakāsura (Andhakasura), in order to get assistance, Mahādeva (Mahadeva) created innumerable mātṛkā (matrika; an order of lesser female deities) from his own body. Aśanī (Asani) is one of those mātṛkā.

Aśanī (Asani) is one of the Aṣṭottara Sahasranāma (Ashtottara Sahasranama; Thousand and eight names) of God Śiva (Siva). He is conceptualised in a ten-armed form; with ten weapons in those hands. Though Vajra or Aśani (Asani) is the weapon of Indra, here it is attributed to Mahādeva (Mahadeva). Adding ‘in’ pratyaya (which means ‘to hold’) […]

See Anupālikā (Anupalika).

Aśanikā (Asanika) is the daughter born of the womb of Vākā (Vaka) or Rākā (Raka), and sired by Viśravā (Visrava).

Aśaniprabha (Asaniprabha) is a Rākṣasa (Rakshasa)-warrior. During the battle of Laṅkā (Lanka), while having an one-to-one bout between the Vānara (Vanara)and the Rākṣasa(s), Aśaniprabha fought with the Vānara-warrior called Dvivida.

Āsāraṇa(Asarana)  is a Yakṣa (Yaksha; a kind of demi-gods). According to Bhāgavatapurāṇa (Bhagavatapurana), Āsāraṇa is one of those who stay in the chariot of Surya (Sun-god) in the month of Bhādra (Bhadra).

Asat is one of the names of God Śiva-Mahādeva (Siva-Mahadeva), as mentioned in Śivasahasranāmastotra (Sivasahasranamastotra; Hymn of the Thousand Names of Siva). In this stotra, God Śiva is addressed twice as both Sat and Asat , in two different śloka(s) (sloka; verse). [See Sat]

Asat is one of the names of God Viṣṇu (Vishnu), as  mentioned in Viṣṇusahasranāmastotra (Vishnusahasranamastotra; The Hymn of Thousand Names of Vishnu).

If Aśauca (Asaucha) is due to birth or death, brāhmaṇa (brahmana) should restrain themselves from yāga (yaga), homa or nityakarma ( daily rituals) for ten days. For the same reason, kṣatriya(s) (kshatriya) will do the same for twelve days, Vaiśya(s) (Vaisya) for fifteen days and Śūdra(s) (Sudra) for one month. After that all may resume […]

Āścaryapurāṇa (Ascharyapurana) is one of the Upapurāṇas (Upapurana, lesser Purana) mentioned by Durvāsā (Durvasa).

[See Māsa (Masa; Month)]

A nakṣatra (nakshatra, star).

Āṣāḍa(Ashada) was a king. In Aṁśāvataraṇa-parva (Amsavatarana-parva) of Mahābhārata (Mahabharata) it is said that the Asuras (Asura; One type of the Demon-race) called ‘Krodhavaśa’ (Krodhavasa) incarnated themselves as powerful kings on earth. Āṣāḍa was one of those kings. Āṣāḍa (Ashada) was one of those kings who were sent invitation to fight on behalf of the Pāṇḍava […]

One of the names of Śiva-Mahādeva (Siva-Mahadeva) mentioned in Śivasahasranāmastotra (Sivasahasranamastotra; The Hymn of Thousand Names of Siva). Here, the two names of Mahādeva, Āṣāḍa (Ashada) and Suṣāḍa(Sushada) have been mentioned together. Nīlakaṇṭha (Nilakantha), the commentator, has also provided annotations of these two names together. The term Āṣāḍa derives from the Sanskrit dhātu (dhatu; root-verb) […]

A Śivaliṇga(Sivalinga) of great eminence, located in Vārāṇasīkṣetra (Varanasikshetra; the site of Varanasi).      

God Śiva(Siva) is known as Āṣāḍeśa(Ashadesa) in the sacred site called Āṣāḍī (Ashadesa). The name of the goddess here is Ratīśā (Ratisa). In another place, the name of the goddess is Rati.

According to Bhāgavatapurāṇa (Bhagavatapurana), the Āditya(Aditya) called Bhaga and his wife Siddhi gave birth to three sons and a daughter. The daughter of Bhaga and Siddhi is Āśīḥ (Asih) or Āśīṣ (Asish). This Āśīḥ (Asih) is to be understood in the sense of blessing.

According to scholars, the three Kṛṣṇāṣṭamī tithi(s) (Krishnashtami; the eighth day of a dark fortnight) of the months of Agrahāyaṇa (Agrahayana), Pauṣa (Pausha) and Māgha (Magha) are called Aṣṭakā (Ashtaka).

In the Kāñcīpuram (Kanchipuram) edition of Viṣṇupurāṇa (Vishnupurana), it is said that Aṣṭaka (Ashtaka) was one of the brothers of Vasudeva, belonging to Yadu-Vṛṣṇivaṃśa (Yadu-Vrishnivamsa; the lineage of Yadu and Vrishni).

See Acchodā (Acchoda).

Eight types of maṅgala (mangala; benedictory signs or objects) have been mentioned in Agnipurāṇa. These are: lion- the king of animals , ox, nāga (in the sense of elephant, hand-fan, kalaśa(pitcher), a victorious garland made of nine kinds of flowers, bherī and dīpa– mṛgarājaṃ vṛṣam nāgaṃ vyājanaṃ kalaśṃ tathā. vaijayantīṃ tathā bherīṃ dīpamityamaṣṭamaṅgalam. But this […]

Aṣṭavakra is the son of sage Kahoḍa. Maharṣi Uddālaka had a disciple called Kahoḍa. Pleased by his service, Uddālaka trained him in Veda and other scriptures, and after his lessons were over, got him married to his daughter, Sujātā. In Mahābhārata it is described that Aṣṭāvakra learned Veda, while being in his mother̍s womb, listening […]

Aṣṭavakra (Ashtavakra)is the name of a tīrtha (tirtha; site of pilgrimage) mentioned in Anuśāsanaparva (Anusasanaparva)of Mahābhārata (Mahabharata). Visting this site, one may attain to the benefit of the Aśvamedha yajña (Aswamedha yajna). Rahugram or Raila is four miles away from the present-day Haridvāra. A small river flows by the side of this region, that river is […]

According to the description of Mahābhārata, Manu was the son of Brahmā, and Prajāpati was the son of Manu. The eight Vasu(s) were born of the womb(s) of the seven wives of Prajāpati. Dhara was the son of Dhūmrā. Dhruva was the son of Brahmavidyā, Candra was the son of Manasvinī,  Anila was the son […]

In Veda(s), we have the mention of the Rudra(s), the Marud(s) and the Viśvedeva.In the Paurāṇika age, the Rudra(s) and the Śivagaṇa (Sivagana; associates of Siva) were known as Gaṇaśakti (Ganasakti). In this light, the female associates of Goddess Durgā (Durga) are sometimes called the Mātṛkā (Matrika; an order of lesser female deities), sometimes Devīśakti […]

Since the beginning of the Aryan culture’s flourish in India, since the earlier Vedic period, asi (a sword) had been one of the much-used weapons. However, in the mantra(s) (hymns) of Ṛgveda (Rigveda), asi had been mentioned not so much as a weapon for battle, but much as a weapon of beheading the animals as sacrifice […]

Āśī (Asi) is an Apsarā (Apsara, celestial courtesan). She is one of the thirty four Apsarās under the Mauneya-Gandharva.

Aśija (Asija) is the son born of the womb of Svarāṭ (Swarat), daughter of Kardama Prajāpati (Prajapati; Ruler of the people), and sired by Maharṣi (Maharshi; Great Sage) Aṅgirā (Angira). Somewhere he is mentioned as Uśija (Usija) , and elsewhere as Aśija (Asija). He is the brother of Vṛhaspati (Vrihaspati). In Vāyupurāṇa (Vayupurana), Mamatā (Mamata), […]

Asija is the name of one kind of naraka (hell).

Asija is one of the sons of Maharṣi (Maharshi; Great sage) Aṅgirā (Angira), and the brother of Devaguru (the guide and teacher of the gods) Vṛhaspati (Vrihaspati). His name is mentioned in Purāṇa (Purana; Mythological Scripture), as a mantradraṣṭā (mantradaashta; seer of sacred hymns) ṛṣi (rishi; seer-sage). [See Uthathya]

Asiknī (Asikni) is one of the sacred rivers in ancient India. According to scholars, The river called Asiknī, in Vedic times , later came to be known as Candrabhāgā (Chandrabhaga) in Sanskrita (Sanskrit).Yāska (Yaska), the author of Nirukta has said , asiknyāśuklāsitā, sitāmiti varṇa nāma. tat prativedho’sitam. That is — the river has a blcakish […]

Asiknī (Asikni) was the wife of Prācetasa (Prachetasa; son of Pracheta) Dakṣa(Daksha) Prajāpati(Prajapati; Ruler of the people) . He was the daughter of Vīraṇa (Virana) Prajāpati; so she is often referred to as Vairiṇī (Vairini). However, according to Bhāgavatapurāṇa, Askiknī’s father was Prajāpati Pañcajana (Panchajana). Several sons and daughters were born of the womb of Asiknī, […]

Asikuṇḍa (Asikunda) is a sacred tīrtha (tirtha; site of pilgrimage) located in Mathurā (Mathura).In Varāhapurāṇa (Varahapurana) it is said that there was a tyrannical and evil king called Vimati in ancient times. At the request of the tīrtha(s), God Viṣṇu, assuming the form of a Varāha (Varaha; Swine), fought against this king Vimati. He killed […]

Asilomā (Asiloma) is a dānava (danava, demon), born out of the  womb of Danu, and sired by Kaśyapa (Kasyapa) Prajāpati(Prajapati; Ruler of the people). From Mārkaṇḍeyapurāṇa (Markandeyapurana) it is known that Asilomā was one of the senāpati(s) (senapati, warrior-general) of Mahiṣāsura (Mahishasura). When the soldiers of Mahiṣāsura launched an attack on Goddess Durgā (Durga), Asilomā, […]

Śambhu (Sambhu) was the son of Prahlāda (Prahlada), king of the Daitya(s) (Demons). Asilomā (Asiloma) was one of the sons of Śambhu.