Agniveśya (Agniveshya) was an incarnation of Agni, the Fire-god. Agni himself was born as a son of Devadatta, a descendant in the line of Nariṣyanta (Narishyanta), son of Manu. Agniveśya was also known by the names Kānīna (Kanin) and Jātukarṇa (Jatukarna). Agniveśya’s lineage came to be known as Agniveśyāyana (Agniveshyayan). Purāṇas (Purana) even contain a […]

– ‘Agre’ means ‘in the beginning’. And the meaning of Ayana is motion or journey, shelter or the way of duty. Yajña is another meaning of ‘Ayana’. So, the yajña (yajna)performed before the cultivation of crops, is called Āgrayana (Agrayana). In his dictionary , Pandit Haricharan Bandyopadhyay has said that this yāga(ritual) is performed in […]

The sons born of the womb of Danu, daughter of Dakṣa (Daksha), and sired by Kaśyapa(Kasyapa) Prajāpati (Prajapati; Ruler of the people), were known as Dānava (Danava; one kind of demons). Ahala was one of them. In Brahmāṇdapurāṇa (Brahmandapurana), a list of these sons of Danu can be found. The name of Ahala has been […]

According to Matsyapurāṇa (Matsyapurana), this tīrtha is situated on the bank of the river Narmadā (Narmada). It is said that Ahalyā (Ahalya) attained salvation, by performing tapasyā (tapasya; ascetic penance) in this place — ahalyā ca tapastatvā tatra muktimupāgatā. Again, according to Brahmapurāṇa (Brahmapurana), this tīrtha was located by Godāvarī (Godavari)or Gautamī Gaṅgā (Gautami Ganga). […]

Āhārya(Aharya) was one of the thirty-for great mantradraṣṭā (mantradrasta; seer of holy hymns) sages belonging to the vaṁśa (vamsa; genealogical or disciple-wise line of sages) of Aṇgirā (Angira). In Matsyapurāṇa(Matsyapurana) it is said that Āhārya is the father of Urukṣava(Urukshava).

Ahīna (Ahina)was the son of Sahadeva, and father of Jayatsena, in the genealogical line of King Kṣatravṛddha (Kshatravriddha) or Kṣatradharma (Kshatradharma). The name is Adīna according to Vāyupurāṇa (Vayupurana) and Viṣṇupurāṇa (Vishnupurana).

Ahīnaka (Ahinaka) or Ahīnaga (Ahunagu) or Ahīnagu (Ahinagu), as found in different readings, was the son of Devānīka (Devanika), and father of Pāriyātra (Pariyatra) or Pāripātra (Paripatra) (or Ruru, according to another version) , in the genealogical line of Kuśa (Kusa), son of Rāmacandra(Ramachandra), belonging to Ikṣvākuvaṁśa (Ikshvakuvamsa; the genealogical line of king Ikshvaku).

Ahita is one of the sons born of the womb of Devajanī (Devajani), and sired by the Yakṣa (Yaksha; one kind of demi-god) Maṇivara (Manivara).

In the genealogical line of Kratha, Vastu is the son of Lomapāda (Lomapada). Vastu sired a son called Āhṛti (Ahriti). According to Brahmāṇḍapurāṇa (Brahmandapurana), the son of Lomapāda (Lomapada) is Vabhru. There, the name of ‘Ākṛti’ (Akriti) is mentioned as the son of Vabhru.

According to Brahmāṇḍapurāṇa (Brahmandapurana), Āhṛtya(Ahritya) was one of the gaṇa (gana, genus) of the Apsarā (Apsara; Celestial coutesans). These Apsarās belonging to the Ahṛtya gaṇa were the mānasakanyā (manasakanya; daughters emerged from one’s mental conception) of Brahmā (Brahma).

According to several Purāṇas, Āhuka is the son of Punarvasu, belonging to the vaṁśa (genealogical line) of Yadu-Vṛṣṇi. However, in Harivaṁśapurāṇa it is said that Āhuka was the grandson of Punarvasu. Punarvasu’s son Abhijit was the father of Āhuka. King Āhuka was an eminent personality, with much wealth and power. In Vāyupurāṇa and Brahmāṇḍapurāṇa it […]

In Vāyupurāṇa (Vayupurana) and Brahmāṇḍapurāṇa (Brahmandapurana), there is a mention of one locality called Āhuka(Ahuka) belonging to the Eastern part of India. But it remains unknown exactly where this place was located.

One of the branches of Yaduvaṁśa (Yaduvamsa; the genealogical line of Yadu) is Kukura. Punarvasu, belonging to this Kukuravaṁśa (Kukuravamsa), had a son and a daughter, namely, Āhuka(Ahuka) and Āhukī (Ahuki). Punarvasu probably passed away before the marriage of Āhukī. So it has been mentioned in the Purāṇas (Purana; Mythological Scriptures), that Ākuka got his […]

According to Brahmāṇḍapurāṇa ( Brahmandapurana), Aiḍaviḍa (Aidavida) is a Paulastyeya Rākṣasa (Rakshasa; monster).  

According to Brahmāṇḍapurāṇa (Brahmandapurana),  Ābhūtaraya (Abhutaraya) is one of the gaṇa(s) (gana; sects) of gods in Raivata Manvantara. Aidhana is a god belonging to this Ābhūtaraya gaṇa.

According to Matsyapurāṇa (Matsyapurana), Aikṣvāki (Aikshwaki) is the wife of Jantu, belonging to Jyāmogha (Jyamogha) dynasty. She gave birth to a son called Sātvata (Satwata), fathered by Jantu. In Brahmāṇḍapurāṇa (Brahmandapurana) and Vāyupurāṇa (Vayupurana), Aikṣvākī is the wife of Purudvaha belonging to Jyāmogha dynasty. Satva is the son of Purudvaha and Aikṣvākī. In Liṅgapurāṇa(Lingapurana) it […]

The name of Airāvata (Airavata) have been mentioned several times in the epics and the Purāṇas (Puranas) as the king of elephants as well as the best elephant ever. In the Purāṇas (Puranas), the names of four divine elephants (in other opinion, eight divine elephants) are mentioned who surround the earth. Airāvata (Airavata) is a […]

Airāvata (Airavata) was a nāga (naga or a kind of serpent) who was born out of the womb of the womb of Kadrū (Kadru), the daughter of Dakṣa (Daksha). Kaśyapa (Kasyapa) was the father of him. In the Āstīka (Astika) parva of the Mahābhārata (Mahabharata), Airāvata (Airavata) was mentioned with the other sons of Kadrū […]

  According to Matsyapurāṇa (Matsyaputana), the wife of Jantu of the Jyamogha race was known as Aiṣvākī (Aiswhaki). She gave birth to Jantu’s son named Sātatva (Satatwa). According to  Brahmānḍa (Btahmanda) and Vayupurāṇa (Vayupurana), Aiṣvākī was the wife of Purudvaha of the Jyamogha race. Satva was the son of Purudvaha and Aiṣvākī. But according to the Lingapurāṇa […]

In the second Manvantara of the future, Merusāvarṇi (Merusavarni), son of Dakṣa (Daksha), will be Manu. He is also known as Rohita Prajāpati. It is described in Purāṇa(s) that his sons will be gods in this Manvantara. The sons of Rohita Prajāpati were divided into three sects — Marīci (Marichi) or Marīcigarbha (Marichigarbha), Suśarmā (Susarma)and Pāra […]

In Rāmāyaṇa (Ramayana), according to ādikavi (adikavi; the first poet, i.e., Vālmīki; Valmiki), Aja is the son of Nābhāga (Nabhaga)— nābhāgasya vabhūvājaḥ. However, in most of the Pūraṇas (Purana), Aja is the son of Raghu of the Ikṣvāku (Ikshvaku) clan, and the father of Daśaratha (Dasharatha). According to Matsyapūraṇa (Matsyapurana), Aja or Ajaka is the […]

During the epoch (manvantara), when Svārociṣa (Swarochisha) Manu was the lord, the gods were segregated into two gaṇa (gana; groups) — Tuṣita (Tushita) and Pārāvata (Paravata). Aja was one of the gods belonging to Tuṣita gaṇa.

Aja is one of the sons of Uttama (or Auttama) Manu, the lord of the third epoch (manvantara).

Aja is an adjective of Kumara Kārtikeya (Kartikeya).

One of the Mauneya apsarā (apsara).                                                                                                    […]

Pināka (Pinaka), the bow of Śiva (Siva),  is also known as ‘Ājagava’ (Ajagava). This is called ‘Ajakava’, ‘Ajakāva'(Ajakava)  or ‘Ajagāva’. The way the word ‘Ajakava’ has been analysed in Śabdakalpadruma, seems to indicate that the ‘ka’ has been transformed into ‘ga’ through linuisic evolution. The Puraṅa-scholars  state that ‘aja’ refers to Viṣṇu (Visnu) who is […]

According to Bhāgavatapurāṇa (Bhagavatapurana), Vijaya was one of the sons of Purūravā (Pururava) born of Urvaśī (Urvashi). The royal sage Jahṇu (Jahnu) was a descendent of Vijaya. According to Bhāgavatapurāṇa, Jahṇu’s son was called Puru, and Puru’s son was Balāka (Balaka), and Balāka’s son was Ajaka. Ajaka had a son named Kuśa (Kusha). According to […]

In Vāyupurāṇa (Vayupurana) there is a list of all the kings who ruled during Kaliyuga. In this list, after the end of the reign of the dynasty of Bṛhadratha (Brihadratha),the reign of a certain Ajaka, belonging to the dynasty of the king Pradyota, is mentioned. He is said to have ruled his kingdom for twenty-one […]

Son of Maya dānava (danava; a demon).

Ajāmukha (Ajamukha), also known as Adhomukha, is one of the classes of piśāca (pishacha; a kind of ghouls).  

One of the excellent species of the ancient horse-race. In Amarakoṣa (Amarakosha) it is said that Ājāneya (Ajaneya) is one kind of high-quality horses, with remarkably distinctive features. No other horses , than of this type, can become so loyal to the rider. This horse can take the rider comfortably across a long distance– ājāneyaḥ […]

A place of pilgrimage suitable for performing the obsequies. A tree named Virajā (Viraja) is found here, on every node of which reflection of gods can be seen. The Pāṇdavas (Pandavas) performed the final rites of their father here.

During the sixth epoch (manvantara), which was the epoch of Chakṣuṣa (Chakshusha), gods were divided into a number of groups (gaṇa; gana). Ajita was one of the gods who belonging to Pṛthuka (Prithuka), one of the prominent gaṇa of gods.  

Ajita is one of the derived names of Viṣnu (Vishnu) who was begotten from Tuṣita (Tushit), one of the class of deities during the epoch (manvantara) of Svārociṣa (Swarochisha).

Ajita, along with another deities known as Āyuṣmanta (Ayushmanta), was responsible for the creation of fourteen gaṇa (gana; group) of gods. All of them lived in mahaloṝka (mahalorka; the divine realm) from where they descended into janaloka (the realm of the mortals).

Akampana was one of the demons present in the court of Hiraṇyakaśipu (Hiranyakashipu).

One of the sixteen gaṇas (ganas) or classes of piśacas (pishachas) or ghouls mentioned in Brahmaṇdapurāṇa (Brahmandapurana).

One among the serpents born to Dakṣa’s (Daksha’s) daughter Kadrū (Kadru) of Prajāpati Kaśyapa (Prajapati Kashyapa).

A sage. His original name is unknown. He was one of Paraśurāma’s (Parashurama) most favourite disciple-companions. At the time of his first meeting with Paraśurāma in his childhood, Akṛtabraṇa (Akritabrana) introduced himself as the son of a hermit named Sānta (Shanta). He declared himself as a miserable friendless, desolate and orphaned, seeking shelter from Paraśurāma. […]

Akṛtāśva (Akritashwa) was the son of Saṃhatāśva (Sanhatashwa), a king under the lineage of King Bṛhadaśva (Brihadashva) of the Ikṣvāku (Ikshvaku) clan.

A serpent born of Prajāpati Kaśyapa (Prajapati Kashyapa) to Dakṣa’s (Daksha’s) daughter Kadrū (Kadru).

A form or idol of Mahāsena (Mahasena).

A game of dice. It involves gambling. Ṛtuparṇa (Rituparna) and Śakuni (Shakuni) were experts at this game. Ṛtuparṇa taught this game to King Nala. Playing akṣa (aksha) has been considered a wanton vice to be abandoned for kings.

A dānava (danava) or demon. Akṣa (Aksha ) was one of the sons born of Prajāpati Kaśyapa  (Prajapati Kashyapa) to Dakṣa’s (Daksha’s ) daughter Danu.

Son born of Kṛṣṇa (Krishna) to  Satyabhāmā (Satyabhama).

A king. His son’s name was Suyajña (Suyajna). He was the grandfather of the renowned king Marutta.

Akṣayāśva (Akshayashwa) was the son of King Saṃhatāśva (Samhatashwa) of the Ikṣvāku (Ikshvaku) dynasty. Even though Matsyapurāṇa (Matsyapurana) and Brahmāṇḍapurāṇa (Brahmandapurana) identify him as Akṛtāśva (Akritashwa), Vāyupurāṇa (Vayupurana) has hailed him as Akṣayāśva.

In the beginning of the Creation, the twelve gods emanated from the mouth of Brahmā (Brahma) were known as ‘Jaya’. Ākūti (Akuti)was one of them. When these gods, due to Brahmā’s curse, appeared as several gaṇa (gana; genus) of gods through six manvantaras, Ākūti was among them, too.

Alabhā (Alabha) is the daughter of Irā(ira). In Purāṇa (Purana; Mythological Scripture), she is conceptualised as the mother of the trees.

Alaka is a sage. In Brahmāṇḍapurāṇa (Brahmandapurana), he is referred to as a Śrutaṛṣi (Srutarshi) – a seer who is well-versed in Śruti (Sruti) or the Veda(s).