A kingdom situated to the north of India.

A kingdom situated on the far west of India, flanked by mountains, and inundated by seven rivers. In the Middle Ages, during the emergence of Islam, when Makran (a semi-desert coastal strip in Balochistan, in Pakistan and Iran, along the coast of the Persian Gulfand the Gulf of Oman) was under the occupation of the Arabs, Hinglaj gained popularity as a […]

Aṅganā (Angana) was the wife of an elephant named Vāmana (Vamana).

Sañjaya (Sanjay) mentioned this province to Dhṛtaraṣtra (Dhritarashta) while describing different settlements of Jambudvīpa (Jambudweepa). Aṅgāra (Angara) has been mentioned in league with southern states or communities like Cola (Chola), Mālav (Malav), Koṅkaṇa (Konkana), etc. Brahmāṇdapurāṇa (Brahmandapurana) clearly refers to Aṅgāra together with Koṅkaṇa and Andhra, situated in the south of the country — dakṣinaścaiva ye […]

One of the eleven Rudras (literally, ‘destroyers’). Meditating upon Mahādeva (Mahadeva), Suravi appeased him with her prayers and thus conceived eleven Rudra sons of Kaśyapa (Kashyapa). Aṅgāraka (Angaraka) was one of them.

The name of one of the hells or naraka.

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 […]

Tuṣita was one of the major groups (gaṇa; gana) into which the gods were divided during the reign of Svārociṣa Manu (Swarochisha Manu). Aṁśa (Ansha) was one of the gods included in this gaṇa.

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, […]

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 […]

The primary and smallest physically perceivable unit of measurement of length was aṅgula (angula) or aṅguli (anguli) — tāsām āyāma-viṣkaṃbhān sanniveśāntarāṇi ca/cakrustadā mahāprajñaṃ mitvā mitvāntano’ṅgulaiḥ. When the sunrays enter a dark room through a narrow chink in the window one can see thousands of dust particles floating around in the luminescent stream of sun light, […]

The sagely king Hiraṇyanābha (Hiranyanabha), one of the most important disciples of the great sage Sukarmā (Sukarma), learnt five hundred Yajurveda saṁhitā (samhita) from Sukarmā, and taught his disciples the same. Aṅgulīya (Anguliya) is Hiraṇyanābha’s chief disciple.

Anīka (Anika) was one of the sons of the first Sāvarṇi (Savarni) Manu, the lord of a future manvantara (manwantara; epoch). 

Ānīkaṭa (Anikata) is one of the localities in the western part of India, as mentioned in Mārkaṇḍeyapurāṇa (Markandeyapurana). However, in the other Purāṇas (Purana; Mythical Scriptures), the place is referred to under different names. In Vāyupurāṇa (Vayupurana) it is named Kālītaka (Kalitaka), in Brāhmāṇḍapurāṇa (Brahmandapurana), the place is called Kuntala, and in Vāmanapurāṇa (Vamanapurana) it […]

Anīkavān (Anikavan) was the eldest son of Tarka, a form of Agni, the Fire-god. 

Māṇḍavya (Mandavya) was a Puranic hermit, wise and honest, calm and composed. One day when he was engaged in performing austere tapasyā (tapasya) by stretching his arms up and observing the vow of silence under a tree in  his hermitage, a band of thieves entered his hermitage with a load of stolen goods. They were […]

An elephant famous in Purāṇas (Purana). He was fathered by the great elephant Airāvata (Airavata) to Abhramū (Abhramu) and lived in the netherworld (pātāla; patala). He was born in the lineage of another famous elephant Supratīka (Supratik). Rāmāyaṇa (Ramayana) categorises him as one of the dighastī (dighasti). [See Dighastī] In the battle of Kurukṣetra (Kurukshetra) […]

Name of a famous elephant and his lineage. Brahmā (Brahma) transplanted a part of the divine embryo (aṇḍa; anda) preserved in his belly into the womb of Irāvatī (Iravati). From this she gave birth to the elephants. One of the four sons of Irāvatī, the Prime Mother of the elephants, was Añjana. It is evident that he […]

Son of the elephants Sāma (Sama) and Añjanāvatī (Anjanavati). He was one of the major representative of elephants in classical Indian culture after whom a breed of elephants were named. But Vāyupurāṇa (Vayupurana) and Brahmāṇḍapurāṇa (Brahmandapurana) are different in opinion regarding this topic. 

Saramā (Sarama), the Prime Mother of the dogs, gave birth to two offspring, namely Dullolaka and Laloha. The black-complexioned dogs born in the bloodline of Dullolaka are collectively known as Añjana (Anjana). 

Upon being cursed, apsarā (apsara) Puñjikasthalā (Punjikasthala), daughter of the Water-god Varuṇa (Varuna), was born as the daughter of Kuñjara (Kunjara), the vānara (vanara; monkey) king [here ‘monkey’ must be read in terms of the ethnic group of people who used to wear the totem of monkey] and married off to another vānara king, Keśarī (Kesari). This […]

Yogic feat of a type. 

Añjanavatī (Anjanavati) was the daughter of Añjana the Elephant. She had two sons called Prathitāyu (Prathitayu) and Aja. Brahmāṇḍapurāṇa (Brahmandapurana) recounts their name as Pramāthi (Pramaathi) and Puruṣa (Purusha). They were two beautiful and strong beasts. 

Añjiṣṭha (Anjishtha) is the name of one of the groups (gaṇa; gana) in which deities would be divided in the twelfth epoch (manvantara) in future, which would be lorded by the Manu Ṛtasāvarṇi (Ritasavarni) or Rudrasāvarṇi (Rudrasavarni). Again, Añjiṣṭha is the name of one deity in particular in that very gaṇa.

Añjiṣṭha (Anjishtha) is the name of one of the groups (gaṇa; gana) in which deities would be divided in the twelfth epoch (manvantara) in future, which would be lorded by the Manu Ṛtasāvarṇi (Ritasavarni) or Rudrasāvarṇi (Rudrasavarni). Again, Añjiṣṭha is the name of one deity in particular in that very gaṇa.

Annāda is one of the sons of the Agni (Fire )called Arka. According to the conception of Upaniṣad (Upanishad), Agni is the bhoktā (bhokta; consumer) of anna (edibles) or all kinds of āhutidravya (ahutidravya; things offered to fire). So he is also known as Annāda. It seems that this name of Agni is attributed to the […]

God Śiva(Siva) is also known as Antaka. He is the destroyer of creation, He consumes the universe as the all-devouring fire at the time of Pralaya (the mythological phemomenon of great disaster). So He is known as  Antaka.

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 […]

Twelve Somapāyī (Somapayi; consumer of Somarasa) Bhārgava (Bhargava; son of Bhrigu) gods were born of the womb of Devī (Devi), wife of Maharṣi (Maharshi; Great Sage) Bhṛgu, and sired by the sage. Antya was one of these gods.  

Antyāyana (Antyayana) is one of the twelve gods born of the womb of Devī (Devi), and sired by Maharṣi (Maharshi; Great Sage) Bhṛgu (Bhrigu). In Vāyupurāṇa (Vayupurana), he is referred to as Anyāyata.

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 one of the disciples of the great sage Laugākṣī (Laugakshi). 

one of the prominent sages belonging to the Caraka (Charaka) branch of Kṛṣṇayajurveda (Krishna-yajurveda; the black Yajurveda). 

Harita is one of the gaṇa (gana; groups) in which the gods would be categorised in the twelfth manvantara (manwantara; epoch) when Sāvarṇi (Savarni), son of Rudra would be Manu or the overlord. Of the ten deities belonging to this group, Anucara (Anuchara) is one. 

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 […]

Anukṛṣṇa (Anukrishna) is a sage belonging to the Caraka (Charaka) branch of Kṛṣṇa Yajurveda (Krishna Yajurveda; Black Yajurveda). 

In the sixth Manvantara, when Cākṣuṣa (Chakshusha) Manu was the ruler of the Manvantara, the gods were classified into several gaṇa(s) (gana; genus). Ādya (Adya) was one of those gaṇa(s). Anumantā (Anumanta) was one of those gods. In Vāyupurāṇa (Vayupurana) these gods of Cākṣuṣa Manvantara have been referred to as Sādhya (Sadhya).

A form of the primeval female energy, the prime Goddess. 

In Vāyupurāṇa (Vayupurana), Anumlocā (Anumlocha) is referred to as Anumlocantī (Anumlochanti). She is one of the distinguished Apsarā(s) (Apsara; Celestial Courtesan) of Svarga (Swarga; the heavenly abode). According to Purāṇa (Purana; Mythological Scripture), Apsarā Anumlocā stays in the chariot of Sūrya (Surya; Sun).

Anupālikā (Anupalika) was a daughter fathered by the great sage Viśravā (Visrava) to Vākā [Vaka, maybe also known as Rākā (Raka)]. Vāyupurāṇa (Vayupurana) identifies her as Aśanikā (Asanika). 

Anupāvṛtta (Anupavritta) was the daughter of Bākā [Baka; perhaps also known as Rākā (Raka)] sired by the sage Viśravā (Visrava). Vāyupurāṇa (Vayupurana) identifies her as Aśanikā (Asanika). 

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 […]

Anuvṛttā (Anuvritta) was one of the daughters sired by Pulaha Prajāpati (Prajapati) to Ṛṣā (Risha). From Anuvṛttā toads, frogs and animals of the like (maṇḍūka; manduka) originated. 

Forty nine Marut gods were born of the womb of Diti, daughter of Dakṣa (Daksha), and sired by Kaśyapa (Kasyapa)Prajāpati (Prajapati; Ruler of the people). These Marut gods were divided into seven gaṇa(s) (gana; genus). Anyādṛk (Anyadrik) was one of the gods belonging to the fourth gaṇa.

One of the Asṭavasu (Astavasu; eight Vasus), Āpa  (Apa) is a god with a celestial halo. He has four sons, namely –Śānta (Santa), Vaidaṇda (Vaidanda), Śāmva (Samva) and Munivakra. They are entitled to protect the yajña (yajna; ritual sacrifice). In Brahmāṇdapurāṇa (Brahmandapurana), the name ‘Āyu'(Ayu) or ‘Āya’ (Aya) has been used instead of Āpa. Vaitaṇda […]

In course of describing how Agni (Deity of Fire) entered into water, there had been a mention of a specific kind of Agni that is present within water. According to Paurāṇika (Pauranika; Purana-oriented) thoughts, this fire is called ‘Saha’. Nilakaṇṭha (Nilakantha), the commentator, says that ‘Saha’ is a definitive term for Āpa (Apa), denoting a […]

According to Vāyupurāṇa (Vayupurana), Āpa(Apa) is a rākṣasa (rakshasa; a type of monster). He lives in the chariot of Surya (the Sun-god) for the two months, Āśvina(Aswina) and Kārtika (Kartika).

Apahāriṇī (Apaharini) is a Brahmarākṣasī (Brahmarakshasi, a she demon of the Brahmana order) born of the womb of Piśācī (Pisachi; a female Pisacha) Brahmadhanā (Brahmadhana).