In Chāndogya Upaniṣad (Chandogya Upanishad) it is said that the Āditya (Aditya) and the Viśvadeva (Viswedeva) are the presiding deities over tritiya savana (the third ritual bath) the evening bath taken by the Brāhmaṇa (Brahmana). ādityānāñca viśveṣāṁ devānāṁ tṛtīya savanam. Here the hymn of the homa is — nama ādityebhyaśca viśvebhyaśca devebhyaḥ. In this hymn, […]

Tāmasa  ahaṃkāra ( tamasa ahamkara; the dark ego) gets distorted and transformed into śabdatanmātra (sabdatanmatra; the essence of sound).  The vacuous ākāśa(akasa; ether)  — the cause of śabda (sabda; sound) is created from the essential form of śabda. Ākaśa is one of Pañcamahābhūta (Panchamahabhuta; five great elements ). In the ‘Śukānupraśna’ (Sukanuprasna) adhyāya (adhyaya; chapter) of Mahābhārata […]

Alaṃkāra (Alamkara; ornament) is celebrated as a giftable equipment, as described in Purāṇa(s) (Purana; Mythological Scripture). Alaṃkāra is to be dedicated to gods at the time of worshiping. Giving ornaments as gift can yield the fruits of caturvarga (the four-fold goals of life), happiness, and it determines development and satisfaction. Alaṃkāra is of forty kinds. […]

Amogha is one of the names of Śiva-Mahādeva (Siva-Mahadeva). Nīlakaṇṭha (Nilakantha), the commentator, while explaining the meaning of the name, writes — ‘amoghaḥ naiṣphalyarahitaḥ‘. In Upaniṣad (Upanishad), it is said that one who, after knowing the Brahman properly, prays or practices asceticism in order to attain that Brahman, is blessed with fulfilment of all his desires. […]

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 […]

The legend of Āruṇi (Aruni), disciple of Āpoddhaumya(Apoddhaumya) is one of the famous legends of gurubhakti (loyalty and respect towards the guru) mentioned in Mahābhārata (Mahabharata). This is a popular legend since the ancient times. This has been narrated in Ādiparva(Adiparva) of Mahābhārata. In ancient times, there was a seer-sage called Āpoddhaumya. Āruṇi of Pāñcāla(Panchala) […]

Aśvapati (Aswapati) was the king of Kekaya. In ancient texts like Chāndogya Upaniṣad (Chandogya Upanishad) and Śatapatha Brāhmaṇa (Satapatha Brahmana), the name of Rājarṣi (Rajarshi; A king with the attributes of a seer) Aśvapati has been mentioned. In Chāndogya Upaniṣad, Maharṣi Uddālaka (Uddalaka) has cited the name of the Kekaya-king Aśvapati with much respect. He […]

One of the names of Śiva-Mahādeva (Siva-Mahaeva). In Chāndogya Upaniṣad (Chandogya Upanishad), Agni has been mentioned as Ī- kāra (I-kara). In Śaṁkarācārya’s (Sankaracharya) commentary on Chāndogya Upaniṣad , this self-manifestation of Ī-kāra had been discussed, but in later times, Paṇdita Ānandagiri (Pandit Anandagiri), while commenting on Śaṁkara’s annotations, has discussed it in greater details. The Sāmaveda […]

Upanayana is a term which is much heard and much debated. Now Upanayana has become a religious practice, but it was no so earlier. Upanayana was probably suggestive of student-life, which was called Brahmacarya in another term. Later, another ritual started before upanayana, which was called Vidyārambha. Generally Vidyārambha started at the age of five. […]