In general, the act of purifying something by sprinkling water is called Abhyukṣaṇa (Abhyukshana) .According to Vāyupurāṇa (Vayupurana), after washing the containers used in rituals like śrāddha (sraddha; rites dedicated , and after performing ācamana, water is to be sprinkled over them — this is abhyukṣaṇa. In fact, abhyukṣaṇa is sprinkling water over things brought by […]

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 […]

A rosary or bracelet made of rudrākṣa (rudraksha) beads. Many gods like Brahmā (Brahma), Śiva (Shiva), Gaṇeśa (Ganesha), Sarasvatī (Saraswati), Pārvatī (Parvati), et al, can be seen holding or being adorned with akṣasūtra (akshasutra). The famous Citrasūtra (Chitrasutra) part of Viṣñudharmottarapurāṇa (Vishnudharmottarapurana), while explaining the significance of akṣasūtra carried by gods, has said that akṣasūtra is suggestive of […]

Utsavasaṅketa (Utsavasanketa) is a locality and the inhabitants of that locality, mentioned in Mahābhārata (Mahabharata). Before the Rājasūya Yajña (Rajasuya Yajna)of Yudhiṣṭhira (Yudhishthira), Arjuna set out for conquering all sides, and defeated these people. It is also said that Nakula, too, conquered them. It appears that this tribe called Utsavasaṅketa lived scatteredly in large portions […]