The word adhirāja (adhiraja) does not merely define a king ruling over a populated geographical locale. Rather adhirāja is a king who has conquered even other kingdoms and has established his indisputable power. In one particular hymn of Ṛgveda (Rigveda), the second incantation reads as a prayer, “Let all four directions bow down to me, […]

At the outset of yajña (yajna) ceremonies, the priest of Ṛgveda (Rigveda), or ṛtvika (ritwika) used to execute the functions of both the priest and the hotā (hota) or the performer of the yajña. [See Ṛtvika, Hotā] Later, when the rituals of a yajña became more intricate, four priests or ṛtvika of Caturveda (Chaturveda) were appointed separate vedic tasks. […]

When God Srīhari (Shrihari) created Urvaśi (Urvashi) from his thighs, all the gods were bewitched by her. Mitra was one of the gods of the pair Mitrāvaruṇa (Mitravaruna). Urvaśī consented when Mitra sought union with her. But Varuṇa (Varuna) followed her, pulling at the corner of her dress. Urvasī told him, “Mitra has courted me […]

One of the thirteen brahmiṣṭha (brahmishta) sages of the Kauśika (Kaushik) clan. Purānas (Puranas) mention sage Aghamarṣaṇa’s (Aghamarshana) kindred as one of the family lines linked to Sage Viśvamitra’s (Bishwamitra) lineage. The lineages of the sages Viśvamitrā, Madhuchandā (Madhuchhanda) and Aghamarṣaṇa were closely related by blood; therefore, marital alliances among the three families were not […]

One of the thousand names of God Viṣṇu (Vishnu). Śaṅkarācārya (Shankaracharya), while explaining the meaning of this name, says — agre jāyata iti agrajaḥ. Upaniṣadas (Upanishadas) have conceived parameśvara (parameshwara) or the Supreme Being, as one without a form. At the beginning of Creation, the Almighty, in order to create the Universe, first assumed an incarnate […]

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 […]

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, […]

The ethereal space between he Martyaloka (the earthly abode)and the Svargaloka (heavenly abode), as conceptualised in Purāṇa(s) (Purana; Mythological Scripture) is called Antarīkṣa (Antariksha). Antarā means ‘in between’, and the dhātu (dhatu; verb-root) ‘Īkṣ’ means ‘too see’. The sky, comprising of clouds and the atmosphere — that is seen as lying between the earth and […]