A or a-kāra is the first orthographical representation of the first sound in the universe – the sound with which begins what is identified as logos – akārastvakṣaro jñeyaḥ.  A is the first syllable of the holy chant of Om (formally called Omkara, pronounced Aum, comprising the syllables a-u-ma). A is considered to be a […]

Abhibhū(Abhibhu) was the king of Kāśī (Kasi). He joined the Pāṇḍava(s). A prince of Kāśī also participated in the war, and probably he was the son of Abhibhū (Abhibhu). He is mentioned in Droṇaparva (Dronaparva). Dhṛtarāṣṭra (Dhritarashtra)asked Sañjaya about the chariots of the warriors.Among many others, Sañjaya mentioned the prince of Kāśī, and said, his […]

One of the one thousand names of Śiva Mahādeva (Shiva Mahadeva) in Aṣṭottarasahasranāmastotra (Ashtottarasahasranamastotra; the verse eulogising one thousand and eight names of Śiva). In Śivasahasranāmastotra (Shivasahasranamastotra; the chant of the one thousand names of Śiva), the words ārohaṇa (arohana, or rise) and adhiroha have been mentioned together— ārohaṇo’dhirohaśca. In fact, there is not much difference between […]

Ādi(Adi) is one of the names of God Śiva-Mahādeva9Siva-Mahadeva), mentioned in Śivasahasranāmastotra (Sivasahasranamastotra; The Hymn of the Thousand Names of Siva). He has also been addressed as Ādya (Adya). The commentator, Nīlakaṇṭha (Nilakantha), has thus analysed the meaning of the name Ādi — ādi sarvasmāt prathamaḥ. The same idea has been expressed in the clarification of […]

The word Āditya (Aditya) is uttered twice as the name of God Viṣṇu(Vishnu) in his Sahasranāma-stotra (Sahasranama-stotra;The Hymn of Thousand Names). In course of explaining the meaning of Āditya, the name of God, the commentator Śaṅkarācārya(Sankaracharya) stated – ādityamaṇḍlāntaḥstho hiranmayapuruṣaḥ ādityaḥ. The sun-god Sūrya (Surya) is primarily referred to as Āditya. Āditya-Sūrya resides at the centre […]

Agni is the Sanskrit word for ‘fire’. Agni is one of the foremost among the Vedic deities. In regard of the number of Vedic hymns (sūkta; sukta) attributed to the deities, Agni comes only second to Indra (almost two hundred hymns have been dedicated to Agni). Since Agni’s deeds and actions are mainly observable on […]

In Kapila-Āsuri Saṃvāda in Mahābhārata, it is said that– viriñco’bhimāninī aviveka īrṣyā kāmaḥ krodho lobho mado darpo ma makāraścaitānyahaṃkāraparyāyanāmāni bhavanti evamāha– ahaṃkartetyāhaṃkrtā sasṛje viśvamīśvaraḥ. tritīyamenaṃ puruṣamabhimānaguṇaṃ viduḥ. The significance of these śloka(s) uttered by Kapila lies in the notion that Brahmā, in the form of Viriñci is the tritīya tattva of prakṛti, one of whose […]

Akara is one among the one thousand and eight names of Śiva (Shiva). The word akara can convey two meanings. First, it may denote someone who does no work. According to Sāṃkhyadarśana (Sankhyadarshana) or the Sāṃkhya (Sankhya) school of philosophy, the Divine Soul or parambrahma may be described as sākṣīceta kevalaḥ nirguṇaśca. Similarly, according to Vedanta […]

Something that does not erode, or something from which nothing exude— na kṣarati. Imperishable. Especially in Sāṃkhya (Sankhya) philosophy, akṣara (akshara) is known as the ‘sākṣī cetā nirguṇa‘ theory of Man [that considers man as conscious and neutral observer]. Bhagavadgītā (Bhagavadgita), while determining the difference between a corporeal being and god, has said that there are […]

The name of the conch shell belonging to Yudhiṣthira (Yudhishthira), the eldest son of Pāṇḍu (Pandu). It is known that like Arjuna’s Devadatta and Kṛṣṇa’s (Krishna’s) Pāñcajanya (Panchajanya), Yudhiṣthira’s conch shell, Anantavijaya, too, was blown before the Kurukṣetra (Kurukshetra) war had begun. However, it is not mentioned in Mahābhārata (Mahabharata) where Yudhiṣthira procured this conch […]

One of the names of the Sun-god, as well as a describing epithet attributed to him. A verse in Bhagavadgīta (Bhagavadgita) says raviraṃśumān (ravi is another name of the Sun). Śrīdharasvāmī (Sridharaswami) has mentioned in an annotation that the Sun is aṃśumān (angshuman) among the enlightening rays — jyotiṣaṃ prakāśakānāṃ madhye aṃśumān/ viśvavyāpiraśmiyukto rabiḥ sūryo’ham.

Mahābhārata (Mahabharata) at one place refers to Aṃśumāna (Angshumana) as the lord of the entire world of herbs or creepers— vīrudhāmaṃśumantañca (virudhamangshumantanchak). Hence it appears that this Aṃśumāna is definitely the Moon or Soma, who is widely known as the lord of medicinal herbs— puṣñāmi coṣadhī sarbāḥ somo bhūtvā rasātmakaḥ. Apart from this, the description of Soma […]

In India, at least six philosophical discourses have been categorised as Āstika philosophy, and six other have been recognised as Nāstika (atheist). The Āstīka philosophy includes: Sāṃkhya, Yoga, Nyāya, Vaiṣeśika, Purvamīmāṃsā and Uttaramīmāṃsā. On the other hand, there are four discourses of Buddhist philosophy– Vaibhāṣika, Sautrāntika, Vijñānavāda and Mādhyamika; to these, adding Jaina and Cārvāka […]

Aśvattha (Aswattha) is one of the trees that have been considered as ‘divine trees’. In Vibhūtiyoga (Vibhutiyoga) of Bhagavadgītā (Bhagavadgita), while describing his manifestation as the Supreme God, Śrī Kṛṣṇa (Sri Krishna) has identified all things greatest in this world, as manifestation of His own Self. In this context he says, I am Aśvattha among […]

Atidīpta (Atidipta) is one of the one thousand and eight names of Śiva (Siva). Attempting to explain this epithet of Śiva, the famous annotator Nīlakaṇṭha (Nilakantha) observes – atidīptaḥ koṭisūryapratīkāśaḥ śatrutejo’bhibhāvaḥ. The vast form of the Supreme Being that comes to our imagination is essentially full of divine brightness and splendour incomparable to anything worldly. No earthly […]

In Mahābhārata (Mahabharata) and other Purāṇas (Purana) we find exceptionally skilled chariot-riding warriors (rathī; rathi) described as atiratha (the Sanskrit prefix ati- signifies ‘great’). But the word served as a terminology in ancient military science. In fact the greatest of the mahāratha (maharatha) or great chariot-riding warriors usually became famous as atiratha. In order to […]

God Viṣṇu(Vishnu)  is sometimes referred to as Īśa (Isa) — “yastaṁ nato’smi puruṣottamasādyamīśam” — However, here ‘Īśa’ perhaps denotes the Almighty, the Ruler of all the universe and spheres– it is in this sense that Supreme Divinity is attributed to God Viṣṇu, as it is said in Śvetāśvetara Upaniṣad (Swetaswetara Upanishad) and Bhagavadgītā (Bhagavadgita)– *vyākatāvyāktaṁ […]

The general meaning of Iśvara is ‘lord’, ‘controller’, ‘a powerful king’ or’ highly able. It is used in the sense of the ‘highest’ — as in ‘Kapīśvara’, ‘Sureśvara’, ‘Kośaleśvara’, ‘Munīśvara’, ‘Kamaleśvara’ and the like. This sense is however different from the general uses of the term ‘Iśvara’ . In Indian theology and philosophy , gods […]

Udgra was one of the names of Śiva Mahādeva (Siva Mahadeva). Commentator Nīlkaṇtha (Nilkantha) explained the meaning of the name of Śiva (Siva) as Udagra- Udagraḥ (Udagrah) Urjitarūpaḥ (Urjitarupah)| Urjita means Tejaswī (Tejaswi or full of power). Lord Śiva (Siva) was often imagined as Agni or fire. Fire has the power to burn and as […]

Ūṣmapa (Ushmapa) is one kind of Pitṛgaṇa (Pitrigana; Forefathers’ spirits). The Ūṣmapa forefathers have a special characteristic feature, that they drink hot liquid. Though the term itself carries the sense of drinking, in the commentary of Bhagavadgītā (Bhagavadgita), citing the sources of Śruti (Sruti) and Smṛti (Smriti), Śrīdharasvāmi (Sridharaswami) has said that this kind of Pitṛgaṇa […]