The Ābhīra(Abhira) community is born of the womb of a Vaiśya(Vaisya) woman , sired by a man of the Gopa community.

Ādityahṛdayamantra (Adityahridayamantra) is a powerful hymn in salutation to Āditya (Aditya), the Sun-god. The hymn consists of the salutation to Ghṛṇi(Ghrini) at first, then Sūrya (Surya), and then Āditya along with Praṇava(Pranava; Om-kara). It is believed to be a sanātana (sanatana; eternal and traditional) hymn, which is also guhya( secret) as Sage Agastya says to Rāmacandra(Ramachandra). […]

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 […]

Akṣayatṛitīyā (akshayatritiya) is the third day of the bright fortnight in the month of Vaiśākha (Vaishakha) of the Hindu calendar. It is said that on this day goddess Gaṅgā (Ganga) was born in a four-armed form in the abode of Himālaya (Himalaya; the river Ganga has her source in the Himalayas). According to Purāṇas (Puranas), this lunar […]

Goddess Chaṇḍikā (Chandika), willing to see Rāmacandra (Ramachandra) victorious, decided that she will remain in pitṛsvarūpa (pitriswarupa; assuming the form of a fatherly deity) upto Amāvasyā (Amavasya). On those days, pitṛkārya (pitrikarya; rites dedicated to the forefathers’ spirits) can be performed as it is to be done on Amāvasyā. Goddess Chaṇḍī, known as Amā, pervades all the […]

Once in Prabhāsatīrtha (Prabhasatirtha; the pilgrimage site called Prabhasa) God Brahma, Mahādeva (Mahadeva) with Pārvati(Parvati), Nārāyaṇa (Narayana) with Lakṣmī (Lakshmi), other gods, and the followers of Śiva (Siva)– all assembled together and experienced a state of bliss, seeing each other. At this time, Laṣmī and Pārvatī got an idea that they would worship Bhagavān (Bhagavan, […]

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 […]

Antarī (Antari) is one of the sites of pilgrimage, situated on the bank of Gaṅgā (Ganga), upon the mountain located towards the south of Sumeru Parvata.

Aśokāṣṭamī (Asokashtami) is the Śuklāṣṭamī (Suklashtami; the eight day of the full moon’s fortnight) of the month of Caitra. If one partakes of a bud of Aśoka flower with water, and takes a bath in Gaṅgā (Ganga), one may be relieved of śoka (soka; grief).

Kūrmapurāṇa (Kurmapurana) has further divided Caturāśrama (Chaturasrama, the four phases of life) in three types, according to the variance amongst Vaiṣṇava (Vaishnava), Brāhma(Brahma) and Śaiva (Saiva). The four āśrama(asrama) emerged from the mind, eyes, ears, and skin of God Nārāyaṇa (Narayana). For the Brāhmaṇa (Brahmana), the four āśrama — Brahmacarya (Brahmacharya), Gārhasthya (Garhasthya), Vānaprastha(Vanaprastha) and […]

Aśvārūḍhā (Aswarudha) is one of the wives of Vasanta Rāga(Raga).

Atikāya (Atikaya) was a son of Rāvaṇa (Ravana), born to Dhānyamālinī (Dhanyamalini). Etymololgically this name suggests hugeness. Maybe he derived this name from the sheer facts that he had an enormous body and possessed superhuman strength yaścaiṣa vindhyāstamahendrakalpo dhanvī rathastho’tiratho’tivīraḥ. visphārayaścāpamatulyamānaṃ nāmnātikāyo’tivibṛddhakāyaḥ.  Atikāya could fly in the skies, was skilled in magic and invincible in […]

The woman who has neither a husband nor a son, is called Avīrā. Avīrā is of two categories — Dattā (Datta; one who is given)and Adattā (Adatta; one who is not given). Dattā Avīrā is given some importance in comparison with Adattā Avīrā.

God Viṣṇu (Vishnu), incarnated Himself as Dhanvantarī (Dhanvantari), and manifested the knowledge of Āyurveda (Ayurveda; the knowledge of life or longevity).

Ekadanta is another name for Gaṇeśa (Ganesa), son of Pārvatī (Parvati). Gaṇeśa is elephant-headed, and the left tusk of the elephant-face was broken’ Hence he came to be known as Gajānana. In several Purāṇa, there are different versions of legends, describing how this tusk got broken. The most circulated legend is as follows — After […]

Udarī (Udari) is referred to as a disease in Vṛhaddharmapurāṇa (Vrihaddharmapurana). In the diseased state, the udara or belly gets swelled with water. In Suśruta Saṁhitā (Susruta Samhita), it is also know as Udakodara. Perhaps the term Udarī (Udari)came from Udakodara.

A son born of the womb of a Śūdra(Sudra) woman, and fathered by a Kṣatriya (Kshatriya) man is called Ugra. Such people are called Ugrakṣatriya in Vṛhaddharmapurāṇa (Vrihaddharmapurana). Perhaps they are the predecessors of the caste called Ugrakṣatriya.

In Vṛhaddharmapurāṇa (Vriddharmapurana) it is said that , Uttarī (Uttari) is one of the wives of Dīpaka (Dipaka) rāga (raga; a shape of Indian classical music).