The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Hinduism (2 Vol Set)

most cases dharamshalas now have set rates for lodging, but they are always cheaper than hotels since the ameni- ties tend to be ...

particular dharma for womenwas strid- harma). These texts were almost cer- tainly composed by brahmin (priests) men, and reveal ...

Yudhishthira’s concern with truth and righteousness, which are defining qualities in his character. These are not usually consid ...

rules of conduct for various social groups, moral duties, rights, and obliga- tions. These were composed as collec- tions of aph ...

body immortal. Just as both Hindus and Buddhists appropriated the idea of yoga (act of discipline), both traditions also have al ...

then beating them on a stone slab. As with all the occupations in traditional India, this was a hereditary occupation- al group ...

seclusion in the forest. Six years later he is killed in a forest fire. Dhruva (“fixed”) In Hindu mythology, a boy who is a symb ...

with one’s feet. Certain ascetic centers have a long history of a continuous fire. One such example is the sacred village Triyug ...

civil service in other parts of the British Empire, such as Singapore or Hong Kong. Finally, the liberalization of immi- gration ...

Dikshitar Southern Indian brahmin(priest) sub- community. The Dikshitars are an extremely small community and are found mainly i ...

is associated with a particular divinity, which is believed to rule over this direc- tion and to be the guardian associated with ...

perceiving the divine reality that lies behind all things. This power of illusion is so strong that the only way human beings ca ...

displaying these lights describes how a poor old woman somehow gained a royal boon that all houses but hers would remain unlit o ...

the god Shiva. Bhairava’s symbolic asso- ciation with an unclean animal clearly shows his marginal status in the pantheon—he is ...

Dowry In the strictest terms, this word is used in modern Indian society to designate any wealth transferred from the bride’s fa ...

domestic violence, rather than a calculated extortion and murder. Draupadi In the Mahabharata, the later of the two great Hindu ...

points, which were usually the temple’s tallest structures by far. The enclosed area inside the temple complex was often enormou ...

wakes up and is perceived to have been unreal the entire time, so does the every- day understanding of the world disap- pear whe ...

Drupada Dropsy Bodily condition in which the body retains excess water, and in conse- quence swells up. In several hymns in the ...

the two royal factions whose battle for power is at the heart of the Mahabharata, demands Drupada’s kingdom as his preceptor’s f ...