Concise Encyclopedia of Hinduism

TORTOISE, a form assumed by Vi•æu, took the king of snakes, Vasuki, as a rope and successively obtained the fiery poison HALÄHAL ...

Cokamela (1293–1338) HARIJAN saint from Mangalredha (Mahärä•flra), a devotee of Viflflhal (a Mahratti form of Vi•æu); he had to ...

the physical universe. (See also TIME, DIVISIONS OF.) cow (go, gomätä) ‘Mother Cow’, held sacred by Hindus as the seat of many g ...

Dadhïca, also Dadhyanc Vedic ØÆI, son of ATHARVAN, frequently mentioned in Hindu literature. daily rituals The brahmin’s entire ...

Dak•iæeÿvara Kälï–Durgä temple near Calcutta built in the 19th century, which became famous through RAMAKRISHNA,who was a temple ...

Indus civilization indicate. Creation was often described in terms of a cosmic dance (LÏLÄ). One of the most famous representati ...

Pärvata, Sägara, Tïrtha, Äÿrama, Bhärati, Pürï, Sarasvatï. Daÿa-padärtha Ÿästra (‘science of ten word meanings’) Title of a sixt ...

progressive: he rejected casteism, pro- moted the equality of women and men, and insisted on social service and altru- ism as ex ...

Devï Bhägavata Puräæa An Upa-Puräæa, by some considered one of the 18 Mahä-puräæas (replacing the Vai•æava Bhägavatam) eulogizin ...

Päæõu. He too renounced the throne because of a leprous affliction and this led to a conflict between their sons, cul- minating ...

(strength), aiÿvarya (lordship), vïrya (heroism), ÿakti (power), tejas (splendour). Divodäsa (1) A pious king in the Øgveda, for ...

donkey An animal that was not considered fit for Vedic sacrifice because it lacked MEDHA. Draupadï Daughter of King Drupada and ...

Durväsas (‘ill-dressed’, ‘naked’) A sage, son of ATRIand Anusüyä, noted for his irascibility. He cursed ŸAKUN- TALÄfor keeping h ...

Jambu-dvïpa contains nine var•as (countries), the foremost of which is Bhärata (India). Bhärata, again, is subdivided into nine ...

Edgerton, Franklin (1885–1963) Orientalist, teacher of Sanskrit at Yale University, translator of the Bhagavad- gïtä. Eidlitz, W ...

65 epistemology are a favourite with Indian sculptors and painters. Eliade, Mircea (1907–86) Historian of religion and author of ...

equality of women 66 result of debates between different schools, major works on epistemology were written by several authors wh ...

variety of images and notions: in the Veda INDRArepresents ‘good’, VØTRA ‘evil’; the DEVAS are opposed by the ASURAS; the Äryas ...

faith (viÿväsa, ÿraddhä) In a general sense ‘faith’ plays a central role in Hinduism: the acceptance of ŸRUTIas ‘revealed word’ ...

69 food Ÿiva-rätrï, Ÿiva’s night, celebrated on the thirteenth kø•æa-pak•ain the month Mägha (January–February), the princi- pal ...