Concise Encyclopedia of Hinduism

Kauverï

Major river in South India on whose

banks are many famous holy places.

The temple city of ŸRÏRA¢GAMis locat-

ed on an island in the Kauverï.

kavi (1)

‘poet’, ‘sage’

kavi (2)

The colour of the garment worn by SAM-

NYÄSIS(ochre orange, saffron).

Kedär(a)-näflha (1)

A name of ŸIVA.

Kedär(a)-näflha (2)

A place of pilgrimage in the Himälayas,

location of one of the twelve JYOTIR-

LIŒGAS.

Kena Upani•ad

One of the major Upani•ads, beginning

with the word kena (by whom?).

Keÿava Miÿra (14th century)

Author of the Tarkabhä•a, a popular

introductory text to NYÄYA.

Keÿï (1)

In the Mahäbhärata, a demon slain by

Indra.

Keÿï (2)

In the Puräöas: a DAITYAwho appeared

in the form of a horse, and attempted to

kill Kø•æa. Kø•æa pulled his jaws asun-

der and killed him.

khadi

Homespun and homewoven cotton

cloth, whose production was encour-

aged by Mahatma GANDHIto provide

work for villagers who had lost their

traditional occupations through the

importation of foreign, machine-

produced textiles. Wearing khadi

became obligatory for members of the

Indian Congress Party to show their sol-

idarity with the people. Gandhi himself

took to spinning yarn and promoted it

among his fellow party members.

Khajuräho

Former capital city of the Chandella

kings (c. 650–1150 CE), in Bundelkhand,

today’s Madhya Pradesh, famous for a

group of 85 temples, built between 950

and 1100 CE, which are amongst the

finest examples of North Indian temple

architecture, such as the Kaæõarïya

Mahädeo (Ÿiva) temple. Some of these,

such as the Devï Jagadambi (mother of

the universe) temple, are profusely dec-

orated with erotic sculptures, probably

connected with tantric practices. Most

of the temples are dedicated to the

major gods of Hinduism, but there are

also Jain temples and temples in honour

of lesser deities.

kingship

For most of its history India consisted of

a number of kingdoms (räjya) ruled by

hereditary monarchs. Thus the notion

of kingship is very important and a

major issue in Hindu literature. Hindu

tradition has it that in the beginning

people were virtuous and followed the

DHARMAspontaneously. When they

began cheating and exploiting each

other, it became necessary to introduce

punishment, the main function of the

king. The Mahäbhäratahas a long sec-

tion called räjadharma which lays out

the duties and rights of a king in classi-

cal times. The king’s duties comprised

protection of the country, the safety of

its citizens, support for the socially

weak and for scholars. The Kauflilïya

Ärthaÿästradescribes in great detail the

actual administration of an ancient

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