Concise Encyclopedia of Hinduism

a•flävaraæa (‘eightfold armour’)

The eight commandments that VÏRA

ŸAIVAShave to observe, namely: obedi-

ence towards the GURU, wearing a Ÿiva

linga (see LI¢GA (3)), worshipping

Ÿaivite ascetics as incarnations of Ÿiva,

sipping water in which the feet of the

guru have been bathed, offering food to

a guru, smearing ashes on one’s body,

wearing a string of RUDRÄKÆAbeads,

reciting the mantra Ÿiväya namäh(see

also MANTRA(3)).

asteya (‘not-stealing’)

One of the basic commandments of

Hindu ethics. Steya (stealing) was con-

sidered a grave sin (MAHÄ-PÄTAKA) only

when it involved a large amount of

goods (especially gold) stolen from a

brahmin. The penalty for this was

death. Taking food and other necessities

of life was not considered theft.

ästika

Literally, someone who affirms ‘it is’,

i.e. one who accepts the VEDAas nor-

mative, an adherent of one of the so-

called ‘orthodox six systems’, namely:

NYÄYA, VAIŸEÆIKA, SÄßKHYA, YOGA,

PÜRVAMÏMÄßSÄand VEDÄNTA(2)). (See

also NÄSTIKA.)

astrology

(jyoti•a, literally ‘light-science’)

Astrology, which also includes astrom-

nomy, considered a science, has played

a great role in Hinduism since ancient

times. References to eclipses found in

the Øgvedahave been used to date the

texts to the fourth millennium BCE. One

of the VEDÄNGAS(auxiliary sciences of

the Veda) is devoted to determining the

right time for Vedic SACRIFICES. At birth

a horoscope is established for every

child by a professional astrologer,

which provides the basis for determin-

ing auspicious and inauspicious dates

for major events like the beginning of

schooling, marriage, major business

transactions etc. There is a jyoti•ïdepart-

ment at Benares Hindu University which

annually produces the official astrological

calendar (PAÑCÄ¢GA) which serves to

determine the exact dates for sacred days

and to find out auspicious times for

public functions, such as the opening of

parliament. (See alsoNAKÆATRA.)

asura (‘demon’)

Class of superhuman beings hostile to

the DEVAS(gods). While usually engaged

in battles with the devas, the asurasare

not without noble qualities: they are

often described as brave, chivalrous,

generous and loyal. Among the most

famous asuras are RÄVAŒA, King of

Laökä, who abducted Räma’s wife Sïtä,

BALI, who invited Vi•æu in the form of

the dwarf to his banquet and surren-

dered his realm to Vi•æu, and Mahi•a,

the buffalo-demon, whose defeat by the

Goddess is celebrated in the yearly

Durgäpüjä festival. The linguistic affini-

ty of asura with the Zoroastrian high

god Ahura (Mazda) has led to the sug-

gestion that asuramight initially have

been the Indian designation for the

deity, the term sura(gods) being an arti-

ficial creation after the split between the

Indian and Persian populations. (See

also DAITYAS.)

aÿva-medha (‘horse sacrifice’)

SeeSACRIFICE.

Aÿvins (‘possessed of horses’)

The two physicians of the gods, repre-

sented as twin sons of the Sun by a

nymph in the form of a mare, harbin-

gers of the dawn, frequently invoked in

the Øgveda. As a constellation they are

Gemini (Castor and Pollux).

Atharvan

Name of a famous Vedic sage, eldest

son of BRAHMÄ, who learned from

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