continuing identity in one’s different
incarnations, and is ultimately identi-
cal to Brahman, the single source of
all things in the universe.
Atranji Khera
Architectural site near the city of
Aligarh that is located in the modern
state of Uttar Pradesh. Excavations at
Atranji Khera have revealed an ancient
urban center dating back to the sec-
ond millennium B.C.E. The settlements
here were not as developed as those in
the Indus Valley civilization, although
they are believed to be distinct from it
and thus another potential source for
ancient Indian culture.
Atri
In Hindu mythology, Atri is one of the
six sons of Brahma, all of whom
become great sages. All are “mind-
born,” meaning that Brahma’s
thoughts are enough to bring them
into being. The others are Marichi,
Angiras,Pulastya, Pulaha, and Kratu.
Atri is also cited as one of the seven
sages; the others are Kashyapa,
Bhrgu, Vasishtha, Gautama,
Bharadvaja, and Vishvamitra. All
brahminsare believed to be descended
from these seven sages, with each
familytaking the name of its progeni-
tor as its gotraname.
In modern times, these gotra
divisions are still important, since
marriage within the gotra is forbidden.
After her marriage the new bride
adopts her husband’s gotra as part
of her new identity. See also
marriage prohibitions.
Aughar
Name given to a novice in the ascetic
community known as the Naths, who
are devotees (bhakta) of the god Shiva.
An aughar has been initiated as a mem-
ber of the Naths and has taken up their
ascetic way of life, but he has not yet
received his final initiation. In this final
ritual, the cartilage in the novice’s ears is
pierced in order to insert the large ear-
rings that are one of the Nathcommuni-
ty’s defining characteristics.Aurangzeb
(r. 1658–1707) The last of the great
emperors in the Moghul dynasty, after
whose reign the empire, which at its
zenith stretched over most of the Indian
subcontinent, was fragmented into
smaller kingdoms. Aurangzeb was a very
strict and pious Muslim who is generally
painted as an enemy of Hinduism. He is
the “bad” Moghul emperor, as opposed
to his great-grandfather Akbar, the
“good” Moghul emperor. Aurangzeb
unquestionably ordered several notable
acts of iconoclasm, the most renowned
being the destruction of the Vishvanath
temple in the city of Benares; however,
the records from his reign also include
orders that the Hindus of that city
should not be hindered from practicing
their religion.
One possible theory that reconciles
these contradictions is that the destruc-
tion of the Vishvanath temple and other
acts of iconoclasm were done for politi-
cal rather than religious reasons, to pun-
ish local populations for rebellion and
noncooperation. One piece of evidence
for this theory is that the year before the
destruction of the Vishvanath temple,
the Mahanirvani akharain Benares took
part in a battle with Aurangzeb’s soldiers.Aurobindo Ghose
(1872–1950) Freedom fighter, philoso-
pher, and ascetic yogi. He is perceived
as a modern example of the concern for
ultimate truth that always runs beneath
the surface of Hindu life.
Until he was twenty, Aurobindo
lived much of his life in England, to
fulfill his father’s desire to see his son
get a “proper” English education.
Upon his return to India, Aurobindo
was more interested in politics than in
working, and after a few years quit his
job to take part in the political struggleAtranji Khera