The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Hinduism (2 Vol Set)

celebrated on the eleventh day of the
bright (waxing) half of the lunar month
of Kartik. It is also celebrated as
Devotthayan Ekadashi. On this day
devotees (bhakta) place a shalagram(a
black stone containing the spiral-
shaped fossil shell of a prehistoric sea
creature, understood as a “self-mani-
fest” form of Vishnu) in a pot containing
a tulsi plant (considered a form of
Lakshmi). Thus they symbolically unite
Vishnu and Lakshmi and perform the
marriage ceremonyfor them, complete
with festive songs.

Tumari

Vessel used by renunciant ascetics. In
earlier times it would have been made of
a gourd, although today the shape is
often replicated in brass or some other
metal. The tumari is taller than it is wide,
with an open top over which the carry-
ing handle arches. Unlike another piece
of ascetic equipment, the kamandalu,
which has both a spout and a covered
top, the tumari is an open vessel. When
made of a gourd, it would simply have
entailed cutting parts off of the top for

the opening, with the remaining top

parts forming the vessel’s handle.

Because of its simplicity and use of read-

ily available materials, the tumari was a

symbol of ascetic life.

Tungabhadra River

Important tributary of the Krishna

River, which has its source in the

Western Ghats in southern Karnataka

and then flows north and east toward

the Krishna. The most important place

on its banks is Hampi, the ruined city

that was the capital of the Vijayanagar

empire. See also Vijayanagar dynasty.

Tungnath

Temple and sacred site (tirtha) in the

Garhwalregion of the Himalayasin the

valley between the Mandakiniand the

Alakananda Rivers, fourteen miles by

footpath north of the village of

Ukhimath. The temple’s presiding deity

is the god Shiva in his manifestation

as the “Lofty Lord.” Tungnath is one of

the Panchkedar, a network of five

sacred sites spread throughout the

Garhwal region; the other four are

Kedarnath, Kalpeshvar, Rudranath,

and Madmaheshvar. This network of

five sites is seen as a symbolic represen-

tation of Shiva’s body, understandably

so, since Shiva is believed to dwell in the

Himalayas. Of these five, Tungnath is

believed to be Shiva’s arm.

Turiya

(“fourth”) The name for the innermost

quarter of the Self (atman), as described

in the Mandukya Upanishad, one of the

speculative religious texts that form the

latest stratum of the Vedas, the oldest

Hindu sacred texts. As with most of the

Upanishads, the Mandukya Upanishad’s

underlying concern is to investigate

ultimate questions, in particular the

nature of the Self. The upanishad

describes the Self as having four

quarters, each of which removes another

layer of egoism. The first quarter is

waking consciousness, which is

Tumari

Tulsi plant used in Tulsi Vivah festival.