Concise Encyclopedia of Hinduism

147 Räma

Räghava

Räma, a descendant of RAGHU.

Raghu

A king of the solar race and an ancestor

of RÄMA. KÄLIDÄSAwrote the celebrated

epic poem Raghuvamÿa, the genealogy

of Raghu and the life of Räma.

Rähu

A mythical monster that consists of a

disembodied head, and causes eclipses

by swallowing the sun and the moon.

Rahu käla (‘Rahu-time’)

An inauspicious time. It varies from day

to day, and no new or risky untertaking

should be commenced during this period.

Räïdäs, alsoRavidäs

(15th century)

A BHAKTIpoet from the cämär (tanner)

CASTE, who became the founder of a sect

that perpetuates his memory. He took

pride in showing the right way to brah-

mins, in spite of being an OUTCASTE. He

has become a hero of the DALITS.

räja-dharma

Rules of life for a king, prescribing a

king’s duties. There is a famous Räja-

dharma section in the Ÿäntiparvan of

the Mahäbhärata, and there are sepa-

rate works on it as well.

Räjanya

another name for the KÆATRIYAcaste.

rajas

See GUŒA.

räja-süya (‘royal sacrifice’)

A great sacrifice celebrated at the instal-

lation of a king, at which all vassals had

to be present to acknowledge the sover-

eignty of the newly consecrated monarch.

Räja Yoga

SeePÄTAÑJALAYOGA.

rak•aka (‘saviour’)

A designation of VIÆŒU, whose essence

is salvation.

räk•asa

A goblin, evil spirit, fiend, an enemy of

the ÄRYAS. They play a major role in

Hindu literature as disturbers of peace

and as a constant threat to sages in their

forest retreats.

Raktadantä (‘red-toothed’)

An epithet of DURGÄ.

Räma, alsoRämacandra

The oldest son of king Daÿaratha, ruler

of Ayodhyä. According to traditional

historians he lived c. 3800–3700 BCEHe

is considered to have been the seventh

Räma with Sïtä.

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