Concise Encyclopedia of Hinduism

Värkarïs 198

was constructed in 1783 by Ränï

Ahalyabäï. Many Hindus come to

Väräæasï to die in the hope of finding

instant liberation from rebirth. Besides

its many traditional places of Hindu

learning, Väräæasï is the seat of the

Käshï Sanskrit Vidyäpïth and the

Benares Hindu University.

Väräæasï has been the object of

much literature, ancient and modern.

One of the most extensive descriptions

of ancient Väräæasï is found in the

Käÿïkhaæõa of the Skandha Puräæa.

Väräæasï has been praised in countless

hymns and poems throughout the ages.

Värkarïs

See TUKÄRÄM(A).

Varma

A name, designating affiliation with the

K•atriya VARŒA.

varæa (‘colour’)

The largest social unit, based on birth.

The four varæas are Brähmaæas (priests,

scholars, counsellors), K•atriyas (sol-

diers, administrators, nobles), Vaiÿyas

(landowners, businesspeople, artisans)

and Ÿüdras (servants, landless labour-

ers, menials).

varæäÿrama dharma

The (Hindu) law regulating the rights

and duties of the four VARŒASaccording

to their station in life (ÄŸRAMA(2)), con-

sidered binding for all members of

Hindu society. (See alsoSOCIAL ORDER.)

varta (‘economy’)

One of the focal points of Hindu state-

craft (the other being daæõa, justice, the

power of punishment).

Varuæa

A major Vedic deity, associated with

creation and the upholding of law.

Varuæa is the ruler of the universe, con-

troller of the destiny of humankind. His

consort is Väruæï, the goddess of wine.

vasanta

Spring, also personified as a deity.

Vasi•flha (‘wealthiest’)

A Vedic ØÆI(sage), composer of many

hymns. He is one of the seven great ø•is

and one of the ten PRAJÄPATIS. As owner

of Kämadhenu, the ‘cow of plenty’, he

could obtain all wishes. A law book is

also attributed to him. In the Veda

Vasi•flha appears as family priest of king

Sudäs and as the enemy of his rival

Viÿvamitra. The name Vasi•flha occurs

frequently in the epics and Puräæas, and

not all the stories connected with this

name agree with the Vedic tradition.

There is also a Väsi•flha Rämäyaæa(also

known as Yogävasi•flha) which offers a

philosophical, advaitic rewriting of

the epic.

västu-puru•a

A figure in the shape of a person

enclosed by a quadrangle, subdivided

into a number of smaller squares, used

as the basic ground plan for the con-

struction of a TEMPLE.

västu-ÿästra

See ŸILPA-ŸÄSTRA.

Vasu

The eight Vasus are described in the

Øgvedaas attendants of INDRA: Äpa

(water), Dhruva (the pole star), Soma

(the moon), Dhara (earth), Anila

(wind), Anala (fire), Prabhäsa (dawn),

Pratyü•a (light). They are also called

Aditi’s children.

Vasu-deva

The son of Ÿura of the YÄDAVAclan of

the lunar dynasty, father of Kø•æa. He

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