Äpastamba
Ancient writer on ritual and law and
author of the Äpastamba Dharmasütra.
He is often quoted by later writers.apauru•eya (‘impersonal’)
Not originated either by a human or a
superhuman person. According to the
MÏMÄßSAKASthe VEDAis apauru•eya,
i.e. it has no author but always existed
by and of itself.Appar (eighth century CE)
One of the 63 NÄYAŒMÄRS, poet-saints
of ŸAIVISM. Appar was a convert from
Jainism and had to suffer persecution
for his change of faith, but became
instrumental in converting the King of
MADURAIand his court.aprakøta ÿarïra
(‘immaterial body’)
VAIÆŒAVASbelieve that God possesses an
immaterial, indestructible body and that
his devotees would also receive one in
VAIKUŒfiHA, Vi•æu’s heaven.Apri(s)
Propitiatory invocations during the fore-
offerings of vedic animal SACRIFICES.apsaras (‘nymphs’)
Semi-divine female beings, whose beau-
ty is praised in early Vedic literature and
who are often sent by the gods, afraid of
the power accumulated through self-
mortification, to seduce ascetics. Epics
and PURÄŒAScontain many stories of
apsaras marrying humans and the com-
plications arising therefrom.apürva (‘not before’)
A term coined by the MÏMÄMSAKASto
denote the not yet realized, but fully accom-
plished, fruit of a SACRIFICE, which becomes
available to the sacrificer after death.Äraæyakända (‘Forest part’)
The third book of the RAMÄYAŒA, deal-
ing with the forest exile of RÄMAand his
entourage.Äraæyakas (‘forest treatises’)
The third section of the VEDA, some-
times joined with the (succeeding)
UPANIÆADS, dealing with mystical inter-
pretations of rituals and Vedic sayings.Äraæyaparvan (‘Forest chapter’)
The third book of the MAHÄBHÄRATA,
describing the adventures of the exiled
PÄŒ¥AVASin the forests in which they
had to live for twelve years.äratï
Worship of an IMAGEor an honoured
person by moving lighted camphor or
oil lamps in a circular way on a plate in
front of the image.arcana
Worship of the IMAGEof a deity. One of
the duties of a devotee of Vi•æu.arcävatära (‘worship descent’)
The form of the deity (Vi•æu) that
makes itself available to humans for
worship in the form of an IMAGE.architecture
Assuming that the Indus civilization was
a late Vedic development, Hinduism
possesses one of the oldest architectural
traditions on earth. The Vedic Ÿulva
SÜTRASoffer a practical geometry for the
construction of complex ALTARS and
large structures. Some of the ruins of
Mohenjo Daro have been interpreted as
remnants of a temple compound and of
a temple tank. Most of Vedic architec-
ture was probably embodied in wooden
structures that have not survived.
Buddhist architecture, largely consistingÄpastamba 24Encyclo - Letter A 10/2/03 9:37 am Page 24