Durväsas (‘ill-dressed’, ‘naked’)
A sage, son of ATRIand Anusüyä, noted
for his irascibility. He cursed ŸAKUN-
TALÄfor keeping him waiting at the
door and thus caused her separation
from King Du•yanta. His blessing
caused Kuntï to become the virgin
mother of KARŒA by the sun. He also
cursed Kø•æa for a minor fault and fore-
told for him the manner of his death.Duryodhana (‘hard to conquer’)
Eldest son of Dhøtarä•flra and leader of
the KAURAVASin the Great War of the
Mahäbhärata.düta (‘messenger’, ‘envoy’)
Messengers play a great role in classical
Sanskrit drama. See, for example, the
famous poem by KÄLÏDÄSA, Megha-
düta, (‘The Cloud-Messenger’).duties
The Hindu ethic is an ethic of duties
rather than rights. According to Vedic
tradition a human is born with five
‘debts’ (øæa) or duties which he has to
redeem during his life: duties towards the
gods, parents and teachers, guests, other
human beings and all living beings. Each
VAØŒAhas specific duties as well. Most
Hindus believe that they have a lifelong
duty to perform formal worship and to
recite certain religious texts or formulae.
Membership in particular SAßPRADÄYAS
also entails specific duties with regard to
worship, mode of life, relation to fellow
members. (See also DHARMA.)Dvaita Vedänta (‘Dualistic Vedänta’)
A school of Vedänta founded by
MADHVA, which emphasizes the non-
identity of humans and the ultimate.
Developed in direct opposition to
ADVAITA, Dvaita teaches ‘five differ-
ences’ (pañca bhedä): the difference
between God and humans; betweennature and God; between individual
humans; between humans and inani-
mate objects; and between one inani-
mate object and another.dvandvas (‘pairs of opposites’)
For example, hot–cold, bright–dark,
which characterize the world of change
and impermanence, in contrast to the
all-oneness of the ultimate.Dväpara Yuga
The third of the four world ages, pre-
ceded by Køta Yuga and Treta Yyuga,
and followed by Kali Yuga.Dvärakä
Famous ancient city on the west coast of
India, one of the seven ancient holy
cities of India, Kø•æa’s capital. It was
submerged in the ocean but has recently
been partially excavated.dvi-jäti (‘twice-born’)
Appellation of the three higher CASTES
(Brahmin, K•atriya, Vaiÿya), whose ini-
tiation (upanayana) is seen as ‘second
birth’, which entitles them to participate
in ritual activity. (See alsoSAßSKÄRA.)dvïpa (‘island’, ‘continent’)
In Hindu cosmography the continents
(dvïpas) stretch out like the leaves of a
lotus from the centre occupied by
Mount MERUand are separated from
each other by distinct circular oceans.
There are seven such dvïpas separated
by seven oceans consisting of different
liquids: Jambu-dvïpa, surrounded by
lavana (salt water); Plaksa-dvïpa, sur-
rounded by ïk•u (sugarcane juice); Ÿäl-
mala-dvïpa, surrounded by suøä (wine);
Kuÿa-dvïpa, surrounded by sarpis (clar-
ified butter); Krauñca-dvïpa, surounded
by dadhi (curds); Ÿäka-dvïpa, surround-
ed by dudgha (milk); Pu•kara-dvïpa,
surrounded by jala (sweet water).Durväsas 62Encyclo - Letter D 10/2/03 9:39 am Page 62