(taken from wiki)

Glossary of terms in Hinduism

The following is a glossary of terms and concepts in Hinduism. The list consists of concepts that
are derived from both Hinduism and Hindu tradition, which are expressed as words in Sanskrit as
well as other languages of India. The main purpose of this list is to define the concept in one or
two lines, to make it easy for one to find and pin down specific concepts, and to provide a guide
to the concepts of Hinduism all in one place.

* Abhimanyu (अिभमनयु): Son of Arjuna and Subhadra who was married to Uttara, daughter of
King Virata.

* Āchārya (आचायर): Teacher or Guru.

* Achuta (अचुत): A synonym of Sri Krishna.

* Adhiratha (अिधरथ): Karna's foster-father.

* Adi Shankara (आिद शङर): The first Hindu philosopher who consolidated the principles of the
Advaita Vedanta philosophy.

* Aditi (अिदित): A goddess of the sky, consciousness, the past, the future and fertility.

* Advaita Vedanta (अदैत वेदानत): A school of Hindu philosophy often called a monistic or non-
dualistic system which refers to the indivisibility of the Self (Atman) from the Whole (Brahman).

* Agastya (अगसतय): A great sage whose life-story the Pandavas learnt while on pilgrimage to
holy places, his wife Lopamudra was equally a great sage in her own right.

* Aghāsur (अघासुर): A dragon sent by Kamsa to destroy Krishna

* Āgneyāstra (आगनेयासत): Āgneyāstra is the fire weapon, incepted by God Agni, master of the
flames.

* Agni (अिगन): The sacred Hindu fire god.[1]

* Agnihotra (अिगनहोत): A sacrifice to God Agni.

* Ahi (अिह): Means ("snake"), Vritra was also known in the Vedas as Ahi cognate with Azhi
Dahaka of Zoroastrian mythology and he is said to have had three heads.

* Ahamkara (अहंकार): A Sanskrit term that refers to egoism, that is the ego of one's self, the
identification of one's own ego.

* Ahimsā (अिहंसा): A religious concept which advocates non-violence and a respect for all life.

* Airāvata (ऐरावत): Indra's elephant.

* Ajasat (अजसत):The Prince who plots with Devadatta to kill Buddha

* Ajātasatru (अजातशतु): Having no enemy, friend of all born things, an epithet of Yudhishthira.
 * Akampana (अकमपन): Meaning (Unconquerable) - A rākshasa slain by Hanumaān at
seize.
* Akshayapatra (अकयपत): A wonderful vessel given to Yudhishthira by the Sun god which held
a never-failing supply of food.

* Alara (अलर) : A famous sage, sought out by Buddha

* Alambasa (अलमबस): A Rakshasa friend of Duryodhana who had joined his forces but Satyaki
compelled him to flee from the battlefield.

* Amarāvati (अमरावती): The city of Indra

* Amarkantak (अमरकंटक): Amarkantak is a unique natural heritage area in eastern Madhya

Pradesh, India. This is the meeting point of the Vindhyas and the Satpuras, with the Maikal Hills
being the fulcrum. This is the place from where the Narmada River, the Sone River and Johila
River emerge.

* Ambā (अमबा), Ambikā (अिमबका), Ambālikā (अमबािलका): The three daughters of King of
Benares, Eldest daughter Ambā was in love with King Shālwa

* Amrit (अमृत): Ambrosia, the food of the gods, which makes the partaker immortal.

* Ananta (अननत): Ananta may be 1.The thousand headed nāga that issued from
Balrāma's mouth 2. Author and commentator of Katyayana sutra 3. Ananta was the
name of present Shekhawati region of Rajasthan in India.

* Andhaka (अंधक): Andhaka was the demon son of Shiva, and was created from a drop of his
sweat. He was born blind. After birth, Andhaka was given to Hiranyaksha to be raised, as he had
no sons. Later, Andhaka became the king of Hiranyaksha's kingdom.

* Anga (अंग): Mlechchha kings, a Kaurava supporter.

* Angada (अंगद): One of the monkey host; Son of Valī

* Aniruddha (अिनरद): Son of Pradyumna (a rebirth of Shatrughana who married with

Chārumati and Ushā

* Anjalikā (अंजिलका): The greatest of Arjuna's arrows with which he slays Karna

* Anjanā (अंजना): Mother of Hanumāna

* Anshumat (अंशुमत): A mighty chariot-fighter

* Anusuya (अनुसूया): Sati Anusuya was wife of the sage Atri and mother of Dattatreya (दतातेय)
who is considered by some Hindus (in western India) to be an incarnation of the Divine Trinity
Brahma, Vishnu and Siva.

* Apsarās (अपसरा): Heavenly nymphs, The dancing girls of Indra's court

* Aquila[disambiguation needed] (अिकवला): Equivalent, Garuda; the divine eagle

* Araṇi (अरिण): An upper and a lower piece of wood used for producing fire by attrition.

* Āraṇyaka (आरणयक): Part of the Hindu Śruti that discuss philosophy, sacrifice and the
New Year holiday.
 * Arjuna (अजुरन): The third of Pāndavas

* Artha (अथर): Wealth, one of the objects of human life, the others being Dharma, (righteous-
ness), Kama (satisfaction of desires), Moksha (spiritual salvation).

* Arundhati (अरं धित): Wife of sage Vasishtha.

* Arya: 'The Nomads.' The name of the immigrant race who came to India and chased the
drividians to the south.
* Asamanja (असमंज): Son of Sāgra

* Ashtavakra (अषवक): A towering scholar while still in his teens.

* Ashta Lakshmi: Eight aspects of goddess Lakshmi, symbolising eight sources of wealth

* Ashvatthāman (अशतथामा): Son of Dronacharya and last supreme commander of the

Kaurava force, strong as a horse

* Ashvins (अिशन): The divine twins

* Ashwamedha (अशमेध): The horse sacrifice

* Asvamedha Yajna (अशमेध यज): A horse sacrifice.

* Ashwapati (अशपित): Uncle of Bharata and Shatrughna

* Ashwasena (अशसेन): Five mighty arrows shot by Karna

* Asita (अिसत): A sage who held that gambling was ruinous and should be avoided by all wise
people.

* Asmaka (असमक): A Kaurava warrior who attacked Abhimanyu.

* Astra (असत): A missile charged with power by a holy incantation.

* Ātma (आतमा): The underlying metaphysical self, sometimes translated as spirit or soul.

* Ayodhyā (अयोधया): Unconquuerable, The city in the country of Koshala

[edit] B

* Babhruvahana: Babhruvahana was son of Arjuna by his wife Chitrāngadā.

* Badarikasram (बदीकाशम): Badarikasram is a place sacred to Vishnu, near the Ganges in the
Himalayas, particularly in Vishnu's dual form of Nara-Narayana.

* Bahlika (बािहक), Dasharna (दशणर): States the kings of which were Kalinga, Magadha, friendly
to thePandavas, Matsya, Panchala, Salva.

* Bahu (बाहु ): A king of the Solar race. who was vanquished and driven out of his country by the
tribes of Haihayas and TaIajanghas. He was father of Sagara.

* Bahuka (बाहुक): The changed name of Nala, as a charioteer of Rituparna, the king of
Ayodhya. Also other name of king Bahu.
 * Baladeva (बलदेव): Balarama, elder brother of Sri Krishna.

* Balarāma (बलराम): Elder brother of Lord Krishna.

* Balarāma (बलराम): An avatar or incarnation of Adisesha the thousand-hooded serpent on

which Lord Mahavishnu reclines in Vaikuntha.

* Bakāsura (बकासुर): A voracious, cruel and terribly strong Rakshasa or demon who lived in a
cave near the city of Ekachakrapura whom Bhima killed to the great relief of the citizens.

* Baṇāsura (बाणासुर): Banasura was a thousand-armed asura and son of Bali. He was a
powerful and terrible asura. All people even the king of earth and Devas of heaven were afraid of
him. Banasura was a follower of Siva. He had a beautiful daughter named Usha.

* Behula (बेहल
ु ा):The daughter of Saha, a merchant of Nichhani Nagar; weds Lakshmindara ,
mentioned in the story of Manasa Devi who was the daughter of Shiva.

* Bhadra (भद): A mighty elephant

* Bhadrakālī (भदकाली): Bhadrakālī is also known as the gentle Kali, who came into
being by Devi’s wrath, when Daksha insulted Shiva. She is the consort of Virabhadra.

* Bhagadatta (भगदत): King of Pragjyotisha, a Kaurava ally.

* Bhagawān (भगवान): Form of address to Gods and great rishis, example-Bhagawan Sri
Krishna, Narada, Vyasa. A Sanskrit word meaning "Holy or Blessed one". It is a title of
veneration, often translated as "Lord" and refers to God.

* Bhagavad Gītā (भगवद् गीता ): The national gospel contained in Mahābhārata, Part of
the epic poem Mahabharata, located in the Bhishma-Parva chapters 23–40. A core
sacred text of Hinduism and philosophy.

* Bhagavatī (भगवती): Alias Pārvatī, Shiva's wife

* Bhagīratha (भगीरथ): Son of Dilipa, king of Kosala who worshipped Shiva and brought down
Ganga.

* Bhajan (भजन): A Hindu devotional song. Great importance is attributed to the singing of
bhajans within the Bhakti movement.

* Bhaktī (भिकत): A Sanskrit term that means intense devotion expressed by action (service). A
person who practices bhakti is called bhakta.

* Bhaktī Yoga (भिकत योग): The Hindu term for the spiritual practice of fostering of loving
devotion to God, called bhakti.[1]

* Bharadwāja (भरदाज): A rishi, father of Yavakrida.

* Bharata (भरत): Means "to be or being maintained"). Bharat may be 1. a name of

Agni 2. a name of Rudra 3. one of the Adityas 4. Emperor Bharata, son of Dushyanta
and Shakuntalā 5. Bharata (Ramayana), a son of Dasharatha, younger brother of Rama 6.
Bharata Muni, the author of the Natyashastra 7. Bharata (Bhagavata), the eldest of a hundred
sons of a saintly king by name Rishabha Deva according to the Bhagavata purana.
 * Bhārata (भारत): Meaning ("descended from Bharata"). Bhārata may refer to 1. The
Bhāratas, an Aryan tribe of the Rigveda 2. an early epic forming the core of the
Mahabharata (allegedly comprising about a quarter of the extended epic) 3. the
Republic of India (properly, Bhārata GaNarājya, भारत गणराजय).

* Bhārgava (भावरग): Karna's divine weapon

* Bhaumāsur (भौमासुर): A demon slain by Krishna

* Bhīma (भीम): The second of Pāndavas who excelled in physical prowess as he was
born of the wind-god.

* Bhīshma (भीषम): Bhīshma was son of Shāntanu, the great Knight and guardian of
the imperial house of Kurus.

* Bhīshmak (भीषमक): Raja of Kundalpur and father of Rukminī.

* Bhoja s (भोज): A branch of the Yadava clan belonging to Krishna's tribe.

* Bhuminjaya (भुिमंजय): Another name of prince Uttara son of Virata who had proceeded to fight
the Kaurava armies, with Brihannala as his charioteer.

* Bhuriśravas (भुिरशरवस): Bhurisravas was a prince of the Balhikas and an ally of the
Kauravas, who was killed in the great battle of the Mahabharata.

* Bhūta: A ghost, imp, goblin. Malignant spirits which haunt cemeteries, lurk in
trees, animate dead bodies, and delude and devour human beings.

* Bibhatsu (िबभतसु): One of Arjuna's name meaning a hater of unworthy acts.

* Brahmā (बहा): Creator of the universe, The Hindu creator god, and one of the Trimurti, the
others being Vishnu and Shiva. He must not be confused with the Supreme Cosmic Spirit of
Hindu philosophy Brahman.

* Brahmāstra (बहासत): A divine weapon, irresistible, one given by Lord Brahma himself.

* Brahmachārin (बहचािरन): A religious student, unmarried, who lives with his spiritual guide,
devoted to study and service.

* Brahmacharya (बहचयर): Celibacy, chastity; the stage of life of Vedic study in which chastity
and service are essential, The word Brahmacharya symbolises a person who is leading a life in
quest of Brahma, or in other words a Hindu student.

* Brahmadatta (बहदत): King of Benares

* Brahman (बाहण): The signifying name given to the concept of the unchanging, infinite,
immanent and transcendent reality that is the Divine Ground of all being.

* Brahmin (बाहमन): One of four fundamental colours in Hindu caste (Varna) consisting of
scholars, priests and spiritual teachers.

* Braj (बज): Braj (also known as Brij or Brajbhoomi) is a region in Uttar Pradesh of India,
around Mathura-Vrindavan. It is considered to be the land of Krishna and is derived from the
Sanskrit word vraja.
 * Brihadaswa (बृहदासव): A great sage who visited the Pandavas in their forest hermitage and
reminded them of King Nala of Nishadha who also lost his kingdom in the game of dice and who
deserted his wife Damayanti because of a curse but ultimately regained both,

* Brihadratha (बृहदथ): Commander of three regiments reigned over Magadha and attained
celebrity as a great hero, married the twin daughters of the Raja of Kasi. His two wives ate each
half of a mango given by sage Kausika and begot half a child each. A Rakshasi recovered the
two portions from a dustbin wherein they were thrown and when they accidentally came together,
they became a chubby baby, which she presented to the king, saying it was his child, which later
became known as Jarasandha.

* Brihadyumna (बृहदुम): A King, a disciple of sage Raibhya.

* Brihannala (बृहनल): Name assumed by Arjuna while living at Virata's court in

incognito. He taught arts to Uttarā, the princess of the kingdom of Virata.

* Brihaspati (बृहसपित): Father of Kacha and priest of devas

* Brihatbala (बृहतबल): A daring warrior who charged at Abhimanyu caught in the Kaurava army's
net.

* Brindavan (बृनदावन): A town on the site of an ancient forest which is the region where Lord
Krishna spent his childhood days. It lies in the Braj region.

[edit] C

* Caste (कासट): Mythical origin of Hindu system of racial continuity, equivalent in

modern vernacular, birth (jāti)

* Chakra (चक): An energy node in the human body. The seven main chakras are described as
being aligned in an ascending column from the base of the spine to the top of the head. Each
chakra is associated with a certain colour, multiple specific functions, an aspect of
consciousness, a classical element, and other distinguishing characteristics.

* Chala (चल): A Kaurava warrior.

* Champā (चमपा): A city on banks of Ganges river where Karna found as a babe by
Adhiratha and Rādhā

* Chāndāla (चाडाल): A person of a degraded caste, whose conduct was much below standard
and whose cause pollution.

* Chandraketu (चंदकेत)ु : A devotee of Manasā

* Channa (चन) : A royal servant and head charioteer of Prince Siddhartha, who was to
become the Buddha.

* Chānd Sadāgar (चाद सदगर): A merchant-prince of Champaka Nagar. Manasā Devi

woos the devotion of him

* Charachitra (चरिचत): A son of King Dhritarashtra who perished in the war.

* Caraka Saṃhitā (चरक संिहता): An ancient Indian Ayurvedic text on internal medicine written
by Caraka. It is believed to be the oldest of the three ancient treatises of Ayurveda.
 * Chavadi: Place of public assembly of the village. It is the property of the entire community. In
it all public business is transacted, and it serves also as the village club the headquarters of the
village police and guest house for travellers.

* Chedi (चेिद): A kingdodom of Shishupāla, old name of present Chanderi

* Chekitana (चेिकतान): Chekitana was son of Dhrishtaketu, Raja of the Kekayas, and an ally of
the Pandavas.

* Chitra (िचत): A son of Dhritarashtra killed in the war.

* Chitraksha (िचताक): One of the many sons of King Dhritarashtra who fell in the war

* Chitrakūta (िचतकूट): Chitrakūta was in mountain forests where Rama, Sita and
Lakshmana spent eleven and half years of their exile; The hermitages of Vālmīki, Atri,
Sati Anusuya, Dattatreya, Maharshi Markandeya, Sarbhanga, Sutikshna were here; and here the
principal trinity of the Hindu pantheon, Brahma, Vishnu and Mahesh, took their incarnations.

* Chitralekha (िचतलेखा): Chitralekha was a friend of Usha and daughter of minister of Banasura.
She was a talented lady who helped Usha to identify the young man, Aniruddha, seen in the
dream of Usha. Chitralekha through supernatural powers abducted Aniruddha from the palace of
Krishna and brought him to Usha.

* Chitrasena (िचतसेन): King of the Gandharvas who prevented the Kauravas from putting up
their camp near the pond where he himself had encamped.

* Chitrayudha (िचतयुद): A Kaurava prince who laid down his life in the war.

* Chitravarma (िचतवमा): A brother of Duryodhana who was killed in the war

* Chitrangada (िचतागद): Elder son of Santanu born of Matsyagandhi (Satyavati) who succeeded
his father on the throne of Hastinapura.

* Chitrāngadā: Chitrāngadā was one of Arjuna's wives. Arjuna travelled the length
and breadth of India during his term of exile. In ancient Manipur in the eastern
Himalayas he met Chitrāngadā, the daughter of the king of Manipur and married her.
Babhruvahana was soon born to the couple. Babruvahana would succeed his
grandfather as king of Manipur.

* Chyavana (चयवन): A great rishi, husband of beautiful wife Sukanyā whom Ashvins
beheld at her bath

[edit] D

* Dāruka (दारक): Sri Krishna's charioteer.

* Dadhichi: Dadhichi was a Vedic king, son of Atharvan, who turned a great Rishi. Dadhicha
gave his bones to destroy Vritra, a brahmin, who became the head of the Asuras.

* Daityas (दैतय): Daityas were the children of Diti and the sage Kashyapa. They were a race of
giants who fought against the gods.

* Daksha (दक): The skilled one, is an ancient creator god, one of the Prajapatis, the Rishis and
the Adityas, and a son of Aditi and Brahma.
 * Dākshāyani (दाकायिन): Dākshāyani is the Goddess of marital felicity and longevity;
she is worshipped particularly by ladies to seek the long life of their husbands. An
aspect of Devi, Dākshāyani is the consort of Shiva. Other names for Dākshāyani
include Gaurī, Umā, Satī, Aparnā, Lalithā, Sivakāmini.

* Damayantī (दमयंती): She is the wife of Nala whose story is told in the Mahabharata.

* Dandaka (दंडक): A kingdom and a forest, had the same name, was a colonial state of Lanka
under the reign of Ravana. Ravana's governor Khara ruled this province. It was the stronghold of
all the Rakshasa tribes living in the Dandaka Forest.

* Dasaratha (दशरथ): King of Ayodhya and Rama's father.

* Darshana (दशरन): A country whose king attacked Bhagadatta's elephant in an effort to save
Bhima.

* Dasharna (दशाणर): Dasharna was an ancient Indian kingdom in Malwa region near Mandsaur.
The queen of Chedi kingdom and mother of Damayanti were daughters of king of Dasharna.

* Demons: A supernatural being that has generally been described as a malevolent spirit. A
demon is frequently depicted as a force that may be conjured and insecurely controlled, they
were constantly at war with devas.

* Devadatta (देवदत): Name of Arjuna's conch, also Buddha's cousin.

* Deva (देव): The Sanskrit word for god or deity. It can be interpreted as a demi-god, deity or
any supernatural being of high excellence.

* Devarata (देवरत): Father of Yajnavalkya, the gods had given him a great bow and
neither gods, nor gandharvas, nor asuras, nor rākshsa, nor men had might to string
that.

* Devakī (देवकी): Mother of Lord Krishna.

* Devatā (देवता): A sage who condemned the game of dice as an evil form of gambling and
declared it unfit as entertainment for good people, as it usually offered scope for deceit and
dishonesty.

* Devavrata (देववरत): The eighth child of Santanu and Ganga who in time mastered the art
yielding arms and learned the Vedas and Vedanta as also the sciences known to Sukra was
crowned Yuvaraja (heir apparent), but later vowed to celibacy and was known as Bhishma.

* Devayanī (देवयानी): The beautiful daughter of Sukracharaya, preceptor of the demons, who
fell in love with Kacha, son of Brihaspati, preceptor of the Devas.

* Devendra (देवेनद): King of the Gods.

* Devī (देवी): The female version of a Deva, ie. a female deity or goddess. Devi is considered
to be the Supreme Goddess in Shaktism.

* Dhanvantari (धनवंतरी): An avatar of the Hindu God Vishnu. Dhanvantari appears in the Vedas
as the physician of the gods, and is the god of Ayurvedic medicine.

* Dharma (धमर): Righteous course of conduct. Can mean law, rule or duty. Beings that live in
harmony with Dharma proceed quicker towards moksha.
 * Dharmagranthi (धमरगंथी): Assumed named of Nakula at Virata's court.

* Dharmananda (धमरननद):The delighted of Dharma, a name of Yudhishthira, the son of Dharma

or Yama.

* Dharmavyadha (धमरवयाध): He possessed the secret of good life and lived in the city of Mithila.
He was a meat-seller.

* Dhananjaya (धननजय): One of the names of Arjuna.

* Dhanusaksha (धनुसक): A great sage whom Medhavi, son of sage Baladhi, once insulted. He
took the form of a bull and butted at that mountain and broke it to pieces. Then Medhavi fell down
dead.

* Dhaumya (धौमय): Preceptor of the Pandavas, who accompanied them during their exile to the
Kurijangala forest, singing Sama hymns addressed to Yama, Lord of Death.

* Dhrishtadyumna (धृषदुम): Supreme commander of the Pandava forces and twin brother of
Draupadi.

* Dhrishtaketu (धृषकेतु): Dhrishtaketu may be 1. A son of Dhrishtadyumna. 2. A son of

Sisupala, king of Chedi, and an ally of the Pandavas. 3. A king of the Kekayas, also an ally of the
Pandavas. 4. Son of Satyadhriti. 5. Son of Nriga.

* Dhritarāshtra (धृतराषट): Elder son of Vichitravirya and Ambika, born blind, father of
Duryodhana.

* Dharmaputra (धमरपुत): The son of Yama, epithet of Yudhishthira.

* Dhartarashtras (धातरराषट): Sons of Dhritarashtra

* Dhruva (धुव): Dhruva was the prince blessed to eternal existence and glory as the Pole Star
(Dhruva Nakshatra in Sanskrit) by Lord Vishnu. The story of Dhruva's life is often told to Hindu
children as an example for perseverance, devotion, steadfastness and fearlessness.

* Dhumrāksha (धुमराक): The Grey-eye rākshasha appointed by Rāvana who was slain
by Hanumāna.

* Dilipa (िदलीप): Son of Anshumat and father of Bhāgīratha.

* Dīpāvali (दीपावली, िदवाली):Lit. a row of lamps. A significant 5-day festival in Hinduism

occurring between mid October and mid November. It is also popularly known as the Festival of
Lights.

* Draupadī (दौपदी): Daughter of King Drupada, King of Panchala, who married all the five
Pandavas though Arjuna had won her in the Swayamvara, because of the vow that they would
share everything in common.

* Droṇa (दोण): A Brāhman discovered by Bhīshma, Son of a Brahmana named

Bharadwāja; married a sister of Kripa and a son Aswathama was born to them; learnt
military art from Parasurama, the maser. Later he became the instructor to the
Kaurava and Pandava princes in the use of arms. He was slain by Dhrishtadyumna in
Mahabharata war.
 * Drupada (दुपद): King of Panchala, Drona's friend, father of Draupadi who became the wife of
the Pandavas

* Duhsāsana (दुसासन): Duryodhana's brother who dragged Draupadi to the hall of assembly
pulling her by her hair.

* Durdhara (दुधरर): A son of Dhritarashtra killed by Bhima in the war.

* Durgā (दुगा): A form of Devi, the supreme goddess. She is depicted as a woman riding a lion
with multiple hands carrying weapons and assuming mudras.

* Durjaya (दुजरय): A brother of Duryodhana who was sent to attack Bhima, to save Karna's life
but lost his own.

* Durmarsha (दुमरश)र : A son of Dhritarashtra killed by Bhima.

* Durmata (दुमरत): A son of Dhritarashtra who got killed by Bhima.

* Durmukha (दुमुरख): A chariot-borne warrior on the Kaurava side.

* Durvāsa (दुवास): An ancient sage known for his anger who visited the Kauravas.

* Durvishaha (दुिवरषह): A warrior fighting on the Kaurava side.

* Duryodhana (दुयोधन): The eldest son of the blind king Dhritarashtra by Queen Gandhari, the
eldest of the one hundred Kaurava brothers, and the chief antagonist of the Pandavas.

* Dushkarma (दुषकमर): A warrior belonging to the Kaurava side.

* Dushyanta (दुषयंत): A valiant king of the Lunar, race, and descended from Puru. He was
husband of Sakuntala, by whom he had a son, Bharata. The loves of Dushyanta and Sakuntala,
her separation from him, and her restoration through the discovery of his token-ring in the belly of
a fish, form the plot of Kalidasa's celebrated play Sakuntala.

* Dussaha (दुससह): A son of Dhritarashtra killed by Bhima.

* Dvaita (दैत): A branch of Hindu philosophy, founded by Shri Madhvacharyathat advocates

dualism and stresses a strict distinction between God and souls.

* Dvaitavana (दैतवन): Dvaita Forest or Dvaitavana was situated to the south of the Kamyaka
Forest. It contained within it a lake called the Dwaita lake. It was on the south-western outskirts of
Kurujangala, near the borders of the desert (northern extension of the Thar desert into Haryana)
(3,176). It also lay on the banks of the Saraswati River (known there as the Bhogavati) (3-
24,176).

* Dwaitayana (दैतायन): A forest where the Kaurava, cows were being bred and housed.

* Dwārakā (दारका): Krishna renounced war in Mathura for the greater good and
founded and settled in Dwārakā. Leaving the Vrishnis people in Dwaraka, Krishna
returned to Mathura and killed Kamsa (his maternal uncle) and Kālayavans demon
and made Ugrasen (his maternal grandfather) the king of Mathura.

* Dyumatsena (दुमतसेन): King of Shālwas and father of Satyavān.

[edit] E
 * Ekachakra (एकचक): It was a city where the Pandavas are said to have lived here with their
mother, Kunti, when they were exiled to the forest and escaped from the burning of house of lac.
* Ekalavya (एकलवय): He was a young prince of the Nishadha tribes, who achieves a skill level
parallel to the great Arjuna, despite Drona's rejection of him. He was a member of low caste and
he wished to study in the gurukulam of Dronacharya.

[edit] F

* Fire-God: Same as Agni who had son Nila.

* Flute: Lord Krishna had a flute (called a Bansuri in Indian languages) which he used to play in
the woods and all the herd-girls of Braj used to go out on the voice of this flute.

[edit] G

* Gajasura (गजासुर): Gajasura (elephant demon) is the name used to refer to demon Nila when
he took the form of an elephant and attacked Shiva. He was destroyed by Ganapati.

* Gaṇapati (गणपित): Lord of the territory, The fulfiller of desire, the god of merchants, Second
son of Shiva and Pārvati. Scourge of Carpathia and the Sorrow of Moldavia.
Amanuensis of Vyasa who agreed to write down without pause or hesitation the story
of the Mahabharata dictated by Vyasa.

* Ganga (गंगा): A holy river in Northern India, believed to be a goddess by Hindus (see Ganga
in Hinduism), Equivalent Ganges, The story of the birth of Ganges was told to Rama and
Laxmana by Vishvamitra.

* Gaṇesha (गणेश): The god of good fortune, commonly identified for his elephant head.

* Gaṇeśa Chaturṭhī (गणेश चतुथी): Ganesh Chaturthi is an occasion or a day on which Lord
Ganesha, the son of Shiva and Parvati, makes his presence on earth for all his devotees. It is the
birthday of Lord Ganesha. The festival is observed in the Hindu calendar month of Bhaadrapada,
starting on the shukla chaturthi.

* Gāndhārī (गाधारी): Dhritarashtra's wife and queen mother of the Kauravas.

* Gandharva s (गंधवर): A class of celestial beings regarded as specialists in music.

* Gāṇdīva (गाणडीव): Arjuna's most potent bow.

* Gangadwara (गंगदार): A place where sage Agastya and his wife performed penance.

* Garuda (गरड): It is a large mythical bird or bird-like creature that appears in both Hindu and
Buddhist mythology.

* Gaurī (गौरी): Gaurī or Dākshāyani is the Goddess of marital felicity and longevity;
she is worshipped particularly by ladies to seek the long life of their husbands. An
aspect of Devi, Dākshāyani is the consort of Shiva.

* Gāyatrī (गायती): A revered mantra in Hinduism, found in the Yajur Veda.

* Ghatotkacha (घटोतकच): Son of Bhima from demoness Hidimba.

* Girivraja (िगिरवरज): A Wealthy city in Kekaya Kingdom also called Rajagriha.

 * Gītā (गीता): See Bhagwad Gita

* Gopa s (गोप): Equivalent, herd-boys

* Gopāla (गोपाल): Name of Krishna indicating his origin as a god of flocks and herds.

* Gopīs (गोपी): Gopi is a word of Sanskrit origin meaning 'cow-herd girls'.

* Govardhan (गोवधरन): Govardhan is a hill located near the town of Vrindavan in India.

* Govinda (गोिवनद): One of the epithets of Sri Krishna and Vishnu; it means a cow-keeper and
refers to Krishna's occupation in Gokula, the colony of cowherds

* Grihastha (गृहसथ): The second of the four phases(Purushartha) of a man, when a person gets
married and settles down in life and begets children.

* Guha (गुह): King of Nishādha

* Guru (गुर): Revered preceptor, A spiritual teacher. In contemporary India, the title and term
"Guru" is widely used within the general meaning of "wise man".

* Guru Pūrṇimā (गुर पूिणरमा): The day of full moon, Purnima, in the month of Ashadh of
the Hindu calendar is traditionally celebrated by Hindus as Guru Pūrṇimā. On this
day, devotees offer puja (worship) to their Guru.

[edit] H

* Hamsa (हंस), Hidimbā (िहिडमबा), Kamsa (कंस): Allies of King Jarasandha; the last married the
two daughters of Jarasandha. Also Krishna's step-uncle whom Krishna killed.

* Halayudha (हलयुद): Plough-weaponed, an epithet of Balarama who wielded a plough as his

weapon.

* Hanumāna (हनुमान): Wise and learned monkey devotee of Sri Rama, who possessed
extraordinary powers of discrimination and wisdom and who searched and found Sita in her
confinement in Lanka. Son of Vayu and Anjana.

* Hari (हिर): Hari is another name of Vishnu or God in Vaishnavism, Smarta or Advaitan
Hinduism, and appears as the 650th name in the Vishnu sahasranama.

* Harivamsa (हिरवंश): Harivamsa is an important work of Sanskrit literature. It is a kind of

appendix to the Mahābhārata, that runs to 16,375 verses and focuses specifically on
the life of Lord Krishna.

* Hastināpura (हिसतनापुर): Hastinapura is the capital and the kingdom of the Kauravas, the
descendants of Kuru, which include the Pandavas. The throne of this city is the prize over which
the great war of the epic is fought.

* Hidimbā (िहिडमबा): A powerful Asura, who had yellow eyes and a horrible aspect. He was a
cannibal, and dwelt in the forest to which the Pandavas retired after the burning of their house.
He had a sister named Hidimbi, whom he sent to lure the Pandavas to him; but on meeting with
Bhima, she fell in love with him. By his mother's desire Bhima married her, and by her had a son
named Ghatotkacha.
 * Hindu scripture: Sacred texts of Hinduism mostly written in Sanskrit. Hindu scripture is
divided into two categories: Śruti – that which is heard (i.e. revelation) and Smriti –
that which is remembered (i.e. tradition, not revelation).

* Hinduism: A worldwide religious tradition that is based on the Vedas and is the direct
descendent of the Vedic religion. It encompasses many religious traditions that widely vary in
practice, as well as many diverse sects and philosophies.

* Hiranyakashipu (िहरणयकशयप): Hiranyakashipu was an Asura, and also a King of Dravida

whose younger brother, Hiranyaksha was killed by Varaha, one of the avatars of
Vishnu. Identical with Shishupāla and Rāvana.

* Hiranyaksha (िहरणयाक): Hiranyaksha was an Asura of the Daitya race, and a King of Dravida
who was killed by Lord Vishnu after he took the Earth to the bottom of the ocean. He had an older
brother named Hiranyakashipu.

* Holikā (होिलका): Holika was a demoness who was killed on the day of Holi. She was the
sister of King Hiranyakashipu. The story of Holika's conflict signifies the triumph of good over evil.

* Hrishikesha (हृषीकेश): Krishna.

[edit] I

* Ikshvaku (इकवाकु): The word Ikshvaku means "bitter gourd". Ikshvaku was the first king and
founder of the Sun Dynasty in Vedic civilization in ancient India. He was the son of Manu (the first
man on earth), sired by the Sun God, Surya. Rama, of the epic Ramayana is a descendant of the
house of Ikshvaku. So are Bhagiratha, Dasaratha, Luv and Kusa.

* Ilvala (ईवल): Ilvala and Vatapi were asuras, the rulers of Badami, formerly known as Vatapi,
was named after asura king Vatapi.

* Indra (इनद): King of the Gods. The chief deity of the Rigveda, the god of weather and war as
well as Lord of Svargaloka in Hinduism.

* Indrajīt (इनद जीत): Son of Ravana, King of Lanka, also known as Meghanath, who
conquered Indra, the Lord of Gods and received his name 'Indra-jit' (Victor of India), and who was
killed by Rama's brother Lakshmana.

* Indraprastha (इनदपसथ): Indraprastha (City of Indra) was a major northern city in ancient India
that was the capital of the kingdom led by the Pandavas in the Mahabharata epic, located upon
the banks of the river Yamuna, believed to be the site of present Purana Qila, in the modern
national capital of Delhi.

* Indrasena (इनदसेन): A kinsman of the Pandavas, son of Nala and Damayanti.

* Indrasenā (इनदसेना): Daughter of Nala and Damayanti.

* Indrakila (इनदिकला): A mountain Arjuna passed on his way to the Himalayas to practise
austerities to acquire powerful new weapons from Lord Mahadeva.

* Iravan (इरवन): Arjuna's son by a Naga princess Ulupi who fell in the battle on the eighth day,
fought on the side of the Pandavas, killed by the Rakshasa Alumvusha.

* Ishvara (ईशर): A Hindu philosophical concept of God referring to the Supreme Being which is
the lord and the ruler of everything. Hinduism uses the term Ishvara exclusively to refer to the
Supreme God in a monotheistic sense.

* Jāmbavān (जामबवान): Jambavan or Jamvanta is a bear in Hinduism and believe to lived from
Treta Yuga to Dvapara Yuga.

* Jambudvīpa (जमबुदीप): The name of the dvipa ("continent") of the terrestrial world, as
envisioned in the cosmologies of Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism, which is the realm where
ordinary human beings live. Its name is said to derive from a Jambu tree.

* Jambumali (जमबुमली):The warrior Ravana sends to slay Hanuman when Hanuman not
satisfied with finding Sita dashed about the Asoka grove and broke the trees and spoiled the
pavilions.

* Jamuna (जमुना): A river, joining with Ganga. Literally meaning "twins" in Sanskrit, as it runs
parallel to the Ganges, its name is mentioned at many places in the Rig Veda, written during the
Vedic period ca between 1700–1100 BC, and also in the later Atharvaveda, and the Brahmanas
including Aitareya Brahmana and Shatapatha Brahmana.

* Janaka (जनक): King of Mithila, a great Rajarishi; father of Sita, wife of Rama).

* Janamejaya (जनमेजय): A king who conducted a great sacrifice for the well being of the human
race.

* Janārdana (जनादरन): A name of Krishna

* Jarāsandha (जरासंध): A rākshasa father-in-law of Kamsa, Son of Brihadratha.

Mighty king of Magadha of whose prowess all Kshatriyas were afraid. Killed by Bhima
in a thirteen-day non-stop physical combat: with Sri Krishna and Arjuna as witnesses.

* Jarita (जिरत), Laputa (लपुत): Female companions of a saranga bird, who was a rishi named
Mandapala in his previous birth when he was refused admission to heaven because he was
childless.

* Jalāsura (जलासुर): A demon killed by Bhima.

* Japa (जप): A spiritual discipline in which a devotee repeats a mantra or the name of God. The
repetition can be aloud, just the movement of lips or in the mind.

* Jātaka (जातक): The Jataka is a voluminous body of folklore and mythic literature,
primarily associated with the Theravada Buddhist tradition, as written in the Pali
language (from about the 3rd century, C.E.); The story of Rama is told in one of
Jātakas.

* Jatāsura (जटासुर): A Rakshasa who disguised himself as a Brahman and carried

Yudhishthira, Sahadeva, Nakula, and Draupadi. He was overtaken and killed by Bhima.

* Jatāyū (जटायू): Jatāyū was king of all the eagles-tribes, the son of Aruna and
nephew of Garuda. A demi-god who has the form of an (eagle), he tries to rescue Sita
from Ravana, when Ravana is on his way to Lanka after kidnapping Sita. His brother
was Sampatī

* Jaya (जय): A son of King Dhritarashtra, who was killed by Bhima in the war
 * Jayadratha (जयदथ): A warrior on the side of Kauravas who closed the breach effected by
Abhimanyu in the Chakravyuha military formation by Dronacharya and trapped him inside.

* Jayatsena (जयतसेन): A kinsman of the Pandavas.

* Jayatsena (जयतसेन): A warrior fighting on the side of Kauravas.

* Jīwal (जीवल): The charioteer of Rituparna, king of Ayodhya, who accompanied with Bahuka.

* Jnana (जान): Knowledge of the eternal and real

[edit] K

* Kacha (कच): Grandson of sage Angiras and son of Brihaspati, who went to seek knowledge
under Sukracharya as a brahmacharin. Devayani, the preceptor's lovely daughter, fell in love with
him. The Asuras (demons) suspecting him of wanting to steal the secret of reviving the dead,
killed him a number of times. But due to Devayani's love for him, her father brought him back to
life every time he was killed. Ultimately the secret was learnt by the devas who then succeeded in
defeating the asuras.

* Kagola (कगोल): A disciple of the great sage and teacher of Vedanta, Uddalaka.

* Kaikeyī (कैकेयी): She was the youngest of King Dasaratha's three wives and a queen of
Ayodhya. She was the mother of Bharata.

* Kailāsh (कैलास): It is a peak in the Gangdisê mountains, the source of rivers in Asia—the
Indus River, the Sutlej River, and the Brahmaputra River—and is considered as a sacred place in
four religions—Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism and Bön faith. The mountain lies near Lake
Manasarowar and Lake Rakshastal in Tibet.

* Kaitabh (कैतभ): Kaitabh is an asura associated with Hindu religious cosmology. He along with
his companion, Madhu, originated from one of the ears of God Vishnu. Kaitabh and Madhu were
designed to annihilate Brahma.

* Kālayāvan (कालयावन): Kālayāvan was an asura who surrounded Mathura with an

army of thirty million monstrous friends. Then Krishna departed to built a city of
Dwārkā amidst sea, transported all his people to this city and left them in Dwārkā.
Then Krishna returned and slew Kālayāvan.

* Kāl-Purush (काल-पुरष): The time-man, Bengali name of Orion.

* Kali (किल): Kali was a demon, the personified spirit of the Fourth yuga who possesses Nala.

* Kalī Yuga (कली युग): Kalī Yuga (lit. Age of Kali, also known as The Age of Darkness),
is one of the four stages of development that the world goes through as part of the cycle of
Yugas, as described in Hindu scriptures, the others being Dwapara Yuga, Treta Yuga, and Satya
Yuga.

* Kālī (काली): A dark, black aspect of the mother-goddess Devi whose consort is Shiva.

* Kālindī (कािलनदी): Kālindī was daughter of the Surya (Sun) who marries Lord Krishna
while he was ruling at Dwarka, Kālindī is also another name for the river Yamuna in
northern India.

* Kāliyā (कािलया): Kāliyā was the name of a poisonous hydra or Nāga living on the
bank of Yamuna River. Kāliyā was quelled by Krishna and sent to his abode in
Ramanaka Dwīpa.

* Kāl nāginī (काल नािगनी): A serpent who kills Lakshmindara, the son of Chand Sadagar who
was a merchant-prince of Champaka Nagar.

* Kalki (किलक): The tenth avatar of Vishnu who is yet to come and will appear as a man on a
horse at the end of Kali Yug.

* Kāma (काम): Best understood as aesthetics, the definition of Kama involves sensual
gratification, sexual fulfillment, pleasure of the senses, love, and the ordinary enjoyments of life
regarded as one of the four ends of man (purusharthas).

* Kāmadeva (कामदेव): Kāmadeva is the Hindu god of love. He is represented as a

young and handsome winged man who wields a bow and arrows.

* Kamboja s (कमबोज): Enemies of the Kauravas whom Karna had defeated

* Kāmadhenu (कामधेन)ु : Kamadhenu was a divine cow believed to be the mother of all cows.
Like her child Nandini, she could grant any wish for the true seeker. Kamadhenu provided
Vasishta with his needs for the sacrifices. Kamadhenu (kama-dhenu, 'wish-cow'), was a
miraculous cow of plenty who could give her owner whatever he desired.

* Kampilya (किमपलय): Capital of the Panchala Kingdom ruled by Drupada.

* Kamsa (कंस): Maternal Uncle of Sri Krishna and son of Ugrasena, also son-in-law of
Jarasandha, whom Sri Krishna killed.

* Kamyaka Forest (कामयक वन): Kamyaka forest is mentioned in Mahabharata being situated at
the head of the Thar desert, near the lake Trinavindu was situated on the western boundary of
the Kuru Kingdom, on the banks of the Saraswati River. It lay to the west of the Kurukshetra
plain.

* Kanika (किणक): Minister of Sakuni.

* Kanka (कंक): Assumed name of Yudhishthira at Virata's court.

* Kaṇva (कणव): Father of Shakuntala.

* Kanyā pūjā (कनया पूजा):A Hindu custom to worship virgin girls as a symbol of the pure basic
creative force.

* Karkotaka (ककोटक): The naga who bit Nala at the request of Indra, transforming Nala into a
twisted and ugly shape.

* Kartavirya Arjuna (कातरवीयर अजुरन): Kārtavīrya Arjuna was King of Mahishamati, kshatriya
of Ramayana period believed to have a thousand arms. He had beheaded Jamadagni,
father of Parashurama. In revenge, Parashurama killed the entire clan of Kartavirya Arjuna.
Ravana was comprehensively defeated and was put to humiliation by him.

* Kausikam (कौिसकम्): A sage who learnt from Dharmavyadha the secret of Dharma, of
performing one's duty.

* Karma (कमर): A Sanskrit term that comprises the entire cycle of cause and effect.
 * Karma Yoga (कमर योग): The practise of disciplining action. Karma yoga focuses on the
adherence to duty (dharma) while remaining detached from the reward. It states that one can
attain Moksha (salvation) by doing his duties in an unselfish manner.[1]

* Karṇa (कणर): A matchless warrior, son of the Sun god and Kunti. Disciple of Parasurama. Also
son of Radha, his foster-mother, and was known as Radheya.

* Kārtavīrya (कातरवीयर): A great warrior who defeated Ravana, King of Lanka.

* Kārtikeya (काितरकेय): Commander of the armies of the devas, A god born out of a magical
spark created by Shiva, his father. His brother is Ganesha.

* Kashyapa (कशयप): An ancient sage , father of the Devas, Asuras, Nagas and all of humanity.
He is married to Aditi, with whom he is the father of Agni and the Savitrs. His second wife, Diti,
begot the Daityas. Diti and Aditi were daughters of King Daksha and sisters to Sati, Shiva's
consort. One of Dashratha's counsellors also.

* Kauravas (कौरव): Kaurava is a Sanskrit term, that means a descendant of Kuru, alternate
name of sons of Dhritarashtra.

* Kausalyā (कौसलया): She was the eldest of King Dasaratha's three wives and a queen of
Ayodhya. She was the mother of Rama.

* Kekaya (केकय): A brave warrior on the Pandava side into whose chariot Bhima got during the
fighting on the sixth day. Usinaras, the Sibi, the Madras, and the Kekayas were the direct
descendants of Yayati's son Anu.

* Kesava (केसव): One of the names of Sri Krishna.

* Keshinī (केिशनी): Wife of Sāgara

* Ketama (केतम): Another chief whose head was cut off by Drona.

* Ketu (केतु): Ketu is generally referred to as a "shadow" planet. It has a tremendous impact on
human lives and also the whole creation. Astronomically, Ketu and Rahu denote the points of
intersection of the paths of the Sun and the Moon as they move on the celestial sphere.

* Khaṇdavaprastha (खाणडवपसथ): The ancient capital from where the ancestors of Pandavas,
Nahusha and Yayati ruled. The Pandavas rebuilt the ruined city and erected palaces and forts
and renamed it Indraprastha.

* Khandava Vana (खाडववन):Khandava Vana was an ancient forest mentioned in the epic
Mahabharata, inhabited by Naga tribes. It lay to the west of Yamuna river, in modern day Delhi
territory. Pandavas cleared this forest to construct their capital city called Indraprastha.

* Khara (खर): Khara was younger brother of Rāvana who was slain by Rama.

* Kichak a (िकचक): Sudeshna's brother, commander-in-chief of Virata's army, who made

advances to Sairandhri (Draupadi). He was invited to meet her at night at the ladies dancing hall
and was met instead by Valala (Bhima) dressed up as a female who killed him (Kichaka).

* Khir (िखर): The grand son of Krishana.

* Kinnars (िकनर): Human birds with instruments of music under their wings.
 * Kirāta (िकरात): Huntsman, The non-Aryan aborigines of the land. They are mentioned along
with Cinas for Chinese. Kiratas are believed to be of Tibeto-Burman origin.

* Kirmira (िकमीर): Kirmira was a Rakshasa, the brother of Bakasura, who lived in the Kamyaka
Forest, and used to terrorize the Rishis who inhabited that forest. He ran into the Pandavas when
they began their exile in the Kamyaka forest. Upon learning that Bheema was present, who had
slain his brother Bakasura, the Rakshasa then challenged the Pandava to fight. After a fierce
battle, Bhishma choked Kirmira to death.

* Kishkindhā (िकिषकनधा): Kishkindhā was the kingdom ruled by a Vanara King Sugreeva,
the younger brother of Bali, during the Ramayana period. This was the kingdom where he ruled
with the assistance of his most intelligent minister, Hanuman.

* Kosala (कोशल): Kosala was an ancient Indian Aryan kingdom, corresponding roughly in area
with the region of Oudh. Its capital was Ayodhya, where Rama was born.

* Kripa (कृपा): The concept of Divine Grace in Hinduism, especially in Bhakti Yoga.
* Kripāchārya (कृपाचायर): Aswathama's uncle who advocated a combined assault on Arjuna in
battle as against Karna's boast that he could take him on single-handed.

* Krishṇa (कृषण): The eighth avatar of Vishnu, one of the most worshipped by many Hindus.
Krishna is famous for his lecture to Arjuna written in the Bhagavad Gita.

* Krishna-Dwaipāyana (कृषण दैपायन): Another name of Sage Vyasa.

* Krishna Janmashtami (कृषण जनमाषमी): A Hindu festival celebrating the birth of Lord Krishna, an
avatar of Hindu deity Vishnu.

* Krauncha (कौच): Curlew-heron.

* Krauncha-Vyuha (कौच वयुह): military formation on a pattern supposed to resemble a heron with
outstretched beak and spreading wings. In ancient Indian practice, armies were arrayed for battle
in formations of definite patterns, each of which had a name such as Chakra, or Kurma or
Krauncha, or Makara according to a real or fancied resemblance.

* Kritavarma (कृतवमर): A notable Yadava warrior fighting on the side of Kaurava forces.

* Kshatriya (कितय): One of the four fundamental colours (Varnas) in Hindu tradition, consisting
of the warriors, soldiers and rulers of society.

* Kshatradharma (कातधमर): This is a form of spiritual practice that involves "Protection of the
seekers and destruction of the evildoers". In other words, it is the duty of fighting against evil as
told by lord Krishna to Arjuna in the Bhagavad Gita.

* Kubera (कुबेर): One of the gods of wealth and riches.

* Kuchasthala (कुचसथल): A city where Krishna stayed the night on his way to the court of
Dhritarashtra.

* Kumāra (कुमार): Son of Shiva and Parvati who conquered and slew the demon Taraka.

* Kumbha (कुमभ): Kumbha was a rakshasa who led a host against the monkeys when
Hanumana fetches healing herb.

* Kumbhakarna (कुमभकणर): Brother of Ravana, King of Lanka, who was asleep most of the time
because of the curse of Brahma.

* Kundalpur (कुणडलपुर): Capital of Raja Bhismak who was father of Rukmini, the wife of Krishna.

* Kundinapura (कुिणडनपुर): Capital of Vidarbha.

* Kuntī (कु ंती): Mother of Pandavas, Daughter of Sura also known as Pritha. She was given in
adoption to the king's childless cousin Kuntibhoja and was named Kunti after her adoptive father.

* Kunti-Madri (कु ंती-मादी): Queens of King Pandu who gave birth to three and two sons known as
the Pandavas in the forest where he spent many years for having committed some sin. The sons
were known as Yudhishthira, Bhima, Arjuna, Nakula, and Sahadeva.

* Kurma (कुमर): Tortoise, The second avatar of Vishnu where he took the form of a tortoise.

* Kurujangala (कुरजाङल): An ancient kingdom of India, in the north near the Yamuna and
Ganges rivers. The main cities of the region are Hastinapura and Indraprastha. Its kings are
sometimes called the Kurus. On a modern map of India, this kingdom roughly forms most of the
Haryana state. Indraprastha (now known as Delhi the capital of India) was its capital.

* Kurukshetra (कुरकेत): Plain of, scene of great battle between the Pandavas and Kurus for the
throne of Hastinapura resulted in a battle in which a number of ancient kingdoms participated as
allies of the rival clans. The location of the battle was Kurukshetra in the modern state of Haryana
in India.

* Kurus (कुर): The name of an Indo-Aryan tribe and their kingdom in the Vedic civilization of
India. Their kingdom was located in the area of modern Haryana. Bhisma was their guardian.

* Kusha (कुश): Kusha and his twin brother Lava are the children of the Hindu God Rama and
his wifeSita, whose story is told in the Ramayana

* Kusasthala (कुससथल): one of the provinces asked by Pandavas,

[edit] L

* Lakshagrah (लाकागृह): The house of lac, The palace made out of lac at Benares where
Pandavas along with Kunti were kept with a sense of banishment.

* Lakshmaṇa (लकमण): Younger stepbrother of Rama and son of Sumitra and King Dasaratha.
Duryodhana's gallant young son also bore this name.

* Lakshmī (लकमी): Goddess of prosperity, wealth and good fortune. She is the consort of
Vishnu and an aspect of Devi.

* Lakshmīndara (लकमीनदर): Son of Chand Sadagar who weds Behula. He was slain by Kal-
nagini but restored to life by Mansa.

* Lankā (लंका): An island city, generally identified with Ceylon, the home of Ravana.

* Lava (लव): Kusa and Lava were sons of Rama and Sita.

* Lomasa (लोमस): A brahmana sage who advised the Pandavas to reduce their retinue while
repairing to the forest. Those unable to bear the hardships of exile were free to go to the court of
Dhritarashtra or Drupada, king of Panchala. He accompanied Yudhishthira on his wanderings.
 * Lopamudra (लोपमुदा): Daughter of the king of Vidarbha who married the sage Agastya.

* Lord Narayana (नारायण): Refuge of men; Mahavishnu.

* Mādhava (माधव): One of the names of Krishna. It means the Lord of Lakshmi.

* Madhu (मधु): The name of Kingdom of Shtrughna.

* Madhusudana (मधुसुदन): Another name of Krishna, the slayer of the asura Madhu.

* Mahābhārata (महाभारत): One of the two major ancient Sanskrit epics of India, the other
being the Ramayana. The Mahabharata is of religious and philosophical importance in India; in
particular, the Bhagavad Gita, which is one of its chapters (Bhishmaparva) and a sacred text of
Hinduism.

* Mahādeva (महादेव): Another name of Shiva.

* Mahāpārshwa (महापाशरव): One of Ravana's generals.

* Mahārāksha (महाराक): Son of Khara slain at Lanka.

* Mahāvishnu (महािवषणु): Lord of the Universe who took human birth in order to wrest his
kingdom from Emperor Bali for the salvation of the world. Lord Vishnu also took birth as Rama,
son of Dasaratha, to kill Ravana, King of Lanka.

* Mahendra (महेनद): A King who had attained heaven. Also the name of a mountain upon which
Hanumana rushes while searchin Sita, shaking it in wrath and frightening every beast that lived in
its woods and caves.

* Mainaka (मैनक): Another mountain, well wooded and full of fruits and roots, Hanumana
coursed through the air while searchin Sita.

* Maitreya (मैतेय): A sage who visited the court of Dhritarashtra, expressed sorrow at the
Pandava's plight, advised Duryodhana not to injure the Pandavas for his own good.

* Makandi : One of the provinces asked by Pandavas, A province running along the banks of
Ganga, to the south of Hastinapura. Kampilya the capital city of Panchala was situated in the
Makandi province within the southern Panchala kingdom (1,140).

* Makara Sankaranti (मकर संकािनत): A huge Religious festival regarding Sun. Lit. Makara means
Capricorn and Sankranti is transition. It is about transition of Sun into Capricorn on its celestial
path.

* Mālinī (मािलनी): Malini was the name of river that was flowing in the forest where the
ashrama of Kanva rishi was situated and Dushyanta fell in love with Shakuntala.

* Manasa Devi (मनसादेवी): Manasa Devi the goddess of snakes; the daughter of Shiva by a
beautiful mortal woman. She was no favourite of her step mother, Bhagavati, or Parvati, Shiva's
wife.

* Mandhatri: Mandhatri was a king, son of Yuvanaswa, of the race of Ikshvaku, and author of a
hymn in the Rigveda.
 * Mānasarovar (मानसरोवर): A sacred lake in the Himalayas

* Mandara (मंदर): The mountain used as a curning stick in Samudra manthan for churning the
ocean using Vasuki nāga as rope by gods on one side and asuras on other side.

* Mandavya (मंदवय): A sage wrongly punished by the king by being impaled as the chief of
robbers who had clandestinely hidden their stolen goods in a corner of his hermitage when he
was in deep contemplation. Lord Dharma gave him this punishment for having tortured birds and
bees in his childhood. At this Mandavya cursed Dharma who was born as Vidura, the wise, to the
servant maid of Ambalika, wife of King Vichitravirya, who offered her to Sage Vyasa in place of
Ambalika.

* Mandodarī (मंदोदरी): Mandodari was the daughter of the King of Danavas, Mayasura and
celestial dancer, Hema. She was the first wife of the Lord of Lanka Ravana.

* Manipura: 'City of jewels' in Sanskrit. Manipura is the third primary chakra according to Hindu
tradition. It is positioned at the navel region and it has ten petals which match the vrittis of spiritual
ignorance, thirst, jealousy, treachery, shame, fear, disgust, delusion, foolishness and sadness.

* Manasā Devī (मनसादेवी): The goddess of snakes, daughter of Shiva by a mortal woman.

* Mantharā (मंथरा): Mantharā was a servant who convinced Kaikeyi that the throne
of Ayodhya belonged to her son Bharata and that Rama should be exiled from the
kingdom.

* Mantra (मंत): An incantation with words of power. A religious syllable or poem, typically from
the Sanskrit language. They are primarily used as spiritual conduits, words and vibrations that
instill one-pointed concentration in the devotee. Other purposes have included religious
ceremonies to accumulate wealth, avoid danger, or eliminate enemies. Mantras are performed
through chanting.

* Manu Smriti (मनुसमृित): The Manusmriti translated Laws of Manu is regarded as an important
work of Hindu law and ancient Indian society. Manu was the forefather of all humans and author
of Manu Smriti. Certain historians believe it to have been written down around 200 C.E. under the
reign of Pushymitra Sunga of Sangha clan.

* Mārīcha (मारीच): A character in the Ramayana, uncle of Ravana who transformed himself
into a golden deer at the behest of Ravana to entice Sita.

* Mārkandeya (माकरणडेय): A sage who told Yudhishthira the story of a brahmana, Kausika.

* Marutta (मरत): A king of the Ikshwaku dynasty whose sacrifice was performed by Samvarta
in defiance of Indra and Brihaspati.

* Mātalī (मातली): Charioteer of Indra who took Arjuna to the kingdom of gods.

* Matanga (मतंग): A rishi during Ramayana period, Rama and Laxman pass by while
searching Sita on way to mountain Rishyamūk on which dwelt Sugriva.

* Mathurā (मथुरा): The capital of Yadavas which was invaded by Kams

* Matrikas: A group of mother goddesses.

* Matsya (मतसय): The first avatar of Vishnu, where he came in the form of a fish.
 * Māyā (माया): Maya is the limited, purely physical and mental reality in which our everyday
consciousness has become entangled. Maya is believed to be an illusion, a veiling of the true,
unitary Self—the Cosmic Spirit also known as Brahman. Maya originated in the Hindu scriptures
known as the Upanishads.

* Mayasura (मयासुर): Maya (मय), or Mayasura was a great ancient king of the Asura, Daitya and
Rakshasa races upon earth. He was also the chief architect of the peoples of the netherworlds.

* Medhavi (मेधवी): Son of Sage Baladhi who desired that his son should live as long as a certain
mountain lasted.

* Menakā (मेनका): Menakā is considered one of the most beautiful of the heavenly
Apsaras. She was sent by Indra, the king of the Devas, to break the severe penance
undertaken by Vishwamitra.

* Meru (मेर): An ancient mountain and mythical centre of the universe on which was situated
the city of Brahma. Becoming jealous of Meru, the Vindya began to grow very high obstructing
the sun, the moon and the planets. Agastya whom the Vindhya mountain respected asked it to
stop growing until he crossed it on his way to the south and returned to the north again. But he
did not return at all, having settled in the south.

* Mithilā (िमिथला): Mithilā was a kingdom in ancient India. It existed in the eastern
Gangetic plains in areas which is today spread over Uttar Pradesh and Bihar states of
India, and parts of Nepal. Raja Janaka, father of Sita, was king of this kingdom.

* Mitra (िमत): One of the Adityas.

* Moksha (मोक): Refers to liberation from the cycle of death and rebirth. In higher Hindu
philosophy, it is seen as a transcendence of phenomenal being, of any sense of consciousness of
time, space, and causation (karma).
* Muchukunda (मुचुकु ंद): Muchukunda was a great sage who kills Kalayavan, the great Yavana
warrior king in the Indian epic Mahabharata.

* Mukāsura (मुकासुर): Mukāsura was a demon, friend of Kauravas, who was sent to
disturb the austerities, Arjuna was performing at Mount Kailash. Mukāsura went to
forest where Arjuna was practicing his vows of prayer, vigil, and fast and attacked
Arjuna in the form of a boar to kill. At the same time Shiva came in the form of a
huntsman and saved him. Shiva gave Arjuna the Gandiva, the divine bow, and blessed him.

[edit] N

* Nachiketa (निचकेता): Nachiketa was son of a cowherd of the name Vājashrava, who
was offered to Yama to find a place in Heaven by his father. Nachiketatas with his
wits learnt the wisdom taught by death, found the Brahman and was freed from death.

* Nāga (नाग): Nāga is the Sanskrit and Pāli word for a minor deity taking the form of
a very large snake, found in Hindu and Buddhist mythology. The use of the term nāga
is often ambiguous, as the word may also refer, in similar contexts, to one of several
human tribes known as or nicknamed "Nāgas"; to elephants; and to ordinary snakes,
particularly the King Cobra and the Indian Cobra, the latter of which is still called nāg
(नाग) in Hindi and other languages of India.

* Nāgas (नाग): Nāgas were a group who spread throughout India during the period
of the epic Mahabharata. The demi-god tribe called Suparnas (in which Garuda
belonged) were arch-rivals of the Nagas. The well known Nagas are Ananta, Vasuki,
Takshaka, Karkotaka and Airavata.

* Nāga panchami (नाग पंचमी): The festival of Nāga panchami is celebrated in Hindus
to pay respect to Nāgas. The five Nāgas worshipped on Nāga panchami are Ananta,
Vāsuki, Taxak, Karkotaka and Pingala.

* Nagavanshi (नाग वंशी): Nagavanshi dynasty is one of the Kshatriya dynasties of India.
It includes a number of Jats and Rajput clans. The worshippers of Nāga (serpent)
were known as Nāgā or Nāgil. The descendants of Nagas were called Nagavanshi.

* Nahusha (नहुष): A mighty king who was made king of the gods because Indra had
disappeared due to his killing Vritra through sin and deceit.

* Naimiṣāraṇya (नैिमषारणय): Naimiṣāraṇya (Naimisha Forest) was an ancient forest mentioned

in the epic Mahabharata. It lay on the banks of the Gomati River (in Uttar Pradesh). The whole
narration of Mahabharata took place at Naimisha forests, during a conclave of sages headed by
sage Saunaka.

* Naivedhya (नैवेधय): Food or eatables prepared as offerings to God, prior to the oblation. (See
also: Prasad)

* Nakula (नकुल): Fourth brother of the Pandavas.

* Nala (नल): King of Nishadha who lost his kingdom in a game of dice and deserted his wife
Damayanti because of a curse.

* Nanda (नंद): Nanda is head of a tribe of cowherds referred as Holy Gwals and foster-father of
Krishna, who was allegedly given to him by Vasudeva. Nanda was married to Yasoda. Krishna
derives his name Nandalal (meaning son of Nanda) from him.

* Nandi (नंिद): Nandi is the white bull which Shiva rides, and the leader of the Ganas. The white
color of the bull symbolizes purity and justice.

* Nandinī (निनदनी): Vasishtha's divinely beautiful cow, child of Kamadhenu.

* Narasiṃha (नरिसंह): The fourth avatar of Vishnu. He is a mixed form of a man and a lion.

* Nara (नर): Arjuna or Dhananjaya.

* Nārada (नारद): Narada is the Hindu divine sage, who is an enduring chanter of the names
Hari and Narayana which other names for Vishnu, considered to be the supreme God by
Vaishnavites and many other Hindus. He is regarded the Manasputra of Brahma as he was born
of his thoughts. He is regarded as the Triloka sanchaari, the ultimate nomad, who roams the
three lokas of Swargaloka , Mrityuloka and Patalloka to find out about the life and welfare of
people.

* Nārāyaṇa (नारायण): Nārāyaṇa is an important Sanskrit name for Vishnu. The name is also
associated with Brahma and Krishna. He is also identified with, or as the son of, the original man,
Purusha.

* Nārāyaṇa s (नारायण): Krishna's kinsmen.

* Nārāyaṇāsrama (नारायणाशम): A charming forest where the Pandavas had halted during their
wanderings.
 * Nārāyaṇastra ( नारायणासत ): Narayanastra is the personal missile weapon of Vishnu in his
Narayana form, this astra lets loose a powerful tirade of millions of deadly missiles
simultaneously.

* Narishyanta (निरषयनत): Narishyanta was son of Vaivasvata Manu and belongs to solar race of
Kshatriyas.

* Narmadā (नमरदा): The Nerbudda river, one of the most important sacred rivers, originating
from Amarkantak is believed to have descended from the sky by the order of Lord Shiva. The
personified river is variously represented as being daughter of a Rishi named Mekala (from whom
she is called Mekala and Mekala-kanya), as a daughter of the moon, as a 'mind-born daughter' of
the Somapas, and as sister of the Nagas. It was she who brought Purukutsa to the aid of the
Nagas against the Gandharvas, and the grateful snake-gods made her name a charm against the
venom of snakes.

* Navadurga] (नवदुगा): Literally means nine Durgas, constitute, according to Hindu mythology,
the manifestation of Durga in nine different forms.

* Navaratri (नवराित): A Hindu festival of worship and dance. The word Navaratri literally means
nine nights in Sanskrit. During these nine nights and ten days, nine forms of Shakti/Devi are
worshipped.

* Netā (नेता): Netā was daughter of Shiva and friend of Manasa Devi.

* Nikumbha (िनकुमभ): One of Ravana's generals who led the rakshasas against the host of
monkeys and was slain.

* Nīla (नील): Son of Agni; One of the monkey host placed at the gate guarded by Prahasta.

* Nirvāṇa (िनवाण): Literally "extinction" and/or "extinguishing", is the culmination of the yogi's
pursuit of liberation. Hinduism uses the word nirvana to describe the state of moksha, roughly
equivalent to heaven.

* Nishādha (िनषाध): A country where Indra, Lord of the gods had lived once disguised as a
brahmana. King of the Nishadha was Guha who guarded Rama after he crossed Koshala
kingdom on his exile.

* Nishādha (िनषाध): The Nishādha peoples were indigenous tribes inhabiting ancient
India. The Indo-Aryan peoples of ancient India's Vedic civilization saw the Nishadhas
as uncivilized and barbarian peoples. Nishadhas did not follow the Vedic religion, and were
involved in a number of wars with Indo-Aryan kingdoms.

* Om, or Aum (ॐ): the most sacred syllable in Hinduism, first coming to light in the Vedic
Tradition. The syllable is sometimes referred to as the "Udgitha" or "pranava mantra" (primordial
mantra); not only because it is considered to be the primal sound, but also because most mantras
begin with it.

[edit] P

* Pānchajanya (पाचजनय): Name of Krishna's conch.

* Palāsa (पलास): A tree Butea frondosa also called "flame of the forest".

* Pānchāla (पाचाल): Pānchāla corresponds to the geographical area between the

Ganges River and Yamuna River around the city of Kanpur and Benares. Anciently, it
was home to an Indian kingdom, the Panchalas, one of the Mahajanapadas.

* Pānchālī (पाचाली): Another name of Draupadi, Queen of the Pandavas and daughter of King
Drupada.

* Pānchālya (पाचालय): A son of King Drupada who died in the war.

* Panchvatī (पंचवटी): The place beside the river Godavari where Rama, Sita andLaxmana
stayed in exile.

* Pāṇḍavaḥ (पाणडव): Pandavas in Sanskrit pāṇḍavaḥ are the five acknowledged sons of
Pandu, by his two wives Kunti and Madri. They are Yudhishtira, Bhima, Arjuna and Nakula ,
Sahadeva

* Pāṇḍu (पाणडु): Second son of Vichitravirya and Ambalika who succeeded to the throne of
Hastinapura on his father's death, as his elder brother Dhritarashtra was born blind, father of the
Pandavas.

* Paramhamsa (परमहंस): The supreme swan

* Pārāsara (पारासर): A great sage, father of Veda Vyasa.

* Parashurama (परसुराम): Sixth avatara of Vishnu, the son of Jamadagni. His name literally
means Rama-with-the-axe. He received an axe after undertaking a terrible penance to please
Shiva, from whom he learned the methods of warfare and other skills. Parashurama's creation
was a mistake as his mother was given a concoction made to produce a Kshatriya child.
Parashurama was of mixed varna.

* Pārtha (पाथर): Another name of Arjuna.

* Paravasu (परवसु): Son of Raibhva and elder brother of Arvavasu whose wife was violated by
Yavakrida, who was killed with a spear by a fiend for his sin.

* Parikshit (पिरिकत): Son of Abhimanyu and grandson of the Pandavas who was crowned king
after the holocaust claimed the Kauravas and the Pandavas.

* Parṇada (पणाद): The name of a brahman who brought news of Nala to Damayanti.

* Pārvatī (पावरती): Goddess of love, the consort of Shiva and mother of Ganesha,Rukmini
prayed to her for saving her from the cruel Sisupala king of Chedi, as she had set her heart on
marrying Krishna.

* Pāśupatāstra (पाशुपतासत): Pāśupatāstra is the irresistible and most destructive

personal weapon of Siva discharged by the mind, eyes, words or a bow.

* Paurava (पौरव): A Kaurava hero.

* Pavanrekhā (पवनरेखा): Wife of Ugrasena, mother of Kams.

* Phalguna (फलगुन): Arjuna.

* Pitāmaha (िपतामह): Literally grandfather, which however carried no imputation of senile

infirmity but denotes the status of the pater familias.
 * Prabhasa (पभास): The Vasu who seized Vasishtha's divine cow.

* Pradyumna (पदुम): Son of Krishna and Rukmani.

* Prahasta (पहसत): Means long-head, One of Ravana’s generals slain by Nila.

* Prajāpatī (पजािपत): Prajāpatīs are a group (or one) of creation gods, children of
Brahma, including Daksha.

* Pramanakoti (पमाणकोिट): A beautiful spot on the banks of Ganga, to the north of Hastinapura,
the Kuru capital (1,128). Duryodhana built a palace here for disporting himself in the waters of
Ganga. A huge banyan tree was the mark of that place (3,12). Here he poisoned the food of
Bhima, bound him and threw him into Ganga. Bhima was rescued by the Naga tribes living in the
vicinity (1,128) (8,83) (9,56).

* Prasad (पसाद): Food or other offerings, considered to be sanctified, after being presented to
God. (See also: Naivedhya)

* Pratikhami (पितखामी): Duryodhana's charioteer.

* Prayāg (पयाग): The holy place at Allahabad where Ganga and Jamuna meet.

* Prithā (िपथा): Mother of Karna and of the Pandavas; equvivalent Kunti.

* Puṇdarikaksha (पुणडिरक ): Krishna, the lotus-eyed one.

* Purāṇa (पुराण): Purana meaning "ancient" or "old" is the name of a genre (or a group of
related genres) of Indian written literature (as distinct from oral literature). Its general themes are
history, tradition and religion. It is usually written in the form of stories related by one person to
another.

* Purochana (पुरोचन ): An architect and friend of Duryodhana, who built a beautiful wax palace
named "Sivam" in Varanavata.

* Purumitra (पुरिमत ): A Kaurava warrior

* Purushārtha (पुरषाथर): The four chief aims of human life. Arranged from lowest to highest,
these goals are: sensual pleasures (kama), worldly status and security (artha), personal
righteousness and social morality (dharma), and liberation from the cycle of reincarnation
(moksha).

* Purushottama (पुरषोतम): An epithet of Sri Krishna. It is one of the names of Vishnu and means
the Supreme Being.

* Pushkara: The brother of Nala to whom nala lost his kingdom and all that he possessed in
gambling.

[edit] Q
[edit] R

* Rādhā (राधा): Rādhā is one of the gopis (cow-herding girls) of the forest of Vrindavan,
Krishna plays with her during his upbringing as a young boy; The other Radha is the wife of the
charioteer Adhiratha, who found an abandoned new-born boy, whom he named Karna.

* Rāhu (राहु ): Rahu is a snake that swallows the sun or the moon causing eclipses. Rahu is
one of the navagrahas.

* Raibhya (रैभय): A sage whose hermitage was situated on the banks of the Ganga, near
Rishikesh, a place, which gets its name, from Lord Vishnu appearing to him as Hrishikesh. The
Pandavas during their wanderings visited it. This ghat was very holy. Bharata, son of Dasaratha
bathed here. Indra was cleansed of his sin of killing Vritra unfairly by bathing in this ghat.
Sanatkumar became one with God. Aditi, mother of the gods, prayed here to be blessed with a
son.

* Radheya (राधेय): Son of Radha, a name of Karna, who as a foundling was brought up as a
son by Radha, the wife of the Charioteer Adhiratha.

* Rajasūya (राजसूय): A sacrifice performed by a king to be entitled to assume the title of

"Emperor".

* Rā́kṣasaḥ (रा॑कस): A rakshasa alternately, raksasa or rakshas is a demon or unrighteous

spirit in Hinduism.

* Rāma (राम): The Seventh Avatara of Vishnu. The life and heroic deeds of Rama are written
in the Sanskrit epic, The Ramayana.

* Ramanaka dwīpa (रमणक दीप): The home of Kaliya Naga, a poisonous hydra, on the banks
of Jamuna river.

* Rāmāyaṇa (रामायण): Part of the Hindu smriti, written by Valmiki. This epic of 24,000 verses
in seven kandas (chapters or books) tells of a Raghuvamsa prince, Rama of Ayodhya, whose
wife Sita is abducted by the rakshasa Ravana.

* Rāma-navamī (राम नवमी): A Hindu festival, celebrating of the birth of Lord Rama. The day
falls on the Navami, ninth day of the Chaitra month of Hindu lunar year in 'Shukla paksha'.

* Rambhā (रमभा): An apsara in the court of Indra.

* Ratī (रती): Ratī is the goddess of passion and lust, and a daughter of Daksha. She
married Kamadeva, the God of love.

* Rāvaṇa (रावण): King of Lanka who abducted Sita, the beautiful wife of Ramachandra.
Ravana is depicted in art with up to ten heads, signifying that he had knowledge spanning all the
ten directions.

* Rewatī (रेवती): Daughter of Raja Rewat of Arntā who marries Balarama

* Ṝgveda (ऋगवेद): The Rigveda is a collection of Vedic Sanskrit hymns counted as the holiest of
the four religious texts of Hindus, known as the Vedas.

* Rishabha (ऋषभ): Rsabha, the bull, a Hindu god mentioned in epic and Puranic literature, is
an unusual avatar of Vishnu. The second note of the Indian gamut (Shadja, rishabha, gandhara,
madhyama, panchama, daivata, nishada -sa, ri, ga, ma, pa, dha, ni.)

* Ṛṣi (ऋिष): Rishi, also known as Mantradraṣṭa ("seer of the Mantras") and Vedavaktāra
("chanter of the Vedas") is a seer who "heard" (cf. śruti) the hymns of the Vedas. A
rishi is regarded as a combination of a patriarch, a priest, a preceptor, an author of
Vedic hymns, a sage, a saint, an ascetic, a prophet and a hermit into a single person.

* Rishyamūk (ऋषयमूक): Mountain on which Sugriva dwelt.

 * Rishyasringa (ऋषयशृंग): Son of sage Vibhandaka, who had grown up seeing no mortal except
his father. The king of Anga, which was afflicted with a dire famine, to bring rain and plenty,
invited him.

* Rituparṇa (ऋतुपणर): The king of Ayodhya to whom Nala became the charioteer.

* Rohiṇi (रोिहिण): The wife of Vasudeva and mother of Balarama

* Romapada (रोमपद): King of Anga which was once visited by a great drought.

* Rudra (रद): A Rigvedic god of the storm, the hunt, death, Nature and the Wind. Rudra is an
early form of Shiva and a name of Shiva in the Shiva sahasranama.

* Rudra nritya (रद नृतय): Siva's cosmic dance of destruction.

* Rukma (रकम): Elder brother of Rukmani, Heir apparent to the throne of Vidarbha. When
defeated by Balarama and Krishna he established a new city Bhojakata, ashamed to return to
Kundinapura, the capital of Vidarbha, and ruled over it.

* Rukmiṇī (रिकमणी): Daughter of Raja Bhismak, born at Kundalpur. Rukmini was the first wife
and queen of Krishna, the 8th avatar of Vishnu. She was an avatar of Lakshmi.

* Ruparekha (रपरेखा): Lit. meaning a treak of Beauty. A statue in the throne of Vikramaditya.

[edit] S

* Shachī (शची): Wife of Indra, king of the gods on whom Nahusha's evil eye fell. She was also
known as Indrani.

* Sadhana (साधना): Spiritual exercise by a Sadhu or a Sadhaka to attain moksha, which is

liberation from the cycle of birth and death (Samsara), or a particular goal such as blessing from a
deity.

* Sagara (सगर): King Sagar is one of the greatest kings of Suryavansha in the Satya Yuga. He
was king of Ayodhya, ancestor to King Dasharatha. He had two wives Keshini and Sumati.
Asamanja was his son from Keshini.

* Sahadéva (सहदेव): Youngest of the Pandava princes who offered the first honors to Krishna at
the Rajasuya sacrifices.

* Saibya (सैबय): A ruler friendly to the Pandavas.

ं ी): A maid servant or female attendant employed in royal female apartments.

* Sairandhri (सैरध

* Saindhava (सैधव): Jayadratha.

* Śakra (सक): Śakra is identified with the Vedic deity Indra. Śakra is sometimes
named as one of the twelve Ādityas.

* Shakuni (शकुिन): Shakuni was the brother of Gandhari. He was very fond of his nephew
Duryodhana. He won the Pandavas' half of the kingdom for his nephew, as a wager in a rigged
game of dice.

* Salva (सलव): Friend of Sisupala, who besieged Dwaraka Sri Krishna's kingdom to avenge
Sisupala's death at the latter's hand.

* Shalya (शलय): Ruler of Madradesa and brother of Madri and uncle of the Pandavas who
because of having received hospitality from Duryodhana went over to his side.

* Samādhi (समािध): A term used in yogic meditation. Samadhi is also the Hindi word for a
structure commemorating the dead.

* Sambu (समबु): Sambu was son of Krishna, who married Lakshmana, daughter of Duryodhana.

* Sāmkhya (साखय): A school of philosophy emphasising a dualism between Purusha and

Prakrti, propounded by sage Kapila.

* Sampāti (समपाित): Sampati was one of the two sons of Aruna, elder brother of Jatayu.
Sampati lost his wings when he was a child.

* Samsaptaka (संसपतक): One who has taken a vow to conquer or die, and never to retreat. The
Samsaptakas were suicide-squads, vowed to some desperate deed of daring.

* Samsara (संसार): Means wandering, The tree worlds constitute Samsara. Refers to the
concept of reincarnation or rebirth in Indian philosophical traditions.

* Samvarta (संवतर): Brihaspati's younger brother, a person of great learning.

* Samba (संब): A Yadava youngster dressed as a woman who gave birth to a mace, as foretold
by rishis.

* Samudra manthan (समुद मनथन): Samudra manthan or The churning of the ocean of milk is one
of the most famous episodes in the Puranas and is celebrated in a major way every twelve years
in the festival known as Kumbha Mela.

* Sanga (संग): Son of Virata. When king Virata was wounded, he had to get into Sanga's
chariot, having lost his chariot, horses and charioteer

* Sanjaya (संजय): The narrator who tells blind Dhritarashtra the progress of the war from day to
day. He told the king that a victim of adverse fate would first become perverted and loses his
sense of right and wrong. Time would destroy his reason and drive him to his own destruction.

* Sanjīvanī (संजीवनी):Sanjeevani is a magical herb (Selaginella bryopteris) mentioned in the

Ramayana when, Lakshmana is badly wounded and is nearly killed by Ravana. Hanuman was
called upon to fetch this herb from the mount Dronagiri a.k.a Mahodaya in the Himalayas.
Sushena took the life-giving plant and made Lakshman to smell its savour, so that he rose up
whole and well.

* Sankula Yuddha (संकुल युद): A melee, confused fight, a soldiers battle as distinguished from
the combats of heroes.

* Santā (संता): Daughter of Dasharatha, Wife of sage Rishyasringa.

* Sāntanu (सातनु): King of Hastinapura, father of Bhishma.

* Sanyāsin (सनयािसन): One who has renounced the world and its concerns.

* Saran (सारण): The spy of Ravana, Mentioned in Ramayana Yuddha Kanda/Sarga 26, who
tells Ravana about strength of the army of vanaras.
 * Sarasana (सरसन): One of the Kaurava brothers who died in the war.

* Sarmishtha (सरिमषा): Princess and daughter of asura king Vrishaparva, wife of Yayati, who
got angry with Devayani and slapped and pushed her into a dry well. Sarmishtha gave birth to
Druhyu, Anu, and Puru.

* Saraswati (सरसवती): Saraswati is the first of the three great goddesses of Hinduism,
the other two being Lakshmi and Durga. Saraswati is the consort of Lord Brahmā, the
Creator.

* Sarayū (सरयू): Sarayu was an ancient Indian river, sometimes thought of at probably today's
Ghaghara river, and sometimes as a tributary. The river where Lakshamana practices austerities.

* Satanika (सतिनक): Virata's son whose bead was severed by Drona.

* Satī (सती): One of name of Dākshāyani, Dākshāyani is the consort of Shiva. Other
names for Dākshāyani include Gaurī, Umā, Aparnā, Lalithā, Sivakāmini etc. Sati
(practice) is the immolation of a widow on her husband's pyre in Hinduism.

* Satyajit (सतयिजत): A Panchala prince, a hero who stood by Yudhishthira to prevent his being
taken prisoner by Drona, while Arjuna was away answering a challenge by the Samsaptakas (the
Trigartas).

* Satyaki (सतयिक): A Yadava warrior, friend of Krishna and the Pandavas who advocated
collecting their forces and defeating the unrighteous Duryodhana.

* Satya Nārāyana (सतय नारायण): Vishnu, Embodiment as Krishna.

* Satyavān (सतयवान): Meaning the truth-speaker, husband of Savitri. The oldest known
version of the story of Savitri and Satyavan is found in "The Book of the Forest" of the
Mahabharata.

* Satyavatī (सतयवती): A fisherman's daughter who possessed uncommon beauty and

emanated a divinely sweet fragrance and king Santanu became enamored of her, married her
and made her his queen. The wife of Bhishma's father, Shantanu.

* Satyavrata (सतयवरत): Warrior on the Kaurava side.

* Saugandhika (सौगंिधका): A plant that produced a very beautiful and fragrant flower that Bhima
went to get for Draupadi.

* Sāvitrī (सािवती): Wife of Satyavan.

* Savyasachi (सवयसािच): Ambidexter, one who can use both hands with equal facility and effect.
A name of Arjuna who could use his bow with the same skill with either hands.

* Shakti (शकती): An aspect of Devi and a personification of God as the Divine Mother who
represents the active, dynamic principles of feminine power.

* Shaktism(शाकतं): Lit., "doctrine of power" or "doctrine of the Goddess") is a denomination of

Hinduism that focuses worship upon Shakti or Devi – the Hindu Divine Mother – as the absolute,
ultimate Godhead. It is, along with Shaivism and Vaisnavism, one of the three primary schools of
Hinduism.
 * Shakuntalā (शकुनतला): Shakuntala was mother of Emperor Bharata and the wife of
Dushyanta. Shakuntala was born of Vishvamitra and Menaka.

* Shālwa (शालव): The King with whom Ambā was secretly in love.

* Shankara (शंकर): A name of Shiva; A great magician , friend of Chand Sagar.

* Śankha (शंख): Shankha is the divine Counch or sea shell, which is one of the insignia in the
Hindu God Vishnu's hands. The sound emitted from Shankha when blown, is too divine,
that is used for regular rituals for Vishnu. Śankha was also the name of one of sons of
King Virata who was killed in Mahabharata.

* Shantanu (शानतनु): Shantanu was a king of Hastinapura, father of Bhishma. Shantanu weds
Satyavati, a ferryman's daughter.

* Shatrughna (शतुघ): One of Dasharatha's four sons, King of Madhu.

* Śatapatha brāhmaṇa (शतपथ बाहण): Shatapatha Brahmana ("Brahmana of one-

hundred paths"), abbreviated ŚB) is one of the prose texts describing the Vedic ritual,
associated with the White Yajurveda.

* Shaivism]] (शैव धमर): Shaivism names the oldest of the four sects of Hinduism. Followers of
Shaivism, called "Shaivas," and also "Saivas" or "Saivites," revere Shiva as the Supreme Being.

* Śeṣa (शेष): Shesha is a naga that takes human birth through Devaki, one of the
primal beings of creation. Equivalent-Ananta or Atī-sheshan. In the Puranas, Shesha
is said to hold all the planets of the universe on his hoods and to constantly sing the
glories of Vishnu from all his mouths.

* Shiva (िशव): A form of Ishvara or God in Shaivism. Śiva is commonly known as "the
destroyer" and is the third god of the Trimurti.

* Shikhandi (िशखणडी): Daughter-son of Drupada, A girl turned man, warrior on the Pandava
side. He had been born in an earlier lifetime as a woman named Amba, who was rejected by
Bhishma for marriage.

* Shishupāla (िशषुपाल): Shishupala was son of Damaghosha, king of Chedi, by Srutadeva,

sister of Vasudeva; he was therefore cousin of Krishna, but he was Krishna's
implacable foe, because Krishna had carried off Rukmini, his intended wife.
Shishupāla was Identical with Hiranyakashipu who was slain by Krishnaat the time of
Dharmaputra's Rajasuya sacrifice.

* Shiva (िशव): Shiva is a form of Ishvara or God in the later Vedic scriptures of Hinduism. Shiva
is the supreme God in Shaivism, one of the major branches of Hinduism practiced in India.

* Shivi (िशिव): Shivi was a great, powerful and generous king. Indra and Agni once tested his
generosity by becoming birds when the king gave flesh from his body to fulfil his duty.

* Shri (शी): Another name of Lakshmi, a goddess, the delight of Vishnu.

* Shri Krishna (शी कृषण): See Krishna.

* Shrutkīrti (शुतकीितर): Daughter of Kushadhwaja; bestowed on Shatrughna.

* Shudra (शुद): One of the four castes in Hindu tradition, consisting of artisans, cleaners and
labourers.

* Shukracharya (शुकाचायर): Shukracharya was a guru in Hindu mythology. Known as the guru of
the Asuras, he is also associated with the planet Shukra (Venus) which is named after him. He
was born as the son of Rishi Brighu and his wife Ushana.

* Siddhāshrama (िसदाशम): The Shiva's hermitage, Where Rama and Vishvamitra sacrifice for
many days.

* Simhanada (िसंहनाद): A lion-note or roar; a deep roar of defiance or triumph which warriors
were wont to utter to inspire confidence in their friends, of terror in their enemies.

* Sindhu (िसनधु): The Indus River, Urdu ‫ ;دریائے سندھ‬Tibetan: Sengge Chu ('Lion River'); Persian:
Hindu; Greek: Sinthos; Pashto: Abaseen ("The Father of Rivers"); Mehran (an older name)) is the
longest and most important river in Pakistan. Originating in the Tibetan plateau in the vicinity of
Lake Mansarovar.

* Sinhikha (िसंिहख): The grim rakshasi who rose from the sea and caught Hanumana, when he
coursed through the air like Garuda in search of Sita.

* Sini (िसिन): One of the suitors to Devaki’s hand. A kinsman of the Kauravas.

* Sītā (सीता): Sita was the wife of Rama, and is esteemed an exemplar of womanly
and wifely virtue. Sita was herself an avatāra of Lakshmi, Vishnu's eternal consort,
who chose to reincarnate herself on Earth as Sita, and endure an arduous life, in order
to provide humankind an example of such virtues.

* Sloka (शलोक): A verse of lines in Sanskrit, typically recited as a prayer.

* Smarta (समतर): A Hindu denomination, which follows Advaita philosophy and considers that all
gods are manifestations of Ishvar.

* Śruti (शुित): A canon of Hindu scriptures. Shruti is believed to have no author; rather a divine
recording of the "cosmic sounds of truth", heard by rishis.

* Soma (सोम): A ritual drink of importance among Hindus. It is frequently mentioned in the
Rigveda, which contains many hymns praising its energizing or intoxicating qualities.

* Somadutta (सोमदत): One of the suitors to Devaki's hand. A kinsman of the Kauravas.

* Sthūṇa (सथूण): A Yaksha, follower of Kubera, who exchanges his identity with Shikhandin, A
rakshasa who helps disturb Vishvamitra's sacrifices.

* Subahu (सुबाहु ): King of Kulinda in the Himalayas, ally of the Kauravas, Subahu was a demon
who tried to interrupt Viswamitra's yaga. He was slain by Lord Rama. King of Chedi.

* Subhadra (सुभदा): Wife of Arjuna, sister of Sri Krishna and mother of Abhimanyu.

* Subrahmaniam (सुबहमणयम): The southern mountain deity.

* Sudakshina (सुदिकण): A warrior on the Kaurava side.

* Sudarsana (सुदसरण): A warrior on the Kaurava army.

* Sudarshana Chakra (सुदशरन चक): Sudarshan Chakra is a spinning disc like weapon with very
sharp edge, which is one of the weapons in the Hindu God Vishnu's hands.

* Sudeshna (सुदेषणा): Queen of King Virata whom Sairandhri (Draupadi) served.

* Sudeva (सुदेव): A Brahman who traced Damayanti in Chedi and later helps Damayanti in her
quest to find Nala. He was friend of Damayanti's brother.

* Sugrīva (सुगीव): Monkey-king, friend of Sri Rama, and brother of mighty Vali whom Sri Rama
killed.

* Sujata (सुजाता): Daughter of Sage Uddalaka and wife of Kagola, his disciple who had virtue
and devotion but not much of erudition, mother of Ashtavakra.

* Śuka (सुक): A sage, son of Vyasa, who related the Bhagavata Purana to King Parikshit,
grandson of Arjuna.

* Sukanyā (सुकनया): Meaning - Fair-maid, The wife of Chyavana whom the Ashvins beheld at
her bath, bare of any garment.

* Sumān (सुमन): Son of Asamanja.

* Sumatī (सुमती): Wife of Sagara.

* Sumitra (सुिमत): Abhimanyu's charioteer.

* Sumitrā (सुिमता): One of Dasharatha's three wives; mother of Lakshamana and Shatrughna.

* Sunda (सुनद): Sunda and Upasunda were two brave and poerful asura princes who performed
austerities to please Brahma,who besowed them the boon that nobody else would slay them,
other than each other. Later Brahma created a beautiful apsara Tilottama to creat differences
within and destroyed them mutually.

* Sunitī (सुिनती): Mother of Dhruva.

* Supārshwa (सुपाशरव): One of Ravana's counsellors.

* Surabhi (सुरिभ): The wish-bestowing cow that came first from the sea in the process of
churning of the Ocean by gods and daityas.

* Surpankhā (सुपरणखा): A rākshasī; sister of ravana; desires Rama; seeks to become

Lakshamana's wife who attempts to slay Sita.

* Supratika (सुपितक): Name of King Bhagadatta's elephant.

* Sūrya (सूयर): A solar deity who is one of the three main Vedic Gods.

* Susarma (सुसमर): King of Trigarta, a supporter of the Kauravas who backed the proposal to
invade Matsya, Virata's country.

* Sushena (सुषेन): A monkey chief ; at siege of Lanka.

* Sushruta Samhita] (सुशुतसंिहता): Suśruta Saṃhitā is a Sanskrit redaction text on all of the
major concepts of ayurvedic medicine with innovative chapters on surgery, attributed to Sushruta,
likely a historical sage physician of 6th century BC.
 * Sūtra (सूत): Sūtra refers to an aphorism or a collection of such aphorisms in the
form of a book or text. 'Sutras' form a school of Vedic study, related to and somewhat later than
the Upanishads.

* Suvarna (सुवणर): A soldier on the Kaurava side.

* Sri Rama (शीराम): Also knew as Rama, Ramachandra or Sri Rama. Hanumana tells Bhima
how he was deeply thrilled when he happened to touch Rama's body. This king of Ayodhya was
banished to the forest for fourteen years, killed Ravana the king of Lanka who abducted his wife,
Sita.

* Srinjayas (शीनजय): Pandava supporters.

* Srutayu (शुतायु), Astutayu (असतुतायु): Two brothers fighting on the Kaurava side attacked
Arjuna but were killed.

* Srutayudha (शुतायुद): A Kaurava warrior whose mace hurled at Krishna rebounded fiercely,
killing Srutayudha himself. Her mother Parnasa had obtained that gift from Varuna who had
specified that the mace should not be used against one who does not fight, else it would kill the
person who hurls it.

* Swarga (सवगर): An Olympian paradise, a place where all wishes and desires are gratfied, The
heaven of Indra where mortals after death enjoy the results of their good deeds on earth.

* Sveta (सवेत): A son of King Virata who fell in battle to Bhishma's arrow.

* Swayamvara (सवयंवर): Meaning - Own-choice, Swayamvara, in ancient India, was a practice

of choosing a life partner, among a list of suitors by a girl of marriageable age.

* Syala (सयाल): A Yadava prince who insulted the sage Gargya, and was the cause of his
becoming the father of Kalayavana, a great foe of Krishna and the Yadava family.

[edit] T

* Tall (टलल): One of Ravana's counsellors

* Tārā (तारा): See Tara#Hinduism

* Tāragam (तारगम): Tāragam is the name of forest, where dwelt ten thousand
heretical rishis, who taught that the universe is eternal, that souls have no lord and that
performance of works alone suffices for the attainment of salvation. Shiva taught them lesson and
they became his followers. This legend is associated with Shiva's dance.

* Tāraka (तारक): A demon slain by Kumara, the first son of Shiva.

* Tandava (ताणडव): Siva's cosmic dance.

* Tantra (तंत): The esoteric Hindu traditions of rituals and yoga. Tantra can be summarised as
a family of voluntary rituals modeled on those of the Vedas, together with their attendant texts
and lineages.

* Tantripala: Assumed name of Sahadeva at Virata's court.

* Tilottamā (ितलोतमा): Tilottama was an Apsaras. She is reputed to have been created by
Vishwakarma from Tila seeds. She was responsible for bringing out the mutual destruction of the
Asuras Sunda and Upasunda.

* Tripura (ितपुरा): Tripura (meaning three cities, in Sanskrit) was constructed by the great
architect Mayasura. They were great cities of prosperity, power and dominance over the world,
but due to their impious nature, Maya's cities were destroyed by Lord Shiva.

* Trishira (ितिसर): Trishira that is, one having three heads, was an asura mentioned in the
Ramayana. He was one of the seven sons of Ravana, and his other brothers were Indrajit,
Prahasta, Atikaya, Akshayakumara, Devantaka and Narantaka.

* Tulsī Dās (तुलसीदास): Goswami Tulsidas (1532–1623) was a Hindu poet and philosopher,
translator of the epics into vernacular. Tulsidas wrote twelve books and is considered the greatest
and most famous of Hindi poets.

[edit] U

* Uchchaihśravas: Uchchaihsravas was the white horse of Indra, produced at the

churning of the ocean. It is fed on ambrosia, and is held to be the king of horses.

* Udayana: Udayana was a prince of the Lunar race, and son of Sahasranika, who is the hero
of a popular story. He was king of Vatsa, and is commonly called Vatsaraja. His capital was
Kausambi. Also a name of Agastya.

* Uddalaka: A great sage and teacher of Vedanta.

* Uddhava: The friend and counselor of Krishna. According to some he was Krishna 's cousin,
being son of Devabhaga, the brother of Vasudeva. He was also called Pavanayadhi.

* Ugrasena (उगसेन): one-time King of Yadavas; deposed by his son Kams. His wife was
Pavanrekha. Krishna killed Kams and established Ugrasena on throne.

* Ujjayini (उजजियिन) or Ujjain (उजजैन): is an ancient city of central India, in the Malwa region of
Madhya Pradesh near which the ancient throne of Vikramaditya was discovered, one of the
seven sacred cities of the Hindus, where the Kumbh Mela is held every twelve years. It is also
home to Mahakaleshwar Jyotirlinga, one of the twelve Jyotirlinga shrines to the god Shiva.

* Ulūka (उलूक): 'An owl.' Son of Kitava. He was king of a country and people of the same
name. He was an ally of the Kauravas, and acted as their envoy to the Pandavas.

* Ulūpī (उलूपी): A daughter of Kauravya, Raja of the Nagas, with whom Arjuna contracted a
kind of marriage. She was nurse to her stepson, Babhruvahana, and had great influence over
him. According to the Vishnu Purana she had a son named Iravat.

* Umadevī (उमादेवी): Wife of Siva.

* Unchhavritti (उनछवृती): The life of a mendicant, begging his food.

* Upachitra (उपिचत): One of King Dhritarashtra's sons who perished in the war.

* Upanishad (उपिनषद् ): Part of the Hindu Śruti scriptures which primarily discuss meditation
and philosophy, seen as religious instructions by most schools of Hinduism.

* Upaplavya (उपपलवय): A place in Matsya Kingdom, where the Pandavas settled after their exile
of thirteen years.

* Uparichara: A Vasu or demigod, who, according to the Mahabharata, became king of Chedi
by command of Indra. He had five sons by his wife; and by an Apsaras, named Adrika,
condemned to live on earth in the form of a fish, he had a son named Matsya (fish), and a
daughter, Satyavati, who was the mother of Vyasa.

* Upasunda (उपसुनद): Sund and Upasunda were two brave and poerful asura princes who
performed austerities to please Brahma,who besowed them the boon that nobody else would slay
them, other than each other. Later Brahma created a beautiful apsara Tilottama to creat
differences within and destroyed them.

* Urmilā (उिमरला): Second daughter of Janaka; bestowed on Lakshmana.

* Urvasī (उवरसी): An apsara in Indra's court, whose amorous overtures Arjuna declined.

* Ushā (उषा): Wife of Aniruddha, daughter of Banasur.

* Ushanas (उशना): Ushanas were appointed as priests of asuras, who knew the science of
bringing to life.

* Uttanka (उतंक): Uttanka was a pupil of Veda, the third pupil of Dhaumya rishi. The other two
pupils of Uttanka were Janamejaya and Poshya.

* Uttara (उतर): A son of the Raja of Virata. Uttara was killed in battle by Salya.

* Uttarā (उतरा): A daughter of the Raja of Virata. She married Abhimanyu, son of Arjuna.

* Uttar kānda (उतरकाड): The part of epic Ramayana added later to the work of Valmiki.

[edit] V

* Vaiśampāyana (वैशंपायन): A celebrated sage who was the original teacher of the Black Yajur-
Veda. He was a pupil of the great Vyasa, from whom he learned the Mahabharata, which he
afterwards recited to King Janamejaya at a festival.

* Vaishnava (वैषणव): A sacrifice performed by Duryodhana in the forest. Yayati, Mandhata,

Bharata and others also performed it.

* Vaishnava mantra (वैषणव मंत): An invocation which endows a missile with some of the
irresistible power of Vishnu.

* Vaishnavism (वैषणव धमर): Vaishnavism is a tradition of Hinduism, distinguished from other

schools by its worship of Vishnu or his associated avatars, principally as Rama and Krishna, as
the original and supreme God.

* Vaishrāvan (वैशावण): Elder brother of Ravana to whom Rama returned Pushpaka after the
death of Ravana.

* Vaishya (वैशय): One of the four fundamental varnas (colours) in Hindu tradition comprising of
merchants, artisans, and landowners.

* Vaivasvata Manu (वैवसवत मनु): Vaivasvata Manu (also Manu Vaivasvate) is one of the 14
Manus. He is considered the progenitor of the current Manvantara, which is the 7th of the 14 that
make up the current Kalpa, each Kalpa making up a day of Brahma. He was born to Saranya and
Vivasvat and was the King of Dravida during the epoch of the Matsya Purana.He was the founder
of the Suryavansha race of kings.
 * Vajrahanu (वजहनु): One of Ravana's generals.

* Vajrayudha (वजयुद): The weapon with which Indra killed Visvarupa on suspicion because his
mother belonged to the asura tribe of daityas.

* Valala (वलाल): Assumed name of Bhima when, he worked as a cook at Virata's court.

* Vālī (वाली): One of five great monkeys in Ramayana, a son of Indra, Monkey-king of
Kishkindha and the cruel elder brother of Sugriva. He was killed by Rama.

* Vālmikī (वािलमकी): Maharishi Valmiki is the author of the Hindu epic Ramayana, a brahman
by birth, connected with the kings of Ayodhya, contemporary of Rama who invented the shloka
metre, who taught the Ramayana to Kusa and Lava.

* Vāmadeva (वामदेव): Vamadeva is the name of the "preserver" aspect of the god Shiva, one
of five aspects of the universe he embodies. Also one of Dasharatha's priest.

* Vamana (वामन): The fifth Avatara of Vishnu. He is the first Avatar of Vishnu which had a
completely human form, although it was that of a dwarf brahmin.

* Vanāsur (बाणासुर): Same as Banasur, was a thousand-armed asura, powerful and terrible.
He was son of Bali. Bana was a follower of Siva. Banasura had a beautiful daughter named
Usha.

* Vanaprastha (वानपसथ): The third stage of the dvija's life, when he is required to relinquish
worldly responsibilities to his heirs and retires to the woods with his wife for an anchorite's life. A
person who is living in the forest as a hermit after giving up material desires.

* Vandi: Court poet of Mithila who on being defeated by Sage Ashtavakra in debate drowned
himself in the ocean and went to the abode of Varuna.

* Varaha (वाराह): The third avatar of Vishnu, who came in the form of a boar.

* Vardhamana (वधरमान): The northern gate of the Kuru capital Hastinapura.

* Varṇa (वणर): Means - colour, Varna refers to the four naturally existing classes of society as
given in the Hindu scriptures: Brahmin, Kshatriya, Vaishya and Shudra.

* Vārṇāvata (वारणावत): One of the provinces asked by Pandavas. A forest in which the
Pandavas were asked to stay in a wax-house which was to be set on fire at midnight in order to
kill the Pandavas while they were asleep.

* Varṣṇeya: The charioteer of Rituparna, king of Ayodhya, who accompanied with Bahuka.

* Varuṇa (वरण): A god of the sky, of rain and of the celestial ocean, as well as a god of law and
of the underworld.

* Varuṇī (वरणी): The goddess of wine.

* Vāsava (वासव): Name of arrow of death, given by Indra to Karna.

* Vashiṣtha (विशष): Vasishtha was chief of the seven venerated sages (or Saptarishi) and the
Rajaguru of the Suryavamsha. He was the manasaputra of Brahma. He had in his possession the
divine cow Kamadhenu, and Nandini her child, who could grant anything to their owners.
Arundhatiwas his wife.
 * Vasudhana (वसुधन): Another warrior who perished in the battle on the Twelfth Day.

* Vasudeva (वसुदेव): Descendant of Yadu, husband of Rohini and Devaki. An epithet of Krishna.
It means both son of Vasudeva and the supreme spirit that pervades the universe.

* Vasuki: King of the Nagas or serpents who live in Patala. He was used by the gods and
Asuras for a coil round the mountain Mandara at the churning of the ocean.

* Vatapi: Vatapi and Ilvala, two Rakshasas, sons either of Hrada or Viprachitti. They are
mentioned in the Ramayana as dwelling in the Dandaka forest.

* Vayu (वायु): The god of air and wind who is also father of Bhima and Hanuman.

* Veda (वेद): Collectively refers to a corpus of ancient Indo-Aryan religious literature that are
considered by adherents of Hinduism to be revealed knowledge. Many Hindus believe the Vedas
existed since the beginning of creation.

* Veda Vyasa (वेद वयास): Vyasa, author of the Mahabharata.

* Vibhandaka: An ascetic who retired from the world and lived in the forest with his infant son
Rishyasringa.

* Vibhīshaṇa (िवभीषण): Vibhishana was a rakshasa, brother of Ravana. He was of a noble

character and advised Ravana, who kidnapped and abducted Sita, to return her to Rama.

* Vichitravīrya (िविचतवीयर): Vichitravirya was Bhishma's half brother, the younger son of queen
Satyavati and king Santanu. Chitrangada, the elder brother of Vichitravirya, succeeded Santanu
to the throne of Hastinapura. When he died childless, Vichitravirya, became king. He had two
sons, Dhritarashtra and Pandu.

* Vidarbha: Birar, and probably including with it the adjoining district of Beder, which name is
apparently a corruption of Vidarbha. The capital was Kundinapura, the modern "Kundapur," about
forty miles east of Amaravati.

* Vidura (िवदुर): Vidura was a son of a maid-servant who served the Queens of Hastinapura,
Queen Ambika and Ambalika. A friend of pandavas. After Krishna, he was the most trusted
advisor to the Pandavas and had warned them repeatedly about Duryodhana's plots.

* Vijaya (िवजय): Name of Karna's bow.

* Vijayadashami (िवजयादशमी):A festival celebrated on the tenth day of the bright fortnight
(Shukla Paksha) of the Hindu autumn month of Ashvin.

* Vikarna (िवकणर): A son of Dhritarashtra who declared the staking of Draupadi illegal, as
Yudhishthira himself was a slave and had lost all his rights. Therefore the Kauravas had not won
Draupadi legally, he held

* Vikramaditya (िवकमािदतय): Vikramāditya is the name of a legendary king of Ujjain,

famed for his wisdom, valour and magnanimity. The title "Vikramaditya" has also
been assumed by many kings in Indian history, notably the Gupta King Chandragupta
II.

* Vikukshi: A king of the Solar race, who succeeded his father, Ikshwaku. He received the
name of Sasada, 'hare-eater.' He was sent by his father to hunt and obtain flesh suitable for
offerings. Being weary and hungry he ate a hare, and Vasishtha, the priest, declared that this act
had defiled all the food, for what remained was but his leavings.

* Vinda (िवनद), Anuvinda (अनुिवनद): Two brothers kings of Avanti, great soldiers whom were on
the Kaurava side, they suffered defeat at the hands of Yudhamanyu.

* Vindhyas (िवनधय): Vindhyas is a range of hills in central India, which geographically separates
the Indian subcontinent into northern India (the Indo-Gangetic plain) and Southern India.

* Virāta (िवराट): King of Matsya, the country which was suggested by Bhima to live in
incognito during the thirteenth year of their exile.

* Vīrabhadra (वीरभद): Vīrabhadra was a demon that sprang from Shiva's lock of hair.
Shiva burnt with anger when not invited in a sacrifice by Daksha and his wife Sati
released the inward consuming fire and fell dead at Daksha's feet. Shiva burned with
anger, and tore from his head a lock of hair, glowing with energy, and cast upon the
earth. The terrible demon Vīrabhadra sprang from it. On the direction of Shiva,
Virabhadra appeared with Shiva's ganas in the midst of Daksha's assembly like a storm wind
and broke the sacrificial vessels, polluted the offerings, insulted the priests and finally cut off
Daksha's head.

* Virādha (िवराध): A fierce rakshasa who seizes Sita.

* Vīrasen: Father of Raja Nala, king of Nishadha.

* Virochana (िवरोचन): An asura, son of Prahlada, and father of Bali. He is also called Drisana.
When the earth was milked, Virochana acted as the calf of the Asuras.

* Vishnu (िवषणु): A form of God, to whom many Hindus pray. For Vaishnavas, He is the only
Ultimate Reality or God. In Trimurti belief, He is the second aspect of God in the Trimurti (also
called the Hindu Trinity), along with Brahma and Shiva. Known as the Preserver, He is most
famously identified with His avatars, especially Krishna and Rama.

* Vishvakarmā (िवशकमा): Vishwakarma is the presiding deity of all craftsmen and architects.
Son of Brahma, he is the divine craftsman of the whole universe, and the official builder of all the
gods' palaces. Vishwakarma is also the designer of all the flying chariots of the gods, and all their
weapons.

* Viśvamitra (िवशािमत): Brahmarishi Visvamitra or Vishvamitra was one of the most venerated
rishi or sages of since ancient times in India. He was originally a Kshatriya but by austerities
earned the title of Brahmarishi. He is also credited as the author of most of Mandala 3 of the
Rigveda, including the Gayatri Mantra.

* Visoka (िवसोक): Bhima's charioteer.

* Visvarupa (िवसवरप): Name of Twashta's son who became the preceptor of the gods,
Brihaspati having left when insulted by Indra.

* Vivimsati (िविवसमित): A Kaurava hero.

* Viswarupa (िवसवरप): All-pervading, all-including form. See the description in the Bhagavad
Gita chapter eleven.

* Vriddhakshatra (वृदकत): King of the Sindhus, father of Jayadratha into whose lap his son
Jayadratha's head was caused to fall by Arjuna after cutting off Jayadratha's head.
 * Vrika (वृक): A Panchala prince who fell in battle.

* Vrikasthala (वृकसथल): One of the provinces asked by Pandavas. This province and town were
situated in the southern part of Kuru Kingdom (Kuru Proper + Kurujangala). Krishna visited the
town of Vrikasthala (in Gurgaon district of Hariyana) and camped there for onee night (5,84).

* Vrindavana: A wood in the district of Mathura where Krishna passed his youth, under the
name of Gopala, among the cowherds.

* Vrisha (वृष), Achala(अचल): Sakuni's brothers.

* Vrishdarbha (वृषदभर): A king of Benares, associated with the story of "The king, the Pigeon,
and Hawk".

* Vrishni (वृषिण): A descendent of Yadu, and the ancestor from whom Krsna got the name
Varshneya

* Vrishnis , (वृषिण): The descendant of Vrishni, son of Madhu, whose ancestor was the eldest
son of Yadu. Krsna belonged to this branch of the Lunar race. The people of Dwaraka were
known as the Vrishnis. Tribals of this race were devoted to the Pandavas, who with Sri Krishna
visited the Pandavas in their exile.

* Vrishasena (वृषसेन): Son of Karna, A warrior on the Kaurava side, slain by Arjuna.

* Vrishnis (वृषिण): The people of Dwaraka to which belonged Krishna. After the death of
Duryodhana his mother cursed that after 36 years Krishna should persish alone miserably and his
people, the Vrishnis, should be destroyed.

* Vritra (वृत): Means "the enveloper". Vritra, was an Asura and also a serpent or dragon, the
personification of drought and enemy of Indra. Vritra was also known in the Vedas as Ahi
("snake"), cognate with Azhi Dahaka of Zoroastrian mythology and he is said to have had three
heads. He was son of Twashta who was defeated by Indra's weapons Vajrayudha. He was born
out of his father's sacrificial flames and became Indra's mortal enemy.

* Vrikodara (वृकोदर): Wolf-bellied, an epithet of Bhima, denoting his slimness of waist and
insatiable hunger.

* Vyasa (वयास): Compiler of the Vedas, son of sage Parasara.

* Vyuha (वयुह): Battle arrays.

[edit] Y

* Yādavas (यादव): The descendants of Yadu, who dwelt by the Jamuna river.

* Yadu (यदु ): A prince of the lunar dynasty; Yadu is the name of one of the five Aryan clans
mentioned in the Rig Veda. His descendants are called Yadavas. The epic Mahabharata and
Puranas refer to Yadu as the eldest son of mythological king Yayati.

* Yaduvamsis: Those of the clan of Yadu.

* Yajna (यज): A Vedic ritual of sacrifice performed to please the Devas, or sometimes to the
Supreme Spirit Brahman. Often it involves a fire, which represents the god Agni, in the centre of
the stage and items are offered into the fire.

* Yakṣa (यक): Yaksha or Yakkha (Pāli) is the name of a broad class of nature-spirits or
minor deities who appear in Hindu and Buddhist mythology. The feminine form of the
word is yakṣī or yakṣiṇī (Pāli: yakkhī or yakkhinī). subjects of Kubera, the god of
wealth.

* Yama (यम): Yama, also known as Yamarāja (यमराज) is the lord of death, first recorded in
the Vedas. God of dharma, whose son was Yudhishthira. It is he whose questions Yudhishthira
answered correctly whereupon his dead brothers were brought back to life on the banks of the
enchanted pool.

* Yamas: A yama (Sanskrit), literally translates as a "restraint", a rule or code of conduct for
living virtuously.

* Yashodā (यशोदा): Yasodā was wife of Nanda and foster-mother of, Krishna, who
was given to them by Vasudeva. Yasoda also played an important role in the
upbrinding of Balarama and his sister Subhadra. She is also sometimes described as
having her own daughter, known as Ekānaṅgā.

* Yavakrida: Son of Sage Bharadwaja who was bent upon mastering the Vedas.

* Yayati (ययाित): Emperor of the Bharata race who rescued Devayani from the well into which
she had been thrown by Sarmishtha. He later married both Devayani and Sarmishtha. One of the
ancestors of the Pandavas who became prematurely old due to Sukracharya's curse.

* Yoga (योग): Spiritual practices performed primarily as a means to enlightenment (or bodhi).
Traditionally, Karma Yoga, Bhakti Yoga, Jnana Yoga, and Raja Yoga are considered the four
main yogas. In the West, yoga has become associated with the asanas (postures) of Hatha Yoga,
popular as fitness exercises.

* Yoga Sutra (योग सूत): One of the six darshanas of Hindu or Vedic schools and, alongside the
Bhagavad Gita and Hatha Yoga Pradipika, are a milestone in the history of Yoga.

* Yogi (योगी): One who practices yoga, These designations are mostly reserved for advanced
practitioners. The word "yoga" itself—from the Sanskrit root yuj ("to yoke") --is generally
translated as "union" or "integration" and may be understood as union with the Divine, or
integration of body, mind, and spirit.

* Yudhāmanyu (युधामनयु): A Panchala prince supporting the Pandavas, who was assigned the
task of protecting the wheels of Arjuna's chariot along with Uttamauja. He was slain in his sleep
by Ashvatthama.

* Yudhishthira (युिधिषर): Yudhisthira was the eldest son of King Pandu and Queen Kunti, king of
Hastinapura and Indraprastha, and World Emperor. He was the principal protagonist of the
Kurukshetra War, and for his unblemished piety, known as Dharmaraja.

* Yuga (युग): In Hindu philosophy (and in the teachings of Surat Shabd Yoga) the cycle of
creation is divided into four yugas (ages or eras).

* Yuga Dharma (युगधमर): One aspect of Dharma, as understood by Hindus. Yuga dharma is an
aspect of dharma that is valid for a Yuga,. The other aspect of dharma is Sanatan Dharma,
dharma which is valid for eternity.

* Yuyudhāna (युयुधान): Another name of Satyaki, who was not killed in the warfare but in a
mutual fight among Yadavas.

* Yuyutsu (युयुतसू): A noble son of Dhritarashtra who bent his head in shame and sorrow when
Yudhishthira lost Draupadi. He also disapproved of the unfair way in which Abhimanyu was killed.