encyclopedia
Akshauhini
Akshauhini An Akshauhini (Sanskrit: अक्षौहिणी), is described in the Mahabharata as a battle formation consisting of 21,870 chariots (Sanskrit Ratha); 21,870 elephants; 65,610 cavalry and 109,350 infantry (Adi Parva 2.15-23). The ratio is 1 chariot : 1 elephant : 3 cavalry : 5 infantry soldiers. In each of these large number groups (65,610, etc.),…
Alambusha
Alambusha A Rakshasa fought along side Duryodhana. On the 12th day of war With maces and spiked bludgeons, and swords and axes and stones, short clubs and mallets, and discs, short arrows and battle-axes with dust and wind, and fire and water, and ashes and brick-bats, and straw and trees,…
Amba
Amba Amba was the eldest daughter of the king of Kashi, and she had two other sisters – Ambika and Ambalika. Amba considered the Kuru prince Bhishma responsible for her misfortune and her sole goal in life became his destruction, to fulfill which she is reborn as Shikhandi (the daughter of Drupada and sister…
Ambalika
Ambalika Ambalika (Sanskrit: अम्बालिका, ambālikā) was the daughter of Kashya, the King of Kashi, and was the wife of Vichitravirya, the son of Shantanu and King of Hastinapur. Along with her sisters, Amba and Ambika, Ambalika was taken by force by Bhishma from their Swayamvara, the latter having challenged and defeated the assembled royalty. He presented them to Satyavati…
Ambashtha
Ambashtha Ambashtha fought along side Yudhishthira. On the 12th day of war The king of the Chedis, excited with wrath, and shooting many warriors, kept away from Drona, king Ambashtha, that hero who always delighted, in battle. Then king Ambashtha pierced his antagonist with a long arrow capable of penetrating…
Ambika
Ambika Another name of Parvati, Shiva’s consort. In Mahabharata Ambika (Sanskrit: अम्बिका, ambikā) was the daughter of Kashya, the King of Kashi, and wife of Vichitravirya, the king of Hastinapura. She was also the mother of Dhritarashtra and aunt of Pandu and grandmother to the Kauravas. Along with her sisters,…
Amrita
Amrita Amrita (Sanskrit: अमृत, IAST: amṛta), or Amrith, is a word that literally means “immortality” and is often referred to in texts as nectar. The word’s earliest occurrence is in the Rigveda, where it is one of several synonyms for soma, the drink of the Devas. Not only Amrita gives immortality to the Devas, but also by…
Ananta
Ananta Anant is a Sanskrit term which means ‘endless’ or ‘limitless’, also means ‘eternal’ or ‘infinity’, in other words, it also means infinitude or an unending expansion or without limit. It is one of the many names of Lord Vishnu. Anant is the Shesha-Naga, the celestial snake, on which Lord Vishnu reclines. In the Mahabharata, Anant or…
Anasuya
Anasuya Anasuya (IAST: Anusūyā, अनसूया “free from envy and jealousy”), was wife of Rishi Atri. In Ramayana, she appears living with her husband in a small hermitage in the southern periphery of the forest of Chitrakuta. She was very pious and always practiced austerities and devotion. This allowed her to attain miraculous powers. When Sita and Rama visited her during their exile,…
Akshauhini
Akshauhini An Akshauhini (Sanskrit: अक्षौहिणी), is described in the Mahabharata as a battle formation consisting of 21,870 chariots (Sanskrit Ratha); 21,870 elephants; 65,610 cavalry and 109,350 infantry (Adi Parva 2.15-23). The ratio is 1 chariot : 1 elephant : 3 cavalry : 5 infantry soldiers. In each of these large number groups (65,610, etc.),…
Alambusha
Alambusha A Rakshasa fought along side Duryodhana. On the 12th day of war With maces and spiked bludgeons, and swords and axes and stones, short clubs and mallets, and discs, short arrows and battle-axes with dust and wind, and fire and water, and ashes and brick-bats, and straw and trees,…
Amba
Amba Amba was the eldest daughter of the king of Kashi, and she had two other sisters – Ambika and Ambalika. Amba considered the Kuru prince Bhishma responsible for her misfortune and her sole goal in life became his destruction, to fulfill which she is reborn as Shikhandi (the daughter of Drupada and sister…
Ambalika
Ambalika Ambalika (Sanskrit: अम्बालिका, ambālikā) was the daughter of Kashya, the King of Kashi, and was the wife of Vichitravirya, the son of Shantanu and King of Hastinapur. Along with her sisters, Amba and Ambika, Ambalika was taken by force by Bhishma from their Swayamvara, the latter having challenged and defeated the assembled royalty. He presented them to Satyavati…
Ambashtha
Ambashtha Ambashtha fought along side Yudhishthira. On the 12th day of war The king of the Chedis, excited with wrath, and shooting many warriors, kept away from Drona, king Ambashtha, that hero who always delighted, in battle. Then king Ambashtha pierced his antagonist with a long arrow capable of penetrating…
Ambika
Ambika Another name of Parvati, Shiva’s consort. In Mahabharata Ambika (Sanskrit: अम्बिका, ambikā) was the daughter of Kashya, the King of Kashi, and wife of Vichitravirya, the king of Hastinapura. She was also the mother of Dhritarashtra and aunt of Pandu and grandmother to the Kauravas. Along with her sisters,…
Amrita
Amrita Amrita (Sanskrit: अमृत, IAST: amṛta), or Amrith, is a word that literally means “immortality” and is often referred to in texts as nectar. The word’s earliest occurrence is in the Rigveda, where it is one of several synonyms for soma, the drink of the Devas. Not only Amrita gives immortality to the Devas, but also by…
Ananta
Ananta Anant is a Sanskrit term which means ‘endless’ or ‘limitless’, also means ‘eternal’ or ‘infinity’, in other words, it also means infinitude or an unending expansion or without limit. It is one of the many names of Lord Vishnu. Anant is the Shesha-Naga, the celestial snake, on which Lord Vishnu reclines. In the Mahabharata, Anant or…
Anasuya
Anasuya Anasuya (IAST: Anusūyā, अनसूया “free from envy and jealousy”), was wife of Rishi Atri. In Ramayana, she appears living with her husband in a small hermitage in the southern periphery of the forest of Chitrakuta. She was very pious and always practiced austerities and devotion. This allowed her to attain miraculous powers. When Sita and Rama visited her during their exile,…