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Mausala Parva
The Mausala Parva ("Episode of Flails") is the sixteenth of the eighteen ''parvas'' (books) of the Indian epic ''Mahabharata''. It traditionally has nine chapters.Ganguli, K.M. (1883-1896)Mausala Parva in ''The Mahabharata of Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa'' (12 Volumes). CalcuttaDutt, M.N. (1905) ''The Mahabharata (Volume 16): Mausala Parva''. Calcutta: Elysium Press The critical edition has eight chapters. It is one of the three shortest episodes within the epic. The Mausala Parva describes the demise of Krishna in the 36th year after the Kurukshetra War had ended, the submersion of Dvaraka under the sea, the death of Balarama by drowning in the sea, Vasudeva's death, and a civil war fought among the Yadava clan that killed many of them. The story of infighting of the Yadavas becomes the reason why the Pandava brothers renounce their kingdom and begin their walk towards heaven, events recited in the last two books of the Mahabharata.John Murdoch (1898), The Mahabharata - An English A ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Yadavas Killing Themselves
The Yadava (), not to be confused with Yadav, were an ancient Indian people who believed to have descended from Yadu, a legendary king of Chandravamsha lineage. The community was formed of various clans, being the Satvatas, Andhakas, Bhojas, Kukuras, Vrishni, Surasenas, and Abhira who all worshipped Krishna. They are listed in ancient Indian literature as the segments of the lineage of Yadu (''Yaduvamsha'').Thapar, Romila (1978, reprint 1996). ''Ancient Indian Social History: Some Interpretations'', New Delhi: Orient Longman, , p. 223. Amongst the Yadava clans mentioned in ancient Indian literature, the Haihayas are believed to have descended from Sahasrajit, elder son of YaduPargiter, F. E. (1972) 922 ''Ancient Indian Historical Tradition'', Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass, p. 87. and all other Yadava clans, which include the Chedis, the Vidarbhas, the Satvatas, the Andhakas, the Kukuras, the Bhojas, the Vrishnis and the Surasenas are believed to have descended from Kroshtu ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Vishwamitra
Vishvamitra (, ) is one of the most venerated rishis or sages of ancient India. Vishvamitra is one of the seven Brahmarshi. According to Hindu tradition, he is stated to have written most of the Mandala 3 of the Rigveda, including the Gayatri Mantra (3.62.10). The Puranas mention that only 24 rishis since antiquity have understood the whole meaning of —and thus wielded the whole power of — the Gayatri Mantra. Vishvamitra is supposed to have been the first, and Yajnavalkya the last. Before renouncing his kingdom and royal status, Brahmarishi Vishvamitra was a king, and thus he retained the title of Rajarshi, or 'royal sage'. Textual background Historically, Viśvāmitra Gāthina was a Rigvedic rishi who was the chief author of Mandala 3 of the Rigveda. Viśvāmitra was taught by Jamadagni Bhārgava. He was the purohita of the Bharata tribal king Sudās, until he was replaced by Vasiṣṭha. He aided the Bharatas in crossing the Vipāśa and Śutudrī rivers (mo ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Sauptika Parva
The Sauptika Parva () ("Book of the Sleepers") is the tenth of the eighteen ''parvas'' (books) of the Indian epic '' Mahabharata''. Sauptika Parva traditionally has 2 parts and 18 chapters, as does the critical edition.Ganguli, K.M. (1883-1896)Sauptika Parva in ''The Mahabharata of Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa'' (12 Volumes). CalcuttaDutt, M.N. (1902) ''The Mahabharata (Volume 10): Sauptika Parva''. Calcutta: Elysium Press Sauptika Parva is mainly the story of the revenge of the 3 survivors of the Kaurava army: Ashwatthama, Kritavarma and Kripacharya. These 3 attacked the Pandava camp at night, when everyone was sleeping, or inactive. Ashwatthama killed several warriors of the Pandava camp, such as the commander Dhrishtadyumna, the Upapandavas, Shikhandin, Uttamaujas, Yudhamanyu and several others. Eventually, only 8 participants of the war from the Pandava camp—the Pandavas, Krishna, Satyaki and Yuyutsu—survive. Structure and chapters The Sauptika Parva has 2 ''upa- ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ashwatthama
Ashvatthama (, , also spelt as Ashwatthama and Ashvatthaman) is a character in the ancient Hindu epic ''Mahabharata''. He is the son of Drona, the royal preceptor to the Kuru princes—the Pandavas and the Kauravas. Ashvatthama is a close companion of Duryodhana, the leader of the Kauravas, and receives military training alongside the Kuru princes under the tutelage of his father. Favoured by his father, Ashvatthama is entrusted with the knowledge of several celestial weapons, including the Narayanastra and the Brahmashirastra. During the Kurukshetra War between the Pandavas and the Kauravas, he fights on the side of the Kauravas and emerges as one of the three surviving warriors from their faction by the war’s conclusion. On the night following the eighteenth day of battle, after the war has formally concluded, Ashvatthama launches a night raid on the Pandava camp. He kills Dhrishtadyumnathe commander-in-chief of the Pandava army, who beheaded Drona during the warand ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Kritavarma
Kritavarma (, ) is a warrior from the Yaduvamsha in Hindu mythology. He appears as a minor character in the Mahabharata, fighting in the Kurukshetra war for the Kauravas. According to F.E. Pargiter, he was the son of Hṛidika, born in the Andhaka clan of the Yadu dynasty.Pargiter, F.E. (1972). ''Ancient Indian Historical Tradition'', Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass, p.105. Legend Syamantaka theft Kritavarma is said to have encouraged, or in some accounts, participated in the theft of the legendary Syamantaka jewel from King Satrajit. Along with his friend Akrura, he is said to have caused Shatadhanva to murder Satrajit, and steal the jewel for himself. Shatadhanva was subsequently slain by Krishna, though he no longer had the jewel, having given it to Akrura and Kritavarma for safekeeping. When a famine broke out in Dvaraka, or in other accounts, due to the discovery of Akrura's possession of the Syamantaka, both Kritavarma and he were summoned to the city to hand over the j ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Satyaki
Yuyudhana (, ), better known as Satyaki (, ), was a powerful Yadava chieftain of Narayani Sena, belonging to the Vrishni clan to which Krishna also belonged. According to the Puranas, he was the grandson of Shini of the Vrishni clan, and son of Satyaka, after whom he was named.Pargiter, F.E. (1972) 922 ''Ancient Indian Historical Tradition'', Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass, p.107. A valiant warrior, Satyaki was devoted to Krishna and was a student of Arjuna. Kurukshetra War Satyaki strongly and passionately favors the cause of the Pandavas over the Kauravas in the Kurukshetra War. Prior to the war, Satyaki accompanied Krishna to the Kuru capital, with Krishna as the Pandavas' emissary of peace. He is a witness to Duryodhana's attempt to arrest Krishna and Krishna's ''Vishwaroopa'' form, though he is not mentioned as one of the few persons not blinded by the apparation. After talks break down, Satyaki leads the Sivi and ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Sacred Waters
Sacred waters are sacred natural sites characterized by tangible topographical land formations such as rivers, lakes, spring (hydrosphere), springs, Water reservoir, reservoirs, and oceans, as opposed to holy water which is water elevated with the sacramental blessing of a cleric. These organic bodies of water have attained religious significance not from the modern alteration or blessing, but were Sanctification, sanctified through mythological or historical figures. Sacred waters have been exploited for cleansing, healing, initiations, and Ritual#Death, mourning, and funerary rites, death rites. Ubiquitous and perpetual fixations with water occur across religious traditions. It tends to be a central element in the creations accounts of almost every culture with mythological, cosmological, and theological myths. In this way, many groups characterize water as "living water", or the "water of life". This means that it gives life and is the fundamental element from which life arises ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ratha
Ratha (Proto-Indo-Iranian: ''*Hrátʰas'', Vedic Sanskrit: रथ, ; Avestan: ''raθa'') is the Indo-Iranian term for a spoked-wheel chariot. The term has been used since antiquity for both fast chariots and other wheeled vehicles pulled by animals or humans, in particular the large temple cars or processional carts still used in Indian religious processions to carry images of a deity. Harappan Civilisation The Indus Valley Civilization sites of Daimabad and Harappa in the Indian subcontinent, there is evidence for the use of terracotta model carts as early as 3500 BC during the Ravi Phase. There is evidence of wheeled vehicles (especially miniature models) in the Indus Valley Civilization, but not of chariots. According to Kenoyer, The earliest Copper-Bronze Age carts remains that have been found at Sinauli have been dated to 1900 BCE, which were interpreted by some as horse-pulled "chariots", predating the arrival of the horse-centred Indo-Aryans. Others object, noting ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Panchajanya
Panchajanya (, ) is the '' shankha'' (conch) of the Hindu preserver deity Vishnu, one of his four primary attributes. The Panchajanya symbolises the five elements, and is considered to produce the primeval sound of creation when blown. Literature Mahabharata According to the Mahabharata, Vishnu is stated to have slain a daitya (a member of a clan of asuras) named Panchajana on a mountain named Chakravan constructed by Vishvakarma, and seized the conch shell in which Panchajana had lived for himself. The conch is named after the daitya. Bhagavad Gita In the Bhagavad Gita, the Panchajanya is mentioned: Harivamsha As per the Harivamsha, Krishna, the avatar of Vishnu, is described as possessing a conch shell called Panchajanya, one of his four attributes together with the mace Kaumodaki, the disc-like weapon Sudarshana Chakra, and a lotus. The conch was used during the Kurukshetra War, and is held in popular tradition to have signalled its beginning and end. Ska ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Sudarshana Chakra
The Sudarshana Chakra (, ) is a divine discus, attributed to Vishnu in the Hindu scriptures. The Sudarshana Chakra is generally portrayed on the right rear hand of the four hands of Vishnu, who also holds the Panchajanya (conch), the Kaumodaki (mace), and the Padma (lotus). In the ''Rigveda'', the Sudarshana Chakra is stated to be Vishnu's symbol as the wheel of time. The discus later emerged as an ayudhapurusha (an anthropomorphic form), as a fierce form of Vishnu, used for the destruction of demons. As an ''ayudhapurusha'', the deity is known as ''Chakraperumal'' or ''Chakratalvar''. Etymology The word ''Sudarshana'' is derived from two Sanskrit words – ''Su'' () meaning "good/auspicious" and '' Darshana'' () meaning "vision". In the Monier-Williams dictionary the word Chakra is derived from the root (''kram'') or (''rt'') or (''kri'') and refers among many meanings, to the wheel of a carriage, wheel of the sun's chariot or metaphorically to the wheel of time. In ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ugrasena
Ugrasena () is a character mentioned in the Hindu epic, Mahabharata. He is the King of Mathura, a kingdom that was established by the Vrishni tribes from the Yadavamsha clan. His son Kamsa was a cousin of Krishna's mother, Devaki. King Ugrasena was overthrown by Kamsa, and was sentenced to life in prison, along with Kamsa's cousin, Devaki, and her husband, Vasudeva. Krishna reinstalled Ugrasena as the ruler of Mathura once more after defeating his wicked uncle. History According to the Puranas, Kamsa issued an order for the execution of his own father once he grew paranoid of the valour of Krishna and Balarama in Mathura, observing them slay wild elephants that he had released for their murder. He ordered his father to be thrown in the river Kalindi, bound hand and foot. This was among the many reasons that would lead to his nephew slaying him. Krishna treated Ugrasena with honour upon his prestigious welcome and reception to the city of Mathura: Samba, the son of Krishna ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Rishi
In Indian religions, a ''rishi'' ( ) is an accomplished and enlightened person. They find mention in various Vedic texts. Rishis are believed to have composed hymns of the Vedas. The Post-Vedic tradition of Hinduism regards the rishis as "great yogis" or "sages" who after intense meditation (Tapas (Sanskrit), tapas) realized the supreme truth and eternal knowledge, which they composed into hymns.Hartmut Scharfe (2002), Handbook of Oriental Studies, BRILL Academic, , pp. 13–15. The term appears in Pali literature as Ishi; in Buddhism they can be either Buddhas, Pratyekabuddha, Paccekabuddhas, Arhat, Arahats or a Buddhist monasticism, monk of high rank. Etymology According to Indian tradition, the word may be derived from two different meanings of the root 'rsh' (). Sanskrit grammarians derive this word from the second meaning: "to go, to move". V. S. Apte gives this particular meaning and derivation, and Monier-Williams also gives the same, with some qualification. Another ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
