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Niladevi
Niladevi (), also rendered as Neela Devi or Nappinnai, is a Hindu goddess, and a consort of the preserver deity Vishnu, along with Sridevi and Bhudevi. Niladevi is primarily revered in South India, particularly in Tamil culture, as one of Vishnu's consorts. In Sri Vaishnava tradition, all three consorts of Vishnu are regarded as aspects of Mahalakshmi. In Vishnu's avatar as Krishna, Niladevi is either regarded as Nagnajiti, the consort of Krishna in Dvārakā or in some accounts, as southern counterpart of Radha, the gopi consort of Krishna in North Indian traditions. Legend According to regional traditions, Niladevi took the incarnation of Nagnajiti, a wife of Krishna. In Sri Vaishnavism, Nagnajiti is also called Nappinnai (Pinnai, a favourite gopi of Krishna in Tamil tradition). Niladevi appears in the '' Vaikhanasa Agama'' text. Some texts mention that Vishnu's '' iccha shakti'' takes three forms: Sridevi, Bhudevi, and Niladevi, representing the three ''guna ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Nagnajiti
Nagnajiti (Sanskrit: नाग्नजिती IAST: Nāgnajitī), also known as Satya (Sanskrit: सत्या IAST: Satyā), and Nappinnai (), is the fifth of the '' Ashtabharya'', the eight principal wives of the Hindu god Krishna. In Vaishnava texts, Nagnajiti is said to be an incarnation of Niladevi, the third aspect of Lakshmi. During the Dvapara Yuga, Niladevi was born on the earth as Satya, the daughter of King Nagnajit of Kosala. Krishna competed in the svayamvara arranged by Nagnajit, and as per the set rules, he brought seven ferocious bulls under control by tying a noose around each of them, thus winning Satya as his wife. In South India, when the poet-saint Andal wrote the ''Tiruppavai'' and the ''Nachiyar Tirumoli'', she mentions Nappinai, the "beautifully tressed" daughter of King Nagnajita - the brother of Yashoda (foster-mother of Krishna). It is believed that Nappinai is the Tamil equivalent of Nagnajiti. This is attested by the fact Nappinai is also st ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Radha
Radha (, ), also called Radhika, is a Hindu goddess and the chief consort of the god Krishna. She is the goddess of love, tenderness, compassion, and devotion. In scriptures, Radha is mentioned as the avatar of Lakshmi and also as the Prakṛti, Mūlaprakriti, the Supreme goddess, who is the feminine counterpart and internal potency (''hladini shakti'') of Krishna. Radha accompanies Krishna in all his incarnations. Radha's birthday is celebrated every year on the occasion of Radhashtami. In relation with Krishna, Radha has dual representation—the lover consort as well as his married consort. Traditions like Nimbarka Sampradaya worship Radha as the eternal consort and wedded wife of Krishna. In contrast, traditions like Gaudiya Vaishnavism revere her as Krishna's lover and the divine consort. In Radha Vallabha Sampradaya and Haridasi Sampradaya, only Radha is worshipped as the Brahman, Supreme being. Elsewhere, she is venerated with Krishna as his principal consort in Nim ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Lakshmi
Lakshmi (; , , sometimes spelled Laxmi, ), also known as Shri (, , ), is one of the principal goddesses in Hinduism, revered as the goddess of wealth, fortune, prosperity, beauty, fertility, sovereignty, and abundance. She along with Parvati and Sarasvati, form the trinity of goddesses called the Tridevi. Lakshmi has been a central figure in Hindu tradition since pre-Buddhist times (1500 to 500 BCE) and remains one of the most widely worshipped goddesses in the Hindu pantheon. Although she does not appear in the earliest Vedic literature, the personification of the term '' shri''—auspiciousness, glory, and high rank, often associated with kingship—eventually led to the development of Sri-Lakshmi as a goddess in later Vedic texts, particularly the ''Shri Suktam''. Her importance grew significantly during the late epic period (around 400 CE), when she became particularly associated with the preserver god Vishnu as his consort. In this role, Lakshmi is seen as the ide ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Bhumi (goddess)
Bhumi (Sanskrit: भूमि, romanized: Bhūmi), also known as Bhudevi, Dharani, and Vasundhara, is a significant goddess in Hinduism, personifying the Earth. Her earliest form is reflected in the Vedic goddess Prithvi, though their roles and depictions are drastically different. Bhumi features prominently in the ''Mahabharata'' and various Puranas. According to Vaishnava tradition, she is the second consort of Vishnu, along with Sridevi and Niladevi. As per Hindu mythology, Varaha, the third avatar of Vishnu, saved her from the asura Hiranyaksha and later married her, making her one of his consorts. After this rescue, Varaha and Bhumi have a son named Mangala. Bhumi also bears Narakasura, an asura, due to Hiranyaksha's influence. In the epic ''Ramayana'', she is mentioned as the mother of Sita, the epic's female protagonist. Bhumi is described to be born as Satyabhama, the consort of Krishna, to assist in slaying Narakasura. The Alvar saint Andal is also considered an avata ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Iccha-shakti
''Iccha-shakti'' () is a Sanskrit term translating to free will, desire, creative urge. It functions as the impulse towards manifestation within the principle of ''shakti,'' the concept of divine feminine energy. Along with '' kriya-shakti'' (action power) and '' jnana-shakti'' (knowledge power), ''iccha-shakti'' is described to constitute the three aspects of ''shakti'' in Hinduism, regarded to be responsible for the evolution of the universe in Tantra. In Shaivism, i''ccha-shakti'' represents one of the five ''shakti''s of Shiva, alongside ''adi-shakti'', ''parama-shakti'', ''kriya-shakti'', and ''jnana-shakti''. Description Many goddesses and consorts of male Hindu deities are described to act as their respective ''shakti'', sometimes specified as ''kriya''-''shakti'', such as Lakshmi for Vishnu, or their ''iccha-shakti'', such as Parvati for Shiva. For deities with multiple consorts, a divine and earthly consort each is designated as the deity's ''kriya-shakti'' and ''iccha- ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Agama (Hinduism)
The Agamas (Devanagari: , IAST: ) are a collection of several Tantras (Hinduism), Tantric literature and religious text, scriptures of Hindu schools.Julius Lipner (2004), Hinduism: the way of the banyan, in The Hindu World (Editors: Sushil Mittal and Gene Thursby), Routledge, , pages 27–28 The term literally means tradition or "that which has come down", and the Agama texts describe cosmology, epistemology, philosophical doctrines, precepts on meditation and practices, four kinds of yoga, mantras, temple construction, deity worship and ways to attain sixfold desires. These canonical texts are in Sanskrit and Tamil language, Tamil. The three main branches of Agama texts are Shaivism, Shaiva, Vaishnavism, Vaishnava and Shaktism, Shakta. The Agamic traditions are sometimes called Tantrism, although the term "Tantra" is usually used specifically to refer to Shakta Agamas.Mariasusai Dhavamony (1999), Hindu Spirituality, Gregorian University and Biblical Press, , pages 31–34 with fo ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Guṇa
() is a concept in Hinduism, which can be translated as "quality, peculiarity, attribute, property".guna Monier Williams' Sanskrit-English Dictionary, Cologne Digital Sanskrit Lexicon, GermanyguNa Sanskrit-English Dictionary, Koeln University, Germany The concept is originally notable as a feature of Samkhya philosophy. The guṇas are now a key concept in nearly all schools of .James G. Lo ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Sita Upanishad
The ''Sita Upanishad'' () is a medieval era Sanskrit text and a minor Upanishad of Hinduism. It is attached to the Atharvaveda, Atharva Veda, and is one of the Vaishnava upanishads. It is categorized as a late Upanishad, in which goddess Sita is extolled as the Ultimate Reality of the Universe (Brahman), the ground of Being (Spirituality), and material cause behind all manifestation.R Gandhi (1992), Sita's Kitchen, State University of New York Press, , page 113 with note 35 The Upanishad identifies Sita with primordial Prakriti (nature) and her three powers, asserts the text, are manifested in daily life as will (Iccha-shakti, iccha), action (kriyā) and knowledge (jnana). This Upanishad is notable for asserting that the cosmos is Atman (Hinduism), Atman (soul), it resides in the heart, its awareness and self-realization emerges by Vichara (investigation into the Self) and Samadhi, the ultimate stage of meditation. History The author and the century in which Sita Upanishad was com ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Sita
Sita (; ), also known as Siya, Jānaki and Maithili, is a Hindu goddess and the female protagonist of the Hindu epic ''Ramayana''. Sita is the consort of Rama, the avatar of god Vishnu, and is regarded as an avatar of goddess Lakshmi. She is the chief goddess of the Ramanandi Sampradaya and is the goddess of beauty and devotion. Sita's birthday is celebrated every year on the occasion of Sita Navami. Described as the daughter of Bhūmi (the earth), Sita is brought up as the adopted daughter of King Janaka of Videha. Sita, in her youth, chooses Rama, the prince of Ayodhya (Ramayana), Ayodhya as her husband in a swayamvara. After the Sita Swayamvara, swayamvara, she accompanies her husband to his kingdom but later chooses to accompany him along with her brother-in-law Lakshmana, in his exile. While in exile, the trio settles in the Dandaka forest from where she is abducted by Ravana, the Rakshasa king of Lanka. She is imprisoned in the garden of Ashoka Vatika, in Lanka, until she ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Gopi
Gopi (, ) or Gopika in Hinduism are commonly referred to the group of milkmaids of Braj. They are regarded as the consorts and devotees of Krishna and are venerated for their unconditional love and devotion (''Bhakti'') to him as described in ''Bhagavata Purana'' and other Puranic literature. Gopis are often considered as the expansion of Radha, the chief consort of Krishna. The Raslila of gopis with Krishna has inspired various traditional performance art forms and literatures. Gopi (, ) when used as a male name of Indian origin is a short form of the name Gopala Krishna, literally translates to "cow-protector Krishna" or "Krishna the cowherd". While traditionally used for both genders, it's more commonly used as a male name, especially within the Indian diaspora and communities. According to Indian philosopher Jiva Goswami, gopis are considered as the eternal beloved and manifestations of the internal spiritual potency of Krishna. Among the gopis, Radha is the chief gopi ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Tamas (philosophy)
''Tamas'' (Sanskrit: तमस् ''tamas'', ) is one of the three '' guṇas'' (tendencies, qualities, attributes), a philosophical and psychological concept developed by the Samkhya school of Hindu philosophy.James G. Lochtefeld, Guna, in The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Hinduism: A-M, Vol. 1, Rosen Publishing, , p. 265. The other two qualities are '' rajas'' (passion and activity) and '' sattva'' (purity, goodness). ''Tamas'' is the quality of inertia, inactivity, dullness, or lethargy. Generally it is referred to as the lowest ''guṇa'' of the three. Etymology The Vedic word ''támas'' refers to "darkness." The Indo-European word ''*temH-es'', means "dark", and the Lithuanian word ''tamsa'', mean "darkness." Serbian word "tama" means "darkness". Hinduism In Samkhya philosophy, a is one of three "tendencies, qualities": '' sattva'', '' rajas'' and ''tamas''. This category of qualities have been widely adopted by various schools of Hinduism for categorizing behavior and n ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
North Indian
North India is a geographical region, loosely defined as a cultural region comprising the northern part of India (or historically, the Indian subcontinent) wherein Indo-Aryans (speaking Indo-Aryan languages) form the prominent majority population. It extends from the Himalayan mountain range in the north to the Indo-Gangetic plains, the Thar Desert, till Central Highlands. It occupies nearly two-quarters of the area and population of India and includes one of the three mega cities of India: Delhi. In a more specific and administrative sense, North India can also be used to denote the northern Indo-Gangetic Plain within this broader expanse, to the Thar Desert. Several major rivers flow through the region including the Indus, the Ganges, the Yamuna and the Narmada rivers. North India includes the states of Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Punjab and Haryana, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, and union territories of Chandigarh, Delhi, Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh. Occasionally, stat ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
