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Saura (Hinduism)
Saura or Saurya () is a denomination of Hinduism whose adherents worship the Sun god Surya as the Saguna Brahman. In the contemporary period, the Sauras are a very small movement, much smaller than other larger denominations such as Vaishnavism or Shaivism. There was a rapid decline of the Sauras in the 12th and 13th century CE, due to the Muslim conquests. Their heartlands, primarily in Western Punjab, were the first lands in India, barring Sindh, to fall in these conquests. History The Sun has been worshipped in various forms since the time of the ''Rigveda'' in India. The prominence of the Saura sect is expounded by the supremacy of the Gayatri Mantra in the Vedic prayers. The theology of the sect appears in a number of documents like the ''Mahabharata'', the ''Ramayana'', the ''Markandeya Purana'', and a fifth century inscription. Mahabharata On one occasion, when leaving his chambers in the morning, Yudhishthira encounters one thousand Saura Brahmins with eight thousand ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Surya God From Konark, Orissa Displayed In National Museum, New Delhi
Surya ( ; , ) is the SunDalal, p. 399 as well as the solar deity in Hinduism. He is traditionally one of the major five deities in the Smarta tradition, all of whom are considered as equivalent deities in the Panchayatana puja and a means to realise Brahman. Other names of Surya in ancient Indian literature include Āditya, Arka, Bhānu, Savitṛ, Pūṣan, Ravi, Mārtāṇḍa, Mitra, Bhāskara, Prabhākara, Kathiravan, and Vivasvat.Dalal, pp. 5, 311 The iconography of Surya is often depicted riding a chariot harnessed by horses, often seven in number which represent the seven colours of visible light, and the seven days of the week. During the medieval period, Surya was worshipped in tandem with Brahma during the day, Shiva at noon, and Vishnu in the evening. In some ancient texts and art, Surya is presented syncretically with Indra, Ganesha, and others. Surya as a deity is also found in the arts and literature of Buddhism and Jainism. Surya is also regarded as the father of ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Brahmin
Brahmin (; ) is a ''Varna (Hinduism), varna'' (theoretical social classes) within Hindu society. The other three varnas are the ''Kshatriya'' (rulers and warriors), ''Vaishya'' (traders, merchants, and farmers), and ''Shudra'' (labourers). The traditional occupation of Brahmins is that of priesthood (purohit, pandit, or pujari) at Hindu temples or at socio-religious ceremonies, and the performing of rite of passage rituals, such as solemnising a wedding with hymns and prayers.James Lochtefeld (2002), Brahmin, The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Hinduism, Vol. 1: A–M, Rosen Publishing, , page 125 Traditionally, Brahmins are accorded the supreme ritual status of the four social classes, and they also served as spiritual teachers (guru or acharya). In practice, Indian texts suggest that some Brahmins historically also became agriculturalists, warriors, traders, and had also held other occupations in the Indian subcontinent.GS Ghurye (1969), Caste and Race in India, Popular Prakasha ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Upapurana
The Upapuranas (Sanskrit: ') are a genre of Hindu religious texts consisting of many compilations differentiated from the Mahapuranas by styling them as secondary Puranas using the prefix ''Upa'' (secondary). Though only a few of these compilations originated earlier than most of the extant ''Mahapuranas'', some of these texts are extensive and important.Hazra, R.C. (1962, reprint 2003). ''The Upapuranas'' in S. Radhakrishnan (ed.) ''The Cultural Heritage of India'', Vol.II, Calcutta:The Ramakrishna Mission Institute of Culture, , pp.271-286 Definition and number Similar to the case of the ''Mahapuranas'', a claim has been made in a number of ''Puranas'' and '' Smritis'' that the ''Upapuranas'' are also eighteen in number and give evidence of their knowledge of the existence of a larger number of the ''Upapuranas''. But, unlike the case of the ''Mahapuranas'', the different lists of eighteen ''Upapurana''s seldom agree with one another with regard to the names of these texts. Li ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Samba Purana
The Samba Purana (, ) is one of the Saura Upapuranas. This text is dedicated to Surya. The recension of the text found in the printed editions has 84 chapters. Chapters 53-68 of this text are also divided into 15 s. Content Samba Purana is a text dedicated to the worship of Surya, the god of the sun. This text comprises a number of narratives dealing with creation, details of solar system, eclipses, geography of the earth, description of Surya and his attendants, construction of images of these deities, details of yoga, manners and customs, rites and rituals, recitations of mantras, and ''dāna'' (generosity). After the customary beginning in Chapter 1, the text consists the narrative of Krishna's son Samba being infected by leprosy after being cursed by sage Durvasa, and subsequently being cured by worshipping Surya in the temple constructed by him in Mitravana on the banks of the Chandrabhaga at what was Multan Sun Temple. This whole narrative is presented as a conversati ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Moksha
''Moksha'' (; , '), also called ''vimoksha'', ''vimukti'', and ''mukti'', is a term in Jainism, Buddhism, Hinduism, and Sikhism for various forms of emancipation, liberation, '' nirvana'', or release. In its soteriological and eschatological senses, it refers to freedom from '' saṃsāra'', the cycle of death and rebirth. In its epistemological and psychological senses, ''moksha'' is freedom from ignorance: self-realization, self-actualization and self-knowledge. In Hindu traditions, ''moksha'' is a central concept and the utmost aim of human life; the other three aims are ''dharma'' (virtuous, proper, moral life), '' artha'' (material prosperity, income security, means of life), and '' kama'' (pleasure, sensuality, emotional fulfillment). Together, these four concepts are called Puruṣārtha in Hinduism. In some schools of Indian religions, ''moksha'' is considered equivalent to and used interchangeably with other terms such as ''vimoksha'', ''vimukti'', '' kaivalya'' ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Harshavardhana
Harshavardhana (Sanskrit: हर्षवर्धन; 4 June 590 – 647) was an emperor of Kannauj from April 606 until his death in 647. He was the king of Thanesar who had defeated the Alchon Huns, and the younger brother of Rajyavardhana, son of Prabhakaravardhana and last king of Thanesar. He was one of the greatest kings of the Kingdom of Kannauj, which under him expanded into a vast realm in northern India. At the height of Harsha's power, his realm covered much of northern and northwestern India, with the Narmada River as its southern boundary. He eventually made Kanyakubja (present-day Kannauj, Uttar Pradesh state) his imperial capital, and reigned till 647 CE.International Dictionary of Historic Places: Asia and Oceania by Trudy Ring, Robert M. Salkin, Sharon La Boda p.507 Harsha was defeated by the Emperor Pulakeshin II of the Chalukya dynasty in the Battle of Narmada, when he tried to expand his empire into the southern peninsula of India. The peac ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Mayurbhatta
Mayūrabhaṭṭa () was a 7th-century Sanskrit poet and Hindu scholar, who is noted for having composed the Sūryaśataka. He was the brother-in-law of Bāṇabhaṭṭa, the court poet of Emperor Harsha. Composition of the Suryashataka Mayurbhatta was suffering from leprosy or blindness. He performed a penance at the famous Surya Temple in Deo in present-day Aurangabad district, Bihar. He composed one hundred verses in praise of the Lord Surya - the Sun God, and was cured of his severe illness. While he was composing the verses, he was troubled by a Brahmarakṣasa but he was able to defeat him and please the Sun God. The verses he composed became known as '' Sūryaśataka''. There is a very interesting story behind the composition of Sūryaśataka (The mysterious hills Umga by Premendra Mishra-6). According to which, Mayurabhatta, was the father-in-law or brother-in-law of Banabhatta, another court poet of Emperor Harsha. Bana introduces himself as a Brahmana in the ' ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Surya Satakam
The ''Surya Shataka'' () is a 7th-century Sanskrit hymn composed in praise of the Hindu sun god Surya by the poet Mayura Bhatta, comprising one hundred verses. Etymology ''Surya Shataka'' translates to a "century of stanzas in praise of the Sun" in Sanskrit. Description Tribhuvanapala, in his commentary of this hymn, makes six divisions of this work. Verses 1 to 43 extol the rays of Surya, 44 to 49 praise the horses of the deity, and 50 to 61 hail Aruna, the charioteer of the sun god. Verses 62 - 72 extol the chariot of Surya, 73 - 80 praise the ''Suryamandala'' (circular motions of the sun), and 81 to 100 hail various depictions of the sun. Legend The composition of the ''Surya Shataka'' is commonly regarded to have cured the poet of leprosy due to the grace of Surya. In other accounts, the illness cured is stated to be blindness. According to temple tradition, Mayura undertook a penance to propitate Surya at the Deo Surya Mandir located at Deo in present-day Auran ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Tilaka
In Hinduism, the tilaka (), colloquially known as a tika, is a mark worn usually on the forehead, at the point of the Ajna, ''ajna chakra'' (third eye or spiritual eye) and sometimes other parts of the body such as the neck, hand, chest, or the arm. The ''tilaka'' may be worn daily for decorative purposes, as a symbol for religious affiliation, for rites of passage or for special spiritual and religious occasions, depending on regional customs. It is also used as an expression of honour or to welcome someone upon arrival.Axel Michaels (2015), Homo Ritualis: Hindu Ritual and Its Significance for Ritual Theory', Oxford University Press, , pp. 100-112, 327 Tilakas come in an assortment of styles or shapes and are adorned using various material such as "ash from sacrificial fire or cow dung, sandalwood paste, turmeric, clay, charcoal or red lead." Variations and meaning Different Hindu denominations use different materials and shapes to make the tilaka.Makhan Jha, ''Anthropology o ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Trimurti
The Trimurti ( /t̪ɾimʊɾt̪iː/) is the triple deity of supreme divinity in Hinduism, in which the cosmic functions of creation, preservation, and destruction are personified as a triad of deities. Typically, the designations are that of Brahma the creator, Vishnu the preserver, and Shiva the destroyer. The Om symbol of Hinduism is considered to have an allusion to Trimurti, where the A, U, and M phonemes of the word are considered to indicate creation, preservation and destruction, adding up to represent Brahman. The Tridevi is the trinity of goddess consorts for the Trimurti. Evolution The Puranic period from the 4th to the 12th century CE saw the rise of post-Vedic religion and the evolution of what R. C. Majumdar calls "synthetic Hinduism." Following is a well-known verse from the Vishnu Purana (1.2.66) that mentions Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva together in a single verse, highlighting their roles within the cosmic functions of creation, preservation, and destr ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Yudhisthira
Yudhishthira (Sanskrit: युधिष्ठिर, Help:IPA/Sanskrit, [jud̪ʱiʂʈʰiɾᵊ], IAST: ''Yudhiṣṭhira''), also known as Dharmaputra, is the eldest among the five Pandavas, and is also one of the central characters of the ancient Indian epic ''Mahabharata''. He was the king of Indraprastha and later the King of Kuru Kingdom in the epic. Yudhishthira was the son of Kunti, the first wife of King Pandu, fathered by the god Yama (Hinduism), Yama due to Pandu's inability to have children. Yudhishthira held a strong belief in ''dharma'' (morals and virtues) and was chosen as the crown prince of Kuru. But after the Lakshagriha incident, he was presumed dead and his cousin Duryodhana was appointed as the new heir. The kingdom was split in half due to a succession dispute between Yudhishthira and Duryodhana. Yudhishthira received the barren half, which he later transformed into the magnificent city of Indraprastha. Yudhishthira and his brothers had a Polyandry in Indi ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
