Aditi
Vedic goddess of unbounded space. Viewed as the Great Mother (and father) of all gods and all creation, encompassing and comprising everything, both internal and external. As the goddess of nature, ...
Aditi and the Adityas
In Indian Vedic mythology, Aditi is “infinity,” the source of all forms of consciousness, even of the divine characteristics of the gods themselves. Aditi is also unity, whereas her sister ...
Agastya
A great Vedic sage said to have been born of Mitra and Varuṇa in a large earthenware pot (kumbha), hence known as Kumbhayonī. He is the legendary pioneer of the Āryan occupation of peninsular ...
Ahi
In the Ṛg Veda a demonic snake, also known as Vṛtra, which is responsible for drought and darkness, but is ultimately defeated by Indra.
Ahura Mazda
The creator god of Zoroastrianism, the force for good and the opponent of Ahriman; also called Ormazd. The name is Avestan, and means literally ‘wise deity’.
Aitareya Āraṇyaka
One of two Āraṇyakas attached to the Ṛg Veda, and included in the Aitareya Brāhmaṇa. Divided into five sections, one of which concludes with the Aitareya Upaniṣad, it treats both the practice of ...
Aitareya Brāhmaṇa
One of two Brāhmaṇas attached to the Ṛg Veda, the Aitareya is principally concerned with the soma sacrifice. See also Kauṣītaki Brāhmaṇa.
Aitareya Upaniṣad
Attached to the Ṛg Veda, the Aitareya is one of the oldest and shortest of the Upaniṣads. It deals with different aspects of the ātman or self.
Aja Ekapād
(Skt., ‘the one-footed goat’).A Vedic god. The exact nature of Aja Ekapād is obscure. He is mentioned only six times in Ṛg Veda, usually in connection with Ahi Budhnya ...
akṣa
A die for gambling; a nut used as a die. The archaeological record shows that gambling with dice or their eqivalent has been popular in India since the period of the Indus valley civilization. A hymn ...
amṛta
(Skt., deathlessness).In Indian mythology a drink of the gods conferring immortality, similar to the Greek ambrosia. It comes to be used as a synonym of nirvāṇa as ‘the deathless’, since one who has ...
Aṅgiras
1 The name of a famous Vedic seer (ṛṣi) and priest. Many of the hymns of the Ṛg Veda are attributed to Aṅgiras, or to the poets of the Aṅgirasa clans named after him. He is renowned as a great ...
āṅgirasa
Priestly descendants of Aṅgiras (or Agni), and members of various clans to which many of the poets of the Ṛg Veda belonged. Also related mythological figures, personifying light and fire.
anuṣṭubh
A metrical form, consisting of four pādas, or quarter-verses, of eight syllables each. It became popular in the later hymns of the Ṛg Veda, and later developed into the śloka, the principal epic ...
Aryan
A group of Indo-European speaking people who spread through Iran and N. India in the early 2nd millenium bce. This is the so-called Aryan invasion.
asura
(Skt.). Demigods, titans. A group of beings who were considered to be the opponents of the gods according to orthodox vedic mythology. Later, they were incorporated into Buddhist cosmology as ...
