V - Definitions
Vairāgya (Devanagari: also spelt Vairagya) is a Sanskrit term used in Hindu philosophy that roughly translates as dispassion, detachment, or renunciation, in particular renunciation from the pains and pleasures in the material world (Maya). The Hindu philosophers who advocated vairāgya told their followers that it is a means to achieve moksha. True vairagya refers to an internal state of mind rather than to external lifestyle and can be practiced equally well by one engaged in family life and career as it can be by a renunciate. Vairagya does not mean suppression or developing repulsion for material objects. By the application of vivek (spiritual discrimination or discernment) to life experience, the aspirant gradually develops a strong attraction for the inner spiritual source of fulfillment and happiness and limited attachments fall away naturally. Balance is maintained between the inner spiritual state and one's external life through the practice of seeing all limited entities as expressions of the one Cosmic Consciousness or Brahman.
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Vairocana (also Vairochana or Mahāvairocana) is a celestial buddha who is often interpreted, in texts like the Flower Garland Sutra, as the Bliss Body of the historical Buddha (Siddhartha Gautama). In Chinese, Korean, and Japanese Buddhism, Vairocana is also seen as the embodiment of the Buddhist concept of Emptiness. In the conception of the Five Wisdom Buddhas of Mahayana and Vajrayana Buddhism, Vairocana is at the centre and is considered a Primordial Buddha.
Vairocana is not to be confused with Vairocana Mahabali, son of Virochana.
Vaishampayana (Sanskrit: Vaiśampāyana) was the traditional narrator of the Mahabharata, one of the two major Sanskrit epics of ancient India. He was an ancient Indian sage who was the original teacher of the Krishna Yajur-Veda. The Ashvalayana Grihya Sutra mentions him as Mahabharatacharya. He is also mentioned in the Taittiriya Aranayaka and the Ashtadhyayi of Pāṇini.
He was a pupil of Vyasa, from whom he learned the Jaya, the original 8,800 verses of the Mahabharata. He later expanded the Jaya to 24,000 verses under the name Bharata, which he recited to King Janamejaya at his sarpa satra (snake sacrifice). The Harivamsa is also said to have been recited by him. The full 100,000 verses of the Mahabharata was not complete until several centuries later.
A sacrifice performed by Duryodhana in the forest. Yayati, Mandhata, Bharata and others also performed it.
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An invocation which endows a missile with some of the irresistible power of Vishnu.
Vaishnavism (Vaisnava dharma) is one of the major branches of Hinduism along with Shaivism, Smartism, and Shaktism. It is focused on the veneration of Vishnu. Vaishnavites, or the followers of the Vishnu, lead a way of life promoting the central importance of Vishnu and his ten avatars.
Followers worship Vishnu, the Supreme Lord and preserver of the Hindu Trimurti ('three images', the Trinity), and his ten avatars, including Rama and Krishna. The adherents of this sect are generally non-ascetic, monastic and devoted to meditative practice and ecstatic chanting. They are deeply devotional. Their religion is rich in saints, temples and scriptures.
Its beliefs and practices, especially the concepts of Bhakti and Bhakti Yoga, are based largely on the Upanishads, and associated with the Vedas and Puranic texts such as the Bhagavad Gita, and the Padma Purana, Vishnu Purana and Bhagavata Purana.
Example via www.ramdass.org: Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu
Vaishya is one of the four varnas of the Hindu social order. One of the four fundamental varnas (colours) in Hindu tradition comprising merchants, artisans, and landowners.
In Hindu mythology, Sraddhadeva Manu is the current Manu and the progenitor of the current humanity (manvantara). He is the seventh of the 14 Manus of the current kalpa (aeon).
Sraddhadeva was the king of Dravida before the great flood. Forewarned about the flood by the matsya avatar of Vishnu, he saved the humanity by building a boat that carried his family and the seven sages to safety. He is the son of Vivasvat, and therefore, is also known as Vaivasvata. Besides, he is also called Satyavrata ("the honest one").
The third major branch, alongside Hinayana and Mahayana, according to Tibetan Buddhism's view of itself. Vajrayāna is also known as Tantric Buddhism, Tantrayāna, Mantrayāna, Secret Mantra, Esoteric Buddhism and the Diamond Way or Thunderbolt Way. Vajrayāna is a complex and multifaceted system of Buddhist thought and practice which evolved over several centuries.
According to Vajrayāna scriptures, the term Vajrayāna refers to one of three vehicles or routes to enlightenment, the other two being the Śrāvakayāna (also known as the Hīnayāna) and Mahāyāna.
Founded by Indian Mahāsiddhas, Vajrayāna subscribes to Buddhist tantric literature.
Example via www.ramdass.org: Lama Tsultrim Allione & the Divine Feminine
Vajra is a Sanskrit word meaning both thunderbolt and diamond. Additionally, it is a weapon which is used as a ritual object to symbolize both the properties of a diamond (indestructibility) and a thunderbolt (irresistible force).
It is also known as Bajra (Nepali), vajram (Tamil), bojro (Bengali), bajra (Malay), dorje (Tibetan), dorji (Dzongkha), wajra (Indonesian), jīngāng, geumgangjeo (Korean), kongōsho (Japanese) and Очир ochir / Базар Bazar (Mongolian).
The vajra is essentially a type of club with a ribbed spherical head. The ribs may meet in a ball-shaped top, or they may be separate and end in sharp points with which to stab. The vajra is used symbolically by the dharma traditions of Buddhism, Jainism and Hinduism, often to represent firmness of spirit and spiritual power. The use of the vajra as a symbolic and ritual tool spread from India along with Indian religion and culture to other parts of Asia.
In the Hindu epic Ramayana, the vanara Vali was king of Kishkindha, a son of Indra, elder brother of Sugriva and father of Angada. He was killed by Lord Rama, an Avatar of Vishnu.
Vali (nominative singular of the root (Valin) is also known as Bali in several Indian languages. His other names include Indonesian: Subali, Malay: Balya, Yuan: Bari, Thai: Phali, Lao: Palichan.
Valmiki (/vɑːlˈmiːki/; Vālmīki) is celebrated as the harbinger-poet in Sanskrit literature. He lived in the first millennium BCE. He is the author of the epic Rāmāyaṇa, based on the attribution in the text of the epic itself. He is revered as the Ādi Kavi, which translates to First Poet, for he invented śloka (i.e. first verse or epic metre), which set the base and defined the form to Sanskrit poetry.
Example via www.ramdass.org: “The Mahabharata” and “The Ramayana”
In Hinduism, Vamadeva is the name of the preserving aspect of the God Siva, one of five aspects of the universe he embodies. On a panchamukha (five-faced) Sivalingam, Vamadeva appears on the right hand side. This face/aspect of Śiva is considered the peaceful, graceful and poetic one — the lord of the female aspect of it is associated with water.
The Brahman splits into male (Parashiva) and female (Parasakti) and manifests as the universe. The parashiva has five aspects:
- Sadyojata — west-aspect that propagates manifest Brahman; associated with Brahma; represents earth.
- Vamadeva — north-aspect that sustains manifest Brahman; associated with Vishnu; represents water.
- Aghora — south-aspect that rejuvenates manifest Brahman; associated with Rudra; represents fire.
- Tatpurusha — east-aspect that reveals; associated with Rishi, Muni, Jnani, yogi; represents air.
- Isana — internal-aspect that conceals; associated with all that exist; represents ether(space).
Vamana (Devanagari: IAST: Vāmana) is described in the Puranas as the fifth avatar of Vishnu, and the first incarnation of the Second Age or Treta yuga. He is the first avatar to appear as a human, although he does appear as a dwarf Brahmin.
Vanaprastha literally means "retiring into a forest". It is also a concept in Hindu traditions, representing the third of four ashrama (stages) of human life, the other three being Brahmacharya (bachelor student, 1st stage), Grihastha (married householder, 2nd stage) and Sannyasa (renunciation ascetic, 4th stage).
Vanaprastha is part of the Vedic ashram system, which starts when a person hands over household responsibilities to the next generation, takes an advisory role, and gradually withdraws from the world. This stage typically follows Grihastha (householder), but a man or woman may choose to skip householder stage, and enter Vanaprastha directly after Brahmacharya (student) stage, as a prelude to Sannyasa (ascetic) and spiritual pursuits.
Vanaprastha stage is considered as a transition phase from a householder's life with greater emphasis on Artha and Kama (wealth, security, pleasure and sexual pursuits) to one with greater emphasis on Moksha (spiritual liberation).
Same as Banasur, was a thousand-armed asura, powerful and terrible. He was son of Bali. Bana was a follower of Siva. Banasura had a beautiful daughter named Usha.
Bana (also called Banasura), in Hindu mythology, was a thousand-armed asura King and son of Bali. Banasura is believed to have ruled the present-day central Assam with his capital at Sonitpur (present-day Tezpur, Assam). According to another legend, Banasura was the King of ancient Nepal.
Court poet of Mithila who on being defeated by Sage Ashtavakra in debate drowned himself in the ocean and went to the abode of Varuna.
Varaha (Sanskrit: "boar") is the avatar of the Hindu god Vishnu in the form of a boar. Varaha is listed as third in the Dashavatara, the ten principal avatars of Vishnu. When the demon Hiranyaksha stole the earth (personified as the goddess Bhudevi) and hid her in the primordial waters, Vishnu appeared as Varaha to rescue her. Varaha slew the demon and retrieved the Earth from the ocean, lifting it on his tusks, and restored Bhudevi to her place in the universe.
Varaha may be depicted completely as a boar or in an anthropomorphic form, with a boar's head and human body. His consort, Bhudevi, the earth, is often depicted as a young woman, lifted by Varaha. The earth may be depicted as a mass of land too.
Mahavira (599 BCE–527 BCE), also known as Vardhaman, was the twenty-fourth and last tirthankara of Jainism of present Avasarpani era (half time cycle as per Jain cosmology).
Mahavira was born into a royal family in what is now Bihar, India. At the age of 30 he left his home in pursuit of spiritual awakening (Diksha). For the next twelve and a half years he practiced intense meditation and severe penance, after which he achieved Kevala Jnana or enlightenment. He travelled all over Bharat (which was larger than today's India) for the next thirty years to teach Jain philosophy. Mahavira attained moksha at the age of 72. Mahavira was given the title Jīnā, or “Conqueror” (conqueror of inner enemies such as attachment, pride and greed), which subsequently became synonymous with Tirthankara. Although, there is reasonable evidence to believe that Parsva, predecessor of Mahāvīra was a historical figure, still Mahavira is sometimes referred as the founder of Jainism. On this famous Indologist, Heinrich Zimmer note:
"The foundation of Jainism has been attributed by Occidental historians to Mahavira. There must be some truth in the Jaina tradition of the great antiquity of their religion. We have grounds for believing that he (Parsva) actually lived and taught and was a Jaina."
Varna is a Sanskrit word which means colour or class. It may also mean race. Ancient Hindu literature classified all humankind, and all created beings, in principle into four varnas:
- the Brahmins: priests, teachers and preachers.
- the Kshatriyas: kings, governors, warriors and soldiers.
- the Vaishyas: cattle herders, agriculturists, artisans and merchants.
- the Shudras: labourers and service providers.
This quadruple division is an ancient stratification of society is not to be confused with the much more nuanced jati or "caste". The term "caste" is derived from the Greek word custus, meaning "race" in Greek.
The varna system is discussed in Hindu texts, and understood as idealised human callings. The concept of Varna is generally traced to the Purusha Sukta verse of the Rig Veda, however modern scholarship believes that this verse was inserted at a later date, possibly to create a charter myth.
The commentary on the Varna system in the Manusmriti is oft-cited. Counter to these textual classifications, many Hindu texts and doctrines question and disagree with the Varna system of social classification.
One of the provinces asked by Pandavas. A forest in which the Pandavas were asked to stay in a wax-house which was to be set on fire at midnight in order to kill the Pandavas while they were asleep.
Varuna (/ˈvɜrʊnə, ˈvɑːrə-/; Sanskrit: Varuṇa, Malay: Baruna) is the Hindu god of the water and of the celestial ocean, as well as a god of law of the underwater world. A Makara is his mount. The origin of Varuna is in ancient Vedic religion. Originally the chief god of the Vedic pantheon, Varuna was replaced by Indra and later faded away with the ascendancy of Shiva and Vishnu.
The goddess of wine. Varuni or Varunani is the female consort of Varuna and the goddess was adopted by Varuna when she came out of the ocean, during the churning for amrita(immortal nectar). She represents the purifying nectar of immortality (amrita). She is "the agent of transcendent wisdom".
Habitual tendencies or dispositions. Vāsanā (Sanskrit; Devanagari: वासना) is a behavioural tendency or karmic imprint which influences the present behaviour of a person. It is a technical term in Indian religions, particularly Buddhist philosophy and Advaita Vedanta.
Vashishtha (IAST: Vaśiṣṭha, Vasiṣṭha, Thai: Vasit) is one of the Saptarishis (seven great Rishis) in the seventh, i.e. the present Manvantara, or age of Manu. Vashista is a manasputra of God Brahma. He had in his possession the divine cow Kamadhenu, and Nandini her child, who could grant anything to their owners. Arundhati is the name of the wife of Vashista. RigVeda 7:33 mentions Vashishtha rishi as son of MitraVaruṇa and Urvasi.
Vashistha, as one of 9 Prajapatis, is credited as the chief author of Mandala 7 of the Rigveda. Vashistha and his family are glorified in RV 7.33, extolling their role in the Battle of the Ten Kings, making him the only mortal besides Bhava to have a Rigvedic hymn dedicated to him. Another treatise attributed to him is "Vashistha Samhita" – a book on the Vedic system of electional astrology.
In Indian epic poetry, Vasudeva (IAST Vasudeva) is the father of Krishna, the son of Shurasena, of the Yadu and Vrishni dynasties. He was brother of King Nanda Baba who was foster father of Lord Krishna. His sister Kunti was married to Pandu. Kunti plays a big role later in the war Mahabharata. Vasudeva was a partial incarnation of Rishi Kashyapa. The patronymic Vāsudeva (with long ā) is a popular name of Krishna. According to the Harivansa Purana, Vasudeva and Nanda were brothers.
Related to this name is an early religion, sometimes called Bhagavatism that was largely formed by the 4th century BC where Vāsudeva (Krishna, the son of Vasudeva) was worshiped as the supreme Deity in a strongly monotheistic format, where the Supreme Being was perfect, eternal and full of grace.
The name forms part of a famous mantra also known as a "twelve syllable mantra", which believed to be the earliest mantra from pre-reformation times, pre-dating sectarian divisions in Vaishnavism- (IAST oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya), it is translated as "Om, reverence to the Lord Vāsudeva (Krishna)".
Vasudeva married Devaki, the sister of Kansa, and he was also the father of Krishna's sister Subhadra. From his first wife, Rohini, who bore his eldest son, Balarama.
Vasudeva and Devaki spent most of their early adult life behind bars in the deepest pits of darkness as ordered by Kansa. Vasudeva was known for his consistent approach to life and his virtue of being a truthful person, never uttering a lie during his lifetime. After Kansa was killed by Krishna, Vasudeva was installed as the Crown-Prince of Mathura under the reign of Devaki's uncle, King Ugrasena.
The name is from vásu "good" and deva "deity". The Vasus are a group of eight Vedic deities.
Vasuki is a naga, and a nagaraja, one of the King serpents of Hindu and Buddhist mythology. He is a great king of the nagas and has a gem (Nagamani) on his head. Manasa, another naga, is his sister. Vasuki is Shiva's (The destroyer) Snake. Vasuki is known in Chinese and Japanese mythology as being one of the "eight Great Naga Kings" (Hachi Ryuu-ou), amongst Nanda (Nagaraja), Upananda, Sagara (Shakara), Takshaka, Balavan, Anavatapta and Utpala.
Badami formerly known as Vatapi, is a town and headquarters of a taluk by the same name, in the Bagalkot district of Karnataka, India. It was the regal capital of the Badami Chalukyas from 540 to 757 AD. It is famous for rock cut and other structural temples. It is located in a ravine at the foot of a rugged, red sandstone outcrop that surrounds Agastya lake. Badami has been selected as one of the heritage cities for HRIDAY - Heritage City Development and Augmentation Yojana scheme of Government of India.
Vāyu Deva (IAST: Vāyu, Sanskrit pronunciation: [ʋɑːyu]; Malay: Bayu, Thai: (Phra Phai)) is a primary Hindu deity, the Lord of the winds, the father of Bhima and the spiritual father of Lord Hanuman. He is also known as Vāta, Pavana (the Purifier), and sometimes Prāṇa (the breath).
Vyasa (Sanskrit: vyāsa, literally “Compiler”) is a central and revered figure in most Hindu traditions. He is also sometimes called Veda Vyāsa (veda-vyāsa, "the one who classified the Vedas") or Krishna Dvaipāyana (referring to his complexion and birthplace). He is the author of the Mahabharata, as well as a character in it. He is considered to be the scribe of both the Vedas and Puranas. According to Hindu beliefs, Vyasa is an avatar of the God Vishnu. Vyasa is also considered to be one of the seven Chiranjivins (long lived, or immortals), who are still in existence according to Hindu belief.
Vyasa lived around the 3rd millennium BCE. The festival of Guru Purnima is dedicated to him. It is also known as Vyasa Purnima, for it is the day believed to be both his birthday and the day he divided the Vedas.
Vedanta (/vædɑːntə/; Hindustani pronunciation: [ʋeːd̪aːn̪t̪], Vedānta) or Uttara Mīmāṃsā is one of the six orthodox schools of Hindu philosophy. The term veda means "knowledge" and anta means "end", and originally referred to the Upanishads, a collection of foundational texts in Hinduism. By the 8th century, it came to mean all philosophical traditions concerned with interpreting the three basic texts of Hinduist philosophy, namely the Upanishads, the Brahma Sutras and the Bhagavad Gita, and was eventually recognized as distinct from the other five astika schools. Vedanta is the most prominent and philosophically advanced of the orthodox schools and the term Vedanta may also be used to refer to Indian philosophy more generally. There are at least ten schools of Vedanta, of which Advaita Vedanta, Vishishtadvaita, Achintya-Bheda-Abheda and Dvaita are the best known.
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The Vedas (/ˈveɪdəz, ˈviː-/; Sanskrit: véda, "knowledge") are a large body of texts originating in ancient India. Composed in Vedic Sanskrit, the texts constitute the oldest layer of Sanskrit literature and the oldest scriptures of Hinduism. Hindus consider the Vedas to be apauruṣeya, which means "not of a man, superhuman" and "impersonal, authorless".
Vedas are also called śruti ("what is heard") literature, distinguishing them from other religious texts, which are called smṛti ("what is remembered"). The Veda, for orthodox Indian theologians, are considered revelations, some way or other the work of the Deity. In the Hindu Epic the Mahabharata, the creation of Vedas is credited to Brahma.
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There are four Vedas: the Rigveda, the Yajurveda, the Samaveda and the Atharvaveda. Each Veda has been subclassified into four major text types – the Samhitas (mantras and benedictions), the Aranyakas (text on rituals, ceremonies, sacrifices and symbolic-sacrifices), the Brahmanas (commentaries on rituals, ceremonies and sacrifices), and the Upanishads (text discussing meditation, philosophy and spiritual knowledge). Some scholars add fifth category – the Upasanas (worship).
The various Indian philosophies and denominations have taken differing positions on the Vedas. Schools of Indian philosophy which cite the Vedas as their scriptural authority are classified as "orthodox" (āstika). Other Sramana traditions, such as Lokayata, Carvaka, Ajivika, Buddhism and Jainism, which did not regard the Vedas as authorities are referred to as "heterodox" or "non-orthodox" (nāstika) schools. Despite their differences, just like Sramana traditions, various Hindu traditions dwell on, express and teach similar ideas such as karma (retributive action) and moksha (liberation) in the fourth layer of the Vedas – the Upanishads.
Vibhandak Rishi (Hindi) was the legendary Indian Hindu saint or Rishi of sage Kashyapa's lineage. His son was Shringi Rishi - great saint of the Ramayan era of ancient India.
Vibhishana IAST: Vibhīṣaṇa or Bibhishan (Sinhala:විභිෂන) was a king who ruled what is part of Sri Lanka today and is also written about in the historical epic Ramayana. He was the younger brother of the Rakshasa (demon) king Ravana of Lanka. Though a Rakshasa himself, Vibhishana was of a noble character and advised Ravana, who kidnapped and abducted Sita, to return her to her husband Rama in an orderly fashion and promptly. When his brother did not listen to his advice, Vibhishana joined Rama's army. Later, when Rama defeated Ravana, Rama crowned Vibhishana as the king of Lanka.
In some period of history Sinhala people have considered Vibhishana as one of the Four Heavenly Kings (satara varam deviyo). This belief was more prominent in the Kotte period. According to the Ravana Katha of Wickramasinghe Adigar, after the defeat of Ravana, Vibhishana transferred the Yaksha capital from Alakamandawa to Kelaniya. In the 15th century poem of Totagamuwe Sri Rahula, the sælalihini sandesaya, the Myna is ordered to carry the missive to Vibhishana at his temple in Kelaniya. After the 16th century he was replaced as a God of the four warrants by the goddess Pattini. He continues to be worshipped by a diminishing number of adherents, mainly in the Kelaniya area.
Vibhuti (Sanskrit: vibhūti), also called Bhasma (ash), Thiruneeru and Vibhooti, is a word that has several meanings in Hinduism. Generally, it is used to denote the sacred ash which is made of burnt dried wood in Āgamic rituals. Hindu devotees funngti traditionally as three horizontal lines across the forehead and other parts of the body to please the god Shiva. Vibhuti smeared across the forehead to the end of both eyebrows is called Tripundra.
Vicara (Sanskrit and Pali, also vicāra; Tibetan phonetic: chöpa) is a Sanskrit term that is translated as "discernment", "sustained thinking", etc. It is an essential element of dhyana, meditation, both in the Buddhist and the Hindu traditions.
In the Theravada tradition, it is defined as the sustained application of the mind on an object. In the Mahayana tradition, vicara is defined as a mental factor that scrutinizes finely to discern the specific details. In Hinduism, it is part of Patanjali's Samprajatna samadhi, and also well known as atma-vichara or self-inquiry.
In the epic Mahabharata, Vichitravirya (Sanskrit: विचित्रवीर्य, vicitravīrya) is the younger son of queen Satyavatī and king Śaṅtanu and grandfather of the Pandavas and Kaurava. His elder brother, Chitrāngada, had initially succeeded their father to the throne of Hastinapura, but when he died childless, Vichitravirya succeeded him.
Vichitravirya was still a child when he was crowned king, hence Bhishma ruled as his regent. When the young king reached the proper age to marry, Bhishma searched for a suitable bride for him . He heard that the king of Kasi was holding a swayamvara for his three daughters. Since Vichitravirya himself was yet too young to stand any chance of being chosen by the young women, Bhishma himself went to the swayamvara.
Bhishma won the swayamvara and brought the Princesses Amba, Ambika and Ambalika to marry Vichitravirya. But Amba had already given her heart to Salva, therefore Ambika and Ambalika were forcibly married to Vichitravirya.
Shortly after his marriage, Vichitravirya died of tuberculosis. As he had died without an heir, Bhishma was asked by Satyavatī to produce the next generation of Kurus through Vichitravirya's wives, Ambika and Ambalika. But Bhishma declined this as he had already vowed to remain celibate for life. He instructed Satyavatī to instead summon Satyavatī's other son Vyasa to father grandchildren for her through niyoga dharma .Ambika subsequently gave birth to Dhritarashtra, while Ambalika bore Pandu Even though Vyasa fathered the children, he used his yogic powers to make the children sons of Vichitravirya.
Vidarbha is the eastern region of the Indian state of Maharashtra, comprising Nagpur Division and Amravati Division. Its former name is Berar (Varhad in Marathi). It occupies 31.6% of total area and holds 21.3% of total population of Maharashtra. It borders the state of Madhya Pradesh to the north, Chhattisgarh to the east, Telangana to the south and Marathwada and Khandesh regions of Maharashtra to the west. Situated in central India, Vidarbha has its own rich cultural and historical background distinct from rest of Maharashtra. The largest city in Vidarbha is Nagpur, the second largest is Amravati while Akola stands third followed by fourth largest city Chandrapur, Yavatmal,is fifth, Gondia is sixth largest and Achalpur is seventh, In terms of population.A majority of Vidarbhians speak Marathi and Varhadi-a dialect of Marathi.
The Nagpur region is famous for growing oranges and cotton. Vidarbha holds two-thirds of Maharashtra's mineral resources and three-quarters of its forest resources, and is a net producer of power. Vidarbha has Tadoba Tiger project, Melghat Tiger Project, Pench Tiger Project, Bor Wildlife Sanctuary, Navegaon National Park, and Nagzira wildlife sanctuary near Gondia district, all are located in Vidarbha region.
Throughout its history, Vidarbha has remained much calmer during the communal troubles than the rest of India; but it is plagued very much by poverty and malnutrition. It is less economically prosperous compared to the rest of Maharashtra.
In recent times, there have been calls for a separate state of Vidarbha, due to perceived neglect from the Government of Maharashtra and incompetent political leadership in Vidarbha. The living conditions of farmers in this region are poor compared to India as a whole. There have been more than 200,000 farmers' suicides in Maharashtra in a decade, of which 70% being in the 11 districts of Vidarbha region. Though rich in minerals, coal, forests and mountains, this region is always underdeveloped because of its continuous dominance by the political leadership from the other parts of the state, especially Western Maharashtra. Though being culturally, politically and financially different from the rest of Maharashtra, the calls for a separate state rise to prominence only when the leaders from this region are sidelined by other political leaders in the Government of Maharashtra. Statehood demands have not fructified mainly due to the opposition from a major state political party, the Shiv Sena.
Vidura is one of the central characters in the Mahabharata, a major Hindu epic. He is described as the minister of Hastinapur and also the uncle of Pandavas and Kauravas.
Vijaya or Vijaya Dhanush was the divine bow of Karna, one of the greatest hero of the Hindu epic, Mahabharata.As the Sanskrit name Vijaya means Victory, this bow is said to give sure victory to the possessor.The bow was created by Vishvakarman, the royal architect of gods or deva's as per the order of Lord Shiva for the purpose of killing demons called Tripurasuras. Lord Shiva defeated demons by using arrows fired from Vijaya bow.Later Lord Shiva gifted this bow to Lord Indra, the ruler of heaven.Lord Indra gifted this bow to Parasurama as per the order of Lord Siva for eliminating all Kshatriya's of the world and later Parasuram gave Vijaya to his student Karna,who already had terriffic skill, making him virtually invincible. Lord Krishna devised a plan to kill karna, and asked Arjuna to kill Karna when he was weaponless trying to lift his sunken chariot wheel, even though it was highly prohibited or against the rules of engagements in war, to kill an unarmed warrior.
Vijayadashami also known as Dussehra or Dasara or Dashain or Tenth day of Navratri or Durgotsav is one of the most important Hindu festivals celebrated in various forms, across India, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and Bangladesh. The name Dussehra is derived from Sanskrit Dasha-hara literally means Dashanan ravan (Name of devil & in short Dasha and Hara (defeat)) referring to Lord Rama's victory over the ten-headed demon king Ravana.
The day also marks the victory of Goddess Durga over the demon Mahishasur. The name Dussehra is also derived from Sanskrit Dasha + Ahaha = Dasharahaha = Dasharaha. Ahaha means day. Example Aharnisha is derived from Ahaha+nisha. Goddess fought with evils for 9 nights and 10 days. The name Vijayadashami is also derived from the Sanskrit words "Vijaya-dashami" literally meaning the victory on the dashami (Dashmi being the tenth lunar day of the Hindu calendar month). Diwali the festival of lights is celebrated twenty days after Dussehra.
In the Hindu epic Mahabharata, Vikarna is a Kaurava, a son of Dhritarashtra and Gandhari and a brother to the crown prince Duryodhana. Vikarna is universally referred to as the third-most reputable of Kauravas. Usually, he is also indicated as the third-oldest son, but in other sources, the "third-strongest" reputation remained and it is implied that Vikarna is just one of Gandhari's 98 children (after Duryodhana and Dussasana). Vikarna was the only Kaurava who questioned the humiliation of Draupadi, the wife of his cousin Pandavas, after they lost her in a game of dice to Duryodhana.
Vikramāditya was a legendary first-century BCE emperor of Ujjain, India, famed for his wisdom, valour and magnanimity. According to the Bhavishya Purana, he was the second son of Ujjain's King Gandharvasena of the Paramara dynasty. Vikramāditya was born in 102 BCE and died on 15 CE.
A king of the Solar race, who succeeded his father, Ikshwaku. He received the name of Sasada, 'hare-eater.' He was sent by his father to hunt and obtain flesh suitable for offerings. Being weary and hungry he ate a hare, and Vasishtha, the priest, declared that this act had defiled all the food, for what remained was but his leavings.
The first basket of the Tripitaka canon, which deals with the rules of monastic life. The Vinaya (Pali and Sanskrit, literally meaning "leading out", "education", "discipline") is the regulatory framework for the sangha or monastic community of Buddhism based on the canonical texts called the Vinaya Pitaka. The teachings of the Gautama Buddha can be divided into two broad categories: Dharma "doctrine" and Vinaya "discipline".
Extant vinaya texts include those of the Theravada (the only one in Pali), the Kāśyapīya, the Mahāsāṃghika, the Mahīśāsaka, the Dharmaguptaka, the Sarvāstivāda and the Mūlasarvāstivāda.
Two brothers kings of Avanti, great soldiers whom were on the Kaurava side, they suffered defeat at the hands of Yudhamanyu.
The Vindhya Range (pronounced [ʋɪnd̪ʱyə]) refers to a complex, discontinuous chain of mountain ridges, hill ranges, highlands and plateau escarpments in west-central India.
Technically, the Vindhyas do not form a single mountain range in the geological sense. The exact extent of the Vindhyas is loosely defined, and historically, the term covered a number of distinct hill systems in Central India, including the one that is now known as Satpura. Today, the term principally refers to the escarpment that runs north of and roughly parallel to the Narmada river in Madhya Pradesh, and its hilly extensions. Depending on the definition, the range extends up to Gujarat in the west, and Uttar Pradesh and Bihar in the east.
The Vindhyas have a great significance in the Indian mythology and history. Several ancient texts mention the Vindhyas as the southern boundary of Aryavarta, the ancient Indo-Aryan territory. Although today, the Indo-Aryan languages are spoken to the south of Vindhyas, the range continues to be considered as the traditional boundary between North India and South India. The former Vindhya Pradesh was named after the Vindhya range.
Vipassana is usually translated as "Insight" meditation, most associated with the Theravāda tradition, but also present in some other traditions such as Tiantai. Often combined with śamatha meditation. Vipassanā (Pāli) or vipaśyanā in the Buddhist tradition means insight into the true nature of reality, namely as the Three marks of existence: impermanence, suffering or unsatisfactoriness, and the realisation of non-self.
Vipassanā meditation is an ancient practice taught by Buddhas, reintroduced by Ledi Sayadaw and Mogok Sayadaw and popularized by Mahasi Sayadaw, S. N. Goenka and the Vipassana movement, in which mindfulness of breathing and of thoughts, feelings and actions are being used to gain insight in the true nature of reality. Due to the popularity of Vipassanā-meditation, the mindfulness of breathing has gained further popularity in the west as mindfulness.
Example via www.mindpodnetwork.com: A Quote About Happiness from S.N. Goenka
According to Hindu religious beliefs, Virabhadra or Veerabhadra is a super being created by the wrath of Rudra (Shiva), when he stepped in to destroy the Yagna (fire sacrifice) of Daksha, after his daughter Dakshayani (Sati) - consort of Shiva, self-immolated in yagna fire. Along with him was created, his consort or wife Bhadrakali, from the wrath of Devi.
Vīrabhadra is described as a warrior who eventually blinded Bhaga and broke, among many other countless gods, Pushan's teeth. Other gods fled the battlefield unable to sustain his power. A temple dedicated to him, is situated in the town of Veerbhadra, near Rishikesh in Uttarakhand and in Pasumbalur, near Perambalur district, Tamil Nadu. Sri Veerabhadra Swamy Temple Masthenahalli Jigani hobli Anekal taluk Bangalore Karnataka.
Virādha (Tamil: Viratan, Thai: Phirap, Malay: Purbaita) is minor character from the Aranya Kanda of the Ramayana. He is a rakshasa living in Dandaka forest who briefly kidnaps Sita in an episode that has been described as "strongly [prefiguring Sita's] later abduction by Ravana, the central event of the book and the pivotal event of the epic." Rama and Lakshmana begin to battle the monster, but though they shoot it with many arrows, the arrows pass straight through him and leave him unharmed (Aranyakada, Sarga 3). The monster reveals that he has a boon from Brahma which makes him invincible to weapons. So the brothers kill the rakshasa by first breaking his arms, then burying him alive in a grave. When the monsters arms are broken, he begins to praise the brothers for liberating him: he had, in a previous life, been a celestial being named Tumburu, and had been cursed by Kuvera to live as a fearsome monster until he be killed by Rama. The brothers bury him, and he apparently goes back to his former celestial abode.
Virata, in the Hindu epic Mahabharata, was a king in whose court the Pandavas spent a year in concealment during their exile. Virata was married to Queen Sudeshna and was the father of Prince Uttara and Princess Uttarā, who married Abhimanyu, the son of Arjuna. Their son Parikshit succeeded Yudhisthira to the throne of Hastinapura, after the war of Mahabharata.
He is killed during a Kauravas attack in the Great war of Kurukshetra along with his four sons: Uttara, Shveta, Satanika and Shankha. In other versions he is killed by Drona on the 15th day of the war.
Energy, enthusiastic perseverance. Vīrya is a Buddhist term commonly translated as "energy", "diligence", "enthusiasm", or "effort". It can be defined as an attitude of gladly engaging in wholesome activities, and it functions to cause one to accomplish wholesome or virtuous actions.
Virochana, in Hindu mythology, was an asura, grandson of Hiranyakashipu, son of Prahlada and father of Bali. In the Atharvaveda (VIII.10.22) he was mentioned as the son of Prahlada. According to the Chandogya Upanishad (VIII.7.2-8.5), he and Indra went to Prajapati to learn about the atman (self) and lived there, practising brahmacharya for thirty-two years. But at the end, he misunderstood Prajapati's teachings and preached the asuras to worship the sharira (body) as the atman. Thus, asuras started adorning the body of a deceased with perfumes, garlands and ornaments. The son of Virochana was Bana.
Vishnu (/ˈvɪʃnuː/; Sanskrit: Viṣṇu) is a Hindu god, the Supreme God Svayam Bhagavan of Vaishnavism (one of the three principal denominations of Hinduism) and one of the three supreme deities (Trimurti) of Hinduism. He is also known as Narayana and Hari. As one of the five primary forms of God in the Smarta tradition, he is conceived as "the Preserver or the Protector" within the Trimurti, the Hindu Trinity of the divinity.
In Hindu sacred texts, Vishnu is usually described as having dark complexion of water-filled clouds and as having four arms. He is depicted as a pale blue being, as are his incarnations Rama and Krishna He holds a padma (lotus flower) in his lower left hand, the Kaumodaki gada (mace) in his lower right hand, the Panchajanya shankha (conch) in his upper left hand and the discus weapon considered to be one of the most powerful weapon according to Hindu Religion Sudarshana Chakra in his upper right hand.
Example via www.ramdass.org: Remembering God
Viśwákarma (Sanskrit "all-accomplishing, maker of all, all-doer") is personified omnipotence and the abstract form of the creator God according to the Rigveda. He is the presiding deity of all artisans and architects. He is believed to be the "Principal Architect of the Universe ", and the root concept of the later Upanishadic figures of Brahman and Purusha.
Brahmarshi Vishvamitra (Sanskrit: viśvā-mitra "friend of the world";Tamil: Vicuvāmittiraṉ; Thai: Swamit; Burmese: Bodaw; Javanese: Wiswamitra, Malay: Nila Purba) is one of the most venerated rishis or sages of ancient times in India. He is also credited as the author of most of Mandala 3 of the Rigveda, including the Gayatri Mantra. 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 be the first, and Yajnavalkya the last.
The story of Vishvamitra is narrated in the Balakanda of Valmiki Ramayana. The Mahabharata adds that Vishvamitra's relationship with Menaka resulted in a daughter, Shakuntala, whose story is narrated in the Adi Parva of the Mahabharata.
Vishvamitra was a king in ancient India, also called Kaushika ("descendant of Kusha"). He was a valiant warrior and the great-grandson of a great king named Kusha. The Valmiki Ramayana, prose 51 of Bala Kanda, starts with the story of Vishvamitra:
There was a king named Kusha (not to be confused with Kusha, son of Rama), a brainchild of Brahma, and Kusha's son was the powerful and verily righteous Kushanabha. One who is highly renowned by the name Gaadhi was the son of Kushanabha, and Gaadhi's son is this great-saint of great resplendence, Vishvamitra. Vishvamitra ruled the earth, and this great-resplendent king ruled the kingdom for many thousands of years.
His story also appears in various Puranas; however, with variations from the Ramayana. The Vishnu Purana and Harivamsha chapter 27 (dynasty of Amaavasu) of Mahabharatha narrates the birth of Vishvamitra. According to Vishnu Purana, Kushanabha married a damsel of the Purukutsa dynasty (later called as Shatamarshana lineage - descendents of the Ikshvaku king Trasadasyu) and had a son by name Gaadhi, who had a daughter named Satyavati (not to be confused with the Satyavati of Mahabharata).
Satyavati was married to an old Brahmin known as Ruchika who was foremost among the race of Bhrigu. Ruchika desired a son having the qualities of a Brahmin, and so he gave Satyavati a sacrificial offering (charu) which he had prepared to achieve this objective. He also gave Satyavati's mother another charu to make her conceive a son with the character of a Kshatriya at her request. But Satyavati's mother privately asked Satyavati to exchange her charu with her. This resulted in Satyavati's mother giving birth to Vishvamitra, the son of a Kshatriya Gadhi with the qualities of a Brahmin; and Satyavati gave birth to Jamadagni, the father of Parashurama, a Brahmin with qualities of a Kshatriya.
Visoka is a village in the Kardzhali Municipality, which is in the Kardzhali Province, in southern Bulgaria. As of 1 January 2007, the population of Visoka is 2 people, making it one of the least populated villages in the Kardzhali Municipality.
Name of Twashta's son who became the preceptor of the gods, Brihaspati having left when insulted by Indra.
All-pervading, all-including form. See the description in the Bhagavad Gita chapter eleven.
King of the Sindhus, father of Jayadratha into whose lap his son Jayadratha's head was caused to fall by Arjuna after cutting off Jayadratha's head.
One of the provinces asked by Pandavas. This province and town were situated in the southern part of Kuru Kingdom (Kuru Proper + Kurujangala). Krishna visited the town of Vrikasthala (in Gurgaon district of Hariyana) and camped there for onee night (5,84).
Vrindavan is a town in the Mathura district of Uttar Pradesh, India. It is the site of a forested region, where, according to the Mahabharata, Krishna spent his childhood days.
The town is about 10 km away from Mathura, the city of Lord Krishna's birthplace, near the Agra-Delhi highway. The town hosts hundreds of temples dedicated to the worship of Radha and Krishna and is considered sacred by a number of religious traditions such as Gaudiya Vaishnavism, Vaishnavism, and Hinduism in general. Govindadev temple, Gopinath temple and Ranganath Mandir are the most prominent and popular places in the town.
The Vrishnis were an ancient Indian clan who were believed as the descendants of Vrishni, a descendent of Yadu. It is believed that Vrishni was son of Satvata, a descendant of Yadu, the son of Yayati. He had two wives, Gandhari and Madri. He has a son named Devamidhusha by his wife Madri. Vasudeva, the father of Krishna was the grandson of Devamidhusha. Krishna belonged to this Vrishni branch of the Lunar race from whom he got the name Varshneya. According to the Puranas, the Vrishnis were residents of Dvaraka.
The descendant of Vrishni, son of Madhu, whose ancestor was the eldest son of Yadu. Krsna belonged to this branch of the Lunar race. The people of Dwaraka were known as the Vrishnis. Tribals of this race were devoted to the Pandavas, who with Sri Krishna visited the Pandavas in their exile.
In the early Vedic religion, Vritra (Vṛtra "the enveloper"), is an Asura and also a serpent or dragon, the personification of drought and adversary of Indra. Vritra was also known in the Vedas as Ahi ("snake"). He appears as a dragon blocking the course of the rivers and is heroically slain by Indra.
Vyasa (Sanskrit: vyāsa, literally “Compiler”) is a central and revered figure in most Hindu traditions. He is also sometimes called Veda Vyāsa (veda-vyāsa, "the one who classified the Vedas") or Krishna Dvaipāyana (referring to his complexion and birthplace). He is the author of the Mahabharata, as well as a character in it. He is considered to be the scribe of both the Vedas and Puranas. According to Hindu beliefs, Vyasa is an avatar of the God Vishnu. Vyasa is also considered to be one of the seven Chiranjivins (long lived, or immortals), who are still in existence according to Hindu belief.
Vyasa lived around the 3rd millennium BCE. The festival of Guru Purnima is dedicated to him. It is also known as Vyasa Purnima, for it is the day believed to be both his birthday and the day he divided the Vedas.
Vyūha means - 'to arrange troops in a battle array', 'to arrange, put or place in order, to dispose, separate, divide, alter, transpose, disarrange, resolve (vowels syllables etc.)'. Its root is व्यः which means - a 'cover' or 'veil'. This word also refers to emanation and to the manifest power of Lord Vishnu.
In the Upanishads the word vyuha occurs once, it appears in śloka 16 of the Isha Upanishad :-
"O Sun, sole traveler of the Heavens, controller of all, Surya, son of Prajapati; remove thy rays and gather up the burning light. I behold thy glorious form; I am he, the Purusha within thee."
In this passage vyūha means – 'remove' (to a distance thy rays). The sage declares that the Truth is concealed in the Vedas, covered by a golden lid or vessel Badarayana, by declaring – Owing to the impossibility of origin - Brahma Sutras (II.ii.42) refutes the Bhagavata view that the Chatur-vyūha forms originate successively from Vasudeva, for any origin for the soul is impossible, an implement cannot originate from its agent who wields it. Whereas in a vyūha an army re-sets its different able warriors and weaponry into a specific arrangement as per battle demands, the Supreme Being re-sets the contents of consciousness through yogamaya with each formation concealing yet another formation. The five layers of matter (prakrti) that constitute the human body are the five sheaths (panchakosa), one moves inwards from the visible layers through more refined invisible layers in search of own true self.
The Pāñcarātra Āgama, which are based on Ekāyana recension of the Śukla Yajuveda, is later than the Vedas but earlier than the Mahabharata, the main āgamas are- the Vaiśnava (worship of Vishnu), the Śaiva (worship of Shiva) and the Śākta (worship of Devi or Shakti) āgamas; all āgamas are elaborate systems of Vedic knowledge. According to Vedanta Desika, the Pāñcarātra āgama teaches the five-fold daily religious duty consisting of – abhigamana, upādāna, ijyā, svādhyāya and yoga, the name of this āgama is derived on account of its description of the five-fold manifestation of the Supreme Being viz, para (supreme or the transcendental form), vyūha (formation or manifestation as the four vyūha), vibhava (reincarnation or descent to earth as avtāra), arcā (the visible image of God) and antaryāmi (the cosmic form of God as existing everywhere and in everything). Lakshmi accompanies Vishnu in His vyūha manifestation which is four-fold (Chatur-vyūha) – Vāsudeva (as the creator), Samkarśana (as the sustainer), Pradyumna (as destroyer - dissolution of the universe) and Aniruddha (as promulgator of spiritual knowledge). This is the Vaiśnava doctrine of Vyūha or the doctrine of formation.
The Chatur-vyūha forms of Vishnu are related to four of the six causes of creation which six are God Himself as the final cause of creation and His five aspects – Narāyana ('thinking'), Vāsudeva ('feeling'), Samkarśana ('willing'), Pradyumna ('knowing') and Aniruddha ('acting') successively; each divinity controls its specific creative energy. The six gunas – jnana (omniscience), aishvarya (lordship), shakti (potency), bala (force), virya (virtue) and tejas (self-sufficiency), acting in pairs and in totality, are the instruments and the subtle material of pure creation. Vyūhas are the first beings created, and they represent the effective parts of a coherent whole. Here, vyūha means – projection; the projection of the svarūpa ('own form') as bahurūpa ('manifest variously').
One of the five Dhyāni Buddhas, Amitābha, who does not appear in any Pali Buddhist text or in Sanskrit Buddhist text, and his active manifestation in Bodhisttava form, Avalokiteśvara, are known through the two-versioned Mahāyāna Buddhist sūtra Sukhāvatī-vyūha ('Array of the Land of Bliss') which text pertains to Gautama Buddha’s recollection of one his previous birth as Amitābha, as told to Ānanda, who was also told about 81 Buddhas of the past, the last named being Lokeśvararāja who taught Dharmākara who having practiced the virtues of a Bodhisttava and attained enlightenment was reborn as Amitābha whose land this text describes. According to Mahāyāna Buddhism, the word vyūha means – 'arrangement', the like of marvellous, supernatural, magical arrangements, or supernatural manifestations.
The Mahabharata and the Manu Samhita list by name and formation many vyūhas ('battle formations') such as shakata-vyūha ('cart-shaped formation'), garbha-vyūha ('womb-shaped formation'), suchi-vyūha ('needle-shaped formation'), ardha-chandra-vyūha ('crescent moon formation'), sarvatobhadra-vyūha ('grand formation'), makara-vyuha ('crocodile formation'), shyena-vyuha ('eagle formation') etc., some were small in size and others, gigantic. Vajra-vyūha was a three-fold formation of warriors. Chakra-vyūha ('circular formation') was devised by the Kauravas in which Abhimanyu, son of Arjuna, was trapped never to emerge alive.