Gandiva Bow of Arjuna in Mahabharata

Gandiva is the bow of Arjuna, one of the five Pandava brothers. Arjuna is the central character of Hindu epic Mahabharata. Gandiva bow was created by Hindu God Brahma.

Gandiva bow was given to Arjuna by Lord Agni. The bow made Arjuna really strong during the Mahabharata war.

After the Kurukshetra war, Agni Dev asked Arjuna to return the Gandiva to Varuna. Arjuna abandon the Gandiva bow in the waters of the sea and thus Gandiva was returned to the gods.

Dadhimukha vanara in Ramayana - Uncle of Sugreeva

The word Dadhimukha literally means “milk-faced”. Dadhimukha in Ramayana is the maternal uncle of Sugriva (Sugreeva), the king of Vanaras. He was part of the vanara army in Ramayana.

Dadhimukha guarded the forest Madhuvana situated between the Mahendra Mountain and Kishkindha. Madhuvana is noted for its wide variety of fruits, herbs and lots of honey.

Dadhimukha’s name can also be seen in the Hindu epic Mahabharatha.

Chhaya or Chaya - consort of Hindu God Surya

Chaya is the consort of Hindu God Surya. Chhaya, also spelled Chaya, is a Sanskrit word which literally means "shadow" or "shade". Chhaya is regarded as the shadow-image or reflection of Saranyu (Sangya), the first wife of Surya. Saranyu created Chhaya from her shadow, as she was unable to bear the heat of Lord Surya.

 Chhaya is the mother of Lord Shani, the god of the planet Saturn.

Quick Facts

Parents - Vishwakarma
Consort - Surya or Sun God
Children - Lord Shani Dev, Tapati, Bhadra (own children)
Step-Children - Yami, Yama, Ashvins, Revanta

Affiliation - Devi, shadow of Sandhya
Abode - Suryaloka
Mantra - Om Chhayave Namah

Bhairava - Vairavar form of Hindu God Shiva

Bhairava is one of the manifestations of Hindu God Shiva. Bhairava is also known by the name Dandapani, as he holds a Danda (rod) to punish those people who are sinful. Bhairav is a Hindu Tantric deity worshiped by Hindus.

The word Bhairava is derived from the word “bhiru”, which literally means "fearful". Bhairava means "terribly fearful form".

Quick Facts

Other names – Swaswa, Dandapani, Vairavar
Affiliation - Rudra, Shiva
Consort - Bhairavi
Vahana – Dog
Weapon - Trishula, Khaṭvanga

Main Festival Associated - Bhairava Ashtami
Important Observances - Bhairava Ashtami
Mantra - Om Shri Kaal Bhairavaya Namaha
Associated Number – 33
Forms of Bhairava – Total 64 Bhairavas

Achyuta - Acyuta - Name of Vishnu

Achyuta, also spelled Acyuta, is a Sanskrit word which literally means “infallible”. It is one of the popular names of Maha Vishnu. It appears as the 100th and 318th names in the Vishnu Sahasranama (the 1008 names of Vishnu).

Achyutha, according to Adi Shankara's commentary, means "one who will never lose his inherent nature and powers". 

Other literal meanings of Achyuta are - "immovable", "unchangeable", "imperishable", "unfailing" 

Matali - Charioteer of Lord Indra

Matali is the charioteer of Lord Indra, the King of the Gods. He is often employed by Indra as a messenger on his behalf. Matali is regarded as the greatest charioteer in the world. Matali took Arjuna to the kingdom of gods.

Quick Facts:

Father – Samika Rishi
Mother – Tapasvini

Consort - Sudharma
Son – Gomukha
Daughter - Guna Kesi
Son in law – Sumukha

Tourist Place: 

Matali Caves is also one of the noted caves in the list of caves in Papua, New Guinea.

Agni - Vedic Fire God of Hinduism

Agni is a Sanskrit word which literally means fire. In Hinduism, Agni is regarded as the God of Fire. Agni is one of the 5 Pancha Bhoota or the five great elements. Rishi Kashyapa and Aditi are the parents of Agni Dev.

Agni is of great significance in Hinduism, and is considered as the medium that conveys offering to them in a Homa (ritual).

Consort – Goddess Svaha
Vahana – Ram
Siblings of Agni - Indra, Brihaspati, Varuna, Vayu, Dyaus, Samudra

Guha - King of Nishadha

Guha was the King of Nishadha dynasty. Nishadha was an Indo-Aryan tribe of ancient India.

King Guha was a close friend of Sree Rama in Ramayana. During their exile, Lord Ram and Sita took help of Guha to cross Ganges river near Shringverpur.

Kusha or Kusa in Ramayana - Son of Rama

Kusha or Kusa in Ramayana is the son of Hindu God Rama and Sita. Kusha is the twin brother of Lava. Kusha was born in Valmiki Ashram. Valmiki trained Lava and Kusha in the art of archery.

Kusha and Lava became rulers after their father Lord Rama. Sri Rama build the capital city Kushavati for Kusha and Shravasti for Lava.

Quick Facts:

Father – Sree Rama
Mother - Sita
Sibling - Lava
Birth Place - Valmiki Ashram, Brahmavart, Kosala. Present-day Bithoor, Uttar Pradesh, India.

Vrata or Vrat

Vrata or Vrat is a Sanskrit word which literally means “religious vow or holy practice”. Vrata is usually practiced with prayers seeking good health fertility, long life or happiness. During vrat people chant mantras, read religious books, hear disclosures, or take silent meditation. Non vegetarian foods are avoided. Vrata is a popular practice in not only Hinduism but also Buddism and Jainism.

Hindu puranas mainly refers to 3 different types of vratas

1) Kayika-vrata - Vrata relating to the body. Physical austerity like fasting is given more importance.

2) Vachika-vrata - Vrata relating to speech. In this type of vrata importance is given to reciting the scriptures and speaking only truth.

3) Manasa-vrata - Vrata relating to the mind. The importance here is controlling ones thoughts and passions.

Payovrata for Santana Prapthi by Goddess Aditi

Payovrata – A vrata or penance addressed to Hindu God Vishnu. The vrata should be followed by a devotee for 12 days drinking milk only.

Payovrata is also known as sarvayajna, sarvavrata. The vrata was first instructed to Kashyapa Muni by Lord Brahma, when muni inquired Brahmadeva regarding obtaining progeny.

Payovrata is the vrata or penance observed by Goddess Aditi to propitiate Lord Vishnu. Kashyapa Rishi asked his wife Aditi to observe Payovrata to propitiate Mahavishnu. Pleased by Payovrata Lord Vishnu take birth as Vamana for Kashyap and Aditi.

Aditi - Vedic Goddess - Mother of the Gods

Aditi in Sanskrit literally means "limitless" or "boundless”

Aditi is regarded as the Mother of the Gods, the Adityas. She is daughter of of Daksha and Panchajani. She is the consort of Sage Kashyapa.

Aditi is a Vedic goddess in Hinduism and is referred as the goddess of the sky, goddess of consciousness, and also the goddess of the past, the future and fertility.

Consort - Kashyapa
Children - Adityas, Vamana

Weapons - Sword, Trishula
Mount - Phoenix
Reference Texts - Rigveda

Smriti in Hinduism

Smriti – Smriti in Sanskrit means “Recollection”. It literally means "that which is remembered". Smriti, derive authority from the Shruti, and are texts which were remembered and were spread through mouth from generation to generation.

Smriti consists of texts such as

Puranas
Dharmasutras and Dharmasastras
The Mahabharata
The Ramayana
The Arthasasastras
The Kavyas

Y - Hinduism Words Glossary

Yadavas
Yadu
Yaduvamsis
Yagna
Yajnignna
Yaksha
Yama
Yamas

Yamuna
Yana
Yashoda
Yatra
Yavakrida

Yayati
Yoga
Yogasutra
Yogi
Yudhamanyu
Yudhisthira
Yuga
Yuyudhana
Yuyutsu 

V - Hinduism Words Glossary

Vairagya
Vaishampayana
Vaishnava
Vaishnavism
Vaishya
Vaivasvata Manu

Vajrahanu
Vajrayana
Vajrayudha
Valala
Vali
Valmiki

Vamadeva
Vamana
Vanaprastha
Varaha
Vardhamana
Varna

Varnavata
Varsneya
Varuna

Vidura

Vrata

U - Hinduism Words Glossary

Uchchaihshravas
Uddhava
Ugrasena
Ujjain
Uluka
Ulupi
Umadevi

Unchhavritti
Upachitra
Upadana
Upajjhaya
Upanishad
Upaplavya
Uparichara

Upasaka
Upasika
Upasunda
Upaya
Upekkha
Urmila

Urvashi
Ushas
Ushanas
Uttanka
Uttar kanda
Uttara

T - Hinduism Words Glossary

Tadaka
Tandava
Tantra
Tantripala
Tapas

Tara
Taragam
Taraka
Tarpana
Tilak
Tilottama

Trailokya
Trataka
Trikaya
Tripitaka
Tripura

Trishira
Triveni Sangam
Tulsi
Tyaga

S - Hinduism Words Glossary

Sadhak
Sadhana
Sadhu
Sagara
Sahadeva
Saibya
Saindhava
Sairandhri
Sakra
Samadhi

Samba
Sambu
Samkhya
Sampati
Samsaptaka
Samsara
Samudra Manthan
Samvarta
Samvrti

Sanatana Dharma
Sanat Kumaras
Sanga
Sangam
Sangha
Sanjaya
Sanjeevani
Santa
Sanyasi

Saraswati
Sarayu
Satchitananda
Satanika
Sati
Satsang
Satya Narayana
Satyajit
Satyaki

Satyavati 

Satyavrata

Saugandhika

Savitri

Savyasachi

Shachi

Shaivism

Shakti

Shakuni

Shakuntala

Shaligram 

Shankara

Shankha

Shantanu 

Sharmishtha

Shatrughna

Shesha

Shikhandi

Shishupala

Shiva

Shivaratri 

Shivalinga

Shivi 

Shrutkirti
Shruti

Shudra

Siddha 

Siddha Loka

Siddhartha 

Sila

Sinhikha

Sini

Sita

Sloka
Smriti

Soma

Somadutta

Srutayudha

Sthuna

Subahu

Subhadra

Sudakshina

Sudarsana

Sudarshana Chakra

Sudeshna

Sudeva

Sugriva

Sujata

Suka or Shuka

Sukha

Suman

Sumati

Sumitra

Sunda

Suniti

Sunyata

Suparshwa

Supratika

Surabhi

Surpankha

Surya

Susarma

Sushena

Sushruta Samhita

Sutra

Sutra Pitaka

Suvarna

Swarga

Sveta

Swami

Swayamvara

Syala

R - Hinduism Words Glossary

Radha
Radheya (Karna)
Rahu
Raibhya
Raja Yoga
Rajasuya
Rakshasa

Rama
Ramachandra
Rama Navami
Ramanaka dwipa
Ramayana
Rambha
Ram Lila
Rati
Ratnasambhava

Ravana
Revati
Rigveda
Rishabha
Rishi
Rishyasringa
Rohini
Romapada

Rudra
Rudra nritya
Rukma
Rukmini
Ruparekha

P - Hinduism Words Glossary

Pabbajja
Padmasana
Panca skandha
Panchajanya
Panchala
Panchali
Panchalya
Panchvati

Pandava
Pandit
Pandu
Paramahamsa
Paramita
Parashara
Parshurama
Paravasu
Parikshit

Parinirvana

Parnada

Partha

Parvati

Pashupatastra

Pauravas

Pavanrekha
Payovrata

Phalguna 

Pingala

Prabhasa

Pradyumna

Prahastha 

Prajapati

Prajna 

Pramanakoti

Prana

Pranam

Pranayama

Prasad

Pratikhami

Pritha

Puja

Puranas

Purumitra

Purusartha 

Purushottama

Pushkara 

O - Hinduism Words Glossary

Ojas
Om
Osho

N - Hinduism Words Glossary

Nachiketa
Nada yoga
Nag Panchami
Naga
Nagavanshi
Nahusha

Naivedhya
Nakula
Nala
Nanda
Nandi
Nara
Narada
Narasimha

Narayana
Narayanasrama
Narayanastra
Narishyanta
Navadurga
Navaratri

Nikumbha
Nila
Nirvana
Nirvikalpa
Nishadha 

M - Hinduism Words Glossary

Madhu
Madhusudan
Mahabharata

Mahadeva
Mahamudra
Mahaparshwa
Maharaksha
Mahasamadhi
Mahasiddha

Mahavishnu
Mahayana
Mahendra
Mainaka
Maithuna
Maitreya
Makandi
Makar Sankranti

Mala

Malini

Mana

Mandala 

Mandara 

Mandavya 

Mandhatri

Mandodari 

Mantra

Manusmrti

Maricha
Marutas

Markandeya
Matali

Matrikas 

Matsya 

Maya

Mayasura 

Medhavi

Menaka

Mithila 

Moksha

Mudra

L - Hinduism Words Glossary

Lakshagriha
Lakshmana
Lakshmi
Lanka
Lava

Leela
Lila

Lomasa
Lopamudra

K - Hinduism Words Glossary

Kacha
Kagola
Kagyupa / Kagyu
Kaikeyi

Kailash
Kaitabh
Kakusandha Buddha
Kal nagini
Kal-Purush
Kalayavan

Kali
Kali Yuga
Kalindi
Kaliya
Kalki

Kama
Kamadeva
Kamadhenu
Kambojas
Kampilya
Kamsa

Karkotaka
Kartavirya Arjuna
Kartikeya
Kassapa Buddha
Kaurava

Ketu
Kesari

Khandavaprastha

Kosala

Krishna
Krishna Janmashtami
Kritavarma

Kshatriya

Kubera
Kumbhakarna
Kurma
Kurukshetra
Kusa
Kusha
Kushavati

J - Hinduism Words Glossary

Jaabaali
Jalasura
Jambavan
Jambudvipa
Jambumali
Janaka

Janamejay
Janardana
Japa
Jarasandha
Jarita

Jataka tales
Jatasura
Jatayu
Jaya
Jayadratha
Jayatsena

Jhana
Jiwal
Jnana
Jnana Yoga

I - Hinduism Words Glossary

Ida
Ikshvaku
Ilvala

Indra
Indrajit
Indrakila
Indraprastha
Indrasena

Iravan

Ishvara
Ista Devata

H - Hinduism Words Glossary

Halayudha
Hamsa
Hanuman
Hanuman Chalisa
Hari
Harivamsa
Hastinapur
Hatha yoga
Havan

Homa

Hidimba
Hidimbi
Hinayana
Hiranyakashipu
Hiranyaksha

Holika

Hridayam

G - Hinduism Words Glossary

Gajasura
Gandhari
Gandharva
Gandiva
Ganesha
Ganesh Chaturthi
Ganapati

Gangadwara
Ganges
Garuda
Gauri
Gayatri

Ghatotkacha

Girivraja
Gita

Gopala
Gopis
Govardhan
Govinda

Grihastha

Guha
Guha King
Guru
Guruvayoorappan
Guru Purnima

E - Hinduism Words Glossary

Ekachakra
Ekalavya
Ekalinga

Ekata
Ekavaktra
Ekadasi

Ekapada

D - Hinduism Words Glossary

Dadhimukha
Daityapati
Daksha
Daksina
Dakshinamurti
Dandayudhapani
Dalapati

Damaru

Dattatreya
Dasabahu

Devaki
Devasena

Dhanalakshmi

Dhananjaya

Dhanadhipati

Dhanvantari
Dhanus

Digambara
Divya
Draupadi
Drona

Dharmaraja

Dwiti
Dwitiya

Durga

C - Hinduism Words Glossary

Caitanya
Caitra
Cakrapani
Cakrayudha

Chalisa
Chhaya

B - Hinduism Alphabet Glossary

Babruvahana - Son of Arjuna
Badarinatha
Balabhadra
Baladeva
Balarama
Bali

Bhadra
Bhadrakali
Bhadrasena
Bhaga
Bhagiratha

Bhairava
Bhava
Bhavani
Bholanatha
Bhudevi
Bhagyalaksmi
Bharata
Bhaskara
Bhavini
Bhimasena
Bhumi
Bhutanatha
Bhrgu

Bilvapatra
Bimbisara

Bodhidharma
Bodhisattva
Bogar

Brahmacharya
Brahmaloka
Brahmaratri
Brahmasatra
Brahmavidya
Brihat
Brahma
Brahmi

Buddhi

Balagopala
Balaji
Balakrishna
Banalinga

Bijaksara
Brihaspati

A - Hinduism Alphabet Glossary

Achyutha

Aditi
Adhiratha

Agni

Ahilawati

Ambalika
Amogha

Anaranya
Anasuya
Ankusa
Annapurna
Anugraha

Arka

Atharva
Atithi

Aum

Angaraka


Ashwamedha Yagya
Asvatthama
Astabhairava
Astika

Shruti or Shruthi - What Is Heard

Shruti or Shruthi in Hinduism. In Sanskrit, Shruti literally means "that Which Is Heard".  Sruti means the knowledge which was heard by revelation. It refers to the most authoritative, ancient sacred texts consisting of the base of Hinduism.

Shruti (What Is Heard) comprises of the four Vedas (Rig Veda, Yajur Veda, Sama Veda and Atharva Veda) including its four types of attached texts – the early Upanishads, the Brahmanas, the Samhitas and the Aranyakas.

Ganesha - Hindu God of New Beginnings

Ganesha or Ganesh is a Sanskrit compound word Gana and Isha. Gana meaning a group. Isha meaning “lord or master”. Ganesa is the chief of Shiva's army. Ganapathi is also one of the most worshiped Gods in Hinduism. Read more info here

Hindu god of wisdom or prophecy. 

God who removes obstacles.

God of New Beginnings, Success and Wisdom

Other names - Ganapati, Vinayaka, Vighnaraja, Vighnesha

Symbols - Om, Modak

Abode - Mount

Parents - Shiva and Parvati 

Siblings - Muruga, Ashokasundari

Consorts - Buddhi (Intelligence), Riddhi (Prosperity), Siddhi (Attainment)

Vahana - Moosika or Mouse

Weapon - Parasu (axe), pasa (noose), aṅkuśa (elephant goad)