- Uchaishravas - The Horse of Indra
Uchaishravas is a divine winged horse that belongs to Indra. It is pure white in color, and possess two wings. It is the fastest horse in the world, capable of traveling as fast as human thought. It emerged from
entities/Uchaishravas.html - 0.8k - Nov 4 2004
- Uddalaka - Grandfather of Ashtavakra
Uddalaka, also known as Uddalaka Aruni, was a very learned Rishi. He was a famous teacher of the scriptures and the Vedas. He had daughter named Sujata and a much younger son named Shwetaketu. He gave his daughter in marriage to his favorite
entities/Uddalaka.html - 2.1k - Feb 12 2005
- Ulupi - A Naga Princess
Ulupi was a Naga princess, the daughter of Kauravya, a king of the Nagas. When Arjuna was in exile for twelve years (he had inadvertently breached a compact with
entities/Ulupi.html - 0.9k - Aug 27 2005
- Urja - The wife of Vasishta
Urja is a daughter of Daksha, and was married to the sage Vasishta. More common accounts say that Arundhati was the wife of Vasishta. These two women may be the
entities/Urja.html - 0.3k - Nov 17 2004
- Urmila - Wife of Laxmana
Urmila belonged to the royal house of Mithila. She is the wife of Laxmana, the brother of Rama, the hero of the epic Ramayana.
entities/Urmila.html - 0.2k - Nov 5 2004
- Urvashi - An Apsara
Urvashi is an Apsara in the court of Indra. Once, the primordial twin sages Nara and Narayana were performing a particularly severe penance. As was his wont, Indra feared for his crown and
entities/Urvashi.html - 2.7k - Jun 1 2005
- Usha - Goddess of Dawn
Usha is the Vedic Goddess of Dawn. She is said to be the daughter of sky RigVeda1.48. She is radiant, immortal. The twin Ashwinis are her companions and follow her in their
entities/Usha.html - 0.4k - Nov 6 2004
- Utathya - Son of Angirasa
Utathya was one of the three sons of the sage Angirasa. His brothers are Samvarthana and Brihaspati. Through his wife Mamata, he has a son named Dhirghatamas
entities/Utathya.html - 0.3k - Oct 19 2004
- Uttamaujas - A Panchala Prince
Uttamaujas was a Panchala prince, a great warrior, who fought on the Pandava side in the great Kurukshetra war. Along with his comrade Yudhamanyu, he was assigned the task of protecting
entities/Uttamaujas.html - 0.7k - Mar 18 2005
- Uttara - The Prince of Matsya
Uttara was the youngest son of Virata, the King of Matsya. He had an elder brother named Shweta-m. Being the youngest, he was much indulged and was a great favorite of his sister
entities/Uttara-m.html - 3.3k - May 21 2005
- Uttara - The Wife of Abhimanyu
Uttara was the daughter of King of Virata of Matsya. It was in this kingdom that the Pandavas spent the thirteenth year of their exile, which they were required to spend incognito. Arjuna who had been cursed
entities/Uttara.html - 1.1k - May 21 2005
- Vaikunta - The Abode of Vishnu
Vishnu's abode is Vaikunta, whose entrance is guarded by the two Gandharvas Jaya and Vijaya. Here, Vishnu is sleeping on the body of an enormous thousand-headed serpent called
entities/Vaikunta.html - 0.5k - Oct 18 2004
- Vaishyas - Merchants and Artisans
Merchants and artisans are classified as Vaishyas according to the Varna system. They are the third among the four classes in the Varna classification. According to the Purusha-Suktha,
entities/Vaishya.html - 0.4k - Jul 14 2004
- Vajranaga - Son of Diti
Vajranaga was an Asura, the son of Diti and Kashyapa. Concerned that her sons the Asuras were being slain by Indra, Diti sought a boon from her husband
entities/Vajranaga.html - 2.8k - Oct 24 2004
- Valakhilyas - Celestial Rishis
Valakhilyas are a group of divine sages, who are small of body, but great in their ascetic powers. Indeed, according to the Mahabharata, they are only as large as a thumb. Unlike the SaptaRishis,
entities/Valakhilya.html - 1.0k - Oct 30 2004
- Vali - The King of Monkeys
Vali was the king of monkeys. He is said to be the son of the sage Kashyapa. He had obtained a boon that he would get half of his opponent's strength in combat. This made him
entities/Vali.html - 0.7k - Oct 21 2004
- Valmiki - Composer of Ramayana
The sage Valmiki is the composer of the epic poem Ramayana. He was the son of a sage named Prachetasa. While he was a young boy, he got lost in the forest, and was found by a hunter. The hunter brought
entities/Valmiki.html - 4.0k - Nov 5 2004
- Vamana - The Dwarf
Bali, the son of Prahalada, had obtained powerful boons and had conquered all the three worlds. Vishnu was born as a dwarf, Vamana, the son of Aditi and sage Kashyapa
entities/Vamana.html - 1.3k - Nov 2 2004
- Varaha - The Boar
During the reign of the Manu_Swayambhuva, the earth had sunk to the bottom of the ocean (some say by the action of Hiranyaksha), and life could not exist there. Heeding the
entities/Varaha.html - 0.7k - Aug 7 2005
- Varna - The Caste System
According to the ancient texts men are classified into four classes or Varnas - Brahmanas (scholars/priests), Kshatriyas (kings/warriors), Vaishyas (artisans/merchants)
entities/Varna.html - 1.6k - Mar 26 2005
- Varuna - The Waters
Varuna is the lord of the waters and one of the principal Devas. He is one of the Adityas, a son of Aditi and sage Kashyapa. The first references to him appear in the RigVeda,
entities/Varuna.html - 0.7k - Nov 6 2004
- Vasishta - Perceptor of the Ishvahu Clan
Vasishta is the chief of the SaptaRishis, the seven great sages. He is the preceptor of the Ishvahu clan, which is also refered to as the Surya dynasty. He was thus the guru
entities/Vasishta.html - 1.2k - Nov 17 2004
- Vasus - Divine Beings
The eight Vasus are divine beings, who reside in the heaven along with the Devas. The eldest of them was named Dhyou. Once they incurred the displeasure of the sage Vasishta who cursed them to
entities/Vasu.html - 0.7k - Nov 17 2004
- Vasudeva - The Father of Krishna
Vasudeva was the father of Krishna. To save the infant Krishna from being killed by his brother-in-law Kamsa, he had him brought up as a son of a Yadava chieftain.
entities/Vasudeva.html - 0.3k - Oct 21 2004
- Vasuki - The King of Serpents
Vasuki is a giant snake, the king of all serpents. Some stories put the name of the king of serpents as Takshaka, who was the snake who was responsible for Parikshit's death.
entities/Vasuki.html - 0.8k - Nov 4 2004
- Vatapi - Daitya Slain by Agastya
Vatapi was the younger brother of the Daitya Ilvala, the ruler of the city of Manimati. He was a shape-shifter. His brother was denied a boon by the sage Agastya, and hence
entities/Vatapi.html - 1.2k - Nov 23 2004
- Vayu - The Mighty Wind
Vayu is one of the principal Devas, and is responsible for the wind. He is very powerful, capable of blowing away mountains with his mighty gusts. His wife is Anjala, and he had many sons. The
entities/Vayu.html - 0.4k - Aug 10 2004
- Vibhandaka - Father of Rishyashringa
Vibhandaka was a son of sage Kashyapa. Once, while at the river, he beheld the celestial nymph Urvashi and his seminal fluid came out. It impregnated a nearby female deer (who in reality was another
entities/Vibhandaka.html - 1.0k - Oct 10 2004
- Vibhishana - Brother of Ravana
Vibhishana was the younger brother of Ravana, the king of Lanka. Kumbhakarna was his other brother. Shurpanakha is their only sister. A Brahmana
entities/Vibhishana.html - 1.4k - Jan 31 2005
- Vidura - The Wise
Vidura was the son of sage Vyasa and a servant girl of the princess Ambika. Asked to host the Vyasa for a second time (for she had closed her eyes the first time, and the resulting child was
entities/Vidura.html - 1.5k - Oct 21 2004
- Vikukshi - Ancestor of Rama
Vikukshi is a King of the Solar dynasty. He is the son of Kukshi and the father of Bana_Ramayana. Rama is his descendant
entities/Vikukshi.html - 0.8k - Nov 17 2004
- Vinata - A Daughter of Daksha
Vinata is a daughter of Daksha and was married to the great sage Kashyapa. She is the mother of Garuda and Aruna.
entities/Vinata.html - 0.4k - Oct 20 2004
- Vinda - Prince of Avanti
Vinda was the prince of Avanti. Along with his brother Anuvinda, he fought on the Kaurava side during the great battle of Kurukshetra. Both of them achieved many great feats of bravery on the
entities/Vinda.html - 0.5k - Mar 21 2005
- Viprachitti - A Sage
Viprachitti is a sage, who married Simhika the daughter of Daksha.
entities/Viprachitti.html - 0.2k - Oct 20 2004
- Virata - The King of Matsya
Virata was the King of Matsya Kingdom, adjacent to the Kingdom of Hastinapura, and their traditional foe. He had two sons, Shweta-m and Uttara-m, and a daughter named
entities/Virata.html - 1.4k - May 21 2005
- Virochana - Son of Prahalada
Virochana was the son of Prahalada, and the grandson of Hiranyakashipu. His son Bali is known for his role in Vishnu's Vamana incarnation.
entities/Virochana.html - 0.3k - Jul 30 2005
- Vishnu - The Protector
Vishnu is the protective aspect of the supreme trinity. He is the entity that is most often involved in mortal affairs. Some say he was created by Shiva, others say that he arose out of the
entities/Vishnu.html - 1.7k - Aug 14 2005
- Vishvavasu - A Prominent Gandharva
Vishvavasu is one of the prominent Gandharvas. Sometimes, he is referred to as their King (which is somewhat confusing, as Chitrasena, Tumburu and some others are
entities/Vishvavasu.html - 1.7k - Jun 3 2005
- Vishwakarma - The Architect of the Devas
Vishwakarma is the architect of the Devas. His chief rival in architectural prowess is Maya the architect of the Asuras. He has a daughter named Sangya, who is married to
entities/Vishwakarma.html - 0.3k - Jul 22 2004
- Vishwamitra - The King Who Became a Great Sage
Vishwamitra is one of the most well known of the great sages. His epic tussle with Vasishta for the position of the greatest sage of all time, makes a very interesting story. He was not a Brahmana
entities/Vishwamitra.html - 4.2k - Nov 17 2004
- Vishwarupa - Son of Tvashta
Vishwarupa was the son of Tvashta and an Asura woman. When Brihaspati foresook the Devas, angered by Indra's lack of respect for him, the Gods installed
entities/Vishwarupa.html - 0.8k - Nov 4 2004
- Vivasvant - The Sun God
Vivasvant is the Sun God. He is identified with Surya, but in some stories, appears distinct from him. According to the RigVeda, he married to Saranyu, the daughter of Tvashta.
entities/Vivasvant.html - 0.6k - Nov 6 2004
- Vivinsati - A Kaurava
Vivinsati was a Kaurava, one of the hundred sons of King Dhritharashtra. He was an excellent bowman, and was one of the chief Kaurava warriors in the great battle. His name is often
entities/Vivinsati.html - 0.5k - Mar 21 2005
- Vritra - Demon-son of Tvashta
Vritra is the son of Tvashta. When Vishwarupa, the son of Tvashta, was slain by Indra, Tvashta performed a sacrifice with the intention of obtaining
entities/Vritra.html - 1.4k - Nov 6 2004
- Vyasa - Composer of the Mahabharata
Vyasa is the son of Satyavati and the sage Parasara. Satyavati was the adopted daughter of a fisherman, and plied a boat across the river Yamuna. One day she was taking the sage
entities/Vyasa.html - 1.3k - Nov 5 2004
- Yakshas - Divine Beings
Yakshas are sometimes considered to be a class of the Gandharvas, but are definitely of a more malevolent disposition. They are the sons of the sage Kashyapa and
entities/Yaksha.html - 0.8k - Oct 18 2004
- Yama - The Lord of Death
Perhaps other than Indra, no other Vedic character has undergone so large a transformation by the time of the Puranas. In the RigVeda, he is the son of Saranyu (daughter of
entities/Yama.html - 3.1k - Nov 6 2004
- Yami - Twin Sister of Yama
According to the RigVeda, Yami is the twin sister of Yama. Their mother is Saranyu (who is the daughter of Tvashta, the artisan God) and their father is Vivasvant (associated with the sun). She is
entities/Yami.html - 1.2k - Nov 6 2004
- Yashoda - Adoptive Mother of Krishna
Yashoda was the wife of Nanda, a Yadava chieftain. She brought up Krishna, who called only her as mother, in preference to his birth mother Devaki. She is the symbol
entities/Yashoda.html - 0.4k - Oct 20 2004
- Yayati - Ancestor of the Pandavas
Yayati was a Kuru prince, of the Chandra dynasty. He once happened to rescue Devayani from a well in the forest. Later, with her father's consent he married her. He broke a promise to his father-in-law,
entities/Yayati.html - 0.9k - Oct 18 2004
- Yayati - Ancestor of Rama
Yayati was a king of the solar dynasty, the son of Nahusha_Ramayana, and an ancestor of Rama. Nabhaga is his son.
entities/Yayati_Ramayana.html - 0.2k - Oct 15 2004
- Yudhamanyu - A Panchala Prince
Yudhamanyu was born in the Panchala royal family. He was a great warrior, who fought on the Pandava side during the great Kurukshetra war. His primary responsibility in that war was to protect Arjuna's
entities/Yudhamanyu.html - 0.9k - Mar 13 2005
- Yudhishtra - The Eldest Pandava
Yudhishtra was the eldest son of King Pandu, born to his queen Kunti, by Yama. He was also the eldest Kuru prince as the eldest of the Kauravas, Duryodhana was younger than
entities/Yudhishtra.html - 0.9k - Mar 13 2005
- Yuvanashva - Ancestor of Rama
Yuvanashva is a King of the Solar dynasty, the son of Dhundumara, and an ancestor of Rama. He is referred to as 'speediest charioteer' in Ramayana1.70.25.
entities/Yuvanashva.html - 0.3k - Oct 11 2004
- Yuyutsu - Son of Dhritharashtra
Yuyutsu, also called Vikarna, was a son of King Dhritharashtra, born to a Vaishya wife of the King. Thus, he is the half brother of the Kauravas. He was famed for his sense of justice. He was one
entities/Yuyutsu.html - 0.8k - Dec 12 2004