Aadhishesha (also Shesha). Divine serpent with a thousand heads upon which the earth rests; used by demi-gods and demons together to churn the ocean of milk. Also reposing bed of Vishnu.
Aadhithya (Adithya). Son of Adithi; the Lord Sun.
Aaranyakas. Religious or philosophical texts closely connected with the Braahmanas, either composed in the forest or studied there. They deal with inner significances and internal disciplines.
Aaranyaparva. First section of the third book of the Mahaabhaaratha; contains predictions of the Kali yuga.
Aaryan (Aryan). (a) Literally noble. (b) Follower of Vedhik or spiritual path. (c) Ancient dwellers of India to whom the Vedhas were revealed.
Adhithi. Daughter of Dhaksha and wife of Kashyapa; sister of Dhithi.
Agasthya. Sage and author of several Vedhik hymns; also the star Canopus.
Ahalyaa. Princess of the Puru dynasty, who was turned into a stone by the curse of her husband, Gauthama, for suspected adultery. She regained her form when Raama touched the stone with his divine feet.
Ahi-Raavana. A son of Raavana.
Aja. King of the Solar Dynasty; son of Raahu and father of Dhasharatha.
Akampa. One of Raavana's mighty demon warriors.
Akshayakumara. Raavana's son.
Alambuushaa Dhevi. Celestial goddess, mother of Vishaala by Ikshvaaku.
Alarka. King who gave his eyes upon a braahmana's request.
Allah. God, in the Islam religion.
Amaraavathee. Residence of Indhra.
Ambareesha. Pious king of the Ishvaaku dynasty.
Amshumantha. King of the solar dynasty; virtuous son of Ashvamanja and grandson of Sagara.
Anantha. Unending, infinite. Name of Vishnu.
Anasuuyaa. Wife of sage Athri and mother of Dhatthathreya, an incarnation of the Trinity.
Anga. The kingdom of Anga in Eastern Bihar, adjoining Bengal.
Angadha. Vaali's son, the crown prince.
Anna-puurna. Bestower of food; goddess; a form of Dhurga (goddess of destruction of evil obstacles).
Arishtanemi. Son of Vinathaa and sage Kashyapa.
Arjuna. Krishna's disciple, in the Bhagavath Geetha; third of five Paandava brothers. See Mahaabhaaratha.
Arjuna mountain. White mountain.
Arundhathee. Wife of sage Vashishtha; regarded as the highest model of wifely devotion and chastity.
Ashvamanja. King of solar dynasty; wicked son of Sagara and Keshinee; driven away by his father because of his cruelty.
Ashvapathi. Lord of horses, brother-in-law of Dasharatha, the father of Raama.
Ashvatthaama. Son of Dhrona.
Ashvini. Twin deities who appear in the sky before dawn in a golden chariot drawn by horses; physicians of the heavens.
Asitha. Son of King Bharatha; father of Sagara.
Asuurtha-rajasa. One of the four sons of King Kusha; also, son of Raama.
Atharvana. The fourth Vedha.
Athikaaya. One of Raavana's sons, a minister and general.
Athri. A sage; father of Dhatthathreya.
Ayodhya. City where Raama was born and ruled.
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Bali. Emperor of demons; grandson of Prahlaadha and son of the demon Virochana. Humiliated by dwarf Vaamana, who was an incarnation of Vishnu.
Bhaagavatha (Bhagavatha). A textbook of divine love; the story of Avathaars, especially Krishna. The word also means those with attachment to God, or the Godly.
Bhaageerathi. Another name for the Gangaa river, because Bhageeratha brought the river to earth.
Bhaarath (Bharat, Bharath). India; Indian; descendent of King Bharath, first emperor of India.
Bhaaratha-dhesha. India; region of God-loving people.
Bhaaratha-varsha. India subcontinent.
Bhaargava-Raama. Name for Parashuraama.
Bhagavaan (Bhagavan, Bhagawan). Divinity; term of reverential address; Sathya Sai Baba is called Bhagavaan by his devotees.
Bhagavath Geetha (Bhagavath Gita, Bhagavadhgita). Literally, Song of God. Portion of the Mahaabhaaratha that is a dialogue between Arjuna, one of the Paandava brothers, and Krishna. See Mahaabhaaratha.
Bhageeratha. King of Solar Dynasty, son of Amshumaan. Gave up his kingdom for enlightenment, but eventually returned as king.
Bharadhvaaja (Bharadwaja). Celebrated sage, a seer of Vedhik hymns.
Bharatha. Son of Dhasharatha and Kaikeyee; brother of Raama. "Bharatha" means "he who rules".
Bharatha-kuupa. Holy well, by the side of the Chithrakuuta mountain, that Bharatha cleaned.
Bheema (Bhima). Second of five Paandava brothers; named for his size and strength. See Mahaabhaaratha.
Bheeshma (Bhishma). The guardian and patriarch of the Kauravas and Paandavas. Remarkable for his wisdom and unflinching devotion to God. Trapped by his fate to fight on side of evil Kauravas; bled to death on a bed of arrows while thinking of God. See Mahaabhaaratha.
Bhils. A mountain race who live in the Vindhya hills.
Bhrighu or Bhrugu. Great sage son of Brahma.
Bhrigu-prashravana. Region of the Himaalayans where Asitha fled.
Bhuudhevi. The goddess of Earth; wife of Vishnu.
Braahmana. Vedhik work that contains rules for the employment of manthras and hymns at various sacrifices, with detailed explanations of their origin and meaning.
Brahma. The Creator in the trinity Brahma, Vishnu (the Preserver), and Shiva (the Destroyer).
Brahma-dhattha. Ruler of Kaampilya.
Brahman (Brahmam). Impersonal Supreme Being, primal source and ultimate goal of all beings. Thus, It is identical to the Aathma.
Brahmasuuthra (Brahmasutra). Spiritual text of Vedhaanthik teachings in short maxims, attributed to Baadharayana or Vyaasa.
Brighu (Brigu). One of 10 great sages created by the first Manu.
Brihadaaranyaka Upanishath. The Upanishath that sets forth teachings maintained by Yaajnavalkya regarding Brahman.
Brihaspathi. Teacher of the gods for their battle against the demons. Son of the sage Angiras who was a son of Brahma.
Brindhaavan (Brindavan). The forest and pastoral lands where Krishna played in his childhood.
Buddha. Prince Gauthama, circa 556-480 BC. Founder of Buddhism after attaining enlightenment.
Buddhism. Religion founded by Buddha, which holds that life is full of suffering caused by desire and that the way to end the suffering is to end the birth-death cycle through enlightenment.
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Chaithanya. Fifteenth century Vaishnava mendicant reformer; taught the path of love and devotion to the Avathaar of Shri Krishna.
Chamaka. Hymn of prayer to Shiva found in the Yajurvedha.
Chandhas. The Vedhas, Vedhik hymns. Means pleasant, joyous. Also, guide and shield.
Chandhra. Moon
God in charge of crops and medicinal plants.
Chandhramas. A sage who imparted spiritual knowledge to Sampaathi and advised Jataayu to give directions about the way to the monkeys in their search for Seethaa.
Charaka. Author of earliest written compendium of aayurvedhik medicine (diagnostic and prognostic); forms basis of Sanskrith medical literature along with Shushrutha samhitha. See Dhanvanthari. As Shesha, king of serpents, he said to have visited earth, noted much sickness, and resolved to incarnate (as Charaka) to alleviate disease.
Chayavana. Sage at whose hermitage the queens of Asitha took refuge.
Chidhambaram. Town 122 miles S.S.W. of Madras, noted for its temple dedicated to Shiva in his aspect of "cosmic dancer", Nataraaja.
Chithra. Bright constellation.
Chithraangadha. One of Lakshmana's two sons.
Chithrakethu. One of Lakshmana's two sons.
Chithrakuuta Hill. Mountain renowned in the Puraanas on the banks of the Mandhaakinee river as a place where Raama and Seethaa lived for some time. Baanda district of Utthar Pradesh State in modern India.
Chuudhaalaa (Cudala). Saintly wife of King Shikhidhvaja. When he renounced his kingdom, she gave him instruction in the Aathmik knowledge and brought him back to the throne.
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Deccan. The peninsula of India south of the Narmadha River.
Dhaanavas. Class of demons, Dhaithyas or Asuras; enemies of the Gods (Dhevas). Children of Dhanu and Kashyapa.
Dhadheechi. Great hero, who gave up his bones to Indhra to form a thunderbolt for killing a demon leader.
Dhadhimukha. Monkey brother-in-law of Sugreeva.
Dhamayanthee (Damayanti). Wife of King Nala of Nishaadha, who lost his kingdom at dice.
Dhananjaya (Dananjaya). Another name for Arjuna, given to him for providing enormous wealth for the Rajasuuya Yaaga (sacrifice) performed by his elder brother Dharmaja.
Dhanda. The son of Ikshvaaku. Ikshvaaku gave Dhanda the country between the Himaalaya and Vindhya mountains.
Dhandakaaranya. The Dhandaka Forest.
Dhandaka Forest. Country between the mountains Himaalaya and Vindhya. When King Dhanda violated a maiden, the country was destroyed by her sage father and was known as Dhandaka forest thereafter.
Dhanvanthari. God who was a preceptor in Aayurvedha. Classical Indian medical knowledge is called aayurvedha (science of health and long life). Its two chief traditions are those of Aathreya and Dhanvathari.
Dharaa (Dara). Wife of the vasu Nandagopa (the vasus were a class of gods whose chief was Indhra).
Dharmaaranya. City built by Brahma's grandson Asuurtha-rajasa.
Dharmaja, or Yudhishtira. Eldest of the Paandavas. Born to Kunthee by the grace of Yama Dharmaraaja, Lord of Death. Named for adherence to dharma. See Mahaabhaaratha.
Dharmakshethra. Battlefield where the Mahaabhaaratha war was fought between the Paandavas and Kauravas.
Dharmaraaja. Name of Yama, God of death.
Dharma Shaasthras. Codes of law and ethics concerning virtuous living.
Dharmavyaadha. Hunter who became a sage.
Dhasharatha. Son of Aja and father of Raama; King of Ayodhya; the name means "ten chariot hero".
Dhatthathreya (Dhatathreya). Sage son of Athri and Anasuuyaa.
Dhevakantaka. One of Raavana's mighty warriors.
Dhevaraatha. Emperor in the Ikshvaaku dynasty of ancient Mithila.
Dhevee Bhaagavatham. The story of the glory of Universal Divine Mother.
Dhevee Kaamadha. Goddess granting desires.
Dhevendhra. Name given to the Lord of the gods (dhevas); Indhra or Shiva.
Dhileepa. Son of Amshumantha; became king of the solar dynasty; offered his life to a lion who was about to kill the sacred cow Nandhinee.
Dhithi. Daughter of Dhaksha; wife of Kashyapa.
Dhivyaathma. Divine Aathma; Universal Absolute.
Dhraupadhee (Draupadi). Wife of the Paandavas. See Mahaabhaaratha.
Dhrishthadhyumna. Brother of Dhraupadhee.
Dhritharaashthra. Father of Kauravas holder of ruling power.
Dhrona (Drona). Teacher of archery and war tactics for the Paandavas and Kauravas.
Dhrona Mountains. Himaalayan mountain where Hanumaan went, to Sanjeevi hill, to get a life-saving drug for Lakshmana.
Dhruva. Grandson of Brahma and son of Utthaanapaadha; as a child, Dhruva performed severe penance and attained self-renunciation.
Dhundubhi. A terrible demon, brother of Maayaavee.
Dhurdhara. A monkey in Raama's army.
Dhuryodhana. Chief (and eldest) of the evil-minded sons of Dhritharaashthra.
Dhuumakethu. One of Raavana's messengers.
Dhuumraaksha. General in Raavana's army.
Dhuumraashva. King of Ikshvaaku dynasty; father of Sanjaya.
Dhuurvaasa. Son of Athri and Anasuuyaa; known for quick temper and severe curses with an eventually constructive effect of driving home hard lessons of discipline and virtuousness.
Dhuushana. A demon chieftain in Raavana's tribe.
Dhvividha. A monkey general in Raama's army.
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Eeshvara (Eshwara). Lord, God, Supreme Being; another name for Shiva.
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Gaadhi. Son of Kushanaabha and father of Vishvaamithra.
Gaandeeva. Arjuna's bow.
Gaargee. Female sage Vaachaknavi, descendent of sage Garga.
Gaayathree manthra (Gayatri mantra). Ancient Vedhik prayer to awaken the intelligence and lead to enlightenment.
Gajendhra (Gajendra). Elephant. In Sathya Sai Speaks III 40, 189, Sai Baba mentions that the Gajendhra or elephant (man) who was caught by the alligator (egotism) while frolicking in the lake (the objective world) was saved by the Lord (spiritual practices).
Ganapathi. Ganesha, head of an assemblage, Shiva's elder son.
Gandhamaadhana mountain range. Holy mountain east of the Himaalayas.
Gandharvas. Celestial musicians, a class of demigods; born to the sage Kashyapa and wife Arishtaa.
Ganga (Ganges). 1560-mile-long river; starts in the Himaalayas and flows generally east to the Bay of Bengal; the most sacred river of India.
Garga. Elderly sage son of Bharadvaaja.
Garuda. Celestial bird, white-crested eagle, vehicle for Lord Vishnu.
Gauda. Central Bengal, farming country.
Gauraanga. Name for Chaithanya, a great saint.
Gauri. Shiva's consort Paarvathee.
Gauthama. Author of Nyaaya system of philosophy and logical system.
Gavaaksha. A monkey king and great warrior, who helped Raama.
Geetha (Gita). Literally, song. Short for Bhagavath Geetha, the Song of God.
Girivraja. City prominent in the Puraanas; built by Brahma's grandson Vasu. Girivraja means "collection of hills".
Godhaavaree (Godavari). Second largest river in India; cuts across central south India, flowing from west to east.
Goghra. River in ancient India.
Gokarna. Sacred place extolled in the Puraanas; situated on the extreme north of Kerala.
Gomathi. Celebrated river of Puraanik times; tributary of the Gangaa river.
Gopaala (Gopala). Cowherd boy. A name for Lord Krishna.
Gouraanga (Gouranga). Name for Chaithanya, a great saint.
Govardhana hill. Mountain lifted by Krishna.
Govindha (Govinda). Name for Krishna.
Granth Saheb. Sacred scriptural text of the Sikhs.
Grihalakshmee. Goddess of the home.
Guha. King of the country of Nishaadhas on the banks of the river Gangaa.
Guru-geethaa. Section of the Skaandha Puraana, the epic story of Skaandha.
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Haihayas. Race said to have been descendents of Yadhu.
Hamsa. Supreme Spirit typified by the pure white colour of the swan.
Hanumaan (Hanuman). Son of the Wind God and a great "devotee servant" of Raama. He was part man, part monkey.
Hari. God; destroyer of sins; another name for Vishnu.
Haridhvaara. Celebrated bathing place on the river Gangaa.
Harinee. Heavenly nymph who was incited by Indhra to tempt sage Thrinabindhu.
Harischchandhra. King of the solar dynasty very renowned for his unique truthfulness and integrity. Sold himself and family for the sake of truth.
Hemaa. A friend of Svayamprabhaa.
Hemachandhra. Son of Ikshvaaku; father of Suchandhra.
Himaalayas. Sacred mountains of India.
Himavaan. Another name for the Himaalayas; the demigod of the Himaalayas.
Hindhu (Hindu). Person who adheres to Hindhuism --the religion based on the Vedhas. Name originally applied by foreign invaders to inhabitants of Indus (Sindhu) river valley.
Hiranyaaksha. Wicked brother of Hiranyakashipu; killed by the wild-boar Avathaar of Vishnu.
Hiranyagarbha. Cosmic divine mind; cosmic womb; golden egg first created by Brahman from which all creation issued.
Hiranyakashipu. A demonic person who forbade mention of Vishnu's name, wicked father of Prahlaadha; killed by man-lion Avathaar of Vishnu.
Hlaadhinee. Tributary of the Gangaa flowing eastward.
Hrisheeka. A great sage who kept Vishnu's bow.
Hrishvaruupa. Noble father of King Janaka.
Ikshumathi. River that flows near Kurukshethra, site of the famous battle in the Mahaabhaaratha; Mithila lies on its banks.
Ikshvaaku (Iksvaku). Son of Manu and father of Kukshi; first king of Ayodhya and ancestor of Raama's dynasty.
Indhra (Indra). Lord of the dhevas (celestials).
Indhrajith. Conqueror of Indhra; Meghanaadha.
Indhumathee. Wife of King Aja; sister of Bhojaraaja of Maghadha.
Jaabaali. A sage, son of Vishvaamithra.
Jaahnavee. The river Gangaa (Ganges).
Jaambavaan or Jaambavantha. Old monkey leader of extraordinary might; the ruler of the bears.
Jaanakee. Janaka's daughter Seethaa.
Jagadheeshvara. Lord of the cosmos, world.
Jaimini. Author of Puurva Meemaamsa.
Jain. Adherent of Jainism, Indian religion traceable to Mahaaveera of the 6th century B.C.
Jamadhagni. Hrisheeka's hermit son and Parashu-Raama's father.
Janaka. A self-realized king; father of Seetha and father-in-law of Lord Raama. His ancestor was Nimi, a great emperor.
Jarasandha. King of Magadha and father-in-law of Kamsa; enemy of Krishna.
Jataayu. A famous eagle, whose wings were scorched when he flew too close to the sun. He tried to rescue Seethaa, and played a role in Raama's fight against the demons.
Jayadheva. Sanskrith poet; wrote the Geetha Govindha, which describes the early life of Krishna.
Jayantha. Son of Indhra. Transformed himself into a crow and pecked at Seethaa's feet, incurring Raama's wrath.
Jesus Christ. Founder of Christian religion; death on cross symbolized death of the ego.
Jnaana-kaanda. Portion of the Vedhas that deals with knowledge of Brahman through the path of spiritual wisdom or discriminative knowledge.
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Kaala (Yama). God of death, time.
Kaalanemi. Demon minister of Raavana who advised him to take refuge in Raama.
Kaamadhaa. A goddess, fulfiller of desires.
Kaamadhenu. Divine cow granting all wishes.
Kaampilya. A city, ruled by Brahmadhattha.
Kaarthaveeryaarjuna. Renowned wicked king of the Hehaya dynasty.
Kaashi (or Kasi). One of the oldest and most popular sacred centres in India: Benares.
Kaathyaayanee (Katyayani). One of Yaajnavalkya's two wives.
Kaaveree. Holy river in the South of India in Raama's time.
Kabandha. A mountain-sized demon who attacked Raama and Lakshmana.
Kabeer or Kabeerdhaas. 15th century mystic poet; preached equality before God of all creatures and the religion of love/devotion (bhakthi), which was aimed at the union of the soul with God. Born to a Muslim weaver family of Benares.
Kaikaa or Kaikeyee. A princess of Kekaya (Kaashmir), third wife of Dhasharatha, and mother of Bharatha.
Kailaasa. Shiva's mountain abode; Bhageeratha performed penance here to bring down the river Gangaa.
Kaitabha. Born from ear-wax of Vishnu; brother of Madhu.
Kakuthstha. King of the Ikshvaaku dynasty; son of Somadhattha; father of Anenas.
Kalidhaasa. Sanskrith dramatist and poet ca 5th century A.D.
Kamsa. Brother of Devakee, mother of Krishna and killer of her first six sons.
Kanaadha. Founder of the Vaisheshika school of philosophy.
Kanyaa-kumaari. Pilgrimage centre: the southernmost tip of the Indian peninsula, on the Indian Ocean.
Kapila, Kapilamaharshi. Ancient sage-philosopher; prime exponent of the one of the six systems of philosophy known as Saankhya, which emphasizes duality of spirit and nature.
Karma-kaanda. Portion of the Vedhas that deals with ceremonial acts and sacrificial rites.
Karna. Half-brother of the Paandavas (son of Kunthee). Valiant but unfortunate eldest son of Kunthee by the sun deity. Ally of the Kauravas in the war with Paandavas.
Karuusha. Region in central India.
Kashyapa. Father of all living creatures; son of Mareechi and grandson of Brahma.
Katha Upanishath. One of most popular Upanishaths because of its clarity and brevity in expressing mystic truths; contains famous dialogue between Nachikethas and Yama, God of death.
Kauntheya (Kaunteya). Son of Kunthee (who is Arjuna's mother).
Kauravas. Family that fought Paandavas. See Mahaabhaaratha.
Kausalyaa. Daughter of the King of Kosala, first wife of Dhasharatha, and mother of Raama.
Kaushaambi. City built by Brahma's grandson Kushaamba.
Kaushika. Another name for Vishvaamithra, since he was the son of Kusha.
Kaushiki. Now the modern river of Kosi in Bihar. Vishvaamithra's hermitage stood on its bank.
Kauthsu. Student-hermit disciple of Varathanthu.
Kekaya. Kingdom in ancient India; birthplace of Kaikeyee, wife of Dhasharatha; modern Kashmir.
Kesari. A monkey-general in Raama's army.
Keshava. "Slayer of the demon Keshi"; another name for Krishna. Also, a name for Vishnu.
Keshinee. Daughter of the king of Vidharbha and wife of Sagara.
Khara. A giant demon chieftain in Raavana's tribe.
Khatvaanga. King in the Solar Dynasty; ancestor of Raama.
Kinnara. Sect of gods all of whom hold lutes in their hands.
Khirathas. Mountain tribesmen.
Kishkindha. Ancient kingdom of monkeys in Southern India.
Koran. Holy text of the Muslims accepted as revelations from the prophet Mohammad; divinely authorized basis for the regulations of the Islamic world.
Kosala. Wealthy country on the banks of the Sarayuu river and the people inhabiting it; Dhasharatha's wife, Kausalyaa, came from Kosala.
Krishna. The Avathaar of Vishnu in the Dhvaapara-yuga prior to the present Kali-yuga.
Krithyaa. Demoness or demon to whom sacrifices are offered for destructive purposes. Created by the black arts.
Kubera. God of riches; father was Vishravas and younger half-brother was Raavana.
Kuchela. A poor braahmana classmate of Krishna.
Kumaara (Kumara). Son of Shiva and Paarvathee, also called Skandha, Kaarthikeya.
Kumbha. Kumbhakarna's son.
Kumbhakarna. Younger brother of Raavana, who slept for six months at a time.
Kumbheenasa. Demonic mother of Lavana.
Kumudha. A monkey-general in Raama's army.
Kunthee (Kunti). Mother of Paandavas and wife of King Paandu, who was the younger brother of emperor Dhritharashthra.
Kurukshethra. Battlefield where the Paandavas and Kauravas fought.
Kusha. Descendent of Brahma and father of Kushaamba, Kushanaabha, Asuurtha-rajasa, and Vasu; also, twin son of Raama and Seethaa.
Kushaamba. Son of Kasu and grandson of Brahma.
Kushadhvaja. Brother of King Janaka; King of Sankaasya.
Kushanaabha. Son of Kusha and grandson of Brahma. Father of 100 daughters given in marriage to Brahmadhattha.
Kushaplava. Holy place. One who bathes and spends 3 nights there will derive the benefits of a horse sacrifice (ashvamedha).
Lakshmana. Brother of Raama and son of Sumithraa; represents intellect.
Lakshmee (Lakshmi). Consort of Vishnu, goddess of wealth.
Lanka. Capital city in Shri Lanka (Ceylon) of the demon Raavana.
Lankinee (Lankaalakshmee). Demoness guard of Lanka.
Lava. Twin son of Raama and Seethaa.
Lavana. Terrible demon child of Vibheeshana and Madhu; given trident of Shiva for penance; killed by Shathrughna with help of Raama.
Lavapura. City given to Lava, the modern Lahore.
Lokamaatha. Mother of all beings.
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Maadhava (Madhava). God (another name for Krishna); Master of illusion (maayaa), Lord of Lakshmee.
Maadhvaachaarya (Madhvacharya). 13th cent. exponent of dualist philosophy; founder of a sect of Vaishnavas in south India; refuted monism of Shankaraachaarya.
Maagadhi. A river that flows through five mountains in Magadha.
Maalava. People of a region of the west coast of India; partisans of the Kauravas.
Maalyavaantha. One of Raavana's ministers and father of Raavana's mother.
Maanasa-Sarovar. Lake of the mind; Lake created by Brahma; source of the Sarayuu river in the northern Himaalayas, now in Tibet.
Maandavee. Wife of Bharatha, daughter of Kushadhvaja, and niece of Janaka.
Maandhava. A monkey under Sugreeva's command.
Maareecha. Demon son of Thaatakee.
Maarkandeya. As a boy, he knew all the Vedhas and Saasthras; at 16, he started meditating on Shiva so steadfastly that the day of his death passed him by, and he remained 16 for the next 10 million years.
Maayaa. Consort of Vishnu; mother of Maayaavee and Dhundhubhi.
Maayaavee. A demon, who was killed by Vaali.
Madhaalasaa (Madalasa). Wife of King Rithadhvaja. Once, the demon Paathaalakethu carried her away to the nether world; Paathaala and King Rithadhvaja rescued her.
Madhu. One of the demons born from the ear-wax of Vishnu; brother of Kaitabha and father of Lavana.
Madhusuudhana. "Killer of the Madhu demon" —another name for Krishna.
Magadha. Region of Vasu, grandson of Brahma, through which the Sone river flows.
Magha. One of the 27 constellations.
Mahaabhaaratha (Mahabharatha). Ancient epic in poetic form, by sage Vyaasa; describes conflict between the Paandava brothers and their cousins, the 100 Kaurava brothers. Arjuna is one of the Paandava brothers. It contains the Bhagavath Geetha.
Mahaa-lakshmee. Goddess Lakshmee.
Mahaameru. The seat of Lord Shiva; the golden peak of Himaalaya.
Mahendhra Peak. A holy mountain.
Mahodhara. One of Raavana's army chiefs.
Mahodhaya. City built by Brahma's grandson Kushanaabha.
Mainaaka Peak. Holy mountain north of Kailaasa. Bhageeratha did penance to bring the Gangaa to the earth on this mountain.
Maithreyee (Maitreyi). Female consort of Yaajnavalkya; one of greatest sage-philosophers in the Upanishaths. Maithreyi was known for her wisdom. See the Brihadaaranyaka Upanishath.
Makaraaksha. Great warrior for Raavana.
Makaradhvaja. Guard in Ahi-Raavana's city.
Mallamma. Name of a great lady devotee.
Mandhaakinee. A river in Utthar Pradesh that flows near the Chithrakuuta Mountain.
Mandhara Mountain. Holy mountain that served as the churning stick at the churning of the ocean for amritha.
Mandodharee. Raavana's wife, queen of Lanka.
Mantharaa. Hunchbacked maid of Queen Kaikeyee.
Manu. The father of mankind; the author of the codes of righteous conduct (Dharma Shaasthras); son of Suurya (the sun) and father of Vaivasvatha Manu, the present progenitor of mankind.
Manu Dharma Shaasthra (Sastra). Codes of righteous conduct written by Manu.
Mareechi. Great sage born from Brahma's mind. The ancestral line of king Dhasharatha is traced back to Mareechi.
Mathanga. A great sage; it is he who cursed Vaali.
Meeraa. Princess of Raajasthaan and queen of Chitthor; devoted to Krishna; took poison from her husband without any effect; composed devotional songs of exceptional quality.
Meghanaadha. Raavana's son and general.
Mithi. Son of Nimi and founder of the kingdom of Mithila. Also known as Janaka, as were all kings of this dynasty.
Mithila. Country of ancient Bharatha, ruled by King Janaka, on the northeastern side of India; Seethaa's childhood home.
Mithra. God always mentioned together with Varuna as rain god(s).
Mohammed. Seventh century Arabic prophet and founder of religion of Islam.
Mundhaka Upanishath. A Upanishath of Artharva-vedha.
Naagaarjuna. Classical Indian medical knowledge is called Aayurvedha (science of long life), the two chief traditions being those of Aathreya and Dhanvanthari. Naagaarjuna (2nd cent. B.C.) presented Dhanvanthari's in Shushrutha samhitha.
Naalaayanee (Nalayani). Previous birth of Dhraupadhee, who was married to the aged, leprosy-ridden, sage Maudhgalya.
Naamadhev (Namadev). Hindhi saint-poet in 13th and 14th centuries.
Naanak (Nanak). 15th century founder of Sikh religion.
Naaraayana (Narayana). The Primal Person, the Lord, Vishnu.
Naaradha (Narada). Sage-bard; traveled the world chanting Naaraayana. Famous for creating disputes, resulting in solutions for the spiritual advancement or victory of the virtuous. Expert in law and author of texts on dharma.
Naaradha Bhakthi Suuthra. A text of aphorisms on bhakthi (devotion); attributed to the celestial sage Naaradha.
Naaradha-parivraajaka Upanishath. The sage-mendicant Naaradha'sUpanishath.
Nachikethas. Son of sage Vaajashravas given to Yama, the Lord of death, for questioning his father's mean gift of old and useless cows to pious people.
Nala. King of Nishaadha and husband of Dhamayanthee; lost his kingdom at dice. Also, the monkey-architect of Raama's bridge of monkeys across the ocean and commander in the army.
Nalinee. Tributary of the Gangaa, flowing eastward.
Nanak. See Naanak.
Nandhakumaara. "(Adopted) son of Nandha" --another name for Krishna.
Nandhanaar. Great 13th century devotee of Shiva, born in the labourer (shuudhra) caste. Through devotion, he overcame all obstacles and merged with God in the temple in Chidhambaram.
Nandheeshvara. God, Lord of all creatures; Shiva.
Nandhi. Shiva's bull.
Nandhigraama. Bharatha's residence during Raama's exile, about 14 miles from Ayodhya.
Nandhinee. Fabulous cow of sage Vashishtha bestowing all desires.
Naraanthaka. Demon son of Raavana.
Narasimha. Man-lion. One of the ten Avathaars of Vishnu.
Narmadha. Famous holy river of central India.
Neela. A monkey-chief, the son of Agni.
Neelagiri Mountains. Mountains in the region called Ilaavritha of Jambuu Island.
Nikumbala. Garden where many demons did penance.
Nikumbha. A very powerful demon, Kumbhakarna's son.
Nimi. Son of Ikshvaaku and father of Mithi, who founded Mithila on the banks of the Gangaa.
Nishaadha. Country near the Himaalayas, governed by Nala.
Nyaaya Shaasthra. System of logical philosophy delivered by Gauthama, which uses syllogistic inference.
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Paandava (Pandava). Family of 5 brothers that fought the Kauravas: Dharmaraaja, Bheema, Arjuna, Nakula, and Sahadheva. See Mahaabhaaratha.
Paartha (Partha). "Son of Earth (Prithvee)"; another name for Arjuna.
Paarvathee (Parvati). Shiva's consort.
Paathaala. One of the 7 regions under the earth; the abode of serpents and demons.
Paavanee. Tributary of the Gangaa, flowing eastward.
Pampaa. A lake in Kishkindha near which Sugreeva stayed.
Panchavatee. A place on the southern bank of the Godhaavaree river where Raama, Seethaa, and Lakshmana lived for some time while in exile. It got its name because of the five banyan trees that stood there in a circle.
Parabrahman. Universal Absolute Brahman.
Parashuraama (Parasurama). An incarnation of Vishnu as man, born to destroy the arrogance of the wicked Kshathriya kings.
Pareekshith. Emperor of the Kuru dynasty; grandson of Arjuna and son of Abhimanyu.
Pashupathi. Lord of animals or individualized souls; another name for Shiva.
Patanjali. Ancient author of the Yoga Suuthras, which form the foundation of the yoga system of Indian philosophy.
Prachethas. Vaalmeeki's father.
Prahastha. Son of Raavana and minister of Raavana.
Prahlaadha. Son of the demon king Hiranyakashipu. As a boy, he was beaten, trampled, and cast into fire and water. But, he saw only God everywhere, and repetition of the Name saved him. Once, Prahlaadha asserted that God was everywhere, and Naaraayana appeared in his man-lion form from within a pillar to destroy the king.
Prajaapathi. Creator of this world; God presiding over creation. Also called Manu, Suurya's son.
Prasthaana Thraya. The three supreme texts: the Upanishaths, Geetha, and Brahma Suuthra.
Prayaaga. Holy place at the meeting point of Gangaa, Yamunaa, and the underground Sarasvathi rivers. Modern Allahabaadh in the State of Utthar Pradesh. Bathing here would give great spiritual blessing.
Prema Sai Baba. The third in the triple incarnation of Shirdi Sai Baba, Sathya Sai Baba, and Prema Sai Baba. See here for more information.
Pulasthya. Son of Brahma, father of Vishravas, and grandfather of Raavana.
Puraana (Purana). Any of a number of collections of ancient legends and lore embodying the principles of the universal, eternal religion and ethics. There are 18 Puraanas, the most famous being the Mahaabhagavatham and the Dhevee Bhaagavatham.
Puruhuutha. Name for Indhra, meaning "often invited" or "the god who is most called upon".
Pushkara. Bharatha's second son.
Pushpaka. Kubera's chariot; used by Raama to go home.
Puurva Meemaamsa. A text by Jaimini on the early school of Meemaamsa philosophy.
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Raadhaa (Radha). Cowherd maid, a chief devotee of Krishna; one of Lakshmee's forms.
Raahu. A demon (a-sura). An eclipse is the phenomenon of 'Raahu swallowing the moon'.
Raama (Rama). Avathaar of the Threthaa-yuga. Hero of the Raamaayana; killed the wicked Raavana to rescue his virtuous wife Seetha, who had been kidnapped. "Raama" means "he who pleases".
Raamaanuja (Ramanuja). Eleventh century teacher and interpreter of the Brahma Suuthra; proponent of the ultimate oneness of the differentiated (vishishta-adhvaitha). Believed in a personal God reached by devotion and faith and the everlasting self-identity of the individual soul in communion with God as the goal of life.
Raamaayana (Ramayana). The epic that narrates the story of Raama.
Raamachandhra. Another name for Raama.
Raama-Geetha. Another name for the dialogue Yoga Vashishtha.
Raamakrishna Paramahamsa. (1836-1886) Celebrated mystic; mastered all types of Hindhu yoga and also Christian and Islamic practices. Swami Vivekanaandha took his message of universal religion to the West. Married to Saradhadhvee.
Raamdhaas (Ramdas). Maratha 17th century saint; author of work on religious duty; guru of the great King Shivaaji.
Raasmani, Raani. Devotee of Raamakrishna; constructed a Kaali Temple in Calcutta.
Raavana (Ravana). Lord of demons and king of Lanka, who abducted Seetha.
Raghu. Dhileepa's son; famous king of the Solar dynasty.
Rathee Dhevi. Goddess of love.
Rathnaakara. The wayside robber who, because of the teaching of sages, repented and became Valmeeki, the author of the Raamaayana.
Rigvedha (Rik Vedha). First Vedha composed by the sages, consisting of 1028 hymns. Oldest religious text in world.
Rishiyashringa. Hermit of family of Kashyapa; born from his father Vibhandaka's semen spilled upon viewing Uurvashee.
Rishyamuuka hills. Mountain where Raama and Lakshmana met the sage Maarkandeya.
Rudhra (Rudra). Vedhik God of dissolution of the cosmos; named Shiva in his auspicious or benevolent form; one of the Trinity of Brahma, Vishnu, and Rudhra/Shiva.
Ruksharaaja. Monkey form created by Brahma. Was changed into a female, mothered Sugreeva (through Suurya) and Vaali (through Indhra), and was then changed back into a male.
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Saama (Sama, Saamavedha). Collection of Vedhik hymns appropriate for singing as liturgies.
Saaradhaa Dhevee. Saintly wife of Raamakrishna.
Saavithree. Brought husband back to life by outwitting Yama, the Lord of Death, by her power of purity and chastity.
Sagara. Ancient emperor of Ayodhya; son of Asitha and father of Ashvamanja.
Sahadheva. King of Ikshvaaku dynasty; son of Srinjaya and father of Somadhattha.
Sakkubai. A famous Krishna devotee.
Sampaathi. Huge, aged eagle brother of the noble Jataayu.
Sanaka. A rishi, one of four mental sons of the Creator, Brahma.
Sanandha. A rishi, one of four mental sons of the Creator, Brahma.
Sanathkumaara. One of the four mental sons of the Creator, Brahma.
Sanjaya. An advisor to the blind King Dhritharaashthra.
Sanjeevi Hill. Hill containing life-giving herbs for healing, located in the Dhrona Mountains.
Sankaasya. Kingdom of ancient India; capital city of Kushadhvaja, who was Seethaa's uncle.
Saramaa. Wife of Vibheeshana.
Sarasvathee (Saraswati). An underground river, originating in the upper Indus river basin and joining the Gangaa and Yamunaa rivers at Prayaaga or Allahabaadh. Also, Goddess of learning and eloquence, a daughter of Brahma.
Sarayuu. Stream flowing by Ayodhya, Raama's city of birth.
Sathyavathee. Sister of Vishvaamithra.
Seetha (Sitha, Sita). Wife of Raama; brought up by King Janaka, who found her in a box in the earth. Also, a tributary of the Gangaa, flowing westward.
Shaanthaa. Daughter of King Romapaadha who wed the sage Rishyashringa.
Shabaree. A woman ascetic living in the hermitage of her teacher, Sage Mathaanga; Raama gave her salvation.
Shakthi (Sakthi). Female consort of Shiva; also, weapon given by Brahma to Meghanaadha, who used it on Lakshmana.
Shambara. Leader of the demons, who possessed great magical powers.
Shankara. Celebrated philosopher and preceptor of nondualistic Vedhaantha. Defeated all religious opponents in debates throughout India.
Shankaraachaarya. Shankara.
Sharabhanga. A sage blessed with immolation in Raama's presence.
Sharadha-dhevee. The holy mother, wife of Raamakrishna Paramahamsa.
Shashibindhus. Descendents of King Shashabindhu, son of Chithraratha.
Shathaanandha. Son of Gauthama and Ahalyaa; high priest of Janaka who officiated at Raama and Seethaa's wedding.
Shathrughna. Sumithraa's son --twin of Lakshmana and brother of Raama. The name means "slayer of enemies".
Shathrunjaya. Dhasaratha's elephant.
Shesha-Naaga. See Aadhishesha.
Shibi (Sibi). Emperor of India, noted for generosity; offered pound of own flesh to save Agni in the form of a dove from Indhra in the form of a hawk.
Shirdi Sai Baba. The first of the triple incarnation of Shirdi Sai Baba, Sathya Sai Baba, and Prema Sai Baba. He passed away in 1918.
Shishupaala (Sisupala). Demon who merged with the Lord when slain by Krishna.
Shiva (Siva). Destroyer in the trinity of Brahma (the Creator), Vishnu (the Preserver), and Shiva (Rudhra). The embodiment of spiritual wisdom and God of Gods, Mahaadheva.
Shivaanandhalahari. Spiritual poetic work in adoration of Shiva by Shankaraachaarya.
Shraavana. Son of hermits; was killed accidentally by Dhasharaatha, who was cursed by Shraavana's parents to die from loss of children.
Shringiberapuram. Sacred place ruled by King Guha of Nishaadha.
Shrutha-keerthee. Wife of Shathrughna, daughter of Kushadhvaja, and niece of Janaka.
Shuka (Suka). Divine son of author of the Mahaabhaaratha, Vyaasa. Visited King Janaka, who instructed him in the path to liberation. Also, a messenger of Raavana.
Shuurpanakhaa. Raavana's wicked sister.
Sindhu. Indhus River; one of two main river systems in India. Persians called the whole country Hindhu from this river name. Originates in Kashmir and joins the Arabian Sea in Karachi.
Sindhuranatha. Minister of Raavana.
Singh, Govind. (1666-1708) Tenth and last guru of the Sikh religion.
Skandha. Shiva's son Subrahmanya.
Somadhattha. King of Ikshvaaku dynasty; son of Sahadheva and father of Kakuthstha.
Somaka. Demon who forbade the mention of God's name.
Sona. Famous holy river in the Puraanas; known as Sumaagadhi. Identified with the Sone river in Bihar State of modern India.
Srinjaya. King of Iksvaaku dynasty; son of Dhuumraashva and father of Sahadheva.
Subaahu. One of two sons of the demoness Thaatakee, the other being Maareecha. Also son of Shathrughna who killed the demon Lavana's sons
Subhikshu. Tributary of the Gangaa.
Suchandhra. King of Ikshvaaku dynasty; Hemachandhra's son and father of Dhuumraashva.
Sudhaama. Respected minister of Janaka.
Sudhakshinaa. Magadhan wife of King Dhileepa.
Sudhanva. Evil king of Sankaasya.
Sugreeva. Monkey-king, brother of Vaali; with his army of monkeys headed by Hanumaan, assisted Raama in defeating Raavana.
Sukethu. Yaksha father of Thaatakee. Son of the Gandharva King Surakshaka.
Sulabhaa. Female mendicant in Mahaabhaaratha.
Sulochana. Wife of Meghanaadha.
Sumaagadhi. Another name for the Sona river.
Sumanthra. Court priest and prime minister of Dhasharatha.
Sumathee. Wife of Sagara and daughter of Arishtanemi.
Sumathee Shathaka. Name of a Thelugu poetic work on ethics.
Sumathi. King of Ikshvaaku dynasty and son of Kakuthstha.
Sumeru Peak. Also Mahaameru. The golden-coloured peak of the Himaalayas; the seat of Shiva.
Sumithraa. Second wife of Dhasharatha and mother of Lakshmana and Shathrughna.
Sunayanaa. Wife of King Janaka.
Sundha. Very cruel demon (asura); brother of Upasundha and husband of Thaatakee.
Suneela. A mountain where Raama camped in Lanka.
Suparna. Son of the eagle Sampaathi.
Surasaa. Mother of naagas (serpents).
Sushena. A monkey under Sugreeva's command, Also a physician of Lanka.
Sushrutha. Author of the science of surgery; held in great esteem in Aayurvedhik medicine.
Sutheeskshna. A hermit whom Raama and Seethaa visited in the forest; brother of Agasthya.
Suurdhaas (Surdas). A great blind devotee of Krishna.
Suurya (Surya). The sun god, the father of time. A name for the sun.
Suurya-dheva. Same as Suurya; Sun.
Suurya-naaraayana-muurthi. The sun-god personified.
Svayamprabha (Swayamprabha). Celibate daughter of Maya, a demoness.
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Thaalajanghas. Sons of the valiant Thalajangha, who is one of the five sons of the famed emperor Kaarthveerya.
Thaaraa. Vaali's wife.
Thaatakee. Fierce demoness mother of Maareecha and Subaahu; wife of Sundha.
Thaitthiriya Upanishath. The philosophical portion of the Black Yajur Vedha; the other part is called the White Yajur Vedha.
Thaksha. Bharatha's son.
Thamasaa. River that flows into the Gangaa; Vaalmeeki's aashrama was on it.
Thrijataa. A demoness devoted to God and warden of Seethaa during her imprisonment in Lanka.
Thrinabindhu. Ancient sage and prince.
Thripura. A phantom city built by Maya (illusion) in the sky, earth, and ether for the demons; it was destroyed by Shiva.
Thrishanku (Trisanku). King for whom Sage Vishvaamithra created another heaven.
Thrishira. A demon, younger brother of Khara and Dhuushana.
Thriveni (Triveni). Confluence of the three rivers Ganga, Yamunaa, and the subterranean Sarasvathee at Prayaag.
Thukaaraam (Tukaram). Well-known Maraattha 17th century writer. He abandoned the world and became a wandering ascetic.
Thulsidhas (Tulsidas). Author of the greatest medieval devotional Hindhu work concerning the acts of Raama.
Thyaagaraaja (Tyagaraja). 18th and 19th century mystic singer-composer. Leader in Karnaatak tradition of classical music. Born in Tanjore District of south India.
Uddhaalaka. Hermit-sage father of Shvethakethu.
Uddhava. Friend and messenger of Krishna.
Umaa. Daughter of Himavaan; sister of Gangaa.
Upanishath (Upanishad). Any of a set of most ancient treatises constituting the primary source of Vedhaantha metaphysics. Principle message is nondualism: unity of Brahman and the Aathma.
Upasundha. Wicked demon; brother of Sundha.
Urmilaa. Wife of Lakshmana, daughter of Kushadhvaja, and brother of Janaka.
Uttharaphalguna. Name of a star.
Uurvashi (Urvasi). One of 4 celestial dancers in the court of Indhra.
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Vaali. A great monkey-king; brother and enemy of Sugreeva.
Vaalmeeki. The saint-poet who wrote the Raamaayana.
Vaamadheva. Ancient hermit. Friend of Vashishtha and a priest of Dhasharatha; he composed Rig Vedhik hymns.
Vaamana. Dwarf incarnation of Vishnu who asked for three feet of land from Emperor Bali and humbled Bali's pride.
Vaarunee. Daughter of Varuna who was married by Dhevas (gods).
Vaasudheva (Vaasudeva). "Son of Vasudheva" --another name for Krishna.
Vaasuki. One of the famous serpents (naagas).
Vaikuntha. Vishnu's heaven.
Vaivasvatha Manu. Head (Indhra) of the present age of Manu (Manvanthara); Prajaapathi. Son of Manu and father of Ikshvaaku.
Vallabhaachaarya (Vallabhacharya). Fifteenth centuryVaishnava teacher; advocated non-mortification of the body. Wrote many spiritual texts including commentaries on the VedhaanthaSuuthras.
Vardhamaana. Splendid palace of King Dhasharaatha wherein the queens resided.
Varuna. Vedhik god associated with rain, water, ocean, night.
Vasishtha (Vasistha). One of greatest rishis of ancient times; priest of the solar race of kings; revealer of several Vedhik hymns. Had sacred, wishfulfilling cow called Nandhini.
Vasu. Son of Kasu and grandson of Brahma.
Vasudheva. Father of Krishna.
Vedha. See Vedhas.
Vedhaangas. Subsidiary treatises of the Vedhas: Six sciences of proper pronunciation, grammar, metre, etymology, astronomy, ritual.
Vedhaantha. The doctrine of either pure non-dualism, i.e. the identity of Brahman and the Aathma, or conditioned non-dualism; the end or bottom line of the Vedhas, which declares this doctrine.
Vedhas. Entire body of ancient sacred revelations of truth, chief among which are four books: the Rigvedha, the Yajurvedha, the Saamavedha, and the Atharvanavedha.
Vedha Vyaasa. Another name for Vyaasa.
Venkata. Another name for Vishnu. He is installed in Thirupathi.
Vibhandaka. Hermit of family of Kashyapa; his son Rishyashringa was born from his semen spilled upon viewing Uurvashee, the celestial damsel.
Vibheeshana. Brother of Raavana; Raakshasa chief who represented pure mindedness and sided with Raama.
Vidharbha. Brother of Bharatha and son of sage Rishabha.
Vidheha. Royal dynasty of Janaka.
Vidhura (Vidura). Brother and chief minister of King Dhritharaashthra, the father of the Kauravas. See Mahaabhaaratha.
Vidhyaaranya. Maadhvaachaarya. Fourteenth century Hindhu statesman and philosopher, who lived at the South Indian court of Vijayanagar. Author of vedhaanthik works.
Vidhyujjihva. Demonic follower of Raavana who practiced sorcery and withcraft.
Vigneshvara. Overcomer of obstacles, Ganesha, son of Shiva.
Vijaya. Conqueror (another name for Arjuna).
Vimaana (Vimana). Karna. Valiant but unfortunate eldest son of Kunthee by sun deity. Ally of the Kauravas in the war against the Paandavas.
Vindhya mountain range. One of seven chief holy mountain ranges. Separates South India from North India and faces the Himaalayas.
Viraadha. Fierce ogre; killed by Raama in the Dhandaka forest.
Viraata. King of Matsya and father-in-law of Abhimanyu (son of Arjuna). The Paandavas lived incognito in the service of Viraata for a year.
Vishaakha. One of three divine brothers of Skandha.
Vishaala. Son of Ikshvaaku, who built the city named Vishaalaa.
Vishaalaa. City built by Vishaala, son of Ikshvaaku.
Vishnu. The Preserver in the trinity Brahma (the Creator), Vishnu, and Shiva (the Destroyer).
Vishnumuurthi. Vishnu.
Vishravas. Son of Pulasthya and father of Raavana.
Vishvaamithra (Visvamitra). Sage; known for his efforts to equal Vasishtha. Born as warrior Kaushika who by the power of the Gaayathree transformed himself spiritually. Early counselor of the young Raama.
Viveka Chudaamani. Spiritual text, Crest Jewel of Spiritual Wisdom by Shankaraachaarya.
Vrithra. Powerful and fierce demon (asura) killed by Indhra.
Vyaasa. Compiler of Vedhas and author of the Mahaabhaaratha, Mahaabhagavatham, and Brahma Suuthras.
Yaajnavalkya. Greatest Upanishadhik personage. Priest and guru of King Janaka. Taught the monistic adhvaithik doctrine of the identity of Aathma and . in the Brihadaaranyaka Upanishath.
Yajurvedha. Second Vedha, consisting of a collection of sacred texts in prose relating to sacrifices.
Yaksha. Class of semi-celestials; brothers of the demons (raakshasas).
Yakshinee. Women folk of the Yakshas, a class of semi-gods. Goddess.
Yama. God of Death; death personified.
Yamunaa. Holy river rising in the Himaalaya mountains at an elevation of 10,849 feet and flowing for 860 miles before joining the Gangaa.
Yoga Suuthra (Yoga Sutra). An aphoristic treatise on yoga by Pathaanjali.
Yoga-vaasishtha (Yogavasishta). Sacred work in the form of dialogue between Vasishtha and his pupil Raama teaching the way to eternal bliss.
Yogeenee (Yogini). Female yogi in Mahaabhaaratha.
Yudhaajith. Kekaya king; brother of Kaikeyee, Dhasharatha's wife, and uncle of Bharatha.
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Zend Avestha. Original scriptural work of the Zoroastrians.
Zoroaster. Founder of the ancient Persian religion Zoroastrianism. The sacred text called the Gaathas were revealed to him while in deep meditation. Ahur Mazda is the name for the Supreme.
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