Glossary of Hinduism Terms - B

B

• Babhruvahana: Babhruvahana was son of Arjuna by his wife Chitrāngadā.
• Badarikasram (बद्रीकाश्रम): Badarikasram is a place sacred to Vishnu, near the Ganges in the Himalayas, particularly in Vishnu's dual form of Nara-Narayana.
• Bahlika (बाह्लिक), Dasharna (दशर्ण): States the kings of which were Kalinga, Magadha, friendly to the Pandavas, Matsya, Panchala, Salva.
• Bahu (बाहु): A king of the Solar race. who was vanquished and driven out of his country by the tribes of Haihayas and TaIajanghas. He was father of Sagara.
• Bahuka (बाहुक): The changed name of Nala, as a charioteer of Rituparna, the king of Ayodhya. Also other name of king Bahu.
• Baladeva (बलदेव): Balarama, elder brother of Sri Krishna.
• Balarāma (बलराम): Elder brother of Lord Krishna and manifestation of Sheshanaga.
• Balarāma (बलराम): An avatar or incarnation of Adisesha the thousand-hooded serpent on which Lord Mahavishnu reclines in Vaikuntha.
• Bakāsura (बकासुर): A voracious, cruel and terribly strong Rakshasa or demon who lived in a cave near the city of Ekachakrapura whom Bhima killed to the great relief of the citizens.
• Baṇāsura (बाणासुर): Banasura was a thousand-armed asura and son of Bali. He was a powerful and terrible asura. All people even the king of earth and Devas of heaven were afraid of him. Banasura was a follower of Siva. He had a beautiful daughter named Usha.
• Behula (बेहुला):The daughter of Saha, a merchant of Nichhani Nagar; weds Lakshmindara, mentioned in the story of Manasa Devi who was the daughter of Shiva.
• Bhadra (भद्र): A mighty elephant
• Bhadrakālī (भद्रकाली): Bhadrakālī is also known as the gentle Kali, who came into being by Devi's wrath, when Daksha insulted Shiva. She is the consort of Virabhadra.
• Bhagadatta (भगदत्‍त): King of Pragjyotisha, a Kaurava ally.
• Bhagawān (भगवान): Form of address to Gods and great rishis, example-Bhagawan Sri Krishna, Narada, Vyasa. A Sanskrit word meaning "Holy or Blessed one". It is a title of veneration, often translated as "Lord" and refers to God.
• Bhagavad Gītā (भगवद् गीता ): The national gospel contained in Mahābhārata, Part of the epic poem Mahabharata, located in the Bhishma–Parva chapters 23–40. A core sacred text of Hinduism and philosophy.
• Bhagavatī (भगवती): Alias Pārvatī, Shiva's wife
• Bhagīratha (भगीरथ): Son of Dilipa, king of Kosala who worshipped Shiva and brought down Ganges.
• Bhajan (भजन): A Hindu devotional song. Great importance is attributed to the singing of bhajans within the Bhakti movement.
• Bhaktī (भक्ति): A Sanskrit term that means intense devotion expressed by action (service). A person who practices bhakti is called bhakta.
• Bhaktī Yoga (भक्ति योग): The Hindu term for the spiritual practice of fostering of loving devotion to God, called bhakti.
• Bharadwāja (भरद्वाज): A rishi, father of Yavakrida.
• Bharata (भरत): Means "to be or being maintained"). Bharat may be 1. a name of Agni 2. a name of Rudra 3. one of the Adityas 4. Emperor Bharata, son of Dushyanta and Shakuntalā 5. Bharata (Ramayana), a son of Dasharatha, younger brother of Rama 6. Bharata Muni, the author of the Natyashastra 7. Bharata (Bhagavata), the eldest of a hundred sons of a saintly king by name Rishabha Deva according to the Bhagavata purana.
• Bhārata (भारत): Meaning ("descended from Bharata"). Bhārata may refer to 1. The Bhāratas, an Aryan tribe of the Rigveda 2. an early epic forming the core of the Mahabharata (allegedly comprising about a quarter of the extended epic) 3. the Republic of India (properly, Bhārata GaNarājya, भारत गणराज्य).
• Bhārgava (भार्वग): Karna's divine weapon
• Bhaumāsur (भौमासुर): A demon slain by Krishna
• Bhīma (भीम): The second of Pāndavas who excelled in physical prowess as he was born of the wind-god.
• Bhīshma (भीष्‍म): Bhīshma was son of Shāntanu, the great Knight and guardian of the imperial house of Kurus.
• Bhīshmak (भीष्‍मक): Raja of Kundalpur and father of Rukminī.
• Bhoja s (भोज): A branch of the Yadava clan belonging to Krishna's tribe.
• Bhumanyu : Nameo of Son of Bharatha. He become emperor of India after Bharat.
• Bhuminjaya (भुमिंजय): Another name of prince Uttara son of Virata who had proceeded to fight the Kaurava armies, with Brihannala as his charioteer.
• Bhuriśravas (भुरिश्र्वस): Bhurisravas was a prince of the Balhikas and an ally of the Kauravas, who was killed in the great battle of the Mahabharata.
• Bhūta: A ghost, imp, goblin. Malignant spirits which haunt cemeteries, lurk in trees, animate dead bodies, and delude and devour human beings.
• Bibhatsu (बिभत्‍सु): One of Arjuna's name meaning a hater of unworthy acts.
• Brahmā (ब्रह्‍मा): Creator of the universe, The Hindu creator god, and one of the Trimurti, the others being Vishnu and Shiva. He must not be confused with the Supreme Cosmic Spirit of Hindu philosophy Brahman.
• Brahmāstra (ब्रह्‍मास्‍त्र): A divine weapon, irresistible, one given by Lord Brahma himself.
• Brahmachārin (ब्रह्‍मचारिन): A religious student, unmarried, who lives with his spiritual guide, devoted to study and service.
• Brahmacharya (ब्रह्‍मचर्य): Celibacy, chastity; the stage of life of Vedic study in which chastity and service are essential, The word Brahmacharya symbolises a person who is leading a life in quest of Brahma, or in other words a Hindu student
• Brahmadatta (ब्रह्‍मदत्‍त): King of Benares
• Brahman (ब्राह्‍मण): The signifying name given to the concept of the unchanging, infinite, immanent and transcendent reality that is the Divine Ground of all being.
• Brahmin (ब्राह्ममन): One of four fundamental colours in Hindu caste (Varna) consisting of scholars, priests and spiritual teachers.
• Braj (ब्रज): Braj (also known as Brij or Brajbhoomi) is a region in Uttar Pradesh of India, around Mathura-Vrindavan. It is considered to be the land of Krishna and is derived from the Sanskrit word vraja.
• Brihadaswa (बृहदास्‍व): A great sage who visited the Pandavas in their forest hermitage and reminded them of King Nala of Nishadha who also lost his kingdom in the game of dice and who deserted his wife Damayanti because of a curse but ultimately regained both,
• Brihadratha (बृहद्रथ): Commander of three regiments reigned over Magadha and attained celebrity as a great hero, married the twin daughters of the Raja of Kasi. His two wives ate each half of a mango given by sage Kausika and begot half a child each. A Rakshasi recovered the two portions from a dustbin wherein they were thrown and when they accidentally came together, they became a chubby baby, which she presented to the king, saying it was his child, which later became known as Jarasandha.
• Brihadyumna (बृहद्युम्‍न): A King, a disciple of sage Raibhya.
• Brihannala (बृहन्नल): Name assumed by Arjuna while living at Virata's court in incognito. He taught arts to Uttarā, the princess of the kingdom of Virata.
• Brihaspati (बृहस्‍पति): Father of Kacha and priest of devas
• Brihatbala (बृहत्बल): A daring warrior who charged at Abhimanyu caught in the Kaurava army's net.
• Brindavan (बृन्दावन): A town on the site of an ancient forest which is the region where Lord Krishna spent his childhood days. It lies in the Braj region.