Glossary of Hinduism Terms - V

V

• Varaha (वराह): The third Avatar of the Hindu Godhead Vishnu, in the form of a Boar. He appeared in order to defeat Hiranyaksha, a demon who had taken the Earth (Prithvi) and carried it to the bottom of what is described as the cosmic ocean in the story.
• Vaiśampāyana (वैशंपायन): A celebrated sage who was the original teacher of the Black Yajur-Veda. He was a pupil of the great Vyasa, from whom he learned the Mahabharata, which he afterwards recited to King Janamejaya at a festival.
• Vaishnava (वैष्‍णव): A sacrifice performed by Duryodhana in the forest. Yayati, Mandhata, Bharata and others also performed it.
• Vaishnava mantra (वैष्‍णव मंत्र): An invocation which endows a missile with some of the irresistible power of Vishnu.
• Vaishnavism (वैष्णव धर्म): Vaishnavism is a tradition of Hinduism, distinguished from other schools by its worship of Vishnu or his associated avatars, principally as Rama and Krishna, as the original and supreme God.
• Vaishrāvan (वैश्रावण): Elder brother of Ravana to whom Rama returned Pushpaka after the death of Ravana.
• Vaishya (वैश्य): One of the four fundamental varnas (colours) in Hindu tradition comprising merchants, artisans, and landowners.
• Vaivasvata Manu (वैवस्वत मनु): Vaivasvata Manu (also Manu Vaivasvate) is one of the 14 Manus. He is considered the progenitor of the current Manvantara, which is the 7th of the 14 that make up the current Kalpa, each Kalpa making up a day of Brahma. He was born to Saranya and Vivasvat and was the King of Dravida during the epoch of the Matsya Purana.He was the founder of the Suryavansha race of kings.
• Vajrahanu (वज्रहनु): One of Ravana's generals.
• Vajrayudha (वज्रयुद्ध): The weapon with which Indra killed Visvarupa on suspicion because his mother belonged to the asura tribe of daityas.
• Valala (वलाल): Assumed name of Bhima when, he worked as a cook at Virata's court.
• Vālī (वाली): One of five great monkeys in Ramayana, a son of Indra, Monkey-king of Kishkindha and the cruel elder brother of Sugriva. He was killed by Rama.
• Vālmikī (वाल्मिकी): Maharishi Valmiki is the author of the Hindu epic Ramayana, a brahman by birth, connected with the kings of Ayodhya, contemporary of Rama who invented the shloka metre, who taught the Ramayana to Kusa and Lava.
• Vāmadeva (वामदेव): Vamadeva is the name of the "preserver" aspect of the god Shiva, one of five aspects of the universe he embodies. Also one of Dasharatha's priest.
• Vamana (वामन): The fifth Avatara of Vishnu. He is the first Avatar of Vishnu which had a completely human form, although it was that of a dwarf brahmin.
• Vanāsur (बाणासुर): 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.
• Vanaprastha (वानप्रस्‍थ): The third stage of the dvija's life, when he is required to relinquish worldly responsibilities to his heirs and retires to the woods with his wife for an anchorite's life. A person who is living in the forest as a hermit after giving up material desires.
• Vandi: 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 (वाराह): The third Avatar of Vishnu, who came in the form of a boar.
• Vardhamana (वर्धमान): The northern gate of the Kuru capital Hastinapura.
• Varṇa (वर्ण): Means - colour, Varna refers to the four naturally existing classes of society as given in the Hindu scriptures: Brahmin, Kshatriya, Vaishya and Shudra.
• Vārṇāvata (वारणावत): 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.
• Varṣṇeya: The charioteer of Rituparna, king of Ayodhya, who accompanied with Bahuka.
• Varuṇa (वरुण): A god of the sky, of rain and of the celestial ocean, as well as a god of law and of the underworld.
• Varuṇī (वरुणी): The goddess of wine.
• Vāsava (वासव): Name of arrow of death, given by Indra to Karna.
• Vashiṣtha (वशिष्‍ठ): Vasishtha was chief of the seven venerated sages (or Saptarishi) and the Rajaguru of the Suryavamsha. He was the manasaputra of Brahma. He had in his possession the divine cow Kamadhenu, and Nandini her child, who could grant anything to their owners. Arundhati was his wife.
• Vasudhana (वसुधन): Another warrior who perished in the battle on the Twelfth Day.
• Vasudeva (वसुदेव): Descendant of Yadu, husband of Rohini and Devaki. An epithet of Krishna. It means both son of Vasudeva and the supreme spirit that pervades the universe.
• Vasuki: King of the Nagas or serpents who live in Patala. He was used by the gods and Asuras for a coil round the mountain Mandara at the churning of the ocean.
• Vatapi: Vatapi and Ilvala, two Rakshasas, sons either of Hrada or Viprachitti. They are mentioned in the Ramayana as dwelling in the Dandaka forest.
• Vayu (वायु): The god of air and wind who is also father of Bhima and Hanuman.
• Veda (वेद): Collectively refers to a corpus of ancient Indo-Aryan religious literature that are considered by adherents of Hinduism to be revealed knowledge. Many Hindus believe the Vedas existed since the beginning of creation.
• Veda Vyasa (वेद व्‍यास): Vyasa, author of the Mahabharata.
• Vibhandaka: An ascetic who retired from the world and lived in the forest with his infant son Rishyasringa.
• Vibhīshaṇa (विभीषण): Vibhishana was a rakshasa, brother of Ravana. He was of a noble character and advised Ravana, who kidnapped and abducted Sita, to return her to Rama.
• Vichitravīrya (विचित्रवीर्य): Vichitravirya was Bhishma's half brother, the younger son of queen Satyavati and king Santanu. Chitrangada, the elder brother of Vichitravirya, succeeded Santanu to the throne of Hastinapura. When he died childless, Vichitravirya, became king. He had two sons, Dhritarashtra and Pandu.
• Vidarbha: Birar, and probably including with it the adjoining district of Beder, which name is apparently a corruption of Vidarbha. The capital was Kundinapura, the modern "Kundapur", about forty miles east of Amravati.
• Vidura (विदुर): Vidura was a son of a maid-servant who served the Queens of Hastinapura, Queen Ambika and Ambalika. A friend of pandavas. After Krishna, he was the most trusted advisor to the Pandavas and had warned them repeatedly about Duryodhana's plots.
• Vijaya (विजय): Name of Karna's bow.
• Vijayadashami (विजयादशमी):A festival celebrated on the tenth day of the bright fortnight (Shukla Paksha) of the Hindu autumn month of Ashvin.
• Vikarna (विकर्ण): A son of Dhritarashtra who declared the staking of Draupadi illegal, as Yudhishthira himself was a slave and had lost all his rights. Therefore the Kauravas had not won Draupadi legally, he held
• Vikramaditya (विक्रमादित्य): Vikramāditya is the name of a legendary king of Ujjain, famed for his wisdom, valour and magnanimity. The title "Vikramaditya" has also been assumed by many kings in Indian history, notably the Gupta King Chandragupta II.
• Vikukshi: 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.
• Vinda (विन्‍द), Anuvinda (अनुविन्‍द): Two brothers kings of Avanti, great soldiers whom were on the Kaurava side, they suffered defeat at the hands of Yudhamanyu.
• Vindhyas (विन्‍ध्य): Vindhyas is a range of hills in central India, which geographically separates the Indian subcontinent into northern India (the Indo-Gangetic plain) and Southern India.
• Virāta (विराट): King of Matsya, the country which was suggested by Bhima to live in incognito during the thirteenth year of their exile.
• Vīrabhadra (वीरभद्र): Vīrabhadra was a demon that sprang from Shiva's lock of hair. Shiva burnt with anger when not invited in a sacrifice by Daksha and his wife Sati released the inward consuming fire and fell dead at Daksha's feet. Shiva burned with anger, and tore from his head a lock of hair, glowing with energy, and cast upon the earth. The terrible demon Vīrabhadra sprang from it. On the direction of Shiva, Virabhadra appeared with Shiva's ganas in the midst of Daksha's assembly like a storm wind and broke the sacrificial vessels, polluted the offerings, insulted the priests and finally cut off Daksha's head.
• Virādha (विराध): A fierce rakshasa who seizes Sita.
• Vīrasen: Father of Raja Nala, king of Nishadha.
• Virochana (विरोचन): An asura, son of Prahlada, and father of Bali. He is also called Drisana. When the earth was milked, Virochana acted as the calf of the Asuras.
• Vishnu (विष्‍णु): A form of God, to whom many Hindus pray. For Vaishnavas, He is the only Ultimate Reality or God. In Trimurti belief, He is the second aspect of God in the Trimurti (also called the Hindu Trinity), along with Brahma and Shiva. Known as the Preserver, He is most famously identified with His Avatars, especially Krishna and Rama.
• Vishvakarmā (विश्वकर्मा): Vishwakarma is the presiding deity of all craftsmen and architects. Son of Brahma, he is the divine craftsman of the whole universe, and the official builder of all the gods' palaces. Vishwakarma is also the designer of all the flying chariots of the gods, and all their weapons.
• Viśvamitra (विश्‍वामित्र): Brahmarishi Visvamitra or Vishvamitra was one of the most venerated rishi or sages of since ancient times in India. He was originally a Kshatriya but by austerities earned the title of Brahmarishi. He is also credited as the author of most of Mandala 3 of the Rigveda, including the Gayatri Mantra.
• Visoka (विसोक): Bhima's charioteer.
• Visvarupa (विस्‍वरुप): Name of Twashta's son who became the preceptor of the gods, Brihaspati having left when insulted by Indra.
• Vivimsati (विविस्‍मति): A Kaurava hero.
• Viswarupa (विस्‍वरुप): All-pervading, all-including form. See the description in the Bhagavad Gita chapter eleven.
• Vriddhakshatra (वृद्घक्षत्र): 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.
• Vrika (वृक): A Panchala prince who fell in battle.
• Vrikasthala (वृकस्थल): 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).
• Vrindavana: A wood in the district of Mathura where Krishna passed his youth, under the name of Gopala, among the cowherds.
• Vrisha (वृष), Achala(अचल): Sakuni's brothers.
• Vrishdarbha (वृषदर्भ): A king of Benares, associated with the story of "The king, the Pigeon, and Hawk".
• Vrishni (वृषणि): A descendent of Yadu, and the ancestor from whom Krsna got the name Varshneya
• Vrishnis, (वृषणि): 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.
• Vrishasena (वृषसेन): Son of Karna, A warrior on the Kaurava side, slain by Arjuna.
• Vrishnis (वृषणि): The people of Dwaraka to which belonged Krishna. After the death of Duryodhana his mother cursed that after 36 years Krishna should persish alone miserably and his people, the Vrishnis, should be destroyed.
• Vritra (वृत्र): Means "the enveloper". Vritra, was an Asura and also a serpent or dragon, the personification of drought and enemy of Indra. Vritra was also known in the Vedas as Ahi ("snake"), cognate with Azhi Dahaka of Zoroastrian mythology and he is said to have had three heads. He was son of Twashta who was defeated by Indra's weapons Vajrayudha. He was born out of his father's sacrificial flames and became Indra's mortal enemy.
• Vrikodara (वृकोदर): Wolf-bellied, an epithet of Bhima, denoting his slimness of waist and insatiable hunger.
• Vyasa (व्‍यास): Compiler of the Vedas, son of sage Parasara.
• Vyuha (व्‍युह): Battle arrays.