A Library of Hindu Scriptures, Ṛshis and Purāṇas

Ādi Śaṅkarācārya, simply known as Adi Shankaracharya, Sanskrit: आदि शङ्कराचार्य, Telugu: ఆది శంకరాచార్యులు, Hindi: आदि शंकराचार्य. Philosopher and Saint who consolidated doctrine of Advaita Vedānta The sacred land of Bhārata…

Bhāskarācārya, simply known as Bhaskaracharya, Sanskrit: भास्कराचार्य, Telugu: భాస్కరాచార్యులు, Hindi: भास्कराचार्य. Bhāskara’s take on Advaita Bhāskara is the trail-blazer for the post-Śaṅkara schools of Vedānta which did not agree with…

The Bhavishya Purāṇa presents Caitanya Mahāprabhu as a supreme manifestation of Kali Yuga, born to spread Vaishṇava dharma across Bhārata.

The Bhavishya Purāṇa says Bhagavān Sūrya was born in Vaṅgadeśa as the poet Jayadeva to guide people in Kali Yuga along the path of bhakti.

Kūreśa, simply known as Kuresha, Sanskrit: कूरेश, Telugu: కూరేశుడు, Hindi: कूरेश. Śrī Kūreśa, also known as Koorathālvār, (alternatively written Kūrathāḻvār), is a luminous figure in the history of the Śrī…

The Liṅga Purāṇa names Lakulīśa as the twenty-eighth and last Yogācārya, an avatāra of Bhagavān Śiva who came to restore Pāśupata yoga in Kali Yuga.

The Bhavishya Purāṇa counts Madhvācārya, founder of Dvaita Vedānta, among the great ācāryas of Kali Yuga born through the grace of Bhagavān Sūrya.

Mudaliyāṇḍān, simply known as Mudaliyandan, Sanskrit: मुदलियाण्डान्, Telugu: ముదలియాండాన్, Hindi: मुदलियांडान. Śrī Mudaliyāṇḍān, originally named Dāśarathi, stands as a beacon of unwavering devotion and selfless service within the illustrious lineage of…

Nimbārkācārya, simply known as Nimbarkacharya, Sanskrit: निम्बार्काचार्य, Telugu: నింబార్కాచార్యులు, Hindi: निंबार्काचार्य. According to him there are three equally real and co-eternal tattvas or principles: Brahman, cit and acit. While Brahman…

Rāmānujācārya, simply known as Ramanujacharya, Sanskrit: रामानुजाचार्य, Telugu: రామానుజాచార్యులు, Hindi: रामानुजाचार्य. The most important exponent of Viśishṭādvaita Vedānta (qualified non-dualism) In the grand dhārmika tapestry of Bhāratavarsha, the life and…

Vallabhācārya, simply known as Vallabhacharya, Sanskrit: वल्लभाचार्य, Telugu: వల్లభాచార్యులు, Hindi: वल्लभाचार्य. Vallabha’s philosophy is known as Śuddhādvaita. He is said to have written two commentaries on the Brahmasūtras, the Br̥hadbhāshya and the Aṇubhāshya, of…

Yādavaprakāśa, simply known as Yadavaprakasha, Sanskrit: यादवप्रकाश, Telugu: యాదవప్రకాశుడు, Hindi: यादवप्रकाश. The First Guru of Śrī Rāmānuja Śrī Yādavaprakāśa was a figure of considerable intellectual stature, widely recognized as a…

Ādiśesha is the cosmic couch of Bhagavān Vishṇu, born from the ahaṃ-tattva, who takes birth as Lakshmaṇa and as Balarāma.

Aditi is the mother of the twelve ādityas and wife of Kaśyapa, through whose Payovrata Bhagavān Vishṇu was born as Vāmana.

Agni is the deva of fire, who carries oblations to the devas in yajña, witnesses sacred vows and guards the southeast as a lokapāla.

Alakshmī, also called Jyeshṭhā, is the elder sister of Lakshmī, who lives in the Aśvattha tree by the will of Bhagavān Vishṇu.

Aniruddha is the grandson of Bhagavān Kṛshṇa and son of Pradyumna, who married Ushā after being taken to Śoṇitapura.

Añjana was a yaksha, the father of Nandayantī, whose marriage was celebrated at Hāṭakeśvara in the Vāmana Mahā Purāṇa.

Annapūrṇā is the devī of food and nourishment, a form of Mahādevī, who gave Agastya Maharshi a vessel that never runs out of food.

Aruṇa is the elder son of Kaśyapa and Vinatā, born with half a body, who became the charioteer of Sūrya and is the dawn.

The Ashṭadikpālakas are the eight devas who guard the eight directions: Indra, Agni, Yama, Nirṛti, Varuṇa, Vāyu, Kubera and Īśāna.

The Ashṭa Mātṛkās are the Eight Mothers, eight śaktis who rose to drink the blood of the asura Andhaka when Bhagavān Śiva fought him.

The Ashṭa Vasus are the eight Vasus, a gaṇa of devas who ride elephants, serve Brahmā and dwell within the cosmic form of Bhagavān Vishṇu.

The Aśvinī Devatās, or Aśvins, are the twin divine physicians, sons of Sūrya, also called Nāsatya and Dasra.

Balabhadra is the elder brother of Jagannātha, the white dāru mūrti at Purushottama Kshetra, and the form of Ādi Śesha linked with the Ṛgveda.

Bāla Mukunda is the form of Bhagavān Nārāyaṇa as a shining child on a vaṭa tree, whom Mārkaṇḍeya Maharshi met during the great dissolution.

Balarāma is the elder brother of Bhagavān Kṛshṇa, son of Vasudeva and Rohiṇī, and an aṃśa of Ādiśesha, the serpent who is Bhagavān Vishṇu's couch.

Bhadra, also called Vishṭi, is the fierce daughter of Bhagavān Sūrya and Devī Chāyā, and the sister of Śani, whom Brahmā made a devī.

Bhadrakālī is the fierce form of Devī Umā, brought forth by her beside Vīrabhadra to help destroy Daksha's yajña.

Bhaga is a deva whose eyes Bhagavān Śiva crushed at Daksha's yajña; Śiva is praised as the destroyer of Bhaga's eyes in vrata and stotra.

Abhimanyu was the son of Arjuna and Subhadrā, husband of Uttarā and father of Parīkshit, who died fighting inside the Cakravyūha at Kurukshetra.

Acala and Vṛshaka were brothers of Śakuni of Gāndhāra and maternal uncles of Duryodhana, who fought in the Kaurava army.

Āgnīdhra was the eldest son of Priyavrata, ruler of Jambū-dvīpa, and father of nine sons who each received a varsha.

Āhuka was a leading chief of the Yādavas in Kṛshṇa's time, named in the Śānti Parva and the Mausala Parva of the Mahābhārata.

Aja and Bhoja were two allied kings who fought on the Pāṇḍava side at Kurukshetra and are named as rathas by Bhīshma.

Ajāmīḍha was the last Candra-vaṃśa king installed at Hastināpura, chosen by Brahmā to stay on earth under Kuśa's rule after the war with Rāma.

Akampana is the name of a king of the Kṛtayuga who lost his son Hari, and of a rākshasa of Khara's army who brought Rāvaṇa news of Janasthāna.

Ākāśarāja was the righteous Candra-vaṃśa king of Nārāyaṇapura, earthly father of Padmāvatī and father-in-law of Bhagavān Śrīnivāsa.

Akrūra was a senior Yādava of the Vṛshṇi line and a great devotee of Bhagavān Kṛshṇa, whom he brought from Vṛndāvana to Mathurā at Kaṃsa's order.

Alambusha was a rākshasa who fought for the Kauravas at Kurukshetra and was killed by Ghaṭotkaca in the Droṇa Parva.

Alarka, simply known as Alarka, Sanskrit: अलर्क, Telugu: అలర్కుడు, Hindi: अलर्क. Alarka, a significant figure in the Mārkaṇḍeya Purāṇa, was the fourth and youngest son of King Ṛtadhvaja and Queen…

Ambā, eldest princess of Kāśī, was carried off by Bhīshma, rejected by all, and reborn as Śikhaṇḍī to bring about his end.

Ambālikā, youngest princess of Kāśī and wife of Vicitravīrya, became the mother of Pāṇḍu, who was born pale.

Ambarīsha was a Sūryavaṃśa king and a great devotee of Bhagavān Vishṇu, protected by the Sudarśana Cakra when the ṛshi Durvāsa came to harm him.

Ambikā, second princess of Kāśī and wife of Vicitravīrya, closed her eyes before Vyāsa, and her son Dhṛtarāshṭra was born blind.

King Anaraṇya wished to wear a divine lotus at Mānasa-sarovara, fell ill with leprosy, and was cured by the Ārogya Vrata of Bhagavān Sūrya.

Añjanaparvan, son of Ghaṭotkaca, was a warrior in the Pāṇḍava army at Kurukshetra and was killed by Aśvatthāmā.

Anuhlāda, eldest son of Hiraṇyakaśipu and elder brother of Prahlāda, was a daitya warrior who fought Kubera in Bali's wars.

Anasūyā, wife of Atri Maharshi and mother of Candra, Dattātreya and Durvāsa, is one of the greatest pativratās in the Purāṇas and the Rāmāyaṇa.

Avyayā stayed devoted to her husband, a brāhmaṇa who lived a hundred years in adultery, entered his funeral pyre and was honoured by Yama.

Bālavatī, daughter of Kaṇva, kept a ten-year Sūrya vow and put her feet in fire for Bhagavān Sūrya, who took her to Sūryaloka.

Candrabhāgā, daughter of King Mucukunda, kept Ekādaśī from her eighth year and made the divine city of her husband Śobhana stable.

Guṇavatī, a brāhmaṇa woman of Māyāpurī, kept the Ekādaśī and Kārtika vows all her life, reached Vaikuṇṭha and was reborn as Satyabhāmā.

Hemāṅgī was the virtuous queen of King Vīravarman who remembered her past life as Mohinī and led her husband to Prayāga and Vaikuṇṭha.

Kalā, wife of the brāhmaṇa Śoṇa, kept her pātivratya even against the rākshasa Mārīca and was received by Devī Pārvatī in Kailāsa.

Kayādhu, daughter of the daitya Jambha and wife of Hiraṇyakaśipu, was the mother of Prahlāda and was taught by Nārada Maharshi while carrying him.

Līlāvatī and her husband Hārita did tapas at Maulisthāna for twenty-one yugas, and Bhagavān Nṛsiṃha appeared and chose to live there as their son.

Maṅgalā, second wife of the brāhmaṇa Śivaśarma, gave all her puṇya to the boar who had been Sudevā, and Sudevā rose to svarga.

Oghavatī, wife of Sudarśana son of Agni, kept her husband's vow of serving guests, and Dharma foretold that she would become a river.

Padmāvatī, queen of Ugrasena of Mathurā, was deceived by the daitya Gobhila in Ugrasena's form, and Kaṃsa was born of that union.

Reṇukā, wife of the ṛshi Jamadagni and mother of Paraśurāma, was a pativratā whose twenty-one cries of grief set the measure of Paraśurāma's vow.

Śabarī, a disciple of Mataṅga Muni, waited all her life for Bhagavān Rāma, offered him fruit, guided him to Sugrīva, and then rose in the fire of her tapas.

Satī Sumati, simply known as Sati Sumati, Sanskrit: सती सुमति, Telugu: సతీ సుమతి, Hindi: सती सुमति. The narrative of Satī Sumati and Kauśika Brāhmaṇa is a significant episode within the…

Satyavatī, daughter of King Gādhi, was the wife of Ṛcīka, mother of Jamadagni, and in her later life became the sacred river Kauśikī.

Śāṇḍilī is a pativratā of the Mahābhārata who reached the world of the devas through devoted conduct as a wife, and told Sumanā how.

Sudevā, first wife of the brāhmaṇa Śivaśarma, was born as a female boar and freed by Maṅgalā's gift of puṇya, in the Padma Purāṇa.

Adṛśyantī, wife of Śakti and daughter-in-law of Vasishṭha, heard Vedic verses from her unborn son Parāśara and so brought Vasishṭha back to life's purpose.

Agastya Maharshi, born from a pot, husband of Lopāmudrā, who digested Vātāpi, drank the ocean and humbled the Vindhya.

Akṛtavraṇa was the devoted disciple of Paraśurāma and the narrator of Paraśurāma's account to the Pāṇḍavas in the Mahābhārata.

Ananta Muni is the brāhmaṇa of the Kalki Purāṇa who saw Vishṇumāyā as a whole second life lived inside one sea-bath.

Apāntaratama was born of Sarasvatī at Nārāyaṇa's command to divide the Veda, and returned later as Kṛshṇadvaipāyana Vyāsa.

Arishṭanemi is a ṛshi of the Kaśyapa gotra who teaches King Sagara the path to moksha in the Mahābhārata's Mokshadharma Parva.

Ārshṭisheṇa was a ṛshi on Gandhamādana whose āśrama the Pāṇḍavas reached on their northward journey in the Mahābhārata's Vana Parva.

Arundhatī is the faithful wife of Vasishṭha Maharshi, who shared the famine of the seven ṛshis and taught a secret dharma in the Mahābhārata.

Āruṇi, simply known as Aruni, Sanskrit: आरुणि, Telugu: ఆరుణి, Hindi: आरुणि. Compared to the life of Maharshis such as Aṅgirasa, the life of Āruṇi Maharshi is brief. In some Purāṇas,…

Āruṇi was a disciple of Dhaumya who lay in a broken field-bank to stop the water, and was named Udbhāsaka by his guru.

Arvāvasu was the son of Raibhya who bore a false charge of killing his father and asked Indra to restore the dead, as the Vana Parva tells.

Ashṭāvakra, simply known as Ashtavakra, Sanskrit: अष्टावक्र, Telugu: అష్టావక్రుడు, Hindi: अष्टावक्र. Ashṭāvakra Maharshi is one of the most extraordinary sages in the Vedic and epic tradition—a child born with eight…

Asita Devala was a householder ṛshi of perfect equanimity who learned mokshadharma from Jaigīshavya and taught in several parvas of the Mahābhārata.

Āstīka, son of the ṛshi Jaratkāru and the nāga Jaratkāru, stopped Janamejaya's Sarpa-yāga and saved the nāgas.

Āsuri is a ṛshi who knew Sāṅkhya, named with Kapila, Voḍhu and Pañcaśikha and called upon in the suprabhāta stotra of Śaṅkara.

Atri Maharshi, born of Brahmā's tapas, is the husband of Anasūyā, father of Soma and Dattātreya, and one of the Saptarshis.

Aurva, simply known as Aurva, Sanskrit: और्व, Telugu: ఔర్వుడు, Hindi: और्व. Aurva Maharshi, a towering figure in the Bhṛgu lineage, embodies the profound interplay of tapas (austerity), krodha (righteous anger),…

Aṅgiras is a primal ṛshi born from the embers of Brahmā's yajña-fire and the father of the Āṅgirasa line, with Bṛhaspati among his sons.

The Svāyambhuva Manvantara is the first of the fourteen manvantaras, ruled by Svāyambhuva Manu, whose children began the family lines of humankind.

The Svārocisha Manvantara is the second of the fourteen manvantaras, ruled by Svārocisha Manu, with the Tushita and Pārāvata devas and Vipaścit as Indra.

The Uttama Manvantara is the third of the fourteen manvantaras, ruled by Uttama Manu, son of Uttānapāda and grandson of Svāyambhuva Manu.

Auttama Manvantara, simply known as Auttama Manvantara, Sanskrit: औत्तम मन्वन्तर, Telugu: ఔత్తమ మన్వంతరం, Hindi: औत्तम मन्वंतर. The Auttama Manvantara (also known as Uttara Manvantara or Uttama Manvantara) is the third…

The Tāmasa Manvantara is the fourth manvantara, ruled by Tāmasa Manu, son of King Svarāshṭra, born in an age of darkness, as the Mārkaṇḍeya Purāṇa tells.

The Raivata Manvantara is the fifth manvantara, ruled by Raivata Manu, son of King Durgama and Revatī, the maiden born of the fallen Revatī nakshatra.

The sixth manvantara: how Ānanda became Cākshusha Manu, the devas and ṛshis of his age, and the Maruts born in it.

The Vaivasvata Manvantara is the seventh and present manvantara, ruled by Vaivasvata Manu, the son of Sūrya and Saṃjñā Devī.

The Sāvarṇi Manvantara is the eighth of the fourteen manvantaras, an age still to come, in which Bali Cakravartī will become Indra.

Sūrya Sāvarṇi Manvantara, simply known as Surya Savarni Manvantara, Sanskrit: सूर्य सावर्णि मन्वन्तर, Telugu: సూర్య సావర్ణి మన్వంతరం, Hindi: सूर्य सावर्णि मन्वंतर. The Sūrya Sāvarṇi Manvantara is the eighth manvantara in…

Daksha Sāvarṇi Manvantara, simply known as Daksha Savarni Manvantara, Sanskrit: दक्ष सावर्णि मन्वन्तर, Telugu: దక్ష సావర్ణి మన్వంతరం, Hindi: दक्ष सावर्णि मन्वंतर. The Daksha Sāvarṇi Manvantara is the ninth among the…

Brahma Sāvarṇi Manvantara, simply known as Brahma Savarni Manvantara, Sanskrit: ब्रह्म सावर्णि मन्वन्तर, Telugu: బ్రహ్మ సావర్ణి మన్వంతరం, Hindi: ब्रह्म सावर्णि मन्वंतर. The Brahma Sāvarṇi Manvantara is the tenth among the…

The Dharmasāvarṇi Manvantara is the eleventh of the fourteen manvantaras, an age still to come, when Bhagavān Śrī Hari will appear as Dharmasetu.

Rudra Sāvarṇi Manvantara, simply known as Rudra Savarni Manvantara, Sanskrit: रुद्र सावर्णि मन्वन्तर, Telugu: రుద్ర సావర్ణి మన్వంతరం, Hindi: रुद्र सावर्णि मन्वंतर. The Rudra Sāvarṇi Manvantara is the twelfth among the…

Raucya Manvantara, simply known as Rauchya Manvantara, Sanskrit: रौच्य मन्वन्तर, Telugu: రౌచ్య మన్వంతరం, Hindi: रौच्य मन्वंतर. The Raucya Manvantara is the account of how the Prajāpati named Ruci, originally a…

Bhautya Manvantara, simply known as Bhautya Manvantara, Sanskrit: भौत्य मन्वन्तर, Telugu: భౌత్య మన్వంతరం, Hindi: भौत्य मन्वंतर. The Bhautya Manvantara is the fourteenth and final manvantara described by Maharshi Mārkaṇḍeya. It…

The Vāyu Purāṇa describes the seven manvantaras still to come in this kalpa, from the eighth, Sāvarṇika, to the fourteenth, Bhautya.

Bahuḷā, simply known as Bahula, Sanskrit: बहुळा, Telugu: బహుళ, Hindi: बहुला. Bahulā was the renowned and celebrated wife of King Uttama, the son of King Uttānapāda. Her marriage to King…

The Agni Purāṇa is one of the eighteen Mahāpurāṇas, told by Agni-deva to Vasishṭha: an encyclopaedia of 383 chapters on dharma, pūjā, statecraft and moksha.

The Śrīmad Bhāgavata Mahā Purāṇa is Vyāsa's Purāṇa of bhakti in twelve skandhas, told by Śuka Maharshi to King Parīkshit on the banks of the Gaṅgā.

The Bhavishya Purāṇa is the Mahāpurāṇa of Sūrya Nārāyaṇa and of the future: dharma, saṃskāras, vratas, mahā-dānas, dynasties and the course of Kali Yuga.

The Brahma Purāṇa is the first of the eighteen Mahāpurāṇas: 246 chapters on creation, Purushottama Kshetra, Kṛshṇa, dharma, Yoga and the Gautamī.

The Brahma Vaivarta Purāṇa is one of the eighteen Mahāpurāṇas, 18,000 ślokas in four khaṇḍas, teaching Śrī Kṛshṇa as Parabrahman and Rādhā as Mūla Prakṛti.

The Brahmāṇḍa Purāṇa, the eighteenth Mahāpurāṇa, tells of the cosmic egg: creation, worlds, lineages, Paraśurāma and the Lalitopākhyāna.

The Garuḍa Purāṇa is one of the eighteen Mahā Purāṇas, taught by Bhagavān Vishṇu to Garuḍa, on dharma, pūjā, the life after death and moksha.

The Kūrma Purāṇa is told by Bhagavān Vishṇu as the Tortoise; it teaches the oneness of Hari and Hara and holds the Īśvara Gītā and the Vyāsa Gītā.

The Liṅga Purāṇa is the foremost Śaiva Mahāpurāṇa: the appearing of the Jyotirliṅga, Pāśupata yoga, bhasma, Nandīśvara and a Śaiva cosmology.

The Mārkaṇḍeya Purāṇa is one of the eighteen Mahā Purāṇas, told by four wise birds to Jaimini, and home of the Devī Māhātmya.

The Matsya Purāṇa is one of the eighteen Mahā Purāṇas: the teaching Bhagavān Vishṇu as the fish Matsya gave to Vaivasvata Manu during the pralaya.

The Nārada Purāṇa, also called the Bṛhannāradīya Purāṇa, is one of the eighteen Mahā Purāṇas, holding bhakti to Bhagavān Vishṇu as the highest dharma.

Padma Purāṇa, simply known as Padma Purana, Sanskrit: पद्म पुराण, Telugu: పద్మ పురాణం, Hindi: पद्म पुराण. The Padma Purāṇa is one of the grandest and most extensive of the eighteen…

The Śiva Purāṇa is one of the eighteen Mahāpurāṇas, told by Sūta to the ṛshis of Naimishāraṇya in seven saṃhitās on Bhagavān Śiva.

Skanda Purāṇa, simply known as Skanda Purana, Sanskrit: स्कन्द पुराण, Telugu: స్కంద పురాణం, Hindi: स्कंद पुराण. The Skanda Purāṇa is the largest and arguably the most geographically and devotionally detailed…

The Vāmana Purāṇa, told by Pulastya Maharshi to Nārada, with its Saro Māhātmya: Vāmana and Bali, Śiva and the Devī, the tīrthas of Kurukshetra.

The Varāha Purāṇa is one of the eighteen Mahā Purāṇas: the teaching Bhagavān Vishṇu as Varāha gave to Bhūdevī after lifting her from the waters.

The Vāyu Purāṇa is one of the eighteen Mahā Purāṇas, a Śaiva Purāṇa told by Sūta Romaharshaṇa at Naimishāraṇya from the teaching of Vāyu Deva.