Hindupedia, the Hindu Encyclopedia - User contributions [en]

Bāhlika

2014-10-16T04:15:15Z

Ankit Saraf:

<smal>By Swami Harshananda

==Bāhlika-The Country==
The country of Bāhlika (also spelt as Vāhlīka) has been mentioned in the epic Mahābhārata.<ref>Bhismaparva 9</ref> It has been identified with Bactria, situated in north of Afghanistan, and east of Iran. Arjuna, the Pāṇḍava hero, conquered this country during his victory marches before the Rājasṅya sacrifice. The people of this country faced significant criticism for their unethical ways of life.<ref>Karnaparva 44</ref>

The Rāmāyana<ref>Ayodhyākānda 68.18</ref> alludes towards a country called Bāhlika, situated between Ayodhyā and Kekaya, which extends between the rivers Satadru (Sutlej) and Vipāśā (Beas).

==Bāhlika-The King==
The word Bāhlika also refers to the king who fought for Duryodhana against the Pāṇḍavas.

There is also the mention of another Bāhlika,younger brother of king Śantanu, and the father of Bhīṣma.

==References==
{{reflist}}
* The Concise Encyclopedia of Hinduism, Swami Harshananda, Ram Krishna Math, Bangalore

Bādha

2014-10-16T04:12:41Z

Ankit Saraf:

By Swami Harshananda

Bādha literally means ‘that which contradicts’.

The word Bādha has several meanings :
# Abhāva or absence
# Pratibandha or obstacle
# Pīḍā or harassment

However, the Nyāya school of Philosophy uses it as a technical term of logic.

In the sentence, "parvato vahnimān dhumāt" (‘The hill is fiery, since there is smoke there’), vahni or fire is called ‘sādhya’ (the major term), parvata or hill is called ‘pakśa’ (the minor term) and dhumāt or smoke is called as ‘hetu’ or ‘liṅga’ (the middle term).

In a situation where the sādhya does not exist in the pakśa, it is called bādha. For instance, in the sentence "hrado vahnimān dhumāt" (‘The lake is fiery, since there is smoke there’) the minor term hrada or lake, which is the pakśa, is ‘bādha’, since it is impossible for the fire, the sādhya, to exist in the lake. The lake obstructs or prevents (bādha = obstacle) fire from existing in it. Many more varieties of bādha are discussed in the works of logic.

==References==
{{reflist}}
* The Concise Encyclopedia of Hinduism, Swami Harshananda, Ram Krishna Math, Bangalore

Bādāmi

2014-10-15T04:01:01Z

Ankit Saraf: /* Attractions of Bādāmi */

By Swami Harshananda

[[File:Badami.jpg|thumb|Mālegitti Śivālaya at Bādāmi]]

==Location of Bādāmi==
Bādāmi is a small town situated in the Bijapur district, in Karnataka State. It is situated on the side of a small hill.

==Historical Significance of Bādāmi==
In ancient days, this town was known as Vātāpi, and was the capital of the Cālukyan empire during the period A.D. 550-753.

==Attractions of Bādāmi==
Bādāmi contains several temples of the structural as well as the rock-cut varieties. Near the fort, there are temples dedicated to Hanumān and Śiva. Moreover, there are four cave-temples on the southern hill, situated on its western side.<ref>There are also three Hindu and one Jain temple</ref>, which resemble the ones at Ellora.

The pillared halls in them show a high standard of workmanship and are uniformly of the same appearance. The pillars are mostly square in section, though a few of the inner colonnade in Cave no. 3 are multifaceted.

==Features of the Caves==
* The first cave displays images of Śiva with 18 arms, Gaṇeśa, Viṣṇu, Lakṣmi and Śiva-Pārvatī. The back wall contains panel-figures of Mahiṣāsuramardinī (Durgā), Gaṇeśa, and Skanda.
* The second cave depicts images of Vāmana, Varāha, Nārāyaṇa on Garuḍa, and Nārāyaṇa on the serpent Śesa.
* The third cave exhibits images and figures of Ardhanārīśvara, Pārvatī, Narasimha, and Varāha.
* The fourth cave present the images of the Jain Tīrthaṅkaras.

==Mālegitti Śivālaya==
Among the structural temples, the Mālegitti Śivālaya built on a hill overlooking the town of Bādāmi is quite significant. It is a massive solid structure, though not too large. It consists of a cella, an assembly hall, and a porch.

Cave no. 3 has fine shades like those of Ajantā. The most important and well-preserved of these is that of the betrothal of Pārvatī to Śiva. These paintings date back to the 6th century A. D.

==References==
{{reflist}}
* The Concise Encyclopedia of Hinduism, Swami Harshananda, Ram Krishna Math, Bangalore

Bādāmi

2014-10-15T04:00:43Z

Ankit Saraf: /* Features of the Caves */

By Swami Harshananda

[[File:Badami.jpg|thumb|Mālegitti Śivālaya at Bādāmi]]

==Location of Bādāmi==
Bādāmi is a small town situated in the Bijapur district, in Karnataka State. It is situated on the side of a small hill.

==Historical Significance of Bādāmi==
In ancient days, this town was known as Vātāpi, and was the capital of the Cālukyan empire during the period A.D. 550-753.

==Attractions of Bādāmi==
Bādāmi contains several temples of the structural as well as the rock-cut varieties. Near the fort, there are temples dedicated to Hanumān and Śiva. Moreover, there are four cave-temples on the southern hill, situated on its western side.<ref>There are also three Hindu and one Jain temple</ref>, which resemble the ones at Ellora.

The pillared halls in them show a high standard of workmanship and are uniformly of the same appearance. The pillars are mostly square in section, though a few of the inner colonnade in Cave no.3 are multifaceted.

==Features of the Caves==
* The first cave displays images of Śiva with 18 arms, Gaṇeśa, Viṣṇu, Lakṣmi and Śiva-Pārvatī. The back wall contains panel-figures of Mahiṣāsuramardinī (Durgā), Gaṇeśa, and Skanda.
* The second cave depicts images of Vāmana, Varāha, Nārāyaṇa on Garuḍa, and Nārāyaṇa on the serpent Śesa.
* The third cave exhibits images and figures of Ardhanārīśvara, Pārvatī, Narasimha, and Varāha.
* The fourth cave present the images of the Jain Tīrthaṅkaras.

==Mālegitti Śivālaya==
Among the structural temples, the Mālegitti Śivālaya built on a hill overlooking the town of Bādāmi is quite significant. It is a massive solid structure, though not too large. It consists of a cella, an assembly hall, and a porch.

Cave no. 3 has fine shades like those of Ajantā. The most important and well-preserved of these is that of the betrothal of Pārvatī to Śiva. These paintings date back to the 6th century A. D.

==References==
{{reflist}}
* The Concise Encyclopedia of Hinduism, Swami Harshananda, Ram Krishna Math, Bangalore

Bādāmi

2014-10-15T03:58:55Z

Ankit Saraf: /* Attractions of Bādāmi */

By Swami Harshananda

[[File:Badami.jpg|thumb|Mālegitti Śivālaya at Bādāmi]]

==Location of Bādāmi==
Bādāmi is a small town situated in the Bijapur district, in Karnataka State. It is situated on the side of a small hill.

==Historical Significance of Bādāmi==
In ancient days, this town was known as Vātāpi, and was the capital of the Cālukyan empire during the period A.D. 550-753.

==Attractions of Bādāmi==
Bādāmi contains several temples of the structural as well as the rock-cut varieties. Near the fort, there are temples dedicated to Hanumān and Śiva. Moreover, there are four cave-temples on the southern hill, situated on its western side.<ref>There are also three Hindu and one Jain temple</ref>, which resemble the ones at Ellora.

The pillared halls in them show a high standard of workmanship and are uniformly of the same appearance. The pillars are mostly square in section, though a few of the inner colonnade in Cave no.3 are multifaceted.

==Features of the Caves==
* The first cave displays images of Śiva with 18 arms, Gaṇeśa, Viṣṇu, Lakṣmi and Śiva-Pārvatī. The back wall contains panel-figures of Mahiṣāsuramardinī (Durgā), Gaṇeśa and Skanda.
* The second cave depicts images of Vāmana, Varāha, Nārāyaṇa on Garuḍa and Nārāyaṇa on the serpent Śesa.
* The third cave exhibits images and figures of Ardhanārīśvara, Pārvatī, Narasimha and Varāha.
* The fourth cave present the images of the Jain Tīrthaṅkaras.

==Mālegitti Śivālaya==
Among the structural temples, the Mālegitti Śivālaya built on a hill overlooking the town of Bādāmi is quite significant. It is a massive solid structure, though not too large. It consists of a cella, an assembly hall, and a porch.

Cave no. 3 has fine shades like those of Ajantā. The most important and well-preserved of these is that of the betrothal of Pārvatī to Śiva. These paintings date back to the 6th century A. D.

==References==
{{reflist}}
* The Concise Encyclopedia of Hinduism, Swami Harshananda, Ram Krishna Math, Bangalore

Bādāmi

2014-10-15T03:57:44Z

Ankit Saraf:

By Swami Harshananda

[[File:Badami.jpg|thumb|Mālegitti Śivālaya at Bādāmi]]

==Location of Bādāmi==
Bādāmi is a small town situated in the Bijapur district, in Karnataka State. It is situated on the side of a small hill.

==Historical Significance of Bādāmi==
In ancient days, this town was known as Vātāpi, and was the capital of the Cālukyan empire during the period A.D. 550-753.

==Attractions of Bādāmi==
Bādāmi contains several temples of the structural as well as the rock-cut varieties. Near the fort, there are temples dedicated to Hanumān and Śiva. On the southern hill, situated on its western side, there are four cave-temples as well.<ref>There are also three Hindu and one Jain temple</ref>, which resemble the ones at Ellora.

The pillared halls in them show a high standard of workmanship and are uniformly of the same appearance. The pillars are mostly square in section, though a few of the inner colonnade in Cave no.3 are multifaceted.

==Features of the Caves==
* The first cave displays images of Śiva with 18 arms, Gaṇeśa, Viṣṇu, Lakṣmi and Śiva-Pārvatī. The back wall contains panel-figures of Mahiṣāsuramardinī (Durgā), Gaṇeśa and Skanda.
* The second cave depicts images of Vāmana, Varāha, Nārāyaṇa on Garuḍa and Nārāyaṇa on the serpent Śesa.
* The third cave exhibits images and figures of Ardhanārīśvara, Pārvatī, Narasimha and Varāha.
* The fourth cave present the images of the Jain Tīrthaṅkaras.

==Mālegitti Śivālaya==
Among the structural temples, the Mālegitti Śivālaya built on a hill overlooking the town of Bādāmi is quite significant. It is a massive solid structure, though not too large. It consists of a cella, an assembly hall, and a porch.

Cave no. 3 has fine shades like those of Ajantā. The most important and well-preserved of these is that of the betrothal of Pārvatī to Śiva. These paintings date back to the 6th century A. D.

==References==
{{reflist}}
* The Concise Encyclopedia of Hinduism, Swami Harshananda, Ram Krishna Math, Bangalore

Ayādi-ṣaḍvarga

2014-10-14T04:45:35Z

Ankit Saraf: Ankit Saraf

By Swami Harshananda

Ayādi-ṣaḍvarga literally means ‘the group of six formulad starting with Āya.'

Mānasāra, the most authoritative text, deals with architecture and town-planning. The book also provides a set of six formulas, known as the ‘Ayādi-ṣaḍvarga.’

The book serves as a guide for several alternatives and dimensions, as determined by the application of of these six formulas. Ultimately, they help in determining the following :
# Length
# Breadth
# Circumference
# Height or thickness

The names mentioned below represent well-known groups of objects that always follow a certain serial order.
# Āya
# Vyaya
# Ṛkṣa
# Yoni
# Vāra
# Tithi
# Aiṅśa

For instance, vāra represents the group of seven days of the week. Rkṣa represents the group of twenty-seven naksatras (star-groups).

Each one of these formulas have already been determined by the text itself. To determine the suitability of a dimension, the remainder left after the application of the concerned formula is checked.

For example, if the height of a proposed new building is to be determined from among the several alternatives suggested by the work, the vāra formula is applied for the height. If the remainder from this formula results in 4, it would indicate to the fourth day of the week, Wednesday. Since Wednesday is considered to be an auspicious day, it would be concluded that the measurement chosen is right.

==References==
{{reflist}}
* The Concise Encyclopedia of Hinduism, Swami Harshananda, Ram Krishna Math, Bangalore

Talk:Avadhuta

2014-10-08T05:16:05Z

Ankit Saraf: Ankit S.

By Swami Harshananda

Avadhuta literally means ‘one who has shaken off worldly bonds’.

==Significance of Avadhuta==
The word ‘avadhuta’ is often used in the religious literature. It generally refers to a perfect man, also called ‘paramhansa’, or an ‘ativarṇāśramin.’ The Bhāgavata<ref>Bhāgavata skandha 11, chapters, 7, 8 and 9</ref> asserts that an avadhuta has twenty four teachers. These include the pañcabhutas, or the five elements, animals like elephant and deer, and human beings like a maiden and a child. The avadhuta is said to have learnt lessons from each of them through careful observations. Avadhutas are said to have based their practices on the tantras.

==Characteristics of an Avadhuta==
The Avadhutagitā, a work ascribed to Avadhuta Dattātreya, provides a description of the characteristics of an avadhuta, based on its constituent four syllables : a, va, dhu and ta.<ref>Avadhutagita 8.5-9</ref>

Avadhuta Dattātreya has also been mentioned in several Upaniṣads. Here, Avadhuta is free from worldly desires, is always pure, and lives in bliss. His speech is faultless, and he is not conscious of his own body. His mind is constantly absorbed in Brahman, and hence he needs not practice meditation. He is completely free from egoism and ignorance.

==Appearance of an Avadhuta==
The term ‘avadhuta’ is applied to the senior Nāgā sādhus of the daśanāmī orders, living in holy places, specifically Rishikesh. They can sometimes be naked, and they wear matted hair and necklaces of rudrākṣa beads or bones. They are indifferent to rules of observances found in other monastic or religious orders. Some notable types of avadhutas are:
# Brahma-avadhuta
# Śiva-avadhuta
# Bhakta-avadhuta
# Hariśa-avadhuta

In this context, female ascetics are also known to exist, and are called 'avadhutānis.’

==References==
{{reflist}}
* The Concise Encyclopedia of Hinduism, Swami Harshananda, Ram Krishna Math, Bangalore

Dānavas

2014-09-24T05:21:13Z

Ankit Saraf: I've made edits to improve grammar and diction.

By Swami Harshananda

Dānavas literally means ‘children of [[Danu]]’.

The depiction of conflict between the forces of good and evil is [[a]] common phenomenon seen in many cultures and civilizations of the world. In the scriptures, including mythological works, such conflicts are seen in wars between the suras and the [[asuras]], or the devas and the dānavas, where the asuras and the dānavas represent evil.

These beings, who are often perceived as evil, or even ‘anti-gods’, are also referred to by other names such as:
# Asuras - Those addicted to pleasure of the senses, and are hence opposed to all spiritual values and ways of life.
# Daityas - who are sons of [[Diti]]. Diti was among the thirteen wives of the sage Kaśyapa, who was one of the Prajāpatis (progenitors) of mankind.
# Dānavas - whose name means 'sons of [[Danu]]'. Danu was also among the thirteen wives of the sage Kaśyapa.
# Rākṣasas - who are the children of Khasā, who is also among Kaśyapa's wives.

The three--daityas, dānavas, rākṣasas--are sometimes bracketed and treated as the same type. Although, the daityas and the dānavas may be taken as archetypes of races that are physically stronger, and also more prone to violence. Even though these races known for being evil, there are some exceptions: Prahlāda and [[Bali]] do not share the same attribute of being evil as others in their race. Finally, the rākṣasas could be seen as [[a]] race ranked a bit higher in the list of those who are evil.

==References==
{{reflist}}
* The Concise Encyclopedia of Hinduism, Swami Harshananda, Ram [[Krishna]] Math, Bangalore