| ENCYCLOPEDIA |
VA A name of Varuna; also name of his dwelling.
VACH ‘Speech.’ In the Rig-veda, Vach appears to be the personification of speech by whom knowledge was communicated to man. Thus she is said to have “entered into the Rishis,” and to make whom she loves terrible and intelligent, a priest and a Rishi She was “generated by the gods,” and is called “the divine Vach,” “queen of the gods,” and she is described as “the melodious cow who milked forth sustenance and water,” “who yields us nourishment and sustenance.” The Brahmanas associate her with Prajapati in the work of creation. In the Taittiriya Brahmana she is called “the mother of the Vedas,” and “the wife of Indra, who contains within herself all worlds.” In the Satapatha Brahmana she is represented as entering into a sexual connection with Prajapati, who, “being desirous of creating, connected himself with various spouses,” and among them, “through his mind, with Vach,” from whom “he created the waters;” or, as this last sentence is differently translated, “He created the waters from the world [in the form ] of speech (Vach).” In the Kathaka Upanishad this idea is more distinctly formulated :- “Prajapati was this universe. Vach was a second to him. He associated sexually with her; she became pregnant; she departed from him; she produced these creatures; she again entered into Prajapati.”
The Aitareya Brahmana and the Satapatha Brahmana have a story of the Gandharvas having stolen the soma juice, or, as one calls it, “King Soma,” and that as the Gandharvas were fond of women, Vach was, at her own suggestion, “turned into a female” by the gods and Rishis, and went to recover it from them.
In the Atharva-veda she is identified with Viraj, and is the daughter of Kama (desire). “That daughter of thine, O Kama, is called the cow, she whom sages denominate Vach-Viraj.”
The Maha-bharata also calls her “the mother of the Vedas,” and, says, “A voice derived from Brahma entered into the ears of them all; the celestial Saraswati was then produced from the heavens.” Here and “in the later mythology, Saraswati was identified with Vach, and became under different names the spouse of Brahma and the goddess of wisdom and eloquence, and is invoked as a muse,” generally under the name of Saraswati, but sometimes as Vach.
The Bhagavata purana recognises her as “the Blender and enchanting daughter” of Brahma, for whom he had a passion, and from whom mankind was produced, that is the female Viraj. (See Viraj and Sata-rupa.) Saraswati, as wife: of Brahma and goddess of wisdom, represents perhaps the union of power and intelligence which was supposed to operate in the work of creation. According to the Padma Purana, Vach was daughter of Daksha, wife of Kasyapa, and mother of the Gandharvas and Apsarases.
VADAVA, VADAVANALA The submarine fire which “devours the water of the ocean,” causing it to throw off the vapours which are condensed into rain and snow. The word is also written Vadava and Badava. See Aurva.
VAHANA ‘A vehicle.’ Most of the gods are represented as having animals as their vahanas. Brahma has the Hansa, swan or goose; Vishnu has Garuda, half eagle, half man; Siva, the bull Nandi, Indra, an elephant; Yama, a buffalo; Karttikeya, a peacock; Kama-deva, the marine monster Makara, or a parrot; Agni, a ram; Varuna, a fish; Ganesa, a rat; Vayu, an antelope; Sani, or Saturn, a vulture; Durga, a tiger.
VAHNI Fire. See Agni.
VAHUKA ‘Charioteer.’ A name and office assumed by Nala in his time of disguise.
VAIBHOJAS The Maha-bharata says, “The descendants of Druhyu are the Vaibhojas.” “A people unacquainted with the use of cars or beasts of burthen, and who travel on rafts; they have no kings.” -Wilson.
VAIBHRAJA A celestial grove; the grove of the gods on Mount Suparswa, west of Meru.
VAlDARBHA Belonging to the country of Vidarbha or Birar. The people of that country.
VAIDEHA Belonging to the country of Videha or Tirhoot, &c. The king or the people of the country. Janaka was called Vaideha and Sita was Vaidehi.
VAIDYA-NATHA ‘Lord of physicians.’ A title of Siva. Name of one of the twelve great Lingas. See Linga.
VAIJAYANTA The palace or the banner of Indra.
VAIJAYANTI 1. The necklace of Vishnu, composed of five precious gems, pearl, ruby, emerald, sapphire, and diamond; it “is the aggregate of the five elemental rudiments.” 2. A law-book current in the south. It is a commentary by Nanda Pandita on the Vishnu Smriti.
VAIKARTTANA A name of Karna from his putative father, Vikarttana, the sun.
VAIKUNTHA The paradise of Vishnu, sometimes described as on Mount Meru, and at others as in the Northern Ocean. It is also called Vaibhra. Vishnu himself is sometimes designated by this term.
VAINATEYA A name of Vishnu's bird Garuda.
VAIRAJ Manu the son of Viraj.
VAIRAJAS Semi-divine beings or Manes unconsumable by fire, who dwell in Tapo-loka, but are capable of translation to Satya-loka. The Kasi-khanda explains this term as the Manes of “ascetics, mendicants, anchorets, and penitents, who have completed a course of rigorous austerities.” See Pitris.
VAIROCHANA A name of Bali.
VAISALI A city founded by Visala, son of Trinabindu. This is “a city of considerable renown in Indian tradition, but its site is a subject of some uncertainty.” It was a celebrated place among the Buddhists, and would seem to have been situated on the left bank of the Ganges. General Cunningham places it about 27 miles north of Patna. It is frequently confounded with Visala, i.e., Ujjayini.
VAISAMPA YANA 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 Maha-bharata, which he afterwards recited to King Janamejaya at a festival. The Hari-vansa is also represented as having been communicated by him.
VAISESHIKA The Atomic school of philosophy. See Darsana.
VAISRAVANA Patronymic of Kuvera.
VAISWANARA A name by which Agni is occasionally known in the Rig-veda.
VAISYA The third or trading and agricultural caste. See Varna.
VAITANA SUTRA The ritual of the Atharva-veda. The text has been published by Dr. Garbe.
VAITARANl ‘(The river) to be crossed,’ it is, the river of hell, which must be Crossed before the infernal regions can be entered. This river is described as being filled with blood, ordure, and all sorts of filth, and to run with great impetuosity. A second river stated by the Maha-bharata to be in the country of the Kalingas; it must be the river of the same name (vulg. "Byeturnee”) somewhat higher up in Cuttack.
VAIVASWATA Name of the seventh Manu; he was son of Surya and father of Ikshwaku, the founder of the Solar race of kings.
VAJASANEYl-SANHITA The body of hymns forming the White Yajur-veda. See Veda.
VAJIN A priest of the White Yajur-veda.
VAJRA 1. The thunderbolt of Indra, said to have been made of the bones of the Rishi Dadhichi It is a circular weapon, with a hole in the centre, according to some, but others represent it as consisting of two transverse bars. It has many names:- Asani, Abhrottha, ‘sky-born;’ Bahu-dara, ‘much cleaving;’ Bhidira or Chhidaka, ‘the splitter;’ Dambholi and Jasuri, ‘destructive;’ Hradin, ‘roaring;’ Kulisa, ‘axe;’ Pavi, ‘pointed;’ Phena-vahin, ‘foam-bearing;’ Shat-kona, ‘hexagon;’ Sambha and Swaru. 2. Son of Aniruddha. His mother is sometimes said to be Aniruddha's wife Su-bhadra, and at others the Daitya princess Usha. Krishna just before his death made him king over the Yadavas at Indra-prastha. See the next.
VAJRA-NABHA The celebrated chakra (discus) of Krishna. According to the Maha-bharata it was given to him by Agni for his assistance in defeating Indra and burning the Khi1ulava forest.
VAKA ‘A crane.’ A great Asura who lived near the city of Eka-chakra, and forced the Raja of the place to send him daily a large quantity of provisions, which he devoured, and not only the provisions, but the men who carried them. Under the directions of Kunti, her son Bhima took the provisions, and when the demon struck him, a terrific combat fo1Wwed; each one tore up trees by the roots and be laboured the other, till Bhima seized the demon by the legs and tore him asunder. Kuvera is sometimes called by this name.
VALA-KHILYAS 1. Eleven hymns of an apocryphal or peculiar character interpolated in the Rig-veda. 2. Pigmy sages no bigger than a joint of the thumb, chaste, pious, resplendent as the rays of the sun.” So described by the Vishnu Purana, which says that they were brought forth by Samnati (humility), wife of Kratu, and were 60,000 in number. They are able to fly swifter than birds. The Rig-veda says that they sprang from the hairs of Prajapati (Brahma). They are the guards of the chariot of the sun. They are also called Kharwas. Wilson says “they are not improbably connected with the character of Daumling, Thaumlin, Tamlane, Tom-a-lyn, or Tom Thumb.”
VALMIKI The author of the Ramayana, which he in Vedic phrase is said to have “seen.” He himself is represented as taking part in some of the scenes he describes. He received the banished Sita into his hermitage at Chitra-kuta, and educated her twin sons Kusa and Lava. “Tradition has marked a hill in the district of Banda in Bundlekand as his abode.” The invention of the sloka is attributed to him, but it cannot be his, because the metre is found in the Vedas.
VAMACHARIS Followers of the left-hand sect. See Tantra.
VAMA-DEVA. 1. A Vedic Rishi, author of many hymns. In one of his hymns he represents himself as speaking before his birth, saying, “let me not come forth by this path, for it is difficult (of issue): let me come forth obliquely from the side.” Sayana, the commentator, says in explanation. “The Rishi Vama-deva, whilst yet in the womb, was reluctant to be born in the usual manner, and resolved to come into the world through his mother’s side. Aware of his purpose, the mother prayed to Aditi, who thereupon came with her son Indra to expostulate with the Rishi.” [This story accords with that told by the Buddhists of the birth of Buddha.] In the same hymn Vama-deva says, “In extreme destitution I have cooked the entrails of a dog,” and Manu cites this to show that a man is not rendered impure even by eating the flesh of dogs for the preservation of his life. In another hymn he says, “As a hawk I came forth with speed;” and a commentator explains, “Having assumed the form a hawk, he came forth from the womb by the power of Yoga, for he is considered to have been endowed with divine knowledge from the period of his conception.” 2. A Vedic sage mentioned in the Maha-bharata as possessor of two horses of marvelous speed called Vamyas. 3. A name of Siva; also of one of the Rudras.
VAMANA The dwarf incarnation of Vishnu See Avatara.
VAMANA PURANA “That in which the four-faced Brahma taught the three objects of existence, as subservient to the greatness of Tri-vikrama (Vishnu), which treats also of the Siva kalpa, and which consists of 10,000 stanzas, is called the Vimana Purina.” It contains an account of the dwarf incarnation of Vishnu, and “extends to about 7000 stanzas, but its contents scarcely establish its claim to the character of a Purana.” It is of a more tolerant character than the (other) puranas, and divides its homage impartially between Siva and Vishnu with tolerable impartiality. It has not the air of any antiquity, and its compilation may have amused the leisure of some Brahman of Benares three or four centuries ago.” -Wilson.
VANA-PRASTHA ‘A dweller in the worlds.’ A Brahman in the third stage of his religious life, passing his time as an anchorite in the woods See Brahman.
VANA-CHARAS (mas.), VANE-CHARlS (fem.) Wanderers of the woods. Fauns, Dryads, or sylvan guardians.
VANSA A race or family. Lists of the Rishis or successive teachers of the Vedas which are found attached to some of the Brahmanas are called Vansas.
VANSA-BRAHMANA The eighth Brahmana of the Sama-veda. It has been edited by Burnell.
VAPUSHMAT A man who killed King Marutta of the Solar race. Dama, son or grandson of Marutta, in retaliation killed Vapushmat. With his blood he made the funeral offerings to the Manes of Marutta, and with the flesh he fed the Brahmans who were of Rakshasa descent.
VARA-DA ‘Bestower of boons.’ A name of Devi, also of Saraswati.
VARAHA The boar incarnation of Vishnu. See Avatara.
VARAHA-KALPA The present kalpa or year of Brahma. See Kalpa.
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