Ancient names, who and who of Hindu hindu mythology, vedic names - A
Abhimanyu
Arjuna's son with Subhadra who married Uttara, daughter of King Virata.
Acharya
Guru or Teacher.
Achuta
Another name os Sri Krishna meaning imperishable.
Adhiratha
Karna's foster-father.
Adi Shankara
The first Hindu philosopher who consolidated the principles of the Advaita Vedanta.
Aditi
A goddess of the sky, consciousness, the past, the future and fertility.
Advaita
A school of Hindu philosophy often called a monistic or non-dualistic system which refers to the indivisibility of the Self (Atman) from the Whole (Brahman).
Agastya
A great sage in mythilogy, his wife Lopamudra was equally a great sage in her own right. Agastya was born of both Gods, Mitra and Varuna, from Urvashi.
Agneyastra
Agneyastra is the fire weapon, incepted by God Agni, master of the flames.
Agni
Hindu fire god.
Agnihotra
A sacrifice to God Agni.
Ahi
Means snake.
Airavata
Lord Indra's white elephant.
Ajatasatru
Having no enemy, friend of all born things, an epithet for Yudhishthira.
Akshayapatra
A mythilogical vessel given to Yudhishthira by the Sun god which was never empty of food.
Amaravati
The city of Indra.
Amarkantak
The place from where the Narmada River, the Sone River and Johila River emerge.
Amba, Ambika, Ambalika
The three daughters of King of Benares, Eldest daughter Amba was in love with King Shalwa
Amrit
The food of the gods, which makes one immortal.
Ananta
The thousand headed snake, Adisesha. Author and commentator of Katyayana sutra.
Andhaka
Andhaka was the demon son of Shiva, and was created from a drop of his sweat. He was born blind. After birth, Andhaka was given to Hiranyaksha to be raised, as he had no sons. Later, Andhaka became the King of Hiranyaksha's Kingdom.
Anga
Mlechchha Kings, a Kaurava supporter.
Angada
Son of Vali. One of the Vanar in Lord Rama's army.
Aniruddha
Son of Pradyumna (a rebirth of Shatrughana who married with Charumati and Usha).
Anjalika
The greatest of Arjuna's arrows with which he slays Karna.
Anjana
Mother of Hanuman or Anjaneya.
Anshumat
A mighty chariot-fighter.
Anusuya
Sati Anusuya was wife of the sage Atri and mother of Dattatreya who is considered by some Hindus (in western India ) to be an incarnation of the Divine Trinity Brahma, Vishnu and Siva.
Apsaras
Heavenly beauties, The dancers of Indra's court.
Arjuna
The third of Pandavas, son of Pandu.
Artha
Wealth, one of the objects of human life, the others being Dharma, (righteous- ness), Kama (satisfaction of desires), Moksha (spiritual salvation).
Arundhati
Wife of sage Vasishtha.
Arya
civilised, best.
Asamanja
Son of Sagra.
Ashtavakra
A towering scholar who is still in his teens.
Ashta Lakshmi
Eight aspects of goddess Lakshmi, symbolising eight sources of wealth.
Ashvatthaman
Son of Dronacharya and last supreme commander of the Kaurava force, strong as a horse.
Ashvins
The divine twins.
Ashwapati
Uncle of Bharata and Shatrughna.
Ashwasena
Five mighty arrows shot by Karna.
Asita
A sage who held that gambling was ruinous and should be avoided by all wise people.
Asmaka
A Kaurava warrior who attacked Abhimanyu.
Astra
A missile charged with power by a holy mantra.
Atma
The underlying metaphysical self, at times translated as spirit or soul.
Ayodhya
Unconquerable, The city in the country of Koshala. Rama's Kingdom.
