Ancient names, who and who of Hindu hindu mythology, vedic names - S
Shachi
Wife of Indra, King of the gods on whom Nahusha's evil eye fell. She was also known as Indrani.
Sadhana
Spiritual exercise by a Sadhu or a Sadhaka to attain moksha, which is liberation from the cycle of birth and death (Samsara), or a particular goal such as blessing from a deity.
Sagara
King Sagar is one of the greatest Kings of Suryavansha in the Satya Yuga. He was King of Ayodhya, ancestor to King Dasharatha. He had two wives Keshini and Sumati. Asamanja was his son from Keshini.
Sahadéva
Youngest of the Pandava princes who offered the first honors to Krishna at the Rajasuya sacrifices.
Saibya
A ruler friendly to the Pandavas.
Sairandhri
A maid servant or female attendant employed in royal female apartments.
Saindhava
Jayadratha.
Sakra
Sakra is identified with the Vedic deity Indra. Sakra is sometimes named as one of the twelve Adityas.
Shakuni
Shakuni was the brother of Gandhari. He was very fond of his nephew Duryodhana. He won the Pandavas' half of the Kingdom for his nephew, as a wager in a rigged game of dice.
Salva
Friend of Sisupala, who besieged Dwaraka Sri Krishna's Kingdom to avenge Sisupala's death at the latter's hand.
Shalya
Ruler of Madradesa and brother of Madri and uncle of the Pandavas who because of having received hospitality from Duryodhana went over to his side.
Samadhi
A term used in yogic meditation. Samadhi is also the Hindi word for a structure commemorating the dead.
Sambu
Sambu was son of Krishna, who married Lakshmana, daughter of Duryodhana.
Samkhya
A school of philosophy emphasising a dualism between Purusha and Prakrti, propounded by sage Kapila.
Sampati
Sampati was one of the two sons of Aruna, elder brother of Jatayu. Sampati lost his wings when he was a child.
Samsaptaka
One who has taken a vow to conquer or die, and never to retreat. The Samsaptakas were suicide-squads, vowed to some desperate deed of daring.
Samvarta
Brihaspati's younger brother, a person of great learning.
Samba
A Yadava youngster dressed as a woman who gave birth to a mace, as foretold by rishis.
Sanga
Son of Virata. When King Virata was wounded, he had to get into Sanga's chariot, having lost his chariot, horses and charioteer.
Sanjaya
The narrator who tells blind Dhritarashtra the progress of the war from day to day.
Santa
Daughter of Dasharatha, Wife of sage Rishyasringa.
Santanu
King of Hastinapura, father of Bhishma.
Sanyasi
One who has renounced the world and its concerns.
Sarasana
One of the Kaurava brothers who died in the war.
Sarmishtha
Princess and daughter of asura King Vrishaparva, wife of Yayati, who got angry with Devayani and pushed her into a dry well. Sarmishtha gave birth to Druhyu, Anu, and Puru.
Saraswati
Saraswati is the first of the three great goddesses of Hinduism, the other two being Lakshmi and Durga. Saraswati is the consort of Lord Brahma, the Creator.
Sarayu
Sarayu was an ancient Indian river. The river where Lakshamana practices austerities.
Satanika
Virata's son whose bead was severed by Drona.
Sati
One of name of Dakshayani, Dakshayani is the consort of Shiva. Other names for Dakshayani include Gauri, Uma, Aparna, Lalitha, Sivakamini etc.
Satyajit
A Panchala prince, a hero who stood by Yudhishthira to prevent him being taken prisoner by Drona, while Arjuna was away answering a challenge by the Samsaptakas (the Trigartas).
Satyaki
A Yadava warrior, friend of Krishna and the Pandavas who advocated collecting their forces and defeating the unrighteous Duryodhana.
Satya Narayana
Vishnu, Embodiment as Krishna.
Satyavan
Meaning the truth-speaker, husband of Savitri.
Satyavati
A fisherman's daughter who possessed uncommon beauty and emanated a divinely sweet fragrance and King Santanu became enamored of her, married her and made her his queen. The wife of Bhishma's father, Shantanu.
Satyavrata
Warrior on the Kaurava side.
Saugandhika
A plant that produced a very beautiful and fragrant flower that Bhima went to get for Draupadi.
Savitri
Wife of Satyavan.
Savyasachi
Ambidexter, one who can use both hands with equal facility and effect. A name of Arjuna who could use his bow with the same skill with either hands.
Shakti
An aspect of Devi and a personification of God as the Divine Mother who represents the active, dynamic principles of feminine power.
Shakuntala
Shakuntala was mother of Emperor Bharata and the wife of Dushyanta. Shakuntala was born of Vishvamitra and Menaka.
Shalwa
The King with whom Amba was secretly in love.
Shankara
A name of Shiva. A great magician , friend of Chand Sagar.
Sankha
Shankha is the divine Counch or sea shell, which is one of the insignia in the Hindu God Vishnu's hands. Sankha was also the name of one of sons of King Virata who was killed in Mahabharata.
Shantanu
Shantanu was King of Hastinapura, father of Bhishma. Shantanu weds Satyavati, a fisherman's daughter.
Shatrughna
One of Dasharatha's four sons, King of Madhu.
Shesha
Shesha is a naga, one of the primal beings of creation. Equivalent-Ananta or Ati-sheshan. In the Puranas, Shesha is said to hold all the planets of the universe on his hoods and to constantly sing the glories of Vishnu from all his mouths.
Shiva
A supreme God in Hinduism. Shiva is commonly known as "the destroyer" and is the third god of the Trimurti.
Shikhandi
Daughter-son of Drupada, A girl turned man, warrior on the Pandava side. He had been born in an earlier lifetime as a woman named Amba, who was rejected by Bhishma for marriage.
Shishupala
Shishupala was son of Damaghosha, King of Chedi, by Srutadeva, sister of Vasudeva; he was therefore cousin of Krishna, but he was Krishna's implacable foe, because Krishna had carried off Rukmini, his intended wife. Shishupala was Identical with Hiranyakashipu who was slain by Krishna at the time of Dharmaputra's Rajasuya sacrifice.
Shivi
Shivi was a great, powerful and generous King. Indra and Agni once tested his generosity by becoming birds when the King gave flesh from his body to fulfil his duty.
Shri
Another name of Lakshmi, a goddess, the delight of Vishnu.
Shrutkirti
Daughter of Kushadhwaja; bestowed on Shatrughna.
Shukracharya
Shukracharya was a guru in Hindu mythology. Known as the guru of the Asuras, he is also associated with the planet Shukra (Venus) which is named after him. He was born as the son of Rishi Brighu and his wife Ushana.
Siddhashrama
The Shiva's hermitage.
Simhanada
A lion-note or roar; a deep roar of defiance or triumph which warriors were wont to utter to inspire confidence in their friends, of terror in their enemies.
Sindhu
The Indus River, originating in the vicinity of Lake Mansarovar.
Sinhikha
The grim rakshasi who rose from the sea and caught Hanuman, when he coursed through the air like Garuda in search of Sita.
Sini
One of the suitors to Devaki's hand. A kinsman of the Kauravas.
Sita
Sita was the wife of Rama, and is esteemed an exemplar of womanly and wifely virtue. Sita was herself an avatara of Lakshmi, Vishnu's eternal consort, who chose to reincarnate herself on Earth as Sita, and endure an arduous life, in order to provide humankind an example of such virtues.
Sloka
A verse of lines in Sanskrit, typically recited as a prayer.
Smarta
A Hindu denomination, which follows Advaita philosophy and considers that all gods are manifestations of Ishvar.
Sruti
Hindu scriptures. Shruti is believed to have no author; rather a divine recording of the "cosmic sounds of truth", heard by rishis.
Soma
A ritual drink of importance among Hindus. It is frequently mentioned in the Rigveda, which contains many hymns praising its energizing or intoxicating qualities.
Somadutta
One of the suitors to Devaki's hand. A kinsman of the Kauravas.
Sthua
A Yaksha, follower of Kubera, who exchanges his identity with Shikhandin, A rakshasa who helps disturb Vishvamitra's sacrifices.
Subahu
King of Kulinda in the Himalayas, ally of the Kauravas, Subahu was a demon who tried to interrupt Viswamitra's yaga. He was slain by Lord Rama.
Subhadra
Wife of Arjuna, sister of Sri Krishna and mother of Abhimanyu.
Subrahmaniam
Another name for Lord Kartikeya. Son of Shiva and Parvati.
Sudakshina
A warrior on the Kaurava side.
Sudarsana
Sudarshan Chakra is a spinning disc like weapon with very sharp edge, which is one of the weapons in the Hindu God Vishnu's hands. 2. A warrior on the Kaurava army.
Sudeshna
Queen of King Virata whom Sairandhri (Draupadi) served.
Sudeva
A Brahman who traced Damayanti in Chedi and later helps Damayanti in her quest to find Nala. He was friend of Damayanti's brother.
Sugriva
Monkey-King, friend of Sri Rama, and brother of mighty Vali whom Sri Rama killed.
Sujata
Daughter of Sage Uddalaka and wife of Kagola, his disciple who had virtue and devotion but not much of erudition, mother of Ashtavakra.
Suka
A sage, son of Vyasa, who related the Srimad Bhagavata to King Parikshit, grandson of Arjuna.
Sukanya
Meaning - Fair-maid, The wife of Chyavana whom the Ashvins beheld at her bath, bare of any garment.
Suman
Son of Asamanja.
Sumati
Wife of Sagara.
Sumitra
Abhimanyu's charioteer. One of Dasharatha's three wives; mother of Lakshamana and Shatrughna.
Sunda
Sunda and Upasunda were two brave and powerful asura princes who performed austerities to please Brahma, who besowed them the boon that nobody else would slay them, other than each other. Later Brahma created a beautiful apsara Tilottama to create differences within and destroyed them mutually.
Suniti
Mother of Dhruva.
Suparshwa
One of Ravana's counsellors.
Surabhi
The wish-bestowing cow that came first from the sea in the process of churning of the Ocean by gods and asuras.
Surpankha
Sister of Ravana; desires Rama; seeks to become Lakshamana's wife.
Supratika
Name of King Bhagadatta's elephant.
Surya
Sun God, one of the three main Vedic Gods.
Susarma
King of Trigarta, a supporter of the Kauravas who backed the proposal to invade Matsya, Virata's country.
Sushena
A monkey chief ; at siege of Lanka.
Sutra
Sutra refers to an aphorism or a collection of such aphorisms in the form of a book or text. 'Sutras' form a school of Vedic study, related to and somewhat later than the Upanishads.
Suvarna
A soldier on the Kaurava side.
Sri Rama
Also knew as Rama, Ramachandra or Sri Rama.
Srinjayas
Pandava supporters.
Srutayu, Astutayu
Two brothers fighting on the Kaurava side attacked Arjuna but were killed.
Srutayudha
A Kaurava warrior whose mace hurled at Krishna rebounded fiercely, killing Srutayudha himself. Her mother Parnasa had obtained that gift from Varuna who had specified that the mace should not be used against one who does not fight, else it would kill the person who hurls it.
Swarga
Heaven, a place where all wishes and desires are gratified, The heaven of Indra where mortals after death enjoy the results of their good deeds on earth.
Sveta
A son of King Virata who fell in battle to Bhishma's arrow.
Syala
A Yadava prince who insulted the sage Gargya, and was the cause of his becoming the father of Kalayavana, a great foe of Krishna and the Yadava family.