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Semi-divine beings or Manes unconsumable by fire, who dwell in Tapo-loka, but are capable of translation to Satya-loka. The Kasi-kha?i6Za explains this term as the Manes of "ascetics, mendicants, anchorets, and penitents, who have completed a course of rigorous austerities." See Pitris. YAIROCHANA. A name of Bali. 332 VAISALI—VAJRA. VAIaS'ALI a city founded by Yi^ala, son of T7-/;^abindu. 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 Buddliists, 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 Yisala, i.e., Ujjayini. VAIaS'A^SIPAYAXA. a celebrated sage who was the original teacher of the Black Yajur-veda. He was a pupil of the great Yyasa, from whom he learned the Maha-bharata, which he after- wards recited to King Janamejaya at a festival. The Hari-vansa is also represented as having been communicated by him. YAI/SESHIKA. The Atomic school of philosophy. See Darsana. YAIaSTRAYAI^A. Patronymic of Kuvera. YALS'WAjS'ARA. a name by which Agni is occasionally known in the it/g- veda. YAIaSYA. The third or trading and agricultural caste. See Yarna, YAITAN'A StJTEA. The ritual of the Atharva-veda. The text has been published by Dr. Garbe. YAITARAYI. ' (The river) to be crossed,' that 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. YAIYASWATA. Name of the seventh Manu ; he was son of Siirya and father of Ikshwaku, the founder of the Solar race of kings. YAJASANEYI-SANHITA. The body of hymns forming the "VYliite Yajur-veda. See Yeda. YAJIjN". a priest of the Wliite Yajur-veda. YAJRA. I. The thunderbolt of Indra, said to have been made of the bones of the Eh\\i Dadlilchi. 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 cleav- ing;' Bliidira or Chhidaka, 'the splitter;' Dambholi and Jasuri, VAJRA-NABHA—VAMA-DEVA. 333 Mestriictive;' Hradin, 'roaring;' Kulisa, 'axe; ' Pavi, 'pointed;' Phena-vahin, 'foam-bearing; Sha^-kona, 'hexagon;' 6'amblia and Swaru. 2. Son of Aniriiddlia. His mother is sometimes said to be Aniruddlia's wife Su-bhadra, and at others the Daitya princess Usha. K?ishwa just before his death made him king over the Yadavas at Indra-prastha. See the next. VAJEA-NABHA. The celebrated chakra (discus) of Krishwa. According to the Maha-bharata it was given to him by Agni for his assistance in defeating Indra and burning the Kha?i(iava forest. VAKA. ' A crane.' A great Asura who lived near the city of Eka-chakra, and forced the Kiija 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 Bliima took the provisions, and when the demon struck him, a terrific combat followed ; each one tore up trees by the roots and belaboured the other, till Bliima seized the demon by the legs and tore him asunder. Kuvera is sometimes called by this name. VALA-KHILYAS. i. Eleven hymns of an apocryphal or peculiar character interpolated in the /^ig-veda. 2. " Pigmy sages no bigger than a joint of the thumb, chaste, pious, resplen- dent as the rays of the sun." So described by the Vish?iu Pura72a, 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 it/g-veda says that they sprang from the hairs of Prajiipati (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." VALMlKI. The author of the Eamaya??a, which he in Yedic 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-ku/a, and edu- cated her twin sons Ku5a 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 Yedas. YAMACHARlS. Followers of the left-hand sect. See Tantra. YAMA-DEYA. i. A Yedic i?ishi, author of many hymns. In one of his hymns he represents himself as speaking before his 334 VAMANA—VANSA. birth, saying, " Let me not come forth by this path, for it is difficult (of issue) : let me come forth obliquely from the side." SayaTza, the commentator, says in exj^lanation, " The Rk\\i Vama-deva, whilst yet in the womb, was reluctant to be born in the usual manner, and resolved to come into the world tlirough his mother's side. Aware of his purpose, the mother prayed to Aditi, who thereupon came with her son Indra to expostulate with the jRishi." [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 of a hawk, he came forth from the womb by the power of Yoga, for he is considered to have been endowed with divine knowlege from the period of his conception." 2. A Vedic sage mentioned in the Maha-bharata as possessor of two horses of marvellous speed called Yamyas. 3. A name of >S'iva ; also of one of the Rudras. YAM ANA. The dwarf incarnation of Yish?iu. See Ava- tara. YAMAXA PURAA^A. "That in which the four-faced Brahma taught the three objects of existence, as subservient to the greatness of Tri-vikrama (Yishwu), which treats also of the ^iva kalpa, and which consists of 10,000 stanzas, is called the Yamana Purawa." It contains an account of the dwarf incarna- tion of Yish?m, and "extends to about 7000 stanzas, but its contents scarcely establish its claim to the character of a Purawa." " It is of a more tolerant character than the (other) Purri7^as, and divides its homage impartially between iSiva and Yishwu with tolerable impartiality. It has not the air of any antiquity, and its compilation may have amused the leisure of some Brrdiman of Benares three or four centuries ago." — Wilson. YAXA-PRASTHA 'A dweller in the worlds.' A Brahman in the third stage of his religious life, passing his time as an anchorite in the wood? See Brfdiman. YANA-CHARAS (mas.), YAKE- CHARTS (fem.). Wan- derers of the woods. Fauns, Dryads, or sylvan guardians. YAN/S'A. A race or familv. Lists of the ii'/shis or successive VANSA-BRAHMANA—VARKSHI. 335 teachers of the Vedas which are found attached to some of the Brahma?ias are called Vansas. VANaS'A-BRAHMATVA. The eighth Brahma?ia 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 offer- ings to the Manes of Marutta, and with the flesh he fed the Brahmans who were of Rakshasa descent. YARA-DA. ' Bestower of boons.' A name of Devi, also of Saraswati. VARAHA. The boar incarnation of Yish/iu. See Avatara. VARAHA-KALPA. The present kalpa or year of Brahma. See Kalpa. VARAHA MIHIRA. An astronomer who was one of " the nine gems" of the court of Yikramaditya. {See Nava-ratna.) He was author of Brihat-sanhita and Brihaj-jataka. His death is placed in *Saka 509 (a.d. 587). VARAHA PURAVA. "That in which the glory of the great Varaha is predominant, as it was revealed to Earth by Vishwu, in connexion, wise Munis, with the Manava kalpa, and which contains 24,000 verses, is called the Varrdia PuraTza \ " but this description differs so from the Pura?za which bears the name in the present day, that Wilson doubts its applying to it. The known work " is narrated by Vish?iu as Varaha, or in the boar incarnation, to the personified Earth.