A classical dictionary of Hindu mythology and religion, geography, history, & literature / by John Dowson.

  • Dowson, John, active 1913.
Date:
1913
Catalogue details

Licence: In copyright

Credit: A classical dictionary of Hindu mythology and religion, geography, history, & literature / by John Dowson. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    35/440 (page 11)
    ALAKA-NANDA—AMARUS A TAKA. gandharvas on Mount Meru. It is also called Vasu-dhara, Vasu-sthali, and Prablia. ALAKA-NANDA, One of the four branches of the river Gangii, which flows south to the country of Bharata, This is said by the Vaishwavas to be the terrestrial Ganga which (Siva received upon his head ALAMBUSHA- A great Rakshasa worsted by Satyaki in the great war of the Maha-bharata, and finally killed by Gha^ot- kacha. He is said to be a son of i2ishyamnga. ALAYTJDHA. A Rakshasa killed after a fierce combat by Ghatotkacha in the war of the Mali^bharata {Fauche, ix. 278). AMARA-KAiV^AKA ‘Peak of the immortals.’ A place of pilgrimage in the table-land east of the Vindhyas. AMARA-KOSH A This title may be read in two ways—‘the immortal vocabulary,’ or, more appropriately, ‘ the vocabxilary of Amara or Amara Sinha.’ “ The oldest vocabulary hitherto known, and one of the most celebrated vocabularies of the classical Sanskrit.” It has been the subject of a great number of com- mentaries. The text has been often printed. There is an edition published in India with an English interpretation and annotations by Colebrooke, and the text with a French transla- tion has been printed by Deslongchamps. AMARA SINHA The author of the vocabulary called Amara-kosha. He was one of the nine gems of the court of Vikrama. (See Nava-ratna,) Wilson inclines to place him in the first century B.a Lassen places him about the middle of the third century a.!)., and others incline to bring him down later. AMARAVATL The capital of India’s heaven, renowned for its greatness and splendour. It is situated somewhere in the vicinity of ]Meru. It is sometimes called Devar-pura, ‘ city of the gods,’ and Pusha-bhasa, ‘sun-splendour.’ A^IARESWARA ‘ Lord of the immortals.’ A title of Vish7iu, (Siva, and India. Name of one of the twelve great Hugos. See Linga. AMARXJ-(SATAKA. A poem consisting of a hundred stanzas written by a king named Amaru, but by some attributed to the philosopher (Sankara, who assumed the dead form of that king for the purpose of conversing with his widow. The verses are of an erotic character, but, like many others of the same kind, a religious or philosophical interpretation has been found for them.