Saptsindhu Chronicles: A Rama - Krishna Saga

~Glossary~

A/N: Here is a list of all the Characters or Mythological terms that are in the book. You can find their meanings here, and if you still feel difficulty, feel free to ask me directly.

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Abhimanyu: Son of Arjuna and Subhadra who was married to Uttara, daughter of King Virata.

Acharya: Term given to a Teacher or Guru.

Adhiratha: Karna's foster-father.  

Agastya: A great sage whose life-story the Pandavas learned while on a pilgrimage to holy places is wife Lopamudra was equally a great sage in her own right.

Ahalya: Wife of sage Gautama, who was turned into a stone and was later freed from the curse by the touch of Ram. 

Airavata: Indra's elephant. 

Akshayapatra: A wonderful vessel given to Yudhishthira by the Sun god which held a never-failing supply of food.

Amrit: Ambrosia, the food of the gods, which makes the partaker immortal.  

Arundhati: Wife of sage Vasishtha.  

Aswamedha Yajna: An important event involving the famous horse sacrifice. 

Aswathama: Son of Dronacharya and last supreme commander of the Kaurava forces.  

Balarama: Elder brother of Sri Krishna. 

Bakasura: A voracious, cruel and terribly strong Rakshasa or demon who lived in a cave near the city of Ekachakrapura whom Bhima killed to the great relief of the citizens.  

Bharat: Brother of Rama and son of Kaikeyi.

Bharadwaja: A rishi, father of Yavakrida.

Brahma: Creator of the universe; one of the trinity gods. 

Brahmastra: A divine weapon, irresistible, one given by Lord Brahma himself.

Brahmacharya: Celibacy, chastity; the stage of life of Vedic study in which chastity and service are essential.  

Bhima: The second Pandava brother who excelled in physical prowess as he was born of the wind-god.

Bhishma: The old grandsire to whose care were committed the five Pandavas by the rishis when the eldest Yudhishthira attained the age of sixteen for their proper upbringing including mastery of the Vedas, Vedanta and various arts especially those pertaining to the Kshatriyas. Later he intervened but without success to bring about peace and understanding between the Kauravas and the Pandavas who ruled separately from Hastinapura and Indraprastha respectively. He was the eighth child of King Santanu and Ganga. Appointed supreme commander of the Kaurava armies.

Dasharatha: Rama's father and King of Kosala.

Dashanan: Ten-headed King of Lanka (Ravana).

Devaki: Mother of Sri Krishna.  

Dhrishtadyumna: Supreme commander of the Pandava forces eldest brother of Draupadi. 

Dhritarashtra: Elder son of Vichitravirya and Ambika, born blind, father of Duryodhana.

Draupadi: Daughter of King Drupada, King of Panchala, who married all the five Pandavas though Arjuna had won her in the Swayamvara, because of the vow that they would share everything in common.

Drona: Son of a Brahmana named Bharadwaja; married a sister of Kripa and a son Aswathama was born to them; learnt military art from Parasurama, the maser. Later he became the instructor to of the Kaurava and Pandava princes in the use of arms.

Drupada: King of Panchala, father of Draupadi who became the wife of the Pandavas