53-1220: [REDACTED] Look up मंदाकिनी in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. Mandakini may refer to: Ganges in Hinduism , as considered to form the Milky Way in the sky Mandakini River , Uttarakhand, India Chandragiri River , also known as Payaswini and Mandakini, a river in India Mandakini (1999 film) , a Sri Lankan film Mandakini (2024 film) , an Indian Malayalam film People [ edit ] Mandakini (actress) (born 1963), Indian actress Mandakini Amte , Indian doctor and social worker Mandakini Behera (born 1947), Indian politician in Odisha Mandakini Gogate (1936–2010), Indian Marathi writer Mandakini Narayanan (died 2006), Indian Naxalite leader in Kerala Mandakini Trivedi , Indian dancer Topics referred to by
106-465: A kalasha (or 2 replacing lotus) and lotus, while other 2 hands in varada and abhaya mudra . Another depiction popular especially in Bengal shows her holding shankha , chakra ( discus ), lotus and abhaya mudra, with the kalasha releasing her holy water. In Brahma Vaivarta Purana , Ganga is often depicted with her divine mount, the makara – an animal with the head of a crocodile and tail of
159-596: A backwater" by the Mahajanapada period in the 5th century BCE. However, traditions and legends about the Kurus continued into the post-Vedic period, providing the basis for the Mahabharata epic. The Kuru kingdom corresponds with the archaeological Painted Grey Ware culture . The Kuru kingdom decisively changed the religious heritage of the early Vedic period, arranging their ritual hymns into collections called
212-570: A dolphin. Varying myths of Ganga's birth is found in Hindu scriptures. According to the Bhagavata Purana , Vishnu , in his incarnation as Vamana , extended his left foot to the end of the universe, and pierced a hole in its covering with the nail of his big toe. Through the hole, the pure water of the causal ocean entered this universe as the Ganges river. Having washed the lotus feet of
265-580: A flute in her left. When shown with four hands she carries a water-pot, a lily, and a rosary, and has one hand in a protective mode. The Rigveda mentions Ganga but more of her is said in the Puranas . Ganga is depicted four-armed and mounted on a crocodile or enthroned surrounded by crocodiles. In one of the iconography in Maha Virat-rupa, she holds a jar of amrita , rosary, lotus and varada mudra. She may be depicted in other ways holding only
318-502: A furious tirade against Ganga, accusing her of stealing Vishnu's love away from her. When Ganga appealed to her husband to help her, he chose to remain neutral, not wishing to participate in a quarrel between his three wives, whom he loved equally. When Lakshmi attempted to soothe Saraswati's anger by reasoning with her, the jealous goddess grew angry with her as well, accusing her of disloyalty towards her. She cursed Lakshmi to be born as
371-488: A great conqueror who performed the ashvamedha (horse-sacrifice). These two Kuru kings played a decisive role in the consolidation of the Kuru state and the development of the srauta rituals, and they also appear as important figures in later legends and traditions (e.g., in the Mahabharata ). The Kurus declined after being defeated by the non-Vedic Salva (or Salvi) tribe , and the centre of Vedic culture shifted east, into
424-516: A result of conflict with the vratya ascetics; however, this Vedic mention does not provide corroboration for the accuracy of the Mahabharata's account of his reign. This shows the line of royal and family succession, not necessarily the parentage. See the notes below for detail. Key to Symbols Notes The birth order of siblings is correctly shown in the family tree (from left to right), except for Vyasa and Bhishma whose birth order
477-422: A ritual known as ashvamedha , where a horse was left to wander for one year. However, Indra stole the horse to prevent the ritual from being successful. Learning that the horse had disappeared, King Sagara sent his sixty thousand sons to look for it. They eventually found the horse at the ashrama of Sage Kapila , in the netherworld. Thinking that Sage Kapila had stolen the horse, the sons interrupted him while he
530-491: Is also known as Tripathaga because she flows in the three worlds, heaven, earth, and the netherworld. Another epithet that Ganga is known by is Jahnavi, because she flooded the ashram of Sage Jahnu while being led by Bhagiratha. Her waters extinguished the ritual fire there, which angered the sage Jahnu, so he drank up all of Ganga's waters. Sage Jahnu later released the water out of his left ear after Bhagiratha explained his mission for Ganga's descent. Due to this incident, Ganga
583-693: Is considered by the Mauritian Hindus equivalent to Ganga. In 1972, the then Prime Minister of Mauritius , Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam brought Holy water from the Ganga's source – Gomukh in India and mixed it with the water of the Grand Bassin and renamed it as Ganga Talao. Ganga is invoked with Hindu deities Shiva, Bhumi , Surya and Chandra in Thailand 's royal Triyampawai ceremony . She
SECTION 10
#1732765190434636-726: Is depicted with Ganga and his wife Uma ( Parvati ). Ganga's images are located in Bakong , Lintel in Thommanon and exhibit in International Council of Museums . Kuru Kingdom Kuru was a Vedic Indo-Aryan tribal union in northern Iron Age India of the Bharata and Puru tribes . The Kuru kingdom appeared in the Middle Vedic period ( c. 1200 – c. 900 BCE ), encompassing parts of
689-489: Is different from Wikidata All article disambiguation pages All disambiguation pages Ganges in Hinduism Ganga ( Sanskrit : गङ्गा , IAST : Gaṅgā ) is the personification of the river Ganges , who is worshipped by Hindus as the goddess of purification and forgiveness. Known by many names, Ganga is often depicted as a fair, beautiful woman, riding a divine crocodile-like creature called
742-570: Is known as Jahnavi, which means daughter of Sage Jahnu. In the Mahabharata , Ganga is the wife of Shantanu as well as the mother of the eight Vasus , including Bhishma . Ganga and Shantanu were cursed by Brahma to be born on earth. Shantanu met Ganga on the banks of the Ganges and asked her to marry him. She accepted the proposal on the condition that Shantanu would not question any of her actions. Shantanu agreed and they married. They lived together peacefully and had eight sons who were
795-509: Is mentioned in the Rigveda , the earliest and theoretically the holiest of the Hindu scriptures. Ganga is mentioned in the Nadistuti (Rigveda 10.75), which lists the rivers from east to west. In RV 6.45.31, the word Ganga is also mentioned, but it is not clear if the reference is to the river. RVRV 3.58.6 says that "your ancient home, your auspicious friendship, O Heroes, your wealth is on
848-489: Is ten years old. The Ganga is also called the Ganga Mata (Mother), and is revered in Hindu worship and culture, venerated for her forgiveness of sins and capacity to cleanse mankind. Unlike various other goddesses, she has no destructive or fearsome aspect, destructive though she might be as a river in nature. She is also a mother to other gods. On this day, Ganga is regarded to have been reborn. According to legend,
901-675: Is worshipped together with goddess Phra Mae Thorani within Thai Bushhism and goddess Phosop in Tai folk religion . The four sacred pools of Suphan Buri Province have waters from the Ganga and the Yamuna rivers and are used for rituals. Ganga has been revered in Cambodia since the Khmer empire . In Shiva's iconographical form Uma-Gangapatisvarar ( Khmer : ព្រះឧមាគង្គាបតិស្វរ ), Shiva
954-792: The Bagmati Province . In Sri Lanka , Ganga with other Hindu deities assumes a Buddhist persona. Her sculpture is seen in Kelaniya Raja Maha Vihara . In Balinese Hinduism , she is worshipped together with the goddess Danu . Her waters are considered holy in Bali . Her maternal association with Bhishma is known in Bali. Religious sites associated with her in Bali are Tirta Gangga , Pura Taman Mumbul Sangeh , and Kongco Pura Taman Gandasari . Ganga Talao in Mauritius
1007-622: The Kurukshetra region, the Kurus formed the first political centre of the Vedic period and were dominant roughly from 1200 to 800 BCE. The first Kuru capital was at Āsandīvat, identified with modern Assandh in Haryana . Later literature refers to Indraprastha (identified with modern Delhi ) and Hastinapura as the main Kuru cities. The Kurus figure prominently in Vedic literature after
1060-521: The Panchala Kingdom , in modern day Uttar Pradesh (whose king Keśin Dālbhya was the nephew of the late Kuru king). According to post-Vedic Sanskrit literature, the capital of the Kurus was later transferred to Kaushambi , in the lower Doab, after Hastinapur was destroyed by floods as well as because of upheavals in the Kuru family itself. In the post-Vedic period (by the 6th century BCE),
1113-548: The Tulasi plant upon the earth. Ganga, now enraged that Lakshmi had been cursed because she had defended her, cursed Saraswati that she would be incarnated as a river on earth. Saraswati issued the same curse against Ganga, informing her that sinful men would cleanse themselves of their sins with her water. To prevent further conflict among the goddesses, Vishnu declares Lakshmi as his only wife and sends Saraswati to Brahma and Ganga to Shiva. The Mahabharata narrates that there
SECTION 20
#17327651904341166-832: The Vedas , and developing new rituals, that gained their position in Indian culture as the Srauta rituals. The Kuru kingdom transformed the Vedic religion into Brahmanism, which eventually spread over the subcontinent, synthesizing with local traditions , and together forming Hinduism . Kuru kings ruled with the assistance of a rudimentary administration, including purohita (priest), village headman, army chief, food distributor, emissary, herald and spies. They extracted mandatory tribute ( bali ) from their population of commoners as well as from weaker neighbouring tribes. They led frequent raids and conquests against their neighbours, especially to
1219-793: The Vedas , and transforming the Historical Vedic religion into Brahmanism , which eventually contributed to the Hindu synthesis . Kuru state was located in northwestern India, stretching from the Gaṅgā river and the border of the Pañcāla Kingdom in the east to the Sarasvatī and the frontier of Rohītaka in the west, and bordered the Kulindas in the north and the Sūrasenas and Matsya in
1272-661: The makara . Some of the earliest mentions of Ganga are found in the Rigveda , where she is mentioned as the holiest of the rivers. Her stories mainly appear in post-Vedic texts such as the Ramayana , Mahabharata , and the Puranas . The Ramayana describes her to be the firstborn of Himavat , the personification of the Himalayas , and the sister of the mother goddess Parvati . However, other texts mention her origin from
1325-492: The Kuru dynasty evolved into Kuru and Vatsa Kingdom , ruling over Upper Doab/Delhi/Haryana and lower Doab, respectively. The Vatsa branch of the Kuru dynasty was further divided into branches at Kaushambi and at Mathura . According to Buddhist sources, by the late and post-Vedic periods, Kuru had become a minor state ruled by a chieftain called Koravya and belonging to the Yuddhiṭṭhila ( Yudhiṣṭhira ) gotta . After
1378-510: The Kuru kingdom are the Vedas , containing details of life during this period and allusions to historical persons and events. The Kuru Kingdom was formed in the Middle Vedic period ( c. 1200 – c. 900 BCE ) as a result of the alliance and merger between the Bharata and Puru tribes, in the aftermath of the Battle of the Ten Kings . With their centre of power in
1431-548: The archaeological Painted Grey Ware culture . The shift out of Punjab corresponds to the increasing number and size of Painted Grey Ware (PGW) settlements in the Haryana and Doab areas. Another PGW site is found in Katha village of Bagpat district , which was once a fort of King Ror. Although most PGW sites were small farming villages, several PGW sites emerged as relatively large settlements that can be characterized as towns;
1484-526: The banks of the Jahanvi". This verse could refer to the Ganga. In RV 1.116.18–19, the Jahanvi and the Ganges river dolphin occur in two adjacent verses. Ganga is described as the melodious, the fortunate, the cow that gives much milk, the eternally pure, the delightful, the body that is full of fish, affords delight to the eye and leaps over mountains in sport, the bedding that bestows water and happiness, and
1537-534: The daughter of Meru . Her younger sister is Parvati , who latter marries Shiva. When Ganga attained youth, the devas took her to Svarga , where she took a form of a river and flowed. A legend in the Devi Bhagavata Purana describes Ganga as originally being one of the three wives of Vishnu, together with Lakshmi and Saraswati . In the midst of a conversation, Saraswati observed Ganga playfully glancing at Vishnu. Frustrated, Saraswati launched
1590-430: The east and south. To aid in governing, the kings and their Brahmin priests arranged Vedic hymns into collections and developed a new set of rituals (the now orthodox Srauta rituals) to uphold social order and strengthen the class hierarchy. High-ranking nobles could perform very elaborate sacrifices, and many pujas (rituals) primarily exalted the status of the king over his people. The ashvamedha or horse sacrifice
1643-615: The existence of simple chiefdoms ) in the rest of the Ganges Valley. In the fourfold varna-system the Brahmin priesthood and Kshatriya aristocracy, who dominated the Arya commoners (now called vaishyas ) and the dasa labourers (now called shudras ), were designated as separate classes. The Kuru kingdom decisively changed the religious heritage of the early Vedic period, arranging their ritual hymns into collections called
Mandakini - Misplaced Pages Continue
1696-415: The favour of Brahma and Shiva. Brahma allowed Ganga to descend on earth, while Shiva broke Ganga's fall in the coils of his hair, so that her force would not shatter the earth. When Ganga descended, Bhagiratha led her to the sea. From there, the river reached the netherworld , and liberated the sixty thousand sons of King Sagara. Because of Bhagiratha's efforts, the river is also known as Bhagirathi . She
1749-738: The forms of Adishakti during the duration of the festivities. Thais use the Krathong to thank the Goddess of Water, the Hindu goddess Ganga, Phra Mae Khongkha ( Thai : พระแม่คงคา ). Ganga is respected in Nepal as a guardian water goddess, worshipped together with another river goddess Yamuna . Her sculptures are found in Patan Durbar Square and Gokarneshwar Mahadev temple is a municipality in Kathmandu District in
1802-418: The friend or benefactor of all that lives. Since the Vedic period, the Ganges river has been considered the holiest of all rivers by Hindus . Ganga is also personified as a goddess and worshipped as Goddess Ganga. She holds an important place in the Hindu pantheon . Ganga is represented as a fair-complexioned woman, wearing a white crown and sitting on a crocodile. She holds a water lily in her right hand and
1855-435: The goddess is regarded to have accidentally destroyed the hut of Sage Jahnu during her descent upon the earth. In retort, the sage drank the entirety of the river's water. At the request of Bhagiratha and Ganga herself, he released the river from his ear, and she earned the epithet Jahnavi. Ganga Jayanti falls on the seventh day of the month of Vaishakha 's first fortnight . Ganga is worshipped during Navaratri as all
1908-400: The incarnation of the eight Vasus. They too had been cursed and had asked Ganga to end their life when they were born to her on earth. Due to their request, Ganga began drowning each son upon birth while Shantanu watched without questioning. However, when she was about to drown their eighth son, Bhishma, Shantanu stopped her. Ganga later leaves with Bhishma but gives him back to Shantanu when he
1961-520: The largest of these were fortified by ditches or moats and embankments made of piled earth with wooden palisades, albeit smaller and simpler than the elaborate fortifications which emerged in large cities after 600 BCE. The Atharvaveda (XX.127) praises Parikshit , the "King of the Kurus", as the great king of a thriving, prosperous realm. Other late Vedic texts, such as the Shatapatha Brahmana , commemorate Parikshit's son Janamejaya as
2014-541: The lord, which are covered with reddish saffron, the water of the Ganga acquired a very beautiful pink colour. Because the Ganges directly touches the lotus feet of Vishnu ( Narayana ) before descending within this universe, it is known as Bhagavat-Padi or Vishnupadi, which means e manating from the feet of Bhagavan (God) . It finally settles in Brahmaloka or Brahmapura , the abode of the Brahma, before descending to
2067-581: The main Kuru ruling dynasty had moved to Kosambi, the Kuru country itself became divided into multiple small state, with the ones at Indapatta (Indraprastha) and one at Iṣukāra being the most prominent ones. By the time of the Buddha , these small states had been replaced by a Kuru Gaṇasaṅgha (republic). The clans that consolidated into the Kuru Kingdom or 'Kuru Pradesh' were largely semi-nomadic, pastoral clans. However, as settlement shifted into
2120-517: The modern-day states of Haryana , Delhi , and some North parts of Western Uttar Pradesh . The Kuru Kingdom was the first recorded state-level society in the Indian subcontinent . The Kuru kingdom became a dominant political and cultural force in the middle Vedic Period during the reigns of Parikshit and Janamejaya , but declined in importance during the late Vedic period ( c. 900 – c. 500 BCE ) and had become "something of
2173-601: The period between c. 400 BCE and 400 CE. Within the frame story of the Mahabharata , the historical kings Parikshit and Janamejaya are featured significantly as scions of the Kuru clan. A historical Kuru King named Dhritarashtra Vaichitravirya is mentioned in the Kathaka Samhita of the Yajurveda ( c. 1200–900 BCE) as a descendant of the Rigvedic -era king Sudas . His cattle were reportedly destroyed as
Mandakini - Misplaced Pages Continue
2226-409: The planet earth at the request of Bhagiratha , and held safely by Shiva on his head, to prevent the destruction of Bhumi Devi (the earth goddess). Then, Ganga was released from Shiva's hair to meet the needs of the country. The Ramayana narrates a different version of the myth. Ganga is described as the eldest child of Himavat , son of Brahma and the king of the Himalayas , and his Menavati,
2279-470: The preserver deity, Vishnu . Legends focus on her descent to earth, which occurred because of a royal-sage Bhagiratha , aided by the god Shiva . In the epic Mahabharata , Ganga is the mother of the warrior Bhishma in a union with the Kuru king Shantanu . In Hinduism, Ganga is seen as a mother to humanity. Pilgrims immerse the ashes of their kin in the river Ganga, which is considered by them to bring
2332-509: The same term [REDACTED] This disambiguation page lists articles associated with the title Mandakini . If an internal link led you here, you may wish to change the link to point directly to the intended article. Retrieved from " https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Mandakini&oldid=1219925741 " Categories : Disambiguation pages Place name disambiguation pages Disambiguation pages with given-name-holder lists Hidden categories: Short description
2385-551: The souls (purified spirits) closer to moksha , the liberation from the cycle of life and death. Festivals like Ganga Dussehra and Ganga Jayanti are celebrated in her honour at several sacred places, which lie along the banks of the Ganges, including Gangotri , Haridwar , Prayagraj , Varanasi and Kali Ghat in Kolkata . Alongside Gautama Buddha , Ganga is worshipped during the Loy Krathong festival in Thailand . Ganga
2438-628: The south. The area formerly occupied by the Kuru Kingdom covered the presently Thanesar , Delhi , and most of the upper Gangetic Doab . The Kuru state was itself divided into the Kuru-jaṅgala ("Kuru forest"), the Kuru territory proper, and the Kuru-kṣetra ("Kuru region "): The rivers flowing within the Kuru state included the Aruṇā, Aṃśumatī, Hiraṇvatī, Āpayā, Kauśikī , Sarasvatī, and Dṛṣadvatī or Rakṣī. The main contemporary sources for understanding
2491-532: The time of the Rigveda . The Kurus here appear as a branch of the early Indo-Aryans, ruling the Ganga-Yamuna Doab and modern Haryana. The focus in the later Vedic period shifted out of Punjab , into the Haryana and the Doab, and thus to the Kuru clan. The time frame and geographical extent of the Kuru kingdom (as determined by philological study of the Vedic literature) suggest its correspondence with
2544-465: The twofold system of arya and dasa from the Rigvedic times. Archaeological surveys of the Kurukshetra district have revealed a more complex (albeit not yet fully urbanized) three-tiered hierarchy for the period of the period from 1000 to 600 BCE, suggesting a complex chiefdom or emerging early state, contrasting with the two-tiered settlement pattern (with some "modest central places", suggesting
2597-513: The water. However, the sage was unable to release the water, despite trying several times. This caused drought conditions upon the earth, but Vishnu assured that the ocean would be filled by the flow of Ganga on the planet. The story about Ganga's descent on earth through the efforts of Bhagiratha , a descendant of King Sagara , is narrated in the Ramayana, Mahabharata, and various Puranas. Wanting to show his sovereignty, King Sagara performed
2650-482: The western Ganges Plain , settled farming of rice and barley became more important. Vedic literature of this period indicates the growth of surplus production and the emergence of specialized artisans and craftsmen. Iron was first mentioned as śyāma āyasa (श्याम आयस, literally "dark metal") in the Atharvaveda , a text of this era. An important development was the fourfold varna (class) system, which replaced
2703-478: Was a way for a powerful king to assert his domination in Āryāvarta . Kuru had two types of legislative assembly: The epic poem, the Mahabharata , tells of a conflict between two branches of the reigning Kuru clan possibly around 1000 BCE. However, archaeology has not furnished conclusive proof as to whether the specific events described have any historical basis. The existing text of the Mahabharata went through many layers of development and mostly belongs to
SECTION 50
#17327651904342756-431: Was in a deep meditation. This infuriated Kapila, and with his ascetic's gaze, he burned all the sixty thousand sons to ashes. King Sagara sent his grandson, Amshuman , to ask the sage Kapila what could be done to bring deliverance to their souls. Sage Kapila advised that only the water of the Ganges, which flowed from Svarga, could liberate them. Bhagiratha, Amshuman's grandson, undertook severe ascetic practices, and won
2809-400: Was once a war between the devas and the asuras . The leader of the asuras, Vritra , was killed by Indra , and so his followers hid in the sea, causing the devas to be unable to find them. The devas requested Sage Agastya to help. He used his divine powers and swallowed the ocean to reveal where the asuras were hiding. The devas defeated the remaining asuras, and asked Sage Agastya to restore
#433566