mirrored file at http://SaturnianCosmology.Org/ For complete access to all the files of this collection see http://SaturnianCosmology.org/search.php ========================================================== *Vedic Mythology Listing of Gods And Goddesses* _Aditi_ The goddess of infinity. She is the pre-existent first goddess and also known as Mother Space. Aditi produced the Adityas (twelve sons). _Aditya_ An early mother-goddess. _Agni_ The god of fire, guardian of homes, and protector against evil. Originally called Rudra ("the Roariing One"), Agni is the celestial Master of Sacred Magic and high priest of the gods. He is reincarnated daily from the fingers of holy maidens who twirl the fire drill. _Ahi-Vitra_ A serpentine monster. _Airavata_ Indra's celestial prototype. _Ambika_ ("Little Mother") The feminine power of Parvati that is depicted as a beautiful woman. She lures demons to their death with a supersonic hum. _Anumati_ ("Divine Favor") The moon goddess that is worshipped as a giver of wealth, intelligence, spiritual enlightenment, and prosperity. _Bhavani_ ("Bestower of Existence") One of the common names of the Mother Goddess of India. Bhavani is invoked by women in labor. _Brahma_ The four-headed god who created the universe. Brahma is one of the Hindu trinity and dwells in the Pipal/Peepul tree. He is the personified god of masculine gender. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ _Pipal/Peepul Tree_ - /Ficus religiosa/ - considered sacred to Hindus - each leaf is assigned to one of the deities. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ _Candi_ ("Furious") Also known as Durga. _Churalin_ A monster that roams the countryside for pretty infants to kill. _Dakini_ Powerful female beings that were Kali's attendants. They are depicted as having the bodies of fish and sometimes huge. They often eat raw flesh and drink blood. They are also known as Asrapas ("Blood Sippers"). _Durga_ ("Unapproachable") The terrifying and ferocious form of the Mother Goddess. She is the fiercest and eldest goddess and the first manifestation of goddess energy. Durga wields various weapons in her ten hands. She is also known as Kali and represents the end of all things. _Gandharvas_ The minor gods that drive the horses of the sun. _Ganesha/Ganesa/Ganapati/Gajani_ ("Elephant Face") The god of new ventures, scribes, and merchants. He is the Lord of obstacles. Ganesh was mistakenly beheaded by Shiva and an elephants' head was found as a replacement. He is depicted as a short, pot-bellied man with yellow skin, four arms, and an elephant head with one tusk. Ganesha is thoughtful and wise. He is invoked before every undertaking to ensure success. _Ganga_ The mother-goddess and consort of Shiva (in later Hindu traditions). She is the mother of rivers and water goddess who is the sister of Una. She is one of the greatest goddesses and originally lived in heaven. Ganga is the bestower of health, maternal wealth, happiness, and fertility. Trinity 1. Ganga 2. Sarasaoti 3. Yauni Fivefold Group 1. Ganga 2. Sarosvati 3. Laksmi 4. Durga 5. Savitri _Garuda_ A fabulous bird and the mount of Vishnu. Garuda is depicted as half vulture, half man with the wings, beak, and talons of the one and body and legs of the other. Its face is white, wings a bright scarlet, and body golden. Garuda is worshipped in the temples of India (Gwailor erected more than one hundred years before the Christian era). _Gauri_ ("Golden One") The golden sky virgin that is worshipped in August. Gauri is a form of Durga. _Indra_ The sky-god of heaven, thunder, lightning, storm, and rain. Indra is the father of Surya and consort of Lasksmi. _Kadru_ The one-eyed goddess and sister of Vinata. ** *OTHER TITLES* *Aditi* *Sarpamatar ("Mother of Serpents")* _Kali/Kali Ma/Parvati_ The black goddess of death, cemetaries, and destruction and the mother of Hindu lore (education, learning). She is depicted with black skin and a hideous face smeared with blood. She is a three-eyed goddess (her brow has a third eye) with her tongue jutting out and wears a necklace and earrings of skulls and is draped with snakes. Kali bisected a man-eating demon with her sword and created two warriors from her sweat, giving each a cloth strip for strangling foes. Kali is the goddess of regeneration, revenge, fear, sexual activities, time, reincarnation, intuition, dreams, and the helpless. She is said to command the weather by braiding or releasing her hair. She is the patroness of Witches, governs every form of death, and rules every form of life. Kali's temple city is Calcutta (Anglicized from Kali-Ghatt "Steps of Kali"). She is India's most popular goddess and goats are sacrificed to her. ** *OTHER TITLES* *All-Encompassing One* *Black Mother Time* _Krishna_ The eighth incarnation of Vishnu. Krishna is the son of Vasudeva and Devaki. He was killed by an arrow shot by a huntsman. _Kunti_ ("Woman") The ancient mother goddess and ever-virginal lover of the gods. _Laksmi_ The Indian goddess of prosperity, love, beauty, fortune, success, and feminine beauty. She is the consort of Vishnu. Laksmi was born from the churning of the milk ocean. She symbolizes the wealth and soul of the Earth. Two Incarnations 1. Radha 2. Sita ** *OTHER TITLES* *Lady Wealth* *Padma ("Lotus Goddess")* _Lolita_ The symbol of the carelessness of divine energy. _Manu_ The founder of the human race. Manu was saved by Brahma from a deluge. _Nidra_ The black-skinned goddess that is clothed in yellow and dark blue silk. She is the sister of Vishnu. ** *OTHER TITLES* *Vindhyavasini* *Yoganidra* _Nirriti_ The goddess who endures Earth's misfortunes. _Parvati_ The mother of Ganesha, daughter of Himalayas, and consort of Shiva. Parvati is one of the greatest goddesses of India. She is the ruler of elves and spirits. ** *OTHER TITLES* *Gauri* *Shakti* *Uma* _Prithivi_ ("Broad One") Prithivi appears in many prayers. _Radha_ ("Beloved One") An incarnation of Laksmi and a milkmaid. Radha is the consort of Krishna. _Rama_ Any of three incarnations of Vishnu. 1. Balarama 2. Parashurama 3. Ramachandra - The 7th incarnation of Vishnu. He is the hero of the epic poem /Ramayana/ Rama is the consort of Sita and regarded as an example of morality and virtue. Rama was the hero of India's war with Lanka. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ _Ramayana_ - Sanskrit epic poem of ancient India. It is regarded as a sacred text by Hindus. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ _Rati_ ("Giver") The goddess of passionate night and one of the great symbols of enlightenment. Rati is the embodiment of Kali. _Sarasvati_ ("The Flowing One") The water goddess of eloquence, knowledge, speech, music, teaching, and inventor of all arts and sciences. Trinity 1. Ganga 2. Sarasvati 3. Yamuna Sarasvati is the inventor of Sanskrit and discoverer of Soma in the Himalayas. She is depicted as a gracious woman with white skin, wearing a crescent moon on her brow, and seated on a lotus flower. _Savitri_ The primary Hindu ancestor and daughter of Brahma. Savitri was impregnated by Brahma. She is also known as Sata-Rupa ("Hundred-Shaped"). _Shakti_ The consort of Shiva. She is the personification of nature and generative power. _Shiva/Siva/Mahakala_,br> Originally a mountain-god, Shiva became the god of destruction and one of the Hindu Trinity. He is the consort of Kali and dwells in the Bel Tree (/aegle marmelos/). He is the personification of the Absolute. Shiva is the Lord of yoga and god of all humans who have no place in society, cattle, mountains, medicine, fertility, physical love, destruction, and reproduction. His power depends upon his union with Kali. Shiva is depicted as a fair man with a blue throat, five faces, four arms, and three eyes. There are three serpents coiled around him and darting out at enemies. He wears his hair in an ascetic's knot and he is adorned with a crescent moon and trident. ** *OTHER TITLES* *Cosmic Dancer* *Pasupat ("Lord of Animals")* *The Destroyer* _Sita_ ("Furrow") An incarnation of Laksmi and consort of Rama. Sita came to assure the destruction of King Ravena. _Soma/Chandra_ Symbolizes the moon and immortality. He is the god that was created from the churning of the primordial sea by the gods. His wives (daughters of Daksha) are considered to be the 27 lunar stations. Soma is the moon god of pleasant forgetfulness. He carries a hare and rides a chariot pulled by an antelope. He protects the world from ignorance and chaos and is the god of psychic visions and dreams. _Surya_ The sun-god. Surya is the son of Indra and father of Surya. _Surya_ The daughter of Surya. She is the female personfication of the Sun. _Tara_ The star-goddess. Tara is a manifestation of Kali. _Varuna_ The god of the skies and seas. _Vishnu_ The chief deity worshipped by the Vaishnava. Vishnu is the second god of the trinity. He embodies love, truth, and mercy; rides on Garuda; and rests on Ananta (cosmic serpent). He is the supreme being from whom everything emanates (preserver of the universe) and inhabits the twigs of the Pipal/Peepul tree. Vishnu is depicted as blue; with four arms; holding the cup, shell, sphere, and lotus in each hand; and known as the Lord of the Unilverse. Vishnu descended to the earth in different incarnations. * Form of a tortoise * Kalki * Krishna - INvincible Warrior * Manu - Ancestor of human race * Matsya - The Fish _Yaksas_ The male counterpart of Yakshi. _Yakshi/Yakshini_ Yakshi inhabits the sacred trees of villages. She has been identified with Nymphs. _Yama_ The god of the infernal regions. *BACK*