Writing on Hinduism necessitates the use of non-English words that occur often need to be explained. This glossary explains words beginning with T to Z.
Tushita Devas: The collective names of the twelve sons of Yagna and Dakshina, who were given the status of being demi-Gods. Upanishads: The Upanishads are the last part of the Vedas and contain the discussions that examine and propound the wisdom in the earlier part of the Vedas. Since they appear at the end of the Vedas they are also called Vedanta meaning the last part of the Vedas. The word Upanishad means “sitting down near”. This is because the Upanishads are in the form of a dialogue between guru and disciple, with the disciple sitting down at the feet of the guru. 108 Upanishads are known to us. Out of these about 12 are considered important.
Urjasvati: The daughter of Priyavrata and Barhismati who married Shukracharya, the preceptor of the Asuras and gave birth to Devyani.
Urvashi: An apsara or celestial maiden. Though she appears often in Hindu mythology, she is known for her romance with the King Pururava.
Usha: The deity of Dawn.
Utkala: The son of Dhruv and Ila. He was a pious man and yielded his right to succeed his father.
Uttam: The son of Uttanapada and Suruchi and the younger stepbrother of Dhruv. He and his mother were killed by a Yaksha during a hunting excursion.
Uttanapada: The elder son of Swayambhav Manu. He had two wives, Suniti and Suruchi. Dhruv was born from Suniti and Uttam from Suruchi.
Vadrikashram: A holy place in the Himalayas where the sages Nara and Narayan had their hermitage. Dhruv gave up his mortal body at this place.
Vahana: In Hindu mythology each deity has an animal or bird on which he travels from place to place. Vahana literally translates as vehicle. Garuda the man-eagle is the vahana of Vishnu. Nandi the bull is the vahana of Shiva.
Vaikunthaloka: The heavenly abode of Vishnu.
Vaishya: The merchant race according to the Vedic classification of society
Valmiki: The name means anthill. Valmiki was a robber who repented and meditated for many years. It is said that an ant hill was built over his body while he was meditating. Later he became a famous sage and is the author of the Ramayana. He offered shelter to Sita when she was exiled by Rama.
Vanaprastha: The third life-stage or “ashram” according to Hindu scriptures. The person having lived a fruitful material life hand over charge to his descendents and eschewing all material and physical pleasures leaves to spend a life of solitude in the forests.
Varanasi: The holy city on the banks of the Ganga also known as Benares or Kashi.
Varna: Caste or classification according to the duties performed to preserve the social order. The four varnas are Brahmins, Kshatriyas, Vaishyas and Sudras.
Varnashram: The duties assigned to individuals based on the varna or caste they belonged to and the ashram or stage of life they were in.
Varun: A member of the class of deities known as demi-Gods or Devas. Varun is the demi-God of the sea.
Vashishta: A sage created by Brahma from his breath. Vashishta married Arundhati, the daughter of Kardam and Devahuti. Vashishta was the family priest of the Solar dynasty.
Vatsara: The son of Dhruv and Bhrami. He succeeded his father because his elder stepbrother, Utkala, was not interested in the throne.
Vayu: A member of the class of deities known as demi-Gods or Devas. Vayu is the demi-God of the winds.
Veda Vyasa: Veda Vyasa was the son of Sage Parashara and Satyavati. His real name was Krishna Dwaipayana because he was dark skinned and born on an island. He was the biological father of Dhritarashtra and Pandu, whose sons fought the Mahabharata war. Veda Vyasa. He got the name Veda Vyasa because he compiled the Vedas into the four groups – Riga, Yajur, Sama and Atharva. He was also the author of the epic Mahabharata and the Purana Srimad Bhagavata.
Vedas: The earliest scriptures of Hinduism comprising the Riga, Yajur, Sama and Atharva Vedas. Each Veda consists of the Samhitas (hymns), Brahmanas and Aranyakas (liturgical procedures) and Upanishads (philosophical discourses). Sometimes the Vedas refer to the Samhitas only. The word Veda is derived from the Sanskrit word “vid”, which means to know.
Vedic: The era in which the Vedic thought evolved.
Vena: A king in the lineage of Swayambhav Manu. He was born to Anga and Sunitha, but grew up under the influence of Sunitha’s father who was evil. Hence his reign was one of terror. Ultimately he was killed by the sages for refusing to reform. The sages first produced Bahuka from his dead body. Then the produced Prithu and Prithu’s consort Arci.
Vibhishana: Ravana’s younger brother who was of a holy disposition. He left Ravana and teamed up with Rama. After Ravana’s death he was crowned king of Lanka.
Vijitashwa: Name given to the son of Prithu after he brough back the sacrificial horseby frightening Indra away. Vijitashwa means one who has won the horse.
Vindhya Mountains: A range of mountains that geographically divide India into north and south. It was this range that Sage Agastya crossed in order to take the knowledge of the Vedas to south India.
Vishnu: One of the three main manifestations of the One Supreme God. Vishnu is responsible for the functions of Preservation of the universe in mythology.
Vishnulok: The abode of Vishnu.
Vishrava: Vishrava holds the unenviable position in Hindu mythology of being Ravana’s father. Vishrava was the son of sage Pulastya and Havirbhu. Through Ilavida, his first wife, he sired Kuber who became the treasurer of the Devas. He then married Kaikasi, the Asura siren, and sired Ravana, Kumbhakaran, Vibhishana and Soorpankha.
Viswakarma: A member of the class of deities known as demi-Gods or Devas. Viswakarma was the architect of the demi-Gods and built their cities and made their weapons.
Vritta: A demon who had enclosed all the waters of the universe within him and caused a severe drought. Indra killed him with his thunderbolt and released the waters.
Vyasa: One of the most famous names in Hinduism. Vyasa was the son of the sage Parashar a and Satyavati. He wrote the Mahabharata and the Puranas, including the Bhagavata Purana. He comiled the Vedas into four parts and thus earned the name Ved Vyasa. His original name was Krishna Dwaipayana. Vyasa also played an important role in the Mahabharata.
Yagna: The son of Akuti and Ruchi who was an incarnation of Vishnu. His maternal grandparents adopted him under a system known as Putrikadharma. Yagna literally means Sacrifice.
Yajur Veda: The third of the Vedas, which focuses on liturgical functions. The word is derived from the Sanskrit word “yaj” meaning sacrifice.
Yakshas: A race of spirits, generally benevolent, who are the guardians of treasures of the earth. Kuber is the king of the Yakshas and Alkapuri is his capital.
Yama: A member of the class of deities known as demi-Gods or Devas. Yama is the demi-God of the death. Yama is the son of the Sun semi-God, Surya, and the twin brother of Yamuna.
Yamnotri: The source of the Yamuna in the Garhwal Himalayas.
Yamuna: A river in north India having its source in the Himalayas at Yamnotri and joining the Ganga at Allahabad. The river passes through Vrindavan, the place where Krishna spent his childhood.
Yoga Sutra: Yoga Sutra (Threads of Union) was written by Patanjali, the creator of this branch of Yoga. The purpose of Yoga is to facilitate the individual’s union with the Supreme Being. This union is possible only when the mind and body are both healthy and the mind is free from any negative disturbances. The Yogic exercises, breathing and meditation create the healthy mind and body.
Yuddhishthir: The eldest of the Pandava brothers who became emperor of Hastinapura after the Mahabharata War.
The other Glossary Lists are available at
