Himavata

In Hindu mythology, Himavat is the lord of the mountains and the father of Ganga and Parvati, the consort of the deity Shiva. He is also known as Parvata or Parvataraja.

More Definitions

Axis Mundi

A Latin phrase meaning “world axis” and referring to the centre of the earth or the point at which the…

Bodhisattva

Within the Mahayana tradition of the Buddhist faith, it refers to any figure who has renounced society and is on…

Aruna

The charioteer of Surya, the sun god in Hindu mythology. In iconographic conventions, he is shown driving a chariot pulled…

Urna

One of the thirty-two lakshanas within Buddhist iconography, the urna is depicted as a dot or a circular curl of…

Gajendra

A figure in the Gajendramoksha episode of Hindu mythology, Gajendra was an elephant who was caught and bitten by a…

Virupaksha

A form of Shiva, he was the tutelary deity of the Vijayanagara empire (1336–1646 CE). Within Hindu mythology, he is…

Kuladevata

The tutelary deity of a family or a clan. The term is derived from the Sanskrit words kul, meaning "family"…

Kalpavriksha

Also known as the kalpataru or kalpadruma, it is a sacred, wish-granting tree that is a recurring image in Hinduism,…