Deities and sacred beings
Deities, sages, kings, places and principles compiled from the Puranas. Search, filter and open each profile.
320 beings · page 5 of 16
Alarka
अलर्कAlarka is an ancient king (remembered in the Markandeya Purana and allied literature), traditionally taught by Dattatreya. SB 1.3.11: 'anvik…
Prahlada
प्रह्लादPrahlada is Hindu tradition's model child-devotee: son of Hiranyakashipu, central to the Narasimha avatara narrative, whose fearless devotio…
Anvikshiki (the science of inquiry)
आन्वीक्षिकीAnvikshiki is the 'science of inquiry' of ancient India's curriculum — reasoned examination of truth, counted among the classical vidyas in …
Yajna
यज्ञThe Yajna avatara is the Lord's incarnation in the Svayambhuva manvantara, born as the son of Ruchi and Akuti, who with Yama and the sura ho…
Ruchi
रुचिRuchi is an ancient progenitor-sage of the creation tradition, husband of Akuti; from him the Yajna avatara was born (SB 1.3.12: 'rucer yajn…
Akuti
आकूतिAkuti is the daughter of Svayambhuva Manu and wife of Ruchi, in whom the Yajna avatara was born (SB 1.3.12). (No dedicated Wikipedia article…
Svayambhuva Manu
स्वायम्भुव मनुSvayambhuva Manu is the first Manu of the present kalpa and father of the human line: a son of Brahma, husband of Shatarupa; the Manusmriti …
Rishabha (Urukrama)
ऋषभदेवRishabha (Urukrama, 'of mighty strides'), son of Nabhi and Merudevi, is the Lord's eighth avatara of SB 1.3.13: the teacher of the spiritual…
Nabhi
नाभिNabhi is a king of the Svayambhuva line (traditionally son of Agnidhra), husband of Merudevi; from him Urukrama (Rishabha) was born (SB 1.3.…
Merudevi
मेरुदेवीMerudevi is the wife of Nabhi and mother of Rishabha (SB 1.3.13: 'asthame meru-devyam tu nabher jata urukramah'). Tradition also gives her t…
Prithu
पृथुPrithu is Hindu tradition's first consecrated emperor — the fountainhead of the chakravartin ideal: son of Vena, who made the earth cultivab…
Matsya
मत्स्यMatsya is Vishnu's fish avatara: in puranic tradition the first incarnation, who at the cosmic flood saved Vaivasvata Manu with the boat and…
Vaivasvata Manu
वैवस्वत मनुVaivasvata Manu is the Manu of the present (seventh) manvantara: son of Vivasvat the Sun, founder of the Ikshvaku line and the seventh of th…
Kurma
कूर्मKurma is Vishnu's tortoise avatara: at the churning of the ocean He bore Mount Mandara on His back. SB 1.3.16: 'dadhre kamatha-rupena prstha…
Mandara
मन्दराचलMandara is the great mountain used by the devas and asuras as the churning-rod at the churning of the ocean; puranic geography counts it amo…
Devas (the suras)
देवगणThe devas (suras) are the divine powers of Hinduism — the order led by Indra, Agni, Vayu and others that champions cosmic righteousness agai…
Asuras
असुरThe asuras are the superhuman adversarial powers of Hindu mythology: elder-cousin clans of the devas who side with ego-driven might — the de…
Dhanvantari
धन्वन्तरिDhanvantari is the physician-deity who founded Ayurveda: the divine healer who emerged from the churning of the ocean bearing the nectar-jar…
Mohini
मोहिनीMohini is Vishnu's only female avatara: the distributor of the churning-nectar who served the devas and beguiled the asuras. SB 1.3.17: 'apa…
Narasimha
नरसिंहNarasimha is Vishnu's man-lion avatara: bursting from the pillar at twilight to slay Hiranyakashipu and protect Prahlada — the fierce symbol…