Written by London Swaminathan

Post No. 16,225

Date uploaded in London – 22 September 2026

Contact – swami_48@yahoo.com

Pictures are taken from various sources for spreading knowledge.

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tamilandvedas.com, swamiindology.blogspot.com

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Vedas

We have four Vedas now – Rik, Yajur, Saama and Atharvana. Vedas are the oldest and biggest collection of religious works in the ancient world. The scholarly world wonder about Vedas for two reasons:

All the Mantras, over 20,000 in number, have been passed by word of mouth. This is unheard in any part of the world. Vedas clearly say it should not be written and must be heard and remembered. Until this day it is followed in traditional Vedic schools.

The second wonder is that there is no such bulk of literature in any part of the ancient world. Though we have some religious texts in Egypt and Babylonia, they come nowhere near the Vedas quantity wise or quality wise.

KANCHI SHANKARACHARYA SRI CHANDRA SEKARA INDRA SARASVATHY (1894-1994) SPOKE ABOUT THE LOST VEDIC SAAKHAAS (BRANCHES):-

“The Vedas in their infinitude being like the expanse of an endless ocean, no one has been able to master them. Even so in the remote past there were individuals conversant with a large number of shakass.

Since the Krta yuga there has been a decline in the powers of man.

Krsna Dvaipayana Vyasa knew all the 1180 recensions / shakass of the Vedas revealed to the world by various sages.

The Saama Veda had the highest number of shakaas/ branches/ recensions, 1000.

In the Rig Veda there were 21 .

In the Yajus 109 (Shukla/White Yajur Veda – 15 and Krsna/Black Yajur Veda- 94)

And in the Atharva Veda -50

Visnu Purana mentions   the number of Shaakaas to be 1180; another scholar says there were 1133  shaakaas.

For 5000 years or more since Veda Vyasa divided the Vedas, many Saakhaas have been lost. Out of the 1180, we are in the unfortunate position of only six or seven.

Rig Veda has only one Saakhaa now- Saakala Saakhaa or Aitareya shaakaa

Saama Veda 997 shakaas lost;

Shukla /White Yajur Veda – Maadhyandina  Saaskhaa and Kaanva saakhaa only are available now.

Krsna/ Black Yajur Veda – only Taittiriya Brahmana is extant.

We should be guilty of a grave offence if the seven or eight Saakhaas of the 1180 that still survive become extinct because of our neglect.; there will be no expiation for the same.”

Vedic literature

Thieme , tracing Panini’s (Paaninii) references to their original sources has shown that Panini derived his grammatical material  from the texts of the Rigveda , Maitraayanii Samhitaa , Kaathaka Samhitaa, Taittiriya Samhitaa and Atharva veda, probably also from the Saama veda. To these may also be added Saakalya pada paatha of the Rigveda which has supplied him with material for Suutras 1-1-16-18

P Thieme , Paanini and the Veda, p.63

Thieme further points out that some of the Vedic forms used by Paanini cannot be traced back to any extant Vedic works. Possibly they were derived from some text or saakhaa of the black Yajurveda which was known in his time but now lost to us. p 64 of the above book

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The schools of Karmanda and Krisaasva which are known only from panini 4-3-111 and those of  Kaasyapa and Kausika  4-3-103 were confined to their sutra works only, showing to what extent specialisation under the Vedic charanas had advanced . the Kausikas belonged to the Atharva Veda , but the affiliations of the other three are not known .

Pages 317 to 328 , India as known to panini, V S  Agrawala, university of Lucknow, 1953

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Brahmanas, came after Samhitas and they are dated from 1000 BCE. Of all the lost brahmana works that of Saatyaayana has been quoted most frequently according to B K Ghosh (Fragments of Lost Brahmanas).

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Vena

Vena (वेन).—A son of Anga, of cruel and wrong behaviour; fell dead due to the curse of sages who churned his right arm out of which came Pṛthu. Brought up in the house of his grandfather who was an aṃśa of Mṛtyu (adharma) Vena acquired bad conduct, killed his playmates like animals and became a source of vexation to his father who left the kingdom in disgust and distress. Vena was crowned. Blinded by pride he proclaimed that there should be no more yajñas or gifts in his kingdom. He did not listen to the words of sages and asserted he was the highest of all gods. Seeing him perverse and vile, the sages slew him; Sunīthā protected his body by mantra. To avoid anarchy and to preserve the line of Anga, the sages churned the thigh of the dead prince and Pṛthu was born; Vena died; Pṛthu crowned by all; a good king; his rule and achievements, including the milking of the earth by all beings.^Earth was called Prthvi after him.

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Vidharba

Vidarbha (विदर्भ) is the name of a country included within Dakṣiṇapatha which was situated ahead of Māhiṣmatī according to Rājaśekhara (fl. 10th century) in his Kāvyamīmāṃsā (chapter 17). Dakṣiṇāpatha is a place-name ending is patha mentioned in the Gupta inscriptions.name of a country corresponding to the region of Birār, in the present Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra in Central India.

Lopamudra was princess, the daughter of the King of Vidharbha. She was married to the great sage Agastya. Together with her husband she is credited with spreading the fame of the LalithaSahasranama (thousand names of Devi).

It was while seeking riches at her request that Agastya killed the two Asura brothers Vatapi and Ilvala, who were notorious for their black magic and dark deeds.

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Vijayanagara Empire

Saviours of Hinduism in South India. Without them the whole of South India would have become a Muslim Country.

The Vijayanagara empire was based in the Deccan, in peninsular and southern India, from 1336 onwards. It was founded by Harihara, also known as Hakka, and his brother Bukka Raya. It is named after its capital city (now ruined) of Vijayanagara, in modern Karnataka, India. It lasted from about 1336 to perhaps about 1660, it was in a slow decline due to a massive and catastrophic defeat at the hands of an alliance of the sultanates, and the capital was taken and brutally razed and looted.

In the following two centuries, the Vijayanagar empire dominated all of southern India, and was probably stronger than any other power in the Indian subcontinent. The empire during that period served as a bulwark against invasion from the Turkic Sultanates of the Indo-Gangetic Plain; and remained in constant competition and conflict with the five Deccan Sultanates that established themselves in the Deccan to the north of it. It remained a land power.

In about 1510, Goa, which had been under the rule of the Sultan of Bijapur, was captured by the Portuguese, possibly with the approval or connivance of Vijayanagara. Commerce between the Portuguese and Vijayanagara became very important to both sides. 

The empire is generally considered to have reached its peak during the rule of Krishna Deva Raya. He conquered or subjugated territories on the east of the Deccan that belonged previously to Orissa. Many of the great monuments of the empire date from his time. Among these are the Hazara Rama temple, the Krishna temple and the Ugra Narasimha idol, all at Vijayanagara.

He was followed by Achyuta Raya in 1530. In 1542, Achyuta was succeeded by Sada Siva Raya. But the real power lay with Rama Raya (of the third dynasty), who seems to have made a point of unnecessarily provoking the Deccan sultanates, so that eventually they allied against him. In 1565, at the Battle of Talikota, the army of Vijayanagara was routed by an alliance of the Deccan sultanates. Rama Raya was killed in the Battle of Tallikot. With this, the last significant Hindu kingdom in the Deccan came to an end. Tirumala Raya the sole survivor left Vijayanagar with treasure on back of 550 elephants to Penukonda.

Vijayanagara is considered by many today a golden age of culture and learning.

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Gangadevi

Gangadevi and her Sanskrit poetic work Madura Vijayam have made immense contribution to South Indian History.

Gangadevi was the chief queen of Kumara Kampana II (1343—1379). She accompanied her husband in his southern expedition. Though Kampana had many wives like other Indian kings, Gangadevi was the chief consort. When Kampana invaded South India, it was under Madurai Sultanate. Malik Kafur attacked Madurai in 1311 CE. He just plundered all the temples and went back to Delhi. The second invasion took place under Ghiyasuddin Tughlak and he established Madurai Sultanate. From 1335 to 1371, Madurai suffered a lot. The temple was closed for nearly forty years. Madura Vjaya described the appalling condition of Hindus during that period. Though Hoysala ruler Veera Vallala tried to dislodge the Sultan he was killed in the war. Kampana came with a big army and killed Madurai Sultan Qurbat Hasan Kangu.

Gangadevi gave minute details of her husband’s expedition and the condition of Madurai. Her report was like a modern day war correspondent in the warfront.

This list is based on the book by Robert Sewell (A Forgotten Empire).

Sangama Dynasty

• Harihara I (Deva Raya) 1336-1343
• Bukka I 1343-1379
• Harihara II 1379-1399
• Bukka II 1399-1406
• Deva Raya I 1406-1412
• Vira Vijaya 1412-1419
• Deva Raya II 1419-1444

Saluva Dynasty

• Narasimha 1490-?
• Narasa (Vira Narasimha) ?-1509
• Krishna Deva Raya 1509-1530
• Achyuta 1530-1542
• Sadasiva (in name only) 1542-1567
• 
  

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Vimana

VASTU SHASTRA MEANING: Vimāna (विमान).—Vimānas represent the ‘aerial chariots’ of the gods, but also refers to seven-storey palaces. According to the 11th-century Samarāṅgaṇasūtradhāra (chapter 49), long ago Brahmā created five prime Vimānas for gods:

1.     Vairāja for Brahmā himself,

2.     Kailāśa for Śiva,

3.     Puṣpaka for Kubera,

4.     Maṇika for Varuṇa,

5.     Triviṣṭapa for Viṣṇu,

6.     Sanskrit dictionary

7.     [«previous (V) next»] — Vimana in Sanskrit glossary

8.     Vimāna (विमान).—a. Disgraced, devoid of honour; तन्मक्षिकाभिर्व्यथितो विमानः (tanmakṣikābhirvyathito vimānaḥ) Bhāgavata 5.13.1.

9.     — OR —

10.Vimāna (विमान).—

11.1) Disrespect, dishonour; आक्रोशनविमानाभ्यां नाबुधान् बोधयेद् बुधः (ākrośanavimānābhyāṃ nābudhān bodhayed budhaḥ) Mahābhārata (Bombay) 12.299.25; Bhāgavata 5. 1.25.

12.2) A measure.

13.3) A balloon, a heavenly car (moving through the skies); पदं विमानेन विगाहमानः (padaṃ vimānena vigāhamānaḥ) R. 13.1;7.51; विमानीकृतराजहंसमण्डलः (vimānīkṛtarājahaṃsamaṇḍalaḥ) K.; R.12.14; Ku. 2.45;7.4; V.4.43; Kirātārjunīya 7.11; विगते दिवसे ततो विमानं वपुषा सूर्य इव प्रदीप्यमानः (vigate divase tato vimānaṃ vapuṣā sūrya iva pradīpyamānaḥ) (āruroha) Bu. Ch.5.43.

14.4) A vehicle or conveyance in general; स नौविमानादवतीर्य रेमे (sa nauvimānādavatīrya reme) R.16.68.

15.5) A palace (with seven stories); ‘विमानोऽस्त्री देवयाने सप्तभूमौ च सद्मनि (vimāno’strī devayāne saptabhūmau ca sadmani)’ इति निघण्टुः (iti nighaṇṭuḥ); Rām.1.5.16; नेत्रा नीताः सततगतिना यद्विमानाग्रभूमीः (netrā nītāḥ satatagatinā yadvimānāgrabhūmīḥ) Meghadūta 71.

16.7) A horse.

17.8) An open palanquin carried on men’s shoulders; इमां विमानेन सभां विशन्तीं पपावपाङ्गैरथ राजराजिः (imāṃ vimānena sabhāṃ viśantīṃ papāvapāṅgairatha rājarājiḥ) N.1.17.

18.9) A ship, boat.

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Vinata

1) Vinatā (विनता).—One of the two wives of Kaśyapa, according to a story called “the dispute about the colour of the sun’s horses” in the Kathāsaritsāgara, chapter 22. Accordingly, “Long ago Kadrū and Vinatā, the two wives of Kaśyapa, had a dispute in the course of a conversation which they were carrying on. The former said that the Sun’s horses were black, the latter that they were white, and they made an agreement that the one that was wrong should become a slave to the other”.

Kadrū, the mother of the snakes, conquered Vinatā, the mother of Garuḍa, in a treacherous wager, and made her a slave. Through enmity caused thereby, the mighty Garuḍa, though he had delivered his mother, began to eat the snakes of the sons of Kadrū”.

Sanskrit dictionary:-

Vinata (विनत).—p. p.

1) Bent down, bowed.

5) Humble, modest.

Vinatā (विनता).—

1) Name of the mother of Aruṇa and Garuḍa, said to be one of the wives of Kaśyapa.

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Vinayaka

Vi Nayaka means one who has no superior above him; he is the supreme leader.

Vināyaka (विनायक), the older son of Śiva and Pārvatī, is called by several names such as Gaṇeśa, Gaṇapati, Oṃkārasvarūpa and Modakapiriyan (also, Pillayār, Vighneśvara, Ānaimukavar, Gajānana, and Tumbikkaiyan). The image of Vināyaka is the most elegant expression of the metaphysical quality of the scared Oṃ, the fundamental sound and the origin of all other sounds. The written form of the Oṃ sound in Tamil is similar to the face of Vināyaka. Oṃ stands for the absolute substance, the entire universe, and the essence of all Vedas. Oṃ is the Brahman from which all creation begins and into which all return.

Vināyaka is thus compared to the praṇava-mantra Oṃ. Vināyaka is also worshipped first in temples by the devotees. The first invocation is always directed to him before any work is initiated;

Vināyaka’s three eyes show that he is conceived as an embodiment Śiva himself. The modaka in his hand stands for the world of reality.

Vinayaka (“ganesa”) refers to one of the gotras (clans) among the Medaras: workers in bamboo in the Telugu, Canarese, Oriya and Tamil countries. The Medara people believe that they came from Mahendrachala mountain, the mountain of Indra. They are also known as the Meda, Medarlu or Medarakaran.

In Buddhism, Vināyaka (विनायक).—(= Pali id.), common epithet of a Buddha, either guide, leader, or trainer, discipliner

To be continued………

Tags- Vinayaka, Vinata, Vedas, Vimana, HINDU DICTIONARY IN ENGLISH AND TAMIL-117 ; இந்து மத கலைச்சொல் அகராதி-117