Glossary

Hiyo! I’d like to preface this glossary by saying that this is by no means exhaustive or attentive to the nuances of mythology. India is GINORMOUS, and these myths and legends vary from state to state. What you read here is merely a slice of what I understand from the stories I was told and the research I conducted. The wonderful thing about mythology is that its arms are wide enough to embrace many traditions from many regions. My hope is that this glossary gives you context for Aru and Mini’s world, and perhaps nudges you to do some research of your own. ☺

Apsara (AHP-sah-rah) Apsaras are beautiful, heavenly dancers who entertain in the Court of the Heavens. They’re often the wives of heavenly musicians. In Hindu myths, apsaras are usually sent on errands by Lord Indra to break the meditation of sages who are getting a little too powerful. It’s pretty hard to keep meditating when a celestial nymph starts dancing in front of you. And if you scorn her affection (as Arjuna did in the Mahabharata), she might just curse you. Just sayin’.

Ashvins (Nasatya and Dasra) (OSH-vin, NUSS-uht-yuh, DUS-ruh) Twin horsemen gods who symbolize sunrise and sunset, and are considered the gods of medicine and healing. They’re often depicted with the heads of horses. Thanks to the boon of Kunti (the mother of Arjuna, Yudhistira, Bhima, and Karna, who was blessed with the ability to call on any god to give her a son), the Ashvins became the fathers of Nakula and Sahadeva, the twin Pandavas, by King Pandu’s second wife, Madri.

Astras (AHS-trahz) Supernatural weapons that are usually summoned into battle by a specific chant. There are all kinds of astras, like Gada, the mace of Lord Hanuman, which is like a giant hammer; or Indraastra, invoked by the god Indra, which brings a shower of arrows, much like Indra, the god of the weather, can summon “showers.” Get it? Ha! Gods like irony. And violence.

Asura (AH-soo-rah) A sometimes good, sometimes bad race of semidivine beings. They’re most popularly known from the story about the churning of the ocean. You see, once upon a time the gods were not immortal. In order to attain the drink of immortality (amrita), they had to churn the Ocean of Milk. But…it’s an ocean. So the gods needed help. And who did they call? You guessed it, the asuras. The asuras were promised a cut of the immortality. But the gods, obviously, did not want to share. Lord Vishnu, the supreme god, transformed into Mohini, an enchantress. Once the asuras and devas (divine ones) had churned the ocean, Mohini sneakily gave all the amrita to the devas. As one can imagine, the asuras were not happy.

Bharata (BAH-rah-tah) The Sanskrit name for the Indian subcontinent, named after the legendary emperor Bharata, who was an ancestor of the Pandavas.

Bharatnatyam (BAH-raht-naht-yum) An ancient, classical dance form that originated in South India. Yours truly studied bharatnatyam for ten years. (You can ask my kneecaps about it….They’re still angry with me.) Bharatnatyam is its own kind of storytelling. Oftentimes the choreography of the dance draws on episodes from Hindu mythology. Bharatnatyam is frequently connected to Lord Shiva. One of Shiva’s other names is Nataraja, which means “the Lord of Dance” and symbolizes dance as both a creative and destructive force.

Bollywood India’s version of Hollywood. They produce tons of movies a year. You can always recognize a Bollywood movie, because somebody gets fake-slapped at least once, and every time a musical number starts, the setting changes drastically. (How did they start off dancing in the streets of India and end up in Switzerland by the end of the song?) One of Bollywood’s most enduring celebrities is Shah Rukh Khan. (Yours truly did not have the most giant crush on him and keep his picture in her locker….You have no proof, go away.)

Brahmasura (BRAH-mah-soo-rah) Once upon a time there was an asura who prayed long and hard to the god Shiva (Lord of Destruction, as you might recall). Shiva, pleased with the asura’s austerities, granted him a boon, and this dude, real casually, BTW, asked for this: “ANYONE WHOSE HEAD I TOUCH WITH MY HAND GETS BURNED TO ASHES.” I imagine their convo went like this:

Shiva: Why, though?

Brahmasura: ☺

Shiva: No, seriously, why? That’s a horrible wish.

Brahmasura: ☺

Shiva: I…ugh. Okay. Fine. You will regret this! *shakes fist*

Brahmasura: ☺

Okay, so fast forward, and everyone hates Brahmasura and is scared of him, so Lord Vishnu has a solution. He changes form to Mohini, the beautiful enchantress. Brahmasura is like “OMG I love you,” and Mohini’s like “LOL, okay, let’s dance first, and see if you can match me move for move,” and Brahmasura is super excited and does the thing. Well, joke’s on him, because when Mohini/Lord Vishnu puts her hand on her own head, Brahmasura imitates her. BAM. Turned into ashes. Let it be known to all ye mortals: don’t underestimate what you might consider froufrou things, like dancing, because you might just end up a pile of ashes.

Chakora (CHUH-kor-uh) A mythical bird that is said to live off moonbeams. Imagine a really pretty chicken that shuns corn kernels in favor of moondust, which, to be honest, sounds way yummier anyway.

Chitrigupta (CHIT-rih-GOOP-tuh) The god tasked with keeping records of each human’s life. He’s known for being very meticulous and is often credited with being the first person to start using letters. Before Chitrigupta arrived in the Underworld, the Dharma Raja (the god of the dead) kept getting overwhelmed with the number of people in his kingdom. Sometimes he’d get so confused, he’d send a good guy to hell and a bad dude to heaven. Whoops. That must’ve been awkward to explain. I wonder if they got freebies in the next life: So sorry about that mix-up! Here! Enjoy a lifelong ten percent discount at any Pizza Hut of your choice.

Danda (DAHN-duh) A giant punishing rod that is often considered the symbol of the Dharma Raja, the god of the dead.

Devas (DEH-vahz) The Sanskrit term for the race of gods.

Dharma (DAR-mah) Oof. This one is a doozy. The simplest way to explain dharma is that it means duty. (Sorry, I keep imagining the dog, Do, interjecting here with a barking laugh and shouting, Doo-tee, doo-tee!) But it’s not duty as in this is your job, but as in this is the cosmically right way to live.

Dharma Raja (DAR-mah RAH-jah) The Lord of Death and Justice, and the father of the oldest Pandava brother, Yudhistira. His mount is a water buffalo.

Diya (DEE-yuh) An oil lamp used in parts of South Asia, usually made of brass and placed in temples. Clay diyas are colorfully painted and used during Diwali, the Hindu Festival of Lights.

Gandhari (GUN-dar-ree) The powerful queen of Hastinapura. When she married the sightless king, Dhritrashtra, she chose to wear a blindfold in order to share his blindness. Only once did she let her blindfold drop: to see Duryodhana, her eldest son (and an enemy of the Pandava brothers). Had he been naked at the time, her gaze would’ve made him invincible. But the dude was modest and left his underwear on, thereby remaining vulnerable. (Sounds a bit like the story of Achilles, doesn’t it?)

Ganesh (guh-NESH) The elephant-headed god worshipped as the remover of obstacles and the god of luck and new beginnings. His vahana (divine vehicle) is a mouse. There are lots of explanations given for why Ganesh has the head of an elephant. The story my grandmother told me is that his mother, Parvati, made him out of clay while her husband, Shiva (Lord of Destruction), was away. As Parvati is getting their home ready for Shiva’s return, she tells Ganesh not to let anyone through the door. (Guests can be a nuisance.) So Ganesh, being a good kid, says “Okay!” When Shiva strides up to the door, shouting, “Honeyyyy, I’m hooooome!” Ganesh and Shiva look at each other, frown, and at the same time say, “And just who do you think you are?” Keep in mind, this is the first time father and son are meeting. Angry that he’s not being let into his own house, Shiva lops off Ganesh’s head. Which I can only imagine was supremely awkward for the family. To avoid a big fight with Parvati, Shiva goes out and grabs an elephant’s head, sticks it on his son’s body, and bam, now it’s fine.

Gunghroo (GOON-groo) Anklets made of small bells strung together, worn by Indian dancers.

Halahala (HAL-lah-HAL-lah) When the gods and the demons churned the Ocean of Milk to get the nectar of immortality, lots of other stuff came out of the ocean. Some things were really good! Like the seven-headed horse that Indra claimed as his vahana. One of the not so great things was halahala, the most vicious poison in the world. Shiva saved the lives of the gods and demons by drinking the poison when it spewed out of the ocean, which is why his throat is blue and why one of his names is Nilakantha, meaning the one with the blue throat.

Hanuman (HUH-noo-mahn) One of the main figures in the Indian epic the Ramayana, who was known for his devotion to the god-king Rama and Rama’s wife, Sita. Hanuman is the son of Vayu, the god of the wind, and Anjana, an apsara. He had lots of mischievous exploits as a kid, including mistaking the sun for a mango and trying to eat it. There are still temples and shrines dedicated to Hanuman, and he’s often worshipped by wrestlers because of his incredible strength. He’s the half brother of Bhima, the second-oldest Pandava brother.

Indra (IN-druh) The king of heaven, and the god of thunder and lightning. He is the father of Arjuna, the third-oldest Pandava brother. His main weapon is Vajra, a lightning bolt. He has two vahanas: Airavata, the white elephant who spins clouds, and Uchchaihshravas, the seven-headed white horse. I’ve got a pretty good guess what his favorite color is….

Jaani (JAH-nee) A term of endearment that means life or sweetheart.

Karma (KAR-mah) A philosophy that your actions affect what happens to you next. Imagine there’s one last piece of chocolate cake at a bakery. You’ve just bought it for your mom, but some dude steals it while you’re putting your change into your pocket. As he runs out the door cackling “Mwahaha, the chocolate is mine,” he slips on a banana peel and the cake box soars out of his hand. It lands, unharmed, on the floor by your feet. You would shake your head, say, “That’s karma!” and take the cake. For a musical rendition of karma, listen to Justin Timberlake’s “What Goes Around…Comes Around.”

Kurekshetra (KOO-rook-SHET-rah) Kurekshetra is now known as a city in the state of Haryana, India. In the Hindu epic poem the Mahabharata, Kurekshetra is a region where the Mahabharata War was fought. It gets its name from King Kuru, the ancestor of both the Pandavas and their mortal enemies/cousins, the Kauravas.

Lakshmi (LUCK-shmee) The Hindu goddess of wealth and good fortune, and the consort (wife) of Vishnu, one of the three major Hindu deities. Her vahanas are an owl and an elephant, and she’s often depicted in art as seated in an open lotus blossom.

Mahabharata (MAH-hah-BAR-ah-tah) One of two Sanskrit epic poems of ancient India (the other being the Ramayana). It is an important source of information about the development of Hinduism between 400 BCE and 200 CE and tells the story of the struggle between two groups of cousins, the Kauravas and the Pandavas.

Mahabharata War The war fought between the Pandavas and the Kauravas over the throne of Hastinapura. Lots of ancient kingdoms were torn apart as they picked which side to support.

Makara (MA-kar-ah) A mythical creature that’s usually depicted as half crocodile and half fish. Makara statues are often seen at temple entrances, because makaras are the guardians of thresholds. Ganga, the river goddess, uses a makara as her vahana.

Mayasura (MAI-ah-SOO-rah) The demon king and architect who built the Pandavas’ Palace of Illusions.

Mehndi (MEN-dee) A form of temporary body art made from the powdered dry leaves of the henna plant. The designs are intricate and usually worn on the hands and feet during special occasions like Hindu weddings and festivals. It has a distinct smell when it dries, like licorice and chocolate. (I love the smell!)

Naga (nagini, pl.) (NAG-uh, NAH-gee-nee) A group of serpentine beings who are magical, and, depending on the region in India, considered divine. Among the most famous nagini is Vasuki, one of the king serpents who was used as a rope when the gods and asuras churned the Ocean of Milk to get the elixir of life. Another is Uloopi, a naga princess who fell in love with Arjuna, married him, and used a magical gem to save his life.

Pandava brothers (Arjuna, Yudhistira, Bhima, Nakula, and Sahadeva) (PAN-dah-vah, ar-JOO-nah, yoo-diss-TEE-ruh, BEE-muh, nuh-KOO-luh, saw-hah-DAY-vuh) Demigod warrior princes, and the heroes of the epic Mahabharata poem. Arjuna, Yudhistira, and Bhima were born to Queen Kunti, the first wife of King Pandu. Nakula and Sahadeva were born to Queen Madri, the second wife of King Pandu.

Pranama (PRAH-nuh-mah) A bow to touch the feet of a respected person, e.g., a teacher, grandparent, or other elder. It makes family reunions particularly treacherous, because your back ends up hurting from having to bend down so often.

Raksha (RUCK-shaw) Rakshas (sometimes called rakshasas) are mythological beings, like demigods, who are sometimes good and sometimes bad. They are powerful sorcerers, and can change shape to take on any form.

Rama (RAH-mah) The hero of the epic poem the Ramayana. He was the seventh incarnation of the god Vishnu.

Ramayana (RAH-mah-YAWN-uh) One of two great Sanskrit epic poems (the other being the Mahabharata), it describes how the god-king Rama, aided by his brother and the monkey-faced demigod Hanuman, rescue Rama’s wife, Sita, from the ten-headed demon king, Ravana.

Ritus (RIH-tooz) Seasons. There are typically six seasons in the Indian calendar: Spring (Vasanta), Summer (Grishma), Monsoon (Varsha), Autumn (Sharada), Pre-winter (Hemanta), and Winter (Shishira).

Salwar kameez (SAL-vahr kah-MEEZ) A traditional Indian outfit, basically translating to pants and shirt. (A little disappointing, I know.) A salwar kameez can be fancy or basic, depending on the occasion. Usually, the fancier the garment, the itchier it is to wear.

Samsara (SAHM-sahr-uh) The cycle of death and rebirth.

Sanskrit (SAHN-skrit) An ancient language of India. Many Hindu scriptures and epic poems are written in Sanskrit.

Sari (SAH-ree) A garment worn by women in South Asia that is created by a length of silk intricately draped and tied around the body. Attempting to put one on unassisted usually results in tears. And they are very difficult to dance in.

Shakhuni (SHAW-koo-nee) One of the antagonists of the Mahabharata. Shakhuni was the king of Subala, and the brother of the blind queen, Gandhari. He is best known for orchestrating the infamous game of dice between the Pandavas and the Kauravas that led to the Pandavas’ twelve-year exile and, ultimately, the epic war.

Sherwani (share-VAH-nee) A knee-length coat worn by men in South Asia.

Shiva (SHEE-vuh) One of the three main gods in the Hindu pantheon, often associated with destruction. He is also known as the Lord of Cosmic Dance. His consort is Parvati.

Soma (SO-muh) The drink of the gods.

Uchchaihshravas (OOCH-chai-SHRAH-vahs) A seven-headed flying horse created during the churning of the milk ocean, the king of horses, a vahana of Indra. Forget dragons, I want one of these.

Urvashi (OOR-vah-shee) A famous apsara, considered the most beautiful of all the apsaras. Her name literally means she who can control the hearts of others. Girl also had a temper. In the Mahabharata, when Arjuna was chilling in heaven with his dad, Indra, Urvashi made it known that she thought he was pretty cute. But Arjuna wasn’t having it. Instead, he respectfully called her Mother, because Urvashi had once been the wife of King Pururavas, an ancestor of the Pandavas. Scorned, Urvashi cursed him to lose his manhood for a year. (Rude!) In that year, Arjuna posed as a eunuch, took the name Brihannala, and taught song and dance to the princess of the kingdom of Virata.

Valmiki (VAHL-mee-kee) The sage revered as the writer of the Ramayana. He earned the name Valmiki (“born of an anthill”) after performing severe religious penances for several years. During that time, large anthills formed near him. Not sure why. Building a nest around a human dude does not seem like a sound housing decision. Maybe they thought he was a boulder. Must’ve been quite a shock when Valmiki finally opened his eyes and stood up. (“Boulder, how could you? Betrayal!”)

Vayu (VAH-yoo) The god of the wind and the father of Bhima, the second-oldest Pandava brother. Vayu is also the father of Hanuman, the monkey-faced demigod. His mount is a gazelle.

If you made it to the end of this glossary, you deserve a high five. Sadly, I’m a little wary of those. (As Mini would say, “Germs! PLAGUE!”) How about an elbow-bump instead? Ready? Three…two…one…