Aparananda

A river. Arjuna saw this river as per Mahabharata Adiparva Chapter 214 verses 6-7. It is included in the list of holy rivers as per Mahabharata Anushasanaparva Chapter 165 verse 28.

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Appayyadikshitar

A Sanskrit scholar believed to have lived in the 16th century. He has written two works – Kuvalayananda and Chitameemamsa. The former is a treatise of the fifth chapter of Jayadeva’s Chandraloka.

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Apantaratamas

A maharishi. Once, when Vishnu uttered the letter ‘Bhu’, a rishi was born from the sound. This was Apantaratamas. He was named so because he attained freedom from tamas or ignorance.  He’s also called Saraswata. As per Vishnu’s instructions, he categorised the vedas. He possessed knowledge of the past, present and future.

Vedavyasa is a reincarnation of Apantaratamas. As per Vishnu’s instructions, Vedavyasa was born in the Dwaparayuga as Parashara’s son to categorise the vedas, according to Shankara’s Brahmasutrabhashyam, Mundakopanishad.

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Anvagbhanu

A Puruvanshi king. Puru had three sons – Pravira, Ishvara and Raudrasha. Puru also had a son with Shuraseni called Manasyu. Manasyu and an apsara called Mitrakesi had a son and this was Anvagbhanu. He is also called Richeyu and Anadhrishti as per Mahabharata Adiparva Chapter 94 verses 8-12.

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Annapurneshwari

A form of Parvati. She got this name thanks to a dispute with Shiva. Shiva used to feed his family with the alms he got from begging. Once the food he brought was eaten up by Subramanya’s peacock and Ganesha’s mouse. Everyone remained hungry that day and Shiva was troubled by this. Parvata was also sulking in the kitchen. Narada reached there and wanted to utilise this moment for some fun. Narada told Shiva that the husband and children remain famished because of the wife’s irresponsibility. He also said that if Parvati were as prosperity endowing as Lakshmi, the family would never go hungry. Then Narada proceeded to the kitchen and was asked by Parvati why the family remained hungry. Narada told her that this was what happened to families who relied on the alms brought by the husband. Narada left. Parvati took the children and went to her father Daksha’s house. Realising that the matter might have gone out of hand, Narada stopped Parvati on the way, and even gave her a solution for their woes. Narada asked Parvati to wake up before Shiva did and go to all the houses that he frequented for alms. Parvati did just that and Shiva came back without alms. But Parvati managed to feed the family. Shiva was overjoyed and hugged Parvati. Their bodies were united. From then on, Shiva was also called Ardhanarishwara and Parvati, Annapurneshwari.

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