Ajaikapat, Ahirbudhnya, Virupaksha, Sureshwara, Jayantha, Bahurupa, Aparajita, Savitra, Trayambaka, Vaivaswata, Hara as per Vishnupurana Ansh 1 Chapter 15. The names have been known to vary in some other scriptures.

Every letter has a meaning. The work that details this is Ekaksharakosha and is mentioned in Agnipurana Chapter 348.

A warrior in Skanda’s army as per Mahabharata Shalyaparva Chapter 45 verse 58.

An asura born to Kashyapa and Danu as per Mahabharata Adiparva Chapter 65 verse 29.

A holy place in northern India. Bathing her is equivalent to donating a thousand cows as per Mahabharata Vanaparva Chapter 83 verse 20.

One of the seven pitrs. The others are Vairaja, Agnishvatha, Garhapatya, Somapa, Chaturveda, Kala. They worshipped Brahma and stayed in Brahma’s court as per Mahabharata Sabhaparva Chapter 11 verses 47-48.

Also known as Hehaya and the founder of the Hehaya dynasty.

Antecedents: Vishnu – Brahma – Atri – Chandra – Budha – Pururavas – Ayus – Nahusha – Yayati – Yadu – Sahasrajit – Shatajit – Hehaya. There are also alternate versions in the scriptures. As per Devibhagavata, Hehaya was the son of Yayati’s son Turvasu, and was the forefather of Kartaviryarjuna. Since this seems inaccurate, the above antecedents are from Agnipurana and Vishnupurana. As per this, Ekavira’s son was Dharma. Dharma – Kunti – Bhadrasena – Dhanaka – Kritavirya – Kartaviryarjuna – Madhu – Vrishni. From Vrishni began the Vrishnivansh.

Once there ruled a king named Revanta, who was a friend of Indra. He once rode Uchaishravas to Vaikuntha to see Vishnu. Lakshmi, who was by Vishnu’s side was amazed at seeing her brother Uchaishravas and sat staring at him, and Revanta alternately. She didn’t hear Vishnu speaking to her. Vishnu cursed her and as a result she was born as a mare. Lakshmi begged for forgiveness and Vishnu said that she would be released from the curse when a son equaling Vishnu was born to her. Lakshmi reached earth in the form of a mare and stayed at the meeting point of the rivers Kalindi and Tamasa, where once Surya’s wife had meditated. There, she began praying to Shiva. After a thousand years, Shiva appeared there with Parvati and his ganas, and asked her what she desired. She narrated what had happened and asked him who should eb the father of her son who would equal Vishnu. Shiva agreed to provide a solution, went to Vaikuntha and convinced Vishnu to go to her in the form of a horse. They mated and soon Lakshmi gave birth to a son who became famous later as Ekavira. Since he was born from a horse (Haya) he came to be known as Hehaya as per Devibhagavata Skanda 6.

A vidyadhara named Champaka and his consort Madalasa saw the baby lying unprotected in the forest and took it to devaloka, where Indra identified it as the son of Vishnu and Lakshmi. They left the baby back where they found it. During that time, Shatajit, Yayati’s descendant, was praying for a child. Lakshmi and Vishnu appeared in his dreams and asked him to find the baby and raise it. The king promptly brought the baby back to the palace, named him Ekavira and raised him. When Ekavira was old enough, Shatajit handed over the reign to him and left to the jungles, to meditate. The king and queen later attained vishnuloka as per Devibhagavata Skanda 6.

Once Ekavira traveled to the plains along the Ganga with his minister. As he was enjoying the spring greenery, he saw a huge lotus and to its south, a woman weeping. He asked her why she was crying. She said that the neighbouring kingdom was ruled by a pious king named Raibhya. His wife was Rugmarekha and they had been childless for a long time. The king then conducted a putrakameshti yajna and after several offerings, from it arose a maiden whom the king named Ekavali. She also said that she herself was the minister’s daughter and her name was Yashovati. Since she was of the same age as the princess, the king had appointed her as Ekavali’s chief attendant. The princess was very fond of lotuses. The king built her a huge pond with many lotuses, but that didn’t stop her from roaming around looking for lotus ponds. Once, when Yashovati and Ekavali were near the river Ganga, the princess was abducted by the asura Kalaketu. Yashovati followed them. Though Kalaketu tried to entice her to marry him, the princess refused since her father wanted her to marry Ekavira. Kalaketu imprisoned the princess and thus Yashovati sat near the Ganga weeping.

On hearing this, Ekavira found Kalaketu, defeated him, and returned Ekavali to Raibhya, who got them married.

A king who was the reincarnation of Krodhavasha, an asura. He was invited by the Pandavas to the Mahabharata war as per Mahabharata Udyogaparva Chapter 4.

The son of the tribal chief Hiranyadhanus. He approached Drona to teach him weaponry, but was rejected because he was a tribal. Not to be disheartened, Ekalavya left after prostrating himself at Drona’s feet. Back in his forest, he made a clay statue of Drona and started practicing archery. Once the Pandavas and Kauravas went into the forest for a hunt. Their dogs saw Ekalavya and started barking. One of the dogs advanced on Ekalavya, who fired seven arrows into its mouth. It ran back to the Pandavas who then met Ekalavya. Ekalavya claimed he was Drona’s disciple. A disappointed Arjuna went back and told Drona that though he had promised that Arjuna would be unrivaled in archery, another of Drona’s disciple was better. Drona went into the forest to meet Ekalavya, who bowed on seeing his guru. Drona told Ekalavya that if he considered him his guru, he would need to give a gurudakshina. Drona asked him to cut off his right thumb, and Ekalavya promptly did so. Arjuna remained unrivaled, as per Mahabharata Adiparva Chapter 132.

As per Mahabharata Udyogaparva Chapter 48 verse 77, Ekalavya was killed by Krishna.

According to Mahabharata Ashwamedhikaparva Chapter 83, one of Ekalavya’s sons followed Arjuna’s ashwamedha horse and was defeated by Arjuna.

A sage and son of Gautama. He had two brothers named Dwita and Trita.

After Gautama’s death, Trita became the most prominent among the brothers. Ekata and Dwita were not too pleased with this. By the end of a yajna, they had amassed a large number of cows. They took the cows east, with Trita leading the way. Ekata and Dwita conspired behind his back and led the cows in another direction. Trita was oblivious to this and kept walking. Near the banks of the Saraswati he saw a wolf and while escaping from it, fell into an empty well. He used the creepers in the well, chanted mantras and conducted a yajna there. The chants began resonating in devaloka, and Brihaspati along with the devas reached there. They asked Trita what boon he desired and he said he only wanted to be rescued from the well. Immediately the Saraswati river flooded the well and Trita rode on its waves and got out of the well. On reaching home, he cursed Ekata and Dwita and turned them into wolves.

As per Mahabharata Shantiparva Chapter 208 verse 31, Ekata was a sage who stayed in the western side of India. Ekata once attended Uparicharavasu’s yajna as per Mahabharata Shantiparva Chapter 336. All three brothers once visited Narayana in Shwetadweepa as per Mahabharata Shantiparva Chapter 39 verse 12.  The brothers also visited Bhishma when he was lying on the bed of arrows, as per Mahabharata Anushasanaparva Chapter 26 verse 7. According to Mahabharata Anushasanaparva Chapter 15, all three brothers stay as Varuna’s ritwiks in the west. Trita is praised in Rigveda Mandala 1 Sukta 150.