A river. She is considered the mother of Agni. Some equate this river to a tributary of the Krishna river known as Krishnavena as per Mahabharata Vanaparva Chapter 222 verse 24.

The sacred thread worn by brahmins. When it is worn over the left shoulder and passes under the right, it is known as Upaveeta. When worn in the opposite direction it is called Prachina Aaveeta. When it is worn around the neck, it is called Niveeta as per Manusmriti Chapter 2 verse 63.

A teacher, and the younger brother of Varsha, also a teacher.

Antecedents: Vishnu – Brahma- Atri – Chandra – Budha – Pururavas – Ayus – Nahusha – Yayati – Puru – Janamejaya – Prachinvan – Namasyu – Veetabhaya – Shundu – Bahuvidha – Samyati – Rahovadi – Bhadrashwa – Matinara – Santurodha – Dushyanta – Bharata – Suhotra – Suhota – Gala – Garda – Suketu – Brihalkshetra – Hasti – Ajameedha – Riksha – Samvarana – Kuru – Sudhanva – Sugotra – Chyavana – Kriti – Uparicharavasu

As per Indra’s advice, Vasu built a hermitage and started meditating. When he had meditated long enough, Indra appeared and gifted him a vimana. Since Vasu used to frequently fly around in it, he came to be known as Uparicharavasu, as per Mahabharata Adiparva Chapter 63.

Once Indra gifted Vasu a garland that would never wither. He also blessed that so long as he wore that he would not be harmed. Indra also gave him a staff, and said that he should conduct an Indrotsava after he planted it on the ground. From then on Indrotsava came to be celebrated on earth.

Vasu had five sons – Brihadratha, Kushamba (Manivahana), Mavella, Yadu, Rajanya.

The river Shuktimati flowed through Vasu’s capital. Once a mountain named Kolahala was enamoured by the river and refused to let it pass. Vasu became angry and split the mountain allowing the river to flow through. But Shuktimati had two children – a boy and a girl from Kolahala and she gave them to Vasu. The boy later became the commander of the army and the girl became the queen, as per Mahabharata Adiparva Chapter 63.

Once Vasu decided to go for a hunt. Coincidentally, it was also the day the queen maturated. The king stuck to his plan, but was not able to get the queen out of his mind. As he rested in the forest, he remembered her and ejaculated. He gathered that in a leaf and sent it to the queen via an eagle. Another eagle mistook it for food and a fight ensued. The leaf fell into the Yamuna and was eaten by a fish named Adrika. Later, a fisherman caught the fish, and when he slit open its stomach, found two human babies – a boy and a girl. The king heard about this and sent his soldiers to bring the boy to him. The girl was left with the fisherman. The boy became famous later as king Matsya and the girl became Satyavati (also known as Matsyagandhi, Kali) as per Mahabharata Adiparva Chapter 62.

According to Mahabharata Sabhaparva Chapter 8 verse 20, Vasu was present in Yama’s court.

He was Indra’s friend, Vishnu’s devotee, and was known to be a just and dynamic king. He got the kingdom thanks to Vishnu’s blessings. He finally dedicated his kingdom to the gods.

Indra once made him sit in ardhasana as per Mahabharata Shantiparva Chapter 335. Garuda helped him travel the skies as per Mahabharata Shantiparva Chapter 337 verse 37. He finally attained brahmaloka as per Mahabharata Shantiparva Chapter 337 verse 88.

Once Indra and some sages debated during a yajna on whether killing cows was right or wrong. Vasu reached there then and was asked to mediate. But Vasu agreed with Indra that cows could be killed. The sages were angered and cursed Vasu to go to patala as per Matsyapurana Chapter 152. This story is told slightly differently in Mahabharata Shantiparva Chapters 322, 324.

The brother of a sage named Yaja. The brothers lived on the banks of the Ganga. It was their yajna that brought to life Draupadi and Dhrishtadyumna. That story is thus –

Drona was the son of Bhardwaja. Prishata, the king of Panchala, and Bharadwaja were good friends. Prishata left his son Drupada with Bharadwaja for his education. Drona and Drupada studied together and after his studies, Drupada became the king of Panchala. When Drona visited him, Drupada ignored him. Drona was angry. He returned and taught the Pandavas and Kauravas in Hastinapura.  Drona later asked Arjuna to bring Drupada to him as a prisoner. Arjuna did that and Drupada was forced to give half the kingdom to Drona to free himself.

Drupada wished for a son who could avenge him. He requested Upayaja to conduct a yajna for him. He first refused but Drupada took care of him for a year and the sage finally agreed. Upayaja and Yaja went to Panchala and conducted the yajna. As per Mahabharata Adiparva Chapter 166 and Sabhaparva Chapter 80 verse 45, Dhrishtadyumna and Draupadi were born from this yajna.

The Brahmandapurana mentions an Upamanyu, who was the son of a sage called Sutapa. Upamanyu reached Kashyapa’s hermitage with a desire to marry Sumati, Kashyapa’s daughter and Garuda’s sister. No one at the hermitage was comfortable with marrying Sumati off to an old man. Upamanyu was furious and cursed that if any other brahmin married Sumati, Kashyapa’s head would burst into a hundred pieces, as per Brahmandapurana Chapter 18.

In the Kritayuga, there lived a sage named Vyaghrapada. He had 2 sons – Upamanyu and Dhaumya. Once Upamanyu visited another hermitage with his father and happened to taste cow’s milk. After he returned home, he asked his mother for some cow’s milk. Since she could not get any for him, she mixed rice powder in water and gave it to him. Upamanyu refused to take it. His mother told him there was no way to get cow’s milk unless he appeased Shiva.

Upamanyu prayed to Shiva for a thousand years and Shiva appeared before him in the form of Indra. Upamanyu said that he would receive a boon only from Shiva himself. Shiva appeared as himself and made Upamanyu a deva. Upamanyu narrated this when he met Krishna as per Mahabharata Anushasanaparva Chapter 14.

Upamanyu has written ‘Shivabhaktavilasa’, a book that chronicles the lives of Shiva’s devotees and famous sages.

Some experts believe that Ayodhadhaumya’s disciple Upamanyu and this Upamanyu were the same person.

A perfect disciple of Ayodhadhaumya. The guru had 3 disciples – Aaruni, Upamanyu and Deva. See Ayodhadhaumya for how he tested Upamanyu.

The vedas are 4- Rigveda, Yajurveda, Samaveda and Adharvaveda. All of them are collections and are known as Brahmanas. They were later supplemented by Aranyakas and then by Upanishads. The vedas, with brahmanas, aranyakas and upanishads are together called Vedasahitya. The Aranyakas and Upanishads are connected strongly. Upanishads are also called Vedantas. All the vedantas were created in the final eras of the vedic period. After studying mantras and brahmanas, students used to learn upanishads. ‘Upanishad’also translate to the ‘nearest located’. They are closest to brahmaswarupa. The meaning of the vedas can be grasped from the upanishads. Though they seem to be the interpretation of mantras, they also contain the details of the origin of life, and discussions on the meanings of world, soul, god etc. Though there are many upanishads, 108 of them are the most important. They are

1. Brahmopanishad 2. Brahmavidya Upanishad 3. Kshurikopanishad 4. Yogatatva Upanishad 5. Subala Upanishad 6. Mandalabrahmana Upanishad 7. Kaushitakibrahmana Upanishad 8. Jabaladarshana Upanishad 9. Hamsopanishad 10. Swasamvedyopanishad 11. Jabalyupanishad 12. Maitreyi Upanishad 13. Shandilya Upanishad 14. Parabrahmopanishad 15. Karudropanishad 16. Kundikopanishad 17. Arunikopanishad 18. Sanyasa Upanishad 19. Naradaparivrajakopanishad 20. Paingala Upanishad 21. Mahavakyopanishad 22. Atmabodhopanishad 23. Kaivalyopanishad 24. Brahmabindupanishad 25. Aatmopanishad 26. Pancha-brahmopanishad 27. Sharirikopanishad 28. Shaatyayaniyopanishad 29. Yajnavalkyopanishad 30. Jabalopanishad 31. Paramahamsa Upanishad 32. Nirvana Upanishad 33. Paramahamsaparivrajaka Upanishad 34. Bhikshukopanishad 35. Avadhuta Upanishad 36. Ishavasyopanishad 37. Kenopansihad 38. Katthopanishad 39. Prashnopanishad 40. Mundakopanishad 41. Mandukyoapnishad 42. Aitareyopanishad 43. Taithariyopanishad 44. Chhandogyopanishad 45. Shwetashwataropanishad 46. Garbhopanishad 47. Mudgalopanishad 48. Akshyupanishad 49. Adhyatmopanishad 50. Maitrayanyopanishad 51. Shivasankalponishad 52. Ashramopanishad 53. Dwayopanishad 54. Vajrasuchikopanishad 55. Adharvashiropanishad 56. Skandopanishad 57. Sarvasaropanishad 58. Shukarahasyopanishad 59. Mantrikopanishad 60. Pranavopanishad 61. Niralambakopanishad 62. Gayatri-Upanishad 63. Amritanadopanishad 64. Ekaksharopanishad 65. Nadabindupanishad 66. Turiyatitopanishad 67. Yogarajopanishad 68. Aatmapujopanishad 69. Yogachundyopanishad 70. Mahopanishad 71. Trishikhabrahmanopanishad 72. Advayatarakopanishad 73. Pashupatabrahmopanishad 74. Pranagnihotropanishad 75. Yogakundulyupanishad 76. Dhyanabindupanishad 77. Akshamalikopanishad 78. Rudrakshajavalopanishad 79. Ramapurvatapinyupanishad 80. Gopalapurvatapinyupanishad 81. Krishnopanishad 82. Ganapatinyupanishad 83. Nrisimhapurvatapinyupanishad 84. Nrismhashtachakropanishad 85. Dakshinamurtyupanishad 86. Sharabhopanishad 87. Rudropanishad 88. Kalagnirudropanishad 89. Nilarudropanishad 90. Rudrahridayopanishad 91. Garudopanishad 92. Langulopanishad 93. Gayatrirahasyopanishad 94. Savitryupanishad 95. Saraswatirahasyopanishad 96. Devyupanishad 97. Vahvrichopanishad 98. Saubhagyalakshmyupanishad 99. Tripuropanishad 100. Sitopanishad 101. Radhopanishad 102. Tulasyopanishad 103. Narayanopanishad 104. Suryopanishad 105. Bhavanopanishad 106. Chaturvedopanishad 107. Chakshushopanishad 108. Kulisamtaranopanishad

A warrior in Skanda’s army as per Mahabharata Shalyaparva Chapter 45 verse 65.