Puranic Encyclopaedia: A Comprehensive Dictionary with Special Reference to the Epic and Puranic Literature c4.985

c4.985

3. Tāmram Copper.
4. Sīsakam Lead.
5. Kāntikam Mercury.
6. Vamśam Vaṅgam—Tiu.
7. Lauham Iron.
8. Tīkṣṇalauham Steel. AṢṬAMAṄGALA. Brahmins, bow, Fire, gold, ghee, Sun, water and King. AṢṬAMAṄGALYA. (1) Kurava (2) Darpaṇa (3) Dīpa (4) Kalaśa (5) Vastra (6) Akṣatam (7) Aṅganā (8) Svarṇa AṢṬAMAṄOGUṆA(S). (1) Paratva (2) Aparatva (3) Saṃkhyā (4) Parimāṇa (5) Pṛthakta (6) Saṃ-yoga (7) Vibhāga (8) Vega. AṢṬAMANTRI(S). The eight ministers of the kings of Ikṣvāku dynasty are: (1) Jayanta (2) Dṛṣṭi (3) Vijaya (4) Siddhārtha (5) Arthasādhaka (6) Aśoka (7) Mantrapāla (8) Sumantra. AṢṬAMĀRGAS. Samyag-dṛṣṭi, Samyaksaṅkalpa, Samyag-vāk, Samyakkamma, Samyagājīva, Samyagvyāyāma, Samyaksmṛti and Samyaksamādhi. The Buddha Sannyāsins have to live according to these eight directives of life. AṢṬĀMBĀ(S). See the sixth Khaṇḍika under Devī. AṢṬAMĪ. The third skandha of Devī Bhāgavata states that the goddess, Bhadrakālī, came into life on an Aṣṭamī day to block up the yāga of Dakṣa. That is why the day is considered to be holy and important. AṢṬAMŪRTI(S). Earth, Water, Air, Fire, Ether, Hotā, Sun and Moon. AṢṬANĀGA(S). Eight snakes. Vāsuki; Takṣa, Karkoṭaka, Śamkha, Gulika, Padma, Mahāpadma and Ananta. AṢṬĀṄGAHRDAYA. The medical science which deals in eight separate division the treatment of the human body. (1) Śārīra (2) Bāla (3) Graha (4) Ūrddhvāṅga (5) Śalya (6) Damṣṭra (7) Jara and (8) Vṛṣa. Bāla—Body which has not attained maturity; Graha—External elements which damage the health of infants; Śalya—extraneous substance lodged in the body; Vṛṣa—The seminal fluid. (Directions of treatment). AṢṬĀṄGAYOGA(S). Yama, Niyama, Āsana, Prāṇāyāma, Pratyāhāra, Dhyāna, Dhāraṇā and Samādhi.
1) Yama. That which prevents the yogīs from doing prohibited things. Ahimsa, Satya, Asteya, Brahmacarya and Aparigraha are yamas.
2) Niyama. Actions leading to Mokṣa. They are: (1) ŚAUCA—Cleanliness of the mind—cleaning it of such bad qualities like jealousy. (2) TAPAS—indifference (Samatvabhāva) to the pairs of opposites like pleasure and pain, heat and cold etc. (3) Svādhyāya—pursuit of the science of salvation chanting of OM. (4) SANTOṢA—remaining happy and contented. (5) ĪŚVARA-PRANIDHĀNA—surrendering all actions to God.
3) Āsana. Postures of sitting firmly and comfortably. Of the many āsanas the very prominent ones are: Svastikāsana, Vīrāsana, Padmāsana, Siddhāsana, Vastrāsana, Vyāghracarmāsana, Valkalāsana, Kuśāsana, Kṛṣṇāsana, Viṣṭarāsana, Mayūrāsana and Kūrmāsana. Of these Siddhāsana is considered to be the best of the lot. This āsana strengthens the 72,000 nerves of the human system and all the yogīs prefer this to any other. “Kimanyaiḥ bahubhiḥ pīthaiḥ pīthe Siddhāsane sati” (of what use are the others when there is Siddhāsana).