Puranic Encyclopaedia: A Comprehensive Dictionary with Special Reference to the Epic and Puranic Literature c9.4799
Purāṇic Encyclopaedia: A Comprehensive Dictionary with Special Reference to the Epic and Purāṇic Literature c9.4799
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VIŚVĀNARA. A King. For a time this King was miserable as he was childless. But by the blessing of Śiva, Viśvānara got a son named Gṛhapati by his wife Śucismitā. Gṛhapati was destined to have life only up to three years. But it is mentioned in Skanda Purāṇa that within this short period Gṛhapati learned the whole of Sāṅgaveda and obtained long life from Śiva. VIŚVANĀTHA. A Sanskrit literary critic who lived in the 14th century A.D. Sāhityadarpaṇa is the most important work of this poet of Orissa. This work on criticism in ten chapters, deals with all the aspects of a literary work. Kuvalayāśvacarita, Raghuvilāsa, Prabhāvatī, Candrakalā, Narasimharājavijaya etc. are the other works of this author. Most of these are not yet found. Kuvalayāśvacarita is a poetic work in Prākṛta and Raghuvilāsa is a great poetic work. Prabhāvatī and Candrakalā are dramas. Narasimharāja is a historic work. VIŚVAPATI. The second son of the Agni (fire) called Manu. It is mentioned in the Vedas that this fire is the King of all the worlds. (M.B. Vana Parva, Chapter 221 Stanza 17). VIŚVARANDHI. The son of Pṛthu, a King of the Solar dynasty. He was the father of the King Candra and grandfather of Yuvanāśva. (Devī Bhāgavata, Skandha 7) VIŚVARUCI. A Gandharva King. At the time of emperor Pṛthu, when the Gandharvas made the earth a cow and milked her for various things, it was the Gandharva Viśvaruci who did the milking. (M.B. Droṇa Parva, Chapter 69, Stanza 25). VIŚVARŪPA I. A Rākṣasa (giant).
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Mention is made in Mahābhārata, Sabhā Parva, Chapter 9, Stanza 14, that this giant sits in the palace of Varuṇa glorifying him. VIŚVARŪPA II. The son of Tvaṣṭā, the son of Viśvakarmā. This Viśvarūpa is also known as Triśiras. (For further details see under Indra, Para 7). VIŚVARŪPĀ. The wife of sage Dharma. It is stated in Vāyu Purāṇa that from sage Dharma, a daughter named Dharmavratā was born to Viśvarūpā. VIŚVAŚAMBHU. A fire. Ṛgveda, Maṇḍala I, Anuvāka 2, Sūkta 24, states that this fire exists in water. VIŚVAVASU I. A brother of Paraśurāma, who had four brothers named Rumaṇvān, Suhotra, Vasu and Viśvavasu. (Brahmāṇḍa Purāṇa, Chapter 58). VIŚVAVASU II. A Gandharva King. The following information about this King is taken from the Purāṇas. (i) The father of this Devagandharva was Prajāpati Kaśyapa and his mother was Pradhā. (M.B. Ādi Parva, Chapter 25, Stanza 47). (ii) Pramadvarā was born to Viśvavasu by the celestial maid Menakā. (See under Pramadvarā). (iii) Viśvavasu was present at the Birth-festival of Arjuna. (M.B. Ādi Parva, Chapter 122, Stanza 22). (iv) This Viśvavasu learned from Soma, Cākṣuṣividyā (the art of seeing all) and taught Citraratha, a Gandharva the same art. (M.B. Ādi Parva, Chapter 169, Stanza 43). (v) He was present at the Svayaṃvara (marriage) of Draupadi. (M.B. Ādi Parva, Chapter 186, Stanza 7). (vi) Viśvavasu stays in the palace of Indra glorifying him. (M.B. Sabhā Parva, Chapter 7, Stanza 22).
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(vii) It is mentioned in Mahābhārata, Sabhā Parva, Chapter 10, Stanza 25, that he stays in the palace of Kubera praising him. (viii) This Gandharva recited a poem at the sacrifice performed by Jamadagni. (M.B. Vana Parva, Chapter 90, Stanza 18). (ix) Kabandha, the asura, who stopped Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa, was the changed form of Viśvavasu by a curse (See under Kabandha). (x) It was this Viśvavasu who played the lute in the sacrifice performed by emperor Dilīpa. (M.B. Droṇa Parva, Chapter 61, Stanza 7). (xi) Once Viśvavasu asked hermit Yājñavalkya twenty-four questions. When he got satisfactory answers, the Gandharva returned to heaven. (M.B. Śānti Parva, Chapter 318, Stanza 26). (xii) It was Viśvavasu and some other Gandharvas who took away Urvaśī from Purūravas. (See under Purūravas). (xiii) At the time of emperor Pṛthu, when the earth was milked, the thing the Gandharvas got were those befitting them, In the course of the milking Viśvavasu stood as the calf. (Bhāgavata, Skandha 4). VIŚVAVEDI. A minister of King Śauri. This minister wanted the King to be just. Śauri and his four brothers Khanitra, Udāvasu, Sunaya and Mahāratha were the sons of Prajāpati. The main ruler of the kingdom was Khanitra. The others were Governors of the East, West North and South divisions of the kingdom. The four brothers had a priest each named Suhotra, Kuśāvarta, Pramati and Vasiṣṭha respectively.
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Viśvavedi gathered these four priests together and created four wicked fairies and sent them against Khanitra the King. The fierce fairies attacked Khanitra. But because of his purity and cleanliness the fairies had to admit defeat. The fairies came back and attacked their creators, the four priests and Viśvavedi who had planned the programme, and killed all the five of them. (Mārkaṇḍeya Purāṇa, Chapter 314). VIŚVĀYU. An eternal Viśvadeva (gods concerned with offering to the Manes). (Mahābhārata, Anuśāsana Parva, Chapter 91, Stanza 34). VIṬA. A ball made of wood. The Kaurava boys played with this ball and by accident the Viṭa fell in a well. It is mentioned in Mahābhārata, Ādi Parva, Chapter 130, Stanza 17, that the teacher Droṇa recovered it from the well by shooting a number of arrows, one upon the tail of another. VĪTABHAYA. A King of the Pūru dynasty. He was the son of the King Manasvī and father of King Śuṇḍu. (Agni Purāṇa, Chapter 278). VĪTABHŪTA. An asura. Mention is made in Mahābhārata, Sabhā Parva, Chapter 9, Stanza 65, that this asura stays in the palace of Varuṇa praising and worshipping him. VĪTADHVAJA. A King of the dynasty of Janaka. He was the son of Dharmadhvaja and the brother of Kṛtadhvaja. Vitadhvaja had a son named Khāṇḍikya. (Bhāgavata, Skandha 9). VITADRU. A Yādava. It is mentioned in Mahābhārata, Sabhā Parva, 14, that Vitadru was one of the seven Kings of the Yadu dynasty. VĪTAHAVYA. Another name of King Ekavīra, otherwise known as Haihaya.
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(For further details see under Ekavīra). VĪTALA. A part of Pātāla (underworld). (For details see under Pātāla). VIṬAṆḌĀVĀDA. When arguments, which do not serve, either to establish one's own points or to cut the points of the opponent, are employed in a debate, it is called Viṭaṇḍāvāda. (M.B. Sabhā Parva, Chapter 36, Stanza 4).