EKA-CHAKRA A city in the country of the Kichakas, where, by advice of Vyasa, the Pandavas dwelt for a time during their exile. General Cunningham has identified it with the modern Ara or Arrah.

EKA-DANSHTRA, EKA-DNATA `Having one tusk.’ A name of Ganesa.

EKALAVYA Grandson of Deva-sravas, the brother of Vasudeva. He was brother of Satru-ghna. He was exposed in infancy, and was brought up among the Nishadas, of whom he became king. He assisted in a night attack upon Dwaraka, and was eventually killed by Krishna, who hurled a rock at him.

EKAMRA, EKAMRA KANANA A forest in Utkala or Orissa, which was the favourite haunt of Siva, and became a great seat of his worship as the city of Bhuvaneswara, where some very fine temples sacred to him still remain. They have been described by Babu Rajendra Lala in his great work on Orissa.

EKA-PADA `One-footed.’ A fabulous race of men spoken of in the Puranas.

EKA-PANA, EKA-PATALA These, with their sister Aparna, were, according to the Hari-vansa, daughters of Himavat and Mena. They performed austerities surpassing the powers of gods and Danavas, and alarmed both worlds. Eka-parna took only one leaf for food, and Eka-patala only one patala (Bignonia). Aparna took no sustenance at all and lived a-parna, `without a leaf.’ Her mother being distressed at her abstinence exclaimed in her anxiety, “U-ma” – “O don’t.” Through this she became manifest as the lovely goddess Uma, the wife of Siva.

EKASHTAKA A deity mentioned in the Athar-veda as having practised austere devotion, and being the daughter of Prajapati and mother of Indra and Soma.

EMUSHA In the Brahmana, a boar which raised up the earth, represented as black and with a hundred arms. This is probably the germ of the Varaha or boar incarnation. See Avatara.