HIRANYAKSHA `Golden eye.’ A Daitya who dragged the earth to the depths of the ocean. He was twin-brother of Hiranyakasipu, and was killed by Vishnu in the Boar incarnation.

HIRANYA-KASIPU `Golden dress.’ A Daitya who, according to the Maha-bharata and the Puranas, obtained from Siva the sovereignty of the three worlds for a million of years, and persecuted his son Prahlada for worshipping Vishnu. He was slain by Vishnu in the Nara-sinha, or man-lion incarnation. He and Hiranyaksha were twin-brothers and chiefs of the Daityas.

HITOPADESA `Good advice.’ The well-known collection of ethical tales and fables compiled from the larger and older work called Pancha-tantra. It has been often printed, and there are several translations; among them is an edition by Johnson of text, vocabulary, and translation.

HOTRI A priest who recites the prayers from the Rig-veda.

HRISHIKESA A name of Krishna or Vishnu.

HUNAS According to Wilson, “the White Huns or Indo-Scythians, who were established in the Panjab and along the Indus at the commencement of our era, as we know from Arrian, Strabo, and Ptolemy, confirmed by recent discoveries of their coins,” and since still further confirmed by inscriptions and additional coins. Dr. Fitzedward Hall says, “I am not prepared to deny that the ancient Hindus, when they spoke of the Hunas, intended the Huns. In the Middle Ages, however, it is certain that a race called Huna was understood by the learned of India to form a division of the `Kshatriyas.” – V.P. ii. 134. 

HUN-DESA The country round Lake Manasarovara.