LAGHU-KAUMUDI A modern and very much simplified edition of Panini’s Grammar by Varada Raja. It has been edited and translated by Dr. Ballantyne.

LAKSHMANA  1. Son of King Dasa-ratha by his wife Sumitra. He was the twin brother of Satru-ghna, and the half-brother and especial friend of Rama-chandra. Under the peculiar circumstances of his birth, one-eighth part of the divinity of Vishnu became manifest in him. (See Dasa-ratha.) But according to the Adhyatma Ramayana, he was an incarnation of Sesha. When Rama left his father’s court to go to the hermitage of Viswamitra, Lakshmana accompanied him, and afterwards attended him in his exile and in all his wanderings. He was also very attached him in his exile and in all his wanderings. He was also very attached to Rama’s wife Sita, which gave rise to the reproach that the two brothers were husbands of one wife. On one occasion, indeed, Sita reproached Lakshmana that he did not hasten to rescue Rama from danger, because he wished to obtained herself. His own wife was Urmila, the sister of Sita, and he had two sons, Angada and Chandra-ketu. While Rama and Lakshmana were living in the wilderness, a Rakshasi named Surpa-nakha, sister of Ravana, fell in love with Rama and made advances to him. He jestingly referred her to Lakshmana, who in like manner sent her back to Rama. When she was again repulsed she attacked Sita, whom Rama was obliged to defend. Rama then called upon Lakshmana to disfigure the Rakshasi, and accordingly he cut off her nose and ears. The mutilated female called upon her brother to avenge her, and a fierce war ensued. When Sita was carried off by Ravana, Lakshmana accompanied Rama in his search, and he ably and bravely supported him in his war against Ravana. Rama’s earthly career was drawing to a close, and Time was sent to inform him that he must elect whether to stay longer on earth, or to return to the place from whence he had come. While they were in conference, the irascible sage Dur-vasas came and demanded to see Rama instantly, threatening him with the most direful curses if any delay were allowed to occur. To save his brother Rama from the threatened curse, but aware of the consequences that would ensue to himself from breaking in upon Rama’s interview with Time, he went in and brought Rama out. Lakshmana knowing his fate, retired to the river Sarayu and resigned himself. The gods then showered down flowers upon him and conveyed him bodily to heaven. 2. A son of Duryodhana, killed by Abhimanyu.

LAKSHMI The word occurs in the Rig-veda with the sense of good fortune, and in the Atharva-veda the idea the become personified in females both of a lucky and unlucky character. The Taittiriya Sanhita, as explained by the commentator, makes Lakshmi and Sri to be two wives of Aditya, and the Satapatha Brahmana describes Sri as issuing forth from Prajapati. Lakshmi or Sri in later times is the goddess of fortune, wife of Vishnu, and mother of Kama. The origin ascribed to her by the Ramayana is the one commonly received. According to this legend she sprang, like Aphrodite, from the froth of the ocean, in full beauty with a lotus in her hand, when it was churned by the gods and the Asuras. Another legend represents her as floating on the flower of a lotus at the creation. With reference to this origin, one of her names is Kshirabdhi-tanaya, ‘daughter of the sea of milk.’ From her connection with the lotus she is called Padma. According to the Puranas, she was the daughter of Bhrigu and Khyati. The Vishnu Purana says, “Her first birth was the daughter of Bhrigu by Khyati. It was at a subsequent period that she was produced from the sea at the churning of the ocean . . . When Hari was born as dwarf, Lakshmi appeared from a lotus (as Padma or Kamala). When he was born as Rama of the race of Bhrigu (or Parasu-rama), she was Dharani. When he was Raghava (Rama-chandra), she was Sita. And when he was Krishna she became Rukmini. In the other descents of Vishnu she is his associate.” One version of the Ramayana also affirms that “Lakshmi, the mistress of the worlds, was born by her own will, in a beautiful field opened up by the plough,” and received from Janaka the name of Sita.

        Lakshmi is said to have four arms, but she is the type of beauty, and is generally depicted as having only two. In one hand she holds a lotus. “She has no temples, but being goddess of abundance and fortune, she continues to be assiduously courted, and is not likely to fall into neglect.” Other names of Lakshmi are Hira, Indira, Jaladhi-ja, ‘ocean-born;’ Chanchala or Lola, ‘the fickle,’ as goddess of fortune; Loka-mata, ‘mother of the world.’

LALITA-VISTARA A work in Sanskrit verse on the life and doctrines of Buddha. It has been printed in the Bibliotheca Indica. 

LANGALI ‘Armed with a ploughshare.’ Bala-rama. 

LANKA 1. The island of Ceylon or its capital city. The city is described in the Ramayana as of vast extent and of great magnificence, with seven broad moats and seven stupendous walls of stone and metal. It is said to have been built of gold by Viswa-karma for the residence of Kuvara, from whom it was taken by Ravana. The Bhagavata Purana represents that the island was originally the summit of Mount Meru, which was broken off by the god of the wind and hurled into the sea. 2. Name of one of the Sakinis or evil spirits attendant on Siva and Devi.

LATA A country comprising Kandesh and part of Guzerat about the Mhye river. It is also called Lar, and is the A** of Ptolemy.

LATYAYANA Author of a Sutra work. It has been printed in the Bibliotheca Indica.

LAVA One of the twin sons of Rama and Sita. He reigned at Sravasti. See Rama.

LAVANYA A Rakshasa, son of Madhu by Kumbhinasi, the sister of Ravana and daughter of Visravas. He inherited from his father an invincible trident which had been presented to him by Siva. He was surprised without his weapon and killed by Satru-ghna. Lavana was king of Mathura and Satru-ghna succeeded him.

Likhita Author of a Dharma-sastra or code of law.

LILAVATI ‘Charming.’ The fanciful title of that chapter of Bhaskara’s Siddhanta-siromani which treats of arithmetic and geometry. It has been translated by Colebrooke and Dr. Taylor, and the text has been printed.

LINGA, LINGAM The male organ. The phallus. The symbol under which Siva is universally worshipped. It is of comparatively modern introduction and is unknown to the Vedas, but it receives distinct notice in the Maha-bharata. “The emblem – a plain column of stone, or sometimes a cone of plastic mud – suggests no offensive ideas. The people call it Siva or Maha-deva, and there’s an end.” In the Siva Purana, and in the Nandi Upa-purana, Siva is made to say, “I am omnipresent, but I am especially in twelve forms and places. These are the twelve great Lingas, which are as follow: -

1. Soma-natha ‘Lord of the moon.’ At Somnath Pattern, a city which still remains in Guzerat. This was the celebrated “idol” destroyed by Mahmud of Ghazni.

2. Mallikarjuna or Sri-saila. ‘The mountain of Sri.’ On a mountain near the river Krishna.

3. Maha-kala, Maha-kaleswara. At Ujjain. Upon the capture of Ujjain in the reign of Alamsh, 1231 A.D., this deity of stone was carried to Delhi and there broken up.

4. Omkara. This is also said to have been at Ujjain, but it is probably the shrine of Mahadeva at Omkara Mandhatta, on the Narmada.

5. Amareswara. ‘God of gods.’ This is also placed at Ujjain.

6. Vaidya-natha. ‘Lord of physicians.’ At Deogarh in Bengal. The temple is still in being, and is a celebrated place of pilgrimage.

7. Ramesa or Rameswara. ‘Lord of Rama.’ On the island of Ramisseram, between the continent and Ceylon. This Lingam, whose name signifies ‘Rama’s lord,’ is fabled to have been set up by Rama. The temple is still in tolerable repair, and is on of the most magnificient in India.

8. Bhima Sankara. In Dakini. This is in all probability the same with Bhimeswara, a Lingam worshipped at Dracharam, in the Rajamehendri (Rajamundry) district, and there venerated as one of the twelve.

9. Visweswara. ‘Lord of all.’ At Benares. It has been for many centuries the chief object of worship at Benares. Also called Jyotir-lingam.

10. Tryambaka, Tryaksha. ‘Tri-ocular.’ On the banks of the Gomati.

11. Gautamesa. ‘Lord of Gautama.’

12. Kedaresa, Kedara-natha. In the Himalaya. The deity is represented as a shapeless mass of rock.

Naga-natha or Naga-nathesa and Vameswara are other names, probably of No. 6 and No. 11. 

LINGA PURANA “Where Maheswara (Siva), present in the Agni Linga, explained (the objects of life), virtue, wealth, pleasure, and final liberation, at the end of the Agni Kalpa, that Purana, consisting of 11,000 stanzas, was called the Linga by Brahma himself.” The work conforms accurately enough to this description. “Although the Linga holds a prominent place in this Purana, the spirit of the worship is as little influenced by the character of the type as can well be imagined. There is nothing like the phallic orgies of antiquity: it is all mystical and spiritual. The work has preserved, apparently, some Saiva legends of an early date, but the greater part is ritual and mysticism of comparatively recent introduction.” – Wilson. It is not likely that this Purana is earlier than the eighth or ninth century. This Purana has been lithographed in Bombay.

LOHA-MUKHAS ‘Iron-faced men.’ Described in the Maha-bharata as swift, one-footed, undecaying, strong men-eaters.

LOKA A world, a division of the universe. In general the tri-loka or three worlds are heaven, earth, and hell. Another classification enumerates seven, exclusive of the infernal regions, also seven in number which are classed under Patala. The upper worlds are:- (1.) Bhur-loka, the earth. (2.) Bhuvar-loka, the space between the earth and the sun, the region of the Munis, Siddhas, &c. (3.) Swar-loka, the heaven of Indra, between the sun and the polar star. (4.) Mahar-loka, the usual abode of Bhrigu and other saints, who are supposed to be co-existent with Brahma. During the conflagration of these lower worlds the saints ascend to the next, or (5.) Jana-loka, which is described as the abode of Brahma’s sons, Sanaka, Sananda, and Sanat-kumara. Above this is the (6.) Tapar-loka, where the deities called Vairagis reside. (7.) Satya-loka or Brahma-loka, is the abode of Brahma, and translation to this world exempts beings from further birth. The first three worlds are destroyed at the end of each kapa, or day of Brahma; the last three at the end of his life, or of a hundred of his years; the fourth loka is equally permanent, but is uninhabitable from heat at the time the first three are burning. Another enumeration calls the seven worlds earth, sky, heaven, middle region, place of birth, mansion of the blest, and abode of truth; placing the sons of Brahma in the sixth division, and stating the fifth, or Jana-loka, to be that where animals destroyed in the general conflagration are born again. The Sankhya and Vedanta schools of philosophy recognise eight lokas or regions of material existence: - (1.) Brahma-loka, the world of the superior deities; (2.) Pitri-loka, that of the Pitris, Rishis, and Prajapatis; (3.) Soma-loka, of the moon and Planets; (4.) Indra-loka, of the inferior deities; (5.) Gandharva-loka, of heavenly spirits; (6.) Rakshasa-loka, of the Rakshasas; (7.) Yaksha-loka, of the Yakshas; (8.) Pisacha-loka, of the Pisachas or imps and fiends.

LOKALOKA ‘A world and no world,’ A fabulous belt of mountains bounding the outermost of the seven seas and dividing the visible world from the regions of darkness. It is “ten thousand yojanas in breadth, and as many in height, and beyond it perpetual darkness invests the mountains all around, which darkness is again encompassed by the shell of an egg.” It is called also Chakra-vada or Chakra-vala.

LOKA-PALAS Supporters or guardians of the world. The guardian deities who preside over the eight points of the compass: - (1.) Indra, east; (2.) Agni, south-east; (3.) Yama, south; (4.) Surya, south-west; (5.) Varuna, west; (6.) Vayu, north-west; (7.) Kuvera, north; (8.) Soma, north-east. Nirriti is by some substituted for No. 4, and Prithvi or Siva, especially in his form Isana, for No. 8. Each of these guardian deities has an elephant who takes part in the defence and protection of the quarter, and these eight elephants are themselves called Loka-palas: - (1.) Indra’s elephant at the east is Airavata. He is also called Abhra-matanga, `elephant at the east is Airavata. He is also called Abhra-matanga, `elephant of the clouds;’ Arkasodara, ‘brother of the sun;’ naga-malla, ‘the fighting elephant;’ Sada-dana, ‘always in rut;’ Madambara, ‘covered with ichor.’ His wife’s name is Abhramu. (2.)Agni’s elephant at the south-east is Pundarika and his female Kapila. (3.) Yama’s at the south is Vamana and his female Pingala. (4.) Surya’s at the south-west is Kumuda and his female is Anupama. (5.) Varuna’s at the west is Anjana, whose female is Anjanavati. (6.) Vayu’s at the north-west is Pushpa-danta, whose female is Subha-danti. (7.) Kuvera’s at the north is Sarva-bhauma; and (8.) Soma’s elephant at the north-east is Su-pratika. The two other females are Anjana and Tamra-karni, whose spouses are doubtful. Anjanavati is sometimes assigned to Su-pratika. In the Ramayana. (1.) Indra’s eastern elephant is called Virupaksha; (2.) Varuna’s elephant at the west, Saumanasa; (3.) Yama’s at the south is maha-padma, and (4.) Kuvera’s at the north is Hima-pandara.

LOMA-HARSHANA (or Roma-harshana). A bard or pane-gyrist who first gave forth the Puranas.

LOMA-PADA (or Roma-pada). A king of Anga, chiefly remarkable for his connection with Rishya-sringa (q.v.).