VEDANGAS (Veda + angas.) ‘Members of the Veda.’ The Shad-angas or six subjects necessary to be studied for the reading, understanding, and proper sacrificial employment of the Vedas :- 

1. Siksha Phonetics or pronunciation, embracing accents, quantity, and euphony in general.

2. Chhandas. Metre.

3. Vyakarana. Grammar. Said to be represented by Panini, but rather by older grammars culminating in his great work.

4. Nirukta. Etymology or glossary, represented by the glossary of Yaska.

5. Jyotisha. .Astronomy. Such knowledge of the heavenly bodies as was necessary for compiling a calendar fixing the days and hours suitable for the performance of Vedic sacrifices and ceremonies.

6. Kalpa. Ceremonial Rules for applying the Vedas to the performance of sacrifices. These rules are generally written in the form of Sutras or short aphorisms, and so they are known as the Kalpa-sutras or Srauta-sutras. 

VEDANTA The orthodox school of philosophy. See Darsana. 

VEDANTA-PARIBHASHA A modern text-book on the Vedanta philosophy. 

VEDANTA-SARA ‘Essence of the Vedinta.’ A short Popular work on the Vedanta philosophy. It has been translated by Ballantyne, and also by Bohtlingk, Roer, and Frank. 

VEDANTA-SUTRA The aphorisms of Badarayana on the Vedanta philosophy. They are commonly called Brahma-sutras, and a translation under that name by the Rev. K. M. Banerjee is progressing in the Bibliotheca Indica. There is a French translation by Poley. 

VEDARTHA-PRAKASA ‘Elucidation of the meaning of the Veda.’ This is the name of Sayana's great commentary on the Rig-veda. Also of a commentary on the Taittiriya Sanhita by Madhavacharya. 

VEDA VATI The 'vocal daughter' of the ltishi Kusa-dhwaja, son of Brihaspati. When Ravana was passing through a forest in the Himalaya he met with Vedavati, a damsel of great beauty dressed in ascetic garb. He fell in love and tried to win her. She told him that gods and Gandharvas had sought to woo her, but her father would give her to no one but Vishnu, whom he desired for his son-in-law. Provoked at this resolution, Sam-bhu, king of the Daityas, slew her father; but she remained firm to her father's wish, and practised austerities to gain Vishnu for her spouse. Nothing daunted, Ravana urgently pressed his suit, and boasted that he was superior to Vishnu. He then touched her hair with the tip of his finger. This greatly incensed her, and she forthwith cut off her hair, and said she would enter into the fire before his eyes, adding, "Since I have been insulted in the forest by thee who art wicked-hearted, I shall be born again for thy destruction.” So she entered the blazing fire, and celestial flowers fell all around. It was she who was born again as Sita, and was the moving cause of Ravana's death, though Rama was the agent. - Muir's Texts, ii. 498, iv. 458. 

VEDA-VYASA ‘The arranger of the Vedas.’ See Vyasa. 

VEDODAYA ‘Source of the Veda.’ An epithet of the sun as the source of the Sama-veda. 

VEGAVAT ‘Swift.’ 1. A son of Krishna. 2. A Danava who fought on the side of the Salwas against Krishna, and was killed by Samba. 

VENA Son of Anga, and a descendant of Manu Swayam-bhuva. When he became king he issued this proclamation:- “Men must not sacrifice or give gifts or present oblations. Who else but myself is the enjoyer of sacrifices, I am for ever the lord of offerings.” The sages remonstrated respectfully with him, but in vain; they admonished him in stronger terms; but when nothing availed, they slew him with blades of consecrated grass. After his death the sages beheld clouds of dust, and on inquiry found that they arose from bands of men who had taken to plundering because the country was left without a king. As Veda was childless, the sages, after consultation, rubbed the thigh (or, according to the Hari-vansa, the right arm) of the dead king to produce a son. From it there came forth “a man like a charred lost with flat face, and extremely short.” The sages told him to sit down (Nishida). He did so, and thus became a Nishada, from whom “sprang the Nishadas dwelling in the Vindhya mountains, distinguished by their wicked deeds.” The Brahmans then rubbed the right hand of Vena, and from it “sprang the majestic Prithu, Vena's son, resplendent in body, glowing like the manifested Agni.” The above is the story as told, with little variation, in the Maha-bharata, the Vishnu and Bhagavata Puranas, and the Hari-vansa. The Padma Purana says that Vena began his reign well, but fell into the Jaina heresy. For this the sages pummelled him until the first of the Nishadas came forth from his thigh and Prithu from his right arm. Being freed from sin by the birth of the Nishada, he retired to a hermitage on the Narmada, where he engaged in penance. Vishnu was thus conciliated, and granted him the boon of becoming one with himself. See Prithi. 

VENl-SANHARA ‘The binding of the braid.’ A drama by Bhatta Narayana. The plot is taken from the Maha-bharata. Draupadi, the wife of the Pandu princes, was dragged by the hair of her head into the hall of the Kauravas by Duh-sasana, and she vowed that it should remain dishevelled until the insult was avenged. After the death of the Kauravas she again braided her hair. Wilson has given an analysis of the drama. There are several editions of the text. 

VENKATA, VENKATADRI A hill which was a seat of the worship of Vishnu. It is the modern Tripati. 

VETALA A ghost or goblin; a sprite who haunts cemeteries and animates dead bodies. 

VETALA-PANCHAVINSATI The twenty-five stories of the Vetala. It is the Baital Pachisi of Hindustani, and has been translated into all the languages of India. The work is ascribed to an author named Jambhala-datta. 

VETRA VATI The river Betwa, which rises in the Vindhyas and falls into the Jumna below Kalpi. 

VlBHANDAKA Son of Kasyapa. An ascetic who retired from the world and lived in the. forest with his infant son Rishya-sringa (q.v.). A sage of this name is sometimes classed among the great Rishis. 

VIBHISHANA ‘Terrible.’ A younger brother of Ravana. He, like his brother, propitiated Brahma, and obtained a boon. His was that he should never commit an unworthy action even in the greatest extremity. He was virtuous, and opposed to the practices of the Rakshasas. This led to a quarrel between him and Ravana, who kicked him from his seat. He flew off to Kailasa, and under the advice of Siva he went and allied himself with Rama-chandra, who received and embraced him as a friend. After the defeat and death of Ravana he was raised by Rama to the throne of Lanka. 

VICHITRA-VIRYA Name of a king. See Maha-bharata. 

VIDAGDHA-MADHAVA A drama in seven acts by Rupa on the loves of Krishna and Radha, written in 1533 A.D. “It is weak as a drama, and its literary merits are small.” 

VlDARBHA Birar, and probably including with it the adjoining district of Beder, which name is apparently a corruption of Vidarbha. The capital was Kundina-pura, the modern “Kundapur,” about forty miles east of Amaravati. 

VlDDHA-SALABHANJIKA ‘The statue.’ A comedy of domestic intrigue by Raja Sekhara. It was probably written earlier than the tenth century. 

VIDEHA An ancient country, of which the capital was Mithila. It corresponds with the modem Tirhut or North Bihar. 

VIDHATRI ‘Creator.’ A name of Brahma, of Vishnu, and of Viswa-karma. 

VIDURA A son of Vyasa by a Sudra slave girl, who took the place of his consort. Vidura was called Kshattri, a term ordinary applied to the child of a Sudra father and Brahman mother. He enjoyed the character of the “wisest of the wise,” and gave good advice to both Kauravas and Pandavas, but in the war he sided with the latter. See Maha-bharata. 

VIDURA A mountain in Ceylon, probably Adam's Peak. 

VIDVAN-MODA-TARANGINl ‘Fountain of pleasure to the learned.’ A philosophical work by Rama-deva, translated into English by Raja Kali Krishna. 

VIDYA-DHARA (mas.), VIDYA-DHARI (fem.) ‘Possessors of knowledge.’ A class of inferior deities inhabiting the regions between the earth and sky, and generally of benevolent disposition. They are attendants upon Indra, but they have chiefs and kings of their own, and are represented as inter-marrying and having much intercourse with men. They are also called Kama-rupin, ‘taking shapes at will;’ Khechara and Nabhas-chara, ‘moving in the air;’ Priyam-vada, ‘sweet-spoken.’ 

VIDYARANYA, VIDYARANYA-SWAMl ‘Forest of learning.’ A title of Madhavacharya, as patron of the city of Vidya-nagara, afterwards altered to Vijaya-nagara, the capital of the last great Hindu dynasty of the Dakhin. 

VIJA-GANITA A work on algebra, translated by Cole-brooke and by Strachey. It is a chapter of the work called Siddhanta-siromani, written by Bhaskaracharya. There are several editions of the text. 

VIJAYA-NAGARA The capital of the last great Hindu dynasty of the south. It was originally called Vidya-nagara, ‘city of learning,’ after the great scholar and minister Madhavacharya, entitled Vidyaranya, ‘forest of learning.’ But in the days of its glory the Vidya was altered to Vijaya, ‘victory.’ 

VIJNANESWARA Author of the law-book called Mitakshara. 

VIKARNA A son of Dhrita-rashtra. 

VIKRAMADITYA A celebrated Hindu king who reigned at Ujjayini. He is said to have been the son of a king named Gardabhila. His name has been given to the Samvat era, commencing 57 B.C. He was a great patron of learning, and his court was made illustrious by the Nava-ratna, or nine gems of literature, who flourished there. He is a great hero of romance, and many improbable stories are told of him. His real position is uncertain. He appears to have driven out the Sakas, and to have established his authority over Northern India. He is said to have fallen in battle with his rival Salivahana, king of the Dakhin, who also has an era called Saka dating from 78 A.D. 

VIKRAMORVASI ‘The hero and the nymph.’ A celebrated drama by Kalidasa, translated in Wilson's Hindu Theatre. There are many editions and translations. See Puru-ravas. 

VIKUKSHI A king of the Solar race, who succeeded his father, Ikshwaku. He received the name of Sasada, ‘hare-eater.’ He was sent by his father to hunt and obtain flesh suitable for offerings. Being weary and hungry he ate a hare, and Vasishtha, the priest, declared that this act had defiled all the food, for what remained was but his leavings. 

VIMADA In the Rig-veda it is said the Aswins gave a bride to the youthful Vimada, and the commentator explains that Vimada had won his bride at a swayam-vara, but was stopped on the way home by his unsuccessful competitors. The Aswins came to his succour, repulsed the assailants, placed the bride in their chariot, and carried her to the home of the prince. 

VINATA A daughter of Daksha, one of the wives of Kasyapa, and mother of Garuda. According to the Bhagavata purana she was the wife of Tarkshya or Garuda. 

VINDA Vinda and Anuvinda were joint kings of Avanti, and fought in the great war. 

VINDHYA The mountains which stretch across India, and divide what Manu calls the Madhya-desa or ‘middle land,’ the land of the Hindus, from the south, that is, they divide Hindustan from the Dakhin. The mountain is personified, and according to a legend he was jealous of the Himalaya, and called upon the sun to revolve round him as he did round Meru. When the sun refused the mountain began to raise its head to obstruct that luminary, and to tower above Himalaya and Meru. The gods invoked the aid of Agastya, the spiritual guide of Vindhya. That sage called upon the mountain to bow down before him, and afford him an easy passage to and from the south. It obeyed, and Agastya passed over. But he never returned, and so the mountain remains in its humbled condition, far inferior to the Himalaya. 

VINDHYA VALI Wife of Bali the Asura. 

VINDHYA-VASINI ‘The dweller in the Vindhyas.’ The wife of Siva. See Devi.