Page 69 - Sri Canakya Niti

Glossary

structure) celibate retirement from family life in preparation for
complete renunciation.
Vana-vāsa—(lit. “living in the woods”) a euphemism for Lord
Rāma’s exile to the forest for fourteen years.
Varāha, Lord—an incarnation of Lord Viṣṇu in the form of a gigantic
boar.
Varṇāśrama—the Vedic social system of four occupational divisions
(varṇas) and four spiritual orders or stages of social involvement
(āśramas).
Vasiṣṭha—an ancient sage who was the family priest of the dynasty
of King Daśaratha.
Vedānta-sūtra—aphorisms compiled by Śrīla Vyāsadeva that
summarize the essence of Vedic knowledge.
Vedas—the four original sacred scriptures of the Vedic canon: the Ṛg
Veda, Sāma Veda, Atharva Veda and Yajur Veda.
Vidura—a great devotee of Lord Kṛṣṇa who was a senior member of
the Kuru dynasty and a brother of King Dhṛtarāṣṭra.
Viṣṇu, Lord—(lit. “one who pervades everything”) one of the most
common Sanskrit names denoting the Supreme Lord.
Viṣṇu-bhakta—a devotee of Lord Viṣṇu. See also: Vaiṣṇava.
Viṣṇudūtas—eternal associates of Lord Viṣṇu in Vaikuṇṭha who
serve as His messengers.
Viśrāma-ghāṭa—a famous bathing ghāṭa with a stone staircase on
the bank of the river Yamunā in Mathurā.

Viśvambhara—the Supreme Lord who sustains and supports
everything.
Viśvāmitra—a celebrated ancient sage whose determination in
performing austerities frightened even Lord Indra, the king of heaven.
Viśvanātha Cakravartī—a great ācārya of the Gauḍīya sampradāya
in the seventeenth century.
Viśvanātha Mandira—the main temple of Lord Śiva in Vārāṇasī.

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