A Concise Encyclopedia of Hinduism Klaus K Klostermaie

97 Kautsa
Käÿï
See VÄRÄŒASÏ.
Käÿïkhaæõa
Part of the Skanda Puräæa, giving a
detailed description of Ÿiva temples in
and around VÄRÄŒASÏ.
Kaÿyapa (‘tortoise’)
One of the seven Vedic ØÆIS who married
Aditi and twelve other daughters of
DAKÆA. He is the father of Indra as well
as of Vivasvat, whose son was MANU
(2). He is also believed to be the forefather
of nägas (serpents), demons, birds,
reptiles, and all kinds of living things.
He is often called PRAJÄPATI, progenitor.
Kaflha Upani•ad
One of the principal UPANIÆADS, famous
for its teaching that liberating knowledge
cannot be earned or acquired, but is
freely given by the Supreme to the ‘elect’.
Kathä-sarit-sägara
(‘ocean of rivers of stories’)
A very large collection of tales by
Somadeva Bhaflfla of Kashmir (early
12th century).
Kätyäyana
(fourth century BCE?)
Famous grammarian, author of Värttika,
which provides supplementary rules to
PÄŒINÏ’s A•flädhyayï. He is also the
author of the Kätyäyana Ÿrauta Sütras.
Kaula
The highest rank in TANTRA (2), a practitioner
of the Kula-äcära, one who has
overcome all inhibitions based on conventional
distinctions.
Kaundiæya
An ancient sage and grammarian. He
was saved from the anger of Ÿiva, whom
he had offended, by Vi•æu’s intervention
and was then known as Vi•æugupta,
‘protected by Vi•æu’.
kaupina
A piece of cloth covering the private
parts, tied around the initiate by his
GURU as part of DÏKÆÄ.
Kauravas
Descendants of Kuru. Kuru was the son
of Saƒvara and Taptï. The Kauravas
were the sons of DHØTARÄÆfiRA and
opponents of the PÄŒ¥AVAS in the Great
War. (See also MAHÄBHÄRATA.)
Kauÿalya
(‘belonging to the Koÿala clan’)
A patronymic of several famous women
such as the mothers of JANAMEJAYA,
RÄMA, DHØTARÄÆfiRA and PÄŒ¥U.
Kauÿïtakï (1)
A branch of the ØGVEDA.
Kauÿïtakï (2)
A BRÄHMAŒA, an ÄRAŒYAKA and an
UPANIÆAD.
Kaustubha
A famous jewel obtained by the gods
from the CHURNING OF THE OCEAN and
worn on the chest by Vi•æu or Kø•æa.
Kauflilya
See CÄ¢AKYA.
Kautsa
Author of Nirukta, an early etymological
lexicon of obscure words in the
Veda, one of the VEDÄŒGAS. He considered
the Vedas as meaningless and the
Brähmaæas wrong.