A Concise Encyclopedia of Hinduism Klaus K Klostermaie

Veökafleÿvara 202
Veökafleÿvara
(‘Lord of Veökafla’)
A title of Vi•æu as worshipped in
TIRUPATI, situated on the Veökafla hill.
vetäla
A ghost or goblin, which especially
haunts cemeteries, animating dead
bodies. (See also BHÜTA; PRETA.)
vibhava
The appearance (of Vi•æu) in a visible,
bodily form (like an avatära).
Vibhï•aæa (‘terrible’)
The younger brother of RÄVAŒA, a virtuous
man opposed to the activities of
the RÄKŸASAS. He became an ally of
Räma and was made king of Laökä
after Rävaæa’s death.
vibhuti
Miraculous powers, dealt with in a section
of the YOGA-SÜTRAS. It is also used to
designate the ash-like substance forming
on pictures of SATHYA SÄÏ BÄBÄ, which is
said to have miraculous properties.
Vicitra-vïrya
A king who plays a major role in the
Mahäbhärata.
vidhi
(‘injunction’, ‘command’)
According to MÏMÄßSA only that part
of the Veda is authoritative that gives
injunctions with regard to things to be
done, the rest being mere ‘eulogy’
(arthaväda).
Vidura
The son of VYÄSA by a slave girl, called
‘the wisest of the wise’, adviser to both
PÄŒ¥AVAS and KAURAVAS, and ally of
Päæõavas in the Great War. (See also
MAHÄBHÄRATA.)
vidyä (‘knowledge’, ‘wisdom’)
According to the Upani•ads the highest
aim of life and the only means to find
full emancipation from SAßSÄRA. It arises
from discrimination (viveka) between
the eternal self and the transient world
of the senses. Indian philosophers have
developed diverse interpretations of its
meaning and its acquisition.
Vidyäbhü•ana Baladeva
(18th century)
A follower of the CAITANYA school,
author of a commentary on the
Brahmasütras from a Caitanyite perspective,
the Govinda Bhä•ya.
Vidyäpati (1400–1507)
Poet, author of the celebrated Gïtagovinda
extolling the love between
RÄDHÄ and KØÆŒA.
Vidyäraæya
See MÄDHAVA.
Vijaya-nagara (‘city of victory’)
The last Hindu state in India, founded in
1336 by Harihara and Bukka,
MÄDHAVA becoming the first prime minister.
It covered a large area on the
Deccan, up to modern Cennai (Madras).
Its capital was beautified through many
temples, the largest and most famous
being the Virupak•a, sacred to Ÿiva.
Sixteenth-century European travellers
described it as the richest kingdom in
Asia and its capital comparable in size to
Rome. The räyas of Vijayanagara were
patrons of Tamil, Telugu and Kanarese
poetry and encouraged Sanskrit studies.
They fully supported orthodox
Brahminism and the revival of Vedic
animal (and human) SACRIFICES. Muslim
forces conquered and destroyed the city
in 1565. The remnants of the rulers of
Vijayanagara moved to Chandragiri and
the empire disintegrated.