A Concise Encyclopedia of Hinduism Klaus K Klostermaie
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29 a•flamürti<br />
(a)<br />
(b)<br />
(c)<br />
(d)<br />
The four stages <strong>of</strong> life: a. Brahmacarya (early youth),<br />
b. Garhasthya (life <strong>of</strong> householder); c. Vänaprastha (life in forest);<br />
d. Samnyäsa (life <strong>of</strong> renunciation).<br />
A•flädhyäyï<br />
(‘eight chapters’)<br />
Title <strong>of</strong> the celebrated SANSKRIT grammar<br />
by PÄŒINÏ (6th century BCE?) which<br />
has been hailed as one <strong>of</strong> the greatest<br />
intellectual achievements <strong>of</strong> all times. In<br />
it Päæinï attempts to reduce the entire<br />
Sanskrit language to about 800 roots<br />
and their derivations, governed by<br />
about 4,000 rules. Päæinï’s grammar<br />
became the standard for classical<br />
Sanskrit.<br />
a•fläk•ara (‘eight syllables’)<br />
The famous mantra: Om Namah<br />
Näräyanäya, repeated thrice daily by<br />
many VAIÆŒAVAS to obtain liberation.<br />
(See also MANTRA (3).)<br />
a•fla-maögala<br />
(‘eight auspicious objects’)<br />
These are required for important <strong>of</strong>ficial<br />
occasions. Their composition<br />
varies; one list mentions lion, bull, elephant,<br />
water-jar, fan, flag, trumpet,<br />
lamp; another has brahmin, crow, fire,<br />
gold, ghi, sun, water, king.<br />
a•flamürti<br />
(‘eightfold image’)<br />
The presence <strong>of</strong> ŸIVA in the five elements,<br />
the sun, the moon and in sentient<br />
beings, associated with the eight names<br />
<strong>of</strong> Ÿiva under which he is worshipped<br />
(RUDRA, ŸARVA, PAŸUPATI, Ugra, A•ani,<br />
BHAVA, MAHÄDEVA, ÏŸÄNA)
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