A Concise Encyclopedia of Hinduism Klaus K Klostermaie

61 Durgä
donkey
An animal that was not considered fit for
Vedic sacrifice because it lacked MEDHA.
Draupadï
Daughter of King Drupada and wife of
the five Päæõava brothers. A major figure
in the MAHÄBHÄRÄTA. Her humiliation
by the KAURAVAS eventually
brought about the great war.
Dräviõa (1)
South India, where Dravidian (non-
Sanskritic) languages are spoken
(Tamil, Tulu, Telugu, Malayalam) and
everything connected with it.
Dräviõa (2)
South Indian style of architecture.
Durgä (‘difficult of access’)
A name of the Goddess (DEVÏ), especially
in her fierce form. Seen either as one
of the forms of PÄRVATÏ, the consort of
Ÿiva, or as the combined ŸAKTI of all the
deities, she is one of the major figures in
the Hindu pantheon. In her role as
Mahi•amärdiæï (slayer of the buffalo
demon), Durgä is honoured every year
during Durgäpüjä as the saviour of the
world from evil. Durgä celebrations are
especially elaborate in Bengal, where
her images are set up in homes and public
places and worshipped for a period
of nine days (Navarätrï).
Arjuna has a vision of Durgä the
night before the battle and invokes her
at the beginning of the Great War. The
major text dealing with Durgä is the
Devïmähätmya of the MÄRKAŒ¥EYA
PURÄŒA.
Dräviõa Prabandham
Collection of (Tamil) hymns composed
by the Ä®VÄRS, especially by
NAMMÄ®VÄR, undertaken by NÄfiHA
MUNÏ and considered on par with the
VEDA in worship; the ‘Tamil Veda’.
Drona (‘bucket’)
A brahmin who according to legend
was generated by his father,
BHÄRADVÄJA, in a bucket. He was the
teacher of military arts to both the
PÄŒ¥AVAS and the KAURAVAS. In the
Great War he sided with the Kauravas
and, in spite of being a brahmin,
became commander-in-chief after
Bhï•ma’s death. He was killed by
Dø•fladyumna, Drupada’s son, whom
Drona had slain earlier in battle. (See
also Mahäbhärata.)
Dø•advatï
River referred to in the Øgveda, constituting
the eastern and southern border
of BRAHMÄVARTA.
The goddess Durgä riding on her
vahana (vehicle), the lion.