Ashvapati king of Kekaya, father of Kaikeyī
Ashvins divine twins who symbolize sunrise and sunset; they bring treasures to men and avert misfortune and sickness (Ashvin in Sanskrit)
astra missile, weapon
asura negative force of nature
Atharva one of the four Vedas
atibala that which surpasses strength
Atikāya son of Rāvana
Ātmā Self, pure consciousness, pure awareness (in Sanskrit, Ātmā is the nominative form of Ātman)
Atri one of seven great Rishis who lived in the forest
Avindhya minister of Rāvana
Ayodhyā capital city of Kosala, where King Dasharatha ruled (Ayodhyā means “invincible” or “unassailable”)
bala strength
bāla boy, youth
Bālī brother of Sugrīva, son of Indra
Bhadra minister of Rāma
bhara bearing back (to the Self)
Bharadvāja great seer who was a disciple of Vālmīki
Bharata younger brother of Rāma who ruled the kingdom in his absence
Brahmā deity responsible for creation; the Creator; he is said to have created the universe from his mind; his consort is Sarasvatī
Brahma Loka highest heaven, the realm of Brahmā, the Creator
Brahman wholeness, totality
Brahmin teacher and scholar (brāhmana in Sanskrit)
Brihaspati one of the powers of nature, the guru of the Devas
Budha the planet Mercury
Chaitraratha garden of Kubera, cultivated by the Gandharva Chitraratha
Chandra moon
Chandramā moon
chārana celestial singer
Chitrakūta beautiful mountain in the forest where Rāma, Sītā, and Lakshmana lived during the first months of exile
crore a unit in the Indian numbering system equal to ten million
Dadhimukha maternal uncle of Sugrīva and the guard of Madhuvana, the royal garden of Kishkindhā
Dandaka vast forest where Rāma was exiled for fourteen years
Danu Gandharva who was freed from his rākshasa body as Kabandha
darbha a type of grass
Dasharatha King of Kosala and father of Rāma
Deva positive force of nature, celestial being, a god or goddess
Devāntaka one of Rāvana’s sons
Devī positive force of nature, a goddess
Dhanvantari physician of the Devas
Dharma Natural Law, truth, right action, natural duty, the invincible power of nature that upholds life, maintaining evolution on every level, including personal evolution
Dhūmrāksha general in Rāvana’s army
Diti mother of the demon race (opposite of Aditi)
dundubhi a type of earth drum formed by hollowing out the earth and covering it with the skin of an animal; deep-throated drum from ancient India
Dūshana general in Rāvana’s army, brother of Rāvana
Ekajatā one of the rākshasīs who taunted Sītā
Gandhamādana one of King Sugrīva’s army chiefs
Gandharva celestial musician, celestial singer
Gandharva Veda aspect of Sanskrit literature concerned with music
Ganesha “leader of the ganas”; son of Shiva and Pārvatī; Deva who has the head of an elephant, Ganesha removes obstacles and brings good fortune
Gangā River Ganges; one of the seven sacred rivers
Garuda king of the birds; the conveyance for Lord Vishnu
Gautama sage and husband of Ahalyā
Gavāksha one of King Sugrīva’s monkey chiefs
Gavaya one of King Sugrīva’s monkey chiefs
Godāvarī river in the Dandaka Forest near Panchavatī; one of the seven sacred rivers
Gomatī river near Ayodhyā
graha planet
Guha chief of a neighboring tribe, friend of Rāma’s
guru teacher
Guru the planet Jupiter
Hanumān vānara (celestial being in the form of a monkey) who was the devoted servant of Rāma and Sītā; his name means “the one with the fractured jaw”
Hemā nymph who lived in the Rikshabila Cave with Svayamprabhā
Himālaya abode of snow, the great snowcapped mountain range of northern India
Hiranyagarbha golden womb of creation, the sun
Ikshvāku family of the solar dynasty from which Rāma descended
Indra king of the Devas
Indrajit Rāvana’s eldest son who used conjuring tricks to vanquish Indra, the king of the Devas; also called “Meghnāda”
ingudī a tree native to the Indian subcontinent having edible and medicinal uses for the bark, fruit, and seed; in English known as the soapberry tree or desert date
Itihāsa history; the aspect of Sanskrit literature containing the two great epics, the Rāmāyana and the Mahābhārata
Jāmbavān chief of the bears, son of Lord Brahmā
Jambumālī warrior for Rāvana and son of Prahasta
Jamunā one of the seven sacred rivers
Janaka famous king of Videha, father of Sītā
Jānakī Sītā, daughter of King Janaka, wife of Rāma
Janasthāna area in the Dandaka Forest where Rāma single-handedly killed fourteen thousand rākshasas
Jatāyu ancient vulture who tried to rescue Sītā
Kabandha giant rākshasa who was really a Gandharva named Danu
Kaikasī Rāvana’s mother
Kaikeyī favorite queen of King Dasharatha, mother of Bharata
Kailāsa sacred mountain in the Himālayas where Shiva and Pārvatī dwell, as well as Kubera
Kalā eldest daughter of Vibhīshana
Kāla time, a messenger of death
kalpa-vriksha wish-fulfilling tree, located in Indra’s garden
Kāma pleasure, enjoyment; one of the four aims of life
kānda chapter; book
Kandu sage who lived in the forest
karma action, the result of action
Kashyapa a great Rishi
Kausalyā first queen of King Dasharatha, mother of Rāma (later called Kaushalyā)
Kekaya birth kingdom of Kaikeyī
Kesarī monkey who is the husband of Anjanā, the mother of Hanumān
Khara general in Rāvana’s army, brother of Rāvana
Kishkindhā vānara (celestial monkey) kingdom ruled by Bālī and then Sugrīva
kokila black cuckoo bird
Kosala kingdom ruled by King Dasharatha (also called “Koshala”)
krauncha bird (Sarus Crane) that inspired Vālmīki to cognize the Rāmāyana
Kshatriya warrior or administrator
Kubera god of wealth and guardian of the northerly direction, half brother of Rāvana
Kumbha son of Kumbhakarna
Kumbhakarna Rāvana’s younger brother, a giant demon
kusha sacred grass used at yagyas and other ceremonies
Kusha son of Rāma and Sītā
Lakshmana devoted brother of Rāma
Lakshmī the goddess responsible for good fortune, wealth, beauty, success, and charm. She is the consort of Vishnu and incarnated as Sītā.
Lankā “beautiful city,” the island kingdom where Rāvana ruled
Lava son of Rāma and Sītā
linga stone that signifies Shiva
madhuparka a traditional offering of yogurt, clarified butter, honey, and coconut milk
Madhuvana honey-sweetened royal garden of Kishkindhā
Mahābhārata one of the two great epics of India
Mahāpārshva Rāvana’s younger brother
Mahārāja great king
Mahendra mountain by the sea where Hanumān
began his leap and returned after burning Lankā
Maheshvara Shiva
Mahodara brother and minister of Rāvana
Mahodaya mountain in the Himālayas with medicinal herbs
Maināka highest mountain in the ocean, offered rest to Hanumān
Makarāksha son of Khara, nephew of Rāvana
Malaya mountain near Lankā
Mālyavān Rāvana’s maternal grandfather
Mandākinī sacred river near Chitrakūta Mountain
Mandara sacred mountain used for churning the ocean at the beginning of time (also called Mandāra)
Māndavī wife of Bharata, niece of King Janaka
Mandodarī favorite wife of Rāvana
Mangala the planet Mars
Mantharā elderly servant of Kaikeyī who convinced her to demand Rāma’s banishment
mantra Vedic sound used to take the awareness inward to experience pure consciousness; verse from Sanskrit literature often employed in yagyas
Manu first king of the solar dynasty; founder of the city of Ayodhyā; the progenitor of the human race
Manu Smriti law book, code of conduct, also known as the “Laws of Manu”
Mārīcha demon who could perform magic, and disguised himself as a golden deer to help Rāvana abduct Sītā
Mātali charioteer of Indra
Matanga guru of Shabarī, also the name of the woods where he lived
Maya demon who gave Rāvana a magical javelin
Māyāvī the asura who fought with Bāli in the cave
Meru sacred mountain in the center of the Himālayas
Mithilā capital city of Videha, where King Janaka ruled
Moksha the state of enlightenment associated with complete freedom, liberation
Mount Mandara See Mandara
nakshatra star cluster
Nala monkey who built Rāma’s bridge, son of Vishvakarman
Nalasetu the bridge built by Nala and the monkey army to span the ocean between India and Lankā
nāmakarana naming ceremony for a child
Nandana garden in heaven that belongs to Indra
Nandigrāma village east of Ayodhyā from which Bharata ruled the kingdom during Rāma’s exile
Nārada sage famous for traveling throughout the cosmos playing his vīnā
Narāntaka son of Rāvana
Nikumbha son of Kumbhakarna
Nikumbhilā grove near the western gate of Lankā used for sacrificial rites by Indrajit
Nīla chief of the monkey army, son of Agni
Nishākara sage who lived in the Vindhya Mountains
nyagrodha banyan tree; related to the fig tree
Pampā lake next to Mount Rishyamūka
Panchavatī grove in the forest where Rāma and Sītā lived near the end of their exile
pandit learned scholar who performs yagyas and chants the Vedas (pandita in Sanskrit)
Paramātmā the supreme Self
Pārvatī deity who is one of the consorts of Shiva; daughter of the Himālaya
pāyasa mixture of milk, rice, and sugar that was given by Agni to King Dasharatha, who then gave it to his three wives as part of the yagya for gaining children
Praghasa warrior in Rāvana’s army
Prahasta commander in chief and eldest warrior in Rāvana’s army, also a minister to Rāvana
Prajāpati lord of creatures, the sun
Prasravana mountain where Rāma and Lakshmana waited for Sugrīva during the rainy season
prithivī earth
Pulastya ancient Rishi, son of Brahmā, grandfather of Rāvana
Purusha universal Being, the unbounded Self
Pūshan sun
Pushpaka Rāvana’s aerial chariot, originally created by Vishvakarman and stolen by Rāvana from his half brother Kubera, the god of wealth
rāga melody, song
Raghu an illustrious king of the Ikshvaku dynasty; Rāma’s great-grandfather, thus Rāma is known as Rāghava
Rāhu ascending node of the moon; known as the head of the dragon, Rāhu sometimes devours the sun or the moon, causing an eclipse
rājā king
rākshasa demon
rākshasī demoness
Rāma hero of the Rāmāyana, son of King Dasharatha, husband of Sītā
Rāma Charita Mānasa a sixteenth-century Hindi version of the Rāmāyana by Goswāmi Tulsīdās
Rāmachandra nickname for Rāma, because he was radiant like Chandra, the full moon
Rāmāyana story of Rāma, one of the two great epics of India
rāshi sign of the zodiac
Rāvana ten-headed rākshasa who ruled Lankā and stole Sītā; son of the sage Vishravā and grandson of Rishi Pulastya; his mother was the rākshasa Kaikasī
Rik first of the four Vedas, Rik Samhitā
Rikshabila beautiful cave that detained Hanumān and the other monkeys
Rishabha one of the monkey generals; a mountain in the Himālayas
Rishi seer, sage; custodian and teacher of Vedic knowledge who guides the people
Rishyamūka mountaintop where Sugrīva lived
Rishyashringa the youthful seer who performed the Ashvamedha Yagya to bestow children on King Dasharatha
Rohinī consort of the moon, the ninth constellation of stars
Rūmā wife of Sugrīva
Sagara an ancestor of Rāma whose sixty thousand sons hollowed out the ocean and created a home for Sāgara, the lord of the ocean
Sāgara lord of the ocean
Sāma one of the four Vedas
samādhi transcendental consciousness, pure consciousness, the state of Yoga
Sampāti vulture, the older brother of Jatāyu
Saramā demoness who guarded Sītā and soothed her
Sārana spy for Rāvana
Sarasvatī consort of Brahmā, goddess of learning and music
Sarayu river circling Ayodhyā in the kingdom of Kosala (later spelled Sarayū)
Savitri sun
Shabarī woman saint who waited years to greet Rāma and Lakshmana
Shani Saturn
Sharabhanga sage who lived in the forest
Shārdūla spy for Rāvana
Shatabali one of the monkey generals
Shatrughna brother of Rāma
Shiva known as “the auspicious one,” the deity responsible for destruction and reproduction; associated with silence, kindness, and benevolence, he is traditionally represented in the form of a linga; one of his consorts is Pārvatī
shloka meter, verse (four lines with eight syllables each)
shoka suffering
Shrī title of honor—as in Shrī Rāma; at other times refers to light, grace, beauty, and the goddess Lakshmī
Shrutakīrti wife of Shatrughna, niece of King Janaka
Shuka Rāvana’s minister and spy
Shukra Venus
Shūrpanakhā demoness, sister of Rāvana
siddha perfected being
Simhikā demoness who captured her prey by first seizing its shadow
Sītā daughter of King Janaka, wife of Rāma
soma ambrosia of immortality, the juice used in performing a yagya; the moon
Sthūlashirā sage who cursed the Gandharva Danu
Sugrīva leader of the monkeys, son of the sun
Sumantra charioteer, friend, and chief minister of King Dasharatha
Sumitrā queen of King Dasharatha, mother of the twins Lakshmana and Shatrughna
sundara beautiful
Supārshva minister to Rāvana
Surasā mother of the serpents, tried to stop Hanumān from crossing the ocean
Sūrya sun
Sushena grandfather of Angada, monkey general, Āyurvedic doctor
/> Sutīkshna sage who lived in the forest
Suvela mountain nearest to Lankā
Svayamprabhā sage who lived with Hemā in the Rikshabila Cave as her guardian
svayamvara a royal wedding in which the royal princess could choose her spouse; in the Rāmāyana, the spouse of Sītā had to first string Shiva’s bow
Tamasā river near Vālmīki’s āshram
tapas austerity, meditation; spiritual practice
Tāra general in the monkey army
Tārā wife of Bāli, Sugrīva’s brother
Tātakā demoness in the Dandaka Forest killed by Rāma
tilaka colorful ornamental mark placed in the center of the forehead
Trijatā demoness who guarded Sītā and soothed her
Trikūta three-peaked mountain on which Lankā was built
triloka the three worlds: heaven (svarloka), earth (mrityuloka), and the underworld (pātālaloka)
Trishiras son of Rāvana
Ūrmilā wife of Lakshmana, younger sister of Sītā
Ushas dawn
Uttara concluding, later, following
Vajradamshtra warrior in Rāvana’s army
Vālmīki composer of the Rāmāyana who is also a sage in the Rāmāyana
Vāmadeva Rishi
vānara the race of monkeylike celestial beings inhabiting the kingdom of Kishkindhā
Vanjulaka considered an inauspicious bird in ancient texts; in English, the black-necked grebe
Varādha giant rākshasa who lived in the forest
Varuna water, one of the powers of nature
Vasishtha guru to Rāma and the entire kingdom of Kosala
Vāyu wind or air, one of the powers of nature, father of Hanumān
Veda Knowledge; traditionally Veda is not a collection of man-made texts, but is cognized within consciousness; the “Vedas” sometimes refers to the four Vedas: Rik, Sāma, Yajur, and Atharva Veda; and sometimes refers to the Vedic literature as a whole.
Vedānga section of the Sanskrit literature, there are six Vedāngas: Shikshā, Kalpa, Vyākarana, Nirukta, Chhandas, and Jyotisha
Vibhīshana virtuous brother and minister of Rāvana
Videha kingdom ruled by King Janaka
Vidyujjihva demon magician
Vidyunmālī warrior in Rāvana’s army
vijaya victory, a particular hour of the day
vīnā stringed instrument that resembles the sitār
Vinata general in the monkey army
vinda particular hour of the day; hour for finding, gaining, recovering
Vindhya low mountain range in the south of India
The Ramayana Page 42