Ganga

River goddess. Hindu (Puranic). Guardian deity of the Ganges. The elder daughter of HIMAVAN and MENA, she is the sister of PARVATI and the consort of VISˇNU and AGNI. She is also the second consort of SˇIVA. Ganga is regarded as a symbol of purity and is frequently depicted with Brahma washing the raised foot of VISˇNU TRIVIKRAMA.

Ekanetra (one-eyed)

Minor deity. Hindu (Epic and Puranic). One of a group of emancipated VIDYESVARAS (lords of knowledge) considered to be aspects of Sˇ IVA.

Ardhanari(svara) (the lord being half woman)

God. Hindu (Puranic). The god SˇIVA combined with his SAKTI as a single being. His attendant animal is the bull. In iconography the left side of the image is female and the right male. A tutelary deity of eunuchs in India. Attributes: (right side) blue lotus, cup, hatchet, lute, moon disc, pestle, skin, sword and trident; (left side) ax, mirror, noose, pitcher, rosary, sacred rope and trident.

Ekarudra

Minor deity. Hindu (Epic and Puranic). One of a group of emancipated VIDYESVARAS (lords of knowledge) considered to be aspects of Sˇ IVA.

Diti

Goddess. Hindu (Vedic, Epic and Puranic). The daughter of DAKSA, a consort of ADITI (in the Rg Veda) or KASYAPA and the mother of a race of demons. Attributes: blue lotus, child and fruit.

Dhatar (creator)

Sun god. Hindu (Puranic). An original Vedic list of six descendants of the goddess ADITI or Adityas, all of whom take the role of sun gods was, in later times, enlarged to twelve, including Dhatar. Color: golden. Attributes: two lotuses, lotus rosary and water jar. Also Dhatr.

Dhanvantari (traveling through an arc)

Sun god. Hindu (Vedic, Epic and Puranic). In later tradition a minor incarnation or avatara of the god VISˇNU, also closely associated with medicine.

Devaki (divine)

Mother goddess. Hindu (Epic and Puranic).

Daksa (skilled and able)

Sun god. Hindu (Vedic and Puranic). The son of BRAHMA and ADITI, he is an ADITYA and demiurge.

Chaitanya

Mendicant god. Hindu (Puranic). A deified mortal who became one of the many incarnations of the god VISˇNU. Born at Nadiya in AD 1484, he died at Puri in 1527. Chaitanya was a sickly child who, according to legend, was left to his fate, hanging in a tree to die, but was revived by the gods and thus became deified. He was married twice before adopting a strict ascetic existence at the age of twenty-four, from which time he traveled extensively, eventually settling in the holy city of Benares. He is remembered as a great social reformer. His main sanctuary at Nadiya includes a small statue of KRSNA to whom he devoted himself.