Hindu Deities and Epics

Matsya (the fish) was the first avatar of Lord Vishnu, appearing in the Satya Yuga to save humanity from a great flood. In order: Matsya, Kurma (Koorma), Varaha, Narasimha, Vamana, Parashurama, Rama, Krishna, Balarama/Buddha, Kalki.

Lord Rama belonged to the Tretayuga (also spelled Thretayuga), the second yuga in the cycle of four yugas. The order is Satya Yuga, Treta Yuga, Dwapara Yuga, and Kali Yuga. Rama appeared before the Mahabharata war of Dwapara Yuga.

Pushpaka Vimana was the legendary flying chariot of Ravana, capable of traveling anywhere and accommodating unlimited passengers. After Ravana's defeat, it was returned to its original owner, Kubera. Garuda is Vishnu's mount, Hanuman is a deity, and Akasha Ratham is a generic term meaning 'sky chariot'.

Mohini is the female avatar of Lord Vishnu, which he assumed to distribute amrita (nectar of immortality) and to entice demons during the churning of the ocean. Lakshmi is Vishnu's consort, not his form. Surabhi is the divine cow, and Parvati is Shiva's consort.

Mallikarjuna (Shiva) and Bhramaramba (Parvati) are the presiding deities of the Srisailam temple in Andhra Pradesh, one of the 12 Jyotirlingas. The specific names are important - this is not just any Shiva-Parvati pairing. Bhramaramba means 'queen of bees'.

In the Mahabharata, Karna received the kavacha (armor) and Kundala (earrings) as birth gifts from his father Surya, the sun-god. These divine accessories made him nearly invincible in battle. The other options are Karna's brothers (Nakula, Arjuna) or nephew (Abhimanyu).

Kalki, the tenth and future avatar of Vishnu in Hindu eschatology, is prophesied to appear at the end of the Kali Yuga riding a white horse named Devadatta. This is well-documented in Hindu Puranic texts. The other options are vehicles of other deities: elephant (Indra), bull (Shiva), and peacock (Kartikeya/Murugan).

Guha is the boatman who helps Rama cross the Ganges river during his exile from Ayodhya. He is a Nishada (tribal) king and a devoted follower of Rama. This incident occurs when Rama, Sita, and Lakshmana are leaving Ayodhya after Rama's banishment. Guha's devotion and assistance are memorable moments showing Rama's connection with common people.

When Ravana was abducting Sita and flying her to Lanka, the vulture king Jatayu fought bravely to save her. Jatayu attacked Ravana's chariot and tried to rescue Sita, but Ravana defeated him and left him wounded. Sambathi was Jatayu's brother. Hanuman helped later in Lanka. Mareecha was the golden deer who distracted Rama.

Kaikasi (also known as Kaikesi) is the mother of Ravana in the Ramayana epic. She was the wife of the sage Vishrava and gave birth to Ravana, Vibhishana, Kumbhakarna, and Shurpanakha. Mandodhari was Ravana's wife, while Kaikeyi was Dasharatha's wife from a different context in the Ramayana.

Rama lived during the Treta Yuga (also spelled Thretha Yuga), which is the second of the four Yugas in Hindu cosmology. According to traditional dating, this was the age before Dwapara Yuga (when Krishna lived) and Kali Yuga (the current age). Krita Yuga (Satya Yuga) was the first age, before Treta.

Kesari is Hanuman's biological (vaanara) father in the Ramayana. Hanuman was born to Kesari and Anjani. However, Hanuman is also considered the spiritual son of Vayu (the wind god), who played a role in his birth and blessed him with his powers. Jambava was a bear king, Angatha was a vanara warrior, and neither was Hanuman's father.