Vaiśvānara

views updated

Vaiśvānara (Skt., ‘relating to all people’). An epithet of Agni (fire). Agni Vaiśvānara is regarded as the author of Ṛg Veda 10. 79 and 80. He represents the fire of digestion.

The term is then applied in Vedānta to the waking state of human beings, one of the four states, the others being deep sleep, dreaming, and sublimity (turīya).

More From encyclopedia.com