TOTA PURI, a nineteenth century monk, was the preceptor of Sri Ramakrishna Paramhansa whom he initiated into sannyasa. Little is known about his early life except that he hailed from the Punjab. He was born presumably of a Sikh family. Tota was his monastic name and Puri the name

BANARASI, MATA, grandmother of Guru Nanak and mother of Baba Kalu or Kalian Rai, was the wife of Shiv Ram, resident of Talvandi Rai Bhoi Ki, now called Nankana Sahib. She was the mother of two sons, Kalu and Lalu. See SHIV RAM, BABA

BUTALA, a village 7 km northeast of Baba Bakala (31°34`N, 75°16`E) in Amritsar district of the Punjab, is sacred to Guru Hargobind who, according to local tradition, visited here on 15 Phagun 1665 Bk/10 February 1609. The inhabitants of Butala, with the exception of an old lady and her

DULEEP SINGH, MAHARAJA (1838-1893), the last Sikh sovereign of the Punjab, was born at Lahore on 6 September 1838, the youngest son of Maharaja Ranjit Singh. On 18 September 1843, at the age of five, he was, after the murder of Maharaja Sher Singh, proclaimed Maharaja of the Punjab

DASRATH (JASRATH) (Guru Ramdas) was like Rama, the beautiful chief of the dan of Raghu and son of Dasrath..... (Swayye Mahle Chauthe Ke, p. 1401) My king Raja Ramchand, the son of Jasrath (Dasrath)—His Name, says Namdev, be drunk as the essence and ambrosia. (Ramkali Namdev, p. 973) Dasrath,

DHRU, DHU (DHRUVA) The Lord gave all the comforts to Sudama and the permanent status to Dhu (Dhruva), which could not be averted till to-day. (Maru Namdev, p. 1105) Dhu (Dhruva) attained permanent status by remembering the Lord and obtained the state of Pearlessness..... (Sorath M. 9, p. 632)

GARUDA Whose master is the light of the world (i.e. the sun), and whose relative (brotner) is Garuda, the king of the birds,that Aruna is crippled because of his past actions. (Dhanasari Trilochan, p. 695) Govind (The Lord) came riding on Garuda, producing music of the wings (of Garuda).

JAMADAGNI Parasrama, the son of Jamadagni, who was divested to his hand\'s axe and powers by Kaghuvira, sings the divine praises of Guru Nanak Dev. (Swayye M. Pahle Ke, p. 1389) Because of the wickednéss of Kshatriya kings, the mother Earth made representation to Brahma. She was tåken to

JASODA (YASODA) O Lord! Thou of Lotus-eyes, of Sweet Words, with whom million of companions look elegant, whom the mother Jasoda asks to eat cunry and rice..... (Swayye Mahle Chauthe Ke, p. 1402) Jasoda (Yasoda) was the foster-mother of Krishna and wifé of the cowherd Nanda. See : Krishna

MAI-POTRE, meaning grandsons of an old woman, is the name given to a group of families residing in Goindval. These families were the descendants of a goldsmith couple blessed by Guru Amar Das. It is said that the couple, advancing in years, had no offspring. Despaired of the gift of

NANAKI, MATA (d. 1678), mother of Guru Tegh Bahadur, was born to Hari Chand and Hardei, a well to do Khatri couple of Bakala, in the present district of Amritsar. She was married to Guru Hargobind in April 1613. Tegh Bahadur, the youngest of the five sons of Guru Hargobind,

RANJIT NAGARA, lit. the drum of victory in battlefield, was the name given the kettledrum installed by Guru Gobind Singh at Anandpur in 1684. Nagdrd, Punjabi for the Persian naqqdrah meaning a kettledrum, was a symbol of royalty. As well as fulfilling his spiritual office, Guru Gobind Singh had, like