Adhivanga to Adhvaryu

Adhivanga

            Adhivanga was a holy place in the Epic Age. It was a forest retreats for hermits somewhere near the river Gandaki or one of its tributaries.

Adhokshaja

            Adhokshaja is one of the names of Vishnu. As Krishna was believed to be an incarnate of Vishnu, he too was called Adhokshaja.

Adhrishya (invisible)

            Adhrishya was the name of one of the rivers of India in the Epic Age. It is mentioned in the list of rivers narrated by Sanjaya to Dhritarashtra in the Bhishma Parva of the epic.

Adhvaryu (one who desires a sacrifice)

            Adhvaryus were a class of priests during the Vedic and Epic Ages. They were the reciters of hymns from the Yajur Veda and the most active among the four classes of priests who officiated over sacrifices. Adhvaryus were responsible for surveying and preparing the sacrificial ground, designing and building the altars for the sacrifice,  preparing and securing the cooking utensils, cooking offerings for the sacrifice, and gathering water, wood and animals for the sacrifice. As a priest, an adhvaryu would constantly be on the move, assisted by three classes of priest called the pratiprathatras, nestris and unnetris.