He was one of the eleven rudras born from Brahma’s son Sthanu. According to Mahabharata Adiparva Chapter 66 verse 2, the others were Mrigavyaadha, Nirriti, Ahirbudhnya, Pinaki, Sarpa, Dahana, Ishvara, Kapali, Bharga and Sthanu. However, the Vishnupurana Ansh 1 Chapter 5 names Hara, Bahurupa, Trayambaka, Aparajita, Vrishakapi, Shambhu, Kapardi, Raivata, Mrigavyaadha, Sharva and Kapali as the eleven rudras.

Ajeya was a king in ancient India. According to Mahabharata Adiparva Chapter 1 verse 234, Ajeya was among those mentioned when Sanjaya described to Dhritarashtra the various kings who had been endowed with divine weapons, and were akin to the devas in terms of stature and sense of justice.

Also known as Richika. Ajigarta was a greedy brahmin.

The king Harishchandra was childless and prayed to Varuna. Varuna blessed that he would have a child soon, but the condition was that Harishchandra would have to sacrifice the child to Varuna soon. After the son was born, Harishchandra was reluctant to give his son away. Vishwamitra advised him to buy another boy and sacrifice him instead. As per this advice, Harishchandra sent his minister to buy a boy. Ajigarta was a poor but greedy brahmin who lived in Ayodhya, and had three sons. The minister came across Ajigarta and asked him if he would sell one of the boys for a hundred cows. Ajigarta realised that he would never have another chance to amass such wealth in so short a time, and therefore sold his son Shunashefa, according to Devibhagavata Skandas 7,8. For the remaining story, see Shunashefa.

See Shakavarsha

Antecedents: Vishnu – Brahma – Marichi – Kashyapa – Vaivasvatamanu – Uttanapada – Dhruva – Shishti – Ripu – Chakshusha – Manu – Uru – Anga – Vena – Pridhu – Antardhana – Havirdhana – Ajina.

Pridhu had two sons named Antardhana and Vadi. Antardhana and Shikhandini had a child named Havirdhana. According to Vishnupurana Ansh 1 Chapter 14, Havirdhana’s wife was Dhishana and they had six sons – Prachinabarhis, Shukra, Gaya, Krishna, Vajra, Ajina.

The Bhagavata quotes him as an example of it being possible for the vilest of men to achieve Vishnuloka. Ajamila lived in Kanyakubja and was once asked by his father to fetch wood from the forest. Ajamila saw a beautiful shudra woman there, forgot he was a brahmin, and married her. They had many children. When he turned 87, he realised it was time for him to die, and even started seeing Yama’s henchmen. He started calling his eldest son Narayana. Vishnu appeared and drove Yama’s henchmen away. From that day on, Ajamila became a staunch Vishnu devotee. According to Bhagavata Ashtamaskanda Chapter 1, he bathed in the Ganga, meditated and in a few years, attained moksha.

According to Mahabharata Udyogaparva Chapter 74 verse 14, he was a king born in an illustrious vansh.

According to Kathasaitasagara Ratnaprabhalambaka Taranga 6, Tapanta, a minister at the court of king Vatsa told him a story about Ajara, to show how a man’s deeds in his previous births will follow him into his next birth too.

Once there was a king named Vinayasheela who ruled Shrikrishnagiri from his capital at Vilasapura. As time passed, the king became old. A physician named Tarunachandra arrived to heal him. The physician told the king that he would have to stay alone underground for eight months. He would have to take a medicine that no one should ever see, and the medicine would be administered by Tarunachandra. The king agreed and went underground for six months. Meanwhile Tarunachandra found a man who resembled the king and after two more months, killed the king and replaced him with the impostor. The subjects thought that their king had been cured and acknowledged the impostor as their king. He was called Ajara. Sometime later, the physician approached Ajara for his reward. Ajara told him that he had become a king because of his deeds in the past life. He had meditated and renounced his body, at which point he had been blessed that he would be a king in his next birth. The physician left empty handed.

Antecedents: Vishnu – Brahma – Marichi – Kashyapa – Ajamukhi.

Once, during the deva-asura war, an asura survived and escaped to the netherworld. His daughter was Surasa. Surasa married Kashyapa and had six children –  Shurapadma, Simhika, Simhavaktra, Tarakasura, Ajamukhi and Gomukha.

Once Shurapadma asked his brothers Simhavaktra and Tarakasura to establish cities on the northern and southern sides of the Meru mountains. Tarakasura took half their armies and built Mayapura on the southern side, Simhavaktra built a city on the northern side. Meanwhile Ajamukhi roamed around seducing men. She found Durvasa at the foothills of the Himalayas and managed to get married to him. Ilvala and Vatapi were born to them. They demanded all of Durvasa’s abilities that he had amassed with meditation. As per the Skandapurana Asurakanda, a furious Durvasa cursed that they would die at the hands of Agastya.

Once the lustful Ajamukhi went to the Shiva temple at Kashi, and saw Indra’s wife Shachi. She caught Shachi in order to gift her to her brother Shurapadma. Shachi cried for help and Shiva appeared with a sword. Ajamukhi still wouldn’t let go of Shachi and so Shiva cut off both her hands. Shurapadma was furious when he heard this. He sent his armies and captured the devas. Brahma made a new set of hands for Ajamukhi while in captivity. According to Skandapurana Asurakanda, Shurapadma’s son Bhanugopa fought with the remaining devas and defeated them too.

Also known as Ajavaktra. According to Mahabharata Shalyaparva Chapter 45 verse 75 he was part of Skanda’s army. According to Skandapurana Yudhakanda, he killed an asura named Madhu during Skanda’s war with the asuras.