HINDU ENCYCLOPEDIA

सनातन धर्म भूमिका

Meaning of "Astika"

Word

Astika

Sanskrit

आस्तीक

IAST

āstīka

In General

Piety; belief in Veda as a source of infallible knowledge

Veda

The branches of thought which accept Vedas as sources of knowledge are called Astika Darsanas. It is not a word opposite to atheist for an astika need not believe in god. There are many school of thought in Hinduism which do not find the necessity of a supreme almighty god, but they accept Vedas and are classed as Astika Darshanas.

Purana

Astika was an ancient Sage and son of Maharshi Jaratkratu and Manasadevi. Asika was taught Vedas and Vedanga by Paramasiva himself. When King Janamejaya performed Sarpayajna with the object of annihilating the whole race of serpents in a fitting revenge to his father Parikshith’s killing, Rishi Astika advised him good sence and ultimately Jnamejaya stopped the yagna.

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