Astika

Category:Bestiarycategory:GargouillesCategory:Notorious Monsters
Job: 
Family: Gargouille
Strong to:	
thumbCategory:Bestiary Image Stub
Zone 	Level	Drops	Steal	Spawns	Notes
Beaucedine Glacier (S)	 	 	 	1 	A, L, S, H, Sc
 	 	 	 	 	
===Notes:===
:*Spawned for quest: Succor to the Sidhe
::*Astika, Kaliya, Shesha, and Vasuki all spawn.
:*Astika can cast stun.
===Historical Background===
Astika is, in Indian philosophy, any orthodox school of thought, defined as one that accepts the authority of the Vedas (sacred scriptures of ancient India); the superiority of the Brahmans (the class of priests), who are the expositors of the law (dharma); and a society made up of the four traditional classes (varna). The six orthodox philosophic systems are those of Sāṃkhya and Yoga, Nyāya and Vaiśeṣika, and Mīmāṃsā and Vedānta.
The term āstika comes from the Sanskrit asti, which means “there is.” Contrasted to the āstika systems are the nāstika (Sanskrit: from na asti, “there is not”), the individuals and schools that do not accept the authority of the Veda, the system of the four classes, and the superiority of the Brahmins. Included among the nāstika schools are the Buddhists, Jainas, the ascetic Ājīvikas, and the materialistic Cārvākas.
Additionally, in Hindu mythology, Astika was an ancient Hindu rishi (sage), and he was a son of Jaratkaru by the serpent goddess Manasa - a sister of the great serpent king Vasuki. According to the Mahabharata, he saved the life of a serpent named Takshaka when king Janamejaya made his great sacrifices of serpents. Ultimately, he induced and prevailed upon the king to forego his persecution of the serpent race.