13
votes
What is the meaning of the word "Shiva"?
'Shiva' denotes the nature of the self or the transcendental aspect. It represents Turiya which is beyond three Gunas of nature ie. Satva, Rajas and Tamas.
30th verse of Shiva Mahimna ...
- 48.7k
13
votes
What is the meaning of Narayana?
Narayana consists of two words as Naara+Ayana. Naara means water and Ayana means home. It is mentioned in Mahabharata, Vana Parva, SECTION CLXXXVIII.
3 आपॊ नारा इति परॊक्ताः संज्ञा नाम कृतं मया
...
- 23.9k
12
votes
Accepted
Definition of Bhagavan as per Vishnu Purana
The Vishnu Purana defines Bhagavān as follows,
उत्पत्तिं प्रलयं चैव भूतानामागतिं गतिम् |
वेत्तिं विद्यामविद्यां च स वाच्यो भगवानिति ||
He who understands the creation and dissolution, the ...
- 6,068
12
votes
Why is Sanātana Dharma also sometimes called Ārṣa Dharma?
According to Sanskrit Dictionary,
आर्ष relating or belonging to or derived from ṛṣi-s (id est the poets of the Vedic and other old hymns) , archaistic [1][2] etc.
आर्ष the speech of a ṛṣi-, the holy ...
- 26.2k
12
votes
Accepted
What is the meaning of Brahman & Vasudeva?
The definition of Brahman is given in this chapter of the Taittiriya Upanishad:
yato va imani bhutani jayante ।
yena jatani jivanti ।
yatprayantyabhisaṃviśanti ।
tadvijijñasasva ।
tad ...
- 98.2k
11
votes
What is the meaning of Indra?
what is the meaning of Indra?
The exact meaning of word Indra is given in Aitareya Upanishad –Khanda 3 –Chapter 1 –Verse 14. - Page no 32-33
तस्मादिन्द्रो नामेदन्द्रो ह वै नाम | तमिदन्द्रं सन्तमि...
- 32.2k
11
votes
Accepted
What is the meaning of Indra?
There are different meaning of the word Indra is given by Yaska in Nirukta 10.8.
इन्द्र इरां दृणातीति वाँ।
इरां दद्तीति वा।
इरां दधातीति वा ।
इरा दारयतैं इति घा।
इरा धारर्थत इति वा ।
...
- 23.9k
11
votes
Accepted
What is the meaning of Uma?
Do scriptures mention that 'Uma' name is Pranava swarupa?
Yes, the Great Goddess herself describes her form as that of the Praṇava, in the Chapter 49: Manifestation of Uma from the Section 5 - Umā-...
- 13.6k
10
votes
Accepted
What is the scriptural definition of scripture (shAshtra)?
Self answering.
Etymologically, the word ShAstra seems to be derived from the root word "ShAsana" meaning "to rule". So, "that which rules" is ShAstra. Also the "Tra" is derived from the word "TrAna" ...
- 112k
10
votes
Sanskrit and Sounds of Lord Shiva
Legend has it that when Panini prayed to Shiva and asked for knowledge, Shiva appeared before him and his Damaru (डमरु) made the following 14 sounds representing the MaheshwaraSutrani (माहेश्वरसूत्राणि...
- 1,706
10
votes
Which Hindu scriptures use the word Ārya and in what sense?
The word Arya is used in Vasistha Dharma Sutras as follows:
The country of the Âryas (Âryâvarta) lies to the east of the region where (the river Sarasvatî) disappears, to the west of the
Black-...
- 112k
10
votes
Accepted
What does the word 'Asura' mean in the Vedas?
The word Asura has 2 meanings in the text Rig Veda
In positive sense and negative sense.
The word asa means breath and the word Asura would mean who has his strength in the breath or who is the ...
- 5,232
9
votes
What is the meaning of the word "Shiva"?
Definition of Shiva is directly given in chapter 4 of Shiv Rahasya while Lord Shiva explaining himself.
I am Shiva, the Stillness (Shi) Whereof all Movement (Va) is born. As Water, Fire and the ...
- 15.7k
9
votes
What is the meaning of Brahman & Vasudeva?
The meaning of Brahman & Vasudeva according to Shreemad Bhagvat Purana.
वदन्ति तत्तत्वविदस्तत्वम् यज्ज्ञानमद्वयम् । ब्रह्मेति परमात्मेति
भगवानिति शब्द्द्यते ॥ 11
vadanti tat tattva-...
- 32.2k
8
votes
What are the Shabar mantras?
As you may have noticed that these mantras are quite different from Vedic mantras or those contained in other Hindu Shastras although they are also (mostly)related to Vedic Deities only.
They use ...
- 112k
8
votes
Which Purāṇas define the word "purāṇa" within their text?
Etymology of the word "purāṇa" is mentioned Part 1 Prakriya Pada Chapter 1 of Vayu Purana.
यस्मात्पुरा ह्यनतीदं1 पुराणं तेन तत्स्मृतम्। निरुक्तमस्य यो वेद
सर्वपापैः प्रमुच्यते।।२०३।।
This ...
- 31.5k
8
votes
Why is Sanātana Dharma also sometimes called Ārṣa Dharma?
We find the word "Arsha" being used in the Manu Smriti itself.Its used in the context of declaring the 8 forms of marriage.
Manu Smriti 3.20. Now listen to (the) brief (description of) the
...
- 112k
8
votes
Who is considered Hindu?
In his lecture The Common Bases of Hinduism, Swami Vivekananda says the following on being Hindu:
There are certain great principles in which, I think, we — whether Vaishnavas, Shaivas, Shāktas, ...
8
votes
Why does chandogya upanishad use kannada-telugu words?
According to Swami Gambhirananda the following is the translation of Chandogya Upanishad 1.10.1 (translated his Bengali translation into English):
When all the crops of the country of the Kurus ...
- 112k
7
votes
Accepted
Is the etymology of the name Yudhishthira correct?
Etymology of Yudhishtira = steady in war, is correct. Here, the war can be any kind of battle or struggle. Throughout the Mahabharata, Yudhishtira was known to behold the Dharma & remaining ...
- 19.8k
7
votes
What is the meaning of Ramayana?
I think of it this way:
Ramayana = Ram + ayana
Here 'ayana' could be one of two thing:
coming - Story of Ram's Coming/Arrival
path/walking - the Path/walk/journey of Ram
Reference:
http://...
- 171
7
votes
Accepted
What is the meaning of Narayana?
I quote the following from the book Manusmriti:
He thought deeply, for he wished to emit various sorts of creatures
from his own body; first he emitted the waters, and then he emitted
his ...
- 1,794
7
votes
Accepted
What is the source of "Vriyate iti Varnaha?"
Yes, that etymology is based on Nirukta 2.3.4 of Yaska:
वर्णः वृणोतेः ।
varNaH vRRiNoteH
According to Unadi Sutras:
3-10 कॄवॄजॄसिद्रुपन्यनिस्वपिभ्यो नित् ॥
3.10 ...
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7
votes
What are the etymologies for the word Rudra?
In the Shiva Purana 6.9.14 we have:
रुर्दुःखं दुःखहेतुं वा तद् द्रावयति यः प्रभुः ।
रुद्र इत्युच्यते तस्माच्छिवः परमकारणम् ॥
‘Ruḥ’ means misery or the cause of misery. This is destroyed, melted away, ...
- 48.7k
7
votes
What is the meaning of Uma?
Chapter 7 - The childhood sports of Pārvatī of Rudra-saṃhitā : Pārvatī-khaṇḍa of Shiva Purana provides the following meaning:
Afterwards when Kālī wanted to perform a penance she was forbidden by her ...
- 24.6k
6
votes
Accepted
Why is Brahma referred as Viranchi in Scriptures?
Virañci means "he who creates."
Following are the various names of Brahmā from the Puranic Encyclopedia.
In Amarakośa, the following names are given to Brahmā.
Brahmātmabhūḥ surajyeṣṭhaḥ
...
6
votes
Sanskrit and Sounds of Lord Shiva
Same events happen in different ways. i.e, Lord Shiva indeed played Damru to emanate Sanskrit letters but that was happened during creation as well in different way.
From the commentary of Kshemeraj ...
- 15.7k
6
votes
Accepted
What is the meaning of Saraswati?
One derivation of the word "Saraswati" is given in the Devi Bhagavatam and which is as follows:
On the greatness of Kali:
1-110. Nârâyana said :-- A part of Sarasvatî descended in this Bhârata
...
- 112k
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