Alternative spellings of this word include Ahichchhatra.

In Hinduism

Purana and Itihasa (epic history)

Source: archive.org: Puranic Encyclopedia

1) Ahicchatra (अहिच्छत्र).—This was the capital of the state Ahicchatra which Droṇa got from Drupada, the King of Pāñcāla.

2) Ahicchatra (अहिच्छत्र).—A state under the sovereignty of King Pāñcāla. On the completion of his studies under Droṇa Arjuna brought before his preceptor King Drupada as a captive in discharge of the duty he owed to him as his master. Drupada then gave the state of Ahicchatra to Droṇa and got his release. (Mahābhārata, Ādi Parva, Ślokas 73 to 76, Chapter 137).

Source: JatLand: List of Mahabharata people and places

Ahicchatra (अहिच्छत्र) is a name mentioned in the Mahābhārata (cf. V.19.30) and represents one of the many proper names used for people and places. Note: The Mahābhārata (mentioning Ahicchatra) is a Sanskrit epic poem consisting of 100,000 ślokas (metrical verses) and is over 2000 years old.

context information

The Purana (पुराण, purāṇas) refers to Sanskrit literature preserving ancient India’s vast cultural history, including historical legends, religious ceremonies, various arts and sciences. The eighteen mahapuranas total over 400,000 shlokas (metrical couplets) and date to at least several centuries BCE.

Kavya (poetry)

Source: Wisdom Library: Kathāsaritsāgara

Ahicchatra (अहिच्छत्र) is the name of an ancient city, according to the Kathāsaritsāgara, chapter 28. Accordingly, “... once on a time the prince [son of king Gūḍhasena] set out for Ahicchatra in order to be married, having first decided on his friend’s marriage. And, as he was journeying with his troops, in the society of that friend, mounted on an elephant, he reached the bank of the Ikṣuvatī, and encamped there”.

The Kathāsaritsāgara (‘ocean of streams of story’), mentioning Ahicchatra, is a famous Sanskrit epic story revolving around prince Naravāhanadatta and his quest to become the emperor of the vidyādharas (celestial beings). The work is said to have been an adaptation of Guṇāḍhya’s Bṛhatkathā consisting of 100,000 verses, which in turn is part of a larger work containing 700,000 verses.

context information

Kavya (काव्य, kavya) refers to Sanskrit poetry, a popular ancient Indian tradition of literature. There have been many Sanskrit poets over the ages, hailing from ancient India and beyond. This topic includes mahakavya, or ‘epic poetry’ and natya, or ‘dramatic poetry’.

Ayurveda (science of life)

Nighantu (Synonyms and Characteristics of Drugs and technical terms)

Source: WorldCat: Rāj nighaṇṭu

Ahicchatrā (अहिच्छत्रा) is another name for Śatāhvā, an unidentified medicinal plant, according to verse 4.10-13 of the 13th-century Raj Nighantu or Rājanighaṇṭu. The fourth chapter (śatāhvādi-varga) of this book enumerates eighty varieties of small plants (pṛthu-kṣupa). Also see the description of the plant Miśreyā. Together with the names Ahicchatrā and Śatāhvā, there are a total of twenty-four Sanskrit synonyms identified for this plant.

context information

Āyurveda (आयुर्वेद, ayurveda) is a branch of Indian science dealing with medicine, herbalism, taxology, anatomy, surgery, alchemy and related topics. Traditional practice of Āyurveda in ancient India dates back to at least the first millenium BC. Literature is commonly written in Sanskrit using various poetic metres.

Shaktism (Shakta philosophy)

Source: Google Books: Manthanabhairavatantram

Ahicchatra (अहिच्छत्र) is the name of an ancient city located in Madhyadeśa, according to the according to the Kularatnoddyota, one of the earliest Kubjikā Tantras.—Accordingly, while describing Vṛkṣanātha’s entry into the world: “[...] (Then having done all that he) went to a city of excellent Brahmins there in Madhyadeśa called Ahicchatra. There he graced the holy Brahmins (by initiating them) into the supreme Kula practice. Once he had done that, he led them, numbering one and a quarter billion, along the path of the Wheel in the Void, the abode of the supreme plane. [...]”.

Note: Vṛkṣanātha first visits the main sites the goddess had established. He descends into the lowest worlds and ascends to the highest heavens. Then, once he has completed his personal pilgrimage, he turns his attention to his mission and moves on to other parts of India to spread the goddess’s teachings. The first is Ahicchatra. This ancient city is identified with modern Rāmanagar, a town twenty miles west of Bareli in Rohilkhaṇḍa, a district of Uttar Pradesh.

context information

Shakta (शाक्त, śākta) or Shaktism (śāktism) represents a tradition of Hinduism where the Goddess (Devi) is revered and worshipped. Shakta literature includes a range of scriptures, including various Agamas and Tantras, although its roots may be traced back to the Vedas.

General definition (in Hinduism)

Source: Google Books: Encyclopaedia of the Hindu World

Ahicchatra (अहिच्छत्र).—During the Mahābhārata war and afterwards Ahicchatra played an important role as a political and cultural centre. Names of its several philosopher-kings are mentioned in the Upaniṣads. During the Maurya period, the town was known for its business in pearls. From the 2nd century B.C. to the middle of the fourth century A.D. it was the capital of the Mitra dynasty.

The excavations conducted at Ahicchatra have brought to light the remains of several Brahmanical temples made of bricks. A large number of terracotta figures have been unearthed. Some of them are of considerable height. They represent Gaṅgā, Yamunā, Viṣṇu, Śiva, Umā and other deities. Some of the terracotta plaques display anecdotes from the Mahābhārata. One inscribed sealing obtained in the excavations refers to Ahicchatra as a Bhukti (province) of the Gupta Empire.

The Chinese pilgrim Hiuen-Tsang visited Ahicchatra in the 7th century A.D. He mentions that in this town there were more that 10 monasteries, 9 Deva-temples and 4 small stūpas built on the spots associated with previous Buddhas. The Chinese pilgrim further states that the people of this place were honest and diligent in learning and they cultivated grain and grew woods, and the climate was pleasant. Ahicchatra has variant names, such as Ahikṣetra, Ahicchattrā, Adhicchatra, Adhicchattrā, etc.

In Buddhism

Mahayana (major branch of Buddhism)

Source: Wisdom Library: Maha Prajnaparamita Sastra

Ahicchatra (अहिच्छत्र).—Capital of northern Pañcala; today Ramnagar, near Aonla, in the Barailly district of Rohilkand; it was part of the kingdom of Drupada, in Mahābhārata. Ptolemy records the Adeisattroi and the city of Adisdara.

Hiuan tsang visited Wo hi chi ta lo: “Outside the main city, there is a nāga pool beside which there is a stūpa built by king Aśoka. It is there that the Tathāgata, while he was still in the world, preached the Dharma for seven days for the benefit of a nagarāja.”

E. Bazin-Foucher, Sur une monnaie du Pañcāla, compared this Buddhist story of the nāga with information given to Cunningham by the brahmins of Rohilkhand: “They told a strange story of a snake… An old tradition going back to the Mahābhārata, has it that Droṇa, the conqueror of Pañcāla, one day found Adi, the founder of the ‘fort’, asleep in a cradle formed by the hood of a cobra; his future elevation to the throne was then foretold; and it is this extraordinary occurrence that gave the city its name of Snake-parasol.”

The same writer sees in the form Ahicchatra the product of a popular etymology and proposes to read Adicchatra, ‘Parasol of Adi’, based on the reading Adhicchatra found in the List of Brāhmī Inscriptions of Lüders and on the variant Adisatra, attested in a manuscript of Ptolemy. According to him, the nāga, the appointed protector of Ahicchatra (cf. Divyāvagāna, p. 435 sq.), was represented on a coin from northern Pañcala showing an individual hitherto unknown but who is none other than a many-headed nāga.

context information

Mahayana (महायान, mahāyāna) is a major branch of Buddhism focusing on the path of a Bodhisattva (spiritual aspirants/ enlightened beings). Extant literature is vast and primarely composed in the Sanskrit language. There are many sūtras of which some of the earliest are the various Prajñāpāramitā sūtras.

In Jainism

General definition (in Jainism)

Source: archive.org: Sum Jaina Canonical Sutras (vividhatirthakalpa)

Ahicchatra (अहिच्छत्र).—Saṃkhyāvatī was the earlier name of Ahicchatra. Pārśvanātha wandered about in this town. Kamaṭhasūra, inimical to Pārśvanātha, caused an incessant shower of rains, inundating the entire earth. Pārśvanātha was immersed in water up to his neck. To protect him, the Nāgarāja of the place, accompanied by his queens, appeared on the scene, held a canopy of his thousand hoods over his head, and coiled himself round his body. That is the reason why this town was named Ahicchatra.

Here grow various medicinal plants and herbs: Jayantī, Nāgadamani, Sahadevī, Aparājita, Lakṣaṇā, Trivarṇī, Nakulī, Sakulī, Sarpākṣī, Suvarṇaśilā, Mohanī, Śyāmalī, Ravibhaktā, Nirviṣī, Mayūraśikhā, Salya, Viśalyā, etc. Here are to be seen many popular shrines, viz., Harihara, Hiraṇyagarbha, Caṇḍikābhavan, Brahmakuṇḍa, and the like. This town is the birth-place of the great sage, Kṛṣṇa.

Source: archive.org: Trisastisalakapurusacaritra

Ahicchatra (अहिच्छत्र) is the name of a city associated with Jāṅgala, which refers to one of the 25½ countries of the Kṣetrāryas, situated in the “middle world” (madhyaloka), according to chapter 2.3 [ajitanātha-caritra] of Hemacandra’s 11th century Triṣaṣṭiśalākāpuruṣacaritra: an ancient Sanskrit epic poem narrating the history and legends of sixty-three illustrious persons in Jainism.

Accordingly:—“In these 35 zones on this side of Mānuṣottara and in the Antaradvīpas, men arise by birth; [...]. From the division into Āryas and Mlecchas they are two-fold. The Āryas have sub-divisions [e.g., kṣetra (country)]. [...] The kṣetrāryas are born in the 15 Karmabhumis. Here in Bharata they have 25½ places of origin (e.g., Jāṅgala), distinguishable by cities (e.g., Ahicchatra) in which the birth of Tīrthakṛts, Cakrabhṛts, Kṛṣṇas, and Balas takes place”.

context information

Jainism is an Indian religion of Dharma whose doctrine revolves around harmlessness (ahimsa) towards every living being. The two major branches (Digambara and Svetambara) of Jainism stimulate self-control (or, shramana, ‘self-reliance’) and spiritual development through a path of peace for the soul to progess to the ultimate goal.

India history and geography

Source: Google Books: Geography from Ancient Indian Coins & Seals

Ahicchatrā is the name of an ancient capital of Northern Pāñcāla.—The Mahābhārata mentions Ahicchatrā as the capitcal of Northern Pāñcāla, the river Bhāgīrathī forming the dividing line between the Northern and Southern Pāñcāla. However, the Divyāvadāna and the Kumbhakāra-jātaka mention two different capitals of Northern Pāñcāla, the former refers to the city of Hastināpura while the latter to the city of Kampillanagara. Kāmpilyanagara (or Kampillanagara), however, was the capital of Southern Pāñcāla.

Note: Ahicchatrā is identified with modern Ramnagar near Aonla in the Bareilly District, while Kāmpilya is identified with Kāmpil on the Gaṅgā between Badaun and Farrukhabad.

Source: archive.org: The Geographical Dictionary of Ancient and Mediaeval India

Ahicchatra or Ahichchhatra.—Ramnagar, twenty miles west of Bareli, in Rohilkhand. The name of Ahicchatra is at present confined to the great fortress in the lands of Alampur Kot and Nasratganj. It was the capital of North Pañcala or Rohilkhand (Dr. Führer M.A.I., and Cunningham, Anc. Geo., p. 359). It was also called Chatravati (Chhatravati) (Mahābhārata Ādi-parva, ch. 168). It is Adhichatra (Adhichhatra) of the inscriptions (Epigraphia Indica, vol. II p 432, note by Dr. Führor). It is also called Ahikṣetra (Mahābhārata, Vana Parva., ch. 252). In Jaina works, Ahichatra is said to be the principal town of the country called Jaṃgala which therefore was nnothor name for North Pañcala (see Weber’s Indische Studien, xvi, p. 398).

Source: archive.org: Personal and geographical names in the Gupta inscriptions

Ahicchatra is another name for Ahikṣetra: a place name ending in kṣetra mentioned in the Gupta inscriptions. Ahikṣetra is transformed into Ahicchatra or Ahichatra in the way that kṣetra is changed to cchatra or chatra.

Source: archive.org: The ocean of story (history)

Ahicchatrā (अहिच्छत्रा) is also known Ahikṣetra, Ahikṣatra and Adhichhatrā. The later form is found in the inscriptions (see Epigraphia Indica, vol. ii, p. 243). It is referred to in the Mahābhārata, Ādiparva, sect. clxviii, as Chhatravatī, and is the ’O-hi-chi-ta-lo of Hiuen Tsiang (a.d. 629). For his account see S. Beal, Buddhist Records of the Western World, vol. i, pp. 200-201. [Ahicchatrā] has been identified by Cunningham (Ancient Geography of India, vol. i, p. 359 et seq.) with Rāmnagar, twenty miles west of Bareli, in Rohilkhand. The name Ahicchatrā is now confined to the great fortress in the lands of ‘Ālampūr Kōṭ and Nasratgañj. It was the capital of North Pañcāla or Rohilkhand. (See Führer, Monumental Antiquities and Inscriptions in the N.-W. Provinces and Oudh, p. 26 et seq.; and Nundolal Dey, “Geographical Dictionary of Ancient and Mediaeval India,” Indian Antiquary, vol. xlviii, 1919, Supp., pp. 2-3.) In Jaina works [Ahicchatrā] is described as the chief town of Jaṅgala, another name for North Pañcāla (Weber, Indische Studien, vol. xvi, p. 398).—n.m.p.

Source: What is India: Inscriptions of the Śilāhāras

Ahicchatra refers to an ancient name of Ayyavole, mentioned in the “Kolhāpur stone inscription of Gaṇḍarāditya”. Among those who agreed to levy the dues and taxes on the articles manufactured and sold (in Kavaḍegolla) the most noted was the Trading Corporation of Ayyavole, also called Ahicchatra, which was known as Vīra-Baṇañjas (the Heroic Traders).

This stone inscription (mentioning Ahicchatra) is on the right side of the temple of the Jaina Tīrthaṅkara Pārśvanātha near the former Śukravāra gate of Kolhāpur. It records certain taxes and dues levied by the Trading Corporation of the Vīra-Baṇañjas and certain merchants and representatives of towns. It is dated on the fifth tithi of the dark fortnight of Kārttika in the Śaka year 1058, the cyclic year being Rākṣasa.

Source: Shodhganga: New look on the kushan bengali

Ahicchatra is situated in Bareilly district of Uttar Pradesh. The excavation have revealed here various strata of dwelling houses, streets and brick temples. Altogether nine strata, dating from pre 300 B.C to A.D 1100 were exposed here. Stratum IV belongs to Kushan period (AI, I). The Kushan occupation of the city is marked by the appearance of Kushan coins, ceramic and terracotta evidences. An inscribed Buddhist image, having the name of Bodhisattva Maitreya on its pedestal is another important discovery. It is made of Mathura red sand stone and stylistically belongs to Kushan period

Source: Ancient Buddhist Texts: Geography of Early Buddhism

Ahicchatra (अहिच्छत्र) or Chatravatī (modern Ramnagar) is one of the alleged ancient capitals of Uttarāpañcāla (Northern Pancala), one of the two districts of Kuru: one of the sixteen Mahājanapadas of the Majjhimadesa (Middle Country) of ancient India, as recorded in the Pāli Buddhist texts (detailing the geography of ancient India as it was known in to Early Buddhism).—According to the Divyāvadāna the capital of Uttarā Pañcāla was Hastināpura, but the Kumbhakāra Jātaka states that the capital of Uttarā Pañcāla was Kampillanagara and that a king named Dummukha ruled there. But according to the Mahābhārata, Northern Pañcāla had its capital at Ahicchatra or Chatravatī (identical with modern Ramnagar in the Bareillay district) while southern Pañcāla had its capital at Kāmpilya, identical with modern Kampil in the Farokhabad district, U.P. This apparent discrepancy in the two evidences is reconciled when we take into account that ‘a great struggle raged in ancient times between the Kurus and the Pañcālas for the possession of Uttarā Pañcāla.

context information

The history of India traces the identification of countries, villages, towns and other regions of India, as well as mythology, zoology, royal dynasties, rulers, tribes, local festivities and traditions and regional languages. Ancient India enjoyed religious freedom and encourages the path of Dharma, a concept common to Buddhism, Hinduism, and Jainism.

Languages of India and abroad

Sanskrit dictionary

Source: DDSA: The practical Sanskrit-English dictionary

Ahicchatra (अहिच्छत्र).—

1) Name of a country, conquered by Arjuna and given to Droṇa.

2) a kind of vegetable poison. (-traḥ) 1 sugar.

2) the plant मेषशृङ्गी (meṣaśṛṅgī).

3) (Mar. baḍīśepa)

4) Name of the city अहिच्छत्र (ahicchatra).

Derivable forms: ahicchatraḥ (अहिच्छत्रः).

Ahicchatra is a Sanskrit compound consisting of the terms ahi and cchatra (च्छत्र).

Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Shabda-Sagara Sanskrit-English Dictionary

Ahicchatra (अहिच्छत्र).—m.

(-traḥ) 1. The name of a country. 2. A milky or thorny plant: see meṣaśṛṅgī. f.

(-trā) 1. Sugar. 2. A city. E. ahi a snake, and chatra a parasol.

Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Yates Sanskrit-English Dictionary

Ahicchatra (अहिच्छत्र):—(traḥ) m. A country; a thorny plant. (trā) 1. f. Sugar.

Source: DDSA: Paia-sadda-mahannavo; a comprehensive Prakrit Hindi dictionary (S)

Ahicchatrā (अहिच्छत्रा) in the Sanskrit language is related to the Prakrit word: Ahichattā.

[Sanskrit to German]

Ahicchatra in German

context information

Sanskrit, also spelled संस्कृतम् (saṃskṛtam), is an ancient language of India commonly seen as the grandmother of the Indo-European language family (even English!). Closely allied with Prakrit and Pali, Sanskrit is more exhaustive in both grammar and terms and has the most extensive collection of literature in the world, greatly surpassing its sister-languages Greek and Latin.

See also (Relevant definitions)

Partial matches: Cchatra, Ahi.

Starts with: Ahicchatraka.

Full-text (+36): Ahikshetra, Ahikshatra, Chatravati, Pratyagratha, Ahichatta, Kampillanagara, Adhichatra, Adhichhatra, Bambhakumda, Kamalamati, Kampilyanagara, Vissamtia, Vekumta, Asikunda, Cakka, Kalinjara, Ramanagara, Udayatunga, Sumada, Caturveda.

Relevant text

Search found 9 books and stories containing Ahicchatra, Ahi-cchatra, Ahicchatrā, Āhicchatra; (plurals include: Ahicchatras, cchatras, Ahicchatrās, Āhicchatras). You can also click to the full overview containing English textual excerpts. Below are direct links for the most relevant articles:

Maha Prajnaparamita Sastra (by Gelongma Karma Migme Chödrön)

Appendix 2 - Ahicchatra (capital of northern Pañcala, present Ramnagar) < [Chapter V - Rājagṛha]

Part 4 - The buddha’s frequent sojourns in Rājagṛha and Śrāvastī < [Chapter V - Rājagṛha]

show preview

The Padma Purana (by N.A. Deshpande)

Chapter 13 - Śatrughna Enters Ahicchatrā City < [Section 5 - Pātāla-Khaṇḍa (Section on the Nether World)]

Chapter 12 - Ahicchatrā City, King Sumada and Kāma < [Section 5 - Pātāla-Khaṇḍa (Section on the Nether World)]

Chapter 65 - Sumati Describes the Adventurous Events to Rāma < [Section 5 - Pātāla-Khaṇḍa (Section on the Nether World)]

show preview

Trishashti Shalaka Purusha Caritra (by Helen M. Johnson)

Part 29: The people in the Manuṣyaloka < [Chapter III - The initiation and omniscience of Ajita]

show preview

Mahabharata (English) (by Kisari Mohan Ganguli)

Section CXL < [Sambhava Parva]

show preview

A Historical Study of Kaushambi (by Nirja Sharma)

Kaushambi during the Shunga Dynasty < [Chapter 2]

Kaushambi under the Maghas < [Chapter 2]

show preview

Vastu-shastra (1): Canons of Architecture (by D. N. Shukla)

(vi) Rise of Art < [Chapter 4 - An outline History of Hindu Architecture]

show preview

 

Click here for all 9 books