Angiras, Aṅgiras: 19 definitions

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Introduction:

Angiras means something in Hinduism, Sanskrit. If you want to know the exact meaning, history, etymology or English translation of this term then check out the descriptions on this page. Add your comment or reference to a book if you want to contribute to this summary article.

In Hinduism

Ayurveda (science of life)

Source: Academia.edu: The Nepalese version of the Suśrutasaṃhitā

Aṅgiras (अङ्गिरस्) is a well-known Vedic Sage, one of the six sons of Brahman (Marīci, Atry, Aṅgiras, Pulastya, Pulaha, Kratu), one of the 7 Great Sages known i.a. as Citraśikhaṇḍin (6 mentioned above plus Vaśiṣṭa) and often associated with the Atharvaveda. In Ayurvedic literature he appears among the Ṛṣi’s in the first chapter of Caraka-saṃhitā (s. Nārada). In Caraka-saṃhitā Cikitsāsthāna 1(3).4-6 Aṅgiras is mentioned among other sages, who previously had become free from fatigue, disease and old age by use of the 20 āmalakāyaso brāhmarasāyanaḥ prepared by Brahman.

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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.

Purana and Itihasa (epic history)

Source: archive.org: Puranic Encyclopedia

1) Aṅgiras (अङ्गिरस्).—Birth. He is a hermit born from the mind of Brahmā. Six mind-born sons (Mānasa-Putras) were born to Brahmā, known as Marīci, Aṅgiras, Atri, Pulastya, Pulaha, and Kratu. All the six of them became great hermits. (Mahābhārata, Ādi Parva, Chapter 65, Stanza 10).* (See full article at Story of Aṅgiras from the Puranic encyclopaedia by Vettam Mani)

2) Aṅgiras (अङ्गिरस्).—In the family of Marīci, son of Brahmā, another King of the name of Aṅgiras is seen. Genealogy. Descended from Viṣṇu in the following order: Brahmā, Marīci, Kaśyapa, Vaivasvata Manu, Uttānapāda, Dhruva, Śiṣṭi, Ripu, Cākṣuṣa Manu, Ūru, Aṅgiras. (About this Aṅgiras, no other information is available in the Purāṇas. Viṣṇu Purāṇa, Aṃśa 1, Chapter 13; Agni Purāṇa, Chapter 18).

Source: archive.org: Shiva Purana - English Translation

Aṅgiras (अङ्गिरस्) was created as a Sādhaka (aspirant) by Brahmā out of his head (śiras), according to the Śivapurāṇa 2.1.16:—“[...] I [viz., Brahmā] created many other things as well, but O sage, I was not satisfied. Then O sage, I meditated on Śiva and his consort Ambā and created aspirants (sādhakas). [...] I created Aṅgiras from the head (śiras), [...] O foremost among sages, creating thus, thanks to the favour of Mahādeva, these excellent Sādhakas (e.g., Aṅgiras) I became contented. Then, O dear one, Dharma, born out of my conception assumed the form of Manu at my bidding and was engaged in activity by the aspirants”.

Source: Wisdomlib Libary: Brahma Purana

Aṅgiras (अङ्गिरस्) is mentioned as one of the seven mind-born sons of Brahmā, also known as the seven prajāpatis, or the seven brahmās, according to the first chapter of the Brahma-purāṇa (on the origin of Devas and Asuras). Accordingly, “Desirous of evolving creation befitting these, he created Prajāpatis (Lords of subjects) viz. Marīci, Atri, Aṅgiras, Pulastya, Pulaha, Kratu and Vasiṣṭha. Thus the lord of great refulgence created seven mental sons. In the Purāṇas these are known as the seven Brahmās”.

The Brahmapurāṇa (mentioning Atri) is one the eighteen mahāpurāṇas originally composed of over 10,000 verses. The first three books of the extant edition contains a diverse amount of topics such as creation theory, cosmology, mythology, philosophy and genealogy. The fourth and last part represents pilgrimage’s travel guide (māhātmya) and narrates the legends surrounding numerous holy spots (tīrtha) around the Godāvarī region in India.

Source: Shodhganga: The saurapurana - a critical study

Aṅgiras (अङ्गिरस्) married Smṛti: one of the daughters of Dakṣa and Prasūti: one of the two daughters of Manu-svāyaṃbhuva and Śatarūpā, according to the Vaṃśa (‘genealogical description’) of the 10th century Saurapurāṇa: one of the various Upapurāṇas depicting Śaivism.—Accordingly, Ākūti was married to Ruci and Prasūti to Dakṣa. Dakṣa produced in Prasūti twenty-four daughters. [...] [Smṛti was given to Aṅgiras.] Smṛti and Aṅgiras had four daughters—Sinivalī, Kuhū, Rākā and Anumati.

Note Aṅgirasa (Aṅgiras?) is mentioned in another account as having obtained two daughters from Dakṣa.

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.

Natyashastra (theatrics and dramaturgy)

Source: Wisdom Library: Nāṭya-śāstra

Aṅgiras (अङ्गिरस्) is the name of a sage who was in the company of Bharata when he recited the Nāṭyaveda them, according to the Nāṭyaśāstra chapter 35. Accordingly, they asked the following questions, “O the best Brahmin (lit. the bull of the twice-born), tell us about the character of the god who appears in the Preliminaries (pūrvaraṅga). Why is the sound [of musical instruments] applied there? What purpose does it serve when applied? What god is pleased with this, and what does he do on being pleased? Why does the Director being himself clean, perform ablution again on the stage? How, O sir, the drama has come (lit. dropped) down to the earth from heaven? Why have your descendants come to be known as Śūdras?”.

context information

Natyashastra (नाट्यशास्त्र, nāṭyaśāstra) refers to both the ancient Indian tradition (shastra) of performing arts, (natya—theatrics, drama, dance, music), as well as the name of a Sanskrit work dealing with these subjects. It also teaches the rules for composing Dramatic plays (nataka), construction and performance of Theater, and Poetic works (kavya).

Jyotisha (astronomy and astrology)

Source: Wisdom Library: Brihat Samhita by Varahamihira

Aṅgiras (अङ्गिरस्) refers to one of the Seven Ṛṣis (saptarṣi), according to the Bṛhatsaṃhitā (chapter 13), an encyclopedic Sanskrit work written by Varāhamihira mainly focusing on the science of ancient Indian astronomy astronomy (Jyotiṣa).—Accordingly, “During the reign of Yudhisthira, 2526 years before the commencement of Vikrama Śaka, the Seven Ṛṣis (saptarṣi) were at the constellation of Maghā (Regulus). The Ṛṣis take a period of 100 years to go over each of the 27 asterisms. They rise in the north-east and are accompanied by the chaste Arundhatī—the consort of Vasiṣṭha. The eastern-most of the group is Bhagavān Marīci; the next to him is Vasiṣṭha; the next is Aṅgiras and the next two are—Atri and Pulastya. The next in order are the Ṛṣis—Pulaha and Kratu. The chaste Arundhatī closely attends her husband the sage Vasiṣṭha”.

context information

Jyotisha (ज्योतिष, jyotiṣa or jyotish) refers to ‘astronomy’ or “Vedic astrology” and represents the fifth of the six Vedangas (additional sciences to be studied along with the Vedas). Jyotisha concerns itself with the study and prediction of the movements of celestial bodies, in order to calculate the auspicious time for rituals and ceremonies.

Shilpashastra (iconography)

Source: Shodhganga: Elements of Art and Architecture in the Trtiyakhanda of the Visnudharmottarapurana (shilpa)

Aṅgiras (अङ्गिरस्) is another name for Agni (Vahni), whose iconography is described in the Viṣṇudharmottarapurāṇa, an ancient Sanskrit text which (being encyclopedic in nature) deals with a variety of cultural topics such as arts, architecture, music, grammar and astronomy.—Vahni is the synonym of Agni. In the Viṣṇudharmottarapurāṇa the word vahni is used to denote the god Agni. According to the Śabdakalpadruma, Agni is the god who possesses fire in him as he is born from fire. In the agnisūkta of Ṛgveda, Agni is called as Aṅgiras. Thus it is clear that the Viṣṇudharmottarapurāṇa offers a great field of knowledge regarding the nuances of Indian art of Image making [e.g., Aṅgiras] during 10th–11th century A.D.

context information

Shilpashastra (शिल्पशास्त्र, śilpaśāstra) represents the ancient Indian science (shastra) of creative arts (shilpa) such as sculpture, iconography and painting. Closely related to Vastushastra (architecture), they often share the same literature.

General definition (in Hinduism)

Source: WikiPedia: Hinduism

Angiras is a rishi (or sage) who, along with sage Atharvan, is credited to have formulated ("heard") most of the fourth Veda called Atharvaveda. He is also mentioned in the other three Vedas. Sometimes he is reckoned as one of the Seven Great Sages, or saptarishis of the first Manvantara, with others being, Marichi, Atri, Pulaha, Kratu, Pulastya, and Vashishtha [1 Bharadwaja maharshis was his descendant.

His wife is Surūpa and his sons are Utathya, Samvartana and Brihaspati. He is one of the ten Manasaputras (wish-born-son) of Lord Brahma. Other accounts say that he married Smriti (memory), the daughter of Daksha.

etymology: Angiras (अंगिरस्, pronounced [əŋɡirəs]; nominative singular Angirā, अंगिरा [əŋɡirɑː])

Languages of India and abroad

Sanskrit dictionary

Source: DDSA: The practical Sanskrit-English dictionary

Aṅgiras (अङ्गिरस्).—m. [aṅgati-aṅg gatau asi iruṭ; Uṇ 4. 235; according to Ait. Br. aṅgiras is from aṅgāra; ye aṅgārā āsaṃste'ṅgiraso'bhavan; so Nir.; aṅgāreṣu yo babhūva so'ṅgirāḥ] Name of a celebrated sage to whom many hymns of the Rigveda (ix) are ascribed. Etymologically Aṅgira is connected with the word Agni and is often regarded as its synonym (śivo bhava prajābhyo mānuṣībhyastva- maṅgiraḥ; aṅgirobhiḥ ṛṣibhiḥ saṃpāditatvāt aṅgasauṣṭhavādvā aṅgirā agnirūpaḥ) According to Bhārata he was son of Agni. When Agni began to practise penance, Aṅgiras himself became Agni and surpassed him in power and lustre, seeing which Agni came to the sage and said:- निक्षिपाम्यहमग्नित्वं त्वमग्निः प्रथमो भव । भविष्यामि द्वितीयोऽहं प्राजा- पत्यक एव च (nikṣipāmyahamagnitvaṃ tvamagniḥ prathamo bhava | bhaviṣyāmi dvitīyo'haṃ prājā- patyaka eva ca) || Aṅgiras said :कुरु पुण्यं प्रजासर्गं भवाग्निस्तिमि- रापहः । मां च देव कुरुष्वाग्ने प्रथमं पुत्रमञ्जसा ॥ तत्श्रुत्वाङ्गिरसो वाक्यं जातवेदास्तथाऽकरोत् (kuru puṇyaṃ prajāsargaṃ bhavāgnistimi- rāpahaḥ | māṃ ca deva kuruṣvāgne prathamaṃ putramañjasā || tatśrutvāṅgiraso vākyaṃ jātavedāstathā'karot). He was one of the 1 mind-born sons of Brahmā. His wife was Śraddhā, daughter of Kardama and bore him three sons, Bṛhaspati, Utathya and Saṃvarta, and 4 daughters Kuhū, Sinīvālī, Rākā and Anumati. The Matsya Purāṇa says that Aṅgiras was one of the three sages produced from the sacrifice of Varuṇa and that he was adopted by Agni as his son and acted for some time as his regent. Another account, however, makes him father of Agni. He was one of the seven great sages and also one of the 1 Prajāpatis or progenitors of mankind. In latter times Aṅgiras was one of the inspired lawgivers, and also a writer on Astronomy. As an astronomical personification he is Bṛhaspati, regent of Jupiter or Jupiter itself. शिष्यैरुपेता आजग्मु (śiṣyairupetā ājagmu): कश्यपाङ्गिरसादयः (kaśyapāṅgirasādayaḥ) (Bhāg. 1.9.8.) He is also regarded as the priest of the gods and the lord of sacrifices. Besides Śraddhā his wives were Smṛti, two daughters of Maitreya, some daughters of Dakṣa, Svadhā and Satī. He is also regarded as teacher of Brahmavidyā. The Vedic hymns are also said to be his daughters. According to the Bhāgavata Purāṇa, Aṅgiras begot sons possessing Brahmanical glory on the wife of Rāthītara, a Kṣatriya who was childless and these persons were afterwards called descendants of Aṅgiras. The principal authors of vedic hymns in the family of Aṅgiras were 33. His family has three distinct branches केवलाङ्गिरस, गौतमाङ्गिरस (kevalāṅgirasa, gautamāṅgirasa) and भारद्वाजाङ्गिरस (bhāradvājāṅgirasa) each branch having a number of subdivisions. (pl.)

1) Descendants of Aṅgiras, [Aṅgiras being father of Agni they are considered as descendants of Agni himself who is called the first of the Aṅgirasas. Like Aṅgiras they occur in hymns addressed to luminous objects, and at a later period they became for the most part personifications of light, of luminous bodies, of divisions of time, celestial phenomena and fires adapted to peculiar occasions, as the full moon and change of the moon, or to particular rites, as the अश्वमेध, राजसूय (aśvamedha, rājasūya) &c.]

2) Hymns of the Atharvaveda.

3) Priests, who, by using magical formulas of the Atharvaveda, protect the sacrifice against the effects of inauspicious accidents.

See also (synonyms): aṅgira.

Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Edgerton Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit Dictionary

Aṅgiras (अङ्गिरस्).—(= Pali °rasa), nom. sg. °rāḥ, name of a king (in Pali of the race of Mahāsaṃmata): Mahāvyutpatti 3572 (in a list of cakravartins headed by Mahāsaṃmata, 3552).

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

Aṅgiras (अङ्गिरस्).—m.

(-rāḥ) The name of a Rishi or saint, born of Brahma, one of the seven principal sages; in one legend identified with fire, and apparently an astronomicalpersonification, having for his sons Utat'Hya and Vrihaspati, and for daughters Sinivali, Kuhu Raka and Anumati. E. agi to go, and āni Unadi aff. with irak inserted.

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

Aṅgiras (अङ्गिरस्).—m. The name of a Ṛṣi, or saint.

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

Aṅgiras (अङ्गिरस्).—[masculine] a kind of [mythological] beings with Agni at their head; [Name] of an old Ṛṣi, [plural] his descendants or their hymns, i.e. the Atharvaveda.

— rastama ([superlative]) quite an A., aṅgirasvat [adverb] like an A.

Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary

1) Aṅgiras (अङ्गिरस्):—[from aṅgir] m. Name of a Ṛṣi, author of the hymns of [Ṛg-veda ix], of a code of laws, and of a treatise on astronomy (he is said by some to have been born from Brahmā’s mouth, and to have been the husband of Smṛti, of Śraddhā, of two daughters of Maitreya, of several daughters of Dakṣa, etc.; he is considered as one of the seven Ṛṣis of the first Manvantara, as a Prajāpati, as a teacher of the Brahmavidyā, which he had learnt from Satyavāha, a descendant of Bharadvāja, etc. Among his sons, the chief is Agni, others are Saṃvarta, Utathya, and Bṛhaspati; among his daughters are mentioned Sinīvālī, Kuhū, Rākā, Anumati, and Akūpārā; but the Ṛcas or Vedic hymns, the manes of Haviṣmat, and mankind itself are styled his offspring. In astronomy he is the planet Jupiter, and a star in Ursa Major)

2) [v.s. ...] Name of Agni, [Mahābhārata]

3) [v.s. ...] (asas) descendants of Aṅgiras or of Agni (mostly personifications of luminous objects)

4) [v.s. ...] the hymns of the Atharva-veda, [Taittirīya-saṃhitā]

5) [v.s. ...] priests who by using the magical formulas of those hymns protect the sacrifice against the effects of inauspicious accidents.

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

Aṅgiras (अङ्गिरस्):—I. m. sing.

(-rāḥ) The proper name of a Maharshi, a great Ṛṣi or saint who is the reputed author of many vaidik hymns, but who is mentioned also in a subsequent period as one of the inspired legislators of India and as the author of an astronomical work. The various legends connected with his life seem to have been occasioned by the word aṅgiras coming from the same radical as, and its sound recalling that of, agni, fire (q. v.). Hence we find Angiras sometimes either as an epithet or as the father of Agni, and the Saint himself connected chiefly with such hymns as are addressed to Agni, to Indra or to deities of a kindred description: a portion of the fourth Veda, the Atharvan, reports him also as an expounder of the Brahmavidyā (q. v.) or the sacred knowledge, that had been imparted to him by Satyavāha, a descendant of Bharadvāja. (See aṅgir.) Though Angiras, as may be concluded from his name being connected with the authorship of a great portion of the sacred Hindu literature, appears to have been one of the oldest civilizers of India, no historical date is to be obtained from the epic or pauranik literature where the vaidik legends of his life are merely amplified; there he is named as one of the Prajāpatis or progenitors of mankind engendered, according to some by Manu, according to others by Brahmā himself, either with the female half of his body or from his mouth or from the space between his eye-brows. As such he is considered also as one of the seven Ṛṣis who preside over the reign of the first Manu or Svāyambhuva. He is called, besides, the priest of the Gods, the Lord of the sacrifice &c. Sometimes he is considered as a son of Uru by Āgneyī, the daughter of Agni. His daughters are the Ṛchas (or vaidik hymns) and also, Śaśvatī, Sinīvālī, Kuhū, Rākā, Anumati; his sons are Samvarta, the manes called Havishmats, Utathya, Bṛhaspati, Mārkanḍeya; his wives, Smṛti (traditional science), two daughters of Daksha, Svadhā and Satī, and Śraddhā, the daughter of the sage Kardama. As an astronomical personification he is Bṛhaspati himself or the regent of the planet Jupiter and presides over the sixth year of the cycle of sixty years. See also atharvan. Ii. m. pl.

(-rasaḥ) 1) The descendants of the former. In this capacity they share also in the nature of the legends attributed to Angiras. Angiras being the father of Agni, they are considered as descendants of Agni himself, who is also called the first of the Angirasas. Like Angiras, they occur in hymns addressed to the luminous deities and, at a later period, they become for the most part personifications of light, of luminous bodies, of divisions of time, of celestial phenomena and fires adapted to peculiar occasions as the full and change of the moon, or to particular rites as the Aśvamedha, Rājasūya, the Pākayajnas or sacrifices with food, obsequial and funeral fires, expiatory fires, and the like. Most of the authors of the hymns of the Rigveda are connected with them and in the Purāṇas mention is made of two tribes of the Angirasas which were Brāhmaṇas as well as Kshatriyas.

2) The hymns of the Atharvaveda. See also atharvan pl. and atharvāṅgiras pl. E. aṅg, uṇ. aff. asi with āgama iruṭ, or, according to another authority, a [tatpurusha compound] composed of an (meaning anna food, from an kṛt aff. kvip) and giras (from gṝ to swallow) ‘devouring food’. The latter etymology, apparently without any grammatical authority, would refer especially to aṅgiras as epithet of Agni. See also aṅgirastama. The plural aṅgirasaḥ is considered, though without any etymological necessity, as the plural of the deriv. form āṅgirasa with luk or elision of the affix.

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

Aṅgiras (अङ्गिरस्):—(rāḥ) 5. m. Name of a sage.

[Sanskrit to German]

Angiras 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.

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Search found 65 books and stories containing Angiras, Aṅgiras; (plurals include: Angirases, Aṅgirases). You can also click to the full overview containing English textual excerpts. Below are direct links for the most relevant articles:

Canto LXXIX - The praise of Vaivasvata in the Sāvarṇika Manvantara

Canto LII - The Creation and Appellations of the Rudras

Canto CXXIX - Marutta’s exploits (continued)

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Praśna 5, Kaṇḍikā 6

Praśna 11, Kaṇḍikā 20

Praśna 4, Kaṇḍikā 12

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3. Different Names of the Atharvaveda < [Chapter 1 - The Atharvaveda and its importance in the Vedic Literature]

11. Goddess Kṛtyā < [Chapter 4 - Female Deities and the Glorification of Women in the Atharvaveda]

16. Goddess Oṣadhayaḥ (Oṣadhayas) < [Chapter 4 - Female Deities and the Glorification of Women in the Atharvaveda]

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