Indrajala, Indrajāla, Indra-jala, Imdrajala: 20 definitions
Introduction:
Indrajala means something in Hinduism, Sanskrit, Jainism, Prakrit, Marathi. 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
Shaivism (Shaiva philosophy)
Source: Wisdom Library: Kakṣapuṭa-tantraIndrajāla (इन्द्रजाल) refers to “creating illusions”. It is a siddhi (‘supernatural power’) described in chapter one of the Kakṣapuṭatantra (a manual of Tantric practice from the tenth century).
Source: Shodhganga: Mantra-sādhana: Chapter One of the Kakṣapuṭatantra1) Indrajāla (इन्द्रजाल) is the name of an Āgama or Tantra mentioned in the Kakṣapuṭatantra verse 1.5-7.—“At a previous time, when Pārvatī asked him, Śaṅkara told of the attainments of vidyā in the wide worldly life, in various ways. I observed each teaching taught also by the troops of Gods, Siddhas (those who have attained supernatural power), Munis (saints), Deśikas (spiritual teachers), and Sādhakas (tantric practicioners). They are [, for example]: Indrajāla... I shall carefully extract all the above-mentioned āgamas, which are transmitted from mouth to mouth, like butter extracted from coagulated milk”.
2) Indrajāla (इन्द्रजाल) refers to “creating illusions” and represents one of the various siddhis (perfections) mentioned in the Kakṣapuṭatantra verse 1.11-13. Accordingly, “by excellent Sādhakas (tantric practitioners) wishing the Siddhi (e.g., indrajāla), the mantrasādhana should be performed in advance, for the sake of the Siddhi. One would not attain any Siddhi without the means of mantra-vidhāna (the classification of mantra)”.
Source: ORA: Amanaska (king of all yogas): (Shaivism)Indrajāla (इन्द्रजाल) refers to “magic”.—In his commentary to the Svacchandatantra (11.197), Kṣemarāja provides the following definition: “Kuhaka is that which causes astonishment and convinces those of limited understanding. It is chiefly magic (indrajāla)”. In his commentary on the Netratantra (18.89), Kṣemarāja glosses kuhakāni as: “Deceitful (things) such as amulets of control, witches, etc.”. These glosses affirm that kuhaka can be understood more specifically to mean an astonishing, magical feat rather than its general sense of something that causes astonishment, the latter definition being that of Dhātupāṭha 10.443.
Shaiva (शैव, śaiva) or Shaivism (śaivism) represents a tradition of Hinduism worshiping Shiva as the supreme being. Closely related to Shaktism, Shaiva literature includes a range of scriptures, including Tantras, while the root of this tradition may be traced back to the ancient Vedas.
Purana and Itihasa (epic history)
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: The Purana IndexIndrajāla (इन्द्रजाल).—One of the upayās of a king.*
- * Matsya-purāṇa 222. 2.
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.
Shaktism (Shakta philosophy)
Source: Google Books: ManthanabhairavatantramIndrajāla (इन्द्रजाल) refers to “marvellous creations produced by magic”, according to Tantric texts such as the Kubjikāmata-tantra, the earliest popular and most authoritative Tantra of the Kubjikā cult.—Accordingly, “[...] (Then) having thus given them a boon, she reached Karāla. The place is brilliant with rows of mighty flames (mahājvāla), the greatly astonishing energy (tejas) of the goddess, and so is called Jāla. Passing some time (there), she burnt with the awakened rays (of her radiance) and beheld before (her) countless marvellous creations like (those produced) by magic (indrajāla)”.
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.
Jyotisha (astronomy and astrology)
Source: Wisdom Library: Brihat Samhita by VarahamihiraIndrajāla (इन्द्रजाल) refers to “conjurers”, according to the Bṛhatsaṃhitā (chapter 16) (“On the planets—graha-bhaktiyoga”), an encyclopedic Sanskrit work written by Varāhamihira mainly focusing on the science of ancient Indian astronomy astronomy (Jyotiṣa).—Accordingly, “[...] Mercury also presides over painters, grammarians, mathematicians, physicians, sculptors, spies, jugglers, infants, poets, rogues, tale-bearers, black-magicians, messengers, eunuchs, buffoons, sorcerers and conjurers (indrajāla); over sentinels, dancers and dancing masters; over ghee, gingelly and other oils; over seeds, over bitter flavour, over observers of religious ceremonies, over chemists and mules”.
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.
In Jainism
General definition (in Jainism)
Source: The University of Sydney: A study of the Twelve ReflectionsIndrajāla (इन्द्रजाल) refers to an “illusion”, according to the 11th century Jñānārṇava, a treatise on Jain Yoga in roughly 2200 Sanskrit verses composed by Śubhacandra.—Accordingly, “The world is similar to an illusion (indrajāla-upama), like a black ointment of delusion for the senses. With regard to this, we do not know why this world goes astray”.
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.
Languages of India and abroad
Marathi-English dictionary
Source: DDSA: The Molesworth Marathi and English Dictionaryindrajāla (इंद्रजाल).—n (S) Jugglery, legerdemain, conjuring.
Source: DDSA: The Aryabhusan school dictionary, Marathi-Englishindrajāla (इंद्रजाल) [-ḷa, -ळ].—n Jugglery, legerdemain, conjuring.
Marathi is an Indo-European language having over 70 million native speakers people in (predominantly) Maharashtra India. Marathi, like many other Indo-Aryan languages, evolved from early forms of Prakrit, which itself is a subset of Sanskrit, one of the most ancient languages of the world.
Sanskrit dictionary
Source: DDSA: The practical Sanskrit-English dictionaryIndrajāla (इन्द्रजाल).—[indrasya parameśvarasya jālaṃ māyeva]
1) the net of Indra. तेनाह- मिन्द्रजालेनामूंस्तमसाभि दधामि सर्वान् (tenāha- mindrajālenāmūṃstamasābhi dadhāmi sarvān) Av.8.8.8.
2) a weapon used by Arjuna; a stratagem or trick in war.
3) deception, cheating.
4) conjuring, jugglery, magical tricks; इन्द्रजालं च मायां वै कुहका वाऽपि भीषणा (indrajālaṃ ca māyāṃ vai kuhakā vā'pi bhīṣaṇā) Mahābhārata (Bombay) 5.16.55. स्वप्नेन्द्रजालसदृशः खलु जीवलोकः (svapnendrajālasadṛśaḥ khalu jīvalokaḥ) Śānti.2.2; K.15.
Derivable forms: indrajālam (इन्द्रजालम्).
Indrajāla is a Sanskrit compound consisting of the terms indra and jāla (जाल).
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Shabda-Sagara Sanskrit-English DictionaryIndrajāla (इन्द्रजाल).—n.
(-laṃ) 1. Conjuring, juggling. 2. Deception, cheating. 3. Trick or stratagem in war. E. indra an organ of sense, and jāla a net.
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Benfey Sanskrit-English DictionaryIndrajāla (इन्द्रजाल).—n. 1. magic, [Kathāsaritsāgara, (ed. Brockhaus.)] 22, 12. 2. illusion, [Vedāntasāra, (in my Chrestomathy.)] in
Indrajāla is a Sanskrit compound consisting of the terms indra and jāla (जाल).
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Cappeller Sanskrit-English DictionaryIndrajāla (इन्द्रजाल).—[neuter] Indra's net; a cert. mystic weapon; juggling, magic.
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Aufrecht Catalogus CatalogorumIndrajāla (इन्द्रजाल) as mentioned in Aufrecht’s Catalogus Catalogorum:—sorcery. Rādh. 25.
—by Nityanātha. K. 38. Oudh. Ix, 28.
1) Indrajāla (इन्द्रजाल):—[=indra-jāla] [from indra] n. the net of Indra, [Atharva-veda viii, 8, 8]
2) [v.s. ...] a weapon employed by Arjuna, [Mahābhārata]
3) [v.s. ...] sham, illusion, delusion, magic, sorcery, juggle
4) [v.s. ...] the art of magic etc., [Kathāsaritsāgara; Ratnāvalī; Prabodha-candrodaya; Vedāntasāra; Sāhitya-darpaṇa] etc.
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Yates Sanskrit-English DictionaryIndrajāla (इन्द्रजाल):—[indra-jāla] (laṃ) 1. n. Deception, trick.
[Sanskrit to German]
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.
Kannada-English dictionary
Source: Alar: Kannada-English corpusIṃdrajāla (ಇಂದ್ರಜಾಲ):—
1) [noun] the art or performing skill of producing baffling effects or illusions by sleight of hand, concealed apparatus, etc.; magic; jugglery.
2) [noun] an act or instance of cheating.
3) [noun] the tree Holarrhena antidysentrica of Apocynaceae family; the rose berry tree.
Kannada is a Dravidian language (as opposed to the Indo-European language family) mainly spoken in the southwestern region of India.
Nepali dictionary
Source: unoes: Nepali-English DictionaryIndrajāla (इन्द्रजाल):—n. illusion; sorcery; deception;
Nepali is the primary language of the Nepalese people counting almost 20 million native speakers. The country of Nepal is situated in the Himalaya mountain range to the north of India.
See also (Relevant definitions)
Starts with: Indrajalajna, Indrajalaka, Indrajalaparicaya, Indrajalaprakarana, Indrajalapurusha, Indrajalavidya, Indrajalopama.
Ends with: Aindrajala.
Full-text (+9): Aindrajalika, Indrajalika, Aindrajala, Indrajalavidya, Indrajalaparicaya, Indrajalapurusha, Indrajalajna, Kshudropaya, Shakrajala, Kakavani, Indrajalin, Siddhashabaratantra, Kuhaka, Upaya, Magic, Intiranalam, Nityanathasiddha, Nityanatha, Jabala, Mahajvala.
Relevant text
Search found 21 books and stories containing Indrajala, Indrajāla, Indra-jala, Indra-jāla, Imdrajala, Iṃdrajāla; (plurals include: Indrajalas, Indrajālas, jalas, jālas, Imdrajalas, Iṃdrajālas). You can also click to the full overview containing English textual excerpts. Below are direct links for the most relevant articles:
Nitiprakasika (Critical Analysis) (by S. Anusha)
Upāyas (Nītiprakāśikā VIII. 73-9) < [Chapter 4]
Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu (by Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī)
Verse 2.1.86 < [Part 1 - Ecstatic Excitants (vibhāva)]
Kavyamimamsa of Rajasekhara (Study) (by Debabrata Barai)
Part 20 - Study Conducted on Rājaśekhara’s Kāvyamīmāṃsā < [Chapter 1 - Introduction]
Part 5 - Rājaśekhara’s Discussion on Daily Routine < [Chapter 5 - Analyasis and Interpretations of the Kāvyamīmāṃsā]
Atharvaveda and Charaka Samhita (by Laxmi Maji)
Bhela and Bhela Saṃhitā < [Chapter 1 - Introduction]
Mahabharata (English) (by Kisari Mohan Ganguli)
Yoga Vasistha [English], Volume 1-4 (by Vihari-Lala Mitra)
Chapter CV - The breaking of the magic spell < [Book III - Utpatti khanda (utpatti khanda)]
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