Mahaduhkha, Mahāduḥkha: 7 definitions
Introduction:
Mahaduhkha means something in Buddhism, Pali, 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
Purana and Itihasa (epic history)
Source: archive.org: Shiva Purana - English TranslationMahāduḥkha (महादुःख) refers to “feeling very miserable”, according to the Śivapurāṇa 2.4.2 (“The birth of Śiva’s son”).—Accordingly, after Nārada spoke to Agni: “[...] O saintly one, the women became pregnant and were distressed by the burning sensation. They went home. O dear, Arundhatī was displeased with fire. O dear, the husbands on seeing the plight of their wives became furious. They consulted one another and discarded them. O dear, on seeing their own state the six ladies felt very miserable (mahāduḥkha) and distressed. [...]”.
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.
In Buddhism
Mahayana (major branch of Buddhism)
Source: Wisdom Library: Maha Prajnaparamita SastraMahāduḥkha (महादुःख) refers to “great suffering”, according to Mahāprajñāpāramitāśāstra (chapter 31).—Accordingly, “The suffering which the four noble truths [mention] the saint cognizes truly as suffering, but worldly people (pṛthagjana) call it happiness. It is necessary to rely on the noble truth (āryatattva) and reject error (moha) and doubt (kāṅkṣā). This body is really suffering because it rests on the ‘Great Suffering’ (mahāduḥkha) [of saṃsāra], and it is only a lesser suffering (parīttaduḥkha) that constitutes happiness. Thus, when a man condemned to death undergoes punishment (daṇḍa) instead of being executed, he feels great joy. This punishment is really suffering, but as he escapes from death, the condemned man calls it happiness.”.
Source: De Gruyter: A Buddhist Ritual Manual on AgricultureMahāduḥkha (महादुःख) refers to “great suffering”, according to the Vajratuṇḍasamayakalparāja, an ancient Buddhist ritual manual on agriculture from the 5th-century (or earlier), containing various instructions for the Sangha to provide agriculture-related services to laypeople including rain-making, weather control and crop protection.—Accordingly, [after hostile Nāgas released winds, thunderbolts, etc.] “[...] Beings experience great and severe suffering [e.g., mahāduḥkha]. Listen, O Nāgas, there is the evident empowerment of the Tathāgata’s miracles. Behold the deep knowledge of the Buddha, the power of the Tathāgata, the empowerment of special merit”.
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.
Languages of India and abroad
Sanskrit dictionary
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Cappeller Sanskrit-English DictionaryMahāduḥkha (महादुःख).—[neuter] great sorrow.
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English DictionaryMahāduḥkha (महादुःख):—[=mahā-duḥkha] [from mahā > mah] n. a gr° pain or evil, [Subhāṣitāvali]
[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 corpusMahāduḥkha (ಮಹಾದುಃಖ):—
1) [noun] intense grief.
2) [noun] (myth.) name of a hell.
Kannada is a Dravidian language (as opposed to the Indo-European language family) mainly spoken in the southwestern region of India.
See also (Relevant definitions)
Partial matches: Duhkha, Maha.
Full-text: Aryatattva, Parittaduhkha, Paritta, Samprapti, Anga.
Relevant text
Search found 4 books and stories containing Mahaduhkha, Mahāduḥkha, Maha-duhkha, Mahā-duḥkha, Mahāduhkha; (plurals include: Mahaduhkhas, Mahāduḥkhas, duhkhas, duḥkhas, Mahāduhkhas). You can also click to the full overview containing English textual excerpts. Below are direct links for the most relevant articles:
Chaitanya Bhagavata (by Bhumipati Dāsa)
Verse 1.11.59 < [Chapter 11 - Meeting with Śrī Īśvara Purī]
Verse 2.22.109 < [Chapter 22 - Delivering Śacīdevī from Offense and Descriptions of Nityānanda’s Qualities]
Verse 2.20.120 < [Chapter 20 - The Glories of Murāri Gupta]
Brihad Bhagavatamrita (commentary) (by Śrī Śrīmad Bhaktivedānta Nārāyana Gosvāmī Mahārāja)
Verse 1.5.67 < [Chapter 5 - Priya (the beloved devotees)]
Bhajana-Rahasya (by Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura Mahasaya)
Text 14 < [Chapter 8 - Aṣṭama-yāma-sādhana (Rātri-līlā–prema-bhajana sambhoga)]
Maha Prajnaparamita Sastra (by Gelongma Karma Migme Chödrön)
E.1: The Four Foundations of Mindfulness (smṛtyupasthāna) < [Abhidharma auxiliaries (E): Detailed study of the auxiliaries]
Emptiness 10: Emptiness of dharmas without beginning (anagraśūnyatā) < [Chapter XLVIII - The Eighteen Emptinesses]