Mahateja, Mahātejā: 9 definitions
Introduction:
Mahateja 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: JatLand: List of Mahabharata people and placesMahātejā (महातेजा) is a name mentioned in the Mahābhārata (cf. I.89.50) and represents one of the many proper names used for people and places. Note: The Mahābhārata (mentioning Mahātejā) is a Sanskrit epic poem consisting of 100,000 ślokas (metrical verses) and is over 2000 years old.
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: Manthanabhairavatantram1) Mahāteja (महातेज) refers to “one who is very powerful” and is used to visualize Bhairava, according to the Manthānabhairavatantra, a vast sprawling work that belongs to a corpus of Tantric texts concerned with the worship of the goddess Kubjikā.—Accordingly, “He has eight faces and, very powerful [i.e., mahāteja], shines like a white lotus. He is mightily proud and has sharp teeth and great body. He is terrible and fierce and his face is deformed. O Śambhu, he has twenty arms and the goddess sits on his lap. He holds a sword, mallet and noose, a double-headed drum, a dagger, the Kaustubha jewel, a rosary, a skull bowl full of fruit and the like and a piece of human flesh. [...]”.
2) Mahātejā (महातेजा) refers to one of the thirty-two Bhairavīs (also Dūtis) embodying the syllables of the goddess’s Vidyā, according to the Manthānabhairavatantra.—The thirty-two Bhairavīs [i.e., Mahātejā] are the consorts of the Bhairavas presiding over the sonic energies of the thirty-two syllables of her Vidyā.
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.
In Buddhism
Tibetan Buddhism (Vajrayana or tantric Buddhism)
Source: OSU Press: Cakrasamvara SamadhiMahātejā (महातेजा) refers to “great majesty”, according to the Cakrasaṃvara Samādhi [i.e., Cakrasamvara Meditation] ritual often performed in combination with the Cakrasaṃvara Samādhi, which refers to the primary pūjā and sādhanā practice of Newah Mahāyāna-Vajrayāna Buddhists in Nepal.—Accordingly, “[...] Six joyful seals, the foremost of them (being) her holiness, Colored red, with one face, two arms, and three eyes, Naked with loose hair, (and) partly adorned with a girdle, The left arm embracing, holding in a skull bowl, sin and death for eating, On the right a threatening finger pointing in the direction of all defilement, Sounding the thunder of an impending kalpa-fire of great majesty (mahātejā), With the bloody opening (between) both hips penetrated by (her) hero, One who loves great pleasure, belonging to the nature of compassion”.
Source: MDPI Books: The Ocean of HeroesMahāteja (महातेज) refers to a “great fire”, according to the 10th-century Ḍākārṇava-tantra: one of the last Tibetan Tantric scriptures belonging to the Buddhist Saṃvara tradition consisting of 51 chapters.—Accordingly, “[...] [Vajravārāhī] [has her] body smeared with divine perfumes; is decorated with anklets and armlets; is adorned with a divine garland; is ornamented with the six seals; [has] three eyes; [wears] a garland of hairless heads [as a necklace]; is adorned with jewelry; is flaming like the destructive fire [at the end of a kalpa]; and is shining with great fire (mahāteja). [...]”.
Tibetan Buddhism includes schools such as Nyingma, Kadampa, Kagyu and Gelug. Their primary canon of literature is divided in two broad categories: The Kangyur, which consists of Buddha’s words, and the Tengyur, which includes commentaries from various sources. Esotericism and tantra techniques (vajrayāna) are collected indepently.
Languages of India and abroad
Sanskrit dictionary
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Edgerton Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit DictionaryMahāteja (महातेज).—(s) (1) name of an ancient king: Mahāvastu ii.146.19 (°jo, n. sg.); (2) name of a garuḍa prince: Saddharmapuṇḍarīka 5.4 (°jasā, inst.); (3) name of a Bodhisattva: Gaṇḍavyūha 2.20 (°jasā).
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English DictionaryMahāteja (महातेज):—[=mahā-teja] [from mahā > mah] mfn. (mc.) = next mfn., [Bhāgavata-purāṇa]
[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 corpusMahātēja (ಮಹಾತೇಜ):—
1) [adjective] very bright, lusterous or brilliant.
2) [adjective] very brave, courageious.
--- OR ---
Mahātēja (ಮಹಾತೇಜ):—
1) [noun] fire.
2) [noun] mercury, a metallic chemical element.
3) [noun] great brightness, lustre.
4) [noun] a very brave, courageous man.
5) [noun] Ṣaṇmukha, the sun of Śiva.
6) [noun] Viṣṇu.
7) [noun] Śiva.
8) [noun] the castor seed plant (Ricinus communis of Euphorbiaceae family).
9) [noun] the plant Plumbago zeylanica of Plumbaginaceae family.
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)
Starts with: Mahatejahparakrama, Mahatejas, Mahatejasvin, Mahatejomayi.
Full-text: Mahatejas, Virasthana, Mahatejogarbha, Sumahatejas, Sthaviradyuti, Vyaharana, Kumbhodara, Cakshusha, Cita, Kaushamba, Kishku, Shankukarna, Bhuta, Diksa, Caitya, Garh.
Relevant text
Search found 18 books and stories containing Mahateja, Mahātejā, Mahāteja, Maha-teja, Mahā-teja, Mahātēja; (plurals include: Mahatejas, Mahātejās, Mahātejas, tejas, Mahātējas). You can also click to the full overview containing English textual excerpts. Below are direct links for the most relevant articles:
Sanskrit sources of Kerala history (by Suma Parappattoli)
1.2. The origin of Kerala < [Chapter 2 - Historical details from Mahatmyas and Prashastis]
Rudra-Shiva concept (Study) (by Maumita Bhattacharjee)
40. Pañcabrahma incarnation < [Chapter 5 - Rudra-Śiva in the Purāṇic Literature]
List of Mahabharata people and places (by Laxman Burdak)
The Skanda Purana (by G. V. Tagare)
Chapter 109 - Greatness of Aṣṭaṣaṣṭi Tīrthas < [Section 1 - Tīrtha-māhātmya]
Chapter 139 - Greatness of Citrāditya (Citra-āditya) < [Section 1 - Prabhāsa-kṣetra-māhātmya]
Chapter 69 - The Assembly of Sixty-eight Holy Spots < [Section 2 - Uttarārdha]
Manusmriti with the Commentary of Medhatithi (by Ganganatha Jha)
Verse 1.62 < [Section XXXVI - Manvantara and the Seven Manus]
Amarakoshodghatana of Kshirasvamin (study) (by A. Yamuna Devi)