In Hinduism

Purana and Itihasa (epic history)

Source: Wisdom Library: Skanda-purana

Maṇikarṇa (मणिकर्ण, “precious ear-ring”) refers to one of the fifty-six vināyakas located at Kāśī (Vārāṇasī), and forms part of a sacred pilgrimage (yātrā), described in the Kāśīkhaṇḍa (Skanda-purāṇa 4.2.57). He is also known as Maṇikarṇavināyaka, Maṇikarṇagaṇeśa and Maṇikarṇavighneśa. These fifty-six vināyakas are positioned at the eight cardinal points in seven concentric circles (8x7). They center around a deity named Ḍhuṇḍhirāja (or Ḍhuṇḍhi-vināyaka) positioned near the Viśvanātha temple, which lies at the heart of Kāśī, near the Gaṅges. This arrangement symbolises the interconnecting relationship of the macrocosmos, the mesocosmos and the microcosmos.

Maṇikarṇa is positioned in the South-Eastern corner of the sixth circle of the kāśī-maṇḍala. According to Rana Singh (source), his shrine is located at “Satuababa Ashram, Manikamika Gali, CK 10 / 48”. Worshippers of Maṇikarṇa will benefit from his quality, which is defined as “the reliever from difficulties”. His coordinates are: Lat. 25.18654, Lon. 83.00875 (or, 25°11'11.5"N 83°00'31.5"E) (Google maps)

Maṇikarṇa, and the other vināyakas, are described in the Skandapurāṇa (the largest of the eighteen mahāpurāṇas). This book narrates the details and legends surrounding numerous holy pilgrimages (tīrtha-māhātmya) throughout India. It is composed of over 81,000 metrical verses with the core text dating from the before the 4th-century CE.

Source: Shodhganga: The saurapurana - a critical study

Maṇikarṇa (मणिकर्ण) or Maṇikarṇatīrtha is the name of a Tīrtha (holy places) situated at Vārāṇasī, according to the 10th century Saurapurāṇa: one of the various Upapurāṇas depicting Śaivism.—Vārāṇasī has remained a place dear to Śiva. It is supposed to be a place of mokṣa for all living creatures. There are many sacred places and innumerable liṅgas which are even unknown to Brahmā, so says the Saurapurāṇa. [...] The Maṇikarṇa-tīrtha at Benares is a favourite of Śiva. A bath at Maṇikarṇa takes away sins and by the sight of Viśveśvara a devotee becomes fit for liberation.

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.

In Buddhism

Mahayana (major branch of Buddhism)

Source: Wisdom Library: Lokottaravāda

Maṇikarṇa (मणिकर्ण) is the name of a Buddha under whom Śākyamuni (or Gautama, ‘the historical Buddha’) acquired merit along the first through nine bhūmis, according to the Mahāvastu. There are in total ten bhūmis representing the ten stages of the Bodhisattva’s path towards enlightenment.

Maṇikarṇa is but one among the 500 Buddhas enumerated in the Mahāvastu during a conversation between Mahākātyāyana and Mahākāśyapa, both principle disciples of Gautama Buddha. The Mahāvastu is an important text of the Lokottaravāda school of buddhism, dating from the 2nd century BCE.

Source: archive.org: Bulletin of the French School of the Far East (volume 5)

Maṇikarṇa (मणिकर्ण) is the name of a Maṇikarṇa appointed as one of the Divine protector deities of Ujjayinī, according to chapter 17 of the Candragarbha: the 55th section of the Mahāsaṃnipāta-sūtra, a large compilation of Sūtras (texts) in Mahāyāna Buddhism partly available in Sanskrit, Tibetan and Chinese.—In the Candragarbhasūtra, the Bhagavat invites all classes of Gods and Deities to protect the Law [dharma?] and the faithful in their respective kingdoms of Jambudvīpa [e.g., the Gandharvas Maṇikarṇa in Ujjayinī], resembling the time of the past Buddhas.

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.

Languages of India and abroad

Sanskrit dictionary

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

Maṇikarṇa (मणिकर्ण).—name of a former Buddha: Mahāvastu i.139.6 (so text, v.l. Maṇikuṇḍala; cited in Index as Maṇivarṇa).

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

Maṇikarṇa (मणिकर्ण).—mfn. (rṇaḥ-ṇā-rṇī-rṇaṃ) Jewel-eared. E. maṇi, and karṇa the ear.

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

1) Maṇikarṇa (मणिकर्ण):—[=maṇi-karṇa] [from maṇi] mfn. ‘jewel-eared’, having an ornament of any kind (as a mark) on the ear (of cattle etc.), [Pāṇini 6-3, 115]

2) [v.s. ...] m. Name of a Liṅga, [Kālikā-purāṇa]

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

Maṇikarṇa (मणिकर्ण):—[maṇi-karṇa] (rṇaḥ-rṇā-rṇī-rṇaṃ) a. Having jewels or pearls in the ears.

[Sanskrit to German]

Manikarna 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: Karna, Mani.

Starts with: Manikarnaganesha, Manikarnatirtha, Manikarnavighnesha, Manikarnavinayaka.

Full-text: Manikarneshvara, Manikarni, Manikarnishvara, Manivarna, Manikarnatirtha, Manikarnavinayaka, Manikarnavighnesha, Manikarnaganesha, Jaleshvara, Vishveshvara, Ujjayini, Vinayaka.

Relevant text

Search found 3 books and stories containing Manikarna, Maṇikarṇa, Mani-karna, Maṇi-karṇa; (plurals include: Manikarnas, Maṇikarṇas, karnas, karṇas). You can also click to the full overview containing English textual excerpts. Below are direct links for the most relevant articles:

The Mahavastu (great story) (by J. J. Jones)

Chapter XVI - The ninth Bhūmi < [Volume I]

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The Brihaddharma Purana (abridged) (by Syama Charan Banerji)

Chapter 6 - On places of pilgrimage (continued, 2)

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The Skanda Purana (by G. V. Tagare)

Chapter 57 - Manifestation of Dhuṇḍhi Vināyaka and Fifty-six Vināyakas < [Section 2 - Uttarārdha]

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