In Jainism

General definition (in Jainism)

Source: archive.org: The Jaina Iconography

Megharatha (मेघरथ) is the name of the father of Sumatinātha: the fifth of twenty-four Tīrthaṃkaras or Jinas, commonly depicted in Jaina iconography.—The Sumatinātha’s native place and his parents have been mentioned in the Jaina traditional history. His birth place was Ayodhyā (Sāketa), his father was called Megharatha and mother Maṅgalā. When and how he attained the Kevala knowledge and what palanquin carried him, all these are given in the Uttarapurāṇa.

Source: archive.org: Trisastisalakapurusacaritra

1) Megharatha (मेघरथ) is the son of Priyamati and king Ghanaratha and he is a previous incarnation of Śānti-nātha, according to chapter 5.4 [śāntinātha-caritra] of Hemacandra’s 11th century Triṣaṣṭiśalākāpuruṣacaritra: an ancient Sanskrit epic poem narrating the history and legends of sixty-three illustrious persons in Jainism.—Accordingly:—“[...] Of Ghanaratha there were two wives, Priyamati and Manoramā, like Gaṅgā and Sindhu of the ocean. Vajrāyudha’s soul fell from Graiveyaka and descended into the womb of Queen Priyamati. [...] Sahasrāyudha’s soul fell from Graiveyaka and descended into Queen Manoramā’s womb. [...] At the right time both sons were born in succession, like the sun and moon that had attained other forms. On an auspicious day the king named Priyamati’s son Megharatha in accordance with her dream. He gave the second son the name Dṛḍharatha in accordance with the queen’s dream. Megharatha and Dṛḍharatha, possessing firm brotherly feeling, gradually grew up, like Sīrin and Śārṅgadhara. They gradually attained youth, the royal abode of Love, a charm for young women, the source of maximum beauty. [...]”.

2) Megharatha (मेघरथ) is the name of a Vidyādhara-king from Meghapura, according to the Jain Ramayana and chapter 7.1 [origin of the rākṣasavaṃśa and vānaravaṃśa].—Accordingly:—“[...] He (Indra) established four Dikpālas, seven armies and generals, three assemblies, the thunderbolt as his weapon, his elephant as Airāvaṇa, his courtesans as Rambhā, etc., his minister as Bṛhaspati, and the leader of his infantry with the same name as Naigameṣin. [...] Mākaradhvaji, sprung from the womb of Ādityakirti, lord of Jyotiṣpura, became Soma, the regent of the east. The son of Varuṇā and Megharatha, a Vidyādhara, lord of Meghapura, became Varuṇa, the regent of the west. The son of Sūra and Kanakāvali, lord of Kāñcanapura, was called Kubera, the regent of the north. The son of Kālāgni and Śrīprabhā, lord of Kiṣkindhanagara, became Yama, regent of the south.[...]”.

3) Megharatha (मेघरथ) is the name of a Tīrtha (sacred place), according to chapter 7.8 [The abandonment of Sītā].—Accordingly, “[...] Enjoying pleasures there unhindered, Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa, served by Sugrīva and the others, spent six years. In the meantime Indrajit and Meghavāhana attained emancipation on the Vindhya plateau and the tīrtha Megharatha came into existence. Kumbhakarṇa went to emancipation at the river Narmadā and the tīrtha named Pṛṣṭharakṣita arose”.

Source: academia.edu: Tessitori Collection I

1) Megharatha (मेघरथ) or Megharathakathā refers to one of the 157 stories embedded in the Kathāmahodadhi by Somacandra (narrating stories from Jain literature, based on the Karpūraprakara), which is included in the collection of manuscripts at the ‘Vincenzo Joppi’ library, collected by Luigi Pio Tessitori during his visit to Rajasthan between 1914 and 1919.—The Kathāmahodadhi represents a repository of 157 stories [e.g., Megharatha-kathā] written in prose Sanskrit, although each of them is preceded by a verse. Together, they stage a large number of Jain characters (including early teachers). [...]

2) Megharatha (मेघरथ) is the name of an ancient king and a previous birth of Śāntinātha, according to the “Megharatha-ekaḍhāliu”.—Megharatha, a king who was one of the previous births of the sixteenth Jina, Śāntinātha, is a counterpart of the well-known pan-indian character of Śibi. When a pigeon, pursued by an eagle, came to Megharatha for protection, the king granted it to him, offering his own body to the eagle. this was a test of his sense of personal sacrifice.

context information

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

Sanskrit dictionary

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

Megharatha (मेघरथ):—[=megha-ratha] [from megha] m. Name of a Vidyā-dhara, [Hemacandra’s Pariśiṣṭaparvan]

[Sanskrit to German]

Megharatha 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: Ratha, Megha.

Starts with: Megharathakatha.

Full-text (+29): Meghasena, Jaitra, Rathasena, Atirupika, Alaka, Prishtharakshita, Svarnacula, Sarvagupta, Nikriti, Tamracula, Sanghapura, Nagapura, Sanghagiri, Shankhika, Khadgapura, Sumandirapura, Nihatashatru, Rajyagupta, Dhritidhara, Shantinatha.

Relevant text

Search found 2 books and stories containing Megharatha, Megha-ratha; (plurals include: Megharathas, rathas). You can also click to the full overview containing English textual excerpts. Below are direct links for the most relevant articles:

Trishashti Shalaka Purusha Caritra (by Helen M. Johnson)

Part 5: Incarnation as Megharatha (continued) < [Chapter IV - Tenth incarnation as Megharatha]

Part 1: Incarnation as Megharatha (introduction) < [Chapter IV - Tenth incarnation as Megharatha]

Part 6: Story of Siṃharatha < [Chapter IV - Tenth incarnation as Megharatha]

+ 10 more chapters / show preview

A study of the philosophy of Jainism (by Deepa Baruah)

Chapter I.c - The lives of the Tīrthaṅkaras < [Chapter I - Introduction]

show preview