Namuci, Namucī: 20 definitions

Introduction
In Hinduism
In Buddhism
1. Theravada
In Jainism
1. General definition
Languages
1. Pali
2. Sanskrit
See also

Introduction:

Namuci means something in Buddhism, Pali, Hinduism, Sanskrit, Jainism, Prakrit. 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.

Alternative spellings of this word include Namuchi.

In Hinduism

Purana and Itihasa (epic history)

Source: archive.org: Puranic Encyclopedia

1) Namuci (नमुचि).—A fierce Rākṣasa (giant). It is stated in Mahābhārata, Ādi Parva, Chapter 65, Stanza 22, that this giant was the son of Prajāpati Kaśyapa by his wife Danu. This fierce giant was killed by Indra. There is a story in the Purāṇas describing how Namuci was killed.

Under the leadership of Namuci a great army of the giants invaded the realm of the gods. Indra came with an army of devas. Though the giants were defeated in the battle Indra was not able to kill Namuci. To save himself from the attack of Indra, Namuci got into the radiance of the Sun and hid himself there. Indra found him out and made a treaty with him, the conditions of which were as said by Indra:—

"Oh, noble giant, I will not kill you by wet thing or dry thing, in the night or in the day. What I say is true."

According to this treaty it became impossible for Indra to kill Namuci either with wet things or with dry things and either in the day time or in the night. Only when Indra had agreed to these conditions did Namuci come out.

The battle continued and Indra drove away Śumbha and Niśumbha the elder brothers of Namuci, who went to Pātāla. Indra ran after Namuci and in the evening Indra found him hiding on the sea shore and killed him with the foam of the sea. As Indra had violated the condition of the treaty the severed head of Namuci followed Indra. With this Indra incurred the sin of Brahmahatyā (killing a Brahmin). To get remission from this sin Indra approached Brahmā. He was advised to bathe in Aruṇāsaṅgama and doing so Indra got remission of his sin. From that day onwards Aruṇāsaṅgama became a holy bath (tīrtha). (Mahābhārata Śalya Parva, Chapter 40).

2) Namuci (नमुचि).—An army-captain of Hiraṇyākṣa. In the battle with Indra, Namuci made him unconscious and the elephant Airāvata thrust its tusks on the ground. After that by his magic and sorcery he created many creatures. But Viṣṇu destroyed all those creatures with his discus Sudarśana. At last Indra killed Namuci. (Padma Purāṇa, Sṛṣṭikhaṇḍa).

3) Namuci (नमुचि).—Another valiant captain of Hiraṇyākṣa. He sent five arrows against Indra in a fierce battle. But Indra cut all the five arrows in the midway. Then by his magic and sorcery Namuci spread darkness everywhere. Indra defeated that strategy also. Then Namuci dashed forward and taking hold of the tusks of Airāvata shook Indra down. Indra stood up and cut off the head of Namuci with his sword. (Padma Purāṇa, Sṛṣṭi Khaṇḍa).

Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: The Purana Index

Namuci (नमुचि).—A son of Vipracitti. Lord of the Asuras, hostile to Indra;¹ a resident of the first talam or atala;² a nephew of Hiraṇyakaśipu; married Suprabhā, the daughter of Svarbhānu;³ followed Vṛtra against Indra;⁴ took part in the Devāsura war between Bali and Indra; fought with Aparājita; heard of Bali's and Jambha's fall and fought with Indra; resisted with success Vajra on account of the fact that he could not be killed either by a dry or wet thing; Indra who came to know of this by a voice in the air used phena (foam) and killed him to the satisfaction of all gods;⁵ entertained desire for more territory;⁶ taken to pātāla by Vāmana.⁷

1) Viṣṇu-purāṇa I. 21. 11.
2) Vāyu-purāṇa 50. 15; 98. 81.
3) Bhāgavata-purāṇa VI. 6. 32; Brahmāṇḍa-purāṇa III. 6. 19; Matsya-purāṇa 6. 27.
4) Bhāgavata-purāṇa VI. 10. 19-31; Brahmāṇḍa-purāṇa II. 20. 16.
5) Bhāgavata-purāṇa VII. 2. 4; VIII. 10. 20 to the end; 11. 19, 23, 29-40; Matsya-purāṇa 22. 61.
6) Bhāgavata-purāṇa XII. 3. 11.
7) Brahmāṇḍa-purāṇa III. 73. 81; Matsya-purāṇa 249. 67.

Source: JatLand: List of Mahabharata people and places

Namucī (नमुची) is a name mentioned in the Mahābhārata (cf. IX.42.28) and represents one of the many proper names used for people and places. Note: The Mahābhārata (mentioning Namucī) is a Sanskrit epic poem consisting of 100,000 ślokas (metrical verses) and is over 2000 years old.

Namuci is also mentioned in the Mahābhārata (cf. I.59.22, I.65) and represents one of the many proper names used for people and places.

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.

Kavya (poetry)

Source: Wisdom Library: Kathāsaritsāgara

Namuci (नमुचि) is the name of a Dānava who was reborn as the Asura Prabala and after that as Prabhāsa (a minister of Sūryaprabha), according to the Kathāsaritsāgara, chapter 46. Accordingly, as Suvāsakumārā said to Sunītha, “... in old times there was an excellent Dānava named Namuci, who was devoted to charity and very brave, and did not refuse to give anything to anybody that asked, even if he were his enemy. He practised asceticism as a drinker of smoke for ten thousand years, and obtained as a favour from Brahmā that he should be proof against iron, stone and wood. Then he [Namuci] frequently conquered Indra and made him flee, so the Ṛṣi Kaśyapa entreated him and made him make peace with the gods”.

The story of Namuci was narrated by the Vidyādhara king Vajraprabha to prince Naravāhanadatta in order to relate how “Sūryaprabha, being a man, obtain of old time the sovereignty over the Vidyādharas”.

The Kathāsaritsāgara (‘ocean of streams of story’), mentioning Namuci, is a famous Sanskrit epic story revolving around prince Naravāhanadatta and his quest to become the emperor of the vidyādharas (celestial beings). The work is said to have been an adaptation of Guṇāḍhya’s Bṛhatkathā consisting of 100,000 verses, which in turn is part of a larger work containing 700,000 verses.

Source: OpenEdition books: Vividhatīrthakalpaḥ (Kāvya)

Namuci (नमुचि) is a minister of Padma: king of Hastināpura, as mentioned in the Vividhatīrthakalpa by Jinaprabhasūri (13th century A.D.): an ancient text devoted to various Jaina holy places (tīrthas).—Accordingly, “Because of an old resentment against the jaina, Namuci, minister of Padma, king of Hastināpura, threatens the community with death if they stay in the city for more than seven days (instead of the four months of the rainy season). The monks appeal to the extraordinary ascetic, Viṣṇukumāra, brother of Padma. [...]”.

Cf. Vasudevahiṇḍi 128.18-132.3; Harivaṃśapurāṇa 20.1-65; Uttarapurāṇa 70.274-300; Bṛhatkathākośa 11 p. 18-22; Mahāpurāṇa LXXXIII 14-20; Uttarādhyayana a. 14-a.2; Triṣaṣṭiśalākāpuruṣacaritra VI.8. v. 148-203: Johnson IV p. 99-102;.—See Jain 1981 p. 193-194: Vasudevahiṇḍi, Uttarādhyayana and Triṣaṣṭiśalākāpuruṣacaritra represent the Śvetāmbara tradition, the others, the Digambara tradition.

context information

Kavya (काव्य, kavya) refers to Sanskrit poetry, a popular ancient Indian tradition of literature. There have been many Sanskrit poets over the ages, hailing from ancient India and beyond. This topic includes mahakavya, or ‘epic poetry’ and natya, or ‘dramatic poetry’.

General definition (in Hinduism)

Source: Apam Napat: Indian Mythology

Namuchi was a very powerful Asura, the brother of Maya. However, unable to bear the onslaught of Indra, he took refuge in a ray of the Sun.

In Buddhism

Theravada (major branch of Buddhism)

Source: Pali Kanon: Pali Proper Names

A name for Mara (q.v.), given because he does not allow either gods or men to escape from his clutches, but works them harm. SNA.ii.386.

context information

Theravāda is a major branch of Buddhism having the the Pali canon (tipitaka) as their canonical literature, which includes the vinaya-pitaka (monastic rules), the sutta-pitaka (Buddhist sermons) and the abhidhamma-pitaka (philosophy and psychology).

In Jainism

General definition (in Jainism)

Source: archive.org: Trisastisalakapurusacaritra

Namuci (नमुचि) is the minister of king Śrīvarman from Ujjayinī, according to chapter 6.8 [śrī-mahāpadma-cakrin-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:—“Now in the city Ujjayinī Śrīvarman was king and he had a well-known minister, named Namuci. One day, Ācārya Suvrata, initiated by Munisuvrata, tame to this city in his wandering and made a halt. King Śrīvarman, occupying the top of his palace, saw the people going from the city with great magnificence to pay homage to him. [...]”.

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

Pali-English dictionary

Source: BuddhaSasana: Concise Pali-English Dictionary

namuci : (m.) the destroyer; the death.

Source: Sutta: The Pali Text Society's Pali-English Dictionary

Namuci, (Np.) a name of Māra. (Page 347)

context information

Pali is the language of the Tipiṭaka, which is the sacred canon of Theravāda Buddhism and contains much of the Buddha’s speech. Closeley related to Sanskrit, both languages are used interchangeably between religions.

Sanskrit dictionary

Source: DDSA: The practical Sanskrit-English dictionary

Namuci (नमुचि).—[na muñcati]

1) Name of a demon slain by Indra; वनमुचे नमुचेररये शिरः (vanamuce namuceraraye śiraḥ) R.9.22. [When Indra conquered the Asuras, there was only one called Namuchi who strongly resisted and at last captured him. He offered to let Indra go provided he promised 'not to kill by day or by night, with wet or dry'. Indra promised to do so and was released, but he cut off Namuchi's head at twilight and with foam of water (which is neither wet nor dry). According to another version Namuchi was a friend of Indra, and once drank up his strength and made him quite imbecile. The Aśvins (and Sarasvatī also, as the story goes) then supplied Indra with a Vajra with which he cut off the demon's head].

2) Name of the god of love.

Derivable forms: namuciḥ (नमुचिः).

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

Namuci (नमुचि).—(= Pali id.), a name for Māra, used chiefly in verses (but also in prose, Daśabhūmikasūtra 28.17; 90.5); Lalitavistara 261.6; 302.21 ff.; 311.15; 328.3; 357.14; Mahāvastu i.264.9; ii.238.6; 413.2; [Page291-a+ 71] iii.254.6; 381.10; Divyāvadāna 393.11; (Ārya-)Mañjuśrīmūlakalpa 171.18; Samādhirājasūtra 19.36; Rāṣṭrapālaparipṛcchā 58.15; Namucibalanudaṃ, not n. pr. (proper name) but epithet of the Bodhisattva, Mahāvastu i.208.12 = ii.10.20; in same [compound] with Māra, nihata-namuci-mārā(ḥ) Daśabhūmikasūtra.g. 52(78).4, [bahuvrīhi]; pl., perhaps used of Māra and his hosts, or like the pl. of Māra, q.v.: tāṃ namucināṃ (but v.l. °cino, gen. sg.) mahatīm avasthām Lalitavistara 356.9.

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

Namuci (नमुचि).—m.

(-ciḥ) 1. The deity of love. 2. A demon so named. E. na negative, muc to loose, and ki aff.

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

Namuci (नमुचि).—[na-muc + i], m. The name of a demon subdued by Indra, Mahābhārata 1, 2530.

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

Namuci (नमुचि).—[masculine] [Name] of a demon.

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

1) Namuci (नमुचि):—[=na-muci] [from na] a See namuca, ci.

2) [from namuca] b m. (according to, [Pāṇini 6-3, 75] = na + m, ‘not loosing’, [scilicet] the heavenly waters id est. ‘preventing rain’) Name of a demon slain by Indra and the Aśvins, [Ṛg-veda; Vājasaneyi-saṃhitā; Brāhmaṇa; Mahābhārata] etc.

3) [v.s. ...] of the god of love, [cf. Lexicographers, esp. such as amarasiṃha, halāyudha, hemacandra, etc.]

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

Namuci (नमुचि):—(ciḥ) 2. m. The deity of love; a demon so named.

Source: DDSA: Paia-sadda-mahannavo; a comprehensive Prakrit Hindi dictionary (S)

Namuci (नमुचि) in the Sanskrit language is related to the Prakrit word: Ṇamui.

[Sanskrit to German]

Namuci 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.

Relevant text

Search found 32 books and stories containing Namuci, Namucī, Na-muci; (plurals include: Namucis, Namucīs, mucis). You can also click to the full overview containing English textual excerpts. Below are direct links for the most relevant articles:

Rig Veda 2.14.5 < [Sukta 14]

Rig Veda 10.73.7 < [Sukta 73]

Rig Veda 1.53.7 < [Sukta 53]

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Starting with N

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Part 5: Story of Namuci and Viṣṇukumāra < [Chapter VIII - Śrī Mahāpadmacakricaritra]

Part 3: Citra and Sambhūta < [Chapter I - Brahmadattacaritra]

Part 5: Marriage with Susīmā < [Chapter VI - Marriage of Kṛṣṇa with Rukmiṇī and others]

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Verse 1.7.36 < [Chapter 7 - Description of the Conquest of All Directions]

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