Uddhava: 17 definitions

Introduction
In Hinduism
Languages
1. Sanskrit
2. Prakrit
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Introduction:

Uddhava means something in 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.

In Hinduism

Vaishnavism (Vaishava dharma)

Source: ISKCON Press: Glossary

Uddhava (उद्धव).—A learned disciple of Bṛhaspati and confidential friend of Lord Kṛṣṇa in Dvārakā.

Source: Pure Bhakti: Bhagavad-gita (4th edition)

Uddhava (उद्धव) refers to “advisor, minister and close friend of Sri Kṛṣṇa in Dvārakā; a disciple of Bṛhaspati; a jñāna-miśra-bhakta”. (cf. Glossary page from Śrīmad-Bhagavad-Gītā).

Source: Pure Bhakti: Brhad Bhagavatamrtam

Uddhava (उद्धव) refers to:—A member of the Yadu dynasty. In Mathurā and Dvārakā he is Kṛṣṇa’s dearmost friend. In Śrīmad Bhāgavatam, he is called hari-dāsa, the most dear servant of Śrī Hari. (cf. Glossary page from Śrī Bṛhad-bhāgavatāmṛta).

context information

Vaishnava (वैष्णव, vaiṣṇava) or vaishnavism (vaiṣṇavism) represents a tradition of Hinduism worshipping Vishnu as the supreme Lord. Similar to the Shaktism and Shaivism traditions, Vaishnavism also developed as an individual movement, famous for its exposition of the dashavatara (‘ten avatars of Vishnu’).

Purana and Itihasa (epic history)

Source: archive.org: Puranic Encyclopedia

Uddhava (उद्धव).—General information. A Yādava. He was a friend and minister of Śrī Kṛṣṇa. In Mahābhārata, Ādi Parva, Chapter 186, Stanza 18, mention is made that Uddhava was present on the occasion of the Svayaṃvara (marriage) of Draupadī. It is mentioned in Mahābhārata, Ādi Parva, Chapter 218, Stanza 11, that at a famous celebration held in the mountain of Raivata, Uddhava was present. (See under Subhadrā). (See full article at Story of Uddhava from the Puranic encyclopaedia by Vettam Mani)

Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: The Purana Index

1a) Uddhava (उद्धव).—A pupil of Bṛhaspati, a friend of Kṛṣṇa, and a minister of Vṛṣṇis. Requested by Kṛṣṇa, he took a message to Nanda and Gopis of Vraja, where he was duly welcomed by Nanda. The latter said that he believed with Garga, Kṛṣṇa and Rāma to be gods when Yaśodā narrated Kṛṣṇa's exploits as a child. The conversation lasted all night. After his morning prayers Gopis surrounded him and asked whether Kṛṣṇa was well and remembered them. Uddhava was struck with their devotion and told them of Kṛṣṇa's promised visit in the near future. After spending some months when Gopis entertained him on kṛṣṇalīlā, Uddhava left for Mathurā.¹ Went with Kṛṣṇa to Sairandhri's house, and to Akrūra's and returned home.² Heard the secrets of Kṛṣṇa's self from him and was a haridāsa.³ Went with Kṛṣṇa to Dvārakā, and respected him by holding cāmara. Kṛṣṇa playing dice with.⁴ Consulted by him as to the method to be adopted in vanquishing Jarāsandha; suggested the performance of rājasūya by Yudhiṣṭhira and the defeat of Jarāsandha resulting in the release of imprisoned kings;⁵ was sent in advance by Rāma to the Kurus to inform them of his visit.⁶ Went to see the Pāṇḍavas at Upaplāvyam.⁷ Honoured Nanda.⁸ A member of the Yādava sabhā. Was stationed to defend the E. gate of Mathurā when it was beseiged by Jarāsandha. Consulted by Kṛṣṇa on the right detachment of the army.⁹ Met Vidura on the Yamunā and was asked about the welfare of his kinsmen. Touched deeply by Vidura's query, Uddhava described how the Lord spent eleven years with Balarāma, Gopas and Gopis, doing miracles and how he persuaded Nanda to perform gosava. He narrated the heroic deeds of Kṛṣṇa and the destruction of the wicked. Concluded by saying that he would reside at Badari after the Yādavas as it was the Lord's wish adding that Maitreya had been asked to be the guru of Vidura.¹⁰ Narrated to Maitreya the story of Śiva destroying Dakṣa's sacrifice.¹¹ Joined Yadus in defeating Pauṇḍraka.¹² Saw Yadus leaving for Prabhāsa, and understanding Kṛṣṇa's mind, requested him to take him also to His eternal abode. Kṛṣṇa warned him of the advent of Kali and asked him to go about always meditating on Hari. In the course of the dialogue Kṛṣṇa related the conversation between a Yadu and a Brāhmaṇa ascetic, laying emphasis on how the Brāhmaṇa learnt lessons from earth, hill, air, sea, archer, pigeon and others and regulated life by cultivating detachment. Listened to the Lord's discourses on various spiritual topics. After being thus well instructed he made Badari his home to spend the evening of his life.¹³ As a lad of five he worshipped Hari without caring even for breakfast.¹⁴ He knew the yoga power of Hari.¹⁵ Of superior bhakti.

1) Bhāgavata-purāṇa X. 46 (whole); 47 (whole).
2) Ib. X. 48. 4, 12 and 36.
3) Ib. IX. 24. 67; X. 47. 56.
4) Ib. I. 8. 7; 10. 18; 13. 16 [1]; 14. 32; X. 69. 20.
5) Ib. X. 69. 27; 70. 15, 45-7; 71. 1-11; 72. 15.
6) Ib. X. 68. 16.
7) Ib. X. 78. [95 (V) 3].
8) Ib. X. 84. 68.
9) Ib. X. [52 (V) 15]; 50. 20 [2]; [50 (V) 8 & 12];
10) Ib. III. ch. 1-4 (whole); XII. 12. 8; Viṣṇu-purāṇa V. 37. 31-37.
11) Bhāgavata-purāṇa IV. 7. 60.
12) Ib. X. 66. [2].
13) Ib. XI. 6. 40-49; XI. 7. 1-29; 30. 1.
14) Ib. III. 2. 2.
15) Ib. II. 7. 45; Brahmāṇḍa-purāṇa III. 34. 40.

1b) A son of Devabhāga.^*

* Matsya-purāṇa 46. 23.

Source: JatLand: List of Mahabharata people and places

Uddhava (उद्धव) is a name mentioned in the Mahābhārata (cf. I.61.59) and represents one of the many proper names used for people and places. Note: The Mahābhārata (mentioning Uddhava) is a Sanskrit epic poem consisting of 100,000 ślokas (metrical verses) and is over 2000 years old.

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.

Vedanta (school of philosophy)

Source: Shodhganga: Siva Gita A Critical Study

Uddhava (उद्धव) or Uddhavagītā refers to one of the sixty-four Gītās commonly referred to in Hindu scriptures.—Gītā is the name given to certain sacred writings in verse (often in the form of a dialogue) which are devoted to the exposition of particular religious and theosophical doctrines. Most of these Gītās [i.e., Uddhava-gītā] originate from the Mahābhārata or the various Purāṇas.

context information

Vedanta (वेदान्त, vedānta) refers to a school of orthodox Hindu philosophy (astika), drawing its subject-matter from the Upanishads. There are a number of sub-schools of Vedanta, however all of them expound on the basic teaching of the ultimate reality (brahman) and liberation (moksha) of the individual soul (atman).

General definition (in Hinduism)

Source: WikiPedia: Hinduism

Uddhava : The friend and counselor of Krishna. According to some he was Krishna 's cousin, being son of Devabhaga, the brother of Vasudeva. He was also called Pavanayadhi.

Languages of India and abroad

Sanskrit dictionary

Source: DDSA: The practical Sanskrit-English dictionary

Uddhava (उद्धव).—

1) A sacrificial fire.

2) A festival, holiday.

3) Name of a Yādava, uncle and friend of Kṛṣṇa. [When Kṛṣṇa was taken by Akrūra to Maṭhurā, Uddhava was implored by the citizens of Gokula to go and fetch him. He was very much attached to Kṛṣṇa. On seeing the destruction of the Yādavas to be inevitable, he went to Kṛṣṇa and asked him what to do; whereupon he was told to go to Badarikāśrama to practise penance and to secure heaven. He is the subject of two short poems, उद्धवदूत (uddhavadūta) and उद्धवसंदेश (uddhavasaṃdeśa).

Derivable forms: uddhavaḥ (उद्धवः).

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

Uddhava (उद्धव).—(m.? compare Deśīnāmamālā i.106 uddhava [commentary uddhavaa] = utkṣipta), perhaps pride, arrogance (so [Boehtlingk] 7.324); or excitement (so [Boehtlingk] 6.298; in some passages the context seems more favorable to this): in a verse found twice in Divyāvadāna (69.13; 72.22) and repeatedly in Avadāna-śataka (i.6.8; 12.4 etc.), vigatoddhavā dainyamadaprahīṇā buddhā(ḥ); otherwise recorded only in Jātakamālā: 70.22 avinaya-ślāghānu- vṛtty-uddhavāt; 74.15 yuddhoddhavābhimukhatāṃ; 124.15 darpoddhavād apratisaṃkhyayā vā; 141.15 amarṣa- darpoddhava-karkaśāni; 200.20 naṣṭa-harṣoddhava-dra- vaḥ; 227.11 vyāvṛtta-pramododdhavena manasā; 233.4 durjanaḥ paṭutarāvalepoddhavaḥ.

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

Uddhava (उद्धव).—m.

(-vaḥ) 1. A festival, a holiday. 2. Sacrificial fire. 3. The name of a person, the friend and councelor of Krishna. E. ud reverse, dhu to feel pain, ghañ aff.

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

1) Uddhava (उद्धव):—[=ud-dhava] m. (√hu), sacrificial fire, [cf. Lexicographers, esp. such as amarasiṃha, halāyudha, hemacandra, etc.]

2) [v.s. ...] a festival, holiday, [cf. Lexicographers, esp. such as amarasiṃha, halāyudha, hemacandra, etc.]

3) [v.s. ...] joy, pleasure, [cf. Lexicographers, esp. such as amarasiṃha, halāyudha, hemacandra, etc.]

4) [v.s. ...] Name of a Yādava (Kṛṣṇa’s friend and counsellor), [Mahābhārata; Harivaṃśa; Viṣṇu-purāṇa; Bhāgavata-purāṇa]

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

Uddhava (उद्धव):—[uddha+va] (vaḥ) 1. m. A festival.

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

Uddhava (उद्धव) in the Sanskrit language is related to the Prakrit words: Uddhava, Uddhāa.

[Sanskrit to German]

Uddhava 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.

Prakrit-English dictionary

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

Uddhava (उद्धव) in the Prakrit language is related to the Sanskrit word: Uddhava.

context information

Prakrit is an ancient language closely associated with both Pali and Sanskrit. Jain literature is often composed in this language or sub-dialects, such as the Agamas and their commentaries which are written in Ardhamagadhi and Maharashtri Prakrit. The earliest extant texts can be dated to as early as the 4th century BCE although core portions might be older.

Relevant text

Search found 44 books and stories containing Uddhava, Ud-dhava, Uddhāva; (plurals include: Uddhavas, dhavas, Uddhāvas). You can also click to the full overview containing English textual excerpts. Below are direct links for the most relevant articles:

Verses 5.24.71-73 < [Chapter 24 - The Killing of the Kola Demon]

Verse 5.14.7 < [Chapter 14 - The Meeting of King Nanda and Uddhava]

Verse 5.13.3 < [Chapter 13 - The Arrival of Sri Uddhava]

+ 71 more chapters / show preview

Verse 1.6.13 < [Chapter 6 - Priyatama (the most beloved devotees)]

Verse 1.7.71 < [Chapter 7 - Pūrṇa (pinnacle of excellent devotees)]

Verse 1.6.97 < [Chapter 6 - Priyatama (the most beloved devotees)]

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Verse 3.2.36 < [Part 2 - Affection and Service (dāsya-rasa)]

Verse 3.2.35 < [Part 2 - Affection and Service (dāsya-rasa)]

Verse 3.2.125 < [Part 2 - Affection and Service (dāsya-rasa)]

+ 18 more chapters / show preview