Vahini, Vāhinī: 16 definitions
Introduction:
Vahini means something in Hinduism, Sanskrit, Jainism, Prakrit, Buddhism, Pali, Marathi, Hindi. 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: archive.org: Puranic Encyclopedia1) Vāhinī (वाहिनी).—A division of army. (See under Akṣauhiṇī).
2) Vāhinī (वाहिनी).—Wife of Kuru, a king of the Lunar dynasty. Five sons such as Aśvavān and others were born to Kuru by his wife Vāhinī. (Mahābhārata Ādi Parva, Chapter 94, Stanza 50).
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: ManthanabhairavatantramVāhinī (वाहिनी) (Cf. Varṣiṇī) or Amṛtavāhinī refers to “rains of nectar”, 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, “[...] (14) Once that has been abandoned and one travels upwards, (one reaches) the one called the Equal One (samanā), which is full of vitality (ojikā). This energy (kalā), established in the middle of the capsule of emission, rains down nectar [i.e., amṛta-vāhinī]. When consuming the Supreme Syllable, eat the energy which is nectar (amṛtakalā). [...] (Perfect) contemplation (samādhi) is with (these) sixteen aspects and is (attained) within the form of the sixfold deposition (ṣoḍhānyāsa). He who knows this is (a veritable) Lord of Yogis, the others (who do not) are (just) quoting from books. Once attained the plane that is Void and Non-void, the yogi is freed from bondage”.
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.
Vaishnavism (Vaishava dharma)
Source: Brill: Śaivism and the Tantric Traditions (vaishnavism)Vāhinī (वाहिनी) refers to the “streams (of knowledge)”, according to the Vedānta Deśika’s Yatirājasaptati.—When we come to the poem’s understanding of the divinity of Rāmānuja we find a wide spectrum of meanings. [...] Verse 28 is particularly eloquent in describing and encapsulating all his nurturing and protecting qualities, which are compared to those present everywhere in nature itself—as the mountain from which originate all the streams (vāhinī) of knowledge, the tree under which the weary traveler wandering in saṃsāra takes rest, the rising sun that keeps the illusionary darkness of those with distorted views at bay and the full moon that brings to high tide the ocean of the Vedas.
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’).
Yoga (school of philosophy)
Source: ORA: Amanaska (king of all yogas): A Critical Edition and Annotated Translation by Jason BirchVāhinī (वाहिनी) refers to “one who flows” (along a particular path), according to the Amanaska Yoga treatise dealing with meditation, absorption, yogic powers and liberation.—Accordingly, as Īśvara says to Vāmadeva: “[...] [Now], I shall define the nature of that highest, mind-free absorption which arises for those devoted to constant practice. [...] By means of an absorption for a fourth of a Kalā (i.e., ninety breaths), [Kuṇḍalinī] who flows along the path [called] Suṣumnā (suṣumnāmārga-vāhinī), goes partially through [this] path [which is] at the back of the [Yogin's] body. [...]”.
Yoga is originally considered a branch of Hindu philosophy (astika), but both ancient and modern Yoga combine the physical, mental and spiritual. Yoga teaches various physical techniques also known as āsanas (postures), used for various purposes (eg., meditation, contemplation, relaxation).
In Jainism
General definition (in Jainism)
Source: archive.org: TrisastisalakapurusacaritraVāhinī (वाहिनी) is the name of a Vidyādhara-city, situated on mount Vaitāḍhya (in the southern row), according to chapter 1.3 [ādīśvara-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,
“[...] Taking their families and all their retinue and ascending the best of cars, they went to Vaitāḍhya. [...] Ten yojanas above the earth, King Nami made fifty cities on the mountain in a southern row [viz., Vāhinī]. Nami himself lived in Śrīrathanūpuracakravāla, the capital city among these cities. [...] The two rows of Vidyādhara-cities looked very magnificent, as if the Vyantara rows above were reflected below. After making many villages [viz., Vāhinī] and suburbs, they established communities according to the suitability of place. The communities there were called by the same name as the community from which the men had been brought and put there. [...]”.
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 Dictionaryvāhinī : (f.) 1. an army; 2. a river.
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.
Marathi-English dictionary
Source: DDSA: The Molesworth Marathi and English Dictionaryvahinī (वहिनी).—f A respectful term of address or mention for an elder brother's wife.
Source: DDSA: The Aryabhusan school dictionary, Marathi-Englishvahinī (वहिनी).—f A respectful term of address for an elder brother's wife.
Marathi is an Indo-European language having over 70 million native speakers people in (predominantly) Maharashtra India. Marathi, like many other Indo-Aryan languages, evolved from early forms of Prakrit, which itself is a subset of Sanskrit, one of the most ancient languages of the world.
Sanskrit dictionary
Source: DDSA: The practical Sanskrit-English dictionaryVahinī (वहिनी).—[vah-itra Uṇādi-sūtra 4.181]
1) A raft, float, boat, vessel; प्रत्यूषस्यदृश्यत किमपि वहित्रम् (pratyūṣasyadṛśyata kimapi vahitram) Dk.; प्रलयपयोधिजले धृतवानसि वेदं विहितवहित्रचरित्रंमखेदम् (pralayapayodhijale dhṛtavānasi vedaṃ vihitavahitracaritraṃmakhedam) Gītagovinda 1.
2) A square chariot with a pole.
See also (synonyms): vahitra, vāhitraka.
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Vāhinī (वाहिनी).—[vāho astyasyāḥ ini ṅīp]
1) An army; आशिषं प्रयुयुजे न वाहिनीम् (āśiṣaṃ prayuyuje na vāhinīm) R.11.6;13.66.
2) A division of an army consisting of 81 elephants, as many chariots, 243 horse, and 45 foot; वाहिनी तु गणस्रयः (vāhinī tu gaṇasrayaḥ) Mahābhārata (Bombay) 1.2.21. See अक्षौहिणी (akṣauhiṇī).
3) A river; नावः समुपकर्षध्वं तारयिष्यामि वाहि- नीम् (nāvaḥ samupakarṣadhvaṃ tārayiṣyāmi vāhi- nīm) Rām.2.89.9.
4) A body of escorts, a convoy; त्वदर्थं प्रेषयिष्यामि वाहिनीमित्यभाषत (tvadarthaṃ preṣayiṣyāmi vāhinīmityabhāṣata) Bm.1.256.
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Shabda-Sagara Sanskrit-English DictionaryVāhinī (वाहिनी).—f. (-nī) 1. An army. 2. A body of forces consisting of 81 elephants, 81 cars, 243 horse, 405 foot, a cohort, a battalion. 3. A river. E. vāha a vehicle, &c., aff. ini; fem. aff. ṅīp comprising the conveyances of cars, horse, &c.
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary1) Vāhinī (वाहिनी):—[from vāhin > vāh] a f. See next.
2) [v.s. ...] b f. an army, host, body of forces, [Atharva-veda; Mahābhārata] etc.
3) [v.s. ...] a [particular] division of an army (consisting of 3 Gaṇas id est. 81 elephants, 81 cars, 243 horse, 405 foot; cf. akṣauhiṇī), [Mahābhārata]
4) [v.s. ...] a river, [ib.; Rāmāyaṇa] etc.
5) [v.s. ...] a channel, [Kātyāyana-śrauta-sūtra [Scholiast or Commentator]]
6) [v.s. ...] Name of the wife of Kuru, [Mahābhārata]
Source: DDSA: Paia-sadda-mahannavo; a comprehensive Prakrit Hindi dictionary (S)Vāhinī (वाहिनी) in the Sanskrit language is related to the Prakrit word: Vāhiṇī.
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.
Hindi dictionary
Source: DDSA: A practical Hindi-English dictionaryVāhinī (वाहिनी):—(nf) an army; ~[pati] an army commander.
...
Prakrit-English dictionary
Source: DDSA: Paia-sadda-mahannavo; a comprehensive Prakrit Hindi dictionaryVāhiṇī (वाहिणी) in the Prakrit language is related to the Sanskrit word: Vāhinī.
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.
Kannada-English dictionary
Source: Alar: Kannada-English corpusVahini (ವಹಿನಿ):—[noun] the wife of one’s elder brother.
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Vāhini (ವಾಹಿನಿ):—
1) [noun] that which flows; a stream; a river.
2) [noun] a large body of persons trained and armed for war; an army of soldiers.
3) [noun] a division of an army having eighty one elephants, eighty one chariots, two hundred and forty horses and four hundred and five foot-soldiers.
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: Vahini-muhurta, Vahinika, Vahinikarabo, Vahininivesha, Vahinipati, Vahinipati mahapatra bhattacarya, Vahinipriya, Vahiniramana, Vahinisha.
Ends with (+45): Acchinnavahini, Amaravahini, Ambuvahini, Amritavahini, Amtaravahini, Angaravahini, Arivahini, Avahini, Bahuvahini, Baluvahini, Caravahini, Dhutavahini, Dugdhavahini, Garjipravahini, Garudavahini, Hamsavahini, Hattavahini, Havyavahini, Jayavahini, Jnanavahini.
Full-text (+55): Vahininivesha, Jayavahini, Vahinipati, Vayuvahini, Akshauhini, Vahinika, Kashthambuvahini, Saitavahini, Caitravahani, Ambuvahini, Simhavahini, Hattavahini, Matrivahini, Caturangin, Vahin, Vahinisha, Svarvahini, Padmavahini, Tambuladayini, Tambulavahini.
Relevant text
Search found 27 books and stories containing Vahini, Vāhinī, Vahinī, Vāhiṇī, Vāhini; (plurals include: Vahinis, Vāhinīs, Vahinīs, Vāhiṇīs, Vāhinis). You can also click to the full overview containing English textual excerpts. Below are direct links for the most relevant articles:
Bhagavan Baba on Namasmarana (by Sathya Sai Baba)
Garga Samhita (English) (by Danavir Goswami)
Verse 1.12.44 < [Chapter 12 - Description of Śrī Nanda’s Festival]
Verse 4.19.7 < [Chapter 19 - A Thousand Names of Srī Yamunā]
Verse 4.19.40 < [Chapter 19 - A Thousand Names of Srī Yamunā]
The backdrop of the Srikanthacarita and the Mankhakosa (by Dhrubajit Sarma)
Part 5o - Alaṃkāra (15): Virodhābhāsa or contradiction < [Chapter III - Literary Assessment Of The Śrīkaṇṭhacarita]
Nitiprakasika (Critical Analysis) (by S. Anusha)
Army Units < [Chapter 5]
Sarga VII: Sainyayoga-kathana (64 Verses) < [Chapter 2]
War Finance (Awards and Rewards) < [Chapter 5]
Harshacharita (socio-cultural Study) (by Mrs. Nandita Sarmah)
Part 9: Arms, Army and Warfare (Introduction) < [Chapter 5 - Political Aspects]
Brihad Bhagavatamrita (commentary) (by Śrī Śrīmad Bhaktivedānta Nārāyana Gosvāmī Mahārāja)
Verse 1.3.50 < [Chapter 3 - Prapañcātīta (beyond the Material Plane)]