Andha, Andhā, Amdha: 24 definitions
Introduction:
Andha means something in Buddhism, Pali, Hinduism, Sanskrit, Jainism, Prakrit, 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) Andha (अन्ध).—An offspring of Kaśyapa by his wife Kadrū. (Mahābhārata, Udyoga Parva, Chapter 103, Verse 16).
2) Andha (अन्ध).—There is a story in Mahābhārata, about a huntsman, Vaṭaka killing one Andha, an evil being. Andha whose form and shape were that of an animal, by doing tapas, became recipient of a boon for destroying everything. Brahmā rendered him blind lest the world perish, and that animal began to be known as Andha. When Andha began his programme of complete destruction many people rushed up to Viśvāmitra in his abode in the forest. Andha followed them. But, Viśvāmitra, in the interests of self-protection pointed out the refugees to Andha. As punishment for this sin Viśvāmitra had once to go to hell. This story was related by Kṛṣṇa to Arjuna during the great war at Kurukṣetra, and the reason for telling the story was this: During the fight Arjuna hesitated to aim arrows against Karṇa. Enraged by this attitude of Arjuna Dharmaputra asked him to hand over his famous bow, Gāṇḍīva to Śrī Kṛṣṇa. Feeling insulted at this demand Arjuna, all on a sudden, drew his sword to do away with Dharmaputra. Śrī Kṛṣṇa, prevented Arjuna from attacking his noble brother, and in this context related the above story to prove the truth that sins committed even unwittingly will lead one, as in the case of Viśvāmitra to hell. (Mahābhārata, Karṇa Parva, Chapter 69).
3) Andha (अन्ध).—Upamanyu, the excellent disciple of Dhaumya, consumed the leaves of a tree which made him blind. (See Ayodhadhaumya) (Mahābhārata, Ādi Parva, Chapter 3).
Source: archive.org: Shiva Purana - English TranslationAndha (अन्ध) refers to “blind persons”, according to the Śivapurāṇa 2.2.17. Accordingly as Brahmā narrated to Nārada:—“[...] the parents [of Satī] who obtained the news through her friends were very glad and celebrated a great festival (Paramotsava). The noble Dakṣa gave as much wealth to Brahmins as they desired. The noble Vīriṇī gave similar gifts to the blind [viz., andha], the poor and the needy. Vīriṇī embraced her daughter on the head and delightfully praised her frequently”.
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: The Purana IndexAndha (अन्ध).—(River) of Bhāratavarṣa.*
- * Bhāgavata-purāṇa V. 19. 18.
Andha (अन्ध) is a name mentioned in the Mahābhārata (cf. V.101.16/V.103) and represents one of the many proper names used for people and places. Note: The Mahābhārata (mentioning Andha) is a Sanskrit epic poem consisting of 100,000 ślokas (metrical verses) and is over 2000 years old.
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: Wisdom Library: ŚāktismAndha (अन्ध, “blind”) refers to one of the sixty defects of mantras, according to the 11th century Kulārṇava-tantra: an important scripture of the Kaula school of Śāktism traditionally stated to have consisted of 125.000 Sanskrit verses.—Accordingly, as Īśvara says to Śrī Devī: “For those who do japa without knowing these defects [e.g., andha—blind], there is no realization even with millions and billions of japa. [...] Oh My Beloved! there are ten processes for eradicating defects in Mantras as described. [...]”.
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.
In Buddhism
Theravada (major branch of Buddhism)
Source: Pali Kanon: Pali Proper NamesMentioned in the Samantapasadika (*), together with the Damilas, as being non Ariyan (milakkha); the name is probably the same as Andhaka(a) (q.v.).
(*) i.255; see also VibhA.387-8, where the Andhaka language is mentioned. In Buddhaghosas time the Vedas were taught in the Andha language also (MA.i.113).
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: The University of Sydney: A study of the Twelve ReflectionsAndha (अन्ध) refers to a “darkness”, according to the 11th century Jñānārṇava, a treatise on Jain Yoga in roughly 2200 Sanskrit verses composed by Śubhacandra.—Accordingly, “Travelling living beings, fettered very tightly by numerous chains such as women, etc., fall into a deep pit of darkness (andha—andhamahākūpe) called life”.
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 Dictionaryandha : (adj.) 1. blind; 2. foolish.
Source: Sutta: The Pali Text Society's Pali-English DictionaryAndha, (adj.) (Vedic andha, Lat. andabata (see Walde, Lat. Wtb. s. v.), other etym. doubtful) 1. (lit.) blind, blinded, blindfolded J.I, 216 (dhūm°); Pv IV.148; PvA.3. — dark, dull, blinding M.III, 151 (°andhaṃ adv. dulled); Sn.669 (Ep. of timisa, like Vedic andhaṃ tamaḥ); DhA.II, 49 (°vana dark forest). — 2. (fig.) mentally blinded, dull of mind, foolish, not seeing D.I, 191 (+ acakkhuka), 239 (°veṇi, reading & meaning uncertain); A.I, 128; Th.2, 394 (= bāla ThA.258). See cpds. °karaṇa, °kāra, °bāla, °bhūta.
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 Dictionaryandha (अंध).—a (S) Blind.
Source: DDSA: The Aryabhusan school dictionary, Marathi-Englishandha (अंध).—a Blind.
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 dictionaryAndha (अन्ध).—a.
1) Blind (lit. and fig.); devoid of sight, unable to see (at particular times); दिवान्धाः प्राणिनः केचिद्रात्रावन्धास्तथापरे (divāndhāḥ prāṇinaḥ kecidrātrāvandhāstathāpare); D. Bhāg. made blind, blinded; स्रजमपि शिरस्यन्धः क्षिप्तां धुनोत्यहिशङ्कया (srajamapi śirasyandhaḥ kṣiptāṃ dhunotyahiśaṅkayā) Ś.7.24; मदान्धः (madāndhaḥ) blinded by intoxication; so दर्पान्धः, क्रोधान्धः (darpāndhaḥ, krodhāndhaḥ); काम° लोभ° अज्ञान° अज्ञाना- न्धस्य दीपस्य ज्ञानाञ्जनशलाकया । चक्षुरुन्मीलितं येन तस्मै श्रीगुरवे नमः (kāma° lobha° ajñāna° ajñānā- ndhasya dīpasya jñānāñjanaśalākayā | cakṣurunmīlitaṃ yena tasmai śrīgurave namaḥ) ||; सहजान्धदृशः स्वदुर्नये (sahajāndhadṛśaḥ svadurnaye) Śiśupālavadha 16.29 blind to his own wicked acts.
2) Making blind, preventing the sight; utter, pitchy; complete, thick (darkness) प्रधर्षितायां वैदेह्यां बभूव सचराचरम् । जगत्सर्वममर्यादं तमसान्धेन संवृतम् (pradharṣitāyāṃ vaidehyāṃ babhūva sacarācaram | jagatsarvamamaryādaṃ tamasāndhena saṃvṛtam) || Rām 3.52. 9. Manusmṛti 8.94; सीदन्नन्धे तमसि (sīdannandhe tamasi) Uttararāmacarita 3.33; Mālatīmādhava (Bombay) 9.8.2; See °कूप, °तामसम् (kūpa, °tāmasam) infra.
3) Afflicted. आर्यः पर्युषितं तु नाभ्य- वहरत्यन्धः क्षुधान्धोऽप्यसौ (āryaḥ paryuṣitaṃ tu nābhya- vaharatyandhaḥ kṣudhāndho'pyasau) Viś. Guna.11.
4) Soiled, tarnished; निःश्वासान्ध इवादर्शश्चन्द्रमा न प्रकाशते (niḥśvāsāndha ivādarśaścandramā na prakāśate) Rām.3.16.13.
-ndham Darkness. अन्धः स्यादन्धवेलायां बाधिर्यमपि चाश्रयेत् (andhaḥ syādandhavelāyāṃ bādhiryamapi cāśrayet) Mahābhārata (Bombay) 1.14.12.
2) Spiritual ignorance; अज्ञान (ajñāna) or अविद्या (avidyā) q.v.
3) Water; also, turbid water.
-dhaḥ 1 A kind of mendicant (parivrājaka) who has completely controlled his organs; तिष्ठतो व्रजतो वापि यस्य चक्षुर्न दूरगम् । चतुष्पदां भुवं मुक्त्वा परिव्राडन्ध उच्यते (tiṣṭhato vrajato vāpi yasya cakṣurna dūragam | catuṣpadāṃ bhuvaṃ muktvā parivrāḍandha ucyate) ||
2) An epithet of the zodiacal signs at particular periods; (naṣṭadravyalābhālābhopayogayukto rāśibhedaḥ); मेषो वृषा मृगेन्द्रश्च रात्रावन्धाः प्रकीर्तिताः । नृयुक्कर्कटकन्याश्च दिवान्धाः परिकीर्तिताः (meṣo vṛṣā mṛgendraśca rātrāvandhāḥ prakīrtitāḥ | nṛyukkarkaṭakanyāśca divāndhāḥ parikīrtitāḥ) ||
-ndhāḥ (pl.) Name of a people; see अन्ध्र (andhra).
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Shabda-Sagara Sanskrit-English DictionaryAndha (अन्ध).—(-ta) r. 10th cl. (andhayati) To be or become blind.
--- OR ---
Andha (अन्ध).—mfn.
(-ndhaḥ-ndhā-ndhaṃ) Blind. n.
(-ndhaṃ) 1. Darkness. 2. Water. E. andha to be blind, and ac aff.
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Benfey Sanskrit-English DictionaryAndha (अन्ध).—adj., f. dhā. 1. Blind, [Pañcatantra] 291, 11. 2. Obstructing the sight, [Mānavadharmaśāstra] 8, 94.
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Cappeller Sanskrit-English DictionaryAndha (अन्ध).—[adjective] blind, dark.
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary1) Andha (अन्ध):—[from andh] mf(ā)n. blind
2) [v.s. ...] dark
3) [v.s. ...] n. darkness
4) [v.s. ...] turbid water, water
5) [v.s. ...] m. [plural] Name of a people.
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Goldstücker Sanskrit-English DictionaryAndha (अन्ध):—1. m. f. n.
(-ndhaḥ-ndhā-ndham) 1) Blind; lit. and figur.
2) Mak-ing blind, obstructing the sight (as darkness &c.). 2. n.
(-ndham) 1) Darkness.
2) Water; see also kabandha and kamandha.
3) Turbid water, foul water.
4) (In Astronomy.) The same as antya(?). 3. m. pl.
(-ndhāḥ) The name of a people or country; also read andhrāḥ, antyāḥ or adhyāḥ. E. The native etym. ‘andh, kṛt aff. ac’ might apply to all the meanings but the first; for that of andha ‘blind’ see the Preface.
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Yates Sanskrit-English Dictionary1) Andha (अन्ध):—(t, ka) andhayati 10. a. To be blind.
2) (ndhaṃ) 1. n. Darkness. a. Blind.
Source: DDSA: Paia-sadda-mahannavo; a comprehensive Prakrit Hindi dictionary (S)Andha (अन्ध) in the Sanskrit language is related to the Prakrit words: Aṃdha, Aṃdharaa, Aṃdhala, Aṃdhāva, Aṃdhillaga.
[Sanskrit to German]
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 dictionaryAndha in Hindi refers in English to:—(a and nm) blind; irrational, unenlightened; unthinking; —[kuam] see [amdhakupa]; ~[kuppa] pitch dark; black out; —[shisha] a blind glass; —[karana] to strike blind, to turn incapable to view the realities; —[kya cahe do amkhem] a blind person requires but his eyes; —[banana] to allow oneself to be hoodwinked or cheated; to be blindfolded; —[hona] to be blinded, to be lost to realities; [amdhe ki lakadi]/[lathi] a helpless man’s only support; [amdhe ke age roye, apane dida khoye] throwing pearls before the swine; [amdhe ke hatha batera lagana] a prize kill by a blind man; [amdhom mem kana raja] a figure among ciphers..—andha (अंधा) is alternatively transliterated as Aṃdhā.
...
Prakrit-English dictionary
Source: DDSA: Paia-sadda-mahannavo; a comprehensive Prakrit Hindi dictionary1) Aṃdha (अंध) in the Prakrit language is related to the Sanskrit word: Andha.
2) Aṃdha (अंध) also relates to the Sanskrit word: Andha.
3) Aṃdha (अंध) also relates to the Sanskrit word: Āndhra.
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 corpusAṃdha (ಅಂಧ):—
1) [noun] a man without sight; a blind man.
2) [noun] the state of being without light; darkness.
3) [noun] partial darkness; gloom; dimness.
4) [noun] the water that is turbid and muddy.
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 (+168): Amdhabhimana, Amdhabhimani, Amdhabimdu, Amdhadarbaru, Amdhadumdi, Amdhakamardaka, Amdhakarayuga, Amdhakavyapara, Amdhalarilli, Amdhalavukanyaya, Amdhamtamassu, Amdhamtra, Amdhanukarane, Amdhapamgunyaya, Amdhapashana, Amdharaa, Amdhariya, Amdhashraddhe, Amdhasura, Amdhasurabhedi.
Ends with (+1172): Ababamdha, Abandha, Abhavanmatasambandha, Abhisambandha, Abhisandha, Abjabandha, Acalanibandha, Acalaskandha, Acci-bandha, Achalaskandha, Adattagandha, Adbhutagandha, Adhandha, Adharyadharasambandha, Adhibandha, Adhigandha, Adhonibandha, Adivyagandha, Agandha, Agaru gandha.
Full-text (+132): Andhas, Andhakara, Andhakupa, Andhatamasa, Andhamushika, Andhahi, Andhata, Andhamkarana, Divandha, Andhambhavuka, Andhamusha, Andh, Amritandhas, Nirandhas, Andhatva, Andharatri, Andhibhuta, Andhatamisra, Andhya, Andhaputana.
Relevant text
Search found 68 books and stories containing Andha, Aandhaa, Amdha, Aṃdha, Andhā, Andhaa; (plurals include: Andhas, Aandhaas, Amdhas, Aṃdhas, Andhās, Andhaas). You can also click to the full overview containing English textual excerpts. Below are direct links for the most relevant articles:
Isopanisad (Madhva commentary) (by Srisa Chandra Vasu)
Rig Veda (translation and commentary) (by H. H. Wilson)
Isha Upanishad (by A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada)
The World Telugu Conference < [April - June 1975]
Word Power < [July – September, 1997]
'East and West in Religion' < [September-October 1934]
Hari-bhakti-kalpa-latikā (by Sarasvati Thkura)
Text 1 < [First Stabaka]
Ishavasya Upanishad with Shankara Bhashya (Sitarama) (by S. Sitarama Sastri)
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