Aprameya, Aprameyā: 22 definitions
Introduction:
Aprameya means something in Buddhism, Pali, Hinduism, Sanskrit, Marathi. 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
Natyashastra (theatrics and dramaturgy)
Source: Wisdom Library: Nāṭya-śāstraAprameyā (अप्रमेया) refers to a type of syllabic metre (vṛtta), according to the Nāṭyaśāstra chapter 16. In this metre, the first, the fourth, the seventh and tenth syllables of a foot (pāda) are light (laghu), while the rest of the syllables are heavy (guru). It is also known by the name Bhujaṅgaprayāta.
⏑⎼⎼¦⏑⎼⎼¦⏑⎼⎼¦⏑⎼⎼¦¦⏑⎼⎼¦⏑⎼⎼¦⏑⎼⎼¦⏑⎼⎼¦¦
⏑⎼⎼¦⏑⎼⎼¦⏑⎼⎼¦⏑⎼⎼¦¦⏑⎼⎼¦⏑⎼⎼¦⏑⎼⎼¦⏑⎼⎼¦¦
Aprameyā falls in the Jagatī class of chandas (rhythm-type), which implies that verses constructed with this metre have four pādas (‘foot’ or ‘quarter-verse’) containing twelve syllables each.
Natyashastra (नाट्यशास्त्र, nāṭyaśāstra) refers to both the ancient Indian tradition (shastra) of performing arts, (natya—theatrics, drama, dance, music), as well as the name of a Sanskrit work dealing with these subjects. It also teaches the rules for composing Dramatic plays (nataka), construction and performance of Theater, and Poetic works (kavya).
Chandas (prosody, study of Sanskrit metres)
Source: Shodhganga: a concise history of Sanskrit Chanda literatureAprameyā (अप्रमेया) is the name of a Sanskrit metre (chandas) defined by Bharata, to which Hemacandra (1088-1173 C.E.) assigned the alternative name of Bhujaṅgaprayāta in his auto-commentary on the second chapter of the Chandonuśāsana. Hemacandra gives these alternative names for the metres by other authorities (like Bharata), even though the number of gaṇas or letters do not differ.
Chandas (छन्दस्) refers to Sanskrit prosody and represents one of the six Vedangas (auxiliary disciplines belonging to the study of the Vedas). The science of prosody (chandas-shastra) focusses on the study of the poetic meters such as the commonly known twenty-six metres mentioned by Pingalas.
Shaivism (Shaiva philosophy)
Source: Shodhganga: Iconographical representations of ŚivaAprameya (अप्रमेय) or Aprameyāgama refers to one of upāgamas (supplementary scriptures) of the Sahasrāgama which is one of the twenty-eight Siddhāntāgama: a classification of the Śaiva division of Śaivāgamas. The Śaivāgamas represent the wisdom that has come down from lord Śiva, received by Pārvatī and accepted by Viṣṇu. The purpose of revealing upāgamas (e.g., Aprameya Āgama) is to explain more elaborately than that of mūlāgamas (e.g., Sahasra-āgama) and to include any new idea if not dealt in mūlāgamas.
Source: SOAS University of London: Protective Rites in the Netra TantraAprameya (अप्रमेय) refers to “imperceptible (guṇas)”, according to the Netratantra of Kṣemarāja: a Śaiva text from the 9th century in which Śiva (Bhairava) teaches Pārvatī topics such as metaphysics, cosmology, and soteriology.—Accordingly, [verse 22.5-10ab]—“Listen! I will speak to the question that remains in your heart. All the innumerable Mantras, on all occasions, have the majesty of Śiva and Śakti, all are endowed with Śakti, all grant rewards and liberation, and [all] are nourished by one’s own Śakti. However, the highest Deva is tranquil, in possession of imperceptible Guṇas (aprameya-guṇānvita), [namely] Śiva who consists of all, who is pure, and who is to be understood as unsurpassed. [...]
Shaiva (शैव, śaiva) or Shaivism (śaivism) represents a tradition of Hinduism worshiping Shiva as the supreme being. Closely related to Shaktism, Shaiva literature includes a range of scriptures, including Tantras, while the root of this tradition may be traced back to the ancient Vedas.
Shaktism (Shakta philosophy)
Source: Google Books: Manthanabhairavatantram1) Aprameyā (अप्रमेया) refers to “she who is unknowable” and is used to describe Bhairavī, 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, “From the root (of all things) Śāmbhavīśakti is Bhairavī the energy that is full (bharitā) (of all the energies). She is supreme, subtle, and gross. Waveless, she is (the energy) beyond mind (manonmanī). She is the Transmental, a certain (indefinable) energy of consciousness which is consciousness without stain (nirañjanā). (Empirically) unknowable (aprameyā) amongst objects of knowledge, she is well known and is the mother of the universe. [...]”.
2) Aprameya (अप्रमेय) refers to the “one who is without measure” and is used to describe Lord Bhairava, according to the Manthānabhairavatantra.—Accordingly, “I salute Lord Bhairava who, in the company of the gods and sages, is one’s own free consciousness. He is the quelling of the fear of fettered existence. The first of the venerable Kulālīkrama, he is eternal, inconceivable and without measure [i.e., nitya-acintya-aprameya]. He is universal bliss. Eternal and (only) attainable by Yoga he delights in the sequence of Ha and Sa (of the two breaths). His sole condition that of the cause unconditioned by (its) effect, his glorious power is extensive”.
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.
Purana and Itihasa (epic history)
Source: archive.org: Shiva Purana - English TranslationAprameya (अप्रमेय) refers to an “incomprehensible (splendour)”, according to the Śivapurāṇa 2.3.43 (“Description of Śiva’s wonderful sport”).—Accordingly, after Śiva spoke to Viṣṇu and Brahmā: “[...] In the meantime lord Viṣṇu came that way. He looked glorious and splendid, dark-blue like the fresh cloud and having four arms. He had the handsome features of numberless cupids. He wore yellow garments. He was the king of heaven with eyes resembling the petals of a lotus, and looked very calm. He had Garuḍa as his vehicle. He possessed all the characteristic signs conch etc. He was bedecked in crown and other ornaments. He wore Śrīvatsa on his chest. He had an uncommon splendour that was incomprehensible (aprameya). [...]”.
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.
In Buddhism
Tibetan Buddhism (Vajrayana or tantric Buddhism)
Source: De Gruyter: A Fragment of the VajrāmṛtamahātantraAprameyā (अप्रमेया) refers to one of the eight wisdoms (vidyās) described in the ‘śrī-amṛtakuṇḍalin-utpatti’ chapter of the 9th-century Vajrāmṛtatantra or Vajrāmṛtamahātantra: one of the main and earliest Buddhist Yoginītantras. Chapter 9 begins with the visualisation of Amṛtakuṇḍalin [...] The practitioner should visualize a sword in his hand; afterwards, he should visualize the eight Wisdoms [viz., Aprameyā] along with the door-guardians; eventually he should project the eight Wisdoms into the petals.
Tibetan Buddhism includes schools such as Nyingma, Kadampa, Kagyu and Gelug. Their primary canon of literature is divided in two broad categories: The Kangyur, which consists of Buddha’s words, and the Tengyur, which includes commentaries from various sources. Esotericism and tantra techniques (vajrayāna) are collected indepently.
Mahayana (major branch of Buddhism)
Source: Wisdom Library: Maha Prajnaparamita SastraAprameya (अप्रमेय) refers to “innumerable (lifetimes)”, according to Mahāprajñāpāramitāśāstra (chapter 19).—Accordingly, “[...] This pure generosity extends over innumerable lifetimes (aprameya-janman); it does not disappear from lifetime to lifetime; it is like a contract that never expires. This generosity bears its fruit [when it meets] the complex of conditions (pratyayasāmagrī) and favorable time (kāla); it is like the tree (vṛkṣa) that, in season, produces leaves (parṇa), flowers (puṣpa) and fruit (phala); even though the season has not come, the cause (hetu) remains, but there is no fruit”.
Source: academia.edu: A Study and Translation of the GaganagañjaparipṛcchāAprameya (अप्रमेय) refers to “immeasurable (merits)”, according to the Gaganagañjaparipṛcchā: the eighth chapter of the Mahāsaṃnipāta (a collection of Mahāyāna Buddhist Sūtras).—Accordingly, “[The flowers] were adorned with their own splendor, produced by immeasurable merits (aprameya-puṇya), and known by Bodhisattvas of the ten directions. The great three-thousand thousands of worlds were covered with those flowers, and all congregations of the Lord were filled with flowers (puṣpa) up to their knees (jānumātra). Then the whole assembly, having seen the flowers which have never seen or heard before, addressed themselves to the Lord: ‘O Lord, where are such beautiful flowers coming from?’.”.
Mahayana (महायान, mahāyāna) is a major branch of Buddhism focusing on the path of a Bodhisattva (spiritual aspirants/ enlightened beings). Extant literature is vast and primarely composed in the Sanskrit language. There are many sūtras of which some of the earliest are the various Prajñāpāramitā sūtras.
Languages of India and abroad
Marathi-English dictionary
Source: DDSA: The Molesworth Marathi and English Dictionaryapramēya (अप्रमेय).—a S Immeasurable, illimitable, indeterminable.
Source: DDSA: The Aryabhusan school dictionary, Marathi-Englishapramēya (अप्रमेय).—a Immeasurable, illimitable, indeterminable.
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 dictionaryAprameya (अप्रमेय).—a.
1) Immeasurable, unbounded, boundless; °महिमा (mahimā); येषां वेद इवाप्रमेयमहिमा धर्मे वसिष्ठो गुरुः (yeṣāṃ veda ivāprameyamahimā dharme vasiṣṭho guruḥ) Mv.4.3.
2) That which cannot be properly ascertained, understood &c.; inscrutable, unfathomable (of person or thing); अचिन्त्यस्याप्रमेयस्य कार्यतत्त्वार्थवित्प्रभुः (acintyasyāprameyasya kāryatattvārthavitprabhuḥ) Manusmṛti 1.3;12.94.
3) Not to be proved or demonstrated (as Brahman).
-yam Brahman.
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Edgerton Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit DictionaryAprameya (अप्रमेय).—(Sanskrit as adj.), (1) m. unmeasurable thing (there are five such, all cpds. of -dhātu): Bodhisattvabhūmi 294.21 ff.; 296.9 ff.; (2) nt., a high number: Mahāvyutpatti 8042; Sukhāvatīvyūha 31.2.
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Shabda-Sagara Sanskrit-English DictionaryAprameya (अप्रमेय).—mfn.
(-yaḥ-yā-yaṃ) Unbounded, immeasurable. E. a neg. prameya measurable.
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Cappeller Sanskrit-English DictionaryAprameya (अप्रमेय).—[adjective] immeasurable, infinite.
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary1) Aprameya (अप्रमेय):—[=a-prameya] [from a-pramā] mfn. immeasurable, unlimited, unfathomable, [Manu-smṛti i, 3 and xii, 94, etc.]
2) [v.s. ...] not to be proved.
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Goldstücker Sanskrit-English DictionaryAprameya (अप्रमेय):—[tatpurusha compound] 1. m. f. n.
(-yaḥ-yā-yam) 1) Immeasurable, unbounded, infinite; e. g. in the Lalitav.: (bodhisattvaḥ) vyavalokayata pūrvadakṣiṇapaścimottarāsvadha ūrdhvaṃ samantāddaśadikṣvaprameyāsaṃkhyeyāgaṇanāsamatikrāntānbodhisattvān; comp. also aprameyānubhāva.
2) Not to be established or proved from authorities (philosophical writings &c.), unproveable, as Brahman; e. g. in Manu: tvameko hyasya sarvasya vidhānasya svayaṃbhuvaḥ . acintyasyāprameyasya kāryatattvārthavitprabho (Kullūka: aprameyasya mīmāṃsādinyāyanirapekṣatayānavagamyamānaprameyasya); or as Viṣṇu; e. g. in the Bhāgav. Pur.: avyaktasyāprameyasya nānāśaktyudayasya ca . na vai cikīrṣitaṃ tāta ko vedāddhā svasaṃbhavam (Śrīdharasv.: avyaktasyāta evāprameyasya); or as the Veda; e. g. in Manu: aśakyaṃ cāprameyaṃ ca vedaśāstram (Kullūka as before). 2. m.
(-yaḥ) 1) A name or epithet of Viṣṇu; e. g. in the Viṣṇusahasran.: aprameyo hṛṣīkeśaḥ padmanābhomaraprabhuḥ.
2) A name or epithet of Śiva; e. g. in the Śivasahasran.: atarkyāyāprameyāya pramāṇāya namo namaḥ; or in the Vāyu Pur.: namaḥ kapālahastāya…aprameyāya &c. E. a neg. and prameya.
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Yates Sanskrit-English DictionaryAprameya (अप्रमेय):—[a-prameya] (yaḥ-yā-yaṃ) a. Unmeasurable, illimitable.
Source: DDSA: Paia-sadda-mahannavo; a comprehensive Prakrit Hindi dictionary (S)Aprameya (अप्रमेय) in the Sanskrit language is related to the Prakrit word: Appameya.
[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.
Kannada-English dictionary
Source: Alar: Kannada-English corpusApramēya (ಅಪ್ರಮೇಯ):—[adjective] that is not measurable; that is beyond estimation.
--- OR ---
Apramēya (ಅಪ್ರಮೇಯ):—
1) [noun] the Supreme, who is beyond human imagination, reasoning or capacity to comprehend; the Infinite.
2) [noun] a rāga (a musical mode), derived from Mēcakalyāṇi in Karnāṭaka system.
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: Aprameyabala, Aprameyadevakshetramahatmya, Aprameyaguna, Aprameyajanman, Aprameyaka, Aprameyanavamalika, Aprameyanubhava, Aprameyapunya, Aprameyatman.
Ends with: Tarkaprameya, Upaprameya.
Full-text (+10): Aprameyatman, Apramaya, Aprameyanubhava, Aprameyaka, Appameya, Ojas, Appirameyam, Bhujangaprayata, Appameyya, Jagatsuta, Prameya, Suprameya, Bharita, Amula, Citakala, Janumatra, Anvita, Vagguhya, Gunanvita, Dharmapitaka.
Relevant text
Search found 21 books and stories containing Aprameya, Aprameyā, Apramēya, A-prameya; (plurals include: Aprameyas, Aprameyās, Apramēyas, prameyas). You can also click to the full overview containing English textual excerpts. Below are direct links for the most relevant articles:
Shrimad Bhagavad-gita (by Narayana Gosvami)
Verse 11.17 < [Chapter 11 - Viśvarūpa-darśana-yoga (beholding the Lord’s Universal Form)]
Verses 11.41-42 < [Chapter 11 - Viśvarūpa-darśana-yoga (beholding the Lord’s Universal Form)]
Maha Prajnaparamita Sastra (by Gelongma Karma Migme Chödrön)
Part 13 - Carrying out abhisaṃbodhi, preaching and conversions all in the same day < [Chapter LI - Seeing all the Buddha Fields]
Part 15 - Leading innumerable Bodhisattvas to the state of avaivartika < [Chapter LI - Seeing all the Buddha Fields]
Appendix 1 - The legend of Mañjuśrī < [Chapter XLVII - Praises made by the Buddhas]
Tiruvaymoli (Thiruvaimozhi): English translation (by S. Satyamurthi Ayyangar)
Pasuram 10.7.3 < [Section 7 - Seventh Tiruvaymoli (Cencol kavikal)]
Manusmriti with the Commentary of Medhatithi (by Ganganatha Jha)
Verse 12.94 < [Section XI - Supremacy of the Veda]
The Markandeya Purana (Study) (by Chandamita Bhattacharya)
4. Worship and Mythology of Viṣṇu < [Chapter 3]
The philosophy of Vaiṣṇavism < [Chapter 4]
Natyashastra (English) (by Bharata-muni)
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