Argha, Ārghā: 21 definitions
Introduction:
Argha means something in Buddhism, Pali, Hinduism, Sanskrit, the history of ancient India, 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
Kavya (poetry)
Argha (अर्घ).—An oblation to gods, or venerable men, of rice, dūrva grass, flowers, etc., with water, or of water only in a small boat-shaped vessel.
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’.
Jyotisha (astronomy and astrology)
Argha (अर्घ) refers to “offering”, according to the Bṛhatsaṃhitā (chapter 12), an encyclopedic Sanskrit work written by Varāhamihira mainly focusing on the science of ancient Indian astronomy astronomy (Jyotiṣa).—Accordingly, “The very thought (meditation) of the sage Agastya is calculated to wash off one’s sins; his praise (worship) must be capable of doing more. For the benefit, therefore, of princes, I will now speak of the rules of the Arghya (offering) [i.e., argha-vidhi] to be presented to Agastya as stated by the Ṛṣis. The time of reappearance of the star Canopus (Agastya) is different in different places; and it is for the learned astronomer to ascertain these times for given places. In the town of Ujjain, the star reappears when the sun just begins to enter the 24th degree of the sign Leo”.
Jyotisha (ज्योतिष, jyotiṣa or jyotish) refers to ‘astronomy’ or “Vedic astrology” and represents the fifth of the six Vedangas (additional sciences to be studied along with the Vedas). Jyotisha concerns itself with the study and prediction of the movements of celestial bodies, in order to calculate the auspicious time for rituals and ceremonies.
Shaktism
Argha (अर्घ) refers to a “great vessel”, according to the Kularatnoddyota verse 2.12-20.—Accordingly, “[...] (He worshipped thus) with (offerings) of the most excellent and divine Great Incense and many kinds of ornaments, established in supreme non-duality with (substances) born from (his) great bodily essence. Endowed with supreme bliss and holding the great argha vessel (mahāpātra-argha-hastaka) , the Lord of the gods, worshipped, O dear one, the great and excellent Wheel and he, the emperor and Lord of the Śrīkula, deftly put all the Śrīkramas, including the sequence of the Child and the rest, in place in accord with the sequence”.
Argha (अर्घ) refers to the “offering of water”, according to the Ratnanyāsa Ritual as Described in the Devyāmata (Cf. Dīptāgama verse 20.244).—Accordingly, [synopsis of verses 1-5]—“Offering of water (argha) from the water-vessel (arghapātra); purification of the ‘jewel-cavities’ by sprinkling the pit with the astramantra and ‘Śiva-water’; covering the pit and the surface of the brahmaśilā with cloth; placing the darbha-grass on [or around] the pit; anointing the pit and the brahmaśilā with sandal-paste 5. Having offered incense, the Ācārya accompanied by the mūrtipās should begin the ratnanyāsa by depositing a handful of gold. [...]”.
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.
Shaivism
Argha (अर्घ) refers to “guest water”, 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 19.94cd-99ab, while describing the ritual that protect the king and his kingdom]—“Then [the Mantrin] should venerate the water pot in order to protect the sleeping king. [The water pot is] made of silver and contains herbs, smeared with sandalwood and aloewood, filled with milk and water. He should worship Mṛtyujit with an all-white offering, with rice boiled in milk, guest water (argha), incense, and flowers. [...]”.
Argha (अर्घ) is a variant spelling for Arghya: in Sanskrit “that which is worthy of being honored”, and by extension, the water that we offer to guests – in our case to the gods – to honor them. As for the term Pādya, it designates “water for washing the feet of guests”. With Ācamanīya, the purifying “drinking water”, they form a triad of consecrated waters offered respectively on the head (arghya), the feet (pādya) and the mouth (ācamanīya) of the deities. [...] Note: Concerning arghya, it should be noted that the spelling variant argha is encountered in the inscriptions K. 1034 D (i.e., arghapādya mās—“(vase) with arghya waters and pādya in gold”); and K. 1198 A (i.e., rūpyārgha—“silver arghya water vase”).
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.
In Buddhism
Tibetan Buddhism (Vajrayana or tantric Buddhism)
Argha (अर्घ) refers to “offerings” (of water, gold, jewels, etc. to the guest), according to the Bhūśalyasūtrapātananimittavidhi section of Jagaddarpaṇa’s Ācāryakriyāsamuccaya, a text within Tantric Buddhism dealing with construction manual for monasteries etc.—Accordingly, “[...] Having praised [the cord] with the sounds of a bell, auspicious song, conch shell, and bamboo flute, the donor should offer (argha) guest water [to the cord] together with jewels, gold, and fragrant flowers, which are blooming and beautiful, and mixed with the juice extracted from the sprouts of the airandhrīkara”.
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.
India history and geography
Argha (corresponding to Arghak) is the name of a modern region corresponding to one or more of the traditional twelve kingdoms (thams) of Magarat, the ancient homeland of the Magars, the Tibeto-Burman ethnic group native to Nepal and Northeast India.—The Magars are one of the oldest known tribes in Nepal. Their ancient homeland was known as Magwar Bisaya, later called Magarat. This region bordered from Marsyangdi river to the Pyuthan area during that time. The Magars prospered at such a level during that period that this part of the country was divided into twelve kingdoms [...]. Broadly speaking, the twelve Magarat consisted of present day regions such as Argha.
Argha refers to one of the Chaubise or “twenty-four principalities (hill states) of ancient Nepal”.—Following successive waves of the Muslim invasion of India launched by Mohammed of Ghanzi c. A.D. 999, immigrant Hindu chiefs from Rajasthan are said to have made their way into the hill areas of western Nepal. Over a period of time they carved out principalities for themselves and their progeny in the area which was largely inhabited by various indigenous tribes. Those principalities in the Gandaki region of central Nepal [e.g., Argha] were known as the Chaubise. Most of these kingdoms lay entirely in the hills, but a few of them had land either in the tarai, the lowland plains adjoining what is now Bihar and Uttar Pradesh.
The history of India traces the identification of countries, villages, towns and other regions of India, as well as mythology, zoology, royal dynasties, rulers, tribes, local festivities and traditions and regional languages. Ancient India enjoyed religious freedom and encourages the path of Dharma, a concept common to Buddhism, Hinduism, and Jainism.
Languages of India and abroad
Sanskrit dictionary
Argha (अर्घ).—[argh-ghañ]
1) Price, value; कुर्युरर्घं यथापण्यम् (kuryurarghaṃ yathāpaṇyam) Ms. 8.398; Y.2.251; कुत्स्याः स्युः कुपरीक्षका हि मणयो यैरर्घतः पातिताः (kutsyāḥ syuḥ kuparīkṣakā hi maṇayo yairarghataḥ pātitāḥ) Bhartṛhari 2.15 reduced in their true value, depreciated; so अनर्घ (anargha) priceless; महार्घ (mahārgha) very costly.
2) A material of worship, respectful offering or oblation to gods or venerable men, consisting of rice, Dūrvā grass &c. with or without water; दूर्वासर्षपपुष्पाणां दत्त्वार्घं पूर्णमञ्जलिम् (dūrvāsarṣapapuṣpāṇāṃ dattvārghaṃ pūrṇamañjalim) Y.1.29; कुटजकुसुमैः कल्पितार्घाय तस्मै (kuṭajakusumaiḥ kalpitārghāya tasmai) Meghadūta 4; (the ingredients of this offering are :-āpaḥ kṣīraṃ kuśāgraṃ ca dadhi sarpiḥ sataṇḍulam | yavaḥ siddhārthakaścaiva aṣṭāṅge'rghaḥ prakīrtitaḥ || -tantram cf. also raktabilvākṣataiḥ puṣpairdadhidūrvāṅkuśaistilaiḥ | sāmānyaḥ sarvadevānāmargho'yaṃ parikīrtitaḥ || -devīpurāṇam and āpaḥ kṣīraṃ kuśāgrāṇi ghṛtaṃ madhu tathā dadhi | raktāni karavīrāṇi tathā raktaṃ ca candanam | aṣṭāṅga eṣa hyardho vai bhānave parikīrtitaḥ || -kāśīkhaṇḍaḥ cf. also arghaḥ pūjāvidhau mūlye...| Nm. see arghya below.
Derivable forms: arghaḥ (अर्घः).
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Ārghā (आर्घा).—[ā-argha-ac] A kind of yellow bee.
Argha (अर्घ).—m.
(-rghaḥ) 1. Price, cost. 2. Mode of worship or reverence. 3. An oblation of various ingredients to a god or Brahman. E. argha to cost, or arha to worship, ha being changed to gha, affix ac.
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Ārghā (आर्घा).—f.
(-rghā) A sort of yellow bee.
Argha (अर्घ).—[argh + a] (vb. argh or arh), m. and n. 1. Price, cost, [Mānavadharmaśāstra] 8, 398. 2. A mode of worship, or reverence, consisting in an oblation of rice, etc., with water or, of water only, [Sāvitryupākhyāna] 3, 6.
Argha (अर्घ).—[masculine] worth, price; gift of honour.
1) Argha (अर्घ):—m. (√arh), worth, value, price, Mn, [Yājñavalkya]
2) (often ifc. cf. dhanārgha, mahārgha, śatārgha, sahasrārgha)
3) respectful reception of a guest (by the offering of rice, durva-grass, flowers, or often only of water), [Śatapatha-brāhmaṇa xiv, etc.] (often confounded with arghya q.v.)
4) a collection of twenty pearls (having the weight of a Dharaṇa), [Varāha-mihira’s Bṛhat-saṃhitā]
5) Ārghā (आर्घा):—f. a sort of yellow bee, [cf. Lexicographers, esp. such as amarasiṃha, halāyudha, hemacandra, etc.]
1) Argha (अर्घ):—(ghaḥ) 1. m. Price, cost; mode of worship; oblation.
2) Ārghā (आर्घा):—(rghā) 1. f. Yellow bee.
Argha (अर्घ):—
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Ārghā (आर्घा):—f. eine Art Biene: pītā dīrghatuṇḍā ṣaṭpadasaṃnibhā makṣikā [Rājanirghaṇṭa im Śabdakalpadruma]
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Argha (अर्घ):—
2) eig. der ehrenvolle Empfang eines Gastes (argha und arghya werden beständig mit einander verwechselt). [Weber’s Indische Studien.5,298. 302. fg.] [Oxforder Handschriften 34,b,42. 103,b,20. Z. 3 v. u.] pūrṇamañjalim zu lesen. —
3) eine Anzahl von 20 Perlen, die zusammen ein Dharaṇa wiegen, [Varāhamihira’s Bṛhajjātaka S. 81, 17] (die Lesart ist unsicher). — Vgl. mahārgha .
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Argha (अर्घ):—vgl. dhanārgha .
Argha (अर्घ):—m. —
1) Preis , Werth. arghāpacaryena billiger [Gautama's Dharmaśāstra 10,35.] —
2) feierliche Aufnahme eines Gastes. häufig mit arghya verwechselt. —
3) eine Anzahl von 20 Perlen , die zusammen ein Dharaṇa wiegen.
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Ārghā (आर्घा):—f. eine Art Biene.
Argha (अर्घ) in the Sanskrit language is related to the Prakrit word: Aggha.
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
Argha (अर्घ) [Also spelled argh]:—(nm) libation (in honour of a deity); value, price; ~[dāna] offering of libation; ~[pātra] a small vessel used for offering libation.
...
Kannada-English dictionary
Argha (ಅರ್ಘ):—
1) [noun] the amount of money, etc. asked or paid for something; price; value.
2) [noun] an obeisant offering to a deity or a venerable person.
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Ārgha (ಆರ್ಘ):—
1) [noun] materials used in offering service to the god.
2) [noun] the holy water meant for bathing the idol of a deity.
Kannada is a Dravidian language (as opposed to the Indo-European language family) mainly spoken in the southwestern region of India.
Nepali dictionary
Argha (अर्घ):—n. 1. respectful offering; libation; 2. distinctly shaped pot esp. for this purpose;
Nepali is the primary language of the Nepalese people counting almost 20 million native speakers. The country of Nepal is situated in the Himalaya mountain range to the north of India.
See also (Relevant definitions)
Starts with (+8): Argha-vancana, Arghabalabala, Arghabhihanaparva, Arghada, Arghadaan, Arghadana, Arghadanapaddhati, Arghadipaka, Arghadipika, Arghahastaka, Arghakanda, Arghakshaya, Arghapaatr, Arghapacaya, Arghapacayena, Arghapadya, Arghapatra, Arghapradana, Arghapradanamantra, Arghaprakshepana.
Full-text (+103): Mahargha, Anargha, Arghya, Arghapatra, Arghadana, Samargha, Arghabalabala, Argh, Dhanyargha, Arghisha, Kritargha, Shivaratryargha, Arghasamkhyapana, Arghasamsthapana, Suryargha, Argharha, Agastyargha, E jia, Abhinavacandrarghavidhi, Arghapadya.
Relevant text
Search found 68 books and stories containing Argha, Ārghā, Ārgha, Arghas; (plurals include: Arghas, Ārghās, Ārghas, Arghases). You can also click to the full overview containing English textual excerpts. Below are direct links for the most relevant articles:
Garuda Purana (by Manmatha Nath Dutt)
Chapter CXIX - Agastyatritiya Vratam < [Brihaspati (Nitisara) Samhita]
Chapter XCIX - Mode of performing Sraddhas < [Agastya Samhita]
Chapter LXXXVI - Merit of performing Sraddhas at Preta Sila < [Agastya Samhita]
Garga Samhita (English) (by Danavir Goswami)
Verse 5.16.13 < [Chapter 16 - Comforting Sri Radha and the Gopis]
Verse 5.20.8 < [Chapter 20 - The Liberation of Ṛbhu Muni During the Rāsa-dance Festival]
Dictionaries of Indian languages (Kosha)
Page 126 < [Hindi-Assamese-English Volume 1]
Page 190 < [Bengali-Hindi-English, Volume 1]
Page 120 < [Bengali-Hindi-English, Volume 1]
Rig Veda (translation and commentary) (by H. H. Wilson)
Rig Veda 10.17.9 < [Sukta 17]
Feeding the Enemy to the Goddess: War Magic in Śaiva Tantric Texts < [Volume 13, Issue 4 (2022)]
Yajnavalkya-smriti with Mitakshara and Viramitrodaya (by J. R. Gharpure)
Verse 2.249 < [Chapter 20 - Heinous Offences (Sāhasas)]
Verse 1.109 < [Chapter 5 - Duties of a Householder (Gṛhin)]