Argha, Ārghā: 19 definitions

Introduction
In Hinduism
1. Kavya
2. Jyotisha
3. Shaktism
4. Shaivism
In Buddhism
1. Tibetan Buddhism
Languages
1. Sanskrit
2. Hindi
3. Kannada
4. Nepali
See also
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Introduction:

Argha means something in Buddhism, Pali, Hinduism, Sanskrit, 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)

Source: archive.org: The ocean of story, vol. 1

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.

context information

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)

Source: Wisdom Library: Brihat Samhita by Varahamihira

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”.

context information

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 (Shakta philosophy)

Source: Google Books: Manthanabhairavatantram

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”.

Source: Google Books: Consecration Rituals in South Asia (Shaktism)

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. [...]”.

context information

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 (Shaiva philosophy)

Source: SOAS University of London: Protective Rites in the Netra Tantra

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. [...]”.

Source: HAL: Religious and secular organization of the Khmer temple from the 7th to the 13th century

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”).

context information

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)

Source: Brill: Śaivism and the Tantric Traditions (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”.

context information

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.

Languages of India and abroad

Sanskrit dictionary

Source: DDSA: The practical Sanskrit-English 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.

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

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.

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

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.

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

Argha (अर्घ).—[masculine] worth, price; gift of honour.

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

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.]

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

1) Argha (अर्घ):—(ghaḥ) 1. m. Price, cost; mode of worship; oblation.

2) Ārghā (आर्घा):—(rghā) 1. f. Yellow bee.

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

Argha (अर्घ) in the Sanskrit language is related to the Prakrit word: Aggha.

[Sanskrit to German]

Argha 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.

Hindi dictionary

Source: DDSA: A practical Hindi-English 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.

context information

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Kannada-English dictionary

Source: Alar: Kannada-English corpus

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.

context information

Kannada is a Dravidian language (as opposed to the Indo-European language family) mainly spoken in the southwestern region of India.

Nepali dictionary

Source: unoes: Nepali-English Dictionary

Argha (अर्घ):—n. 1. respectful offering; libation; 2. distinctly shaped pot esp. for this purpose;

context information

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.

Relevant text

Search found 51 books and stories containing Argha, Ārghā, Ārgha; (plurals include: Arghas, Ārghās, Ārghas). You can also click to the full overview containing English textual excerpts. Below are direct links for the most relevant articles:

Chapter CXIX - Agastyatritiya Vratam < [Brihaspati (Nitisara) Samhita]

Chapter XCIX - Mode of performing Sraddhas < [Agastya Samhita]

Chapter CXXXI - Rohini Astami Vratas etc < [Brihaspati (Nitisara) Samhita]

+ 2 more chapters / show preview

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]

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Rig Veda 10.17.9 < [Sukta 17]

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Adhyāya I, Khaṇḍa 12

Adhyāya II, Khaṇḍa 15

Adhyāya IV, Khaṇḍa 2