Arundhati, Arundhatī, Arumdhati: 18 definitions
Introduction:
Arundhati means something in 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
Purana and Itihasa (epic history)
Source: archive.org: Shiva Purana - English TranslationArundhatī (अरुन्धती) is the wife of Vasiṣṭha and incarnation of Sandhyā (daughter of Brahmā), according to the Śivapurāṇa 2.2.5. Accordingly:—“that Sandhyā was my daughter mentally created by me formerly. She performed a penance, cast off her body and was reborn as Arundhatī. She was born as the intelligent daughter of the excellent sage Medhātithi, performed sacred rites at the bidding of Brahmā, Viṣṇu and Śiva and chose as her husband the noble-souled Vasiṣṭha of praiseworthy rites. She of auspicious countenance became the foremost of chaste ladies and deserved honour and respect from everyone”.
According to the Śivapurāṇa 2.2.7:—At the end of the sacrifice, the sage [Medhātithi] found his daughter in the sacrificial pit shining lustrously like heated gold. With very great delight the sage took up the daughter, O sage, as though she were a sacrificial article. He bathed her and kept her on his lap. The great sage gave her the name Arundhatī. Surrounded by his disciples he celebrated the event joyously. The word Arundhatī means “one who does not hinder sacred rites in any manner whatsoever”. She acquired this name which later on became well-known in the three worlds.
Source: archive.org: Puranic Encyclopedia1) Arundhatī (अरुन्धती).—Wife of Sage Vasiṣṭha. She was born as the daughter of Karddama Prajāpati and Devahūti. (See Vasiṣṭha). Once Arundhatī got suspicious about the character of Vasiṣṭha and as a result of misunderstanding her chaste husband her beauty suffered a set-back. (Mahābhārata, Ādi Parva, Chapter 232, Verses 27-29).
(See full article at Story of Arundhatī from the Puranic encyclopaedia by Vettam Mani)
2) Arundhatī (अरुन्धती).—A wife of Kāla (God of death). Arundhatī, Vasu, Yamī, Lambā, Bhānu, Marutvatī, Saṃkalpā, Muhurtā, Sādhyā and Viśvā are the ten wives of Kāla. (Viṣṇu Purāṇa, Part 1, Chapter 15).
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: The Purana Index1a) Arundhatī (अरुन्धती).—A daughter of Kardama, sister of Parvata and Nārada, (Kāśyapa) and wife of Vasiṣṭha;1 a surname of hers was Ūrjā. Mother of seven sons, Citraketu and others, all sages of renown.2 Did not feed Kumāra while the wives of other six sages fed him.3 Mother of Śakti. Goddess among Satis; meditated on the 108 names of Devī as narrated to attain fruits of yoga.4
- 1) Bhāgavata-purāṇa III. 24. 23; Vāyu-purāṇa 2. 10; 19. 2; 30. 73; 69. 65; 70. 79.
- 2) Bhāgavata-purāṇa IV. 1. 40.
- 3) Brahmāṇḍa-purāṇa III. 10. 40.
- 4) Matsya-purāṇa 13. 53, 61; 187. 45; 201. 30.
1b) A daughter of Dakṣa, and one of Dharma's wives: gave birth to Pṛthivī and all viṣayas; (gave birth to all earthly objects, Viṣṇu-purāṇa).*
- * Brahmāṇḍa-purāṇa III. 3. 2 and 34; 7. 28; 8. 86; Matsya-purāṇa 5. 15 and 19; 203. 2; Vāyu-purāṇa 66. 2 and 35; Viṣṇu-purāṇa I. 15. 105, 108.
Arundhatī (अरुन्धती) refers to one of the ten of Dakṣa’s sixty daughters given to Dharma in marriage, according to one account of Vaṃśa (‘genealogical description’) of the 10th century Saurapurāṇa: one of the various Upapurāṇas depicting Śaivism.—Accordingly, Dakṣa gets married to Asikni, the daughter of Prajāpati Viraṇa and begot sixty daughters. [He gave ten daughters to Dharma in marriage] [...] The ten wives of Dharma are Sādhyā, Viśvā, Saṃkalpā, Muhūrtā, Arundhatī, Marutvatī, Vasu, Bhūnu, Lambā and Jāmī. Arundhatyas were born from Arundhatī.
Arundhati was the given by Nārada to Vasiṣṭha, according to another account of Vaṃśa in the Saurapurāṇa.—Accordingly, Nārada gave a daughter to Vasiṣṭha. She was Arundhati and Śakti was born to her. Śakti begot Parāśara and from Parāśara was born Kṛṣṇa Dvaipāyana.
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: ŚāktismArundhatī (अरुन्धत्यै):—Name of one of the sixty-four mātṛs to be worshipped during Āvaraṇapūjā (“Worship of the Circuit of Goddesses”, or “Durgā’s Retinue”), according to the Durgāpūjātattva. They should be worshipped with either the five upācāras or perfume and flowers.
Her mantra is as follows:
ॐ क्रियायै नमः
oṃ arundhatyai namaḥ.
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.
Jyotisha (astronomy and astrology)
Source: Wisdom Library: Brihat Samhita by VarahamihiraArundhatī (अरुन्धती) is the consort of Vasiṣṭha, according to the Bṛhatsaṃhitā (chapter 13), an encyclopedic Sanskrit work written by Varāhamihira mainly focusing on the science of ancient Indian astronomy astronomy (Jyotiṣa).—Accordingly, “During the reign of Yudhisthira, 2526 years before the commencement of Vikrama Śaka, the Seven Ṛṣis (saptarṣi) were at the constellation of Maghā (Regulus). The Ṛṣis take a period of 100 years to go over each of the 27 asterisms. They rise in the north-east and are accompanied by the chaste Arundhatī—the consort of Vasiṣṭha. The eastern-most of the group is Bhagavān Marīci; the next to him is Vasiṣṭha; the next is Aṅgiras and the next two are—Atri and Pulastya. The next in order are the Ṛṣis—Pulaha and Kratu. The chaste Arundhatī closely attends her husband the sage Vasiṣṭha”.
Note: Vasiṣṭha, as already observed, is the last star but one. What is pointed out as Arundhatī near Vasiṣṭha is not the real Arundhatī; she is declared in the Śāstras to be a Sūksma Tārā (telescopic star) very close to Vasiṣṭha.
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.
General definition (in Hinduism)
Source: Apam Napat: Indian MythologyArundhati is the wife of the great sage Vasishta and the eighth of the nine daughters of sage Kardama (a wish-born son of Lord Brahma) and Devahuti. She was also called Akshamala. She and Vasishta had a hundred sons, the eldest of whom is Shakti.
She is the ideal wife, living in perfect harmony with her husband, and the embodiment of all the virtues that a married woman should possess. Indeed, as part of the south indian (Hindu) marriage ritual, the newly wed bride is shown the star pair Arundhati-Vasishta, in the constellation Ursa Major, as an example of how she ought to conduct herself hence. This constellation is commonly referred to as the Big Dipper or the Great Bear. In India, we call it the Sapta Rishi Constellation.
Source: WikiPedia: HinduismArundhati (अरुंधति): Wife of sage Vasishta. She was one of the nine daughters of Kardama Prajapati and his wife Devahuti.
Languages of India and abroad
Marathi-English dictionary
Source: DDSA: The Molesworth Marathi and English Dictionaryarundhatī (अरुंधती).—f S A small star in Ursa major, the wife of vaśiṣṭaṛṣi.
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 dictionaryArundhatī (अरुन्धती).—[na rundhatī pratirodhakāriṇī]
1) A medicinal climbing plant.
2) Name of the wife of Vasiṣṭha; अन्वासितमरुन्धत्या स्वाहयेव हविर्भुजम् (anvāsitamarundhatyā svāhayeva havirbhujam) R.1.56.
3) The morning star personified as the wife of Vasiṣṭha; one of the Pleiades.
4) Name of the daughter of प्राचेतसदक्ष (prācetasadakṣa), one of the 1 wives of Dharma. [In mythology Arundhatī is represented as the wife of the sage Vasiṣṭha, one of the 7 sages. She was one of the 9 daughters of Kardama Prajāpati by Devahūti. She is regarded as the highest pattern of conjugal excellence and wifely devotion and is so invoked by the bridegroom at nuptial ceremonies. Though a woman she was regarded with the same, even more, veneration as the Saptarṣis; cf. Ku.6.12; तामगौरवभेदेन मुनींश्चापश्यदीश्वरः । स्त्री पुमानि- त्यनास्थैषा वृत्तं हि महितं सताम् (tāmagauravabhedena munīṃścāpaśyadīśvaraḥ | strī pumāni- tyanāsthaiṣā vṛttaṃ hi mahitaṃ satām) || cf. also Janaka's remarks in U.4.1. She, like her husband, was the guide and controller of Raghu's line in her own department and acted as guardian angel to Sitā after she had been abandoned by Rāma. It is said that Arundhatī (the star) is not seen by persons whose end has approached. cf. Suśruta. न पश्यति सनक्षत्रां यस्तु देवीमरुन्धतीम् । ध्रुवमाकाशगङ्गां च तं वदन्ति गतायुषम् (na paśyati sanakṣatrāṃ yastu devīmarundhatīm | dhruvamākāśagaṅgāṃ ca taṃ vadanti gatāyuṣam) ||; See H.1.66. also].
5) The tongue (personified).
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Shabda-Sagara Sanskrit-English DictionaryArundhatī (अरुन्धती).—f. (-tī) The daughter of Kerdama and wife of Vasisht'Ha, one of the seven Rishis; she is also one of the Pleiades. E. a neg. rudha to confine, tan and ṅīp affixes; who does not confine or hinder good works. Arundhati is considered as pattern of conjugal excellence, and is invoked at the marriage ceremony by the bridegroom.
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Benfey Sanskrit-English DictionaryArundhatī (अरुन्धती).—[a-rundhatī] (vb. rudh), f. 1. The wife of Vaśiṣṭha, [Rāmāyaṇa] 1, 10, 37. 2. An asterism, Böhtl. Ind. Spr. 1165.
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Cappeller Sanskrit-English DictionaryArundhatī (अरुन्धती).—[feminine] cert. plant; [Name] of the wife of Vasiṣṭha, conceived as a star in the Great Bear.
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary1) Arundhatī (अरुन्धती):—[=a-rundhatī] f. a medicinal climbing plant, [Atharva-veda]
2) [v.s. ...] the wife of Vasiṣṭha, [Rāmāyaṇa] etc.
3) [v.s. ...] the wife of Dharma, [Harivaṃśa]
4) [v.s. ...] the little and scarcely visible star Alcor (belonging to the Great Bear, and personified as the wife of one of its seven chief stars, Vasiṣṭha, or of all the seven, the so-called seven Ṛṣis; at marriage ceremonies Arundhatī is invoked as a pattern of conjugal excellence by the bridegroom), [Āśvalāyana-gṛhya-sūtra etc.]
5) [v.s. ...] Name of a kind of super natural faculty (also called kuṇḍalinī).
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Yates Sanskrit-English DictionaryArundhatī (अरुन्धती):—[a-rundhatī] (tī) 3. f. The wife of the sage Vasiṣhṭha; Pleiades.
[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 corpusAruṃdhati (ಅರುಂಧತಿ):—
1) [noun] (myth.) name of sage Vasiśṭha’s wife, renowned for her chastity.
2) [noun] (fig.) a chaste woman.
3) [noun] one of several visible stars in most conspicuous north constellation Ursa Major (between Lynx and Draco constellations).
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: Arumdhatinyaya, Arundhatidarshananyaya, Arundhatijani, Arundhatinatha, Arundhatipati, Arundhatisahacara, Arundhativata, Arundhativatam, Arundhativrata, Arundhativratakalanirnaya, Arundhativratakatha.
Ends with: Avarundhati, Uparundhati.
Full-text (+56): Akshamala, Arundhatijani, Arundhatinatha, Shakti, Arundhatisahacara, Arundhativata, Arundhatidarshananyaya, Vasishtha, Sankalpa, Parashara, Sarundhatika, Surocis, Prithvitalasambhuta, Arumdhatinyaya, Urja, Marutvati, Sasadhvika, Arundhatya, Sadhvika, Guriyaril.
Relevant text
Search found 50 books and stories containing Arundhati, Arundhatī, A-rundhati, A-rundhatī, Arumdhati, Aruṃdhati; (plurals include: Arundhatis, Arundhatīs, rundhatis, rundhatīs, Arumdhatis, Aruṃdhatis). You can also click to the full overview containing English textual excerpts. Below are direct links for the most relevant articles:
Book Reviews < [October – December, 2001]
Arundhati: A Character Study < [January 1959]
The Teeth of Perjury and Immanity in The God of < [October – December, 2003]
Puranic encyclopaedia (by Vettam Mani)
The Shiva Purana (by J. L. Shastri)
Chapter 7 - Sandhyā gets the name Arundhatī and marries Vasiṣṭha < [Section 2.2 - Rudra-saṃhitā (2): Satī-khaṇḍa]
Chapter 33 - The appeasement of Himavat < [Section 2.3 - Rudra-saṃhitā (3): Pārvatī-khaṇḍa]
Chapter 36 - The statements of the seven sages < [Section 2.3 - Rudra-saṃhitā (3): Pārvatī-khaṇḍa]
Mahabharata (English) (by Kisari Mohan Ganguli)
The Skanda Purana (by G. V. Tagare)
Chapter 169 - Greatness of Dhārā Devī < [Section 1 - Tīrtha-māhātmya]
Chapter 18 - The World of Seven Sages < [Section 1 - Pūrvārdha]
Chapter 129 - Greatness of Ugraseneśvara (Ugrasena-īśvara) < [Section 1 - Prabhāsa-kṣetra-māhātmya]
Brihat Samhita (by N. Chidambaram Iyer)