Ashokadatta, Aśokadatta: 6 definitions
Introduction:
Ashokadatta means something in Hinduism, Sanskrit, Jainism, Prakrit. 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.
The Sanskrit term Aśokadatta can be transliterated into English as Asokadatta or Ashokadatta, using the IAST transliteration scheme (?).
In Hinduism
Purana and Itihasa (epic history)
Source: archive.org: Puranic EncyclopediaAśokadatta (अशोकदत्त).—Once the Vidyādhara (a class of semi gods) named Aśokavega was going through the sky, when the hermit maids of Gālavāśrama (the hermitage of Gālava) were bathing in the Ganges. He hankered after them. So the hermits cursed him and changed him to a man. The name of Aśokavega in his human birth was Aśokadatta. The story of Aśokadatta in the "Kathāsaritsāgara" is as follows: (See full article at Story of Aśokadatta from the Puranic encyclopaedia by Vettam Mani)
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.
Kavya (poetry)
Source: Wisdom Library: KathāsaritsāgaraAśokadatta (अशोकदत्त) is one of the two sons of Govindasvāmin: a Brāhman mentioned in a story narrated to Śaktideva by Viṣṇudatta according to the “story of the golden city”, according to the Kathāsaritsāgara, chapter 25. Accordingly, “formerly there was a great Brāhman named Govindasvāmin, living on a great royal grant of land on the banks of the Yamunā. And in the course of time there were born to that virtuous Brāhman two sons like himself, Aśokadatta and Vijayadatta”.
The story of Aśokadatta and Govindasvāmin was narrated to Śaktideva by Viṣṇudatta in order to demonstrate that “divine persons become incarnate for some reason, and are born in this world of men, and possessing their native virtue and courage, attain successes which it is hard to win”.
The Kathāsaritsāgara (‘ocean of streams of story’), mentioning Aśokadatta, is a famous Sanskrit epic story revolving around prince Naravāhanadatta and his quest to become the emperor of the vidyādharas (celestial beings). The work is said to have been an adaptation of Guṇāḍhya’s Bṛhatkathā consisting of 100,000 verses, which in turn is part of a larger work containing 700,000 verses.
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’.
In Jainism
General definition (in Jainism)
Source: archive.org: TrisastisalakapurusacaritraAśokadatta (अशोकदत्त) was a friend of Sāgaracandra, according to chapter 1.2 [ādīśvara-caritra] of Hemacandra’s 11th century Triṣaṣṭiśalākāpuruṣacaritra: an ancient Sanskrit epic poem narrating the history and legends of sixty-three illustrious persons in Jainism.
Accordingly, as Candanadāsa said to his son Sāgaracandra:
“[...] association with the wicked by those who are honest by nature must be abandoned. In course of time it surely effects a change for the worse, like the poison of a mad-dog. This Aśokadatta friend of yours, always advancing (in influence), will corrupt you entirely, as leprosy spreads and corrupts a body. For he, extremely deceitful, thinks one thing, says another, and does something else, like a courtesan. [...]”.
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
Sanskrit dictionary
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English DictionaryAśokadatta (अशोकदत्त):—[=a-śoka-datta] [from a-śoka] m. Name of a man, [Kathāsaritsāgara]
[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.
See also (Relevant definitions)
Partial matches: Ashoka, Datta.
Full-text: Ashokavega, Pratapamukuta, Trighanta, Lambajihva, Madanalekha, Kapalasphota, Vidyucchikha, Govindasvamin, Vijayadatta, Vijayavega, Vimalavahana.
Relevant text
Search found 7 books and stories containing Ashokadatta, Aśokadatta, Asokadatta, Ashoka-datta, Aśoka-datta, Asoka-datta; (plurals include: Ashokadattas, Aśokadattas, Asokadattas, dattas). You can also click to the full overview containing English textual excerpts. Below are direct links for the most relevant articles:
Kathasaritsagara (cultural study) (by S. W. Chitale)
Sports in ancient India < [Chapter 4 - Social Conditions]
Position of Women in ancient India < [Chapter 4 - Social Conditions]
Marriage in ancient India < [Chapter 4 - Social Conditions]
Puranic encyclopaedia (by Vettam Mani)
Paumacariya (critical study) (by K. R. Chandra)
51. The previous births of Bharata and Tribhuvanalamkara Elephant < [Chapter 4 - Intervening Stories]
Trishashti Shalaka Purusha Caritra (by Helen M. Johnson)
Part 1: Story of Sāgaracandra, Priyadarśanā and Aśokadatta < [Chapter II]
Part 2: Divisions of time and description of the Golden Age < [Chapter II]
Kathasaritsagara (the Ocean of Story) (by Somadeva)
Chapter XXV < [Book V - Caturdārikā]
Foreword to volume 9 < [Forewords]
Chapter XLII < [Book VII - Ratnaprabhā]
Skanda Purana (by G. V. Tagare)
Chapter 9 - Redemption of Sudarśana and Sukarṇa < [Section 1 - Setu-māhātmya]
Chapter 8 - Sudarśana Becomes a Vampire < [Section 1 - Setu-māhātmya]