Atala, Aṭala, Āṭala: 25 definitions
Introduction:
Atala means something in Hinduism, Sanskrit, Buddhism, Pali, Marathi, Hindi, biology. 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.
Alternative spellings of this word include Atal.
Images (photo gallery)
In Hinduism
Natyashastra (theatrics and dramaturgy)
One of the Hands of The Seven Lower Worlds.—Atala: the Patāka hand twisted downwards is applicable.
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).
Purana and Itihasa (epic history)
Atala (अतल).—This is one of the seven sections of Pātāla. The seven sections are: Atala, Vitala, Sutala, Talātala, Mahātala, Rasātala, Pātāla. Of them Atala has been described as follows: Atala is the first world of Pātāla. There reigns Bala, the son of Maya who is the famous but haughty magician. He has created 96 Mayas who are capable of granting all kinds of desires. Even now certain persons who are interested in the practice of Black magic, learn some of these 96 arts and practise them. When this mighty fellow opens his mouth for yawning, three groups of women known as Puṃścalīs, Svairiṇīs and Kāminīs emerge from his mouth. He has with him a rasāyana called hāṭaka with which he can eaisly entice and seduce all who enter Atala and to strengthen them for satisfying his lust. After enticing them with it, he enjoys uncontrolled pleasure with them, showering on them his amorous glances, bewitching smiles and embraces. (Devī Bhāgavata, Aṣṭama Skandha).
1a) Atala (अतल).—1 —a thigh of the cosmic Puruṣa; is dependent on the loins of the Puruṣa.2 An underworld, ruled by Bala, son of Maya.3 The fourth world of pink (pīta) soil and residence of daityas like Kālanemi.4
- 1) Bhāgavata-purāṇa II. 1. 27.
- 2) Ib. II. 5. 40.
- 3) Ib. V. 24. 7 & 16.
- 4) Brahmāṇḍa-purāṇa II. 20. 12, 14, 32-34.
1b) An underworld of dark earth; here is the house of Namuci, the Indra of the Asuras besides those of Śaṅkukarṇa, Nāgas, Rākṣasas, etc. White soil.*
- * Vāyu-purāṇa 50. 11, 13 and 15-19. Viṣṇu-purāṇa II. 5. 2, 3.
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.
Vaishnavism (Vaishava dharma)
Atala (अतल) refers to:—A planet. (cf. Glossary page from Śrī Bṛhad-bhāgavatāmṛta).
Vaishnava (वैष्णव, vaiṣṇava) or vaishnavism (vaiṣṇavism) represents a tradition of Hinduism worshipping Vishnu as the supreme Lord. Similar to the Shaktism and Shaivism traditions, Vaishnavism also developed as an individual movement, famous for its exposition of the dashavatara (‘ten avatars of Vishnu’).
Pancaratra (worship of Nārāyaṇa)
Atala (अतल) refers to one of the seven “nether worlds”, as discussed in chapter 11 (Jñānapāda) of the Padmasaṃhitā: the most widely followed of Saṃhitā covering the entire range of concerns of Pāñcarātra doctrine and practice (i.e., the four-fold formulation of subject matter—jñāna, yoga, kriyā and caryā) consisting of roughly 9000 verses.—Description of the chapter [atalādiloka-parimāṇa]: Turning now to the nether worlds beneath the earth—named atala, vitala, nitala, gabhastimān, mahat, sutala, pātāla—these are the realms where people are reborn who have puṇya-merit [puṇyabhūmi]. Each of these nether regions measures 1000 yojanas in extent, and each is populated by Dānavas, Daityas, Kālayas and Phaṇis, whose lives are full of joys and pleasures. [...]
Pancaratra (पाञ्चरात्र, pāñcarātra) represents a tradition of Hinduism where Narayana is revered and worshipped. Closeley related to Vaishnavism, the Pancaratra literature includes various Agamas and tantras incorporating many Vaishnava philosophies.
Biology (plants and animals)
Atala in the Malayalam language is the name of a plant identified with Jatropha glandulifera Roxb. from the Euphorbiaceae (Castor) family having the following synonyms: Adenoropium roxburghii Kostel. [Illegitimate] . For the possible medicinal usage of atala, you can check this page for potential sources and references, although be aware that any some or none of the side-effects may not be mentioned here, wether they be harmful or beneficial to health.
Atala in Nigeria is the name of a plant defined with Sacoglottis gabonensis in various botanical sources. This page contains potential references in Ayurveda, modern medicine, and other folk traditions or local practices It has the synonym Aubrya occidentalis Chev., nom. nud. (among others).
Example references for further research on medicinal uses or toxicity (see latin names for full list):
· Medical Science Research (1995)
· Exploration Botanique de l’Afrique Occidentale Française (1920)
· Medical Science Research (1993)
· Pharmaceutical Biology (1998)
· Vascular Pharmacology (2002)
· Fl. Bras. (Martius) (1840)
If you are looking for specific details regarding Atala, for example side effects, pregnancy safety, diet and recipes, chemical composition, extract dosage, health benefits, have a look at these references.
This sections includes definitions from the five kingdoms of living things: Animals, Plants, Fungi, Protists and Monera. It will include both the official binomial nomenclature (scientific names usually in Latin) as well as regional spellings and variants.
Languages of India and abroad
Pali-English dictionary
Aṭala, (adj.) (cp. Sk. aṭṭa & aṭṭālaka stronghold) solid, firm, strong, only in phrase aṭaliyo upāhanā strong sandals M. II, 155 (vv. ll. paṭaliye & agaliyo) = S. I, 226 (vv. ll. āṭaliyo & āṭaliko). At the latter passage Bdhgh. expls. gaṇaṅgaṇ-ûpāhanā, Mrs. Rh. D. (Kindred Sayings I. 291) trsls. “buskined shoes”. (Page 15)
āṭala (အာဋလ) [(na) (န)]—
[¿]
[¿]
[Pali to Burmese]
āṭala—
(Burmese text): [¿]
အာဋက(လ)မည်သောသံ၊ သံလိုက်။
(Auto-Translation): What sound does the drum make, following the rhythm?
Pali is the language of the Tipiṭaka, which is the sacred canon of Theravāda Buddhism and contains much of the Buddha’s speech. Closeley related to Sanskrit, both languages are used interchangeably between religions.
Marathi-English dictionary
aṭaḷa (अटळ).—a unc (a & ṭaḷaṇēṃ) That cannot be averted or escaped.
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aṭāḷā (अटाळा).—m (See aṭōḷā Sig. I.) An erection in a corn-field.
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atala (अतल).—n (S) A division of the infernal regions, the hell immediately below the earth.
aṭaḷa (अटळ).—a Unavoidable, that cannot be avoided or escaped.
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atala (अतल).—m A division of the infernal regions.
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
Aṭala (अटल).—a. [na. ta.] Firm, steady, solid.
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Atala (अतल).—a. Bottomless.
-lam [asya bhūkhaṇḍasya talaṃ pṛṣo° idamo'tvam] Name of a पाताल (pātāla) or lower region, one of the 7 Pātālas, being the first among them.
-laḥ Name of Śiva.
Ātāla (आताल).—(m. or nt.), probably watchtower: Lalitavistara 193.18 (verse) prāsādeṣu gavākṣatoraṇavareṣv ātāla-mañceṣu ca (all parts of a building). Apparently = Sanskrit aṭṭāla (also aṭṭa); Tibetan Lalitavistara yaṅ thog, which [Tibetan-English Dictionary] defines by the highest storey of a house, also…a dome, and which in Mahāvyutpatti 5522 renders aṭṭa = aṭṭāla.
Aṭala (अटल).—mfn.
(-laḥ-lā-laṃ) Immoveable, unchangeable.
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Atala (अतल).—n.
(-laṃ) A particular hell or division of the infernal regions, the portin immediately below the earth. E. a neg. and tala bottom.
Atala (अतल).—n. the name of a hell, [Vedāntasāra, (in my Chrestomathy.)] in
Atala is a Sanskrit compound consisting of the terms a and tala (तल).
Atala (अतल).—[neuter] [Name] of a cert. hell (lit. bottomless).
1) Aṭala (अटल):—[=a-ṭala] mfn. not shaky, firm, [cf. Lexicographers, esp. such as amarasiṃha, halāyudha, hemacandra, etc.]
2) Atala (अतल):—[=a-tala] n. bottomless
3) [v.s. ...] Name of a hell beneath the earth
4) [v.s. ...] m. Name of Śiva.
Atala (अतल):—[bahuvrihi compound] n.
(-lam) A particular hell or division of the infernal regions, the portion immediately below the earth. E. a priv. and tala; ‘bottomless’.
1) Aṭala (अटल):—[a-ṭala] (laḥ-lā-laṃ) Firm, stable.
2) Atala (अतल):—[a-tala] (laṃ) 1. n. A particular hell. a. Without bottom, bottomless.
Atala (अतल):—(3. a + tala)
1) adj. bodenlos. —
2) m. ein Beiname Śiva’s [Hemacandra’s Abhidhānacintāmaṇi 46.] —
3) n. Name einer Hölle [ĀRUṆ. Upakośā] in [Weber’s Indische Studien II, 178, Nalopākhyāna 3.] [Vedāntasāra 12, 1.] [Viṣṇupurāṇa 204.]
Atala (अतल):—n. Name einer Hölle [268,4.]
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
1) Aṭala (अटल) [Also spelled atal]:—(a) firm; irrevocable; resolute; unwavering, steadfast.
2) Atala (अतल) [Also spelled atal]:—(a) bottomless; fathomless; ~[darśī] having deep insight, who can see through to the bottom; ~[sparśī] fathoming the depths, profound.
...
Kannada-English dictionary
Aṭaḷa (ಅಟಳ):—[noun] (correctly, ಅತಳ [atala]) one of the seven regions supposed to be below the earth.
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Atala (ಅತಲ):—
1) [adjective] having no bottom.
2) [adjective] unfathomably deep.
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Atala (ಅತಲ):—
1) [noun] that which is unfathomably deep; a deep ocean.
2) [noun] (myth.) one of seven regions below the earth.
3) [noun] (myth.) name of one of the hells.
4) [noun] Śiva.
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Ataḷa (ಅತಳ):—[adjective] = ಅತಲ [atala]1.
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Ataḷa (ಅತಳ):—[noun] = ಅತಲ [atala]2.
Kannada is a Dravidian language (as opposed to the Indo-European language family) mainly spoken in the southwestern region of India.
Nepali dictionary
1) Aṭala (अटल):—adj. firm; irrevocable; resolute; unwavering; steadfast; still; unmoving;
2) Atala (अतल):—adj. bottomless; unfathomable; n. Mythol. one of the seven infernal subterrestrial regions (patalas);
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 (+11): Ataladilokaparimana, Atalai, Atalaimatalai, Atalaimutalai, Atalaiputalaiyay, Atalaiyatu, Atalajala, Atalakai, Atalakutala, Atalakutalam, Atalal, Atalaloka, Atalamtaka, Atalamuli, Atalamulikkoti, Atalanem, Atalani, Atalantia monophylla, Atalantia racemosa, Atalantia roxburghiana.
Full-text (+49): Talatala, Atalasparsha, Atalasprish, Attalam, Atalamuli, Saptapatala, Atal, Patala, Rasatala, Atalasprishu, Atalakutalam, Shvapadanagara, Pitabhauma, Shuladanta, Loka, Kalasha, Vrikavaktra, Lohitaksha, Atalapatala, Hatakam.
Relevant text
Search found 75 books and stories containing Atala, A-tala, A-ṭala, Aṭala, Aṭaḷa, Aṭāḷā, Aṭālā, Ātāla, Ataḷa, Āṭala; (plurals include: Atalas, talas, ṭalas, Aṭalas, Aṭaḷas, Aṭāḷās, Aṭālās, Ātālas, Ataḷas, Āṭalas). You can also click to the full overview containing English textual excerpts. Below are direct links for the most relevant articles:
Dictionaries of Indian languages (Kosha)
Page 141 < [Hindi-Assamese-English Volume 1]
Page 120 < [Hindi-Bengali-English Volume 1]
Page 45 < [Hindi-Assamese-English Volume 1]
Tirumantiram by Tirumular (English translation)
Verse 193: Give in Charity Now and Here < [Tantra One (mutal tantiram) (verses 113-336)]
Devi Bhagavata Purana (by Swami Vijñanananda)
Chapter 19 - On the narrative of the Atala, etc. < [Book 8]
Chapter 21 - On the narrative of hells < [Book 8]
Preksha meditation: History and Methods (by Samani Pratibha Pragya)
Brahma Purana (critical study) (by Surabhi H. Trivedi)
8. The area of Puskaradvipa < [Chapter 9 - Geography]
6. Mythologico-Philosophical Theory < [Philosophy]
Puranic encyclopaedia (by Vettam Mani)
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