Avadhuta, Avadhūta: 13 definitions
Introduction
Avadhuta 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
Natyashastra (theatrics and dramaturgy)
Source: Wisdom Library: Nāṭya-śāstraAvadhuta (अवधुत) refers to a specific ‘movement of the head’ (śiras), according to the Nāṭyaśāstra chapter 8. The head is one of the six major limbs (aṅga) used to perform certain gestures (āṅgika). These gestures form a part of the histrionic representation (abhinaya).
Source: archive.org: The mirror of gesture (abhinaya-darpana)One of the Twenty-four Heads. Avadhuta: inclining the head sharply. Usage: saying “Stay”, pointing out a place, asking a question, summoning, conversation.
Source: archive.org: Natya ShastraAvadhuta (अवधुत).—One of the thirteen gestures of the head;—Instructions: When the head is once turned down it is called the Avadhuta. (Uses): it is to be applied in [communicating] a message involking a deity, conversation and beckoning [one to come near]. (See the Nāṭyaśāstra 8-23)
Natyashastra (नाट्यशास्त्र, nāṭyaśāstra) refers to both the ancient Indian tradition (śāstra) of performing arts, (nāṭya, e.g., 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) and poetic works (kavya).
Purana and Itihasa (epic history)
Source: archive.org: Shiva Purana - English TranslationAvadhūta (अवधूत) refers to one who is “unsullied”, according to the Śivapurāṇa 2.2.16. Accordingly as Brahmā narrated to Nārada:—“[...] On hearing these words of mine—of Brahmā—in the presence of Viṣṇu, Śiva, the lord of worlds spoke to me with his face beaming with a smile: [...] Of what avail is a beloved to me in this world since I am in the path of abstinence delighting myself in my own soul, freed of attachment, unsullied (avadhūta), with the body of an ascetic, possessed of knowledge, seeing himself, free from aberrations and a non-reveller. Besides I am always unclean and inauspicious. Hence say now what can I do with a loving wife?”.
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: The Purana IndexAvadhūta (अवधूत).—The friend who accompanied Purañjana to the Saurabha kingdom, through the entrances Nalini and Nālini.1 Allegorically sense of smell.2 Taught spiritual wisdom to Yadu.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.
Languages of India and abroad
Marathi-English dictionary
Source: DDSA: The Molesworth Marathi and English Dictionaryavadhūta (अवधूत).—m (In Sanskrit, Rejected, removed, agitated, cast away: also virakta or Separated from sensuous or carnal affections.) A Brahman-avatar of dattātrēya q. v. He was a great wanderer. Hence, A term for an individual of an order of viraktabrāhmaṇa or gōsāvī who roam about in nudity reciting avadhūtagītā a metrical piece found in the bhāgavata purāṇa. Compounds are avadhūta-pantha-mārga-sampra- dāya-caritra-dīkṣā. The order or ways of the avadhūta roamers; and fig. Non-distinction of castes and general pollution and profligacy. For avadhūtadattātrēya See dattātrēya. In poetry, also avadhūtamūrtti. Ex. sakaḷa brahmāṇḍīñcīṃ dēvatēṃ dhāvati || avadhūtamūrtti pāhāvayā ||.
Source: DDSA: The Aryabhusan school dictionary, Marathi-Englishavadhūta (अवधूत).—m dattātrēya. One who does not observe the distinction of castes &c. a Naked.
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-English dictionary
Source: DDSA: The practical Sanskrit-English dictionaryAvadhūta (अवधूत).—p. p.
1) Shaken, waved. Māl.9.18.
2) Discarded, rejected, despised; R.19.43.
3) Insulted, humiliated. हृतदारोऽवधूतश्च नाहं जीवितमुत्सहे (hṛtadāro'vadhūtaśca nāhaṃ jīvitamutsahe) Mb.3.282.36.
4) Excelled, surpassed; लीलावधूतपद्मा कथयन्ती पक्षपातमधिकं नः (līlāvadhūtapadmā kathayantī pakṣapātamadhikaṃ naḥ) Ratn.2.8.
5) Attacked, overcome.
6) Separated from worldly attachments.
-taḥ An ascetic who has renounced all worldly attachments and connections; यो विलङ्घ्याश्रमान्वर्णानात्मन्येव स्थितः पुमान् । अतिवर्णाश्रमी योगी अवधूतः स उच्यते (yo vilaṅghyāśramānvarṇānātmanyeva sthitaḥ pumān | ativarṇāśramī yogī avadhūtaḥ sa ucyate) || or अक्षरत्वात् वरेण्यत्वात् धूतसंसारबन्ध- नात् । तत्त्वमस्यर्थसिद्धत्वादवधूतोऽभिधीयते ॥ सदाप्लुतोऽधःशयनोऽवधूतः (akṣaratvāt vareṇyatvāt dhūtasaṃsārabandha- nāt | tattvamasyarthasiddhatvādavadhūto'bhidhīyate || sadāpluto'dhaḥśayano'vadhūtaḥ) Bhāg.3.1.19. अवधूतोपेक्षिते च कम्पिते चाश्रमान्तरे (avadhūtopekṣite ca kampite cāśramāntare) | Nm.
2) Smelling sense, nose, नलिनी नालिनी च प्राग्द्वारावेकत्र निर्मिते । अवधूतसखस्ताभ्यां विषयं याति सौरभम् (nalinī nālinī ca prāgdvārāvekatra nirmite | avadhūtasakhastābhyāṃ viṣayaṃ yāti saurabham) || Bhāg.4.25.48.
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Edgerton Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit DictionaryAvadhūta (अवधूत).—(compare [Boehtlingk and Roth] 5.1527, dhū with ava, ppp., glossed malina), in a list of evil (magic) powers and influences: Mahā-Māyūrī 220.19; 245.19; 259.13. Not in the similar list Mahāvyutpatti 4372—87.
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Shabda-Sagara Sanskrit-English DictionaryAvadhūta (अवधूत).—mfn.
(-taḥ-tā-taṃ) 1. Compelled. 2. Discarded. 3. Shaken, removed, tossed. 4. Trodden upon. 5. Separated from worldly feeling and obligation. E. ava, and dhūta shaken.
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Cappeller Sanskrit-English DictionaryAvadhūta (अवधूत).—[adjective] shaken off, removed, rejected, sparned, tossed, trodden upon, unclean.
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary1) Avadhūta (अवधूत):—[=ava-dhūta] [from ava-dhū] mfn. shaken off (as evil spirits), [Vājasaneyi-saṃhitā i, 14]
2) [v.s. ...] removed, shaken away, [Bhāgavata-purāṇa] etc.
3) [v.s. ...] discarded, expelled, excluded, [Mahābhārata] etc.
4) [v.s. ...] disregarded, neglected, rejected, [Daśakumāra-carita] etc.
5) [v.s. ...] touched, [Rāmāyaṇa vi, 82, 62]
6) [v.s. ...] shaken, agitated (especially as plants or the dust by the wind), fanned, [Mahābhārata] etc.
7) [v.s. ...] that upon which anything unclean has been shaken out or off (cf. avakṣuta), [Manu-smṛti v, 125; Mahābhārata xiii, 1577]
8) [v.s. ...] unclean, [Bhāgavata-purāṇa]
9) [v.s. ...] one who has shaken, off from himself worldly feeling and obligation, a philosopher (brahma-vid), [Bhāgavata-purāṇa; Rājataraṅgiṇī]
10) [v.s. ...] m. Name of a Śaiva philosopher
11) [v.s. ...] n. rejecting, repudiating, [Mahābhārata iv, 352] (= [Harivaṃśa 4717]).
Sanskrit, also spelled संस्कृतम् (saṃskṛtam), is an ancient language of India commonly seen as the grandmother of the Indo-European language family. 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)
Starts with: Avadhutagrantha, Avadhutanubhuti, Avadhutapranipata, Avadhutarama, Avadhutarya, Avadhutashatka, Avadhutastotra, Avadhutatantra, Avadhutavesha, Avadhutayogilakshana.
Ends with: Guptavadhuta, Krishnavadhuta, Kulavadhuta, Lilavadhuta, Viryavadhuta, Viryyavadhuta, Vyaktavadhuta, Vyavadhuta.
Full-text (+9): Avadhutavesha, Avadhutapranipata, Vyavadhuta, Viryavadhuta, Viryyavadhuta, Saurabha, Agadadhuta, Twenty-four Heads, Sri Parnananda Tirtha, Balapaddhati, Upadeshadikshavidhi, Athara Akhade, Dhutada, Purnabhishekapaddhati, Puranjana, Kubuddhi, Yajnashala, Jalauka, Gorakshavacanasamgraha, Abhimana.
Relevant text
Search found 14 books and stories containing Avadhuta, Avadhūta, Ava-dhuta, Ava-dhūta; (plurals include: Avadhutas, Avadhūtas, dhutas, dhūtas). You can also click to the full overview containing English textual excerpts. Below are direct links for the most relevant articles:
Narada Parivrajaka Upanishad of Atharvaveda (by K. Narayanasvami Aiyar)
The Mirror of Gesture (abhinaya-darpana) (by Ananda Coomaraswamy)
The Shiva Purana (by J. L. Shastri)
Chapter 30 - The incarnation of Śiva as Avadhūteśvara < [Section 3 - Śatarudra-saṃhitā]
Chapter 29 - Satī’s statement < [Section 2.2 - Rudra-saṃhitā (2): Satī-khaṇḍa]
Chapter 12 - The reason for Śiva’s assuming the phallic form (liṅga) < [Section 4 - Koṭirudra-Saṃhitā]
Brihad Bhagavatamrita (by Śrīla Sanātana Gosvāmī)
Verse 1.3.28 < [Chapter 3 - Prapancatita: Beyond the Material World]
Sri Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu (by Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī)
Verse 3.1.24 < [Part 1 - Neutral Love of God (śānta-rasa)]
Shri Gaudiya Kanthahara (by Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati)