Avantika, Āvantika, Avantikā, Āvantikā: 12 definitions
Introduction
Introduction:
Avantika means something in Buddhism, Pali, Hinduism, Sanskrit. 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 TranslationĀvantikā (आवन्तिका) refers to one of the seven sacred cities of the Hindus, according to a footnote at the Śivapurāṇa-māhātmya chapter 1. Accordingly, —“[...] the holy rivers, Gaṅgā and others, the seven sacred cities [viz., Āvantikā] and Gayā can never be equal to Śivapurāṇa. If one wishes for the greatest of goals (Liberation) one shall recite at least a stanza or even half of it from Śivapurāṇa. He who constantly listens to Śivapurāṇa fully comprehending its meaning or simply reads it with devotion is undoubtedly a meritorious soul”.
The seven sacred cities of the Hindus are: Ayodhyā, Mathurā, Māyā, Kāśī, Kāñcī, Āvantikā and Dvārikā.
Source: archive.org: Puranic EncyclopediaĀvantikā (आवन्तिका).—Daughter of Yaugandharāyaṇa, a famous character in the story of Udayana. (See under Yaugandharāyaṇa).
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: The Purana IndexAvantikā (अवन्तिका).—A tīrtha sacred to Pitṛs.*
- * Matsya-purāṇa 22. 33.

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.
Vastushastra (architecture)
Source: Wisdom Library: Vāstu-śāstraĀvantika (आवन्तिक) refers to a variety of prāsāda (upper storey of any building), according to the Śilparatna (32.4), the Mayamata (18.10) and the Kamikāgama (57.8).

Vastushastra (वास्तुशास्त्र, vāstuśāstra) refers to the ancient Indian science (shastra) of architecture (vastu), dealing with topics such architecture, sculpture, town-building, fort building and various other constructions. Vastu also deals with the philosophy of the architectural relation with the cosmic universe.
Natyashastra (theatrics and dramaturgy)
Source: Wisdom Library: Nāṭya-śāstra1) Āvantika (आवन्तिक) is another name for Avantī, a country pertaining to the Āvantī local usage (pravṛtti) according to the Nāṭyaśāstra chapter 14. These pravṛttis provide information regarding costumes, languages, and manners in different countries of the world. It is mentioned that this local usage (adopted by these countries) depends on the grand style (sāttvatī) and the graceful style (kaiśikī).
2) Āvantika (आवन्तिक) refers to one of the types of Rīti (‘style’ or ‘essence’ of poetry) according to Bhoja (in his Sarasvatīkaṇṭhābharaṇa).

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).
Kavya (poetry)
Source: Wisdom Library: KathāsaritsāgaraĀvantikā (आवन्तिका) is the undercover name of queen Vāsavadatta, according to the Kathāsaritsāgara, chapter 15. Yaugandharāyaṇa, accompanied by Gopālaka, Rumaṇvat and Vasantaka, devised a scheme to trick king Udayana into believing his wife (Vāsavadattā) was burned at Lāvānaka. In order to disguise Vāsavadattā, Yaugandharāyaṇa transformed her into a Brāhman woman by means of a charm.
The Kathāsaritsāgara (‘ocean of streams of story’), mentioning Āvantikā, 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’.
Ayurveda (science of life)
Source: Shodhganga: Dietetics and culinary art in ancient and medieval IndiaAvantika (अवन्तिक) refers to one of the miscellaneous dishes mentioned in the 17th century Bhojanakutūhala (dravyaguṇāguṇa-kathana), and is commonly found in literature dealing with the topics of dietetics and culinary art, also known as Pākaśāstra or Pākakalā.
(Ingredients of Avantika): black gram powder, green gram powder and rice flour.
(Cooking instructions): Mix the powdered black gram, powdered green gram with rice flour. Cook this mixture in steam. This preparation is called avantika. This dish is very popular in the name iḍḍali in south India. The same is called caṇḍārika if cooked it in oil. Author states that caṇḍārika is also known by the name ghṛtapūra.

Āyurveda (आयुर्वेद, ayurveda) is a branch of Indian science dealing with medicine, herbalism, taxology, anatomy, surgery, alchemy and related topics. Traditional practice of Āyurveda in ancient India dates back to at least the first millenium BC. Literature is commonly written in Sanskrit using various poetic metres.
In Buddhism
Theravada (major branch of Buddhism)
Source: Pali Kanon: Pali Proper NamesThe name given to monks of Avanti who helped Yasa Kakandakaputta to overcome the heresy of the Vajjiputtakas. Mhv.iv.19ff.
Theravāda is a major branch of Buddhism having the the Pali canon (tipitaka) as their canonical literature, which includes the vinaya-pitaka (monastic rules), the sutta-pitaka (Buddhist sermons) and the abhidhamma-pitaka (philosophy and psychology).
Languages of India and abroad
Sanskrit dictionary
Source: DDSA: The practical Sanskrit-English dictionaryAvantikā (अवन्तिका).—
1) The modern city of उज्जयिनी (ujjayinī).
2) The language of the Avantis.
--- OR ---
Āvantika (आवन्तिक).—a. (-kī f.) Coming from or belonging to Avantī.
-kaḥ Name of a Buddhist school.
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Cappeller Sanskrit-English DictionaryĀvantika (आवन्तिक).—[adjective] belonging to or coming from the Avantis.
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary1) Avantikā (अवन्तिका):—[from avantaka] f. the modern Oujein (one of the seven sacred cities of the Hindūs to die at which secures eternal happiness), the language of the, Avantis, [Sāhitya-darpaṇa]
2) Āvantika (आवन्तिक):—[from āvanta] mfn. belonging to or coming from Avanti, [Varāha-mihira’s Bṛhat-saṃhitā]
3) [v.s. ...] m. Name of a Buddhist school
4) Āvantikā (आवन्तिका):—[from āvantika > āvanta] f. Name of a woman, [Kathāsaritsāgara]
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)
Starts with: Avantikadravya, Avantikajahnu, Avantikakhanda.
Ends with: Bhavantika, Yavantika.
Full-text: Avanti, Iddali, Candarika, Ghritapura, Avantaka, Ujjayini, Avantipura, Dvarika, Kanci, Riti, Prasada, Kshetra, Mathura, Kashi, Ayodhya, Maya.
Relevant text
Search found 15 books and stories containing Avantika, Āvantika, Avantikā, Āvantikā; (plurals include: Avantikas, Āvantikas, Avantikās, Āvantikās). You can also click to the full overview containing English textual excerpts. Below are direct links for the most relevant articles:
Kathasaritsagara (the Ocean of Story) (by Somadeva)
Chapter XVI < [Book III - Lāvānaka]
Puranic encyclopaedia (by Vettam Mani)
The Skanda Purana (by G. V. Tagare)
Chapter 21 - The Greatness of Hanumatkeśvara < [Section 1 - Avantīkṣetra-māhātmya]
Chapter 40 - The Origin of the Name Kanakaśṛṅgā < [Section 1 - Avantīkṣetra-māhātmya]
Chapter 6 - Tīrthādhyāya (Sacred Places) < [Section 1 - Pūrvārdha]
The Shiva Purana (by J. L. Shastri)
Chapter 1 - Greatness of Śivapurāṇa < [Śivapurāṇa-māhātmya]
Chapter 44 - The birth of Vyāsa < [Section 5 - Umā-Saṃhitā]
The backdrop of the Srikanthacarita and the Mankhakosa (by Dhrubajit Sarma)
Part 1 - Rīti or the style < [Chapter III - Literary Assessment Of The Śrīkaṇṭhacarita]
Bhagavad-gita Mahatmya (by N.A. Deshpande)