Ayus, Āyus, Ayush: 23 definitions

Introduction
In Hinduism
1. Natyashastra
2. Purana
3. Ayurveda
4. Pancaratra
5. Shaivism
In Buddhism
In Jainism
1. General definition
Languages
1. Sanskrit
2. Hindi
See also
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Introduction:

Ayus means something in Buddhism, Pali, Hinduism, Sanskrit, Jainism, Prakrit, Hindi. 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-śāstra

Āyus (आयुस्) is the name of a sage who was in the company of Bharata when he recited the Nāṭyaveda them, according to the Nāṭyaśāstra chapter 35. Accordingly, they asked the following questions, “O the best Brahmin (lit. the bull of the twice-born), tell us about the character of the god who appears in the Preliminaries (pūrvaraṅga). Why is the sound [of musical instruments] applied there? What purpose does it serve when applied? What god is pleased with this, and what does he do on being pleased? Why does the Director being himself clean, perform ablution again on the stage? How, O sir, the drama has come (lit. dropped) down to the earth from heaven? Why have your descendants come to be known as Śūdras?”.

context information

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)

Source: archive.org: Puranic Encyclopedia

1) Āyus (आयुस्).—Son of Purūravas and father of Nahuṣa. Genealogy. Descending in order from Viṣṇu Brahmā-Candra-Budha-Purūravas-Āyus.

Āyus was born to Purūravas of Urvaśī. To Āyus was born of his wife Svarbhānavī Nahuṣa. (Śloka 24, Chapter 7, Ādi Parva, Mahābhārata). Birth of the son. See under Nahuṣa. Other details. Āyus was a king who had acquired great power by penance. (Śloka 15, Chapter 296, Śānti Parva, Mahābhārata). (See full article at Story of Āyus from the Puranic encyclopaedia by Vettam Mani)

2) Āyus (आयुस्).—One who was the king of frogs. Suśobhanā was the daughter of this frog-king. Suśobhanā was married to King Parīkṣit. For the interesting story of the marriage of a king with a frog see under Parīkṣit II.

Source: archive.org: Shiva Purana - English Translation

Āyus (आयुस्) refers to “long life”, which is mentioned as obtainable through the worship of Śiva, according to the Śivapurāṇa 2.1.14:—“[...] a person desirous of long life (āyus-kāma) shall worship him with Dūrvā grass. A person desirous of sons shall worship him with Dhattūra flowers”.

Source: Shodhganga: The saurapurana - a critical study

Āyus (आयुस्) or Āyu is one of the six sons of Aila Purūravas, according to the Vaṃśānucarita section of the 10th century Saurapurāṇa: one of the various Upapurāṇas depicting Śaivism.—Accordingly, [...] Aila Purūravas, the most illustrious pious king gets married to Urvaśī, the heavenly damsel who is cursed by Brahmā to spend sometime here on earth. Purūravas begets on her six sons—Āyus (Āyu), Mayu, Amāyu, Viśvāyu, Śatāyu and Śrutāyu. All these are celebrated like Semi-divine beings (devayonaya). Āyus got married to the daughter of Svarbhānu and became the father of five sons who were quite famous and well known. Nahuṣa was the eldest of them.

context information

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.

Ayurveda (science of life)

Veterinary Medicine (The study and treatment of Animals)

Source: archive.org: The Elephant Lore of the Hindus

Āyus (आयुस्) refers to the “life” (of an elephant’s), according to the 15th century Mātaṅgalīlā composed by Nīlakaṇṭha in 263 Sanskrit verses, dealing with elephantology in ancient India, focusing on the science of management and treatment of elephants.—[Cf. chapter 4, “on marks of longevity”]: “3. The foreparts, head, eyes, face, ears, neck, belly, tusks, trunk, character, color and the hind members, those are the twelve ‘departments’ of elephants, equal (in number) to their stages (decades) of life. 4. As many of these ‘departments’ as possess the proper aspect fully developed in any (elephant), just so many ‘stages’ (decades) shall be his life (āyus); so Bṛhaspati has declared”.

Unclassified Ayurveda definitions

Source: archive.org: Vagbhata’s Ashtanga Hridaya Samhita (first 5 chapters)

Āyus (आयुस्) refers to “long life”, and is mentioned in verse 2.8 and 5.37-39 of the Aṣṭāṅgahṛdayasaṃhitā (Sūtrasthāna) by Vāgbhaṭa.—Accordingly, “[...] if one regularly performs an inunction [viz., abhyaṅga], that disperses old age, fatigue, (and) wind (and) productive of brightness of look, plumpness, (long) life [viz., āyus], (sound) sleep, beauty of skin, and strength; one shall practise it especially at the head, ears, and feet; [...]”.

Note (verse 2.8): The pregnant noun āyus (“long life”) has been paraphrased by thse ’phel (“growing life”).

context information

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.

Pancaratra (worship of Nārāyaṇa)

Source: University of Vienna: Sudarśana's Worship at the Royal Court According to the Ahirbudhnyasaṃhitā

Āyus (आयुस्) refers to a “long life”, according to the Ahirbudhnyasaṃhitā, belonging to the Pāñcarātra tradition which deals with theology, rituals, iconography, narrative mythology and others.—Accordingly, “The King shall obtain territory, victory, wealth, a long life (āyus) and freedom from diseases. A King who regularly worships shall conquer this whole earth, with her seven divisions and her garment of seas”.

context information

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.

Shaivism (Shaiva philosophy)

Source: SOAS University of London: Protective Rites in the Netra Tantra

Āyus (आयुस्) refers to “perfect health”, according to the Netratantra of Kṣemarāja: a Śaiva text from the 9th century in which Śiva (Bhairava) teaches Pārvatī topics such as metaphysics, cosmology, and soteriology.—Accordingly, [verse 19.101cd-105ab, while describing the ritual that protect the king and his kingdom]—“[...] [The Mantrin] should worship [Amṛteśa] to benefit Brahmins, cows, his own protection, and [the king’s] own people, offering abundant oblations at home on the ninth day [of the light half of the month] Mahānavamī. As said before, [this brings] long life, freedom from disease, and perfect health (āyus-ārogya-saṃpada)”.

context information

Shaiva (शैव, śaiva) or Shaivism (śaivism) represents a tradition of Hinduism worshiping Shiva as the supreme being. Closely related to Shaktism, Shaiva literature includes a range of scriptures, including Tantras, while the root of this tradition may be traced back to the ancient Vedas.

In Buddhism

Mahayana (major branch of Buddhism)

Source: academia.edu: A Study and Translation of the Gaganagañjaparipṛcchā

Āyus (आयुस्) refers to “life”, according to the Gaganagañjaparipṛcchā: the eighth chapter of the Mahāsaṃnipāta (a collection of Mahāyāna Buddhist Sūtras).—Accordingly: “[...] Again, Śāriputra, it is not easy to express the splendor of the virtues of that Tathāgata’s Buddha-field, remaining here with a life-span of a world-age (kalpa-āyus-pramāṇa). Śāriputra, the whole retinue of that Tathāgata reached to thousands of world-sphere, and the congregation of the Bodhisattvas was incalculable’”.

context information

Mahayana (महायान, mahāyāna) is a major branch of Buddhism focusing on the path of a Bodhisattva (spiritual aspirants/ enlightened beings). Extant literature is vast and primarely composed in the Sanskrit language. There are many sūtras of which some of the earliest are the various Prajñāpāramitā sūtras.

Tibetan Buddhism (Vajrayana or tantric Buddhism)

Source: SOAS: Guhyagarbhatantra and its XIVth century commentary

Āyus (आयुस्) or Āyuḥkaṣāya in Sanskrit refers to “the impurity of life” and is known in Tibetan as tshe'i snyigs-ma. It represents one of the “Five Impurities” which are known in Tibetan as snyigs ma lnga. They are defined in the sgyu-'phrul rgya-mtsho of volume 15 of the rnying-ma'i rg.yud-'bum (Collected Tantras of the rNying-ma-pa).—[Cf. the Mahāvyutpatti 2335-2340].

context information

Tibetan Buddhism includes schools such as Nyingma, Kadampa, Kagyu and Gelug. Their primary canon of literature is divided in two broad categories: The Kangyur, which consists of Buddha’s words, and the Tengyur, which includes commentaries from various sources. Esotericism and tantra techniques (vajrayāna) are collected indepently.

General definition (in Buddhism)

Source: Wisdom Library: Dharma-samgraha

Āyus (आयुस्, “life”) or Āyurvaśitā refers to the “mastery of life” and represents one of the “ten masteries of the Bodhisattvas” (vaśitā) as defined in the Dharma-saṃgraha (section 74). The Dharma-samgraha (Dharmasangraha) is an extensive glossary of Buddhist technical terms in Sanskrit (e.g., āyus). The work is attributed to Nagarjuna who lived around the 2nd century A.D.

In Jainism

General definition (in Jainism)

Source: The University of Sydney: A study of the Twelve Reflections

Āyus (आयुस्) or Āyuḥkarma refers to “life karmas”, according to the 11th century Jñānārṇava, a treatise on Jain Yoga in roughly 2200 Sanskrit verses composed by Śubhacandra.—Accordingly, “In this world sometimes corporeal [souls] filled with a mass of virtue appear in heaven because of the development of life and name karmas (āyuḥkarma—āyurnāmakarmodayād iha) connected with the celestial state of existence. And, having obtained the good fortune of heaven, [those corporeal beings] enjoy heavenly pleasure in the lower heavens and in the celestial vehicles or among other groups [of gods]”.

context information

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: DDSA: The practical Sanskrit-English dictionary

Āyus (आयुस्).—n. [i-asi-ṇicca Uṇādi-sūtra 2.117]

1) Life, duration of life; दीर्घमायुः (dīrghamāyuḥ) R.9.62,12.48; तक्षकेणापि दष्टस्य आयुर्मर्माणि रक्षति (takṣakeṇāpi daṣṭasya āyurmarmāṇi rakṣati) H.2.16; आयुर्वर्षशतं नृणां परिमितम् (āyurvarṣaśataṃ nṛṇāṃ parimitam) Bhartṛhari 3.17, शतायुर्वै पुरुषः (śatāyurvai puruṣaḥ) Ait. Br.; प्राणो हि भूतानामायुः । तस्मात्सर्वायुषमुच्यते सर्वमेव त आयुर्यान्ति (prāṇo hi bhūtānāmāyuḥ | tasmātsarvāyuṣamucyate sarvameva ta āyuryānti) Tait. Up.2.3.1

2) Vital power.

3) Food.

4) Name of a ceremony called आयुष्टोम (āyuṣṭoma) performed to secure long life, together with the गो (go) and ज्योतिस् (jyotis) part of the अभिप्लव (abhiplava) ceremony. (In comp. the final s of this word is changed to ṣ before hard consonants, and to r before soft ones).

Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Edgerton Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit Dictionary

Āyus (आयुस्) or Āvus.—life? (§ 2.31) So according to Senart, Mahāvastu i.176.7 (prose) samaye ca āvusā (one ms. āyusā, dental s) dayanto (mss. °nte), presumed to mean and on occasion giving alms with their lives. Doubtful.

Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Shabda-Sagara Sanskrit-English Dictionary

Āyus (आयुस्).—n.

(-yuḥ) Age, duration of life. E. i to go, usi Unadi affix, the pen. lengthened.

Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Benfey Sanskrit-English Dictionary

Āyus (आयुस्).—n. Life, [Mānavadharmaśāstra] 1, 84.

Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Cappeller Sanskrit-English Dictionary

Āyus (आयुस्).—[neuter] life, vitality, longevity; world ( = living creatures).

Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary

1) Āyuṣ (आयुष्):—[from āyu] (in [compound] for āyus below).

2) Āyus (आयुस्):—[from āyu] a n. life, vital power, vigour, health, duration of life, long life, [Ṛg-veda; Atharva-veda; Taittirīya-saṃhitā; Śatapatha-brāhmaṇa; Manu-smṛti; Mahābhārata; Pañcatantra] etc.

3) [v.s. ...] active power, efficacy, [Ṛg-veda; Vājasaneyi-saṃhitā]

4) [v.s. ...] the totality of living beings [food, [Sāyaṇa]] [Ṛg-veda ii, 38, 5 and vii, 90, 6]

5) [v.s. ...] Name of a particular ceremony (= āyuḥ-ṣṭoma q.v.)

6) [v.s. ...] Name of a Sāman

7) [v.s. ...] of the eighth lunar mansion

8) [v.s. ...] food, [cf. Lexicographers, esp. such as amarasiṃha, halāyudha, hemacandra, etc.]

9) [v.s. ...] m. the son of Purūravas and Urvaśī (cf. āyu), [Mahābhārata; Vikramorvaśī; Viṣṇu-purāṇa]

10) [v.s. ...] (cf. Dor. αἰές; perhaps also αἰών.)

11) b See [column]1.

Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Yates Sanskrit-English Dictionary

Āyus (आयुस्):—(yuḥ) 5. m. Age.

Source: DDSA: Paia-sadda-mahannavo; a comprehensive Prakrit Hindi dictionary (S)

Āyuṣ (आयुष्) in the Sanskrit language is related to the Prakrit words: Āu, Āua.

[Sanskrit to German]

Ayus in German

context information

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

Source: DDSA: A practical Hindi-English dictionary

1) Āyuṣ (आयुष्):——an allomorph of [āyus] used as the first member of compound words; ~[māna] having long life; blessed with longevity (this word is prefixed to the names of youngers to denote a wish for the addressee to be blessed with longevity); ~[ya] age; life-force.

2) Āyus (आयुस्):—(nm) age, life; long life.

context information

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Search found 85 books and stories containing Ayus, Āyus, Āyuṣ, Ayush; (plurals include: Ayuses, Āyuses, Āyuṣs, Ayushes). You can also click to the full overview containing English textual excerpts. Below are direct links for the most relevant articles:

+ 59 more chapters / show preview

Verse 8.10 - The four kinds of fe-determining karma (āyus) < [Chapter 8 - Bondage of Karmas]

Verse 6.15 - The nature of Life-Karmas (leading to birth in the infernal regions) < [Chapter 6 - Influx of Karmas]

Verse 8.17 - The maximum duration of life-determining karma (āyus) < [Chapter 8 - Bondage of Karmas]

+ 8 more chapters / show preview

Chapter 23 - Sattras (soma-rites of more than twelve days)

Chapter 24 - Sattra rites (continued)