Balavat, Balavān, Balavan, Bālavat: 14 definitions
Introduction:
Balavat means something in Buddhism, Pali, Hinduism, Sanskrit, Jainism, Prakrit, 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.
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In Hinduism
Purana and Itihasa (epic history)
Balavat (बलवत्) refers to “very strong”, according to the Śivapurāṇa 2.3.5.—Accordingly, as Goddess Śivā (i.e., Umā/Durgā) said to Menā:—“May hundred heroic sons be born to you. One of them very strong [i.e., balavat-mukhya] will be born at first. I shall be born as your daughter since I am delighted by your devotion. Since I have been served by the gods I shall fulfil their desire and carry out their activities”.
Balavān (बलवान्).—A Saimhikeya.*
- * Vāyu-purāṇa 68. 18.
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.
Shaktism (Shakta philosophy)
Balavat (बलवत्) refers to “powerful”, according to the Ṣaṭsāhasrasaṃhitā, an expansion of the Kubjikāmatatantra: the earliest popular and most authoritative Tantra of the Kubjikā cult.—Accordingly, “One should institute a great sacrifice at times of great fear, when in conflict with a powerful enemy [i.e., balavat-śatru-vigraha], when the land is afflicted with drought, when locusts and soldiers come (to ravage it), when (one seeks to) remedy disease and suffering, when there is a fight between relatives for kingdom, when the king is deposed, during solitary combat in a great battle, in order to (get a) son, when one fails to gets a young virgin (bride), during a marriage, in order to gain victory, (or) when a fort is under attack. [...]”.
Shakta (शाक्त, śākta) or Shaktism (śāktism) represents a tradition of Hinduism where the Goddess (Devi) is revered and worshipped. Shakta literature includes a range of scriptures, including various Agamas and Tantras, although its roots may be traced back to the Vedas.
Vedanta (school of philosophy)
Bālavat (बालवत्) refers to “resembling a child” (used to describe someone who is free from the pairs of opposites), according to the Aṣṭāvakragītā (5th century BC), an ancient text on spirituality dealing with Advaita-Vedānta topics.—Accordingly, [as Aṣṭavakra says to Janaka]: “[...] So long as desire, which is the state of lack of discrimination, remains, the sense of revulsion and attraction will remain, which is the root and branch of Saṃsāra. Desire springs from usage, and aversion from abstention, but the wise man is free from the pairs of opposites like a child (bālavat), and becomes established [nirdvandvo bālavaddhīmānevameva vyavasthitaḥ]. [...]”.
Vedanta (वेदान्त, vedānta) refers to a school of orthodox Hindu philosophy (astika), drawing its subject-matter from the Upanishads. There are a number of sub-schools of Vedanta, however all of them expound on the basic teaching of the ultimate reality (brahman) and liberation (moksha) of the individual soul (atman).
Ayurveda (science of life)
Veterinary Medicine (The study and treatment of Animals)
Balavān (बलवान्) or “powerful” refers to one of the three kinds of “Elephant Drivers” (Yantṛ), 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 12, “On the qualities of elephant drivers, etc.”]: “3. An elephant driver may be of three sorts: ‘coming-up-to-the-scratch,’ ingenious, and powerful (balavān). [rekhāvānapi yuktimāṃśca balavān yantā tridhetyagrimo nāgasyaiva] Among these the first acts simply according to the qualities of his elephant ; the middling one, according to those of himself and the elephant both; the poorest depends upon his own wit, strength, and powers alone. Thus elephant guards are to be conceived as best, middling and poorest. Among these the last is to be avoided”.
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
Tibetan Buddhism (Vajrayana or tantric Buddhism)
Balavān (बलवान्) refers to one of the various Grahas and Mahāgrahas mentioned as attending the teachings in the 6th century Mañjuśrīmūlakalpa: one of the largest Kriyā Tantras devoted to Mañjuśrī (the Bodhisattva of wisdom) representing an encyclopedia of knowledge primarily concerned with ritualistic elements in Buddhism. The teachings in this text originate from Mañjuśrī and were taught to and by Buddha Śākyamuni in the presence of a large audience (including Balavān).
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.
Mahayana (major branch of Buddhism)
Balavat (बलवत्) refers to “powerful”, according to the Gaganagañjaparipṛcchā: the eighth chapter of the Mahāsaṃnipāta (a collection of Mahāyāna Buddhist Sūtras).—Accordingly, as the Lord said: “O friends, vices are the darkness but the purity is the light. Vices are of weak power but the expanded vision is powerful (balavat). Vices are accidental but its essential nature is of pure root. Vices are false imaginations but its essential nature is the absence of false imagination. It is like this, friends, this great earth is based on water, water is supported by wind, wind is founded on space, but space is dependent on nothing. [...]”.
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.
In Jainism
General definition (in Jainism)
Balavat (बलवत्) refers to “one possessing power”, according to the 11th century Jñānārṇava, a treatise on Jain Yoga in roughly 2200 Sanskrit verses composed by Śubhacandra.—Accordingly, “O fool, sentient beings, having begun from the womb, are continually led by [their own] action to Yama’s abode by means of uninterrupted journeys. If there is a powerful [man] [com.—possessing power (balavān)], seen or heard about, who opposes the command of Yama, having honoured him you must possess health. [As there is] no such individual, why [make] the effort [for health] in vain?”.
Synonyms: Balin.
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
Marathi-English dictionary
Balavān (बलवान्).—a balavanta a Strong or powerful.
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
Balavat (बलवत्).—a.
1) Strong, powerful, mighty; विधिरहो बलवानिति मे मतिः (vidhiraho balavāniti me matiḥ) Bhartṛhari 2.91.
2) Stout, robust; बलवानपि निस्तेजाः कस्य नाभिभवास्पदम् (balavānapi nistejāḥ kasya nābhibhavāspadam) H.2.132.
3) Dense, thick (as darkness, &c.)
4) Getting the upper hand, predominant, prevailing; बलवानिन्द्रियग्रामो विद्वांसमपि कर्षति (balavānindriyagrāmo vidvāṃsamapi karṣati) Ms. 2.215.
5) More important, of greater weight; लोकापवादो बलवान् मतो मे (lokāpavādo balavān mato me) R.14.4.
6) Accompained by an army. -m.
1) Name of the 8th Muhūrta.
2) Phlegm; Gīrvāṇa.
-tī Small cardamoms. -ind.
1) Strongly, powerfully, forcibly; पुनर्वशित्वाद्बलवन्निगृह्य (punarvaśitvādbalavannigṛhya) Kumārasambhava 3.69.
2) Very much, excessively, in a high degree; बलवत्तर्पितश्चाहं बलवान् भगवंस्त्वया (balavattarpitaścāhaṃ balavān bhagavaṃstvayā) Rām.2.92.5; बलवदपि शिक्षितानामात्मन्यप्रत्ययं चेतः (balavadapi śikṣitānāmātmanyapratyayaṃ cetaḥ) Ś.1.2; शीतार्तिं बलवदुपेयुषेव नीरैः (śītārtiṃ balavadupeyuṣeva nīraiḥ) Śiśupālavadha 8.62; Ś.5.31.
Balavat (बलवत्).—mfn. (-vān-vatī-vat) Strong, stout, lusty, powerful. E. bala strength, and matup poss. aff.
1) Balavat (बलवत्):—[=bala-vat] [from bala > bal] mfn. (bala-) possessing power, powerful, mighty, strong, intense, [Vājasaneyi-saṃhitā] etc. etc.
2) [v.s. ...] vehement (as love, desire etc.), [Mahābhārata]
3) [v.s. ...] dense (as darkness), [Mṛcchakaṭikā]
4) [v.s. ...] preponderating, prevailing (also with [ablative], ‘over’), [Vājasaneyi-saṃhitā-prātiśākhya]
5) [v.s. ...] accompanied by an army, [Inscriptions]
6) [v.s. ...] ind. powerfully, strongly, vehemently, much, well, [Śatapatha-brāhmaṇa] etc. etc.
7) [v.s. ...] m. Name of the 8th Muhūrta, [Varāha-mihira]
Balavat (बलवत्):—[(vān-vatī-vat) a.] Strong.
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.
Nepali dictionary
Balavān (बलवान्):—adj. powerful; strong; able-bodied; energetic;
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)
Partial matches: Van, Vat, Ba-la, Bala.
Starts with (+9): Balavacchatru, Balavata, Balavatanha, Balavatanhabhinivesa, Balavatanhasampayutta, Balavatapa, Balavatapakasana, Balavatara, Balavataradukkhattha, Balavatarakusalapatibahita, Balavataralokapharana, Balavatararaga, Balavatarasukara, Balavatarasukha, Balavataratakka, Balavataratanha, Balavataruppanna, Balavateja, Balavatem, Balavathinamiddhasahagata.
Full-text (+30): Balavatta, Balavattara, Balavattva, Prabalavat, Balavattama, Balavant, Palavan, Karanabalavat, Mayabalavat, Palavantam, Abalavat, Valuvantam, Mamattara, Subalavat, Balvan, Balavanta, Balavacchatru, Palavattar, Medin, Balishtha.
Relevant text
Search found 70 books and stories containing Balavat, Bala-vān, Bala-van, Bāla-vat, Bala-vat, Balavān, Balavan, Bālavat; (plurals include: Balavats, vāns, vans, vats, Balavāns, Balavans, Bālavats). You can also click to the full overview containing English textual excerpts. Below are direct links for the most relevant articles:
Mimamsa in Medhatithi (study) (by A. R. Joshi)
Part 2.3 - Avayavarthat samudaya arthah balavan
Introduction to “avayavarthat samudaya arthah balavan” < [Part 2.3 - Avayavarthat samudaya arthah balavan]
“Avayavarthat samudaya...” in Manubhasya 6.52 < [Part 2.3 - Avayavarthat samudaya arthah balavan]
Yavanajataka by Sphujidhvaja [Sanskrit/English] (by Michael D Neely)
Verse 1.89 < [Chapter 1 - The Innate Nature of the Zodiac Signs and Planets]
Verse 1.96 < [Chapter 1 - The Innate Nature of the Zodiac Signs and Planets]
Verse 6.2 < [Chapter 6 - Rules Pertaining to Birth]
Brihat Jataka by Varahamihira [Sanskrit/English] (by Michael D Neely)
Verse 20.2 < [Chapter 20 - Houses]
Verse 6.12 < [Chapter 6 - Early Death]
Verse 17.13 < [Chapter 17 - Disposition of the Zodiac Signs Containing the Moon]
Abhijnana Shakuntalam (Sanskrit and English) (by Saradaranjan Ray)
Prastavana (Sanskrit Introduction of the Abhijnana Shakuntalam) < [Abhijnana Shakuntalam (text, translation, notes)]
Chapter 3 - Tritiya-anka (tritiyo'nkah) < [Abhijnana Shakuntalam (text, translation, notes)]
Chapter 1 - Prathama-anka (prathamo'nkah) < [Abhijnana Shakuntalam (text, translation, notes)]
A Descriptive Catalogue of the Sanskrit Manuscripts, Madras (by M. Seshagiri Sastri)
International Ayurvedic Medical Journal
Karmasamarthya (bala): a life power of all existence and factors for its promotion by ayurved aspect < [2020, Issue 12, December]
CONCEPT OF SHARIRABALAANDBALA-VRUDDHIKARA-BHAVA IN JANMAPURVA AND JANMOTTARA STATE (i.e. BEFORE AND AFTER BIRTH) < [2016, Issue X October]
The concept of bala, bala pareeksha and its clinical implication < [2013, Issue 5 Sep-Oct]