Citraketu: 7 definitions

Introduction:

Citraketu means something in 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.

Alternative spellings of this word include Chitraketu.

In Hinduism

Purana and Itihasa (epic history)

[«previous next»] — Citraketu in Purana glossary
Source: archive.org: Puranic Encyclopedia

1) Citraketu (चित्रकेतु).—An emperor, who remained childless for a long time. At last a son was born to him owing to the blessings of Sage Aṅgiras. But, ere long the child was dead and gone, and its parents, immersed in sorrow took the dead child to Aṅgiras. Nārada also happened to be there on the occasion. Aṅgiras restored the dead child to life and asked him to live with the parents. The boy immediately stood up and told Aṅgiras that he had many parents in his many previous lives, and requested to be enlightened as to which of those parents he was to live with. Brahmā and Nārada felt confused. In the end they disappeared after imparting spiritual wisdom to Citraketu. And, Citraketu, who, for eight days immersed himself in concentrating the mind on God was turned into a Gandharva; his wife too turned Gandharva.

And, both of them rose up in the sky and flying over Mount Kailāsa looked down to the mountain. There they saw Pārvatī being seated on the thighs of Śiva at which sight Citraketu laughed. Enraged by the laughter Pārvatī cursed him to be born as an asura, and he was born as such. Vṛtrāsura was Citraketu born as asura. (Bhāgavata, Saṣṭha Skandha).

2) Citraketu (चित्रकेतु).—A son of Garuḍa. (Mahābhārata Udyoga Parva, Chapter 101, Verse 12).

3) Citraketu (चित्रकेतु).—A Pāñcāla prince who fought on the side of the Pāṇḍavas. (Mahābhārata Bhīṣma Parva, Chapter 95, Verse 41).

4) Citraketu (चित्रकेतु).—A son of Śiśupāla. (Bhāgavata, Navama Skandha).

Source: archive.org: Shiva Purana - English Translation

Citraketu (चित्रकेतु) is the name of a Vidyādhara, according to the Śivapurāṇa 2.3.25 (“The seven celestial sages test Pārvatī”).—Accordingly, as the seven Sages said (with false words) to Pārvatī: “[...] O daughter of mountain, the good conduct of Nārada is thus well-known. Now hear about another activity of his in making men detached. There was a Vidyādhara named Citraketu. The sage instructed him and made him detached from his house. He bestowed his instructions on Prahlāda and made him suffer much at the hands of Hiraṇyakaśipu. He is definitely a person who splits others’ intellect. [...]”.

Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: The Purana Index

1a) Citraketu (चित्रकेतु).—One of the seven sons of Vasiṣṭha.*

  • * Bhāgavata-purāṇa IV. 1. 40-41.

1b) A son of Lakṣmaṇa.*

  • * Bhāgavata-purāṇa IX. 11. 12.

1c) A son of Devabhāgā and Kaṃśā.*

  • * Bhāgavata-purāṇa IX. 24. 40.

1d) A son of Jāmbavatī.*

  • * Bhāgavata-purāṇa X. 61. 12.

1e) A Sārvabhauma and king of Śūrasenas. His queen was Kṛtādyuti; though he had a number of wives he had no children. When he was brooding over this, there came the sage Angiras; getting to know his mind he performed a ritual in honour of Tvaṣṭā and the remnant of offering was given to his eldest queen, Kṛtādyutī, who brought forth a son. Though the king was glad, his wives grew jealous and poisoned the child to death. The king, queen and others ceaselessly lamented. On this Angiras and Nārada came on the scene and consoled them. Angiras addressed him on the instability of life, illustrating it by the story of Bhoja. Nārada instructed him into a mantropaniṣad. By meditating on this for seven nights, he was told, that he would see Saṅkarṣana and get over the illusion relating to duality. So he had his purificatory bath at the Jamunā and was initiated into the vidyā by Nārada. By meditating for seven days, the king became the lord of Vidyādharas. He then praised Hari in the form of Ananta and had a darśan of the Lord.*

  • * Bhāgavata-purāṇa VI. Chaps. 14-17.

1f) A Vāleya Gandharva.*

  • * Vāyu-purāṇa 69. 20.
Purana book cover
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.

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Languages of India and abroad

Sanskrit dictionary

[«previous next»] — Citraketu in Sanskrit glossary
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Edgerton Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit Dictionary

Citraketu (चित्रकेतु).—name of a king of Vidyādharas: (Ārya-)Mañjuśrīmūlakalpa 655.10.

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

1) Citraketu (चित्रकेतु):—[=citra-ketu] [from citra > cit] m. Name of a son (of Garuḍa, [Mahābhārata v, 3597]; of Vasiṣṭha, [Bhāgavata-purāṇa iv, 1, 4of.]; of Kṛṣṇa, x, 61, 12; of Lakṣmaṇa, ix, 11, 12; of Devabhāga, 24, 39)

2) [v.s. ...] of a Sūrasena king, [vi, 14, 10 ff.]

[Sanskrit to German]

Citraketu 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.

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