Devala, Devalā, Devālā: 24 definitions

Introduction:

Devala means something in Buddhism, Pali, Hinduism, Sanskrit, Marathi, Hindi, biology. 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 Deval.

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In Hinduism

Purana and Itihasa (epic history)

Source: archive.org: Puranic Encyclopedia

1) Devala (देवल).—A famous muni, the son of Pratyūṣa, one of the aṣṭavasus. (Ādi Parva, Chapter 66, Verse 26). Devala muni is a character in the well-known story of Gajendramokṣa. (For details see Indradyumna).

2) Devala (देवल).—A muni, a very erudite scholar in the Vedas. He was the elder brother of Dhaumya maharṣi, and was present at the sarpa-satra (serpent yajña) of King Janamejaya. Once Śrī Kṛṣṇa on his way from Dvārakā to Hastināpura met Devala. After the great war was over he visited Yudhiṣṭhira.

2) Devala had a daughter called Suvarcalā. In the svayaṃvara ceremony he held for his daughter to which sons of munis were invited she chose Śvetaketu as her husband. (Śānti Parva, Southern Text, Chapter 22).

2) Devala had two very intelligent and forebearing sons. (Viṣṇu Purāṇa, Part 1, Chapter 15).

3) Devala (देवल).—A disciple of Vyāsa. Asita, Devala, Vaiśampāyana, Sumantu and Jaimini were some of the disciples of Vyāsa. (Mahābhārata Prathama Skandha).

Brahmavaivarta Purāṇa contains the following story about Devala. Devala was the son born to Asitamuni as the result of a boon granted by Śiva. Raṃbhā, the heavenly dancer fell in love with him. But, Devala did not reciprocrate her love. So, she cursed him to become crooked in body. When he became crooked thus he came to be called Aṣṭāvakra. For six thousand years he did penance after which Kṛṣṇa and Rādhā appeared to him. Rādhā laughed at the uncouth form of Aṣṭāvakra. But, Kṛṣṇa admonished her and embraced him. At once his bodily crookedness disappeared and he became very handsome. A vimāna then descended from heaven, and Rādhā, Kṛṣṇa and muni together disappeared in it.

Ekaparṇā, daughter of Himavān was this Devala’s wife. (Harivaṃśa, Chapter 18).

Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: The Purana Index

1a) Devala (देवल).—A Siddha, and a son of Dhiṣaṇā and Kṛśāśva, and identified with Hari;1 came to see Parikṣit practising prāyopaveśa;2 knew the yoga power of Viṣṇu;3 told Śukra the story of Citraketu;4 cursed Hūhū to be born a crocodile;5 did not comprehend Hari's māya,6 came to see Kṛṣṇa at Syamantapañcaka;7 a Brahmavādin;8 exclusion of marriage alliances with Kaśyapas and Asitas.9

  • 1) Bhāgavata-purāṇa VI. 6. 20; 15. 12; XI. 16. 28.
  • 2) Ib. I. 19. 10.
  • 3) Ib. II. 7. 45.
  • 4) Ib. VI. 14. 9.
  • 5) Ib. VIII. 4. 3.
  • 6) Ib. IX. 4. 57.
  • 7) Ib. X. 84. 3.
  • 8) Matsya-purāṇa 145. 107.
  • 9) Ib. 199. 19.

1b) A son of Pratyūṣa and father of two sons;1 a Vasava.2

  • 1) Brahmāṇḍa-purāṇa III. 3. 27; Vāyu-purāṇa 66. 26; Viṣṇu-purāṇa I. 15. 117.
  • 2) Matsya-purāṇa 5. 27; 203. 7.

1c) A son of Asita and Ekaparṇā;1 a Brahmavādin and the best among the Śāṇḍilyas.2

  • 1) Brahmāṇḍa-purāṇa III. 8. 32; 10. 19; Vāyu-purāṇa 70. 27; 72. 17.
  • 2) Brahmāṇḍa-purāṇa II. 32. 113; III. 8. 32; Vāyu-purāṇa 59. 103; 70. 28.

1d) A son of Vasudeva and Upadevī; (Śiśirāvatī, Brahmāṇḍa-purāṇa).*

  • * Brahmāṇḍa-purāṇa III. 71. 182; Matsya-purāṇa 46. 17.

1e) Father of Sannati, a queen of Brahmadatta, the Pāñcāla king.*

  • * Matsya-purāṇa 20. 26.

1f) A son of the Śveta avatār of the Lord.*

  • * Vāyu-purāṇa 23. 205.

1g) The son of Pāriyātraka and father of Vaccāla.*

  • * Viṣṇu-purāṇa IV. 4. 106.

1h) Of Kauśika gotra.*

  • * Brahmāṇḍa-purāṇa III. 66. 72. Vāyu-purāṇa 91. 100.
Source: JatLand: List of Mahabharata people and places

Devala (देवल) is a name mentioned in the Mahābhārata (cf. I.48.8, I.53, I.60.25) and represents one of the many proper names used for people and places. Note: The Mahābhārata (mentioning Devala) is a Sanskrit epic poem consisting of 100,000 ślokas (metrical verses) and is over 2000 years old.

Source: Shodhganga: The saurapurana - a critical study

Devala (देवल) or Devalamuni is the son of Ekaparṇā and Asita: one of the sons of Dakṣa, according to one account of Vaṃśa (‘genealogical description’) of the 10th century Saurapurāṇa: one of the various Upapurāṇas depicting Śaivism.—Accordingly, [...] Kaśyapa created the animals, animates and inanimates and again for the growth of progeny he underwent austere penance. By the power of penance two sons namely Vatsara and Asita were born. Devala muni was the son of Asita born of Ekaparṇā. Devala attained great perfection by worshipping Śambhu. From Devala was born Śāṇḍilya. These are the progeny of Kaśyapa.

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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Vaishnavism (Vaishava dharma)

Source: Pure Bhakti: Bhagavad-gita (4th edition)

Devala (देवल) refers to “a sage, who was an authority on the Vedas. He was the elder brother of Dhaumya (the priest of the Pāṇḍavas)”. (cf. Glossary page from Śrīmad-Bhagavad-Gītā).

Vaishnavism book cover
context information

Vaishnava (वैष्णव, vaiṣṇava) or vaishnavism (vaiṣṇavism) represents a tradition of Hinduism worshipping Vishnu as the supreme Lord. Similar to the Shaktism and Shaivism traditions, Vaishnavism also developed as an individual movement, famous for its exposition of the dashavatara (‘ten avatars of Vishnu’).

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Pancaratra (worship of Nārāyaṇa)

Source: archive.org: Catalogue of Pancaratra Agama Texts

Devala (देवल) is the name of a Sage who asked Mārkaṇḍeya questions regarding the Highest Wisdom), as discussed in the first chapter of the Paramasaṃhitā: one of the older texts of the Pāñcarātra canon consisting of over 2100 verses in 31 chapters which, being encyclopedic in scope, deals with philosophy, worship routines, mantras, initiation, social behavior, temple-building, etc.—Description of the chapter [praśna-prativacana]: Devala approaches Mārkaṇḍeya at the latter’s hermitage, and questions him regarding Highest Wisdom. Having read all the Vedas, the Vedāṅgas, and other literature including the Āgamas, he still seeks after an elusive, all-embracing Truth (1-6). Mārkaṇḍeya admits this sought-after truth is not easily found in any particular book, but he does offer to tell Devala what he himself was once advised to do directly from the gracious Lord Viṣṇu in a theophany at Sālagrāma (7-16). [...]

Pancaratra book cover
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.

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Dharmashastra (religious law)

Source: Shodhganga: Devalasmrti reconstruction and critical study

Devala (देवल) (author of the Devalasmṛti) is one of the most famous personalities in the ancient Sanskrit literature. He is a renowned Vedic Seer and a highly celebrated sage, referred to in the Vedas, the Smṛtis, the Mahābhārata and the Purāṇas. He is also referred to in the works on Dharmaśāstra, Jyotiṣa, Vedānta, Sāṃkhya, Āyurveda etc. Devala, was a Vedic seer, belonging to the Śāṇḍilya group of the Kāśyapa school according to the Śrautasūtras and the Matsyapurāṇa; and of the Kauśika group of Viśvāmitras according to the Brahmāṇḍa and the Vāyupurāṇas. All these different traditions indicate that Devala was the name of many different sages. He is said to have acquired the rare and great brāhmaṇya (i.e.being born as a Brāhmaṇa), through the grace of the lord Śiva. He was a disciple of Vedavyāsa and was also described as a Vibhūti (glorious manifestation) by the Lord Kṛṣṇa. The Mahābhārata mentions that he was a sage, belonging to the Northern direction, fit to be always remembered (nityasmaraṇīya). He is said to be living at the Ādityatīrtha.

Dharmashastra book cover
context information

Dharmashastra (धर्मशास्त्र, dharmaśāstra) contains the instructions (shastra) regarding religious conduct of livelihood (dharma), ceremonies, jurisprudence (study of law) and more. It is categorized as smriti, an important and authoritative selection of books dealing with the Hindu lifestyle.

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General definition (in Hinduism)

Source: WikiPedia: Hinduism

Devala (देवल): A sage who condemned the game of dice as an evil form of gambling and declared it unfit as entertainment for good people, as it usually offered scope for deceit and dishonesty.

In Buddhism

Theravada (major branch of Buddhism)

Source: Pali Kanon: Pali Proper Names

1. Devala - An ascetic who once came from the region of Himava in search of vinegar and honey and took refuge for the night in a potters house. Another ascetic, Narada (the Bodhisatta), arrived later at the hut and, with the permission of Devala, stayed there. During the night, Narada, going out of the hut, trod on the locks of Devala who lay right across the doorway. He asked for pardon, and returning, passed by what he took to be Devalas feet, but Devala had turned round and Narada again trod on his hair. Devala thereupon cursed him, saying that, at sunrise, his head would split in seven pieces; but Narada stopped the sun from rising. The king enquired as to what had happened, and, on learning the story, forced Devala to ask Naradas pardon. As he did not do this of his own free will, he was taken, at Naradas suggestion, to a pond and made to stand up to his neck in water with a lump of clay on his head. As soon as the sun rose the lump of clay split in seven pieces and Devala swam away. Devala is identified with Thulla Tissa. DhA.i.32ff.

2. Devala - See Kaladevala.

3. Devala - Cousin of Padumuttara Buddha and later his aggasavaka. Padumuttaras first sermon was addressed to him and his brother Sujata. Bu.xi.24; BuA.159; Ap.i.106.

4. Devala - An ascetic in Himava. He lived before the time of Padumuttara Buddha, who was yet in Tusita, but realizing in his mind the qualities of previous Buddhas, Devala built a cetiya on the bank of a river and made offerings to it in the name of the Buddha. Later, he was born in the Brahma world. He was a previous birth of Sirimatthera (Pulinuppadaka).

ThagA.i.280; Ap.ii.426.

5. Devala - A Pacceka Buddha. When Upali was once born as Sunanda, the kings son, one day, when riding on an elephant, he saw Devala and insulted him. It was for this reason that he was born in a low caste in his last life. ThagA.i.368.

-- or --

A Sinhalese princess, sister of Lokita. Cv.lvii.27.

context information

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).

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Tibetan Buddhism (Vajrayana or tantric Buddhism)

Source: Wisdom Library: Tibetan Buddhism

Devala (देवल) is the name of a Śrāvaka 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 Devala).

Tibetan Buddhism book cover
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.

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Biology (plants and animals)

Source: Google Books: CRC World Dictionary (Regional names)

Devala in Sanskrit is the name of a plant defined with Lobelia pyramidalis in various botanical sources. This page contains potential references in Ayurveda, modern medicine, and other folk traditions or local practices It has the synonym Rapuntium pyramidale (Wall.) C. Presl (among others).

Example references for further research on medicinal uses or toxicity (see latin names for full list):

· The Gardeners Dictionary (1754)
· Prodromus Monographiae Lobeliacearum (1836)
· Revisio Generum Plantarum (1891)
· Repertorium Specierum Novarum Regni Vegetabilis (1913)
· Journal of the Linnean Society, Botany (1858)
· Act. Soc. Asiat. (1820)

If you are looking for specific details regarding Devala, for example side effects, pregnancy safety, extract dosage, diet and recipes, health benefits, chemical composition, have a look at these references.

Biology book cover
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This sections includes definitions from the five kingdoms of living things: Animals, Plants, Fungi, Protists and Monera. It will include both the official binomial nomenclature (scientific names usually in Latin) as well as regional spellings and variants.

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Languages of India and abroad

Marathi-English dictionary

Source: DDSA: The Molesworth Marathi and English Dictionary

dēvala (देवल) [or देवलक, dēvalaka].—m S A Brahman of an inferior order who subsists upon the offerings made to the images which he attends; and who conducts the ceremonies of all classes of people for hire.

--- OR ---

dēvaḷa (देवळ).—n (dēvālaya S) A temple, pagoda, idol-house.

Source: DDSA: The Aryabhusan school dictionary, Marathi-English

dēvala (देवल) [or dēvalaka, or देवलक].—m A Brahman of an in- ferior order who subsists upon the offerings made to the images which he attends; and who conducts the ceremonies of all classes of people for hire.

context information

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.

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Sanskrit dictionary

Source: DDSA: The practical Sanskrit-English dictionary

Devala (देवल).—

1) An attendant upon an idol, a low Brāhmaṇa who subsists upon the offerings made to an idol; ......देवलाश्च कृषीवलाः (devalāśca kṛṣīvalāḥ) Śiva. B.31.2.

2) A virtuous man.

3) Name of Nārada.

4) A husband's brother.

5) Name of a law-giver.

Derivable forms: devalaḥ (देवलः).

--- OR ---

Devālā (देवाला).—f. Name of a Rāgiṇī.

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

Devala (देवल).—(?) , a high number: Gaṇḍavyūha 106.2. Cf. hevara; perhaps read so, or hevala, here; but Gaṇḍavyūha 133.9 hetura.

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

Devala (देवल).—m.

(-laḥ) 1. An attendant upon an idol; a Brahman of an inferior order, who subsists upon the offerings made to the images which he attends, and who conducts the ceremonies of all sorts of people for hire. 2. A Muni; according to some authorities, a name of Na- Rada; to others, of a different saint, who is also a legislator, the son of Asita and also named Ashtavakra. 3. A husband’s brother: see devara. 4. A holy or virtuous man. E. deva a deity, to bring, and ka aff. or deva-kalac .

--- OR ---

Devālā (देवाला).—f.

(-lā) One of the female personifications of the modes of music. E. deva a deity, and ala adopted to, fem. affix ṭāp .

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

Devala (देवल).—[masculine] a man’s name or = seq.

Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Aufrecht Catalogus Catalogorum

Devala (देवल) as mentioned in Aufrecht’s Catalogus Catalogorum:—astronomer. Quoted by Bhaṭṭotpala on Bṛhatsaṃhitā 5, 3 etc.

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

1) Devala (देवल):—[from deva] 1. devala m. an attendant upon an idol (who subsists on the offerings made to it; oftener laka, [Manu-smṛti iii, 152; 180; Mahābhārata])

2) [v.s. ...] a virtuous or pious man, [Uṇādi-sūtra i, 108 [Scholiast or Commentator]]

3) [v.s. ...] Name of a descendant of Kaśyapa and one of the authors of [Ṛg-veda ix]

4) [v.s. ...] of Asita or a son of A°, [Mahābhārata; Purāṇa]

5) [v.s. ...] of a man mentioned with A°, [Prav.]

6) [v.s. ...] of an astronomer, [Varāha-mihira]

7) [v.s. ...] of a legislator (also, -bhaṭṭa), [Madhusūdana; Manvarthamuktāvalī, kullūka bhaṭṭa’s Commentary on manu-smṛti]

8) [v.s. ...] of a son of Pratyūṣa, [Mahābhārata; Harivaṃśa]

9) [v.s. ...] of an elder brother of Dhaumya, [Mahābhārata]

10) [v.s. ...] of the husband of Eka-parṇā, [Harivaṃśa]

11) [v.s. ...] of the father of Saṃnati (the wife of Brahma-datta), [ib.]

12) [v.s. ...] of the grandfather of [Pāṇini; Colebrooke]

13) [v.s. ...] of a son of Viśvā-mitra ([plural] his descendants), [Harivaṃśa]

14) [v.s. ...] of a son of Kṛśāśva by Dhiṣaṇā, [Bhāgavata-purāṇa]

15) [from deva] 2. devala = devara (q.v.)

16) Devālā (देवाला):—[from deva] f. (in music) Name of a Rāgiṇī.

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

1) Devala (देवल):—(laḥ) 1. m. An attendant upon an idol; a husband’s brother; a sage.

2) Devālā (देवाला):—[(lā-)] 1. f. A Rāginī.

[Sanskrit to German]

Devala 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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Hindi dictionary

Source: DDSA: A practical Hindi-English dictionary

Devāla (देवाल) [Also spelled deval]:—(nm) one who gives; one who owes; one who wants to repay (a loan etc.); a seller.

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Kannada-English dictionary

Source: Alar: Kannada-English corpus

Dēvala (ದೇವಲ):—

1) [noun] a man whose profession is to worship a god or gods in a temple.

2) [noun] a professional sculptor, who makes the idols of different deities.

3) [noun] a sage who has written one of the code of law.

--- OR ---

Dēvaḷa (ದೇವಳ):—

1) [noun] a building, esp. one that is built as per the religious regulations, for the worship of a divinity or divinities the idols of which are installed therein; a temple.

2) [noun] a deserted house or place.

context information

Kannada is a Dravidian language (as opposed to the Indo-European language family) mainly spoken in the southwestern region of India.

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