Dhanurdhara, Dhanurdharā, Dhanus-dhara: 17 definitions

Introduction:

Dhanurdhara means something in Hinduism, Sanskrit, Marathi, 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.

Alternative spellings of this word include Dhanurdhar.

In Hinduism

Shaivism (Shaiva philosophy)

[«previous next»] — Dhanurdhara in Shaivism glossary
Source: Shodhganga: Iconographical representations of Śiva

Dhanurdhara (धनुर्धर) or Dhanurdharāgama refers to one of upāgamas (supplementary scriptures) of the Prodgītāgama which is one of the twenty-eight Siddhāntāgama: a classification of the Śaiva division of Śaivāgamas. The Śaivāgamas represent the wisdom that has come down from lord Śiva, received by Pārvatī and accepted by Viṣṇu. The purpose of revealing upāgamas (e.g., Dhanurdhara Āgama) is to explain more elaborately than that of mūlāgamas (e.g., Prodgīta-āgama) and to include any new idea if not dealt in mūlāgamas.

Shaivism book cover
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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.

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Purana and Itihasa (epic history)

[«previous next»] — Dhanurdhara in Purana glossary
Source: archive.org: Shiva Purana - English Translation

Dhanurdhara (धनुर्धर) refers to “archers” (one who holds a bow), according to the Śivapurāṇa 2.2.24. Accordingly as Brahmā narrated to Nārada:—“[...] There Śiva saw Rāma [together with Lakṣmaṇa] who was searching for Sitā who was deceitfully abducted by Rāvaṇa. Lakṣmaṇa too was there. [...] Satī was surprised at this charmingly strange sport of Śiva. She was deluded by Śiva’s Māyā and spoke to Him. Satī said:—‘[...] O lord, who are these two persons apparently grief-stricken from pangs of separation? Though heroic archers (dhanurdhara) they are greatly distressed. They seem to be roaming about in the forest’”.

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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Shaktism (Shakta philosophy)

[«previous next»] — Dhanurdhara in Shaktism glossary
Source: Google Books: Manthanabhairavatantram

Dhanurdhara (धनुर्धर) refers to “one who holds a bow”, according to the Kularatnoddyota, one of the earliest Kubjikā Tantras.—Accordingly, [while describing the gross form of Navātman called Śabdarāśinavātman]: “(Navātman) has a big body and burns intensely, illumining the sky with (his) radiant energy. [...] He holds a skull and an ascetic’s staff. (Another) hand shines (as it were) with a trident. (He also holds) a bow [i.e., dhanurdhara], an arrow, vīṇā, bell and double-headed drum. [...]”.

Source: Brill: Śaivism and the Tantric Traditions (shaktism)

Dhanurdharā (धनुर्धरा) refers to “she who carries a bow” and is used to describe the Fourteen Goddesses (to whom all fourteen worlds bow), according to the King Vatsarāja’s Pūjāstuti called the Kāmasiddhistuti (also Vāmakeśvarīstuti), guiding one through the worship of the Goddess Nityā.—Accordingly, “[...] I worship those compassionately-disposed goddesses of red-complexion, the eight powers of the bodiless [love-god Kāmadeva], who have arisen like shadows of the goddess [Nityā Sundarī] and are very difficult to conquer. I venerate those fourteen goddesses, with Sarvasaṃkṣobhaṇī at the fore, to whom [all] fourteen worlds bow. They carry a bow (dhanurdharā) and arrows made of sugarcane. [...]”.

Shaktism book cover
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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.

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Languages of India and abroad

Marathi-English dictionary

[«previous next»] — Dhanurdhara in Marathi glossary
Source: DDSA: The Molesworth Marathi and English Dictionary

dhanurdhara (धनुर्धर) [or धनुर्धारी, dhanurdhārī].—a (S That holds the bow). A bowman, an archer. 2 fig. Supereminently skilful (in any science or art); bearing the palm.

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

dhanurdhara (धनुर्धर) [or dhanurdhārī, or धनुर्धारी].—A bowman, an archer. a Fig. Supereminently skilful (in any science or art).

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

[«previous next»] — Dhanurdhara in Sanskrit glossary
Source: DDSA: The practical Sanskrit-English dictionary

Dhanurdhara (धनुर्धर).—m. (dhanurdharaḥ &c.)

1) an archer; धनुर्भृतोऽप्यस्य दयार्द्रभावम् (dhanurbhṛto'pyasya dayārdrabhāvam) R.2.11; धनुर्धरः केसरिणं ददर्श (dhanurdharaḥ kesariṇaṃ dadarśa) 29;3.31,38,39;9.11;12.97; 16.77.

2) an epithet of Viṣṇu.

3) the sign Sagittarius of the zodiac.

Derivable forms: dhanurdharaḥ (धनुर्धरः).

Dhanurdhara is a Sanskrit compound consisting of the terms dhanus and dhara (धर). See also (synonyms): dhanurbhṛt.

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

Dhanudharā (धनुधरा).—name of a rākṣasī: Mahā-Māyūrī 241.32.

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

Dhanurdhara (धनुर्धर).—m.

(-raḥ) An archer, a bowyer, one armed with a bow. E. dhanus a bow, and dhara who possesses. dhanurdhārayati dhṛ-ac .

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

Dhanurdhara (धनुर्धर).—[adjective] bearing a bow; [masculine] archer.

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

1) Dhanurdhara (धनुर्धर):—[=dhanur-dhara] [from dhanur > dhanu] m. = -graha, [Manu-smṛti; Mahābhārata; Rāmāyaṇa] etc. (also as Name of Śiva)

2) [v.s. ...] the sign of the zodiac Sagittarius, [Varāha-mihira]

3) [v.s. ...] Name of a son of Dhṛta-rāṣṭra, [Mahābhārata]

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

Dhanurdhara (धनुर्धर):—[dhanur-dhara] (raḥ) 1. m. An archer.

[Sanskrit to German]

Dhanurdhara 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

[«previous next»] — Dhanurdhara in Hindi glossary
Source: DDSA: A practical Hindi-English dictionary

Dhanurdhara (धनुर्धर) [Also spelled dhanurdhar]:—[[~rdhārī]] (a) wielding a bow/arch; (nm) a bowman, an archer.

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Kannada-English dictionary

[«previous next»] — Dhanurdhara in Kannada glossary
Source: Alar: Kannada-English corpus

Dhanurdhara (ಧನುರ್ಧರ):—

1) [noun] a man holding a bow; an archer.

2) [noun] (astrol.) the ninth sign of the zodiac entered by the sun about November 21; Sagittarius.

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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Nepali dictionary

[«previous next»] — Dhanurdhara in Nepali glossary
Source: unoes: Nepali-English Dictionary

Dhanurdhara (धनुर्धर):—n. an archer; a skilled archer;

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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.

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