Dharaka, Dhāraka: 18 definitions
Introduction:
Dharaka means something in Hinduism, Sanskrit, Buddhism, Pali, the history of ancient India, 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 Dharak.
In Hinduism
Purana and Itihasa (epic history)
Source: archive.org: Shiva Purana - English TranslationDhāraka (धारक) refers to the “one who holds (a weapon)”, according to the Śivapurāṇa 2.5.2 (“The Prayer of the gods).—Accordingly, as the Gods eulogized Śiva: “[...] O great lord, obeisance to Thee, the destroyer of great Asuras; obeisance to Thee the lord of Pārvatī, O wielder of all weapons (sarvāstra-dhāraka). O lord of Pārvatī, Obeisance to Thee, O great soul, O great lord. Obeisance to Thee, the blue-necked Rudra and of the form of Rudra. Obeisance to Thee, knowable through Vedānta; Obeisance to Thee who art beyond the paths. Obeisance to Thee of the form of attributes, possessing attributes and also devoid of them. [...]”.
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.
India history and geography
Source: Wisdom Library: India HistoryDharaka (or, Dhāraka) refers to one of the 84 castes (gaccha) in the Jain community according to Mr. P. D. Jain. The Jain caste and sub-caste system was a comparatively later development within their community, and it may have arisen from the ancient classification of Brāhmaṇa, Kṣatriya, Vaiśya and Śūdra. Before distinction of these classes (such as Dharaka), the society was not divided into distinct separate sections, but all were considered as different ways of life and utmost importance was attached to individual chartacter and mode of behaviour.
According to Dr. Vilas Adinath Sangava, “Jainism does not recognise castes (viz., Dharaka) as such and at the same time the Jaina books do not specifically obstruct the observance of caste rules by the members of the Jaina community. The attitude of Jainism towards caste is that it is one of the social practices, unconnected with religion, observed by people; and it was none of its business to regulate the working of the caste system” (source).
The legendary account of the origin of these 84 Jain castes (e.g., Dharaka) relate that once a rich Jain invited members of the Jain community in order to establish a vaiśya-mahāsabhā (i.e. Central Association of Traders). In response, 84 representatives came from different places, and they were later seen as the progenitors of these castes. Various sources however mention differences in the list.
The history of India traces the identification of countries, villages, towns and other regions of India, as well as mythology, zoology, royal dynasties, rulers, tribes, local festivities and traditions and regional languages. Ancient India enjoyed religious freedom and encourages the path of Dharma, a concept common to Buddhism, Hinduism, and Jainism.
Languages of India and abroad
Pali-English dictionary
Source: BuddhaSasana: Concise Pali-English Dictionarydhāraka : (adj.) (in cpds.) bearing; holding; wearing.
Source: Sutta: The Pali Text Society's Pali-English DictionaryDhāraka, (adj.-n.) 1. bearing, one who holds or possesses DhA.III, 93 (sampattiṃ).—2. one who knows or remembers A.II, 97 (°jātika); IV, 296 sq., 328 (id.). (Page 341)
Pali is the language of the Tipiṭaka, which is the sacred canon of Theravāda Buddhism and contains much of the Buddha’s speech. Closeley related to Sanskrit, both languages are used interchangeably between religions.
Marathi-English dictionary
Source: DDSA: The Molesworth Marathi and English Dictionarydhāraka (धारक).—a (S) In comp. Holder, keeper, bearer. Ex. ājñādhāraka Keeper of commands, obedient, subject; vastradhāraka, śastradhāraka, vētradhāraka, daṇḍadhāraka.
Source: DDSA: The Aryabhusan school dictionary, Marathi-Englishdhāraka (धारक).—a (In comp.) Holder, bearer. Ex. ājñādhāraka, vastradhāraka, daṇḍadhāraka.
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
Source: DDSA: The practical Sanskrit-English dictionaryDhāraka (धारक).—a. Holding, possessing, bearing &c.; नाम°, देह° (nāma°, deha°).
-kaḥ 1 A vessel of any kind (box, trunk, &c.), a water-pot.
2) A debtor.
-kā The vulva of a female.
-dhārikā 1 A prop, pillar.
2) A division of time (= 1/2 Muhūrta).
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Edgerton Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit DictionaryDhāraka (धारक).—adj., subst. (= Pali id.; in Sanskrit only ifc. and hardly in this sense), one who retains in his mind or memory, with gen. of a sacred work: sūtrāntānāṃ dhāra- kā(ḥ) Saddharmapuṇḍarīka 44.1; (sc. sūtrasya) 228.7; (sūtrarājasya) Kāraṇḍavvūha 13.12; dharmaparyāyasya 27.17.
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Shabda-Sagara Sanskrit-English DictionaryDhāraka (धारक).—mfn.
(-kaḥ-kā-kaṃ) Who or what holds or contains, a vessel orreceptacle of any kind. m. (-ka.) A water pot. E. dhṛ to have, ṇvul aff.
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Benfey Sanskrit-English DictionaryDhāraka (धारक).—i. e. dhṛ + aka, I. latter part of comp. adj., Bearing, Mahābhārata 1691. nāmadhāraka, i. e. nāman-, adj. Being something only nominally, not really, [Pañcatantra] ii. [distich] 91. Ii. m. A trunk or box (for keeping clothes), [Suśruta] 2, 55, 11.
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Cappeller Sanskrit-English DictionaryDhāraka (धारक).—[adjective] bearing, holding.
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Dhārakā (धारका).—[feminine] vulva.
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary1) Dhāraka (धारक):—[from dhāra] 1. dhāraka mfn. = [preceding] (ifc.; cf. kula-, deha-, nāmaetc.)
2) [v.s. ...] keeping in the memory (with [genitive case]), [Kāraṇḍa-vyūha]
3) [v.s. ...] m. a receptacle or vessel for anything, [Suśruta]
4) [v.s. ...] a water-pot, [cf. Lexicographers, esp. such as amarasiṃha, halāyudha, hemacandra, etc.]
5) Dhārakā (धारका):—[from dhāraka > dhāra] f. the vulva of a female, [Vājasaneyi-saṃhitā; Śatapatha-brāhmaṇa]
6) Dhāraka (धारक):—[from dhāra] 2. dhāraka ifc. = [preceding] or next
7) [v.s. ...] cf. tri-.
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Yates Sanskrit-English DictionaryDhāraka (धारक):—[(kaḥ-kā-kaṃ) a.] Holding, containing. m. Water-pot.
Source: DDSA: Paia-sadda-mahannavo; a comprehensive Prakrit Hindi dictionary (S)Dhāraka (धारक) in the Sanskrit language is related to the Prakrit word: Dhāraga.
[Sanskrit to German]
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 dictionaryDhāraka (धारक) [Also spelled dharak]:—(nm) see [dhāraṇakarttā] (under [dhāraṇa]); bearer.
...
Kannada-English dictionary
Source: Alar: Kannada-English corpusDhāraka (ಧಾರಕ):—
1) [adjective] holding; bearing.
2) [adjective] keeping in the memory.
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Dhāraka (ಧಾರಕ):—
1) [noun] a receptacle or container that which holds or bears.
2) [noun] a rigid support as a beam, pole, stake, etc. placed under or against (something); a prop.
3) [noun] he who is holding, taking along, carrying (something, esp. a burden).
4) [noun] a man keeping something in the mind.
5) [noun] a man who supports; a supporter.
6) [noun] something necessary or indispensable; indispensable; an essential thing; necessary.
Kannada is a Dravidian language (as opposed to the Indo-European language family) mainly spoken in the southwestern region of India.
See also (Relevant definitions)
Starts with: Dharaka-parkhala, Dharakadamba, Dharakadambaka, Dharakana, Dharakara, Dharakari, Dharakasa, Dharakayantra.
Ends with (+29): Adharaka, Ajnadharaka, Asidharaka, Astradharaka, Avadharaka, Dandadharaka, Dehadharaka, Dehashthiladharaka, Dritidharaka, Duravadharaka, Dvitiyakuladharaka, Ekadharaka, Gandharaka, Karnadharaka, Kuladharaka, Kuloddharaka, Limgadharaka, Lokoddharaka, Mritadharaka, Mudradharaka.
Full-text (+25): Dehadharaka, Vetradharaka, Dritidharaka, Kuladharaka, Sarpadharaka, Taladharaka, Dharak, Namadharaka, Ajnakara, Ekadharaka, Talapacara, Dharaga, Mritadharaka, Dandadharaka, Avadharaka, Dandavratadhara, Dvitiyakuladharaka, Karnadharaka, Striveshadharaka, Tikshnadharaka.
Relevant text
Search found 17 books and stories containing Dharaka, Dhāraka, Dhārakā; (plurals include: Dharakas, Dhārakas, Dhārakās). You can also click to the full overview containing English textual excerpts. Below are direct links for the most relevant articles:
Garga Samhita (English) (by Danavir Goswami)
Verse 6.1.36 < [Chapter 1 - Jarāsandha’s Defeat]
Verse 5.5.38 < [Chapter 5 - Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s Entrance Into Mathurā]
Rig Veda (translation and commentary) (by H. H. Wilson)
Manusmriti with the Commentary of Medhatithi (by Ganganatha Jha)
Verse 2.157 < [Section XXV - Meaning of the Title ‘Ācārya’]
Amaravati Art in the Context of Andhra Archaeology (by Sreyashi Ray chowdhuri)
Epigraphs from Amarāvatī (h) Clans or Communities < [Chapter 4 - Survival of Amarāvatī in the Context of Andhra Art]
Tattvartha Sutra (with commentary) (by Vijay K. Jain)
Verse 3.5 - The incitement of malevolent Asurakumāra < [Chapter 3 - The Lower World and the Middle World]
Prashna Upanishad (Madhva commentary) (by Srisa Chandra Vasu)