Durvaca, Dur-vaca: 9 definitions
Introduction:
Durvaca 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 Durvacha.
In Hinduism
Purana and Itihasa (epic history)
Durvaca (दुर्वच) refers to “harsh repulsive words”, according to the Śivapurāṇa 2.3.44 (“Menā regains consciousness”).—Accordingly, after Pārvatī spoke to her mother Menā: “On hearing these words of Pārvatī, Menā, the beloved of the lord of mountains lamented much. She became angry. She caught hold of Pārvatī and thrashed her with fists, elbows gnashing her teeth. She was greatly agitated and furious. O dear one, O sage, you and other sages who were there, separated her from the mother and took her far off. Menā then rebuked them again and again. She hurled harsh repulsive words (durvaca) at all 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.
Languages of India and abroad
Sanskrit dictionary
Durvaca (दुर्वच).—a.
1) difficult to be described, indescribable. अपि वागधिपस्य दुर्वचं वचनं तद् विदधीत विस्मयम् (api vāgadhipasya durvacaṃ vacanaṃ tad vidadhīta vismayam) Kirātārjunīya 2.2.
2) not to be talked about.
3) speaking improperly, abusing.
-cam abuse, censure, foul language.
Durvaca is a Sanskrit compound consisting of the terms dur and vaca (वच).
Durvaca (दुर्वच).—mfn.
(-caḥ-cā-caṃ) 1. Speaking ill or inproperly. 1. Speaking in pain. 3. Difficult of utterance or articulation. 4. What ought not to be spoken. n.
(-caṃ) 1. Abuse, censure. 2. Evil or unlucky speech. E. dur, vac to speak. duḥkhena ucyate dur + vac-karmaṇi khal .
Durvaca (दुर्वच).—i. e. dus-vac + a, adj. 1. Abusing, [Rāmāyaṇa] 2, 22, 18. 2. Difficult to be explained, Mahābhārata 14, 570.
Durvaca (दुर्वच).—[adjective] hard to be spoken (of); [abstract] tva [neuter]
1) Durvaca (दुर्वच):—[=dur-vaca] [from dur] mfn. d° to be spoken or explained or asserted or answered, [Mahābhārata; Rāmāyaṇa] etc. (-tva n., [Sarvadarśana-saṃgraha])
2) [v.s. ...] speaking ill or in pain, [Horace H. Wilson]
3) [v.s. ...] n. abuse, censure
4) [v.s. ...] evil or unlucky speech, [Horace H. Wilson]
Durvaca (दुर्वच):—[dur-vaca] (caḥ-cā-caṃ) a. Speaking ill, or with difficulty. n. Abuse.
Durvaca (दुर्वच):—(2. duṣ + vaca) adj.
1) schwer zu sprechen, was man nicht gern sagt, hart (von Worten): avocaṃ durvacaṃ vacaḥ [Mahābhārata 5, 7018.] durvacaiḥ . ugrairvākyaiḥ [Rāmāyaṇa 2, 22, 18.] [KIRĀT. 2, 2.] —
2) worauf oder worüber es schwer ist Etwas zu sagen: praśnāṃsudurvacān . papraccha [Mahābhārata 14, 454.] papraccha punarevemaṃ mokṣadharmaṃ sudurvacam [570.]
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Durvaca (दुर्वच):—
3) was sich schwerlich sagen lässt, was man schwerlich behaupten kann; davon nom. abstr. tva n. [SARVADARŚANAS. 26, 20.]
Durvaca (दुर्वच):—Adj. —
1) was man nicht gern sagt , hart (Worte). —
2) was sich schwerlich sagen lässt , schwer zu behaupten. Nom.abstr. tva n. —
3) worauf oder worüber es schwer ist Etwas zu sagen , schwer zu beantworten.
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.
See also (Relevant definitions)
Partial matches: Dur, Vaca, Vassa.
Starts with: Durvacaka, Durvacakayoga, Durvacana, Durvacas, Durvacasa, Durvacastva, Durvacatva, Durvacatvara.
Full-text: Durvacas, Durvacastva, Durvacatva, Daurvacasya, Sudurvacas, Sudurvaca, Durvacaka, Madhyasthya, Madhyastha, Vassa, Jalp.
Relevant text
Search found 6 books and stories containing Durvaca, Dur-vaca; (plurals include: Durvacas, vacas). You can also click to the full overview containing English textual excerpts. Below are direct links for the most relevant articles:
A Descriptive Catalogue of the Sanskrit Manuscripts, Madras (by M. Seshagiri Sastri)
Page 122 < [Volume 22 (1918)]
The Navya-Nyaya theory of Paksata (Study) (by Kazuhiko Yamamoto)
Text 46 (of the Paksata-prakarana on Tattvacintama-nididhiti) < [Section 2 - The Paksata: Sanskrit Texts, English Translation, and Notes]
A History of Indian Philosophy Volume 1 (by Surendranath Dasgupta)
Part 13 - The Theory of Causation < [Chapter X - The Śaṅkara School Of Vedānta]
The caraka-tattvapradipika of sivadasa sena < [Volume 10 (issue 2), Oct-Dec 1990]
Kuntaka’s evaluation of Sanskrit literature (by Nikitha. M)
1. Kirātārjunīya in Kuntaka’s treatment < [Chapter 3 - Kuntaka’s estimation of Mahākāvyas of other Poets]
An Incredible Story on the Credibility of Stories < [Volume 15, Issue 9 (2024)]