Dvija, Dvijā, Dvi-ja: 19 definitions

Introduction:

Dvija means something in Hinduism, Sanskrit, Buddhism, Pali, Marathi. 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.

In Hinduism

Purana and Itihasa (epic history)

Source: archive.org: Shiva Purana - English Translation

Dvija (द्विज) refers to “learned Brahmins”, according to the Śivapurāṇa 2.3.7.—Accordingly, after the Goddess (Umā/Śivā) incarnated as Pārvatī by becoming the daughter of Menā:—“[...] The superintendent of the harem immediately informed the king about the birth of Pārvatī which was pleasant and conducive to the work of the gods. To the superintendent of the harem who brought the news, there was nothing which the king could not give even including his royal white umbrella. Accompanied by the chief priest and learned brahmins [i.e., sa-dvija], the lord of mountains came there and saw the child who shone in her lovely clothes. [...]”.

Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: The Purana Index

1) Dvija (द्विज).—A son of Surasena.*

  • * Vāyu-purāṇa 99. 112.

2) Dvijā (द्विजा).—The first three castes socalled for following the common and special dharmas ordained.1 Insult among themselves and to members of other castes punished;2 also ruled as kings.3

  • 1) Vāyu-purāṇa 59. 21.
  • 2) Matsya-purāṇa 227. 72.
  • 3) Viṣṇu-purāṇa IV. 24. 68.
Purana book cover
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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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Jyotisha (astronomy and astrology)

Source: Google Books: Studies in the History of the Exact Sciences (Astronomy)

Dvija (द्विज) refers to a Brāhmaṇa, according to Govinda Daivajña’s Pīyūṣadhārā (verse p.424), a commentary on Rāma Daivajña’s Muhūrtacintāmaṇi (AD 1600).—Accordingly, “[...] Let the Brāhmaṇa [i.e., dvija], who had been honoured by him (i.e. the householder) measure that moment (lagnaṃ dadyāt) by means of a water clock. Let a copper bowl be made with ten palas weight, like a hemisphere, wit h the circular mouth measuring twelve aṅgulas in diameter and six aṅgulas in height. If it sinks sixty times in a day and night, it is the best water clock. The bowl that has been clearly pierced by a circular needle of gold, of three and one-third māṣas weight and four aṅgulas length, should be placed [on the water]. [...]”.

Jyotisha book cover
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Jyotisha (ज्योतिष, jyotiṣa or jyotish) refers to ‘astronomy’ or “Vedic astrology” and represents the fifth of the six Vedangas (additional sciences to be studied along with the Vedas). Jyotisha concerns itself with the study and prediction of the movements of celestial bodies, in order to calculate the auspicious time for rituals and ceremonies.

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Shaktism (Shakta philosophy)

Source: Google Books: Manthanabhairavatantram

Dvijā (द्विजा) refers to “teeth”, according to Tantric texts such as the Kubjikāmata-tantra, the earliest popular and most authoritative Tantra of the Kubjikā cult.—Accordingly, “Form (rūpa) is the Transmission of the Sacred Seats (pīṭhakrama). (There) the goddess (shines with the) lustre of a blue cloud and collyrium. She has twelve arms and six faces. She is accompanied by six energies: [i.e., virala-dvijā (Few Teeth), ...]. The Naked (nagnā) Kubjikā, established in Form, is in the midst of the Transmission of the Child. Aflame with the Doomsday Fire, she is extremely fierce and frightening. The bestower of the divine Command, she can be approached (only) by means of the master’s teaching”.

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

Dvija (द्विज) refers to “Brahmins”, according to the Devīpurāṇa verse 88.1-3.—Accordingly, “People desiring liberation worship the Mothers by way of the Vedas and the Śaiva Tantric revelation. They are also worshipped in accordance with the Gāruḍatantras, Bhūtatantras, and Bālatantras. Beneficent, they bring all endeavors to fruition, and are like wish-fulfilling jewels. Heretics of the future—[viz.] the Buddhist proponents of Gāruḍa Tantra—will worship them according to their own methods, devoted to their own ways, dear child. They give rewards that accord with any disposition wise people worship them with, whether they be Brahmins (dvija) or even lowborn outcastes”.

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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Shaivism (Shaiva philosophy)

Source: Brill: Śaivism and the Tantric Traditions

Dvija (द्विज) refers to “sages”, according to the Halāyudhastotra verse 34-35.—Accordingly, “The visitation of the wives of the distinguished sages (dvija-vara-vadhu-upaplava) in the Pine Park, the oblation with seed in Fire, the twilight dance: Your behaviour is not reprehensible. O Three-eyed one! The doctrines of the world do not touch those who have left worldly life, having passed far beyond the path of those whose minds are afflicted by false knowledge. The gods all wear gold and jewels as an ornament on their body. You do not even wear gold the size of a berry on your ear or on your hand. The one whose natural beauty, surpassing the path [of the world], flashes on his own body, has no regard for the extraneous ornaments of ordinary men”.

Shaivism book cover
context information

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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Languages of India and abroad

Pali-English dictionary

Source: BuddhaSasana: Concise Pali-English Dictionary

dvija : (m.) a brahmin; a bird; a tooth; (twice-born).

Pali book cover
context information

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.

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Marathi-English dictionary

Source: DDSA: The Molesworth Marathi and English Dictionary

dvija (द्विज) [or द्विजन्मा, dvijanmā].—a (S) Twice-born. 2 Used as s m A Brahman, a Kshatriya, or a Vyshya, of whom their investiture with the characteristic string at years of puberty constitutes, religiously and metaphorically, the second birth. 3 Any oviparous animal; a bird, a snake, a fish &c.: (first born in the shell and then produced from it.) 4 A tooth.

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

dvija (द्विज).—a Twice-born. m A Brah- man or Kshatriya or a Vaishya. A bird. A tooth.

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

Dvija (द्विज).—'twice-born'

1) a man of any of the first three castes of the Hindus (a Brāhmaṇa, Kṣatriya or Vaiśya); मातुर्यदग्रे जायन्ते द्वितीयं मौञ्जिबन्धनात् । ब्राह्मणक्षत्रियविशस्तस्मादेते द्विजाः स्मृताः (māturyadagre jāyante dvitīyaṃ mauñjibandhanāt | brāhmaṇakṣatriyaviśastasmādete dvijāḥ smṛtāḥ) Y.1.39.

2) Brāhmaṇa (over whom the Saṃskāras or purificatory rites are performed); जन्मना ब्राह्मणो ज्ञेयः संस्कारै- र्द्विज उच्यते (janmanā brāhmaṇo jñeyaḥ saṃskārai- rdvija ucyate).

3) any oviparous animal, such as a bird, snake, fish &c.; Mahābhārata (Bombay) 12.361.5. (dvijaśreṣṭha = dvijānā- maṇḍajānāṃ sarpāṇāṃ śreṣṭha); स तमानन्दमविन्दत द्विजः (sa tamānandamavindata dvijaḥ) N.2.1; Ś.5.22; R.12.22; Mu.1.11; Manusmṛti 5.17.

4) a tooth; कीर्णं द्विजानां गणैः (kīrṇaṃ dvijānāṃ gaṇaiḥ) Bhartṛhari 1.13. (where dvija means 'a Brāhmaṇa' also).

5) A star; L. D. B.

6) A kind of horse; जलोद्भवा द्विजा ज्ञेयाः (jalodbhavā dvijā jñeyāḥ) Aśvachikitsā.

7) A Brahmachārī; Bhāgavata 11.18.42. °अग्र्य (agrya) a Brāhmaṇa. °अयनी (ayanī) the sacred thread worn by the first three castes of the Hindus. °आलयः (ālayaḥ)

1) the house of a dvija.

2) a nest. °इन्द्रः, °ईशः (indraḥ, °īśaḥ)

1) the moon; द्विजेन्द्रकान्तं श्रितवक्षसं श्रिया (dvijendrakāntaṃ śritavakṣasaṃ śriyā) Śiśupālavadha 12.3.

2) an epithet of Garuḍa.

3) camphor. °दासः (dāsaḥ) a Sūdra. °देवः (devaḥ)

1) a Brāhmaṇa; Bhāgavata 8.15.37.

2) a sage; Bhāgavata 3.1.23.

3) Name of Brahmadeva; Bhāg. 5.2.16. °पतिः, °राजः (patiḥ, °rājaḥ) an epithet of

1) the moon; इत्थं द्विजेन द्विजराजकान्तिः (itthaṃ dvijena dvijarājakāntiḥ) R.5.23.

2) Garuḍa.

3) camphor. °प्रपा (prapā)

1) a trench or basin round the root of a tree for holding water.

2) a trough near a well for watering birds, cattle &c. °प्रियः (priyaḥ) kind of khadira. °प्रिया (priyā) the Soma plant. °बन्धुः, °ब्रुवः (bandhuḥ, °bruvaḥ)

1) a man who pretends to be a Brāhmaṇa.

2) one who is 'twice-born' or a Brāhmaṇa by name and birth only and not by acts; cf. ब्रह्मबन्धु (brahmabandhu). °मुख्यः (mukhyaḥ) a Brāhmaṇa. °लिङ्गिन् (liṅgin) m.

1) a Kṣatriya.

2) a pseudoBrāhmaṇa, one disguised as a Brāhmaṇa. °वाहनः (vāhanaḥ) an epithet of Viṣṇu (having Garuḍa for his vehicle). °सेवकः (sevakaḥ) a Sūdra.

Derivable forms: dvijaḥ (द्विजः).

Dvija is a Sanskrit compound consisting of the terms dvi and ja (ज).

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

Dvija (द्विज).—mfn.

(-jaḥ-jā-jaṃ) 1. Twice born. 2. Oviparous. m.

(-jaḥ) 1. A man of either of the three first classes, a Brahman, a Kshetriya or a Vaisya whose investiture with the characteristic string, at years of puberty, constitutes, religiously and metaphorically, their second birth. 2. Any oviparous animal, as a bird, a snake, a fish, &c. first born in the shell, and in the second instance produced from it. 3. A tooth. 4. Coriander seed. f.

(-jā) 1. A sort of perfume also called Renuka. 2. A plant. (Siphonanthus Indicus.) 3. Kundur or gum olebanum. E. dvi two, and ja born. dviḥ jāyate . jana ḍa .

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

Dvija (द्विज).—[dvi-ja], I. adj. Twice born. Ii. m. 1. A man of either of the three first classes, as their initiation passes for a second birth, especially a Brāhamaṇa, [Yājñavalkya, (ed. Stenzler.)] 1, 39; [Nala] 16, 1. 2. A bird, [Mānavadharmaśāstra] 5, 17. 3. A tooth, [Bhartṛhari, (ed. Bohlen.)] 1, 12.

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

Dvija (द्विज).—adj. twice-born (lit. & [figuratively]).

— [masculine] a man of the first three castes, [especially] a Brahman; bird; tooth.

--- OR ---

Dvijā (द्विजा).—[adjective] twice or doubly born.

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

1) Dvija (द्विज):—[=dvi-ja] [from dvi] a See dvija.

2) Dvijā (द्विजा):—[=dvi-jā] [from dvi] a mfn. twice-born, [Ṛg-veda]

3) Dvija (द्विज):—[=dvi-ja] [from dvi] b mfn. twice-born

4) [v.s. ...] m. a man of any one of the first 3 classes, any Āryan, ([especially]) a Brāhman (re-born through investiture with the sacred thread cf. upa-nayana), [Atharva-veda; Manu-smṛti; Mahābhārata] etc.

5) [v.s. ...] a bird or any oviparous animal (appearing first as an egg), [Manu-smṛti; Mahābhārata] etc.

6) [v.s. ...] a tooth (as growing twice), [Suśruta; Bhartṛhari; Varāha-mihira] (n., [Bhāgavata-purāṇa ii, 1, 31])

7) [v.s. ...] coriander seed or Xantboxylum Alatum, [cf. Lexicographers, esp. such as amarasiṃha, halāyudha, hemacandra, etc.]

8) Dvijā (द्विजा):—[=dvi-jā] [from dvi-ja > dvi] b f. Piper Aurantiacum, [Bhāvaprakāśa]

9) [v.s. ...] Clerodendrum Siphonantus, [cf. Lexicographers, esp. such as amarasiṃha, halāyudha, hemacandra, etc.]

10) [v.s. ...] pālaṅkī, [cf. Lexicographers, esp. such as amarasiṃha, halāyudha, hemacandra, etc.] (cf. -jā and -jati).

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

Dvija (द्विज):—[dvi-ja] (jaḥ-jā-jaṃ) a. Twice-born; oviparous. m. A brāhman; a tooth; coriander seed. f. A perfume.

Source: DDSA: Paia-sadda-mahannavo; a comprehensive Prakrit Hindi dictionary (S)

Dvija (द्विज) in the Sanskrit language is related to the Prakrit word: Dia.

[Sanskrit to German]

Dvija 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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Kannada-English dictionary

Source: Alar: Kannada-English corpus

Dvija (ದ್ವಿಜ):—[adjective] born twice.

--- OR ---

Dvija (ದ್ವಿಜ):—

1) [noun] (lit.) a man who has undergone a definite experience of fundamental moral and spiritual renewal, which is considered as his rebirth.

2) [noun] a man, belonging to brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya or Vaiṣya caste (but more often referred to the one belonging to brāhmaṇa caste), whose investitute with the sacred thread constitutes, religiously and metaphorically, his second birth.

3) [noun] any being, as a bird or certain other animals, that comes to the world as an independent living being, from an egg; any egg-born being.

4) [noun] any of the human teeth that is got for the second time5) [noun] any of the self-luminous celestial objects seen as points of light in the sky; a star.

6) [noun] the moon.

7) [noun] various grains.

8) [noun] an ornament for the ears.

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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