Ekadanta, Ekadantā, Eka-danta, Ekadamta: 9 definitions
Introduction:
Ekadanta 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.
In Hinduism
Shilpashastra (iconography)
Source: Red Zambala: Hindu Icons and Symbols | Inner Circle IVOne tusk (eka-dantā) of Gaṇeśa — Ganapati acted as the scribe for the Mahābhārata, on the condition that he would on no account interrupt the recitation by Vyāsa who was dictating the Mahābhārata for the welfare of the world. When the pen broke, Ganapati broke off his own tusk in order not to interrupt the work. Thus out of great compassion for beings the Lord was prepared to mutilate himself! This is the symbolism contained in the iconographical representation.
Shilpashastra (शिल्पशास्त्र, śilpaśāstra) represents the ancient Indian science (shastra) of creative arts (shilpa) such as sculpture, iconography and painting. Closely related to Vastushastra (architecture), they often share the same literature.
Purana and Itihasa (epic history)
Source: Wisdom Library: Skanda-puranaEkadanta (एकदन्त, “one-tusked”) refers to one of the fifty-six vināyakas located at Kāśī (Vārāṇasī), and forms part of a sacred pilgrimage (yātrā), described in the Kāśīkhaṇḍa (Skanda-purāṇa 4.2.57). He is also known as Ekadantāvināyaka, Ekadantāgaṇeśa and Ekadantāvighneśa. These fifty-six vināyakas are positioned at the eight cardinal points in seven concentric circles (8x7). They center around a deity named Ḍhuṇḍhirāja (or Ḍhuṇḍhi-vināyaka) positioned near the Viśvanātha temple, which lies at the heart of Kāśī, near the Gaṅges. This arrangement symbolises the interconnecting relationship of the macrocosmos, the mesocosmos and the microcosmos.
Ekadantā is positioned in the Southern corner of the third circle of the kāśī-maṇḍala. According to Rana Singh (source), his shrine is located at “Bengali Tola, Puspadanteshvara, D 32/ 102”. Worshippers of Ekadantā will benefit from his quality, which is defined as “the giver of place in Anandakanana”. His coordinates are: Lat. 25.18310, Lon. 83.00497 (or, 25°10'59.2"N, 83°00'17.9"E) (Google maps)
Ekadantā, and the other vināyakas, are described in the Skandapurāṇa (the largest of the eighteen mahāpurāṇas). This book narrates the details and legends surrounding numerous holy pilgrimages (tīrtha-māhātmya) throughout India. It is composed of over 81,000 metrical verses with the core text dating from the before the 4th-century CE.
Source: archive.org: Shiva Purana - English TranslationEkadanta (एकदन्त) or Ekadantaka refers to a “single-tusked elephant”, according to the Śivapurāṇa 2.4.17 (“The Resuscitation of Gaṇeśa”).—Accordingly, after Śiva spoke to the Gods: “Then they carried out Śiva’s behests and acted accordingly. They brought the headless body of Gaṇeśa and washed it well. They paid homage to it and started towards the north. It was a single-tusked elephant (ekadantaka) that they met. They took the head and fitted it to the body. After joining it, the gods bowed to Śiva, Viṣṇu and Brahmā and spoke—‘What has been ordered by you has been carried out by us. Let the task left incomplete be performed now’”.
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: The Purana IndexEkadanta (एकदन्त).—An attribute of Vighneśa.*
- * Brahmāṇḍa-purāṇa III. 42. 8, 39; IV. 44. 66.
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
Source: DDSA: The practical Sanskrit-English dictionaryEkadanta (एकदन्त).—"one-tusked", epithets of Gaṇeśa (ekadaṃṣṭraḥ) A kind of fever.
Derivable forms: ekadantaḥ (एकदन्तः).
Ekadanta is a Sanskrit compound consisting of the terms eka and danta (दन्त). See also (synonyms): ekadaṃṣṭra.
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Shabda-Sagara Sanskrit-English DictionaryEkadanta (एकदन्त).—m.
(-ntaḥ) A name of Ganesa: see the preceding. E. eka and danta a tooth.
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English DictionaryEkadanta (एकदन्त):—[=eka-danta] [from eka] m. ‘one-toothed’, Name of Gaṇeśa, [cf. Lexicographers, esp. such as amarasiṃha, halāyudha, hemacandra, etc.]
[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.
Kannada-English dictionary
Source: Alar: Kannada-English corpusĒkadaṃta (ಏಕದಂತ):—[noun] Gaṇēśa, who has only one (full) tusk (the other one being broken).
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: Ekadantaganesha, Ekadantaka, Ekadantastotra, Ekadantavighnesha, Ekadantavinayaka.
Full-text: Ekadamshtra, Dantin, Ganapati, Ekadantavighnesha, Ekadantavinayaka, Ekadantaganesha, Ganesha, Ganapa, Vinayaka.
Relevant text
Search found 12 books and stories containing Ekadanta, Ekadantā, Eka-danta, Eka-dantā, Ekadamta, Ēkadaṃta, Ēkadanta; (plurals include: Ekadantas, Ekadantās, dantas, dantās, Ekadamtas, Ēkadaṃtas, Ēkadantas). You can also click to the full overview containing English textual excerpts. Below are direct links for the most relevant articles:
Matangalila and Hastyayurveda (study) (by Chandrima Das)
Elephants in Śaivism < [Chapter 4]
Baudhayana Dharmasutra (by Georg Bühler)
Lakulisha-Pashupata (Philosophy and Practice) (by Geetika Kaw Kher)
Kalamukhas and Virasaivas: The present day tradition < [Chapter 2 - Spread and Transition]
The Padma Purana (by N.A. Deshpande)
Chapter 63 - A Hymn to Gaṇapati < [Section 1 - Sṛṣṭi-khaṇḍa (section on creation)]
Chapter 250 - Aniruddha’s Marriage < [Section 6 - Uttara-Khaṇḍa (Concluding Section)]
Puranic encyclopaedia (by Vettam Mani)
The Skanda Purana (by G. V. Tagare)
Chapter 12 - The Installation of Gaṇeśa < [Section 2 - Dharmāraṇya-khaṇḍa]
Chapter 30 - Fasts and Austerities of the Month < [Section 4 - Kārttikamāsa-māhātmya]
Chapter 11 - Procedure of Gaṇeśa Worship: Manifestation of Lakṣmī < [Section 1 - Kedāra-khaṇḍa]
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