Ekavira, Ekavīrā, Ekavīra, Eka-vira: 18 definitions
Introduction:
Ekavira means something in Buddhism, Pali, Hinduism, Sanskrit, biology. 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.
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In Hinduism
Shaktism (Shakta philosophy)
Ekavīrā (एकवीरा, “Formost Heroine”):—One of the names of Mahākālī (tamas-form of Mahādevī). Mahākālī is one of the three primary forms of Devī. Not to be confused with Kālī, she is a more powerful cosmic aspect (vyaṣṭi) of Devi and represents the guṇa (universal energy) named tamas. For reference, see the Devī Māhātmya, a Sanskrit work from the 5th century, incorporated into the Mārkaṇḍeya-Purāṇa.
Ekavīrā (एकवीरा) is a form of Tripurabhairavī who is worshopped as the Yakṣiṇī Raudrī, according to the Manthānabhairavatantra, a vast sprawling work that belongs to a corpus of Tantric texts concerned with the worship of the goddess Kubjikā.—Accordingly, “That Yakṣiṇī who is Raudrī, the energy of Supreme Śiva is aroused by the five arrows (of Kāmadeva). She plays in the Wheel of Fire and moves in the first day of the bright lunar fortnight into the hexagram. By churning (the two breaths), Sun and Moon, she looks beautiful in the Triangle within the maṇḍala and is endowed with the six (parts of the Hexagram). Above time and in front within the excellent city of the three cities (tripura) (i.e. the Triangle), she is divided into the divisions (of the triangle and the hexagram)”.
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.
Purana and Itihasa (epic history)
Ekavīrā (एकवीरा) is the name of a mind-born ‘divine mother’ (mātṛ), created for the purpose of drinking the blood of the Andhaka demons, according to the Matsya-purāṇa 179.8. The Andhaka demons spawned out of every drop of blood spilled from the original Andhakāsura (Andhaka-demon). According to the Matsya-purāṇa 179.35, “Most terrible they (e.g., Ekavīrā) all drank the blood of those Andhakas and become exceedingly satiated.”
The Matsyapurāṇa is categorised as a Mahāpurāṇa, and was originally composed of 20,000 metrical verses, dating from the 1st-millennium BCE. The narrator is Matsya, one of the ten major avatars of Viṣṇu.
Ekavīra (एकवीर).—* (HEHAYA). A founder of the Hehaya line of kings. Genealogy. Descending in order from Viṣṇu: Atri—Candra—Budha—Purūravas—Āyus—Yayāti—Yadu—Sahasrajit—Śatajit—Ekavīra (Hehaya). (See full article at Story of Ekavīra from the Puranic encyclopaedia by Vettam Mani)
Ekavīrā (एकवीरा).—The goddess enshrined at Saḥya hill; a mother goddess.*
- * Matsya-purāṇa 13. 40: 179. 17.
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.
Pancaratra (worship of Nārāyaṇa)
Ekavīra (एकवीर) refers to a dhyāna-method using the “anuṣṭup” variety (71 ff.) associated with one of the seventy-seven types of Nṛsiṃha-Mantra, according to the fourth chapter of the Īśvarasaṃhitā (baroda edition) also known as the Nṛsiṃhakalpa, a Pāñcarātra work consisting of 640 verses and 14 chapters written in the form of a dialogue between Īśvara and Pārvatī.— According to chapter 4 (verse 59) there are some seventy-seven varieties of the nṛsiṃhamantra. [...] All the varieties differ from one another according to varying meters, different ṛṣis associated with them, different deities presiding over them, different mudrā-gestures used with them, different dhyāna-meditations employed, etc. [...] One called the “pucchasiṃha” method, the other called the “ekavīra” method. In the first type, one imagines a Leonine Form, his tail stretched up, his tongue lapping up all sentient creatures. Thus, the mantra may be used to influence and subdue others. When one imagines a five-faced Narasiṃha, each aspect ferocious, one then uses the mantra to effect cures not only from diseases but also illnesses induced by poisons.
Pancaratra (पाञ्चरात्र, pāñcarātra) represents a tradition of Hinduism where Narayana is revered and worshipped. Closeley related to Vaishnavism, the Pancaratra literature includes various Agamas and tantras incorporating many Vaishnava philosophies.
In Buddhism
Tibetan Buddhism (Vajrayana or tantric Buddhism)
Ekavīra (एकवीर) is the name of a tree mentioned in connection with a Tantric ceremony, according to the Vajraḍākatantra chapter 18.61-74.—Five techniques to please Dūtīs as well as the Yogin himself and to enlarge a Yogin’s gentials are introduced. Various kinds of woods and plants in addition to honey and butter are utilized for this purpose. [...] A Yogin should crush roots of ekavīra-tree, white sesame and filament, mingle them with honey and butter and rub it on the navel. Then, he should hold his Dūtī tight, kiss her and serve her like a donkey. They will obtain pleasure. Note: The word ‘navel’ in the above techniques presumably means the female organ (Its commentary keeps silent on this matter)
Tibetan Buddhism includes schools such as Nyingma, Kadampa, Kagyu and Gelug. Their primary canon of literature is divided in two broad categories: The Kangyur, which consists of Buddha’s words, and the Tengyur, which includes commentaries from various sources. Esotericism and tantra techniques (vajrayāna) are collected indepently.
Mahayana (major branch of Buddhism)
Ekavīra (एकवीर) refers to a “unique hero”, according to the Vajratuṇḍasamayakalparāja, an ancient Buddhist ritual manual on agriculture from the 5th-century (or earlier), containing various instructions for the Sangha to provide agriculture-related services to laypeople including rain-making, weather control and crop protection.—Accordingly, [as the Bhagavān said to the great Nāga kings]: “Now I will teach the auspicious offering manual which can bring about any effect. This mantra is a unique hero (ekavīra), it will do any task. The wise and learned one should call it to mind only once in an elevated place. One should call it to mind in a loud voice and sound. [...]
Mahayana (महायान, mahāyāna) is a major branch of Buddhism focusing on the path of a Bodhisattva (spiritual aspirants/ enlightened beings). Extant literature is vast and primarely composed in the Sanskrit language. There are many sūtras of which some of the earliest are the various Prajñāpāramitā sūtras.
Biology (plants and animals)
Ekavira in the Sanskrit language is the name of a plant identified with Rheum nobile Hook. f. & Thomson from the Polygonaceae (Knotweed) family. For the possible medicinal usage of ekavira, you can check this page for potential sources and references, although be aware that any some or none of the side-effects may not be mentioned here, wether they be harmful or beneficial to health.
Ekavira in the Sanskrit language is the name of a plant identified with Bridelia retusa (L.) A.Juss. from the Phyllanthaceae (Amla) family.
This sections includes definitions from the five kingdoms of living things: Animals, Plants, Fungi, Protists and Monera. It will include both the official binomial nomenclature (scientific names usually in Latin) as well as regional spellings and variants.
Languages of India and abroad
Sanskrit dictionary
Ekavīra (एकवीर).—a pre-eminent warrior or hero; धर्म° (dharma°) Mv.5.48.
Derivable forms: ekavīraḥ (एकवीरः).
Ekavīra is a Sanskrit compound consisting of the terms eka and vīra (वीर).
Ekavīra (एकवीर).—m.
(-raḥ) A chief warrior. E. eka and vīra a hero.
Ekavīra (एकवीर).—m. an unparalleled hero, Mahābhārata 4, 1912.
Ekavīra is a Sanskrit compound consisting of the terms eka and vīra (वीर).
Ekavīra (एकवीर).—[masculine] an only, i.e. an incomparable hero.
1) Ekavīra (एकवीर):—[=eka-vīra] [from eka] m. a unique or pre-eminent hero, [Ṛg-veda x, 103, 1; Atharva-veda xix, 13, 2; xx, 34, 17; Mahābhārata] etc.
2) [v.s. ...] a species of tree, [cf. Lexicographers, esp. such as amarasiṃha, halāyudha, hemacandra, etc.]
3) Ekavīrā (एकवीरा):—[=eka-vīrā] [from eka-vīra > eka] f. Name of a daughter of Śiva
4) [v.s. ...] a species of gourd, [Nighaṇṭuprakāśa]
Ekavīra (एकवीर):—[eka-vīra] (raḥ) 1. m. A chief warrior.
Ekavīra (एकवीर):—(eka + vīra) m.
1) einziger, unvergleichlicher Held [Ṛgveda 10, 103, 1.] [Mahābhārata 4, 1912.] [Bhāgavatapurāṇa 3, 1, 40. 4, 16, 20.] [Daśakumāracarita 193, 11.] —
2) Name einer Pflanze (mahāvīra, sakṛdvīra, suvīraka) [Rājanirghaṇṭa im Śabdakalpadruma]
--- OR ---
Ekavīra (एकवीर):—
1) [Kathāsaritsāgara 53, 195. 60, 92.] —
3) f. ā Nomen proprium einer Tochter Śiva’s [Oxforder Handschriften 18,a,20. 19,a,40. 39,b,16.]
Ekavīra (एकवीर):——
1) m. — a) ein unvergleichlicher Held. — b) *ein best. Baum [Rājan 8,17.] —
2) f. ā — a) *eine Gurkenart [Nighaṇṭuprakāśa (roth) ] — b) Nomen proprium einer Tochter Śiva's.
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
Ēkavīra (ಏಕವೀರ):—
1) [noun] the plant Bridelia montana of Euphorbiaceae family.
2) [noun] a wind instrument made of a long, slender bamboo tube, played by blowing across a hole near one end; a kind of flute.
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)
Partial matches (+0): Eka, Vira.
Starts with (+0): Ekavirakalpa, Ekavirakalpe dakshinakalikastava, Ekavirakkalli, Ekaviram, Ekaviran, Ekavirastotra, Ekaviratantra, Ekaviratantre vagalamukhikavacam.
Full-text (+16): Ekavirakalpa, Ekavirastotra, Ekaviratantra, Ekaviram, Kalaketu, Vitahavya, Ekavali, Hehaya, Campaka, Sahyadri, Sakridvira, Rabhya, Suviraka, Kartaviryarjuna, Yashovati, Yaduvamsha, Klinna, Suvira, Shala, Kauluta.
Relevant text
Search found 29 books and stories containing Ekavira, Eka-vira, Eka-vīra, Eka-vīrā, Ekavīrā, Ekavīra, Ēkavīra; (plurals include: Ekaviras, viras, vīras, vīrās, Ekavīrās, Ekavīras, Ēkavīras). You can also click to the full overview containing English textual excerpts. Below are direct links for the most relevant articles:
Rig Veda (translation and commentary) (by H. H. Wilson)
Rig Veda 10.103.1 < [Sukta 103]
Puranic encyclopaedia (by Vettam Mani)
Skanda Purana (by G. V. Tagare)
Chapter 47 - Installation of Goddesses at Bahūdaka Tīrtha < [Section 2 - Kaumārikā-khaṇḍa]
Chapter 198 - The Greatness of Śūleśvara Tīrtha < [Section 3 - Revā-khaṇḍa]
Chapter 66 - Kṛṣṇa beheads Barbarīka: Greatness of Guptakṣetra Concluded < [Section 2 - Kaumārikā-khaṇḍa]
Devi Bhagavata Purana (by Swami Vijñanananda)
Chapter 21 - On the installation of Ekavīra and the birth of Ekāvalī < [Book 6]
Chapter 22 - On the narration to Haihaya the stealing away of Ekāvalī < [Book 6]
Chapter 23 - On the battle of Haihaya and Kālaketu < [Book 6]
Dictionaries of Indian languages (Kosha)
Page 233 < [Gujarati-Hindi-English, Volume 1]
The tenth Mandala of the Rigveda (study) (by Rupsmita Buzarbaruah)
Part 10 - Warfare (during the Rig-Vedic period) < [Chapter 3 - A Socio-Cultural study of the tenth Maṇḍala]