In Hinduism

Jyotisha (astronomy and astrology)

Source: Wisdom Library: Brihat Samhita by Varahamihira

Gaganatala (गगनतल) refers to the “starry vault”, according to the Bṛhatsaṃhitā (chapter 12), an encyclopedic Sanskrit work written by Varāhamihira mainly focusing on the science of ancient Indian astronomy astronomy (Jyotiṣa).—Accordingly, “Hear now the effects of the heliacal rising of Canopus (Agastya), a star sacred to Agastya who suppressed the Vindhya mountains whose soaring heights obstructed the course of the Sun; [...] whose summits appeared to score the starry vault [i.e., gaganatala]; whose rocks were full of buzzing bees scared by the violent pulling of flower trees by wild elephants and were also the abodes of hyenas, of bears, of tigers and of monkeys; through which lay the secret course of the Ravi which appeared to embrace its bosom with the affection of a mistress; and in whose forests dwelt the Devas and also Brāhmaṇa recluses, some subsisting on water, some on roots, some on the air and some altogether without food”.

context information

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.

In Buddhism

Mahayana (major branch of Buddhism)

Source: academia.edu: A Study and Translation of the Gaganagañjaparipṛcchā

1) Gaganatala (गगनतल) refers to the “vault of the sky”, according to the Gaganagañjaparipṛcchā: the eighth chapter of the Mahāsaṃnipāta (a collection of Mahāyāna Buddhist Sūtras).—Accordingly, “When the Lord revealed the exposition of the dharma, A Chapter of the Great Collection to Bodhisattvas, the great beings, the whole assembly thought that I am sitting in a pavilion in the vault of the sky [i.e., gaganatala]”.

2) Gaganatala (गगनतल) refers to the “vault of the sky”, according to the Gaganagañjaparipṛcchā.—Accordingly: “[...] Immediately after the Bodhisattva Āśupratibhāna made a wish thus, by the magical presence of the Bodhisattva Gaganagañja, the rain of such lotus flowers began to pour down from the vault of the sky (gaganatala).

Source: De Gruyter: A Buddhist Ritual Manual on Agriculture

Gaganatala (गगनतल) refers to the “sky”, 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 [after Sāgara taught the Nāga-vow mantra], “[...] Arising from the residence in smoke form, a great cloud mass appears. Throwings should be made to the sky (gaganatala). No thunderbolts fall. All winds become bound. All cold spells and untimely winds calm down. One should offer arka wood, ghee, mustard seeds and oleander flowers 1,008 times. It should be performed at a Nāga lake, well, tank, lotus lake or on the top of a mountain. It will be successful everywhere. [...]”.

context information

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.

Languages of India and abroad

Sanskrit dictionary

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

Gaganatala (गगनतल).—[neuter] celestial vault, firmament.

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

Gaganatala (गगनतल):—[=gagana-tala] [from gagana] n. the vault of the sky, firmament, [Varāha-mihira’s Bṛhat-saṃhitā; Kādambarī]

[Sanskrit to German]

Gaganatala 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.

Kannada-English dictionary

Source: Alar: Kannada-English corpus

Gaganataḷa (ಗಗನತಳ):—[noun] the apparent blue canopy over the earth; the sky.

context information

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: Gagana, Tala.

Full-text: Prityahara, Gagana, Tala, Addhan.

Relevant text

Search found 2 books and stories containing Gaganatala, Gagana-tala, Gaganataḷa, Gagana-taḷa; (plurals include: Gaganatalas, talas, Gaganataḷas, taḷas). You can also click to the full overview containing English textual excerpts. Below are direct links for the most relevant articles:

Natyashastra (English) (by Bharata-muni)

Chapter XVI - Metrical Patterns (chandas)

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Apadana commentary (Atthakatha) (by U Lu Pe Win)

Dipankara Buddha predicts Buddhahood for Sumedha < [Part 1 - Remote preface (dūre-nidāna)]

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