Gambhira, Gambhīra, Gambhīrā: 22 definitions
Introduction
Introduction:
Gambhira means something in Buddhism, Pali, Hinduism, Sanskrit, Jainism, Prakrit, the history of ancient India, Marathi, Hindi. 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 Gambhir.
In Hinduism
Purana and Itihasa (epic history)
Source: Wisdom Library: Bhagavata PuranaGambhīra (गम्भीर):—Son of Rabhasa (son of Rābha). He had a son who was called Akriya. (see Bhāgavata Purāṇa 9.17.10)
Source: Wisdom Library: Varāha-purāṇaGambhīrā (गम्भीरा) is the name of a beautiful damsel (kanyā), with black curly hair and red lips, according to the Varāhapurāṇa chapter 92. Gambhīrā (and other innumerable ladies) arose out of the agitation of Vaiṣṇavī while she was doing penance at Viśālā. For these young women, Vaiṣṇavī created the city Devīpura, containing numerous mansions with golden balconies, crystal stairs and water fountains, with jewelled windows and gardens.
Vaiṣṇavī is the form of Trikalā having a red body representing the energy of Viṣṇu. Trikalā is the name of a Goddess born from the combined looks of Brahmā, Viṣṇu and Maheśvara (Śiva).
The Varāhapurāṇa is categorised as a Mahāpurāṇa, and was originally composed of 24,000 metrical verses, possibly originating from before the 10th century. It is composed of two parts and Sūta is the main narrator.
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: The Purana Index1a) Gambhīra (गम्भीर).—(Gabhīra, Brahmāṇḍa-purāṇa) a son of Rabhasa and father of Akriya.*
- * Bhāgavata-purāṇa IX. 17. 10.
1b) A son of Bhautya Manu.*
- * Brahmāṇḍa-purāṇa IV. 1. 114.

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.
In Buddhism
Theravada (major branch of Buddhism)
Source: Pali Kanon: Pali Proper Names1) A seaport village, visited by Mittavindaka in the course of his flight from Benares. J.i.239.
2) A channel branching off from the Parakkama Samudda. It started at the point of the flood escape known as Makara. Cv.lxxix.40.
Theravāda is a major branch of Buddhism having the the Pali canon (tipitaka) as their canonical literature, which includes the vinaya-pitaka (monastic rules), the sutta-pitaka (Buddhist sermons) and the abhidhamma-pitaka (philosophy and psychology).
Tibetan Buddhism (Vajrayana or tantric Buddhism)
Source: academia.edu: The Structure and Meanings of the Heruka MaṇḍalaGambhīra (गम्भीर) refers to one of the eight trees (vṛkṣa) of the Kāyacakra, according to the 10th century Ḍākārṇava chapter 15. Accordingly, the kāyacakra refers to one of the four divisions of the nirmāṇa-puṭa (‘emanation layer’), situated in the Herukamaṇḍala. Gambhīra is associated with the charnel ground (śmaśāna) named Bhayaṃkara and with the hell-guardian (narakapāla) named Gambhīrī.

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.
In Jainism
General definition (in Jainism)
Source: Wisdom Library: JainismGambhīra (गम्भीर) refers to a class of mahoraga deities gods according to the Digambara tradition, while the Śvetāmbara does not recognize this class. The mahoraga refer to a category of vyantaras gods which represents one of the four classes of celestial beings (devas). The mahoragas are are dark or black in complexion and the Nāga is their caitya-vṛkṣa (sacred-tree).
The deities such as the Gambhīras are defined in ancient Jain cosmological texts such as the Saṃgrahaṇīratna in the Śvetāmbara tradition or the Tiloyapaṇṇati by Yativṛṣabha (5th century) in the Digambara tradition.

Jainism is an Indian religion of Dharma whose doctrine revolves around harmlessness (ahimsa) towards every living being. The two major branches (Digambara and Svetambara) of Jainism stimulate self-control (or, shramana, ‘self-reliance’) and spiritual development through a path of peace for the soul to progess to the ultimate goal.
India history and geography
Source: archive.org: Nilamata Purana: a cultural and literary study (history)Gambhīrā (गम्भीरा) is the name of a river.— Gambhīrā (the deep) is a designation of the lowest portion of the course of the Viśokā between the point where it receives the waters of the Rembyār and its own confluence with the Vitastā. I suggest that this portion of the course of the river Viśokā flowing near the village Dhyānoḍḍāra was formerly called Dhyānadhāriṇī—the sustainer of the village Dhyāna—and was later on given the appellation Gambhīrā for being there too deep to be fordable. Why is the name Gambhīrā—highly extolled in the Māhātmyas—absent in the Nīlamata, is also explained by this identification.
Source: archive.org: Ceylon Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society 1963Gambhīrā is one of the twenty canal-systems associated with Parakkamasamudda waters that existed in the Polonnaruva (Polonnaruwa) district of Ceylon (Sri Lanka).—The Pūjāvaliya gives the name Mahāsamudra to the Parakkamasamudda at Polonnaruva. The canal system associated with Parakkamasamudda is described and named in the Cūlavamsa as follows:—[...] Gambhīrā canal, from the Makara sluice; [...].

The history of India traces the identification of countries, villages, towns and other regions of India, as well as royal dynasties, rulers, tribes, local festivities and traditions and regional languages. Ancient India enjoyed religious freedom and encourages the path of Dharma, a concept common to Buddhism, Hinduism, and Jainism.
Languages of India and abroad
Pali-English dictionary
Source: BuddhaSasana: Concise Pali-English Dictionarygambhīra : (adj.) deep; profound; hard to perceive. (nt.), depth.
Source: Sutta: The Pali Text Society's Pali-English DictionaryGambhīra, (adj.) (Vedic gambhīra & gabhīra) deep, profound, unfathomable, well founded, hard to perceive, difficult.—(a) lit. of lakes: Dh.83; Pv.II, 119 (=agādha); Pug.46; of a road (full of swamps) J.I, 196.—(b) fig. of knowledge & wisdom: dhammo g. duddaso ... M.I, 487; S.I, 136; Tathāgato g. appameyyo duppariyogāho M.I, 487; parisā g. (opp. uttāna, shallow, superficial, thoughtless) A.I, 70; g. ṭhāna w. ref. jhāna, etc. Ps.II, 21; saddhamma g. Sdhp. 530; g. gūḷha nipuṇa Nd 342; lokanātho nipuṇo g. PvA.1; also w. nipuṇa J.VI, 355; Miln.234; Bdhd. 118, 137;— (nt.) the deep; deep ground, i.e. secure foundation Sn.173; Kh VIII, 1, 3 (see KhA 217).

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.
Marathi-English dictionary
Source: DDSA: The Molesworth Marathi and English Dictionarygambhīra (गंभीर).—a (S) Deep--the ocean, a river &c.; but used in Marahi only in figurative senses. Grave, serious, solemn, staid, thoughtful, reflecting, considerate. Deep or full--a sound.
Source: DDSA: The Aryabhusan school dictionary, Marathi-Englishgambhīra (गंभीर).—a Deep. Fig. Grave, solemn, staid, reflecting, thoughtful. Deep or full- a sound.
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.
Sanskrit dictionary
Source: DDSA: The practical Sanskrit-English dictionaryGambhīra (गम्भीर).—a. [gacchati jalamatra; gam-īran ni° bhugāgamaḥ] = गभीर (gabhīra) q. v.; स्निग्धगम्भीरनिर्घोषमेकं स्यन्दनमास्थितौ (snigdhagambhīranirghoṣamekaṃ syandanamāsthitau) R.1.36; Me. 66.68.
-raḥ 1 A lotus,
2) A citron.
--- OR ---
Gambhīrā (गम्भीरा).—Name of a river; गम्भीरायाः पयसि (gambhīrāyāḥ payasi) Me.42.
See also (synonyms): gambhīrikā.
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Shabda-Sagara Sanskrit-English DictionaryGambhīra (गम्भीर).—mfn.
(-raḥ-rā-raṃ) 1. Deep, (as water, but applied metaphorically to sound, intellect, &c. as in English.) 2. Dull. slow. m.
(-raḥ) A Mantra or magical incantation written in prose in the Rig Veda. 2. A lotus. 3. The citron. f.
(-rā) Hiccup, violent singultus. E. gam to go, iran Unadi affix, ma changed to bha, and num inserted see gabhīra.
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Benfey Sanskrit-English DictionaryGambhīra (गम्भीर).—see gabhīra.
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Cappeller Sanskrit-English DictionaryGambhīra (गम्भीर).—= gabhīra.
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary1) Gambhīra (गम्भीर):—[from gabha] a mfn. = gabh, [Ṛg-veda] (only in the beginning of Pādas, six times), [Atharva-veda] etc. (in post-Vedic writings gambh is more used than gabh; the deepness of a man’s navel, voice, and character are praised together, [Varāha-mihira’s Bṛhat-saṃhitā lxviii, 85]; hence a person who is said to have a deep navel, voice, and character is called tri-gambhīra mf(ā)n., [Mahābhārata iv, 254; v, 3939])
2) [v.s. ...] m. (= jambh) the lemon tree, [cf. Lexicographers, esp. such as amarasiṃha, halāyudha, hemacandra, etc.]
3) [v.s. ...] a lotus, [cf. Lexicographers, esp. such as amarasiṃha, halāyudha, hemacandra, etc.]
4) [v.s. ...] a Mantra of the [Ṛg-veda; cf. Lexicographers, esp. such as amarasiṃha, halāyudha, hemacandra, etc.]
5) [v.s. ...] (= gabh) Name of a son of Bhautya, [Viṣṇu-purāṇa] ([varia lectio])
6) Gambhīrā (गम्भीरा):—[from gambhīra > gabha] f. a hiccup, violent singultus (with hikkā, [Suśruta]), [Horace H. Wilson]
7) [v.s. ...] Name of a river, [Meghadūta 41]
8) Gambhīra (गम्भीर):—[from gabha] n. ‘depth’, with jamad-agneḥ Name of a Sāman.
9) [from gambhiṣṭha] b See, [ib.]
10) Gāmbhīra (गाम्भीर):—[from] gambh [gana] saṃkaladi.
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Yates Sanskrit-English DictionaryGambhīra (गम्भीर):—[(raḥ-rā-raṃ) a.] Deep; slow; dull. m. An incantation; a lotus; a citron. f. (rā) Hiccup.
[Sanskrit to German] (Deutsch Wörterbuch)
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Sanskrit-Wörterbuch in kürzerer FassungGambhīra (गम्भीर):——
1) Adj. (f. ā) = gabhīra 1). —
2) m. — a) *Citronenbaum. — b) *Lotusblüthe. — c) *ein Mantra des Ṛgveda. — d) Nomen proprium eines Sohnes Manu Bhautya [VP.².3,29.] —
3) f. ā — a) *ein tiefer Schluchzer. Zu belegen das Adj. in Verbindung mit hikkā. — b) Nomen proprium eines Flusses. —
4) n. Tiefe. jamadagneḥ Name eines Sāman.
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.
Hindi dictionary
Source: DDSA: A practical Hindi-English dictionaryGaṃbhīra (गंभीर) [Also spelled gambhir]:—(a) serious, grave; sober; grim; reserved; deep; profound.
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See also (Relevant definitions)
Starts with (+24): Gambhira bharati, Gambhira Satta, Gambhirabuddhi, Gambhiracari, Gambhiracetas, Gambhiradharma, Gambhiradharmagunarajashiri, Gambhiradharmagunarajashri, Gambhiradharmashrisamudraprabha, Gambhiradhira, Gambhiradhvani, Gambhiragati, Gambhiraghoshasvaranadita, Gambhiraka, Gambhirakatyayaniprayashcitta, Gambhirakukshi, Gambhirakukshita, Gambhiranabhi, Gambhiranabhita, Gambhiranada.
Ends with: Dhatupathagambhira, Gunagambhira, Kevattagambhira, Meghagambhira, Sagaragambhira, Sarvagambhira, Sugambhira, Susnigdhagambhira, Trigambhira.
Full-text (+84): Gambhiravedin, Gambhirya, Gabhira, Makara, Sagaragambhira, Gambhirartha, Gambhiranada, Akriya, Gambhirata, Gambhirapanilekhata, Gambhiranabhita, Gambhiravabhasa, Gambhirakukshita, Rabhasa, Gabhirata, Gambhiratva, Gambhiragati, Gambhiravedha, Gambhiranirghosha, Gambhiradhvani.
Relevant text
Search found 29 books and stories containing Gambhira, Gambhīra, Gambhīrā, Gāmbhīra, Gaṃbhīra; (plurals include: Gambhiras, Gambhīras, Gambhīrās, Gāmbhīras, Gaṃbhīras). You can also click to the full overview containing English textual excerpts. Below are direct links for the most relevant articles:
Sri Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu (by Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī)
Verse 2.1.255 < [Part 1 - Ecstatic Excitants (vibhāva)]
Verse 2.4.258 < [Part 4 - Transient Ecstatic Disturbances (vyābhicāri-bhāva)]
Verse 3.3.28 < [Part 3 - Fraternal Devotion (sakhya-rasa)]
Brihad Bhagavatamrita (commentary) (by Śrī Śrīmad Bhaktivedānta Nārāyana Gosvāmī Mahārāja)
Verse 1.4.95-96 < [Chapter 4 - Bhakta (the devotee)]
Verse 2.4.79 < [Chapter 4 - Vaikuṇṭha (the spiritual world)]
Verse 1.3.18 < [Chapter 3 - Prapañcātīta (beyond the Material Plane)]
Sushruta Samhita, Volume 6: Uttara-tantra (by Kaviraj Kunja Lal Bhishagratna)
Chapter L - Symptoms and Treatment of Hiccough (Hicca) < [Canto III - Kaya-chikitsa-tantra (internal medicine)]
Chapter XXXIX - Symptoms and Treatment of Fever (Jvara) < [Canto III - Kaya-chikitsa-tantra (internal medicine)]
Maha Prajnaparamita Sastra (by Gelongma Karma Migme Chödrön)
Part 3 - The twelve causes and conditions are profound < [Chapter I - Explanation of Arguments]
II. Becoming established on the irreversible ground < [X. Surpassing the lower vehicles and acceding to the irreversible ground]
The Garuda Purana (by Manmatha Nath Dutt)
Chapter CLI - The Nidanam of Hic Cough < [Dhanvantari Samhita]
Later Chola Temples (by S. R. Balasubrahmanyam)
Temples in Tiruppalaitturai < [Chapter II - Temples of Kulottunga I’s Time]