Ghritaci, Ghṛtācī: 15 definitions
Introduction:
Ghritaci means something in Hinduism, Sanskrit, Jainism, Prakrit. 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.
The Sanskrit term Ghṛtācī can be transliterated into English as Ghrtaci or Ghritaci, using the IAST transliteration scheme (?).
Alternative spellings of this word include Ghritachi.
In Hinduism
Purana and Itihasa (epic history)
Ghṛtācī (घृताची):—An Apsarā who bore ten sons to Raudrāśva (son of Ahaṃyāti). They were named Ṛteyu, Kakṣeyu, Sthaṇḍileyu, Kṛteyuka, Jaleyu, Sannateyu, Dharmeyu, Satyeyu, Vrateyu and Vaneyu. (see Bhāgavata Purāṇa 9.20.4-5)
Ghṛtācī (घृताची) is the name of a beautiful damsel (kanyā), with black curly hair and red lips, according to the Varāhapurāṇa chapter 92. Ghṛtācī (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.
Ghṛtācī (घृताची).—General. She was an exceptionally beautiful apsarā woman, and she revelled in disturbing the peace of the sages and becoming mother of children by them. Ghṛtācī, who succeeded in breaking the penance of the sages like Kuśanābha, Vyāsa and Bharadvāja occupied a very prominent position among apsarā women. (See full article at Story of Ghṛtācī from the Puranic encyclopaedia by Vettam Mani)
Ghṛtācī (घृताची) is a celestial damsel (known for her rare beauty and charms), according to the Śivapurāṇa 2.4.1 (“The dalliance of Śiva”).—Accordingly, as Lord Viṣṇu said to Brahmā: “[...] If any one separates the copulated pair by a tricky expedient, he will have the pangs of separation from his wife and sons in every birth. He will fall from perfect wisdom. [...] Bṛhaspati hindered Kāma in copulation with Ghṛtācī but within six months the moon abducted his wife. He then propitiated Śiva, fought a battle over Tārā, enjoyed her even as she was pregnant and tried to dispel his pangs of separation. [...]”.
Ghṛtācī (घृताची).—An Apsaras, mother of ten sons through Raudrāśva; (Bhadrāśva, Matsya-purāṇa); presiding over the month of Tapas;1 in the sun's chariot in the Āśvayuja month;2 with the Śarat Sun.3
- 1) Bhāgavata-purāṇa IX. 20. 5; XII. 11. 39; Viṣṇu-purāṇa I. 9. 103; Brahmāṇḍa-purāṇa II. 23. 13; Brahmāṇḍa-purāṇa III. 7. 15. Matsya-purāṇa 49. 4; Vāyu-purāṇa 69. 49; 70. 68.
- 2) Viṣṇu-purāṇa II. 10. 11.
- 3) Brahmāṇḍa-purāṇa IV. 33. 19; Vāyu-purāṇa 52. 13.
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.
General definition (in Hinduism)
Ghritachi was an Apsara, a dancer in the court of Indra. She is the spiritual mother of Drona and the sage Shuka. In both cases, she was merely the cause for their birth. When the sage Bharadwaja saw the semi-nude form of this Apsara, his vital fluid emerged from his body and was stored in a water vessel by him. The son born of that vessel was Drona. See here.
When the sage Vyasa beheld the beautiful form of this nymph, he was preparing the sacrificial fire. The Apsara transformed herself into a parrot. The vital fluid of the Rishi fell on the Arani sticks and his son Shuka was born from them. See here.
She was also the mother of the sage Ruru, who was begotten on her by Pramati, the son of sage Chyavana.
In Jainism
General definition (in Jainism)
Ghṛtācī (घृताची) is the name of an Apsaras, instructed by Śakra to help in the preparations of Ṛṣabha’s wedding-preparations, according to chapter 1.2 [ādīśvara-caritra] of Hemacandra’s 11th century Triṣaṣṭiśalākāpuruṣacaritra: an ancient Sanskrit epic poem narrating the history and legends of sixty-three illustrious persons in Jainism.
Accordingly,
“[...] Then having ascertained the Lord’s purpose, Purandara at once summoned gods for the tasks of the wedding-preparations.—‘[...] O Lambhā, make the wreaths; prepare the dūrvā-grass, Urvaśī; Ghṛtācī, bring the ghee, curd, etc., for the groom’s reception. [...]’. From the bustling of the Apsarases instructing each other in this way, and frequently calling names, a mighty tumult arose”.
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.
Languages of India and abroad
Sanskrit dictionary
Ghṛtācī (घृताची).—a.
1) Greasy, abounding in ghee.
2) Containing water.
3) Shining. -f.
1) Night.
2) Name of Sarasvatī.
3) Name of an apsaras; N.2.19 (the following are the principal nymphs of Indra's heaven; ghṛtācī menakā rambhā urvaśī ca tilottamā | sukeśī mañjughoṣādyāḥ kathyante'- psaraso budhaiḥ).
Ghṛtācī (घृताची).—f. (-cī) One of the Apsaras or courtezans of Swarga. E. ghṛta ghee, añca to worship, kvip and ṅīp affs.
Ghṛtācī (घृताची).—i. e. ghṛta-añc + i, f. The name of an Apsaras, Mahābhārata 1, 4821.
Ghṛtācī (घृताची).—(only [feminine]) greazy, fat; as subst. the sacrificial ladle (±juhū); [Name] of an Apsaras.
1) Ghṛtāci (घृताचि):—[from ghṛta > ghṛ] m. (derived [from] cī) Name of a Ṛṣi, [Ārṣeya-brāhmaṇa]
2) Ghṛtācī (घृताची):—[from ghṛta > ghṛ] f. ([from] 2. añc, [Pāṇini 6-3, 95], [vArttika] 2, [Patañjali]) abounding in ghee, filled with ghee, sprinkling ghee, shining with ghee, [Ṛg-veda; Atharva-veda ix, 1, 4; Āśvalāyana-gṛhya-sūtra ii, 10, 6]
3) [v.s. ...] ([scilicet] juhū) the sacrificial ladle (with which the ghee is taken up, poured out, etc.), [Ṛg-veda; Atharva-veda xiii, 1, 27]
4) [v.s. ...] ‘dewy’, the night, [Atharva-veda xix, 48, 6; Naighaṇṭuka, commented on by Yāska i, 7]
5) [v.s. ...] ‘shining like grease’, a kind of serpent, [Atharva-veda x, 4, 24]
6) [v.s. ...] Name of an Apsaras (loved by Bharad-vāja [Mahābhārata i, 5103 ff.] or Vyāsa [xii, 12188 ff.] or by Viśvā-mitra [Rāmāyaṇa iv, 35, 7]; wife of Pramati and mother of Ruru [Mahābhārata i, 871; xiii, 2004] or wife of Raudrāśva [Harivaṃśa 1658; Bhāgavata-purāṇa ix, 20, 5] or of Kuśa-nābha [Rāmāyaṇa i, 34, 11])
Ghṛtācī (घृताची):—(cī) 3. f. One of the celestial courtezans.
Ghṛtāci (घृताचि):—Nomen proprium ein künstliches m. zum f. ghṛtācīḥ ghṛtācerāṅgirasasya sāma [Weber’s Indische Studien 3, 216.]
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Ghṛtācī (घृताची):—
Ghṛtāci (घृताचि):—m. Nomen proprium eines Ṛṣi [Ārṣeyabrāhmaṇa]
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Ghṛtācī (घृताची):——
1) Adj. f. schmalzig , fettreich ; mit Ghee gefüllt u.s.w. ; von Ghee triefend , — glänzend. —
2) f. — a) der Opferlöffel zum Schöpfen und Ausgiessen des Ghee. — b) die Nacht als die thauige. — c) eine Schlangenart. — d) Nomen proprium einer Apsaras.
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.
See also (Relevant definitions)
Starts with (+0): Ghritacigarbhasambhava, Ghritacigarmasambhava.
Full-text (+38): Ghritacigarbhasambhava, Kaksheyu, Gocapala, Ghriteyu, Satyeyu, Malakara, Manarasa, Ghritacigarmasambhava, Dharmeya, Khala, Shalada, Jaleyu, Dharmeyu, Vrateyu, Vaneyu, Sthandileyu, Sannateyu, Kriteyuka, Kapinjali, Ratnakuta.
Relevant text
Search found 42 books and stories containing Ghritaci, Ghṛtācī, Ghrtaci, Ghṛtāci; (plurals include: Ghritacis, Ghṛtācīs, Ghrtacis, Ghṛtācis). 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)
Linga Purana (by J. L. Shastri)
Chapter 63 - Origin of Devas and others (devādi-sṛṣṭi) < [Section 1 - Uttarabhāga]
Chapter 55 - The Sun’s Chariot (sūryaratha) < [Section 1 - Uttarabhāga]
Mahabharata (English) (by Kisari Mohan Ganguli)
A Descriptive Catalogue of the Sanskrit Manuscripts, Madras (by M. Seshagiri Sastri)
Nighantu (critical study) (by Gopalakrishna N. Bhat)
Part 7 - Ratrinamani (Ratri Nama) < [Chapter 3 - First Adhyaya (chapter) of the Nighantu (study)]
Puranic encyclopaedia (by Vettam Mani)