Godavari, Godāvarī, Godāvari, Go-davari: 31 definitions

Introduction:

Godavari means something in Buddhism, Pali, Hinduism, Sanskrit, the history of ancient India, 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.

Images (photo gallery)

In Hinduism

Purana and Itihasa (epic history)

[«previous next»] — Godavari in Purana glossary
Source: Wisdom Library: Varāha-purāṇa

Godāvarī (गोदावरी).—Name of a river originating from Sahya, a holy mountain (kulaparvata) in Bhārata, according to the Varāhapurāṇa chapter 85. There are settlements (janapada) where Āryas and Mlecchas dwell who drink water from these rivers.

Bhārata is a region south of Hemādri, once ruled over by Bharata (son of Ṛṣabha), whose ancestral lineage can be traced back to Svāyambhuva Manu, who was created by Brahmā, who was in turn created by Nārāyaṇa, the unknowable all-pervasive primordial being.

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: archive.org: Puranic Encyclopedia

Godāvarī (गोदावरी).—A river of South India. This river has been glorified much in the Purāṇas.

Godāvarī is a member of the court of Varuṇa. (Śloka 20, Chapter 9, Sabhā Parva).

This river originates from Brahmagiri, situated near Tryambakajyotirliṅga of Nasik district in South India. The river is very deep and is a giver of prosperity to those who worship her. Many sages worshipped this river. (Śloka 2, Chapter 88, Vana Parva).

If one bathes in this river one will get the benefit of conducting a Gomedha yajña. Not only that, after his death he will go to the land of Vāsuki. (Śloka 33, Chapter 85, Vana Parva).

The origin of Agni is from Godāvarī. (Śloka, 24, Chapter 222, Vana Parva).

Śrī Rāma, Lakṣmaṇa and Sītā stayed for a long time during their exile in Pañcavaṭī on the shores of this river Godāvarī. (Vālmīki Rāmāyaṇa, Araṇya Kāṇḍa, Sarga 16).

Godāvarī is one of the most important rivers of India. (Śloka 14, Chapter 9, Bhīṣma Parva).

He who bathes in Godāvarī will be prosperous. (Śloka 29, Chapter 25, Anuśāsana Parva).

Source: archive.org: Shiva Purana - English Translation

Godāvarī (गोदावरी) is the name of a sacred river as mentioned in the Śivapurāṇa 1.12, “somehow men must strive to find a residence in a holy centre. On the shores of the ocean in the confluence of hundreds of rivers there are many such holy centres (puṇyakṣetra or tīrtha) and temples. [...] Godāvarī is very holy and it quells the sins of murdering a Brahmin or slaughtering a cow. It is said to have twenty-one mouths and accords Rudraloka. [...] The devotees of Śiva are the bestowers of Śivaloka and accord cherished desires. [...] Himself has mentioned before that the bath in the Godāvarī in the month of Siṃha when Jupiter is also in the zodiac of Siṃha accords Śiva region ”.

Godāvarī is mentioned as one of the seven holy Gaṅgas (saptagaṅgā), according to Śivapurāṇa 1.15. Accordingly, regarding the benefit in the rites of Devayajña:—“[...] a temple, the bank of a holy tank, the bank of an ordinary river, the bank of a holy river and the banks of the seven holy Gaṅgās (saptagaṅgā) are each of ten times more benefit than the previous. The seven holy Gaṅgās are Gaṅgā, Godāvarī, Kāverī, Tāmraparṇikā, Sindhu, Sarayū and Revā. The shores of the sea are of ten times more benefit than the previous. The summit of a mountain is of ten times more benefit than the shores of the sea”.

Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: The Purana Index

Godāvari (गोदावरि).—(River) from the Sahya hill, the northern part of the Sahya where the Godāvari is a charming spot. Here was founded the town Govardhana, and was planted flower trees by Bharadvāja.1 R. sacred to Pitṛs, filled with Lingas; also Jāmadagnītīrtham; personified as a wife of Havyavāhana fire.2

  • 1) Bhāgavata-purāṇa V. 19. 18; Brahmāṇḍa-purāṇa I. 12. 15; II. 16. 34-45; Vāyu-purāṇa 45. 104, 112. Viṣṇu-purāṇa II. 3. 12.
  • 2) Matsya-purāṇa 22. 46 and 57-8; 51. 13; 114. 29; 163. 61. Vāyu-purāṇa 29. 13.
Source: JatLand: List of Mahabharata people and places

Godāvarī (गोदावरी) refers to the name of a River or Tīrtha (pilgrim’s destination) mentioned in the Mahābhārata (cf. II.9.20, II.9, III.83.30, III.86.2, VI.10.13). Note: The Mahābhārata (mentioning Godāvarī) is a Sanskrit epic poem consisting of 100,000 ślokas (metrical verses) and is over 2000 years old.

Purana book cover
context information

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.

Discover the meaning of godavari in the context of Purana from relevant books on Exotic India

Kavya (poetry)

[«previous next»] — Godavari in Kavya glossary
Source: Shodhganga: A critical appreciation of soddhalas udayasundarikatha

Godāvarī (गोदावरी).—One of the four rivers if India mentioned by Soḍḍhala.—The river Godāvarī has its source in the Brahmagiri, situated on the side of a village called Tryambaka about 20 miles away from Nāsik. The river flows eastward to the bay of Bengal. The City Pratiṣṭhāna of Kuntal country was situated on the bank of Godāvarī.

Source: Shodhganga: The Kavyamimamsa of Rajasekhara

Godāvarī (गोदावरी) is the name a locality mentioned in Rājaśekhara’s 10th-century Kāvyamīmāṃsā.—A popular river in south India. Its origin has been traced to the Brahmagiri, situated on the side of a village Tryambak, which is twenty miles away from Nāsik. The river Godāvarī flows eastward to the Bay of Bengal.

Kavya book cover
context information

Kavya (काव्य, kavya) refers to Sanskrit poetry, a popular ancient Indian tradition of literature. There have been many Sanskrit poets over the ages, hailing from ancient India and beyond. This topic includes mahakavya, or ‘epic poetry’ and natya, or ‘dramatic poetry’.

Discover the meaning of godavari in the context of Kavya from relevant books on Exotic India

Ayurveda (science of life)

Dietetics and Culinary Art (such as household cooking)

Source: Shodhganga: Dietetics and culinary art in ancient and medieval India

Godāvarī (गोदावरी) is an important river whose water (jala) qualities are described in the Bhojanakutūhala (dravyaguṇāguṇa-kathana), and is commonly found in literature dealing with the topics of dietetics and culinary art, also known as Pākaśāstra or Pākakalā.—Different types of water (jala) and their properties are mentioned here [viz., in jala-prakaraṇa]. The text explains the qualities of the water of certain important rivers like [viz., Godāvarī].

Ayurveda book cover
context information

Āyurveda (आयुर्वेद, ayurveda) is a branch of Indian science dealing with medicine, herbalism, taxology, anatomy, surgery, alchemy and related topics. Traditional practice of Āyurveda in ancient India dates back to at least the first millenium BC. Literature is commonly written in Sanskrit using various poetic metres.

Discover the meaning of godavari in the context of Ayurveda from relevant books on Exotic India

Jyotisha (astronomy and astrology)

Source: Wisdom Library: Brihat Samhita by Varahamihira

Godāvarī (गोदावरी) is the name of a River, according to the Bṛhatsaṃhitā (chapter 16) (“On the planets—graha-bhaktiyoga”), an encyclopedic Sanskrit work written by Varāhamihira mainly focusing on the science of ancient Indian astronomy astronomy (Jyotiṣa).—Accordingly, “Mars presides over the people residing in the west half of the countries on both banks of the Śoṇa, the Narmadā and the Beas; over those residing on the banks of the Nirvindhya, the Vetravatī, the Siprā, the Godāvarī, the Veṇa, the Gaṅgā, the Payoṣṇī, the Mahānadī, the Indus, the Mālatī and the Pārā; he also presides over the country of Uttarapāṇḍya, [...]”.

Jyotisha book cover
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.

Discover the meaning of godavari in the context of Jyotisha from relevant books on Exotic India

In Buddhism

Tibetan Buddhism (Vajrayana or tantric Buddhism)

Source: Wisdomlib Libary: Vajrayogini

Godāvarī (गोदावरी) is the name of a sacred site (pīṭha) presided over by Vīramatī, according to the vārāhyabhyudaya-maṇḍala. Vīramatī is a deity situated in one of the six petals of the eastern lotus, of which the presiding deity is kuleśvarī (presiding lady) named Māmakī. The central deity of the vārāhyabhyudaya-maṇḍala is the twelve-armed Vajravarāhī.

Godāvarī is one of the twenty-four pīṭhas, or ‘sacred-site’ (six lotuses each having six petals), each corresponding with a part of the human body. Godāvarī is to be contemplated as situated in the left ear. Besides being associated with a bodily spot, each pīṭha represents an actual place of ancient India frequented particularly by advanced tantric practitioners

Source: academia.edu: A Critical Study of the Vajraḍākamahātantrarāja (II)

Godāvarī (गोदावरी) is one of the four Upapīthas (‘sacred spot’) present within the Cittacakra (‘circle of mid’) which is associated with the Ḍākinī named Khecarī (‘a woman going in the sky’), according to the 9th-centruy Vajraḍākatantra. Cittacakra is one of three Cakras within the Tricakra system which embodies twenty-four sacred spots or districts (viz., Godāvarī) resided over by twenty-four ‘sacred girls’ (ḍākinīs) whose husbands abide in one’s body in the form of twenty-four ingredients (dhātu) of one’s body.

Godāvarī has the presiding Ḍākinī named Vīramatī whose husband, or hero (vīra) is named Surāvairiṇa. The associated internal location is ‘left ear’ and the bodily ingredient (dhātu) is ‘muscle’. According to the Vajraḍākavivṛti, the districts Pañcāla, Gṛhadevatā, Godāvarī and Arbuda are associated with the family deity of Saṃtrāsinī; while in the Abhidhānottarottaratantra there is the Ḍāka deity named Buddhaḍāka standing in the center of the districts named Godāvarī, Devīkoṭa, Rāmeśvara and Mālava (Pañcāla).

Source: OSU Press: Cakrasamvara Samadhi

Godāvarī (गोदावरी) is the pīṭha associated with Vīramatī and Surāvairiṇa, according to the Cakrasaṃvara-maṇḍala or Saṃvaramaṇḍala of Abhayākaragupta’s Niṣpannayogāvalī, p. 45 and n. 145; (Cf. Cakrasaṃvaratantra, Gray, David B., 2007).—The Cakrasaṃvara mandala has a total of sixty-two deities. [...] Three concentric circles going outward, the body, speech and mind wheels (kāya-vāka-citta), in the order: mind (blue), speech (red), and body (white), with eight Ḍākinīs each in non-dual union with their Ḍākas, "male consorts".

Associated elements of Vīramatī and Surāvairiṇa:

Circle: kāyacakra (mind-wheel) (blue);
Ḍākinī (female consort): Vīramatī;
Ḍāka (male consort): Surāvairiṇa;
Bīja: goṃ;
Body-part: left ear;
Pīṭha: Godāvarī;
Bodily constituent: snāyu tendons);
Bodhipakṣa (wings of enlightenment): śraddhendriya (faculty of conviction).

Source: MDPI Books: The Ocean of Heroes

Godāvarī (गोदावरी) is the name of Upapīṭha (category of holy sites), according to the 10th-century Ḍākārṇava-tantra: one of the last Tibetan Tantric scriptures belonging to the Buddhist Saṃvara tradition consisting of 51 chapters.—Accordingly: “Now, [the Blessed One] has taught [holy sites] such as the pīṭha and upapīṭha in sequence. (1) The pīṭha [sites] are Pūrṇagiri, Jālandhara, and Oḍyāyana. Arbuda is likewise the pīṭha. (2) With Godāvarī, the upapīṭha [sites] are Rāmeśvara and Devikoṭa (for Devīkoṭa). Mālava is also the upapīṭha . [...] Girls who are in these places are of [the nature of] the innate, born in their own birthplaces. [...]”.

Tibetan Buddhism book cover
context information

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.

Discover the meaning of godavari in the context of Tibetan Buddhism from relevant books on Exotic India

India history and geography

Source: archive.org: Geography in Ancient Indian inscriptions

Godavarī (गोदवरी) is the name of a river found in India .—The word literally means granting water or kind. It is the largest and the longest river in South India. For details about its course and its tributaries, we may rely on the descriptiongiven by Dr. B. C. Law in his book Historical Geosraphy of Ancient India, pp. 37-38.

Source: archive.org: S.V.U.Oriental Journal, Vol. XI, Jan-Dec 1968, Parts 1&2

Godāvari is the name of a major historic river of Āndhradeśa (Andhra country).—The evolution of Āndhra culture through the ages in its manifold facets succoured by its rivers presents a large diversity nevertheless wiih an all pervading underlying unity. The Brahmakuṇḍi or Guṇḍlakamma unlike several other larger rivers which are tributaries, has an independent course and falls into the Bay of Bengal. It had more in common with the larger rivers (e.g., Godāvari) except in its length where it resembles the minor rivers. On either side of the holy river, flourished kingdoms of the Yādavas of Addanki and of the Reḍḍis subsequently. Centres of pilgrimage, eg., Kanuparti had their heyday. The region and the river are celebrated in the records and literature of the Reḍḍis and relics of bygone glory are seen even today.

Source: archive.org: Nilamata Purana: a cultural and literary study (history)

Godāvarī (गोदावरी) is the name of a river mentioned in the Nīlamatapurāṇa. Stein has identified the Godāvarī with a small stream associated with the Godara mountain and the village named Godara. Close to the west of the village Godara “situated on the right bank of the Viśokā 75° 1'. long. 30° 36' lat.” the Viśokā is joined by the sacred rivulet Godāvarī and the confluence forms a well-known tīrtha.

Source: archive.org: Shiva Purana (history)

Godāvarī (गोदावरी) is the name of a river (also known as Godā or Godāvarī) and forms an important unit in the historical geography of South India. It drains a large area mainly composed of Deccan lavas and flows through a wide fertile valley towards the east. Its catchment area is bounded in the north by the Sahya mountain, the Nirmala and Satmala ranges and the hills of Bastar and Orissa known to the Purāṇas as Mahendra Parvata.

Source: Epigraphia Indica Vol. 36: Tenali plates of eastern Chālukya Vijayāditya I grant

Godāvarī (गोदावरी) is the name of a river found witin Triliṅga: an ancient Sanskrit name of the Andhra country, accoriding to verses on the Annavarappāḍu plates of Kāṭaya Vema Reḍḍi. The Reḍḍis (Reddy) were an ancient Telugu dynasty from the 14th century who brought about a golden age of the Andhra country. According to the plates, their captial was named Addaṅki (Addaṃki) which resembled Heaven (Amarāvatī) by the beauty of its horses, the donors and the women. King Vema, son of Anna-bhūpati of the Paṇṭa family, can be identified with Anavema of the inscription at Śrīśaila.

Source: Ancient Buddhist Texts: Geography of Early Buddhism

Godāvarī (गोदावरी) is the name of a river situated in Dakkhiṇāpatha (Deccan) or “southern district” of ancient India, as recorded in the Pāli Buddhist texts (detailing the geography of ancient India as it was known in to Early Buddhism).—According to the Sarabhaṅga Jātaka Godāvarī is a river near the Kaviṭṭha forest. The Godāvarī is considered to be one of the holiest rivers in Southern India, and had its source in Brahmagiri situated on the side of a village called Tṛyamvaka which is twenty miles from Nāsika.

Source: Singhi Jain Series: Ratnaprabha-suri’s Kuvalayamala-katha (history)

Godāvarī (गोदावरी) (identified with Nasik) is the name of a country included in an international list of students participating in universities of ancient India, as depicted in the Kathās (narrative poems) such as Uddyotanasūri in his 8th-century Kuvalayamālā (a Prakrit Campū, similar to Kāvya poetry).—Page 150.17 f. & 151.1-5: There is described an educational institution which included students from [e.g., Godāvarī] [...]. The courses of study comprised Vyākaraṇa, Buddhism, Sāṃkhya, Nyāya, Anekānta or Jaina and Lokāyata or Cārvāka philosophies. At another place (151.6-11) the prince came across persons who cultivated the seventy-two arts and sixty-four sciences, [...].

India history book cover
context information

The history of India traces the identification of countries, villages, towns and other regions of India, as well as mythology, zoology, 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.

Discover the meaning of godavari in the context of India history from relevant books on Exotic India

Biology (plants and animals)

Source: Wisdom Library: Local Names of Plants and Drugs

Godavari [गोदावरी] in the Nepali language is the name of a plant identified with Glebionis coronaria (L.) Cass. ex Spach from the Asteraceae (Sunflower) family having the following synonyms: Chrysanthemum coronarium, Chrysanthemum speciosum. For the possible medicinal usage of godavari, 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.

Godavari [गोदावरी] in the Nepali language is the name of a plant identified with Chrysanthemum indicum L. from the Asteraceae (Sunflower) family having the following synonyms: Matricaria indica, Dendranthema indicum.

Biology book cover
context information

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.

Discover the meaning of godavari in the context of Biology from relevant books on Exotic India

Languages of India and abroad

Sanskrit dictionary

Source: DDSA: The practical Sanskrit-English dictionary

Godāvarī (गोदावरी).—Name of a river in the south.

Godāvarī is a Sanskrit compound consisting of the terms go and dāvarī (दावरी). See also (synonyms): godā.

Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Shabda-Sagara Sanskrit-English Dictionary

Godāvarī (गोदावरी).—f. (-rī) The name of a river in the peninsula, the Godavari. E, go water, and da what gives, goda and āvṛ to cover or conceal; affixes ap and ṅīp. gāṃ svargaṃ dadāti snānāt dā vanip ṅīp .

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

Godāvarī (गोदावरी).—i. e. go-dāvan + ī, f. The name of a river, [Rāmāyaṇa] 3, 19, 19.

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

Godāvarī (गोदावरी).—[feminine] [Name] of a river.

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

1) Godāvarī (गोदावरी):—[=go-dāvarī] [from go] a f. (= -dā sub voce 1. -da) ‘granting water or kine’, Name of a river in the Dekhan, [Mahābhārata iii; Harivaṃśa 12826; Rāmāyaṇa iii, vi; Raghuvaṃśa] etc.

2) [=go-dāvarī] [from godānīya] b etc. See, [ib.]

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

Godāvarī (गोदावरी):—[godā-varī] (rī) 3. f. Godāvarī river.

Source: DDSA: Paia-sadda-mahannavo; a comprehensive Prakrit Hindi dictionary (S)

Godāvarī (गोदावरी) in the Sanskrit language is related to the Prakrit word: Goāarī.

[Sanskrit to German]

Godavari 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.

Discover the meaning of godavari in the context of Sanskrit from relevant books on Exotic India

Kannada-English dictionary

Source: Alar: Kannada-English corpus

Gōdāvari (ಗೋದಾವರಿ):—[noun] a river in central India, flowing from the Western Ghats into the Bay of Bengal (900 mi. 1,440 km).

context information

Kannada is a Dravidian language (as opposed to the Indo-European language family) mainly spoken in the southwestern region of India.

Discover the meaning of godavari in the context of Kannada from relevant books on Exotic India

See also (Relevant definitions)

Relevant text

Related products

Like what you read? Consider supporting this website: