Grahana, Grahaṇa: 18 definitions
Introduction
Introduction:
Grahana means something in 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 Grahan.
In Hinduism
Natyashastra (theatrics and dramaturgy)
Source: Wisdom Library: Nāṭya-śāstraGrahaṇa (ग्रहण, “taking an arrow”) refers to one of the four acts related to the bow (dhanus). It is also known as ādāna. It is a Sanskrit technical term defined in the Nāṭyaśāstra chapter 11. Accordingly, “taking (grahaṇa) is the pulling out of [the arrow]”.

Natyashastra (नाट्यशास्त्र, nāṭyaśāstra) refers to both the ancient Indian tradition (śāstra) of performing arts, (nāṭya, e.g., theatrics, drama, dance, music), as well as the name of a Sanskrit work dealing with these subjects. It also teaches the rules for composing dramatic plays (nataka) and poetic works (kavya).
Pancaratra (worship of Nārāyaṇa)
Source: Wisdom Library: PāñcarātraGrahaṇa (ग्रहण) refers to an aspect of nṛsiṃha (‘man-lion’), according to the Vihagendra-saṃhitā 4.17, which mentions seventy-four forms (inlcuding twenty forms of vyūha). He is also known as Grahaṇanṛsiṃha or Grahaṇanarasiṃha. Nṛsiṃha is a Tantric deity and refers to the furious (ugra) incarnation of Viṣṇu.
The 15th-century Vihagendra-saṃhīta is a canonical text of the Pāñcarātra corpus and, in twenty-four chapters, deals primarely with meditation on mantras and sacrificial oblations.

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.
Vyakarana (Sanskrit grammar)
Source: Wikisource: A dictionary of Sanskrit grammar1) Grahaṇa (ग्रहण).—Technical term for a word or प्रातिपदिक (prātipadika) in Veda; cf. ग्रहणस्य च । गृह्यते इति ग्रहणं वेदस्थः इाब्दः । तत् त्रिविधम् । कार्यभाक्, निमित्तम्, उपबन्ध इति । तस्यापि स्वरूपपूर्वकः अकारः आख्या भवति । (grahaṇasya ca | gṛhyate iti grahaṇaṃ vedasthaḥ iाbdaḥ | tat trividham | kāryabhāk, nimittam, upabandha iti | tasyāpi svarūpapūrvakaḥ akāraḥ ākhyā bhavati |) Com. on T.Pr.I.22;
2) Grahaṇa.—Citing, quoting; cf. ग्रहणवता प्रातिपादिकेन न तदन्तविधिः (grahaṇavatā prātipādikena na tadantavidhiḥ) Par.Sek. Pari. 3I ; cf. also गृह्णन्तीति ग्रहणाानि (gṛhṇantīti grahaṇāाni) Com. on T.Pr.I.24.
3) Grahaṇa.—Mention, inclusion;
4) Grahaṇa.—Employment in a rule of grammar; cf. प्रातिपादिकग्रहणे लिङ्गविशिष्टस्यापि ग्रहणम् (prātipādikagrahaṇe liṅgaviśiṣṭasyāpi grahaṇam). Par. Sek.Pari.71.
Vyakarana (व्याकरण, vyākaraṇa) refers to Sanskrit grammar and represents one of the six additional sciences (vedanga) to be studied along with the Vedas. Vyakarana concerns itself with the rules of Sanskrit grammar and linguistic analysis in order to establish the correct context of words and sentences.
Jyotisha (astronomy and astrology)
Source: Wikibooks (hi): Sanskrit Technical TermsGrahaṇa (ग्रहण).—Eclipse. Note: Grahaṇa is a Sanskrit technical term used in ancient Indian sciences such as Astronomy, Mathematics and Geometry.

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 Jainism
General definition (in Jainism)
Source: archive.org: TrisastisalakapurusacaritraGrahaṇa (ग्रहण) refers to “grasping the meaning of the Śāstras” and represents one of the eight dhīguṇas (eight qualities), named in the Yogaśāstra, comentary p. 53a (Bhavnagar ed.).

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 geogprahy
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Indian Epigraphical GlossaryGrahaṇa.—(IE 7-1-2), ‘two’. Note: grahaṇa is defined in the “Indian epigraphical glossary” as it can be found on ancient inscriptions commonly written in Sanskrit, Prakrit or Dravidian languages.

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
Marathi-English dictionary
Source: DDSA: The Molesworth Marathi and English Dictionarygrahaṇa (ग्रहण).—(S) Taking, receiving, accepting, seizing. 2 An eclipse.
Source: DDSA: The Aryabhusan school dictionary, Marathi-Englishgrahaṇa (ग्रहण).—n An eclipse. Taking, receiving, accepting. grahaṇāśauca n Impurity in consequence of an eclipse.
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 dictionaryGrahaṇa (ग्रहण).—[grah bhāve lyuṭ]
1) Seizing, catching, seizure; श्वा मृगग्रहणेऽशुचिः (śvā mṛgagrahaṇe'śuciḥ) Ms.5.13.
2) Receiving, accepting, taking; आचारधूमग्रहणात् (ācāradhūmagrahaṇāt) R.7.27.
3) Mentioning, uttering; नामग्रहणम् (nāmagrahaṇam).
4) Wearing putting on; सोत्तरच्छदमध्यास्त नेपथ्यग्रहणाय सः (sottaracchadamadhyāsta nepathyagrahaṇāya saḥ) R.17.21.
5) An eclipse; ग्रहणं चन्द्रसूर्ययोः (grahaṇaṃ candrasūryayoḥ) Y.1.218.
6) Understanding, comprehension, knowledge; यस्य नु ग्रहणं किंचित्कर्मणोऽन्यन्न दृश्यते (yasya nu grahaṇaṃ kiṃcitkarmaṇo'nyanna dṛśyate) Rām.2.22.21; न परेषां ग्रहणस्य गोचराम् (na pareṣāṃ grahaṇasya gocarām) N.2.95
7) Learning, acquiring, grasping mentally, mastering; विपेर्यथावद्ग्रहणेन वाङ्- मयं नदीमुखेनेव समुद्रमाविशत् (viperyathāvadgrahaṇena vāṅ- mayaṃ nadīmukheneva samudramāviśat) R.3.28.
8) Taking up of sound, echo; अद्रिग्रहणगुरुभिर्गर्जितैर्नर्तयेथाः (adrigrahaṇagurubhirgarjitairnartayethāḥ) Me.46.
9) The hand.
1) An organ of sense.
11) A prisoner, captive.
12) Taking by the hand, marrying; तद्दारग्रहणे यत्नं सन्तत्यां च मनः कुरु (taddāragrahaṇe yatnaṃ santatyāṃ ca manaḥ kuru) Mb.1.13.26.
13) Taking captive, imprisonment; न दोषो ग्रहणे तस्याः (na doṣo grahaṇe tasyāḥ) Ks.91.37.
14) Gaining, obtaining, purchasing.
15) Choosing.
16) Taking or drawing up.
17) Attraction.
18) Containing, enclosing.
19) Undertaking, undergoing.
2) Service; अजस्य जन्मोत्पथनाशनाय कर्माण्यकर्तुर्ग्रहणाय पुंसाम् (ajasya janmotpathanāśanāya karmāṇyakarturgrahaṇāya puṃsām) Bhāg.3.1.44.
21) Mentioning with praise, respecting; प्रमाणं सर्वभूतेषु गत्वा च ग्रहणं महत् (pramāṇaṃ sarvabhūteṣu gatvā ca grahaṇaṃ mahat) Mb.12.15.1.
22) Acceptation, meaning.
23) Assent, agreement.
24) Inviting, calling, addressing; name; अलसग्रहणं प्राप्तो दुर्मेधावी तथोच्यते (alasagrahaṇaṃ prāpto durmedhāvī tathocyate) Mb.12.266.6.
Derivable forms: grahaṇam (ग्रहणम्).
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Edgerton Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit DictionaryGrahaṇa (ग्रहण).—nt., confused with gahana, thicket, entan- glement (?): in Mahāvastu i.34.7 (prose) -durga-saṃsāra-kāntāra- grahaṇa-dāruṇāto mahā-prapātāto uddharitvā, Senart thinks that grahaṇa is a copyist's hyper-Sanskrit alteration of gahana, which is a near-synonym of kāntāra (especially in Pali, where diṭṭhi-kantāra and diṭṭhi-gahana are often closely associated); in spite of this, I think grahaṇa may be sound and orig.: rescuing from a great abyss that is dreadful because of the grip of the forest of the saṃsāra etc. In Mahāvastu i.91.14—17 occur four lines of verse in which the mss. repeatedly vary between gahana and grahaṇa; the text is both very corrupt and fragmentary; Senart's note is a very earnest effort to disentangle it, but I find it hardly convincing, tho I am inclined to agree that puns are here contained, involving gahana, entanglement, obstruction, difficulty, as well as thicket, and grahaṇa, seizure, imprisonment (perhaps also eclipse, as by Rāhu, so Sanskrit); the text, with the most important vv.ll., reads: 14 vanagahanaṃ (mss. °grahanaṃ or °ṇaṃ) balagahanaṃ (3 mss. °grah°) girigahanāni (em.; 5 mss. °gahanaṃ, one °grahaṇaṃ) tyāgagrahaṇāni (3 mss. °gahanāni), 15 viṣa- māprati- (mss. viṣamapati-)-saṃniṣaṇṇavanāni tu manu- ṣyagahanāni (5 mss. °graha°), 16 tṛṇagulmakaṇṭakalatā- kulāni vṛkṣagrahaṇā- (mss. °grahaṇya- or °nya-) gahanāni (3 mss. grahaṇāni), 17 śaṭhanikṛtipaiśunyāni tu manuṣya- gahanāni (5 mss. °grahanāni or °ṇāni). Tho Senart's interpretation seems very dubious, I cannot suggest with confidence any improvements. The meter is meant for āryā. See also gahana, gahana-tā.
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Shabda-Sagara Sanskrit-English DictionaryGrahaṇa (ग्रहण).—mfn.
(-ṇaḥ-ṇā-ṇaṃ) A prisoner, captive, confined. n.
(-ṇaṃ) 1. Taking, seizure. 2. Receiving, acceptance. 3. Assent, agreement. 4. Respect. 5. The hand. 6. An eclipse. 7. Comprehension, the taking or receiving of instruction, or the acquirement of any science. 8. Sound. 9. An organ of sense. 10. In grammar, Exception. E. grah to take, affix bhāve lyuṭ.
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Benfey Sanskrit-English DictionaryGrahaṇa (ग्रहण).—i. e. grah + ana, I. adj. Seizing, [Harivaṃśa, (ed. Calc.)] 2734. Ii. n. 1. Taking, seizure, [Mṛcchakaṭikā, (ed. Stenzler.)] 147, 1. 2. Captivity, [Rāmāyaṇa] 1, 1, 73. 3. An eclipse (cf. graha, Ii. 1), [Śṛṅgāratilaks] 6. 4. Receiving, [Rāmāyaṇa] 1, 24, 18. 5. Buying, [Pañcatantra] 229, 2. 6. Putting on, Mahābhārata 2, 840. 7. Undergoing, [Pañcatantra] 34, 9. 8. Protection, [Bhāgavata-Purāṇa, (ed. Burnouf.)] 3, 1, 44. 9. Pronouncing, [Mānavadharmaśāstra] 6, 67. 10. Perception, Mahābhārata 14, 1197. 11. Study, [Mānavadharmaśāstra] 2, 173.
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Cappeller Sanskrit-English DictionaryGrahaṇa (ग्रहण).—[adjective] seizing, holding (—°). [feminine] ī an imaginary organ in the belly. —[neuter] grasp, seizure ([especially] by Rahu, i.e. eclipse, cf. graha), taking, holding, marrying, buying, choosing, drawing (water), putting on, donning, undergoing, acquiring, learning, study, perception, apprehension, mentioning, naming, the use of a term & the term itself.
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary1) Grahaṇa (ग्रहण):—[from grah] mfn. ifc. seizing, holding, [Harivaṃśa 2734]
2) [v.s. ...] resounding in (?), [Śakuntalā ii, 0/1, 6]
3) [v.s. ...] n. the hand, [cf. Lexicographers, esp. such as amarasiṃha, halāyudha, hemacandra, etc.]
4) [v.s. ...] an organ of sense, [Yoga-sūtra i, 41]
5) [v.s. ...] a prisoner, [Mahābhārata xiii, 2051]
6) [v.s. ...] a word mentioned or employed (e.g. vacana-, ‘the word vacana’), [Patañjali] and, [Kāśikā-vṛtti]
7) [v.s. ...] seizing, holding, taking, [Śatapatha-brāhmaṇa xiv; Manu-smṛti ii, 317; Mahābhārata] etc.
8) [v.s. ...] taking by the hand, marrying, [i, 1044]
9) [v.s. ...] catching, seizure, taking captive, [Manu-smṛti v, 130; Mahābhārata] etc.
10) [v.s. ...] seizure (as by a demon causing diseases), demoniacal possession, [Hemādri’s Caturvarga-cintāmaṇi]
11) [v.s. ...] seizure of the sun or moon, eclipse, [Āpastamba-dharma-sūtra i, 11; Yājñavalkya i, 218; Varāha-mihira’s Bṛhat-saṃhitā] etc.
12) [v.s. ...] gaining, obtaining, receiving, acceptance, [Rāmāyaṇa i, 3, 18; Pañcatantra; Kathāsaritsāgara xci, 37]
13) [v.s. ...] choosing, [Sāṃkhyakārikā; Prabodha-candrodaya; Sāhitya-darpaṇa vi, 201]
14) [v.s. ...] purchasing, [Pañcatantra]
15) [v.s. ...] taking or drawing up (any fluid), [Śatapatha-brāhmaṇa iv; Kātyāyana-śrauta-sūtra]
16) [v.s. ...] the taking up of sound, echo, [Horace H. Wilson]
17) [v.s. ...] attraction, [Meghadūta; Raghuvaṃśa vii, 24; Pañcatantra v, 13, 5/6]
18) [v.s. ...] putting on (clothes), [Mahābhārata ii, 840; Raghuvaṃśa xvii, 21]
19) [v.s. ...] assuming (a shape), [Yājñavalkya iii, 69; Mahābhārata xiv; Devī-māhātmya]
20) [v.s. ...] undertaking, devoting one’s self to (in [compound]), [Rāmāyaṇa v, 76, 22; Pañcatantra]
21) [v.s. ...] service, [Bhāgavata-purāṇa iii, 1, 44]
22) [v.s. ...] including, [Pāṇini; Kāśikā-vṛtti]
23) [v.s. ...] mentioning, employing (a word or expression), [Kātyāyana-śrauta-sūtra; Lāṭyāyana; Vājasaneyi-saṃhitā-prātiśākhya; Pāṇini], [vArttika], [Patañjali] and, [Kāśikā-vṛtti; Sāhitya-darpaṇa vi, 205]
24) [v.s. ...] mentioning with praise, acknowledgment, [Suśruta]
25) [v.s. ...] assent, agreement, [Horace H. Wilson]
26) [v.s. ...] perceiving, understanding, comprehension, receiving instruction, acquirement of any science, [Manu-smṛti ii, 173; Mahābhārata iii, xiv; Raghuvaṃśa] etc.
27) [v.s. ...] acceptation, meaning, [Pāṇini 1-1, 68], [vArttika] 5, [Patañjali; Kāśikā-vṛtti] and, [Siddhānta-kaumudī on Pāṇini]
28) [from grah] (cf. kara-, keśa-, garbha-, cakṣur-, nāma-, pāṇi-, punar-.)
[Sanskrit to German] (Deutsch Wörterbuch)
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Sanskrit-Wörterbuch in kürzerer FassungGrahaṇa (ग्रहण):——
1) Adj. am Ende eines Comp. haltend. —
2) f. ī — a) ein eingebildetes , zwischen Magen und Gedärmen liegendes Organ , welches den Uebergang der Nahrungstoffe aus jenem in diese und die Wärme des Leibes vermitteln soll. — b) = grahaṇīgada [Hemādri’s Caturvargacintāmaṇi 1,472,19.20.22.] —
3) n. grahaṇa — a) *Hand. — b) Sinnesorgan. — c) Gefangener. — d) ein erwähntes , gebrauchtes Wort [232,14.233,2.242,27.] — e) Nom. act. (adj. Comp. f. ā) — α) das Ergreifen , Packen , Festhalten [34,10] ff. — β) das Fangen [218,11.] Einfangen , Gefangennehmen , in seine Gewalt Bekommen. — γ) das Ergreifen von Seiten eines Krankheitsdämons , Besessenheit [Hemādri’s Caturvargacintāmaṇi 1,215,16.] — δ) das Ergreifen der Sonne oder der Mondes von Seiten Rāhu's, Verfinsterung [Āpastamba’s Dharmasūtra] [Hemādri’s Caturvargacintāmaṇi 1,357,6.] dvaya n. Sonnen- oder (und) Mondfinsterniss [387,20.] — ε) das Ergreifen , so v.a. Anprallen an [Meghadūta 44.] — ζ) das Gewinnen , Erlangen , Erhalten , Empfangen. — η) das Nehmen (einer Frau). — θ) das Kaufen. — ι) das Erwählen. — κ) das Auffassen , Schöpfen (von Flüssigkeiten). — λ) das Auffangen , Aufnehmen. — μ) das Anlegen , Annehmen (eines Kleides , einer Tracht , eines Körpers) [291,19.106,24.] — ν) das Aufsichnehmen , Sichhingeben. — ξ) das Gefälligsein , Diensterweisung. — ο) das Insichbegreifen , Insichschliessen. — π) das Erwähnen , Nennen , Brauchen eines Ausdrucks [216,3.22,22.224,3.225,1.233,21.234,31.239,23.241,9.] — ρ) rühmliches Nennen , Anerkennen. — σ) das Erfassen , Wahrnehmen , Vernehmen , Erkennen , Begreifen , Erlernen [222,9.] — τ) das Meinen , Darunterverstehen [216,4.228,15.229,17.236,12.14.238,8.32.]
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Grāhaṇa (ग्राहण):—n. in ṛṇagrāhaṇa.
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 (+12): Grahanachayadisadhanayogasarani, Grahanadarpana, Grahanadarsha, Grahanadhikara, Grahanagata, Grahanaka, Grahanakriyakrama, Grahanalikhananukrama, Grahanamadhya, Grahanamukura, Grahananarasimha, Grahananirnaya, Grahananrisimha, Grahananta, Grahanantam, Grahanantika, Grahanapaddhati, Grahanapancanga, Grahanaphala, Grahanaprakashika.
Ends with (+114): A-cullaka-kura-khatva-grahana, A-dugdha-dadhi-grahana, A-harita-parna-shaka-pushpa-phala-dugdha-dadhi-ghrita-takra-grahana, A-haritaka-shaka-pushpa-grahana, A-parampara-balivarda-grahana, A-pushpa-kshira-grahana, A-trina-kashtha-grahana, Abhigrahana, Acaradhumagrahana, Acharadhumagrahana, Agrahana, Alpragrahana, Anadeshyagrahana, Anugrahana, Anvarthagrahana, Apanigrahana, Aprapyagrahana, Apratigrahana, Arthagrahana, Ashirgrahana.
Full-text (+152): Rikthagrahana, Panigrahana, Garbhagrahana, Koshagrahana, Dandagrahana, Grahananta, Pratigrahana, Girana, Candragrahana, Garbhagraha, Vigrahagrahana, Daragrahana, Grahanantika, Langalagrahana, Managrahana, Mukhagrahana, Grahanavat, Shariragrahana, Udgrahana, Padagrahana.
Relevant text
Search found 23 books and stories containing Grahana, Grahaṇa, Grāhaṇa; (plurals include: Grahanas, Grahaṇas, Grāhaṇas). You can also click to the full overview containing English textual excerpts. Below are direct links for the most relevant articles:
Jnaneshwari (Bhavartha Dipika) (by Ramchandra Keshav Bhagwat)
Verse 11.33 < [Chapter 11 - Vishvarupa-darshana-yoga]
Sri Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu (by Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī)
Verse 3.4.44 < [Part 4 - Parenthood (vātsalya-rasa)]
Verse 2.4.154 < [Part 4 - Transient Ecstatic Disturbances (vyābhicāri-bhāva)]
Puranic encyclopaedia (by Vettam Mani)
Siddhanta Sangraha of Sri Sailacharya (by E. Sowmya Narayanan)
Chapter 36 - The Validity of Śrī Pañcarātra
Chapter 30 - The five divisions of sense-object relationship
Brihad Bhagavatamrita (commentary) (by Śrī Śrīmad Bhaktivedānta Nārāyana Gosvāmī Mahārāja)
Verse 2.2.94 < [Chapter 2 - Jñāna (knowledge)]
Maha Prajnaparamita Sastra (by Gelongma Karma Migme Chödrön)
Part 1 - Definition of theft (steya) < [Section I.2 - Abstaining from theft]
3. The teaching of Emptiness (śūnyatā) < [Part 3 - The Prajñā and the teaching of the Dharma]
Preliminary note on obtaining the gates of recollection and concentration < [Part 4 - Obtaining the gates of recollection and concentration]