Gridhra, Gṛdhra, Gṛdhrā: 27 definitions
Introduction:
Gridhra means something in Buddhism, Pali, Hinduism, Sanskrit, 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.
The Sanskrit terms Gṛdhra and Gṛdhrā can be transliterated into English as Grdhra or Gridhra, using the IAST transliteration scheme (?).
Alternative spellings of this word include Gradhra.
In Hinduism
Ayurveda (science of life)
Veterinary Medicine (The study and treatment of Animals)
1) Gṛdhra (गृध्र) (lit. “one who strives after greedily”) refers to the Black or King Vulture (Sarcogyps calvus), according to scientific texts such as the Mṛgapakṣiśāstra (Mriga-pakshi-shastra) or “the ancient Indian science of animals and birds” by Hamsadeva, containing the varieties and descriptions of the animals and birds seen in the Sanskrit Epics such as the Ramayana and Mahabharata.
2) Gṛdhra (गृध्र) (lit. “one who is gready”) also refers to the Hawk/Falcon (Śyena).
Unclassified Ayurveda definitions
Gṛdhra (गृध्र) is a Sanskrit word referring to the animal “vulture”. The meat of this animal is part of the māṃsavarga (‘group of flesh’), which is used throughout Ayurvedic literature. The animal Gṛdhra is part of the sub-group named prasaha, refering to animals “who take their food by snatching”. It was classified by Caraka in his Carakasaṃhitā sūtrasthāna (chapter 27), a classical Ayurvedic work. Caraka defined such groups (vargas) based on the dietic properties of the substance.
Gṛdhra (गृध्र)—Sanskrit word for a bird corresponding to “vulture”. This animal is from the group called Prasaha (‘carnivorous birds’). Prasaha itself is a sub-group of the group of animals known as Jāṅghala (living in high ground and in a jungle).
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.
Purana and Itihasa (epic history)
Gṛdhra (गृध्र) refers to the “vultures”, flying above Dakṣa at the time of the destruction of his sacrifice, according to the Śivapurāṇa 2.2.34. Accordingly, as Brahmā narrated to Nārada:—“[...] When Vīrabhadra set off thus, bad omens were seen by Dakṣa and the Devas. [...] Thousands of vultures (gṛdhra) hovered above touching Dakṣa’s head. Shadows of these darkened the sacrificial platform”.
Gṛdhra (गृध्र) refers to “vultures”, according to the Śivapurāṇa 2.4.7 (“Commencement of the War”).—Accordingly, as Brahmā narrated to Nārada: “[...] Jackals and vixens began eating the flesh. Numbers of vultures (gṛdhra), kites, crows and carnivorous birds devoured the flesh of those falling down. In the meantime Tāraka, the demon of great strength, came there with a huge army to fight with the gods. On seeing the haughty warrior rushing on them, Indra and others, turned against him. Then a tumultuous sound arose from both the armies. [...]”.
Gṛdhra (गृध्र).—A son of Kṛṣṇa and Mitravindā.*
- * Bhāgavata-purāṇa X. 61. 16.
Gṛdhra (गृध्र) is a name mentioned in the Mahābhārata (cf. I.60.55) and represents one of the many proper names used for people and places. Note: The Mahābhārata (mentioning Gṛdhra) is a Sanskrit epic poem consisting of 100,000 ślokas (metrical verses) and is over 2000 years old.
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.
Dharmashastra (religious law)
Gṛdhra (गृध्र) refers to the bird “Vulture” (Gyps bengalensis).—Birds have been described in several ancient Sanskrit texts that they have been treated elaborately by eminent scholars. These birds [viz., Gṛdhra] are enumerated in almost several Smṛtis in context of specifying the expiations for killing them and their flesh being used as a dietary article to give satisfaction to the manes (Pitṛs) in Śrāddha rites. These are elaborated especially in the Manusmṛti, Parāśarasmṛti [chapter VI], Gautamasmṛti [chapter 23], Śātātapasmṛti [II.54-56], Uśānasmṛti [IX.10-IX.12], Yājñavalkyasmṛti [I.172-I.175], Viṣṇusmṛti [51.28-51.29], Uttarāṅgirasasmṛti [X.16].
Dharmashastra (धर्मशास्त्र, dharmaśāstra) contains the instructions (shastra) regarding religious conduct of livelihood (dharma), ceremonies, jurisprudence (study of law) and more. It is categorized as smriti, an important and authoritative selection of books dealing with the Hindu lifestyle.
Shaivism (Shaiva philosophy)
Gṛdhra (गृध्र) refers to a “vulture” (i.e., ‘being amongst vultures in dreams’), according to the Svacchanda-tantra.—Accordingly, [verse 4.21-27, while describing inauspicious dreams]—“[...] [He dreams of] the destruction of houses, palaces, beds, clothes, and seats; defeat of oneself in battle and theft of ones things. [He] ascends or is amongst donkeys, camels, dogs, jackals, and herons, vultures (gṛdhra), and cranes. [He rides on] buffalos, owls, and crows, eats cooked meat, [wears a] red garland, and ointment for the body. [...]”
Shaiva (शैव, śaiva) or Shaivism (śaivism) represents a tradition of Hinduism worshiping Shiva as the supreme being. Closely related to Shaktism, Shaiva literature includes a range of scriptures, including Tantras, while the root of this tradition may be traced back to the ancient Vedas.
General definition (in Hinduism)
Gridhra is the name of a Saptarishi (fifth of the seven) of the Fourteenth Manvantara (where Bhautya is Manu and Suchi is Indra) of the Śveta-vārāha Kalpa.
In Buddhism
Mahayana (major branch of Buddhism)
Gṛdhra (गृध्र, “vulture”) represents an incarnation destination of the tiryaggati (animal realm) according to the “world of transmigration” section in the 2nd century Mahāprajñāpāramitāśāstra (chapter XXVII).—The Bodhisattva sees the animals (tiryak) undergoing all the torments: they are made to gallop by blows of the whip or stick; they are made to make long journeys carrying burdens; their harness is damaged; they are branded with hot iron. As a result of shamelessness (anapatrāpya), lack of self-respect (āhrīkya) and gluttony (gṛddhitva), they take the form of a bird such as [for example], a vulture (gṛdhra).
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.
Tibetan Buddhism (Vajrayana or tantric Buddhism)
Gṛdhrā (गृध्रा) is the name of a Ḍākinī who, together with the Vīra (hero) named Gṛdhra forms one of the 36 pairs situated in the Vāyucakra, according to the 10th century Ḍākārṇava chapter 15. Accordingly, the vāyucakra refers to one of the three divisions of the dharma-puṭa (‘dharma layer’), situated in the Herukamaṇḍala. The 36 pairs of Ḍākinīs [viz., Gṛdhrā] and Vīras are dark blue in color; they each have one face and four arms; they hold a skull bowl, a skull staff, a small drum, and a knife.
Gṛdhra (गृध्र) refers to a “vulture”, according to the Bhūśalyasūtrapātananimittavidhi section of Jagaddarpaṇa’s Ācāryakriyāsamuccaya, a text within Tantric Buddhism dealing with construction manual for monasteries etc.—Accordingly, “[...] [The officiant] should examine omens. If a cord is cut, the death of a master [will take place]. If the cries of a jackal, a vulture (gṛdhra) and a heron) [are heard], then the death of a lord [will] definitely [take place]. [...]”.
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.
Languages of India and abroad
Marathi-English dictionary
gṛdhra (गृध्र).—m (S) A vulture. In Sanskrit, and sometimes in Prakrit, this term is applicable to Kite.
gṛdhra (गृध्र).—m A vulture.
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
Gṛdhra (गृध्र).—a. [gṛdh-kran] Greedy, covetous.
-dhraḥ, -dhram A vulture; मार्जारस्य हि दोषेण हतो गृध्रो जरद्गवः (mārjārasya hi doṣeṇa hato gṛdhro jaradgavaḥ) H.1.53; R. 12.5,54.
-dhrī The female vulture; Y.3.256.
Gṛdhra (गृध्र).—mfn.
(-dhraḥ-dhrā-dhraṃ) Desirous, greedy, covetous. m.
(-dhraḥ) A vulture. E. gṛdh to desire, and kran Unadi affix; it may also written gṛddhra.
Gṛdhra (गृध्र).—[gṛdh + ra], I. adj. Greedy, [Pañcatantra] i. [distich] 203. Ii. m. A vulture, [Rāmāyaṇa] 3, 20, 19. Iii. f. rī, A female vulture, [Yājñavalkya, (ed. Stenzler.)] 3, 256.
— Cf. [Latin] vultur.
Gṛdhra (गृध्र).—[adjective] the same; [masculine] vulture, [feminine] ī female v., the myth. mother of the vultures.
1) Gṛdhra (गृध्र):—[from gṛdh] mfn. desiring greedily or fervently, [Ṛg-veda]
2) [v.s. ...] eager for, desirous of (in [compound]), [Mahābhārata vii, 210; Pañcatantra; Bhāgavata-purāṇa xi]
3) [v.s. ...] m. a vulture, [Ṛg-veda; Atharva-veda; Taittirīya-saṃhitā v; Adbhuta-brāhmaṇa; Manu-smṛti] etc.
4) [v.s. ...] Name of a son of Kṛṣṇa, [Bhāgavata-purāṇa x, 61, 16]
5) [v.s. ...] of a Ṛṣi in the 14th Manv-antara, [Viṣṇu-purāṇa]
6) [v.s. ...] of a Rakṣas, [Gaṇeśa-purāṇa]
7) [from gṛdh] cf. Old [German] gīr ; [modern] [German] geier.
Gṛdhra (गृध्र):—(dhraḥ) 1. m. A vulture. a. Covetous, greedy, desirous.
Gṛdhra (गृध्र):—
--- OR ---
Gṛdhra (गृध्र):—
1) a) [Bhāgavatapurāṇa 11, 12, 23.] —
2) dṛṣṭi adj. [Mahābhārata 12, 5309. Z. 9] richtig gṛdhrā ni ed. Bomb. —
3) m. Nomen proprium a) eines Sohnes des Kṛṣṇa [Bhāgavatapurāṇa 10, 61, 16.] — b) eines Rākṣasa [Oxforder Handschriften 78,b,41.]
--- OR ---
Gṛdhra (गृध्र):—
2) [Z. 9] gṛdhrā nilīyante, wie wir vermuthet hatten, ed. Bomb.
Gṛdhra (गृध्र):——
1) Adj. gierig , heftig verlangend — , lechzend nach (im Comp. vorangehend). —
2) m. — a) Geier. — b) Nomen proprium — α) eines Sohnes des Kṛṣṇa. — β) eines Ṛṣi im 14ten Manvantara [VP.².,3,28.] — γ) eines Rakṣas. —
3) f. gṛdhrī — a) das Weibchen des Geiers. — b) die Urmutter der Geier , eine Tochter Kaśyapa’s und der Tāmrā.
Gṛdhra (गृध्र) in the Sanskrit language is related to the Prakrit words: Gaddha, Giddha.
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
Gṛdhra (गृध्र) [Also spelled gradhra]:—(nm) a vulture; (a) greedy; —[dṛṣṭi] long-sighted; one gifted with a capability to see remote things.
...
Kannada-English dictionary
Gṛdhra (ಗೃಧ್ರ):—[noun] any of various accipitrine birds with long, pointed wings and, usu., a forked tail which prey esp. on insects, reptiles, and small mammals; a kite.
Kannada is a Dravidian language (as opposed to the Indo-European language family) mainly spoken in the southwestern region of India.
Nepali dictionary
Gṛdhra (गृध्र):—adj. greedy; covetous; desiring fervently; n. vulture;
Nepali is the primary language of the Nepalese people counting almost 20 million native speakers. The country of Nepal is situated in the Himalaya mountain range to the north of India.
See also (Relevant definitions)
Starts with (+12): Gridhracakra, Gridhrachaya, Gridhradrishti, Gridhragandha, Gridhrajambhuka, Gridhrajambuka, Gridhrakuta, Gridhrakutaparvata, Gridhramojantaka, Gridhramukha, Gridhramukhi, Gridhrana, Gridhranakhi, Gridhrani, Gridhrapati, Gridhrapatra, Gridhrapattra, Gridhraputrika, Gridhraraj, Gridhraraja.
Full-text (+74): Gridhrasi, Gridhrakuta, Gridhranakhi, Gridhraraja, Gridhravaja, Gridhrapati, Gridhravaktra, Gridhraraj, Gridhravata, Gridhramojantaka, Gridhrasad, Gridhrayatu, Gridhravajita, Gridhradrishti, Gridhrapatra, Gridhraputrika, Saptagridhra, Gridhrajambuka, Gridhrapattra, Gridhrani.
Relevant text
Search found 57 books and stories containing Gridhra, Gṛdhra, Grdhra, Gṛdhrā; (plurals include: Gridhras, Gṛdhras, Grdhras, Gṛdhrās). 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)
Animal Kingdom (Tiryak) in Epics (by Saranya P.S)
Chapter 4.24 - The Gridhra (Vulture) in the Epics
Chapter 3.2 - The story of Jatayu (Bird characters, part 2)
Agni Purana (by N. Gangadharan)
Journal of Ayurveda and Integrated Medical Sciences
Conceptual study of Gridhrasi with special reference to Sciatica < [Vol. 9 No. 7 (2024)]
Unravelling Sciatica: Insights into Gridhrasi from Ayurvedic Classics < [Vol. 10 No. 2 (2025)]
Critical review on pathogenesis of Vataj and Vatakaphaj Gridhrasi (Sciatica) < [Vol. 4 No. 05 (2019)]
International Ayurvedic Medical Journal
A critical review of vataja and vatakaphaja gridhrasi < [2016, Issue X October]
Agnikarma with tamra shalaka in the management of gridhrasi w.s.r to sciatica - a case study < [2021, Issue 7, July]
A critical review on gridhrasi (sciatica) < [2017, Issue IV April]
List of Mahabharata people and places (by Laxman Burdak)