Grihapati, Gṛhapati, Griha-pati: 18 definitions
Introduction:
Grihapati means something in Buddhism, Pali, Hinduism, Sanskrit, Jainism, Prakrit, the history of ancient India. 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 Gṛhapati can be transliterated into English as Grhapati or Grihapati, using the IAST transliteration scheme (?).
In Hinduism
Dharmashastra (religious law)
Source: Wisdom Library: Dharma-śāstraGṛhapati (गृहपति) refers to “householder”. The disguise of such a person is part of a five-fold group of spies (pañcavarga), according to Uśanas. The word is used throughout Dharmaśāstra literature such as the Manusmṛti. (also see the Manubhāṣya verse 7.154)
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.
Purana and Itihasa (epic history)
Source: archive.org: Puranic EncyclopediaGṛhapati (गृहपति).—A sage. There is a story in Śiva Purāṇa about this sage.
Viśvānara father of Gṛhapati was living with his wife Śuciṣmatī in a hermitage on the banks of the river Narmadā. They had no children and Śuciṣmatī, was grieved much on this account. She requested her husband find out ways and means to get a child. Viśvānara, went to Kāśī and did penance to propitiate Viśveśvara and the God appeared before him and blessed him and said: "You will soon get a son". Very soon the wife of Viśvānara delivered a child and the son was named Gṛhapati. When the child was nine years old Nārada came there once and warned them against fire. Viśvānara immediately went and did penance to propitiate Śiva and obtained from him for his son the qualities of fire also so that fire would be unable to act on him. It was on account of this that Gṛhapati when he installed an idol of Śiva at Kāśī gave it the name of Agnīśvara.
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: The Purana Index1a) Gṛhapati (गृहपति).—The Agni where Ahirbudhnya is located.*
- * Matsya-purāṇa 12. 26; Vāyu-purāṇa 29. 24.
1b) The yajamāna of the sacrifice.*
- * Vāyu-purāṇa 1. 23.
1c) His duties;1 to do five yajñas and 30 saṃskāras; by adopting a Pāṣaṇḍa as guru, that family will be ruined.2 duties of; good conduct; observance of daily duties and rituals; fasts, feasts, agnihotra, śrāddha, etc.; by observing them he goes to the world of Prajāpati.
- 1) Bhāgavata-purāṇa VII. 14. (whole); Matsya-purāṇa 18. 16; 40. 1 and 3.
- 2) Matsya-purāṇa 52. 16; 267. 33.
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
Mahayana (major branch of Buddhism)
Source: Wisdom Library: Maha Prajnaparamita Sastra1) Gṛhapati (गृहपति) refers to “wealthy householders” and represents one of the seven destination of rebirths in kāmadhātu, according to the 2nd century Mahāprajñāpāramitāśāstra chapter XLIX.—Accordingly, “another, with generosity and mediocre morality is pleased with worldly happiness (lokasukha): he is reborn in the families of the householders (gṛhapati). These householders are ordinary people but very wealthy”.
2) Gṛhapati (गृहपति) (Cf. Gṛhapatiratna) refers to a “treasurer”, according to Mahāprajñāpāramitāśāstra (chapter 22, v2).—Accordingly, “The Bodhisattva-mahāsattva has an entourage consisting only of Bodhisattvas.—[Those who surround the bodhisattva of the ninth ground (sādhumatī-bhūmi)] are wise men, good men who, from lifetime to lifetime have accumulated merit. In the present passage, the Buddha himself says that the entourage is composed solely of Bodhisattvas. Thus, it is said in the Pou-k’o-sseu-yi king [Acintyasūtra, or Gaṇḍavyūha) that Kiu-p’i-ye (Gopiyā or Gopā) was a great Bodhisattva. The whole entourage is in the level of the non-regressing Bodhisattvas. These Bodhisattvas, by the magical power of the concentration of means, change into men or women and together form the entourage of the Bodhisattva of the ninth ground]. They are like the treasurer-jewel [i.e., gṛhapati-ratna] of a Cakravartin king: he is a Yakṣa or an Asura, but he takes the form of a man in order to work with men”.
Source: academia.edu: A Study and Translation of the GaganagañjaparipṛcchāGṛhapati (गृहपति) refers to a “householder”, according to the Gaganagañjaparipṛcchā: the eighth chapter of the Mahāsaṃnipāta (a collection of Mahāyāna Buddhist Sūtras).—Accordingly, after the exposition of the dharma, ‘A Chapter of the Collection of Dharma’ (dharmasaṃgraha), was taught: “[...] When this teaching was taught and verses were accomplished, the wicked Māra, having magically created four kinds of troops, came to the courtyard where the Lord stayed with them, stationed them on the outside of the courtyard, disguised himself as a householder (gṛhapati), went in front of the Lord, and bowed down at his feet, saying: ‘[...]’”.
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.
In Jainism
General definition (in Jainism)
Source: Google Books: Jainism: An Indian Religion of SalvationGṛhapati (गृहपति, “chamberlain”).—One of the fourteen gems (ratna) serving the Cakravartin;—The gṛhapati is the chamberlain who looks after the kitchen and storeroom and has the wardrobe and provisions under his command.
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: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Indian Epigraphical GlossaryGṛhapati.—(EI 25; CII 3; LL), a householder; same as Gṛhastha. Note: gṛhapati 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 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.
Languages of India and abroad
Sanskrit dictionary
Source: DDSA: The practical Sanskrit-English dictionaryGṛhapati (गृहपति).—
1) a householder; बामं गृहपतिं नय (bāmaṃ gṛhapatiṃ naya) Ṛgveda 6.53.2; a man who has entered on the second stage of life, one who, after having completed his studies, is married and settled.
2) a sacrificer.
3) the virtue of a householder; i. e. hospitality.
4) Ved. an epithet of Agni.
5) the maintenance of the sacred and perpetual fire.
6) the head or judge of a village; Mṛcchakaṭika 2; Daśakumāracarita 8.
Derivable forms: gṛhapatiḥ (गृहपतिः).
Gṛhapati is a Sanskrit compound consisting of the terms gṛha and pati (पति).
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Edgerton Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit DictionaryGṛhapati (गृहपति).—(= Pali gahapati), lit. householder, in °ti-ratna, as one of the 7 ‘jewels’ of a cakravartin: Lalitavistara 14.5; Mahāvastu i.49.4; 193.17, etc., see the lists s.v. ratna (3). The function of the gṛhapati-ratna is to discern the location of hidden treasures by means of the divya-cakṣus which he possesses, and bring those of them which are ownerless (asvāmika) into the possession of the king: Lalitavistara 17.17—22; substantially the same statement in Pali, Dīghanikāya (Pali) ii.176.7 ff. For this reason, no doubt, [Pali Text Society’s Pali-English Dictionary] s.v. ratna translates gahapati by treasurer; but there is no clear evidence that he had precisely the functions which we should associate with that title. In Pali a gahapati (see [Pali Text Society’s Pali-English Dictionary] s.v.) is, to be sure, often associated with seṭṭhi = śreṣṭhin; the Pali word is often rendered treasurer, but perhaps capitalist would be better (orig. guild-leader).
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Shabda-Sagara Sanskrit-English DictionaryGṛhapati (गृहपति).—m.
(-tiḥ) 1. A house. holder, a man of the second class, or who after having finished his studies is married and settled. 2. A house holder of particular merit, giving alms, and performing all the prescribed ceremonies, &c. 3. Maintenance of a sacred and perpetual fire. 4. Virtue, especially of a householder, as hospitality, &c. E. gṛha a house. and pati lord or master.
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Benfey Sanskrit-English DictionaryGṛhapati (गृहपति).—m. a householder, [Pañcatantra] i. [distich] 410.
Gṛhapati is a Sanskrit compound consisting of the terms gṛha and pati (पति).
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Cappeller Sanskrit-English DictionaryGṛhapati (गृहपति).—[masculine] master of a house, householder, ([feminine] gṛhapatnī) [Epithet] of Agni.
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary1) Gṛhapati (गृहपति):—[=gṛha-pati] [from gṛha > gṛbh] m. (ha-) ([Pāṇini 6-2, 18]) the master of a house, householder, [Ṛg-veda vi, 53, 2; Atharva-veda; Śatapatha-brāhmaṇa iv, viii; Kauśika-sūtra] etc.
2) [v.s. ...] Name of Agni, [Ṛg-veda; Vājasaneyi-saṃhitā; Atharva-veda; Śatapatha-brāhmaṇa i, v; Mahābhārata iii, 14211; xii, 8883] ([genitive case] [plural] tinām metrically for tīnām)
3) [v.s. ...] for graha-p (q.v.)
4) [v.s. ...] a householder of peculiar merit (giving alms and performing all the prescribed ceremonies), [especially] one who has the precedence at a grand sacrifice (sattra), [Aitareya-brāhmaṇa v, viii; Śatapatha-brāhmaṇa viii, xi f.; Tāṇḍya-brāhmaṇa] etc.
5) [v.s. ...] the head or judge of a village, [Daśakumāra-carita viii, 207; Mṛcchakaṭikā ii, 14/15, 8 [Scholiast or Commentator]]
6) [v.s. ...] a Brāhman of the 2nd order who after having finished his studies marries, [Horace H. Wilson]
7) [v.s. ...] = dharma (the maintenance of a sacred and perpetual fire, the duty of a householder, hospitality etc.), [cf. Lexicographers, esp. such as amarasiṃha, halāyudha, hemacandra, etc.]
8) [v.s. ...] = -vitta, [cf. Lexicographers, esp. such as amarasiṃha, halāyudha, hemacandra, etc.]
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Yates Sanskrit-English DictionaryGṛhapati (गृहपति):—[gṛha-pati] (tiḥ) 2. m. A householder.
Source: DDSA: Paia-sadda-mahannavo; a comprehensive Prakrit Hindi dictionary (S)Gṛhapati (गृहपति) in the Sanskrit language is related to the Prakrit words: Gahavai, Gihavai.
[Sanskrit to German]
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.
Kannada-English dictionary
Source: Alar: Kannada-English corpusGṛhapati (ಗೃಹಪತಿ):—
1) [noun] the man who is the head of a family and who maintains the family affairs.
2) [noun] a man having a wife and children; a householder.
3) [noun] the priest in charge of managing the conduct of a sacrifice.
4) [noun] the head of a village.
5) [noun] the superintendent of the domestic affairs of a family.
Kannada is a Dravidian language (as opposed to the Indo-European language family) mainly spoken in the southwestern region of India.
See also (Relevant definitions)
Starts with: Grihapatidharma, Grihapatika, Grihapatin, Grihapatiratna, Grihapativadana.
Ends with: Aryamagrihapati, Keshigrihapati, Somagrihapati, Sugrihapati, Ugratagrihapati, Varunagrihapati.
Full-text (+31): Patnisamyaja, Grihavitta, Grihastha, Grihapatin, Grahapati, Garhapata, Garhapatya, Somagrihapati, Grihapativadana, Grihadhipa, Devasu, Vishvanara, Varunagrihapati, Gehadaha, Aryamagrihapati, Ekagrihapatika, Gihavai, Vidvams, Sugrihapati, Garhapatika.
Relevant text
Search found 33 books and stories containing Grihapati, Gṛha-pati, Grha-pati, Gṛhapati, Grhapati, Griha-pati; (plurals include: Grihapatis, patis, Gṛhapatis, Grhapatis). You can also click to the full overview containing English textual excerpts. Below are direct links for the most relevant articles:
Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu (by Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī)
Verse 3.5.12 < [Part 5 - Conjugal Love (mādhurya-rasa)]
Sahitya-kaumudi by Baladeva Vidyabhushana (by Gaurapada Dāsa)
Text 10.164 < [Chapter 10 - Ornaments of Meaning]
Rig Veda (translation and commentary) (by H. H. Wilson)
Bhajana-Rahasya (by Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura Mahasaya)
Text 19 < [Chapter 8 - Aṣṭama-yāma-sādhana (Rātri-līlā–prema-bhajana sambhoga)]
Text 12 < [Chapter 4 - Caturtha-yāma-sādhana (Madhyāhna-kālīya-bhajana–ruci-bhajana)]
Maha Prajnaparamita Sastra (by Gelongma Karma Migme Chödrön)
The Parūrasutta (story of Vivādabala) < [Part 3 - The Prajñā and the teaching of the Dharma]
The Ugratagṛhapati-jātaka < [I. Puṇyakriyāvastu consisting of generosity]
II.a The seven rebirths in kāmadhātu < [Part 8 - Predicting the fruits of ripening of various kinds of gifts]
Satapatha-brahmana (by Julius Eggeling)
Kanda IV, adhyaya 6, brahmana 9 < [Fourth Kanda]
Kāṇḍa IV, adhyāya 6, brāhmaṇa 8 < [Fourth Kāṇḍa]
Kāṇḍa XII, adhyāya 1, brāhmaṇa 1 < [Twelfth Kāṇḍa]
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