Harikesha, Harikeśa, Hari-kesha: 12 definitions
Introduction:
Harikesha means something in Buddhism, Pali, Hinduism, Sanskrit. 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 Harikeśa can be transliterated into English as Harikesa or Harikesha, using the IAST transliteration scheme (?).
In Hinduism
Shaivism (Shaiva philosophy)
Source: Wisdom Library: ŚaivismHarikeśa (हरिकेश) means “fair headed one”, but can also be explained as dark hair, referring to non-ageing.
Source: Manblunder: Sri Rudram 2.3-6Harikeśa (हरिकेश) subtly means unbiased (because of being fair-headed). As far as He (Rudra) is concerned, everyone is same for Him. He (Rudra) distinguishes beings, based on the path they follow – dharmic path and adharmic path. He nourishes those who follow the path of dharma. Harikeśa also means that He alone is eternal. Bṛhadāraṇyaka Upaniṣad (IV.v.14) describes Brahman as “the Self is indeed immutable and indestructible.”
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.
Purana and Itihasa (epic history)
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: The Purana Index1a) Harikeśa (हरिकेश).—A son of Śyāmaka and Śūrabhū.*
- * Bhāgavata-purāṇa IX. 24. 42.
1b) One of the seven important rays of the sun, said to be the root of planets, and the first originator of stars.*
- * Brahmāṇḍa-purāṇa II. 24. 66; Vāyu-purāṇa 53. 47.
1c) A son of Pūrṇabhadra, the Yakṣa; he became a devotee of Śiva and gave up the svadharma of the Yakṣas. Hence the angry father banished him. He performed austerities so severely at Benares for thousands of years that he was covered over with mud and eaten by ants till he was reduced to bones. Śiva came to the spot with Pārvatī and made him Dhanada, the Ganeśvara and Kṣetrapāla; he was also made Annada. Two Gaṇas Udbhrama and Sambhrama were given for his service. Then Śiva and Pārvatī disappeared.*
- * Matsya-purāṇa 180. 5-9, 82. 99; Vāyu-purāṇa 69. 12.
1d) A Gandharva king in Kailās.*
- * Vāyu-purāṇa 41. 21.
Harikeśa (हरिकेश) is a name mentioned in the Mahābhārata (cf. XIV.8.15, XIV.8) and represents one of the many proper names used for people and places. Note: The Mahābhārata (mentioning Harikeśa) 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.
Kavya (poetry)
Source: OpenEdition books: Vividhatīrthakalpaḥ (Kāvya)Harikeśa (हरिकेश) (“with the hair yellow”) is the name of a Caṇḍāla-family, as mentioned in the Vividhatīrthakalpa by Jinaprabhasūri (13th century A.D.): an ancient text devoted to various Jaina holy places (tīrthas).—Accordingly, “After having been the Brahmin Somadeva in Hastināpura, converted by the ascetic Saṃkharāya, a native of Mathurā, the hero is reborn, under the name of Bala, in a family of caṇḍāla, called Harikeśa, ‘with the hair yellow’. [...]”.
Cf. Uttarādhyayanasūtra XII v. 1-36: Jacobi 1895 p. 50-54; Uttarādhyayanacūrṇi 201.9-213.2; Uttarādhyayananiryuktittkā a. l-b.7; Uttarādhyayana a. l-a. 14; Trad : Mette 1991 p. 131-33.
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’.
In Buddhism
Tibetan Buddhism (Vajrayana or tantric Buddhism)
Source: Wisdom Library: Tibetan BuddhismHarikeśa (हरिकेश) is the name of a deity summoned by the Yamāntaka-mantra and mentioned as attending the teachings in the 6th century Mañjuśrīmūlakalpa: one of the largest Kriyā Tantras devoted to Mañjuśrī (the Bodhisattva of wisdom) representing an encyclopedia of knowledge primarily concerned with ritualistic elements in Buddhism. The teachings in this text originate from Mañjuśrī and were taught to and by Buddha Śākyamuni in the presence of a large audience (including Harikeśa).
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
Sanskrit dictionary
Source: DDSA: The practical Sanskrit-English dictionaryHarikeśa (हरिकेश).—Name of Śiva; हरिकेशस्तथेत्युक्त्वा भूतानां दोषदर्शिवान् (harikeśastathetyuktvā bhūtānāṃ doṣadarśivān) Mahābhārata (Bombay) 1. 17.11.
Derivable forms: harikeśaḥ (हरिकेशः).
Harikeśa is a Sanskrit compound consisting of the terms hari and keśa (केश).
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Shabda-Sagara Sanskrit-English DictionaryHarikeśa (हरिकेश).—m.
(-śaḥ) Siva. E. hari Vishnu, ka Brahma, and īśa lord.
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Cappeller Sanskrit-English DictionaryHarikeśa (हरिकेश).—[adjective] yellow-haired; [Name] of a Yakṣa etc.
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary1) Harikeśa (हरिकेश):—[=hari-keśa] [from hari] mfn. (hari-) fair-headed, [Ṛg-veda; Vājasaneyi-saṃhitā; Mahābhārata]
2) [v.s. ...] m. Name of one of the 7 principal rays of the sun, [Viṣṇu-purāṇa]
3) [v.s. ...] of Savitṛ, [Ṛg-veda]
4) [v.s. ...] of Śiva, [Mahābhārata]
5) [v.s. ...] of a Yakṣa (who propitiated Śiva and was made by him a leader of his Gaṇas and a guardian of fields, and fruits; See daṇḍa-pāṇi), [Catalogue(s)]
6) [v.s. ...] of a son of Śyāmaka, [Bhāgavata-purāṇa]
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Yates Sanskrit-English DictionaryHarikeśa (हरिकेश):—[hari-keśa] (śaḥ) 1. m. Shiva.
[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.
See also (Relevant definitions)
Starts with: Harikeshabala, Harikeshata.
Full-text: Purnabhadra, Kanakakundala, Harakesha, Puṇṇabhadda, Shyamaka, Dandapani, Bala, Harikeshabala, Varanasi, Somadeva, Hari, Kubera, Agni.
Relevant text
Search found 18 books and stories containing Harikesha, Harikeśa, Harikesa, Hari-kesha, Hari-keśa, Hari-kesa; (plurals include: Harikeshas, Harikeśas, Harikesas, keshas, keśas, kesas). 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)
List of Mahabharata people and places (by Laxman Burdak)
Rudra-Shiva concept (Study) (by Maumita Bhattacharjee)
2.18. Rudra as Harikeśa < [Chapter 6a - The Epithets of Rudra-Śiva]
2. Vājasaneyi-saṃhitā (a): Physical appearance of Rudra < [Chapter 2 - Rudra-Śiva in the Saṃhitā Literature]
6. Common epithets of Rudra and Śiva < [Chapter 6b - Epithets (References)]
Historical Elements in the Matsya Purana (by Chaitali Kadia)
Family life according to the Matsya Purāṇa < [Chapter 5 - Cultural history in the Matsya-Purāṇa]
The Linga Purana (by J. L. Shastri)
Chapter 60 - The Solar Sphere < [Section 1 - Uttarabhāga]
Chapter 12 - The cosmic form of Śiva < [Section 2 - Pūrvabhāga]
Chapter 95 - The Exploits of Nṛsiṃha the Man-lion < [Section 1 - Uttarabhāga]
Mahabharata (English) (by Kisari Mohan Ganguli)