Hiranyavati, Hiraṇyavatī, Hiranya-vati: 4 definitions
Introduction:
Hiranyavati means something in Hinduism, Sanskrit, 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.
In Hinduism
Kavya (poetry)
Source: Wisdom Library: Kathāsaritsāgara1) Hiraṇyavatī (हिरण्यवती) is the name of an ancient city situated in Avanti, whose name is associated with the Dvāparayuga, as mentioned in the ninth story of the Vetālapañcaviṃśati in the Kathāsaritsāgara, chapter 83. Accordingly, “... there is in Avanti a city built by gods at the beginning of the world, which is limitless as the body of Śiva, and renowned for enjoyment and prosperity, even as his body is adorned with the snake’s hood and ashes. It was called Padmāvatī in the Kṛta Yuga, Bhogavatī in the Tretā Yuga, Hiraṇyavatī in the Dvāpara Yuga, and Ujjayinī in the Kali Yuga. And in it there lived an excellent king, named Vīradeva, and he had a queen named Padmarati”.
2) Hiraṇyavatī (हिरण्यवती) is the wife of Dhanapāla, a merchant (vaṇij) from Tāmraliptī, according to the nineteenth story of the Vetālapañcaviṃśati in the Kathāsaritsāgara, chapter 93. Accordingly, “... when she [Dhanavatī] grew up to womanhood, the merchant [Dhanapāla] died; and his relations seized his property, as the king did not interfere to protect it. Then the wife of that merchant, who was named Hiraṇyavatī, took her own jewels and ornaments, which she had carefully concealed, and left her house secretly at the beginning of the night, with her daughter Dhanavatī, and fled, to escape from her husband’s relations”.
The story of Hiraṇyavatī is mentioned in the Vetālapañcaviṃśati (twenty-five tales of a vetāla) which is embedded in the twelfth book of the Kathāsaritsāgara (‘ocean of streams of story’). The main book is a famous Sanskrit epic detailing the exploits of prince Naravāhanadatta in his quest to become the emperor of the vidyādharas (celestial beings). The Kathā-sarit-sāgara is is explained to be an adaptation of Guṇāḍhya’s Bṛhatkathā which consisted of 100,000 verses and in turn forms part of an even larger work containing 700,000 verses.
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’.
India history and geography
Source: Ancient Buddhist Texts: Geography of Early BuddhismHiraṇyavatī (हिरण्यवती) is the name of an ancient river, as recorded in the Pāli Buddhist texts (detailing the geography of ancient India as it was known in to Early Buddhism).—The Mahāparinibbāna Suttanta states that the Sāla grove of the Mallas where the Buddha lay in his Mahāparinibbāna was situated near the river Hiraṇyavatī identical probably, as Smith indicates, with the Gaṇḍak (Early Hist. of India, p. 167 11.).
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: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Edgerton Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit DictionaryHiraṇyavatī (हिरण्यवती).—once (m.c.?) °vatyā (compare § 10.6), (= Pali Hiraññavatī; see s.v. Āryavatī), name of a river, on the bank of which the Buddha entered nirvāṇa: (Ārya-)Mañjuśrīmūlakalpa 354.14; 580.9 (nadyāṃ °vatyāyāṃ, verse, perhaps m.c. for °vatyāṃ); 595.4 (verse, °vatī-tīre); Mahā-Māyūrī 253.8 (in list of names); MPS 29.4.
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary1) Hiraṇyavatī (हिरण्यवती):—[=hiraṇya-vatī] [from hiraṇya-vat > hiraṇya > hiraṇa] f. (atī) Name of Ujjayinī in the third age, [Kathāsaritsāgara]
2) [v.s. ...] of a river, [Buddhist literature]
3) [v.s. ...] of various women, [Kathāsaritsāgara; Catalogue(s)]
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)
Partial matches: Hiranya, Vati.
Full-text: Aryavati, Viradeva, Vaishali, Kushinagara, Bhogavati, Gandaki, Ujjayini, Padmavati, Vasudatta.
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Search found 14 books and stories containing Hiranyavati, Hiranya-vati, Hiraṇya-vatī, Hiraṇyavatī; (plurals include: Hiranyavatis, vatis, vatīs, Hiraṇyavatīs). You can also click to the full overview containing English textual excerpts. Below are direct links for the most relevant articles:
Trishashti Shalaka Purusha Caritra (by Helen M. Johnson)
Part 16: Story of Nīlayaśas < [Chapter II - Marriages of Vasudeva with maidens]
The travels of Fa-Hian (400 A.D.) (by Samuel Beal)
Puranic encyclopaedia (by Vettam Mani)
Amaravati Art in the Context of Andhra Archaeology (by Sreyashi Ray chowdhuri)
The Demise or Mahāparinirvāṇa < [Chapter 3 - Amarāvatī and the Formative Stage of the Buddhist Art]
A Record of Buddhistic Kingdoms (by Fa-Hien)
The Fo-Sho-Hing-Tsan-King (A Life of Buddha) (by Samuel Beal)