Introduction

In Hinduism

Purana and Itihasa (epic history)

Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: The Purana Index

Hotra (होत्र).—From the Ṛk;¹ the Ṛk formulae uttered by the Hotā in an yajña.²

• 1) Vāyu-purāṇa 60. 18.
• 2) Viṣṇu-purāṇa III. 4. 12.

context information

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)

Source: Sacred Texts: The Grihya Sutras, Part 2 (SBE30)

Hotrā (होत्रा) refers to a category of Mantras, as mentioned in the Āpastamba-yajña-paribhāṣā-sūtras.—“One should know that with the beginning of a following mantra, the former mantra is finished. In the case of Hotrā and Yājamāna-mantras, an aggregation takes place. In the case of the Yājyās and Anuvākyās this (the aggregation) is optional. It is the same with numbers”.

Hotrās are mantras recited by the Hotṛ-priest. Yājamānās are mantras recited by the sacrificer himself. They are hymns which accompany, but do not enjoin any sacrificial act.

context information

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.

Languages of India and abroad

Marathi-English dictionary

Source: DDSA: The Molesworth Marathi and English Dictionary

hōtra (होत्र).—n (S) An article intended or fit for offering with fire: (as clarified butter, rice & c.) 2 Burnt-offering, oblation with fire.

Source: DDSA: The Aryabhusan school dictionary, Marathi-English

hōtra (होत्र).—n An article intended or fit for offering with fire. Oblation with fire.

context information

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 dictionary

Hotra (होत्र).—[hu-ṣṭran]

1) Anything fit to be offered as an oblation (as ghee).

2) A burnt offering.

3) A sacrifice.

Derivable forms: hotram (होत्रम्).

--- OR ---

Hotrā (होत्रा).—

1) A sacrifice.

2) Praise; सत्त्वेन कुरुते युद्धे राजन् सुबलवानपि । नोद्यमेन न होत्राभिः सर्वाः स्वीकुरुते प्रजाः (sattvena kurute yuddhe rājan subalavānapi | nodyamena na hotrābhiḥ sarvāḥ svīkurute prajāḥ) || Mb.3.33. 69.

3) Ved. Speech.

4) The office of होतृक (hotṛka) priest.

Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Shabda-Sagara Sanskrit-English Dictionary

Hotra (होत्र).—n.

(-traṃ) 1. An article intended or fit for offering with fire, generally clarified butter. 2. Burnt-offering, oblation with fire. f.

(-trā) Praise. E. hu to sacrifice, ṣṭran aff., ṭāp added in the feminine.

Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Benfey Sanskrit-English Dictionary

Hotra (होत्र).—i. e. hu + tra, n. 1. A burnt-offering. 2. An oblation of clarified butter.

Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Cappeller Sanskrit-English Dictionary

Hotra (होत्र).—[neuter] sacrifice, oblation; the office of the Hotṛ.

--- OR ---

Hotrā (होत्रा).—1. [feminine] the office of a priest, [especially] of the Hotraka.

--- OR ---

Hotrā (होत्रा).—2. [feminine] invocation.

Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary

1) Hotra (होत्र):—[from hotṛ] n. sacrificing, the function or office of the Hotṛ, [Ṛg-veda; Atharva-veda; Śatapatha-brāhmaṇa; Kāṭhaka]

2) [v.s. ...] a burnt-offering, oblation with fire, sacrifice, [Ṛg-veda; Pañcaviṃśa-brāhmaṇa; Śāṅkhāyana-śrauta-sūtra; Mahābhārata]

3) Hotrā (होत्रा):—[from hotra > hotṛ] a f. See below.

4) [from hotṛ] 1. hotrā f. (for 2. See p. 1308, col. 3) the function or office of a priest ([especially] of the Hotrakas, also applied to the persons of the Hotrakas), [Brāhmaṇa] : [???]

5) [from hve] 2. hotrā f. (for 1. See p. 1306, col. 1) calling, call, invocation (also personified), [Ṛg-veda; Taittirīya-brāhmaṇa]

context information

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)

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