In Hinduism

Kavya (poetry)

Source: Wisdom Library: Kathāsaritsāgara

Illaka (इल्लक) is the name of a young merchant from the city Mathurā, according to the Kathāsaritsāgara, chapter 15. His story is told by Rumaṇvat to Yaugandharāyaṇa in the “Story of the Loving Couple who died of Separation”.

The Kathāsaritsāgara (‘ocean of streams of story’), mentioning Illaka, is a famous Sanskrit epic story revolving around prince Naravāhanadatta and his quest to become the emperor of the vidyādharas (celestial beings). The work is said to have been an adaptation of Guṇāḍhya’s Bṛhatkathā consisting of 100,000 verses, which in turn is part of a larger work containing 700,000 verses.

context information

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’.

Purana and Itihasa (epic history)

Source: archive.org: Puranic Encyclopedia

Illaka (इल्लक).—A person who led a very ideal family life. Son of a Vaiśya in the city of Mathurā, Illaka had a very beautiful wife. Illaka had one day to go to another place and his wife wanted to accompany him. But, Illaka did not allow that and went alone. Then she waited at the gates looking towards the husband moving fast away. And, when he completely disappeared from sight she, who could not bear the separation, fell down on the spot and expired. Illaka heard about the death and without delay, he hurried back home. He placed the dead body of his wife on his lap and wept. Weeping thus he also expired. (Kathāsaritsāgara, Lāvāṇakalaṃbaka, Taraṅga I).

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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.

Languages of India and abroad

Sanskrit dictionary

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

Illaka (इल्लक):—m. Name of a man, [Kathāsaritsāgara]

[Sanskrit to German]

Illaka in German

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)

Starts with: Illakamaram.

Ends with: Chillaka, Cillaka, Deshillaka, Dhanuvillaka, Jillaka, Kampillaka, Kapillaka, Kathillaka, Katillaka, Kurundapillaka, Parillaka, Paura-vithillaka, Pillaka, Purillaka, Rillaka, Sachillaka, Sacillaka, Tantrillaka, Trillaka.

Relevant text

Search found 1 books and stories containing Illaka; (plurals include: Illakas). You can also click to the full overview containing English textual excerpts. Below are direct links for the most relevant articles:

Kathasaritsagara (the Ocean of Story) (by Somadeva)

Chapter XV < [Book III - Lāvānaka]

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