Indradhvaja, Indra-dhvaja: 12 definitions

Introduction
In Hinduism
1. Purana
2. Jyotisha
In Buddhism
1. Mahayana
In Jainism
1. General definition
Languages
1. Marathi
2. Sanskrit
See also
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Introduction:

Indradhvaja means something in Buddhism, Pali, Hinduism, Sanskrit, Jainism, Prakrit, Marathi. 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

Purana and Itihasa (epic history)

Source: archive.org: Puranic Encyclopedia

Indradhvaja (इन्द्रध्वज).—A flag staff. It is erected in order to get rain. If anybody dreams that it has broken and fallen, it is a bad omen. It means that some disaster will befall the country. (Agni Purāṇa, Chapter 229).

Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: The Purana Index

Indradhvaja (इन्द्रध्वज).—The fall of Cāṇūra, compared to the falling of.^*

* Bhāgavata-purāṇa X. 44. 23.

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.

Jyotisha (astronomy and astrology)

Source: Wisdom Library: Jyotiṣa

Indradhvaja (इन्द्रध्वज) refers to the “Indra’s banner” and is the name of the forty-fifth chapter of the Gārgīyajyotiṣa. It is similar to the 43rd chapter of Vārahamihira’s work known as the Bṛhatsaṃhitā. The Gārgīyajyotiṣa is one of the most comprehensive of Garga’s texts and written in the form of a dialogue between Krauṣṭuki (Ṛṣiputra) and Garga discussing astral and other omens, comprising a total of sixty-two chapters (viz., indra-dhvaja), known as aṅgas and summarized in the Aṅgasamuddiśa (“enumeration of the divisions”, introductory portion).

Source: Wisdom Library: Brihat Samhita by Varahamihira

Indradhvaja (इन्द्रध्वज) refers to the “erection of a flag staff” (on occasions of certain annual ceremonies performed by princes), according to the Bṛhatsaṃhitā (chapter 2), an encyclopedic Sanskrit work written by Varāhamihira mainly focusing on the science of ancient Indian astronomy astronomy (Jyotiṣa).—Accordingly, “A true Astrologer is also one who has thoroughly mastered the Science of Saṃhitā. [...] It treats of indradhvaja, of the rainbow and of architecture; of the prediction of events from casual words and gestures and from the cawing of crows; of the formation of zodiacal circles for purposes of horary astrology. It treats of the prediction of future events from phenomena connected with the deer, the dog and the motions of the wind; of the construction of temples, towers and palaces; of the casting of images and of founding the same; of the growth of plants and trees; of under currents; of certain annual ceremonies to be performed by princes for success in war. [...]”.

context information

Jyotisha (ज्योतिष, jyotiṣa or jyotish) refers to ‘astronomy’ or “Vedic astrology” and represents the fifth of the six Vedangas (additional sciences to be studied along with the Vedas). Jyotisha concerns itself with the study and prediction of the movements of celestial bodies, in order to calculate the auspicious time for rituals and ceremonies.

In Buddhism

Mahayana (major branch of Buddhism)

Source: Wisdom Library: Lokottaravāda

Indradhvaja (इन्द्रध्वज) is the name of a Buddha under whom Śākyamuni (or Gautama, ‘the historical Buddha’) acquired merit along the first through nine bhūmis, according to the Mahāvastu. There are in total ten bhūmis representing the ten stages of the Bodhisattva’s path towards enlightenment.

Indradhvaja is but one among the 500 Buddhas enumerated in the Mahāvastu during a conversation between Mahākātyāyana and Mahākāśyapa, both principle disciples of Gautama Buddha. The Mahāvastu is an important text of the Lokottaravāda school of buddhism, dating from the 2nd century BCE.

context information

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: archive.org: Trisastisalakapurusacaritra

Indradhvaja (इन्द्रध्वज) or Śakradhvaja refers to a “flag-staff”, according to chapter 1.2 [ādīśvara-caritra] of Hemacandra’s 11th century Triṣaṣṭiśalākāpuruṣacaritra: an ancient Sanskrit epic poem narrating the history and legends of sixty-three illustrious persons in Jainism.—Note: Indradhvaja is a flag-staff with a large banner on top, and many smaller pennants attached, all up and down the staff. There are 108, or 1008, of these pennants.

Accordingly, “Pālaka, observing the Lord’s [i.e., Śakra’s] command, made a car that filled the sky with a flood of light from a thousand jeweled pillars; moving from the inference of a wish. [...] In front of the aerial car an Indradhvaja, one thousand yojanas high, shone like a mountain with cascades”.

context information

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.

Languages of India and abroad

Marathi-English dictionary

Source: DDSA: The Molesworth Marathi and English Dictionary

indradhvaja (इंद्रध्वज).—m S The guḍhī q. v. erected on New year's day.

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

Indradhvaja (इन्द्रध्वज).—

1) a flag raised on the 12th day of the bright half of Bhādra.

2) Indra's weapon; विस्रस्ताकल्पकेशस्रगिन्द्रध्वज इवापतत् (visrastākalpakeśasragindradhvaja ivāpatat) Bhāgavata 1.44.22.

Derivable forms: indradhvajaḥ (इन्द्रध्वजः).

Indradhvaja is a Sanskrit compound consisting of the terms indra and dhvaja (ध्वज).

Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Edgerton Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit Dictionary

Indradhvaja (इन्द्रध्वज).—(1) name of various former Buddhas: Mahāvastu i.138.4; iii.226.6 (with capital Indratapanā); Avadāna-śataka i.105.3 ff.; 84,000 former Buddhas of this name, Mahāvastu i.58.14; 62.4; a Buddha in the southwest quarter, Saddharmapuṇḍarīka 184.11; (2) name of a nāga: Mahāvyutpatti 3363.

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

1) Indradhvaja (इन्द्रध्वज):—[=indra-dhvaja] [from indra] m. Indra’s banner, [Varāha-mihira’s Bṛhat-saṃhitā]

2) [v.s. ...] Name of a Tathāgata

3) [v.s. ...] of a Nāga, [cf. Lexicographers, esp. such as amarasiṃha, halāyudha, hemacandra, etc.]

[Sanskrit to German]

Indradhvaja 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.

Relevant text

Search found 10 books and stories containing Indradhvaja, Indra-dhvaja; (plurals include: Indradhvajas, dhvajas). You can also click to the full overview containing English textual excerpts. Below are direct links for the most relevant articles:

Part 19: Description of the memorial caitya < [Chapter VI]

Part 31: Description of Nandīśvara < [Chapter III - The initiation and omniscience of Ajita]

Part 13: Sambhava’s samavasaraṇa < [Chapter I - Sambhavajinacaritra]

+ 6 more chapters / show preview

Chapter 22 - Indra’s Flag (Indradhvaja-nirūpaṇa)

show preview

Chapter 59 - On entry into the forest (vanasampraveśa or vanapraveśa)

Chapter 60 - Installation of Idols in Temples (pratimā-pratiṣṭhāpana)

Chapter 97 - On the time of fruition of effects (pāka-adhyāya)

+ 4 more chapters / show preview

Chapter XV - The eighth Bhūmi < [Volume I]

Chapter VI - A visit to the Śuddhāvāsa Devas < [Volume I]