Ishtadevata, Iṣṭa-devatā, Iṣṭa-deva, Ishta-devata, Ishtadeva, Iṣṭadeva: 15 definitions
Introduction:
Ishtadevata means something in Buddhism, Pali, Hinduism, Sanskrit, 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.
The Sanskrit terms Iṣṭa-devatā and Iṣṭa-deva and Iṣṭadeva can be transliterated into English as Ista-devata or Ishta-devata or Ista-deva or Ishta-deva or Istadeva or Ishtadeva, using the IAST transliteration scheme (?).
Images (photo gallery)
In Hinduism
Purana and Itihasa (epic history)
Iṣṭadeva (इष्टदेव) refers to “one’s own favourite deity”, according to the Śivapurāṇa 2.1.12, while explaining details of worship:—“[...] the root of devotion (bhakti) is good action (satkarma) and the worship of one’s own favourite deity (iṣṭadeva). The root of that is the good preceptor. A good preceptor (sadguru) is secured only through association with good people (satsaṃgati). If one associates with good people, one will come across a preceptor. From the preceptor mantras and the modes of worship can be learned. Bhakti (devotion) is generated by worship and it gives birth to knowledge”.
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.
Vaishnavism (Vaishava dharma)
Iṣṭadeva (इष्टदेव) refers to:—One’s worshipable Deity. (cf. Glossary page from Śrī Bṛhad-bhāgavatāmṛta).
Iṣṭadeva (इष्टदेव) refers to—Worshipable deity.
Vaishnava (वैष्णव, vaiṣṇava) or vaishnavism (vaiṣṇavism) represents a tradition of Hinduism worshipping Vishnu as the supreme Lord. Similar to the Shaktism and Shaivism traditions, Vaishnavism also developed as an individual movement, famous for its exposition of the dashavatara (‘ten avatars of Vishnu’).
General definition (in Hinduism)
Within Hinduism, an Ishta-deva (iṣṭa-deva(tā). lit "cherished divinity") is a term denoting a worshipper's favourite deity. The compound is composed of the words iṣṭa "desired, liked, cherished" and devatā "godhead, divinity, tutelary deity" or deva "deity".
In Buddhism
Tibetan Buddhism (Vajrayana or tantric Buddhism)
Iṣṭadevatā (इष्टदेवता) (Sanskrit; in Tibetan: yi dam) — (lit. “Meditational deity”) — In Buddhist tantra, the “chosen deity” who becomes the principal focus of one's meditation practice. The meditational deity may be chosen by the practitioner or the practitioner chosen by the deity; in most cases, one must receive confirmation from one's guru that the deity is the one with which one has a true affinity.
Iṣṭadevatā (इष्टदेवता) refers to the “tutelary deity” (visualized as situated at the center of the sacred tree—Tibetan: tshog shin), according to William Stablein’s A Descriptive Analysis of the Content of Nepalese Buddhist Pujas as a Medical-Cultural System (with References to Tibetan Parallels).—The tshog shin (sacred tree) is also mentally visualized.—[...] The essence of the tree is the bīja [seed], which has an empty center from which the divinity is imagined to grow. [...] In the center of the sacred tree there is the supreme vajradhāra [Vajra bearer], the iṣṭadevatā [tutelary deity] sits below, and surrounding the tree at the bottom are the nātha [protectors]. These three can be likened unto a seed: the center, the embryo, and the protective layer, respectively. It is believed that the divinities are actually not different from each other in essence, which at least is known and realized by most hierophants (varjācārya).
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
Marathi-English dictionary
iṣṭadēvatā (इष्टदेवता).—f (S) iṣṭadaivata n (S) A tutelar deity or patron-saint.
iṣṭadēvatā (इष्टदेवता).—f daivata n A tutelar deity.
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
Iṣṭadeva (इष्टदेव).—a favourite god, one's tutelary deity.
Derivable forms: iṣṭadevaḥ (इष्टदेवः).
Iṣṭadeva is a Sanskrit compound consisting of the terms iṣṭa and deva (देव). See also (synonyms): iṣṭadevatā.
--- OR ---
Iṣṭadevatā (इष्टदेवता).—a favourite god, one's tutelary deity.
Iṣṭadevatā is a Sanskrit compound consisting of the terms iṣṭa and devatā (देवता). See also (synonyms): iṣṭadeva.
Iṣṭadeva (इष्टदेव).—m.
(-vaḥ) A tutelary deity, one particularly worshipped. E. iṣṭa and deva a deity.
--- OR ---
Iṣṭadevatā (इष्टदेवता).—f.
(-tā) A person’s chosen or tutelary. 2. divinity. E. iṣṭa and devatā divinity.
1) Iṣṭadeva (इष्टदेव):—[=iṣṭa-deva] [from iṣṭa > iṣ] m. ([cf. Lexicographers, esp. such as amarasiṃha, halāyudha, hemacandra, etc.]) a chosen tutelary deity, favourite god, one particularly worshipped (cf. abhīṣṭa-devatā).
2) Iṣṭadevatā (इष्टदेवता):—[=iṣṭa-devatā] [from iṣṭa > iṣ] f. a chosen tutelary deity, favourite god, one particularly worshipped (cf. abhīṣṭa-devatā). cf. [Religious Thought and Life in India xiv; 370 ]etc.
Iṣṭadeva (इष्टदेव):—[iṣṭa-deva] (vaḥ-vatā) 1. m. f. A tutelary deity, a chosen god.
Iṣṭadevatā (इष्टदेवता):—(1. iṣṭa + de) f. Lieblingsgottheit, die besonders verehrte Gottheit einer Person oder einer Secte, Schutzgottheit [WILSON, Sel. Works 1, 30. 171.] Vgl. abhīṣṭadevatā [Pañcatantra 208, 14.]
Iṣṭadevatā (इष्टदेवता):—f. die besonders verehrte Gottheit einer Person oder Secte , Schutzgottheit.
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.
Nepali dictionary
Iṣṭa-deva (इष्ट-देव):—n. the favored deity of a family/an individual; a tutelary deity;
Nepali is the primary language of the Nepalese people counting almost 20 million native speakers. The country of Nepal is situated in the Himalaya mountain range to the north of India.
See also (Relevant definitions)
Partial matches: Ishta, Devata, Deva.
Full-text (+2): Deveshta, Ben zun, Mangalacarana, Isht-dev, Abhishtadevata, Ishvara, Grihadevata, Meditational deity, yi dam, Sadguru, Upasana, Guhyeshvari, Satkarman, Kicakeshvari, Bhava, Kumaramani, Chandodipika, Natha, Vajradhara, Waterhole.
Relevant text
Search found 59 books and stories containing Ishtadevata, Iṣṭa-devatā, Iṣṭa-deva, Ishta-devata, Ishta-devata, Ista-devata, Ishta-deva, Ista-deva, Iṣṭadēvatā, Iṣṭadevatā, Istadevata, Ishtadeva, Iṣṭadeva, Istadeva; (plurals include: Ishtadevatas, devatās, devas, devatas, Iṣṭadēvatās, Iṣṭadevatās, Istadevatas, Ishtadevas, Iṣṭadevas, Istadevas). You can also click to the full overview containing English textual excerpts. Below are direct links for the most relevant articles:
The Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda (by Srila Narayana Maharaja)
Shri Ramakrishna: The Nation's Ideal < [Notes of Class Talks]
On Mantra and Mantra-Chaitanya < [Notes of Class Talks]
Our Present Social Problems < [Translations: Prose]
Abhijnana Shakuntalam (Sanskrit and English) (by Saradaranjan Ray)
Part 4 - The (Religious) creed of Kalidasa < [Introduction]
Krishna Sandarbha of Jiva Goswami (by Kusakratha Prabhu)
Verse 93.6 < [Anuccheda 93]
Shat-cakra-nirupana (the six bodily centres) (by Arthur Avalon)
Brihad Bhagavatamrita (commentary) (by Śrī Śrīmad Bhaktivedānta Nārāyana Gosvāmī Mahārāja)
Verse 2.1.92 < [Chapter 1 - Vairāgya (renunciation)]
Verse 1.2.98 < [Chapter 2 - Divya (the celestial plane)]
Verse 2.4.269 < [Chapter 4 - Vaikuṇṭha (the spiritual world)]
Related products
