Ishtadevata, Ishta-devata, Ishtadeva, Iṣṭa-deva, Iṣṭa-devatā, Iṣṭadeva: 14 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-deva and Iṣṭa-devatā and Iṣṭadeva can be transliterated into English as Ista-deva or Ishta-deva or Ista-devata or Ishta-devata or Istadeva or Ishtadeva, using the IAST transliteration scheme (?).

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In Hinduism

Purana and Itihasa (epic history)

[«previous next»] — Ishtadevata in Purana glossary
Source: archive.org: Shiva Purana - English Translation

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”.

Purana book cover
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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.

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Vaishnavism (Vaishava dharma)

[«previous next»] — Ishtadevata in Vaishnavism glossary
Source: Pure Bhakti: Brhad Bhagavatamrtam

Iṣṭadeva (इष्टदेव) refers to:—One’s worshipable Deity. (cf. Glossary page from Śrī Bṛhad-bhāgavatāmṛta).

Vaishnavism book cover
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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’).

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General definition (in Hinduism)

[«previous next»] — Ishtadevata in Hinduism glossary
Source: WikiPedia: 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)

Source: Google Books: The Crystal Mirror of Philosophical Systems

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.

Source: De Gruyter: Himalayan Anthropology: The Indo-Tibetan Interface

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 book cover
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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.

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Languages of India and abroad

Marathi-English dictionary

[«previous next»] — Ishtadevata in Marathi glossary
Source: DDSA: The Molesworth Marathi and English Dictionary

iṣṭadēvatā (इष्टदेवता).—f (S) iṣṭadaivata n (S) A tutelar deity or patron-saint.

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

iṣṭadēvatā (इष्टदेवता).—f daivata n A tutelar deity.

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.

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Sanskrit dictionary

[«previous next»] — Ishtadevata in Sanskrit glossary
Source: DDSA: The practical Sanskrit-English 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.

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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.

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

Iṣṭadeva (इष्टदेव).—m.

(-vaḥ) A tutelary deity, one particularly worshipped. E. iṣṭa and deva a deity.

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Iṣṭadevatā (इष्टदेवता).—f.

(-tā) A person’s chosen or tutelary. 2. divinity. E. iṣṭa and devatā divinity.

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

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.

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

Iṣṭadeva (इष्टदेव):—[iṣṭa-deva] (vaḥ-vatā) 1. m. f. A tutelary deity, a chosen god.

[Sanskrit to German]

Ishtadevata 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.

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Nepali dictionary

[«previous next»] — Ishtadevata in Nepali glossary
Source: unoes: Nepali-English Dictionary

Iṣṭa-deva (इष्ट-देव):—n. the favored deity of a family/an individual; a tutelary deity;

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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.

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