Jahnavi, Jāhnavī, Jahnāvī: 12 definitions

Introduction
In Hinduism
1. Purana
In Jainism
1. General definition
Languages
1. Sanskrit
2. Kannada
See also
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Introduction:

Jahnavi means something in Hinduism, Sanskrit, Jainism, Prakrit. 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

Jāhnavī (जाह्नवी).—The river Gaṅgā. (See under Jahnu).

Source: archive.org: Shiva Purana - English Translation

1) Jāhnavī (जाह्नवी) is the name of a sacred river as mentioned in the Śivapurāṇa 1.12, “somehow men must strive to find a residence in a holy centre. On the shores of the ocean in the confluence of hundreds of rivers there are many such holy centres (puṇyakṣetra or tīrtha) and temples. [...] The devotees of Śiva are the bestowers of Śivaloka and accord cherished desires. [...] The devotee shall take bath in the Jāhnavī (Ganges) in the month of Mārgaśīrṣa when Jupiter is in the zodiac of Capricornus”.

2) Jāhnavī (जाह्नवी) refers to one of the sixteen celestial ladies (Divyanārī), according to the Śivapurāṇa 2.3.50 (“Description of fun and frolic”).—Accordingly, as Brahmā narrated to Nārada: “[...] Then the sixteen celestial ladies arrived there and saw the couple [i.e., Śiva and Pārvatī] with great respect. They were Sarasvatī, Lakṣmī, Sāvitrī, Jāhnavī, Aditi, Śacī, Lopāmudrā, Arundhatī, Ahalyā, Tulasī, Svāhā, Rohiṇī, Vasundharā, Śatarūpā, Saṃjñā and Rati. There were several virgins of the gods, Nāgas, and the sages. They were charming and attractive. Who can enumerate them? [...]”.

Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: The Purana Index

Jāhnavī (जाह्नवी).—The wife of Śaṃtanu, mother of Devavṛta.^*

* Matsya-purāṇa 50. 44-5.

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.

In Jainism

General definition (in Jainism)

Source: archive.org: Trisastisalakapurusacaritra

Jāhnavī (जाह्नवी) is another name for the river Gaṅgā, according to chapter 2.5 [ajitanātha-caritra] of Hemacandra’s 11th century Triṣaṣṭiśalākāpuruṣacaritra: an ancient Sanskrit epic poem narrating the history and legends of sixty-three illustrious persons in Jainism.

Accordingly:—“[...] Jahnu (i.e., one of Sagara’s sons) took the infallible staff-jewel, like another staff of Yama. Jahnu split the bank of the Gaṅgā, like Vajrin the slope of a big mountain with the thunderbolt. Then the Gaṅgā advanced by the path of the cut made by the staff. Water, like an honest man, goes where it is led. The Gaṅgā arrived at Mount Aṣṭāpada’s moat like the ocean, with high waves like mountain-peaks thrown up, with the noise of beating against the bank like a drum beaten hard, making the fissure made by the staff twice as wide by the rush of her water. She began to fill completely the moat a thousand yojanas deep, terrifying as Pātāla. Beginning from the time the Gaṅgā was brought by Jahnu to fill the moat of Mount Aṣṭāpada, she was called Jāhnavī”.

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

Sanskrit dictionary

Source: DDSA: The practical Sanskrit-English dictionary

Jahnāvī (जह्नावी).—f. Jahnu's family; आ जह्नावीं समनसोप वाजैः (ā jahnāvīṃ samanasopa vājaiḥ) Ṛgveda 1.116.19.

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Jāhnavī (जाह्नवी).—[jahnoḥ apatyaṃ strī aṇ ṅīp] An epithet of the river Ganges.

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

Jāhnavī (जाह्नवी).—f. (-vī) Ganga or the Ganges personified. E. jahnu a saint, aṇ affix of descent, fem. affix ṅīṣ, the daughter of Janhu: see jahnutanayā.

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

1) Jahnāvī (जह्नावी):—f. Jahnu’s family, [Ṛg-veda i, 116, 19; iii, 58, 6.]

2) Jāhnavī (जाह्नवी):—[from jāhnava] f. ‘daughter of Jahnu (q.v.)’, the Gaṅgā, [Mahābhārata iii, v, xiii] (metrically vi, [7680]), [Bhagavad-gītā; Harivaṃśa etc.]

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

Jāhnavī (जाह्नवी):—(vī) 3. f. The Ganges.

Source: DDSA: Paia-sadda-mahannavo; a comprehensive Prakrit Hindi dictionary (S)

Jāhnavī (जाह्नवी) in the Sanskrit language is related to the Prakrit words: Jaṇhaī, Jaṇhavī.

[Sanskrit to German]

Jahnavi 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.

Kannada-English dictionary

Source: Alar: Kannada-English corpus

Jāhnavi (ಜಾಹ್ನವಿ):—

1) [noun] Gaṃgā, the river-Goddess, who is believed to be the daughter of the sage Jahnu.

2) [noun] the Goddess of the rivers Gaṃgā.

context information

Kannada is a Dravidian language (as opposed to the Indo-European language family) mainly spoken in the southwestern region of India.

Relevant text

Search found 36 books and stories containing Jahnavi, Jāhnavī, Jahnāvī, Jāhnavi; (plurals include: Jahnavis, Jāhnavīs, Jahnāvīs, Jāhnavis). You can also click to the full overview containing English textual excerpts. Below are direct links for the most relevant articles:

Rig Veda 1.116.19 < [Sukta 116]

Rig Veda 3.58.6 < [Sukta 58]

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Verse 2.1.128 < [Chapter 1 - Vairāgya (renunciation)]

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Verses 4.18.7-8 < [Chapter 18 - The Names and Worship of Srī Yamunā]

Verse 4.19.114 < [Chapter 19 - A Thousand Names of Srī Yamunā]

Verse 5.24.48 < [Chapter 24 - The Killing of the Kola Demon]

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5.17. The Female Mendicant (śramaṇikā) < [Chapter 5 - Kṣemendra’s objectives of Satire]

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Verse 3.5.446 < [Chapter 5 - The Pastimes of Nityānanda]