In Hinduism

Kavya (poetry)

Source: Wisdom Library: Kathāsaritsāgara

Karabhagrīva (करभग्रीव) is the name of a stronghold (koṭṭa) on the southern slope of the Vindhyas near the hermitage of Agastya, according to the Kathāsaritsāgara, chapter 102. Accordingly, “... not far from that hermitage [of Agastya], on a tableland of the Vindhya, is a stronghold tangled and inaccessible, named Karabhagrīva. In it dwells that mighty Durgapiśāca of terrible valour, chief of the Mātaṅgas, whom kings cannot conquer”.

Also, “when Mṛgāṅkadatta had heard this from the young hermit, he took leave of him, and went quickly, with his companions, in the direction indicated by him, and in course of time he arrived in the environs of Karabhagrīva, that stronghold of the king of the Mātaṅgas, which were crowded with Bhilla villages. And within them he beheld near at hand on every side crowds of Śavaras, adorned with peacocks’ feathers and elephants’ teeth, clothed in tigers’ skins, and living on the flesh of deer”.

The Kathāsaritsāgara (‘ocean of streams of story’), mentioning Karabhagrīva, 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’.

Languages of India and abroad

Sanskrit dictionary

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

Karabhagrīva (करभग्रीव):—[=karabha-grīva] [from karabha > kara] m. Name of a fortress in the Vindhya mountain, [Kathāsaritsāgara]

[Sanskrit to German]

Karabhagriva 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)

Partial matches: Karabha, Griva.

Full-text: Durgapishaca.

Relevant text

Search found 1 books and stories containing Karabhagriva, Karabha-griva, Karabha-grīva, Karabhagrīva; (plurals include: Karabhagrivas, grivas, grīvas, Karabhagrīvas). 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 CII < [Book XII - Śaśāṅkavatī]

show preview