Kekaya: 24 definitions
Introduction:
Kekaya 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.
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In Hinduism
Vaishnavism (Vaishava dharma)
Source: ISKCON Press: GlossaryKekaya (केकय).—A province in ancient India. Five princes from this country joined with Yudhiṣṭhira in the battle of Kurukṣetra, and they were killed by Droṇa. (Droṇa Parva in Mahābhārata)

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’).
Purana and Itihasa (epic history)
Source: archive.org: Puranic Encyclopedia1) Kekaya (केकय).—The Mahābhārata mentions another Kekaya, a King of the solar dynasty. He wedded two Mālava princesses from the elder of whom were born Kīcaka and Upakīcaka, and from the younger was born Sudeṣṇā, also called Kaikeyī. This Sudeṣṇā married Mātsya, the Virāṭa King. (Virāṭa Parva, Southern text, Chapter 16). (See full article at Story of Kekaya from the Puranic encyclopaedia by Vettam Mani)
2) Kekaya (केकय).—General. A Kingdom in ancient India. Kaikeyī, one of Daśaratha’s wives, was a daughter of a Kekaya King. Origin. The country got the name 'Kekaya' as it was ruled by King Kekayā. His genealogy is as follows. Descended from Viṣṇu thus:—Brahmā—Atri—Candra—Budha—Purūravas—Āyus—Nahuṣa—Yayāti—Anudruhyu—Sabhānara—Kālanara—Sṛñjaya—Uśīnara—Śibi—Kekaya. Śibi had four sons called Bhadra, Suvīra, Kekaya and Vṛṣādarpa. (Bhāgavata 9th Skandha). Other details. (1) The King and the people of Kekaya were called the Kekayas.
2) Five heroic Kekaya princes met with their death in fighting Droṇa. (Strī Parva, Chapter 25, Verse 25).
2) Two Kekaya Princes, Vinda and Anuvinda fought on the Kaurava side. (Karṇa Parva, Chapter 13).
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: The Purana Index1a) Kekaya (केकय).—A son of Śibi after whom the kingdom came to be called.*
- * Brahmāṇḍa-purāṇa III. 74. 23; Matsya-purāṇa 48. 19-20; Vāyu-purāṇa 99. 23-4; Viṣṇu-purāṇa IV. 18. 10.
1b) Its king married Śrutakīrti, sister of Vasudeva;1 went to Syamantapañcaka for solar eclipse.2
1c) (c)—people of Kekaya, a northern kingdom enlisted by Jarāsandha against the Yadus. Their princes were stationed on the North during the siege of Gomanta.1 But they became allies of Kṛṣṇa and took part in the marriage festivities of Rukmiṇī.2 Heard of Kṛṣṇa going to Mithilā, welcomed him and met him with presents.3 Followed Bhīmasena in his digvijaya;4 rose against Śiśupāla.5 Took part in Yudhiṣṭhira's rājasūya.6 In the Mahābhārata war, five princes of Kekaya joined the Pāṇḍavas against the Kurus.7 A Janapada.8 Migration of Yadus to.9
- 1) Bhāgavata-purāṇa X. [50 (V) 3]; 52. 11 [14] Brahmāṇḍa-purāṇa II. 16. 48.
- 2) Bhāgavata-purāṇa X. 54. 58.
- 3) Ib. X. 86. 20; 71. 29.
- 4) Ib. X. 72. 13.
- 5) Ib. X. 74. 41.
- 6) Ib. X. 75. 12.
- 7) Ib. X. 78 [95 (V) 12]; 84. 55.
- 8) Vāyu-purāṇa 45. 117.
- 9) Bhāgavata-purāṇa XI. 2. 3.
Kekaya (केकय) is a name mentioned in the Mahābhārata (cf. I.61.11) and represents one of the many proper names used for people and places. Note: The Mahābhārata (mentioning Kekaya) is a Sanskrit epic poem consisting of 100,000 ślokas (metrical verses) and is over 2000 years old.

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.
Kavya (poetry)
Source: archive.org: Aspects of Bengal society: Ship-building and commerceKekaya is the name of an ancient city mentioned by the author of the Kavikankan’s Chandikāvya pp. 195-202.—Accordingly, after the performance of the usual ceremonies before sailing, the merchant Dhanapati passed the following places: [...]—all by the side of the Ganges. Then he reached the very celebrated inland port of Bengal known as Saptagram near the Tribeni. The poet here incidentally praised this port and gave it a superiour place among the following ports and places: [e.g., Kekaya, etc...]. According to the poet the merchants of the above places visit Saptagram but the merchants of Saptagram do never visit those ports and places.
Source: Shodhganga: The Kavyamimamsa of RajasekharaKekaya (केकय) is the name a locality mentioned in Rājaśekhara’s 10th-century Kāvyamīmāṃsā.—This region lying between the Biās and the Sutlej in the Punjab.

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’.
Jyotisha (astronomy and astrology)
Source: Wisdom Library: Brihat Samhita by VarahamihiraKekaya (केकय) or Kaikaya refers to an ancient kingdom or tribe of people, according to the Bṛhatsaṃhitā (chapter 5), an encyclopedic Sanskrit work written by Varāhamihira mainly focusing on the science of ancient Indian astronomy astronomy (Jyotiṣa).—Accordingly, “If there should be both lunar and solar eclipses in one month, princes will suffer both from dissensions among their own army and from wars. [...] If the eclipses should fall in the lunar month of Caitra painters, writers, singers, prostitutes, men learned in the Vedas and dealers in gold, the people of Pauṇḍra, of Auḍra, of Kekaya and of Āśmaka will suffer distress and there will be good rain throughout the land”.

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.
General definition (in Hinduism)
Source: archive.org: Indian Historical Quarterly Vol. 7Kekaya (केकय) is the name of a country classified as both Hādi and Kādi (both types of Tantrik division), according to the 13th century Sammoha-tantra (fol. 7).—There are ample evidences to prove that the zone of heterodox Tantras went far beyond the natural limits of India. [...] The zones in the Sammoha-tantra [viz., Kekaya] are here fixed according to two different Tantrik modes, known as Kādi and Hādi.
Source: WikiPedia: HinduismKekaya (केकय): A brave warrior on the Pandava side into whose chariot Bhima got during the fighting on the sixth day. Usinaras, the Sibi, the Madras, and the Kekayas were the direct descendants of Yayati's son Anu.
In Buddhism
Theravada (major branch of Buddhism)
Source: Pali Kanon: Pali Proper NamesAnother name for Keka and Kekaka. J.ii.214.
Theravāda is a major branch of Buddhism having the the Pali canon (tipitaka) as their canonical literature, which includes the vinaya-pitaka (monastic rules), the sutta-pitaka (Buddhist sermons) and the abhidhamma-pitaka (philosophy and psychology).
In Jainism
General definition (in Jainism)
Source: archive.org: TrisastisalakapurusacaritraKekaya (केकय) is the name of an ancient kingdom, according to chapter 4.2 [vāsupūjya-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, as Vasupūjya and Jayā spoke to Vāsupūjya:—“All the existing kings, among men and the Vidyādharas, who are of good family, capable, heroic, wealthy, famous, possessing the fourfold army, known for guarding their subjects, free from blemish, faithful to engagements, always devoted to dharma, in Madhyadeśa, Vatsadeśa, [...] and also [... the Kekayas, ...] and other realms in the north. [...] These now, son, beg us constantly through messengers, who are sent bearing valuable gifts, to give their daughters to you. [...]”.

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 Dictionarykēkayā (केकया) [or केकयी, kēkayī].—f (kaikēyī S) A shrew or scold.
Source: DDSA: The Aryabhusan school dictionary, Marathi-Englishkēkayā (केकया) [or kēkayī, or केकयी].—f A shrew or scold.
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 dictionaryKekaya (केकय).—(Pl.) Name of a country and its people; मगधकोसलकेकयशासिनां दुहितरः (magadhakosalakekayaśāsināṃ duhitaraḥ) R.9.17; केकयमित्रयुप्रलयानां यादेरियः (kekayamitrayupralayānāṃ yāderiyaḥ) P.VII.3.2.
-yī (also kekeyī) Name of the wife of Daśaratha.
Derivable forms: kekayaḥ (केकयः).
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Shabda-Sagara Sanskrit-English DictionaryKekaya (केकय).—m.
(-yaḥ) A prince of the lunar race. f. (-yī) daughter of the preceding and one of the wives of Dasarat'Ha: the mother of Bharata: see kekeyī.
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Benfey Sanskrit-English DictionaryKekaya (केकय).—I. m. 1. pl. The name of a people, Mahābhārata 6, 356. 2. Their prince, [Rāmāyaṇa] 2, 35, 21. Ii. f. yī, One of the wives of Daśaratha, [Rāmāyaṇa] 2, 70, 20.
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Cappeller Sanskrit-English DictionaryKekaya (केकय).—[masculine] [Name] of a people, [feminine] ī.
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary1) Kekaya (केकय):—m. [plural] Name of a warrior-tribe, [Mahābhārata; Rāmāyaṇa] etc.
2) m. ([Pāṇini 7-3, 2]and [gana] bhargādi) a chief of that tribe (prince of the solar race), [Mahābhārata iii, 10284; Rāmāyaṇa ii]
3) Kekāya (केकाय):—[from kekā] [Nominal verb] [Ātmanepada] yate, to cry (as a peacock), [Vāsantikā]
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Yates Sanskrit-English DictionaryKekaya (केकय):—(yaḥ) A prince of the solar race. 3. f. (yī) One of the wives of Dasharatha.
Source: DDSA: Paia-sadda-mahannavo; a comprehensive Prakrit Hindi dictionary (S)Kekaya (केकय) in the Sanskrit language is related to the Prakrit words: Kiai, Kekaya.
[Sanskrit to German]
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.
Prakrit-English dictionary
Source: DDSA: Paia-sadda-mahannavo; a comprehensive Prakrit Hindi dictionaryKekaya (केकय) in the Prakrit language is related to the Sanskrit word: Kekaya.
Prakrit is an ancient language closely associated with both Pali and Sanskrit. Jain literature is often composed in this language or sub-dialects, such as the Agamas and their commentaries which are written in Ardhamagadhi and Maharashtri Prakrit. The earliest extant texts can be dated to as early as the 4th century BCE although core portions might be older.
Kannada-English dictionary
Source: Alar: Kannada-English corpusKēkaya (ಕೇಕಯ):—
1) [noun] name of a country.
2) [noun] its people.
3) [noun] a dynasty that ruled that country.
Kannada is a Dravidian language (as opposed to the Indo-European language family) mainly spoken in the southwestern region of India.
See also (Relevant definitions)
Starts with: Kekayam, Kekayappul.
Full-text (+50): Kaikeya, Kaikaya, Kicaka, Yudhajit, Kekayappul, Kaikeyi, Kaikayan, Kekayam, Kaikayi, Cekitana, Girivraja, Kiai, Ushinaravamsha, Vrishadarpa, Satyarata, Ayashshanku, Santardana, Kekayi, Kaikeyo, Ayashshiras.
Relevant text
Search found 55 books and stories containing Kekaya, Kēkayā, Kekayā, Kekāya, Kēkaya, Kekayas; (plurals include: Kekayas, Kēkayās, Kekayās, Kekāyas, Kēkayas, Kekayases). You can also click to the full overview containing English textual excerpts. Below are direct links for the most relevant articles:
Puranic encyclopaedia (by Vettam Mani)
Mahabharata (English) (by Kisari Mohan Ganguli)
Section LXXV < [Bhagavat-Gita Parva]
Section CXXIV < [Jayadratha-Vadha Parva]
Section LI < [Indralokagamana Parva]
Kathasaritsagara (the Ocean of Story) (by Somadeva)
Ramayana of Valmiki (Griffith) (by Ralph T. H. Griffith)
Chapter LXVIII: The Envoys < [Book II]
Chapter LXXIII: The Nuptials < [Book I]
Chapter CII: Bharat’s Tidings < [Book II]
Skanda Purana (by G. V. Tagare)
Chapter 15 - The Glory of Hanamatkuṇḍa: Dharmasakha Blessed with a Hundred Sons < [Section 1 - Setu-māhātmya]
Chapter 5 - The Story of a Gopakumāra < [Section 3 - Brāhmottara-khaṇḍa]
Chapter 3 - The Greatness of Gokarṇa and the Caturdaśī of Śiva < [Section 3 - Brāhmottara-khaṇḍa]
Linga Purana (by J. L. Shastri)
Chapter 66 - The narrative of Yayāti < [Section 1 - Uttarabhāga]