Kheta, aka: Kheṭa, Kheṭā; 13 Definition(s)

Introduction

Kheta means something in Buddhism, Pali, Hinduism, Sanskrit, the history of ancient India, 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.

In Hinduism

Purana and Itihasa (epic history)

Kheṭā (खेटा) is the name of a mind-born ‘divine mother’ (mātṛ), created for the purpose of drinking the blood of the Andhaka demons, according to the Matsya-purāṇa 179.8. The Andhaka demons spawned out of every drop of blood spilled from the original Andhakāsura (Andhaka-demon). According to the Matsya-purāṇa 179.35, “Most terrible they (eg., Kheṭā) all drank the blood of those Andhakas and become exceedingly satiated.”

The Matsyapurāṇa is categorised as a Mahāpurāṇa, and was originally composed of 20,000 metrical verses, dating from the 1st-millennium BCE. The narrator is Matsya, one of the ten major avatars of Viṣṇu.

1) Kheṭa (खेट).—A small village.^*

• * Vāyu-purāṇa 91. 30.

2) Kheṭā (खेटा).—A mind-born mother.^*

• * Matsya-purāṇa 179. 17.

3) Kheta (खेत).—A smaller division than a Kharvaṭa.^*

• * Viṣṇu-purāṇa V. 2. 13.

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.

Vastushastra (architecture)

Kheṭa (खेट) is a Sanskrit technical term translating to “hamlet”, or, a small village inhabited by agricultural peasants. It is used throughout Vāstuśāstra literature.

context information

Vastushastra (वास्तुशास्त्र, vāstuśāstra) refers to the ancient Indian science (shastra) of architecture (vastu), dealing with topics such architecture, sculpture, town-building, fort building and various other constructions. Vastu also deals with the philosophy of the architectural relation with the cosmic universe.

General definition (in Hinduism)

1) Kheṭa (Town): A kheṭa covers an area of half a yojana (1 yojana = ~13km).

2) Kheta (खेत) is a Sanskrit word for a weapon translating to “club”. Sculptures or other depictions of Hindu dieties are often seen holden this weapon in their hand.

In Buddhism

Mahayana (major branch of Buddhism)

Kheṭa (खेट, “saliva ”) (Pali, Khela) refers to one of the thirty-substances of the human body according to the Visuddhimagga, as mentioned in an appendix of the 2nd century Mahāprajñāpāramitāśāstra chapter 32-34. The Mahāprajñāpāramitāśāstra mentions thirty-six substances [viz., kheṭa]; the Sanskrit sources of both the Lesser and the Greater Vehicles, physical substances are 26 in number while the Pāli suttas list thirty-once substances.

context information

Mahayana (महायान, mahāyāna) is a major branch of Buddhism focusing on the path of a Bodhisattva (spiritual aspirants/ enlightened beings). Extant literature is vast and primarely composed in the Sanskrit language. There are many sūtras of which some of the earliest are the various Prajñāpāramitā sūtras.

India history and geogprahy

Kheṭa (खेट) is a word denoting a ‘village’ or ‘hamlet’ and can be seen as a synonym for grāma, often used in inscriptions.—Terms such as kheṭa are in many cases, associated with the names of the villages so as to become the ending part of the different place-names. Inscriptions throw light on the location of the villages in different ways. Firstly, they communicate us an idea about the country, the division and the sub-division to which these villages belonged. Secondly, the inscriptions provide information regarding theboundaries of the donated villages.

Kheṭa (खेट) or Kheḍa is analogous to Kheṭṭa: the Prakrit form of Kṣetra: a name-ending for place-names mentioned in the Gupta inscriptions (reigned from 3rd century CE). Analogous to kheṭṭa is the word ‘kheḍa’ or ‘kheṭa’ which means ‘a city surrounded by rivers and mountains’. Kheṭa meaning ‘a small hamlet’ is also found in Pāṇini (VI. 2. 126). The Samarāṅgaṇasūtradhāra defines ‘kheṭa’ as the half of a city and the grāma as the half of a ‘kheṭa’. According to Monier Williams kheṭa means a village, residence of peasants and farmers, small town (half of a pura).

Lele considers Kheṭa or Kheṭaka to be the dialectic form of the word ‘kṣetra’. The original meaning of kheṭaka or kheṭa was an enclosure for cattle. In the course of time the pastoral camp grew into an agricultural village, and the word kheṭaka came to include agricultural village.

context information

The history of India traces the identification of countries, villages, towns and other regions of India, as well as royal dynasties, rulers, tribes, local festivities and traditions and regional languages. Ancient India enjoyed religious freedom and encourages the path of Dharma, a concept common to Buddhism, Hinduism, and Jainism.

Languages of India and abroad

Pali-English dictionary

kheṭa : (nt.) a shield.

Kheṭa, (cp. Sk. kheṭaka) a shield: see kīṭa. (Page 238)

context information

Pali is the language of the Tipiṭaka, which is the sacred canon of Theravāda Buddhism and contains much of the Buddha’s speech. Closeley related to Sanskrit, both languages are used interchangeably between religions.

Marathi-English dictionary

khēṭa (खेट).—f A wedge or a chip to tighten in or make fast. 2 A rendezvous; an appointed meeting or an appointed place or time or meeting. v pāḷa, sambhāḷa, ṭharava, ṭhara. 3 See khēṭā Sig. I. & II.

--- OR ---

khēṭā (खेटा).—m (khēṭaṇēṃ) A periodical resort to a holy place or an idol. v kara, ghāla. Hence (used pl as khēṭē) continual trips or visits to: also a fruitless going to and fro; empty trips. v ghāla, kara. 2 R Crowdedness or press; crowded, jammed, or stuffed state.

khēṭa (खेट).—f A wedge to make fast; a rendezvous.

--- OR ---

khēṭā (खेटा).—m A periodical resort to a holy place. Empty trips. Crowded state.

Sanskrit-English dictionary

Kheṭa (खेट).—a. [khe aṭati, aṭ-ac; khiṭ-ac vā] Having a weapon, armed.

-ṭaḥ 1 A village, small town or hamlet; Bhāg.1.6.11.

2) Phlegm.

3) The club of Balarāma.

4) A horse.

-ṭaḥ, -ṭam 1 Hunting, chase.

2) A shield.

-ṭam 1 Grass.

2) Hide, skin. (N. B.:At the end of comp. kheṭa expresses 'defectiveness' or 'deterioration', & may be rendered by 'miserable', 'low', 'vile', 'wretched' &c.; nāgarakheṭam a miserable town.)

3) A village; नगराद्योजनं खेटं खेटाद् ग्रामोऽर्धयोजनम् (nagarādyojanaṃ kheṭaṃ kheṭād grāmo'rdhayojanam) (brahmānaṃda pu. Part I, II anuṣaṃgapāda Ch.7.V.III.); खेटानि धूलिप्राकारोपेतानि (kheṭāni dhūliprākāropetāni) | (praśnavyākaraṇasūtravyākhyāne).

4) A village of cultivators; Rājadharmakaustubha, G. O. S. 72, P.12.

5) A village two miles long; Bibliotheca Indica 274, Fase. I. p.145.

--- OR ---

Kheṭa (खेट).—See under ख (kha).

Relevant definitions

Search found 28 related definition(s) that might help you understand this better. Below you will find the 15 most relevant articles:

Relevant text