Kirata, aka: Kirāta, Kirāṭa; 18 Definition(s)

Introduction

Kirata 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.

In Hinduism

Purana and Itihasa (epic history)

Kirāta (किरात) is the name of a gaṇa (attendant of Śiva), mentioned in the Skandapurāṇa 4.2.53. In this chapter, Śiva (Giriśa) summons his attendants (gaṇas) and ask them to venture towards the city Vārāṇasī (Kāśī) in order to find out what the yoginīs, the sun-god, Vidhi (Brahmā) were doing there.

While the gaṇas such as Kirāta were staying at Kāśī, they were desirous but unable of finding a weakness in king Divodaśa who was ruling there. Kāśī is described as a fascinating place beyond the range of Giriśa’s vision, and as a place where yoginīs become ayoginīs, after having come in contact with it. Kāśī is described as having both the power to destroy great delusion, as well as creating it.

The Skandapurāṇa narrates the details and legends surrounding numerous holy pilgrimages (tīrtha-māhātmya) throughout India. It is the largest Mahāpurāṇa composed of over 81,000 metrical verses, with the core text dating from the before the 4th-century CE.

Kirāta (किरात).—An urban region in ancient India. (Bhīṣma Parva, Chapter 2, Verse 51).

1a) Kirāta (किरात).—The story of.^*

• * Brahmāṇḍa-purāṇa IV. 7. 13; 8. 9.

1b) People of an eastern kingdom; a mountain kingdom; defeated by Bharata and purified of sin by the worship of Hari;¹ vanquished by Kalki;² a hill tribe.³ Defeated by Sagara, took caves and hills as residences;⁴ reside on the east of Bhāratavarṣa;⁵ co-habitation with Kirāta women by a Brāhmaṇa; purification at the end of the twelfth day—rites cited.⁶

• 1) Bhāgavata-purāṇa IX. 20. 30; II. 4. 18; Brahmāṇḍa-purāṇa II. 16. 12 and 51, 60. 68; Matsya-purāṇa 114. 56; 121. 49; Vāyu-purāṇa 45. 82; 120. 136; 47-48; 58. 83.
• 2) Brahmāṇḍa-purāṇa II. 18. 50; III. 73. 109; IV. 29. 131 and 135; Vāyu-purāṇa 98. 108.
• 3) Brahmāṇḍa-purāṇa II. 16. 68; III. 48-49; IV. 7. 19; Matsya-purāṇa 114. 11 and 35.
• 4) Brahmāṇḍa-purāṇa III. 48. 23-49.
• 5) Viṣṇu-purāṇa II. 3. 8.
• 6) Brahmāṇḍa-purāṇa IV. 8. 9.

Kirāta (किरात) is a name mentioned in the Mahābhārata (cf. II.13.19, II.27.13, II.48.8, II.48.10, III.48.20, III.174.11, V.19.15, VI.10.49, VI.10.55, VI.10.67, VI.20.13, VI.46.46, VIII.4.15, VIII.51.19) and represents one of the many proper names used for people and places. Note: The Mahābhārata (mentioning Kirāta) is a Sanskrit epic poem consisting of 100,000 ślokas (metrical verses) and is over 2000 years old.

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.

Shaivism (Shaiva philosophy)

Kirāta (किरात) is the Sanskrit name of a deity presiding over Kailāsācala, one of the sixty-eight places hosting a svāyambhuvaliṅga, which is one of the most sacred of liṅgas according to the Śaivāgamas. The list of sixty-eight svāyambhuvaliṅgas and presiding deities (eg., Kirāta) is found in the commentary on the Jirṇoddhāra-daśaka by Nigamajñānadeva. The word liṅga refers to a symbol used in the worship of Śiva and is used thoughout Śaiva literature, such as the sacred Āgamas.

context information

Shaiva (शैव, śaiva) or Shaivism (śaivism) represents a tradition of Hinduism worshiping Shiva as the supreme being. Closely related to Shaktism, Shaiva literature includes a range of scriptures, including Tantras, while the root of this tradition may be traced back to the ancient Vedas.

Kavya (poetry)

Kirāta refers to an ancient district or cultural territory, as mentioned in the 7th-century Mudrārākṣasa written by Viśākhadeva. Kīra corresponds to the Himalayas in the north-east.

Kirāta (किरात) is a generic term in Sanskrit literature for people who lived in the mountains, particularly in the Himalayas and North-East India and who are believed to have been Mongoloid in origin. They are mentioned along with Cīnas (Chinese), and were different from the Niśādas.

Natyashastra (theatrics and dramaturgy)

Kirāta (किरात) is the name of a tribe, usually to be represented by a brown (asita) color when painting the limbs (aṅgaracanā), according to Nāṭyaśāstra chapter 23. The painting is a component of nepathya (costumes and make-up) and is to be done in accordance with the science of āhāryābhinaya (extraneous representation).

context information

Natyashastra (नाट्यशास्त्र, nāṭyaśāstra) refers to both the ancient Indian tradition (śāstra) of performing arts, (nāṭya, e.g., theatrics, drama, dance, music), as well as the name of a Sanskrit work dealing with these subjects. It also teaches the rules for composing dramatic plays (nataka) and poetic works (kavya).

Shilpashastra (iconography)

Kirāta (किरात) or Kirātamūrti refers to one of the twenty-eighth forms (mūrti) of Śiva mentioned in the Vātulāgama: twenty-eighth among the Siddhāntaśaivāgama. The forms of Śiva (eg., Kirāta) are established through a process known as Sādākhya, described as a five-fold process of creation.

context information

Shilpashastra (शिल्पशास्त्र, śilpaśāstra) represents the ancient Indian science (shastra) of creative arts (shilpa) such as sculpture, iconography and painting. Closely related to Vastushastra (architecture), they often share the same literature.

General definition (in Hinduism)

Kirāta (किरात): Huntsman, The non-Aryan aborigines of the land. They are mentioned along with Cinas for Chinese. Kiratas are believed to be of Tibeto-Burman origin.

Kirāta (किरात).—A mountainous region near modern Udaipur, Rajasthan, where Arjuna did penance. Lord Śiva took the form of a Kirāta and fought with Arjuna.

In Buddhism

Theravada (major branch of Buddhism)

Probably the name given to a tribe of jungle men. Their language is classed with those of the Ottas, the Andhakas, the Yonakas and the Damilas, as a language of the Milakkhas (non Aryans). E.g., DA.i.176; VibhA.388; see also Zimmer: Altind. Leben 34.

Languages of India and abroad

Pali-English dictionary

kirāta : (m.) a kind of junglemen.

Kirāta, (& kirāṭa) (prob. dial. ) a man of a tribe of junglemen, classed with dwarfs among the attendants of a chief DA. I, 148. See on the Kirāta as a mountain tribe Zimmer, Altindisches Leben p. 34. Cp. also apakiritūna & okirati², okiraṇa.—A secondary meaning of kirāṭa is that of a fraudulent merchant, a cheat (see kirāsa & kerāṭika). (Page 215)

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

kiraṭā (किरटा).—a C Miserly. 2 Producing a thin meagre stroke--a pen: also the strokes or writing so produced. Spoken revilingly. 3 Slender, poor and thin;--used of timbers &c. 4 Weak, poor, small--the voice or utterance: diminutive, stunted, impoverished--fruits: feeble, soft, sickly--teeth: lean or puny;--sometimes used of man: wanting stamina or substance gen.

--- OR ---

kirāta (किरात).—m (S) One of the barbarous tribes who inhabit woods and mountains, and live by the chase. 2 A kind of Gentian. See kirāīta.

kiraṭā (किरटा).—a Miserly. Producing a thin, meagre stroke-a pen: also the strokes or writing so produced. Slender, poor, weak, feeble, soft. Sulky, wanting stamina or substance.

--- OR ---

kirāta (किरात).—m One of the barbarous tribes who inhabit woods and mountains, and live by the chase.

Sanskrit-English dictionary

Kirāṭa (किराट).—A merchant; पणयिष्यन्ति वै क्षुद्राः किराटाः कूटकारिणः (paṇayiṣyanti vai kṣudrāḥ kirāṭāḥ kūṭakāriṇaḥ) Bhāg.12.3.35.

Derivable forms: kirāṭaḥ (किराटः).

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Kirāta (किरात).—[kiraṃ paryantabhūmiṃ atati gacchatīti kirātaḥ]

1) Name of a degraded mountain tribe who live by hunting, a mountaineer; वैयाकरणकिरातादपशब्दमृगाः क्व यान्तु संत्रस्ताः । यदि नटगणकचिकित्सकवैतालिकवदनकन्दरा न स्युः (vaiyākaraṇakirātādapaśabdamṛgāḥ kva yāntu saṃtrastāḥ | yadi naṭagaṇakacikitsakavaitālikavadanakandarā na syuḥ) || Subhāṣ.; Pt.1.17; पर्यन्ताश्रयिभिर्निजस्य सदृशं नाम्नः किरातैः कृतम् (paryantāśrayibhirnijasya sadṛśaṃ nāmnaḥ kirātaiḥ kṛtam) Ratn.2.3; Ku.1.6,15. जवार इति यद्राज्यं किरातानां पुरातनम् (javāra iti yadrājyaṃ kirātānāṃ purātanam) Parṇāl 1.39.

2) A savage, barbarian.

3) A dwarf.

4) A groom, a horseman.

5) Name of Śiva in the disguise of a Kirāta.

6) A species of fish; किरातो लुब्धके देववाहिनीमत्स्यभेदयोः (kirāto lubdhake devavāhinīmatsyabhedayoḥ) Nm.

7) Name of a medicinal herb (Mar. kirāīta, cirāīta, bhūniṃba)

-tāḥ (pl.) Name of a country.

Derivable forms: kirātaḥ (किरातः).

Kirāta (किरात).—m.

(-taḥ) 1. A savage, one of the barbarous tribes who inhabit woods and mountains and live by the chase, the Kirrhadœ of Arrian. 2. Siva as a mountaineer opposed to Arjuna, the account of which is the subject of the poem, the Kiratarjuniya. 3. A kind of gentian: see kirātatikta. 4. A pigmy a dwarf. 5. A groom, a horseman. f. (-tī) 1. The river Ganges or its goddess. 2. A name of Durga. 3. A bawd, a procuress. 4. The celestial Ganges or river of Swarga. E. kṝ to scatter, (speech, &c.) and ata who goes; also kirātaka.

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