Mahabahu, Maha-bahu, Mahābāhu: 16 definitions
Introduction:
Mahabahu means something in Buddhism, Pali, Hinduism, Sanskrit. 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
Purana and Itihasa (epic history)
Source: archive.org: Puranic EncyclopediaMahābāhu (महाबाहु).—One of the hundred sons of Dhṛtarāṣṭra. Bhīmasena killed him in the Bhārata Yuddha. (Mahābhārata Droṇa Parva, Chapter 157, Verse 19).
Source: archive.org: Shiva Purana - English TranslationMahābāhu (महाबाहु) refers one “of powerful arms” and is used to describe Vīrabhadra, according to the Śivapurāṇa 2.2.42.—Accordingly, as Śiva said to narrated to Vīrabhadra after seeing the destruction of Dakṣa’s sacrifice:—“[...] O Vīrabhadra of powerful arms (i.e., Mahābāhu), what is it that you have done? O dear, in your hurry you have inflicted very severe punishment on the celestial sages and others. Bring Dakṣa here quickly. O dear, he performed a sacrifice contrary to rules, whence this result arose”.
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: The Purana Index1a) Mahābāhu (महाबाहु).—A son of Danu.*
- * Matsya-purāṇa 6. 19.
1b) A son of Hiraṇyākṣa.*
- * Viṣṇu-purāṇa I. 21. 3.
Mahābāhu (महाबाहु) is a name mentioned in the Mahābhārata (cf. ) and represents one of the many proper names used for people and places. Note: The Mahābhārata (mentioning Mahābāhu) 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: Wisdom Library: KathāsaritsāgaraMahābāhu (महाबाहु) is the name of a champion allied to Devamāya who marched in war against Naravāhanadatta, as mentioned in the Kathāsaritsāgara, chapter 109. Accordingly, “... and when he was captured his army was broken, and fled, together with the great champions Vajramuṣṭi, Mahābāhu, Tīkṣṇadaṃṣṭra, and their fellows. Then the gods in their chariots exclaimed: ‘Bravo! Bravo!’”.
The Kathāsaritsāgara (‘ocean of streams of story’), mentioning Mahābāhu, 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.
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’.
Shaktism (Shakta philosophy)
Source: Google Books: ManthanabhairavatantramMahābāhu (महाबाहु) refers to a “powerful warrior”, according to the Yogakhaṇḍa of the Manthānabhairavatantra, a vast sprawling work that belongs to a corpus of Tantric texts concerned with the worship of the goddess Kubjikā.—Accordingly, [while discussing the Hagiography of Siddha Bauddhadeva]: “There is a well-known town in India which is your (sacred) place. It is the town of Kanyākubja situated between the Ganges and the Yamuna. (There was) a benevolent king who reigned happily there (called) Someśvara. He was a powerful warrior (mahābāhu) by caste and was born in the dynasty of the Moon. (One) night on the fourteenth of the dark fortnight, he left (his palace) to engage in Kaula practice. O Bhairava, in half a moment he brought a Vetāla under his control; because of that, (the king) who observed Kaula practice, had a son called Mahīpāla. [...]”.
Shakta (शाक्त, śākta) or Shaktism (śāktism) represents a tradition of Hinduism where the Goddess (Devi) is revered and worshipped. Shakta literature includes a range of scriptures, including various Agamas and Tantras, although its roots may be traced back to the Vedas.
In Buddhism
Tibetan Buddhism (Vajrayana or tantric Buddhism)
Source: Wisdom Library: Tibetan BuddhismMahābāhu (महाबाहु) refers to one of the male Vidyā-beings mentioned as attending the teachings in the 6th century Mañjuśrīmūlakalpa: one of the largest Kriyā Tantras devoted to Mañjuśrī (the Bodhisattva of wisdom) representing an encyclopedia of knowledge primarily concerned with ritualistic elements in Buddhism. The teachings in this text originate from Mañjuśrī and were taught to and by Buddha Śākyamuni in the presence of a large audience (including Mahābāhu).
Tibetan Buddhism includes schools such as Nyingma, Kadampa, Kagyu and Gelug. Their primary canon of literature is divided in two broad categories: The Kangyur, which consists of Buddha’s words, and the Tengyur, which includes commentaries from various sources. Esotericism and tantra techniques (vajrayāna) are collected indepently.
Languages of India and abroad
Sanskrit dictionary
Source: DDSA: The practical Sanskrit-English dictionaryMahābāhu (महाबाहु).—a. long-armed, powerful.
-huḥ an epithet of Viṣṇu.
Mahābāhu is a Sanskrit compound consisting of the terms mahā and bāhu (बाहु).
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Shabda-Sagara Sanskrit-English DictionaryMahābāhu (महाबाहु).—mfn. (-huḥ-huḥ-hu) Having long arms. E. mahā great, bāhu an arm.
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Benfey Sanskrit-English DictionaryMahabāhu (महबाहु).—and
Mahabāhu is a Sanskrit compound consisting of the terms maha and bāhu (बाहु).
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Cappeller Sanskrit-English DictionaryMahābāhu (महाबाहु).—[adjective] long-armed ([Epithet] of gods & heroes).
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary1) Mahābāhu (महाबाहु):—[=mahā-bāhu] [from mahā > mah] mfn. long-armed, [Mahābhārata; Rāmāyaṇa; Mārkaṇḍeya-purāṇa]
2) [v.s. ...] Name of Viṣṇu, [Mahābhārata]
3) [v.s. ...] of a Dānava, [Harivaṃśa]
4) [v.s. ...] of a Rākṣasa, [Rāmāyaṇa]
5) [v.s. ...] of one of the sons of Dhṛta-rāṣṭra, [Mahābhārata]
6) [v.s. ...] of a king, [Kathāsaritsāgara]
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Yates Sanskrit-English DictionaryMahābāhu (महाबाहु):—[mahā-bāhu] (huḥ-huḥ-huṃ) a. Having a long or powerful arm.
[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.
Nepali dictionary
Source: unoes: Nepali-English DictionaryMahābāhu (महाबाहु):—adj. 1. long-armed; 2. powerful; strong; n. Mythol. an epithet of Vishnu;
Nepali is the primary language of the Nepalese people counting almost 20 million native speakers. The country of Nepal is situated in the Himalaya mountain range to the north of India.
See also (Relevant definitions)
Partial matches: Bahu, Maha, Mahanta.
Full-text: Anakadundubhi, Mahabhuja, Sumahabahu, Saubhadra, Saubhadreya, Utsmi, Vyaparuh, Nriga, Shringavera, Marutta, Tikshnadamshtra, Rama, Bahu, Mahat, Shyama.
Relevant text
Search found 28 books and stories containing Mahabahu, Maha-bahu, Mahā-bāhu, Maha-bāhu, Mahābāhu, Mahabāhu, Mahābahu, Mahanta-bahu, Mahanta-bāhu; (plurals include: Mahabahus, bahus, bāhus, Mahābāhus, Mahabāhus, Mahābahus). You can also click to the full overview containing English textual excerpts. Below are direct links for the most relevant articles:
Chaitanya Bhagavata (by Bhumipati Dāsa)
Verse 3.5.154 < [Chapter 5 - The Pastimes of Nityānanda]
Verse 3.2.473 < [Chapter 2 - Description of the Lord’s Travel Through Bhuvaneśvara and Other Placesto Jagannātha Purī]
A Descriptive Catalogue of the Sanskrit Manuscripts, Madras (by M. Seshagiri Sastri)
Paumacariya (critical study) (by K. R. Chandra)
4. Genealogy of the Raksasa Vamsa dynasty < [Chapter 5 - Origin and Genealogy of Various Vamshas]
Puranic encyclopaedia (by Vettam Mani)
Trishashti Shalaka Purusha Caritra (by Helen M. Johnson)
Part 11: Future Vāsudevas < [Chapter XIII - Śrī Mahāvīra’s nirvāṇa]
Appendix 1.6: New and rare words < [Appendices]