Mahabhaya, Maha-bhaya, Mahābhayā, Mahābhaya: 17 definitions
Introduction:
Mahabhaya 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.
In Hinduism
Purana and Itihasa (epic history)
Mahābhaya (महाभय).—A Rākṣasa. He was born to Adharma by his wife Nirṛti. Mahābhaya had two brothers named Bhaya and Mṛtyu. (Mahābhārata Ādi Parva, Chapter 66, Verse 54).
Mahābhaya (महाभय) refers to “(harbingers of) great fear”, according to the Śivapurāṇa 2.3.15 (“The penance and reign of Tārakāsura”).—Accordingly, as Brahmā narrated: “[...] At the same time, several phenomena of evil portent forboding misery and distress happened, when the son of Varāṅgī was born making the gods miserable. [...] O great Brahmin, the misty haloes around the sun and the moon in the grip of Rāhu became the harbingers of great fear [i.e., mahābhaya] and unhappiness. At that time terrifying sounds that resembled those of the chariot issued forth from cracks and crevices in the mountains. [...]”.
Mahābhaya (महाभय) is a name mentioned in the Mahābhārata (cf. I.60.53) and represents one of the many proper names used for people and places. Note: The Mahābhārata (mentioning Mahābhaya) 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.
Shaivism (Shaiva philosophy)
Mahābhayā (महाभया) is the name of one of the thirty-two Yakṣiṇīs mentioned in the Kakṣapuṭatantra, as well as one of the thirty-six Yakṣiṇīs mentioned in the Uḍḍāmareśvaratantra. In the yakṣiṇī-sādhana, the Yakṣiṇī is regarded as the guardian spirit who provides worldly benefits to the practitioner. The Yakṣiṇī (e.g., Mahābhayā) provides, inter alia, daily food, clothing and money, tells the future, and bestows a long life, but she seldom becomes a partner in sexual practices.
Mahābhaya (महाभय) refers to “times of great dangers”, according to the Netratantra of Kṣemarāja: a Śaiva text from the 9th century in which Śiva (Bhairava) teaches Pārvatī topics such as metaphysics, cosmology, and soteriology.—Accordingly, [verse 19.121-128, while describing the prevention of natural disasters]—“[The Mantrin] should [perform] rites and recitations to avert evil and famine, in times of great dangers (mahābhaya), [such as] destructive earthquakes, meteors, massive rainfall and drought as well as threats of mice and other pests. He should conduct the ritual when flowers, etc., grow out of season, [when images of gods] are lost or break. [...]”.
Mahābhaya (महाभय) refers to “great dangers”, according to the Pātravidhi—a manual of the Lakulīśa Pāśupata school of Śaivism dealing with purification of the initiate’s vessel (pātra) and other concerned issues.—Accordingly, “[Its users] go across terrible great dangers (mahābhaya), hardly crossable hells, and all sorrows; therefore, it is called pātra. (68) [An ascetic] should never use medicine, a teeth-cleaning twig, and drink or sip water, except at times of eating. (69)”.
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.
Shaktism (Shakta philosophy)
Mahābhaya (महाभय) refers to “great fear”, according to the Ṣaṭsāhasrasaṃhitā, an expansion of the Kubjikāmatatantra: the earliest popular and most authoritative Tantra of the Kubjikā cult.—Accordingly, “One should institute a great sacrifice at times of great fear [i.e., mahābhaya], when in conflict with a powerful enemy, when the land is afflicted with drought, when locusts and soldiers come (to ravage it), when (one seeks to) remedy disease and suffering, when there is a fight between relatives for kingdom, when the king is deposed, during solitary combat in a great battle, in order to (get a) son, when one fails to gets a young virgin (bride), during a marriage, in order to gain victory, (or) when a fort is under attack. [...]”.
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.
General definition (in Hinduism)
Mahābhaya (महाभय, “terror”):—In Vedic hinduism, he is one of the three sons of Adharma (‘sin’) and his wife Nirṛti (‘misery’).
In Buddhism
Tibetan Buddhism (Vajrayana or tantric Buddhism)
Mahābhaya (महाभय) refers to one of the eight charnel grounds (śmaśāna) of the Medinīcakra, according to the 10th century Ḍākārṇava chapter 15. Accordingly, the medinīcakra refers to one of the three divisions of the dharma-puṭa (‘dharma layer’), situated in the Herukamaṇḍala. Mahābhaya is associated with the tree (vṛkṣa) named Nālīra; with the female world-guardian (lokapālinī) named Rudrā; with a female serpent (nāginī) and with a female cloud (meghinī).
Mahābhaya (महाभय) or Aṣṭamahābhaya refers to the “(eight) great fears” [i.e., aṣṭamahābhaya-tāraṇārthaṃ], according to the Guru Mandala Worship (maṇḍalārcana) ritual often performed in combination with the Cakrasaṃvara Samādhi, which refers to the primary pūjā and sādhanā practice of Newah Mahāyāna-Vajrayāna Buddhists in Nepal.
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.
Mahayana (major branch of Buddhism)
Mahābhaya (महाभय) refers to “great dangers”, according to the Vajratuṇḍasamayakalparāja, an ancient Buddhist ritual manual on agriculture from the 5th-century (or earlier), containing various instructions for the Sangha to provide agriculture-related services to laypeople including rain-making, weather control and crop protection.—Accordingly, [after the Bhagavān entered the assembly of Nāgas], “Then the Four Great Kings bowed to the Bhagavān with their hands put together and addressed him, “O Bhagavān, extremely frightening great dangers (mahābhaya) have arisen in the world. Namely, drought, famine, calamities. O Bhagavān, all beings have become defenceless and refugeless because of this misfortune. [...]’”.
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.
Languages of India and abroad
Sanskrit dictionary
Mahābhaya (महाभय).—[neuter] great danger or dread; [adjective] very dangerous or dreadful.
1) Mahābhaya (महाभय):—[=mahā-bhaya] [from mahā > mah] n. great danger or peril, [Aitareya-brāhmaṇa; Mahābhārata] etc.
2) [v.s. ...] m. Great Danger personified as a son of Adharma by Nirṛti, [Mahābhārata] (cf. bhaya)
3) [v.s. ...] mf(ā)n. accompanied with gr° d° or peril, very dangerous or formidable, [Mahābhārata]
Mahābhaya (महाभय):—1. (ma + bhaya) n. grosse Gefahr, - Noth [Aitareyabrāhmaṇa 8, 27.] [Mahābhārata 5, 1828. 1837.] [Rājataraṅgiṇī 2, 26.] [Vetālapañcaviṃśati] in [Lassen’s Anthologie (II) 17, 16.] Personif. (als m.; vgl. bhaya) ein Sohn des Adharma von der Nirṛti [Mahābhārata 1, 2619.]
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Mahābhaya (महाभय):—2. (wie eben) adj. f. ā mit grosser Gefahr —, mis grosser Noth verbunden; sehr gefahrvoll, furchtbar: yuddha [Mahābhārata 1, 1176. 1185.] ulkā [3, 11397.]
Mahābhaya (महाभय):—1. —
1) n. grosse Gefahr , — Noth. —
2) m. personificirt als ein Sohn des Adharma von der Nirṛti.
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Mahābhaya (महाभय):—2. Adj. (f. ā) mit grosser Gefahr — , mit grosser Noth verbunden , sehr gefahrvoll , — furchtbar.
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.
Pali-English dictionary
mahābhaya (မဟာဘယ) [(na) (န)]—
[mahanta+bhaya]
[မဟန္တ+ဘယ]
[Pali to Burmese]
mahābhaya—
(Burmese text): ကြီးစွာသောဘေး၊ ဘေးကြီး။
(Auto-Translation): Great danger, great peril.
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.
See also (Relevant definitions)
Partial matches: Bhaya, Maha, Mahanta.
Starts with: Mahabhayabheravasadda, Mahabhayabhita, Mahabhayakari, Mahabhayakarilokeshvara, Mahabhayamkara, Mahabhayaphalada, Mahabhayaphaladalokeshvara, Mahabhayappatta.
Full-text: Mahabbhaya, Mahabhayabhita, Pancavisatimahabhaya, Candalatissamahabhaya, Mahabhayappatta, Ashtamahabhaya, Nirriti, Adharma, Mahadbhaya, Bhaya, Gunakarman, Vivardhin, Nalira, Atyahita, Mahapitaka, Raudrashmashana, Canndalatissa Mahabhaya, Rudra, Samakula.
Relevant text
Search found 10 books and stories containing Mahabhaya, Maha-bhaya, Mahā-bhaya, Mahābhayā, Mahābhaya, Mahanta-bhaya; (plurals include: Mahabhayas, bhayas, Mahābhayās, Mahābhayas). You can also click to the full overview containing English textual excerpts. Below are direct links for the most relevant articles:
List of Mahabharata people and places (by Laxman Burdak)
A Descriptive Catalogue of the Sanskrit Manuscripts, Madras (by M. Seshagiri Sastri)
Notices of Sanskrit Manuscripts (by Rajendralala Mitra)
Chaitanya Bhagavata (by Bhumipati Dāsa)
Verse 3.10.136 < [Chapter 10 - The Glories of Śrī Puṇḍarīka Vidyānidhi]
Verse 2.13.88 < [Chapter 13 - The Deliverance of Jagāi and Mādhāi]
Verse 3.8.148 < [Chapter 8 - Mahāprabhu’s Water Sports in Narendra- sarovara]
Jainism in Odisha (Orissa) (by Ashis Ranjan Sahoo)
Jaina Antiquities in Shergarh (Balasore) < [Chapter 3: Survey of Jaina Antiquities in Odisha]
Puranic encyclopaedia (by Vettam Mani)