Mahabhisheka, Mahābhiṣeka: 7 definitions
Introduction:
Mahabhisheka means something in 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.
The Sanskrit term Mahābhiṣeka can be transliterated into English as Mahabhiseka or Mahabhisheka, using the IAST transliteration scheme (?).
In Hinduism
Purana and Itihasa (epic history)
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: The Purana IndexMahābhiṣeka (महाभिषेक).—Of Bali at the hands of Bhṛgu;1 its vidhi observed by Ambarīṣa.2
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: KathāsaritsāgaraMahābhiṣeka (महाभिषेक) is the name of the fifteenth book of the Kathāsaritsāgara, written by Somadeva in the 11th-century.
The Kathāsaritsāgara (‘ocean of streams of story’), mentioning Mahābhiṣeka, 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’.
Pancaratra (worship of Nārāyaṇa)
Source: archive.org: Catalogue of Pancaratra Agama Texts1) Mahābhiṣeka (महाभिषेक) refers to the “ceremony which brings to the doer everything”, as discussed in the thirty-ninth chapter of the Ahirbudhnyasaṃhitā, a Pāñcarātra work in 60 chapters dealing with topics such as Viṣṇu’s discus-power, the processes of creation and esoteric practices related to Sudarśana (such as mantras and yantras).—[Cf. the chapter sarvaphalasādhana-bhūta-mahābhiṣeka-vidhāna]: [...] Ahirbudhnya declares that what he is about to relate is the most secret of secrets. It turns out that the performance of “Mahābhiṣeka” is that one deed which brings to the doer everything (1-5). The bulk of the chapter deals with the details of how a king performs this “Mahābhiṣeka” rite—the sudarśana-yantra being placed on a mahendramaṇḍala-design and worshipped along with a pot filled with sanctified water. This latter is then poured over the heads of the king and his ministers (6-32).
2) Mahābhiṣeka (महाभिषेक) refers to the “bath with 108 pots”, as discussed in chapter 8 (Caryāpāda) of the Padmasaṃhitā: the most widely followed of Saṃhitā covering the entire range of concerns of Pāñcarātra doctrine and practice (i.e., the four-fold formulation of subject matter—jñāna, yoga, kriyā and caryā) consisting of roughly 9000 verses.—Description of the chapter [mahābhiṣeka]: Brahmā asks Bhagavān about the different varieties of icon-bathing and learns that there is a good/better/best division of baths in general. In any case, an auspicious time must be selected and, aṅkurārpana-sprouting rites having been attended to, the special snapanabera-icon or some suitable substitute is taken to a specially built maṇḍapa erected in front of the prāsāda (1-22a). While special rules apply to a domestic icon [gṛhārcā] and in cases when snapana-rites are a daily occurrence (22b-23), in these cases of the auspicious rite the bath proceeds once all the materials for it have been collected and properly consecrated for use (24-58a). The steps for the bathing rite are then given, along with the appropriate mantras (58b-893). The water and other liquids which have been used in the bath may be collected and distributed to the faithful as prasāda (89-91). After the bath the deity is to be dressed and decorated and given food (91-97). For the various good/best categories of baths, the contents in the numerous pots will vary as will also the appropriate mantras to be employed with them. Details about these are given (98-228). No snapana-rites are valid unless dakşiņā-rewards are given to all the participating Brahmins (229-231a).
Source: University of Vienna: Sudarśana's Worship at the Royal Court According to the AhirbudhnyasaṃhitāMahābhiṣeka (महाभिषेक) refers to “(a ritual to) fulfill all desires” according to the Ahirbudhnya-Saṃhitā.—The Meta-section on Ritual envisages a number of rituals which are presented in the Ahirbudhnyasaṃhitā as specifically relevant to royal purposes. This special repertoire includes a ritual to aid the conquest of all directions, a ritual to cure various illnesses, a ritual to fulfill all desires (mahābhiṣeka, Adhyāya 39) and a pacificatory ritual. Apart from these, the other two major procedures described in the saṃhitā are a ritual of initiation and the daily ritual.
Pancaratra (पाञ्चरात्र, pāñcarātra) represents a tradition of Hinduism where Narayana is revered and worshipped. Closeley related to Vaishnavism, the Pancaratra literature includes various Agamas and tantras incorporating many Vaishnava philosophies.
Languages of India and abroad
Sanskrit dictionary
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary1) Mahābhiṣeka (महाभिषेक):—[from mahā > mah] (hābh) m. solemn sprinkling or unction, [Aitareya-brāhmaṇa]
2) [=mahā-bhiṣeka] [from mahābhiṣeka > mahā > mah] Name of [Kathāsaritsāgara xv]
[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.
See also (Relevant definitions)
Partial matches: Maha, Abhisheka.
Starts with: Mahabhishekalambaka, Mahabhishekaprayoga, Mahabhishekavidhi.
Query error!
Full-text: Mahabhishekavidhi, Mahabhishekaprayoga, Abhisheka, Sarvaphalasadhanabhutamahabhishekavidhana, Madhuvana, Snapanabera, Sarvaphalasadhana, Shivabhakta, Mahashanti, Mahashantividhana, Snapanabheda, Bali.
Relevant text
Search found 16 books and stories containing Mahabhisheka, Mahā-abhiṣeka, Maha-abhiseka, Maha-abhisheka, Mahābhiṣeka, Mahabhiseka; (plurals include: Mahabhishekas, abhiṣekas, abhisekas, abhishekas, Mahābhiṣekas, Mahabhisekas). You can also click to the full overview containing English textual excerpts. Below are direct links for the most relevant articles:
Notices of Sanskrit Manuscripts (by Rajendralala Mitra)
Sanskrit dramas by Kerala authors (Study) (by S. Subramania Iyer)
2. Plot (summary) of the Balamartandavijaya < [Chapter 13: Balamartandavijaya (Balamartanda-Vijaya)]
3.1. Characterisation of King Martandavarma < [Chapter 13: Balamartandavijaya (Balamartanda-Vijaya)]
6. Dramatic effect of the Balamartandavijaya < [Chapter 13: Balamartandavijaya (Balamartanda-Vijaya)]
Sanskrit sources of Kerala history (by Suma Parappattoli)
2. Balamartandavijaya by Devaraja-suri < [Chapter 5 - Sanskrit Dramas and Campus bearing on Kerala History]
The Sacrifices of Rajasuya, Vajapeya and Ashvamedha (study) (by Aparna Dhar)
Contents of the Brāhmaṇas of the Ṛgveda < [Chapter 1 - A brief outline of the Brāhmaṇa Literature]
Chapter 7 - Major Findings and Concluding Observations
Special position and Political significance of the Sacrifice < [Chapter 3 - Political Importance]
Atharvaveda ancillary literature (Study) (by B. R. Modak)
Part 3b.9 - The Grand Homas < [Chapter 2b - A Topical Analysis of the Atharvaveda-Parisistas]
Part 2.1 - The Rajaprathama-abhiseka ceremony < [Chapter 2b - A Topical Analysis of the Atharvaveda-Parisistas]
Matsya Purana (critical study) (by Kushal Kalita)
Part 1 - Theories of origin of Kingship < [Chapter 6 - Polity in the Matsyapurāṇa]
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