In Hinduism

Jyotisha (astronomy and astrology)

Source: Wisdom Library: Brihat Samhita by Varahamihira

Mahāgaṇa (महागण) refers to “large gatherings of men”, according to the Bṛhatsaṃhitā (chapter 5), an encyclopedic Sanskrit work written by Varāhamihira mainly focusing on the science of ancient Indian astronomy astronomy (Jyotiṣa).—Accordingly, “If there should be both lunar and solar eclipses in one month, princes will suffer both from dissensions among their own army and from wars. [...] If the eclipses should fall in the lunar month of Jyeṣṭha, the Brāhmins, the Queens of the reigning sovereign, crops, rain, large gatherings of men [i.e., mahāgaṇa], beautiful persons, the Sālvas and the Niṣādas will suffer”.

context information

Jyotisha (ज्योतिष, jyotiṣa or jyotish) refers to ‘astronomy’ or “Vedic astrology” and represents the fifth of the six Vedangas (additional sciences to be studied along with the Vedas). Jyotisha concerns itself with the study and prediction of the movements of celestial bodies, in order to calculate the auspicious time for rituals and ceremonies.

Purana and Itihasa (epic history)

Source: archive.org: Shiva Purana - English Translation

Mahāgaṇa (महागण) refers to a “great Gaṇa” and is used to describe Kīrtimukha, according to the Śivapurāṇa 2.5.19 (“Jalandhara’s emissary to Śiva”).—Accordingly, as Śiva says to one of his Gaṇas: “O great Gaṇa (mahāgaṇa), you are blessed since you carried out my behest to the very letter. O excellent one, I am pleased with this action of yours. You shall hereafter be known by the title Kīrtimukha. You shall be my door-keeper. You shall be one of my great Gaṇas, very heroic and terrible to all wicked persons. You are my favourite. In the course of my worship, you too shall be worshipped always by my devotees. Those who do not worship you cannot be pleasing to me”.

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.

In Buddhism

Theravada (major branch of Buddhism)

Source: Pali Kanon: Pali Proper Names

One of the three chief buildings of the Upasika vihara (q.v.). It was later called Piyathapitaghara. MT. 408, 409.

context information

Theravāda is a major branch of Buddhism having the the Pali canon (tipitaka) as their canonical literature, which includes the vinaya-pitaka (monastic rules), the sutta-pitaka (Buddhist sermons) and the abhidhamma-pitaka (philosophy and psychology).

Languages of India and abroad

Pali-English dictionary

Source: BuddhaSasana: Concise Pali-English Dictionary

mahāgaṇa : (m.) a great community.

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.

Sanskrit dictionary

Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Cappeller Sanskrit-English Dictionary

Mahāgaṇa (महागण).—[masculine] great multitude or crowd.

Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary

1) Mahāgaṇa (महागण):—[=mahā-gaṇa] [from mahā > mah] m. a great multitude, gr° assembly or crowd, gr° corporate body, [Atharva-veda; Mahābhārata; Śāntikalpa; Varāha-mihira]

2) [v.s. ...] a [particular] high number (1 with 14 ciphers), [cf. Lexicographers, esp. such as amarasiṃha, halāyudha, hemacandra, etc.]

[Sanskrit to German]

Mahagana in German

context information

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.

Kannada-English dictionary

Source: Alar: Kannada-English corpus

Mahāgaṇa (ಮಹಾಗಣ):—

1) [noun] a very large multitude.

2) [noun] (math.) a huge number.

3) [noun] a Vīraśaiva mendicant.

context information

Kannada is a Dravidian language (as opposed to the Indo-European language family) mainly spoken in the southwestern region of India.

See also (Relevant definitions)

Partial matches: Gana, Maha.

Starts with: Mahaganapati, Mahaganapatikalpe pancatrimshatpithika, Mahaganapatikalpepancatrimshatpithika, Mahaganapatikavaca, Mahaganapatikrama, Mahaganapatimantravaradaganapatistotra, Mahaganapatimantroddharavidhi, Mahaganapatinamasahasra, Mahaganapatipujapaddhati, Mahaganapatisahasranamastotra, Mahaganapatistavaraja, Mahaganapatistotra, Mahaganapatistotrakavaca, Mahaganapativajrapanjarakavaca, Mahaganapativaradaganeshanityapujapaddhativarnana, Mahaganapatividya, Mahaganastha.

Full-text: Mahaganapatistotra, Mahaganapatividya, Mahaganapatistavaraja, Mahaganapatikalpepancatrimshatpithika, Mahaganapatisahasranamastotra, Mahaganapati, Arishtanemin, Krishashva.

Relevant text

Search found 1 books and stories containing Mahagana, Mahāgaṇa, Mahāgana, Maha-gana, Mahā-gaṇa; (plurals include: Mahaganas, Mahāgaṇas, Mahāganas, ganas, gaṇas). You can also click to the full overview containing English textual excerpts. Below are direct links for the most relevant articles:

The Shiva Purana (by J. L. Shastri)

Chapter 37 - Destruction of Dakṣa’s sacrifice < [Section 2.2 - Rudra-saṃhitā (2): Satī-khaṇḍa]

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