Mahajvala, Mahājvāla, Maha-jvala, Mahājvālā: 14 definitions
Introduction:
Mahajvala means something in Buddhism, Pali, Hinduism, Sanskrit, Jainism, Prakrit. 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)
Source: archive.org: Puranic EncyclopediaMahājvāla (महाज्वाल).—A hell. (See under Kāla I).
Source: archive.org: Shiva Purana - English TranslationMahājvala (महाज्वल)refers to “that which blazes forth”, according to the Śivapurāṇa 2.5.10 (“The burning of the Tripuras”).—Accordingly, as Sanatkumāra narrated to Vyāsa: “[...] Śiva discharged an arrow that had the refulgence of countless suns. The arrow which was constituted by Viṣṇu and whose steel head was fire god blazed forth (mahājvala) and burnt the three Asuras who lived in the three cities. It thereby removed their sins. The three cities reduced to ashes fell on the earth girt by the four oceans. Since they had refrained from the worship of Śiva, hundreds of Asuras were burnt by the fire generated by the arrow. They cried ‘Hā Hā’ in distress. [...]”.
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: The Purana IndexMahājvāla (महाज्वाल).—A hell for several offences detailed; such as sexual intercourse with daughters and daughters-in-law, selling or censuring the Vedas, insulting or assaulting the ācāryas.*
- * Brahmāṇḍa-purāṇa IV. 2. 147, 151, 156-7; Vāyu-purāṇa 101. 146, 155; Viṣṇu-purāṇa II. 6. 2 and 12.
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.
Shaktism (Shakta philosophy)
Source: Google Books: ManthanabhairavatantramMahājvāla (महाज्वाल) refers to “rows of mighty flames”, according to Tantric texts such as the Kubjikāmata-tantra, the earliest popular and most authoritative Tantra of the Kubjikā cult.—Accordingly, “[...] (Then) having thus given them a boon, she reached Karāla. The place is brilliant with rows of mighty flames (mahājvāla), the greatly astonishing energy (tejas) of the goddess, and so is called Jāla. Passing some time (there), she burnt with the awakened rays (of her radiance) and beheld before (her) countless marvellous creations like (those produced) by magic (indrajāla)”.
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: academia.edu: The Structure and Meanings of the Heruka MaṇḍalaMahājvālā (महाज्वाला) is the name of a Ḍākinī who, together with the Vīra (hero) named Cittavajra forms one of the 36 pairs situated in the Vajracakra, according to the 10th century Ḍākārṇava chapter 15. Accordingly, the vajracakra refers to one of the four divisions of the sahaja-puṭa (‘innate layer’), situated within the padma (lotus) in the middle of the Herukamaṇḍala. The 36 pairs of Ḍākinīs [viz., Mahājvālā] and Vīras each have one face and four arms; they hold a skull bowl, a skull staff, a small drum and a knife; they are dark-bluish-black in color.
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.
In Jainism
General definition (in Jainism)
Source: archive.org: The Jaina Iconography1) Mahājvālā (महाज्वाला) (or Bhṛkuṭī, Jvālāmālinī) is the name of the Yakṣiṇī accompanying Candraprabha: the eighth of twenty-four Tīrthaṃkaras or Jinas, commonly depicted in Jaina iconography.—[...] The Śvetāmbara Yakṣiṇī Bhṛkuṭī rides a cat (or swan) and her hands are adorned with a sword, club, spear and axe. The Digambara Śāsanadevī Jvālāmālinī or Jvālinī has a buffalo as her riding animal and holds in her hands disc, arrow, noose, shield, trident, sword, bow etc. Bhṛkuṭī’s symbol of a swan (according to Hemacandra) may be explained as identically the same riding animal for the husband Vijaya (Vijayo haṃsavāhana, Vide ante). Her other symbols as held in the hands are such as become a Yakṣiṇī or “guardian goddess”. Jvālāmālinī or Jvālinī or Mahājvālā as known to the Śvetāmbaras also assume, in the same name, the function of a Vidyādevī. Her symbol of a buffalo shows her symbolic connexion with her husband Vijaya, who, in Brahmanism, is synonymous with Yama, the famous rider of a Buffalo.
2) Mahājvālā (महाज्वाला) or Jvālāmālinī also refers to one of the sixteen Vidyādevīs (goddesses of learning).—The text called the Ācāradinakara of the Śvetāmbaras describes this goddess as riding a cat but mentions no attributes. The Nirvāṇakalikā another text of the same sect describes her as riding a boar and holding many weapons without description. Images of Digambara type should ride a buffalo and bear such weapons as a bow, shield, sword and disc. The Yakṣiṇī of similar name we find as attached to Candraprabha. The Śvetāmbara Yakṣiṇī has a cat as her vehicle like the present goddess and the Digambaras also has the common vehicle of a buffalo. The underlying idea of the Jvālāmālinī representation seems to have been derived from the consort of Yama, whose symbol is a buffalo. The cat symbol is also held by a Brahmanical deity named Ṣaṣṭhī.
Source: archive.org: TrisastisalakapurusacaritraMahājvālā (महाज्वाला) is the name of a vidyā, according to chapter 5.1 [śāntinātha-caritra] of Hemacandra’s 11th century Triṣaṣṭiśalākāpuruṣacaritra: an ancient Sanskrit epic poem narrating the history and legends of sixty-three illustrious persons in Jainism.
Accordingly:—“Knowing that Aśanighoṣa was versed in vidyās, Arkakīrti’s son went with his son, Sahasraraśmi, not inferior in power, to Mt. Himavat to subdue for himself the vidyā named Mahājvālā, which destroys the vidyās of enemies. There he engaged in pratimā for seven days with a month’s fast at the very purifying feet of Ṛṣi Jayanta engaged in pratimā and also of Dharaṇendra and he began the work of subduing the vidyā. [...]”.
Jainism is an Indian religion of Dharma whose doctrine revolves around harmlessness (ahimsa) towards every living being. The two major branches (Digambara and Svetambara) of Jainism stimulate self-control (or, shramana, ‘self-reliance’) and spiritual development through a path of peace for the soul to progess to the ultimate goal.
Languages of India and abroad
Sanskrit dictionary
Source: DDSA: The practical Sanskrit-English dictionaryMahājvāla (महाज्वाल).—a. very brilliant or shining. (-laḥ) 1 Name of Śiva.
2) a sacrificial fire.
Mahājvāla is a Sanskrit compound consisting of the terms mahā and jvāla (ज्वाल).
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Shabda-Sagara Sanskrit-English DictionaryMahājvāla (महाज्वाल).—m.
(-laḥ) Sacrificial fire. f.
(-lā) One of the Vidya-devis or goddesses peculiar to the Jainas. E. mahā great, jvāla flame, lustre.
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Cappeller Sanskrit-English DictionaryMahājvāla (महाज्वाल).—[adjective] of great splendour.
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary1) Mahājvāla (महाज्वाल):—[=mahā-jvāla] [from mahā > mah] mfn. blazing greatly (said of Śiva), [Mahābhārata]
2) [v.s. ...] m. a sacrificial fire, [cf. Lexicographers, esp. such as amarasiṃha, halāyudha, hemacandra, etc.]
3) [v.s. ...] Name of a hell, [Viṣṇu-purāṇa]
4) Mahājvālā (महाज्वाला):—[=mahā-jvālā] [from mahā-jvāla > mahā > mah] f. a large flame, [cf. Lexicographers, esp. such as amarasiṃha, halāyudha, hemacandra, etc.]
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Yates Sanskrit-English DictionaryMahājvāla (महाज्वाल):—[mahā+jvāla] (laḥ) 1. m. Sacrificial fire. f. (lā) A Jaina goddess.
[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)
Ends with: Sarvastramahajvala.
Full-text: Makaccuvalam, Sarvastramahajvala, Narasimha Shalagrama, Indrajala, Cittavajra, Naraka, Jvalini, Jvalamalini, Vidyadevi, Jalandhara, Jayanta, Avici, Dharanendra, Vajracakra, Jala, Bhrikuti, Karala.
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Search found 10 books and stories containing Mahajvala, Maha-jvala, Mahā-jvāla, Mahā-jvālā, Mahājvāla, Mahājvālā; (plurals include: Mahajvalas, jvalas, jvālas, jvālās, Mahājvālas, Mahājvālās). You can also click to the full overview containing English textual excerpts. Below are direct links for the most relevant articles:
The Garuda Purana (by Manmatha Nath Dutt)
Chapter LVII - Cosmogeny of Hell and the nether regions < [Agastya Samhita]
Trishashti Shalaka Purusha Caritra (by Helen M. Johnson)
Part 9: Kapila’s incarnation as Aśanighoṣa < [Chapter I - Five previous incarnations]
Part 10: Kapila’s births < [Chapter I - Five previous incarnations]
The Brahma Purana (by G. P. Bhatt)
Some Geography < [Second Section]
The Agni Purana (by N. Gangadharan)
The Skanda Purana (by G. V. Tagare)
Chapter 29 - The Great Efficacy of Anaraka Tīrtha < [Section 1 - Avantīkṣetra-māhātmya]
Chapter 155 - Attainment of Siddhi by Cāṇakya < [Section 3 - Revā-khaṇḍa]
Chapter 39 - The Greatness of Barkareśvara < [Section 2 - Kaumārikā-khaṇḍa]