Mahananda, Mahānanda, Maha-ananda, Maha-nanda, Mahānandā, Mahanamda: 16 definitions
Introduction:
Mahananda 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
Vyakarana (Sanskrit grammar)
Mahānanda (महानन्द).—A grammarian of the eighteenth century who has written a gloss on Koṇḍabhaṭṭṭa's Vaiyākaraṇabhūṣanasāra.
Vyakarana (व्याकरण, vyākaraṇa) refers to Sanskrit grammar and represents one of the six additional sciences (vedanga) to be studied along with the Vedas. Vyakarana concerns itself with the rules of Sanskrit grammar and linguistic analysis in order to establish the correct context of words and sentences.
Purana and Itihasa (epic history)
1) Mahānanda (महानन्द).—See under Tāraka II.
2) Mahānanda (महानन्द).—A King of Madra land. Dama, the son of Nariṣyanta killed Mahānanda at the Svayaṃvara of Sumanā. (Mārkaṇḍeya Purāṇa, 130. 52).
3) Mahānandā (महानन्दा).—A holy place. Mahābhārata, Anuśāsana Parva, Chapter 25, Verse 45, says that those who worship in this place will obtain entry into Nandanavana.
1) Mahānanda (महानन्द) refers to “great bliss”, according to the Śivapurāṇa 2.3.8.—Accordingly, Sage Nārada said to Menā:—“O Menā, O king of mountains, this daughter of yours has all auspicious signs. Like the first digit of the moon she will increase day by day. She will delight her husband, and heighten the glory of her parents. She will be a great chaste lady. She will grant bliss [i.e., mahānanda-karī] to everyone always. I see all good signs in the palm of your daughter, O lord of mountains. There is an abnormal line also. Listen to the indication thereof. Her husband will be a naked Yogin, without any qualities. He will be free from lust. He will have neither mother nor father. He will be indifferent to honours. His dress and manners will be inauspicious”.
2) Mahānandā (महानन्दा) is the name of a Veśyā (courtesan) and devotee of Śiva, according to the Śivapurāṇa 2.5.25 (“Prayer by the gods”).—Accordingly, as the Gods said to Śiva: “[...] O lord, the son of Bhadrasena and the son of his minister both of virtuous and auspicious rites and regular wearers of Rudrākṣa beads, enjoyed good pleasures here and became liberated, thanks to your grace. The two devotees who had been monkey and a cock in a previous birth became the ornaments of Rudra. O lord, always engaged in uplifting the devotees, the two courtesans Piṅgalā and Mahānandā attained the goal of the good, thanks to their devotion to you. [...]”.
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.
Natyashastra (theatrics and dramaturgy)
Mahānanda (महानन्द) (or Mahānandakāvya) is the name of a Mahākāvya (epic poem).—Accordingly, The Rāmāyaṇa and the Mahābhārata are found to be the original epics. The compiled, revised and researched forms of these two have originated the new tradition of epics. [...] The initial Mahākāvyas after the Rāmāyaṇa and the Mahābhārata were: [viz, ] Mahānanda-kāvya by Patanjali (150 B.C.)
Natyashastra (नाट्यशास्त्र, nāṭyaśāstra) refers to both the ancient Indian tradition (shastra) of performing arts, (natya—theatrics, drama, dance, music), as well as the name of a Sanskrit work dealing with these subjects. It also teaches the rules for composing Dramatic plays (nataka), construction and performance of Theater, and Poetic works (kavya).
Shaktism (Shakta philosophy)
1) Mahānanda (महानन्द) (or Ādhāra) is the name of the God (deva) associated with Oḍḍiyāna, one of the sacred seats (pīṭha), according to chapter 10 of the according to the Kularatnoddyota, one of the earliest Kubjikā Tantras.—If the scheme in the Yogakhaṇḍa is not the first example of this model, the other most likely candidate is found in chapter ten of the Kularatnoddyota, which is an early Tantra of the Kubjikā corpus. [...] In this set-up each of the four sacred seats corresponds to a cosmic age and has a tree, creeper, cave, monastery (maṭha), [god, i.e., Mahānanda, ] goddess, Siddha, and guardian of the field. The layout can be tabulated as follows.
2) Mahānanda (महानन्द) refers to one of the eight Bhairavas (bhairava-aṣṭaka) associated with Tisrapīṭha (located in the ‘end of sound’—nādānta), according to the Manthānabhairavatantra, a vast sprawling work that belongs to a corpus of Tantric texts concerned with the worship of the goddess Kubjikā.—[...] The eight Bhairavas (bhairavāṣṭaka): Candragarbha, Arghīśa, Mahānanda, Kāmāri, Pralamba, Viśveśvara, Śrīkaṇṭha, Vilamba.
3) Mahānandā (महानन्दा) is the consort of Śaktyānanda.—After Abhinava has listed the Yuganāthas, their consorts and disciples who are worshipped in the Siddhacakra, he says that “there are other teachers and their consorts mentioned in the Kālīkula” (Tantrāloka 29.43ab) [...] Jayaratha quotes the Devīpañcaśataka (verse 3.15cd-17ab) as an example of a Kālīkrama Tantra in which they are mentioned. They are: [e.g., Śaktyānanda and Mahānandā;] [...] (preamble to Tantrāloka verse 29.43-46ab).
Mahānanda (महानन्द) refers to one of the 56 rays of the Mūlādhāra-Cakra which (together with the 52 rays of the Svadhiṣṭhāna) are associated with the fiery plane called Rudragranthi, according to Śaṅkarācārya’s Saudaryalaharī.—Accordingly, the Goddess is visualised (by Sādhaka) as dwelling above the six Ādhāracakras ruling over the 360 rays which emanate in them [e.g., Mahānanda]. These 360 rays represent 360 syllables (i.e., a consummation of the śabdaprapañca or 50 alphabets) as well as the principles of nature. For the 360 syllables, together with haṃ and saḥ, Nyāsa should be performed for Śrīcakrapūjā.
Note: Mahānanda also refers to one of the 54 rays of the Anāhata-Cakra.
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
Theravada (major branch of Buddhism)
An author of Hamsavati, to whom some authorities ascribe the authorship of the Madhusaratthadipani in the Abhidhamma. Bode, op. cit., 47, n.6;. v.l. Mahanama.
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
Sanskrit dictionary
Mahānanda (महानन्द).—
1) great joy or bliss.
2) especially, the great bliss of final beatitude. (-ndā) 1 spirituous liquor.
2) a festival on the ninth day in the bright half of Māgha.
Derivable forms: mahānandaḥ (महानन्दः), mahānandaḥ (महानन्दः).
Mahānanda is a Sanskrit compound consisting of the terms mahā and ānanda (आनन्द).
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Mahānandā (महानन्दा).—
1) spirituous liquor.
2) Name of a river.
3) ninth day of the bright half of the month of Māgha; माघमासस्य या शुक्ला नवमी लोकपूजिचा । महानन्देति सा प्रोक्ता (māghamāsasya yā śuklā navamī lokapūjicā | mahānandeti sā proktā) ... .
Mahānandā is a Sanskrit compound consisting of the terms mahā and nandā (नन्दा).
Mahānanda (महानन्द).—(= Nanda 1), name of a disciple of Buddha: Saddharmapuṇḍarīka 2.6; but Kashgar recension, one Nepalese ms., and Tibetan (dgaḥ bo) omit mahā, reading simply Nanda.
Mahānanda (महानन्द).—m.
(-ndaḥ) Eternal emancipation or beatitude. f.
(-ndā) 1. Wine. 2. Name of a particular river. E. mahā great, ānanda happiness.
1) Mahānanda (महानन्द) as mentioned in Aufrecht’s Catalogus Catalogorum:—Nakṣatreṣṭiprayoga.
2) Mahānanda (महानन्द):—son of Viśvanātha: Vāsiṣṭhī Śānti.
3) Mahānanda (महानन्द):—son of Rāmeśvara, composed in 1816 (?): Vaiyākaraṇasiddhāntabhūṣaṇasāraṭīkā.
1) Mahānanda (महानन्द):—[from mahā > mah] m. (hān or hā-n) gr° bliss (-tva n. state of great bliss), [Upaniṣad]
2) [=mahā-nanda] [from mahānanda > mahā > mah] the gr° joy of deliverance from further transmigration, final emancipation, [cf. Lexicographers, esp. such as amarasiṃha, halāyudha, hemacandra, etc.]
3) [v.s. ...] a kind of flute, [Saṃgīta-sārasaṃgraha]
4) [v.s. ...] Name of a disciple of Buddha, [Buddhist literature]
5) [v.s. ...] of a king, [Purāṇa]
6) [v.s. ...] of two authors, [Catalogue(s)]
7) [v.s. ...] of a river, [cf. Lexicographers, esp. such as amarasiṃha, halāyudha, hemacandra, etc.]
8) Mahānandā (महानन्दा):—[=mahā-nandā] [from mahānanda > mahā > mah] f. ardent spirits, [cf. Lexicographers, esp. such as amarasiṃha, halāyudha, hemacandra, etc.]
9) [v.s. ...] a species of plant (= ārāma-śītalā), [cf. Lexicographers, esp. such as amarasiṃha, halāyudha, hemacandra, etc.]
10) [v.s. ...] the 9th day in the light half of the month Māgha, [Tithyāditya]
11) [v.s. ...] Name of a river, [Mahābhārata]
Mahānanda (महानन्द):—[mahā-nanda] (ndaḥ) 1. m. Eternal emancipation or beatitude. f. (ndā) Wine.
Mahānanda (महानन्द):—[(mahā + ā] und mahā + na)
1) m. a) grosse Wonne so v. a. die letzte Befreiung der Seele [Hemacandra’s Abhidhānacintāmaṇi 74.] [Halāyudha 1, 124.] — b) Nomen proprium eines Schülers Buddha's [Lot. de Lassen’s Anthologie b. l. 2.] eines Fürsten [Mārkāṇḍeyapurāṇa 134, 29. 40.] fehlerhaft für mahānandi [Viṣṇupurāṇa 467] (das eine Mal richtig). — c) Nomen proprium eines Flusses [Lassen’s Indische Alterthumskunde I, 59.] —
2) f. ā a) Branntwein [Rājanirghaṇṭa im Śabdakalpadruma] — b) der 9te Tag in der lichten Hälfte des Monats Māgha [Tithyāditattva im Śabdakalpadruma] — c) Nomen proprium eines Flusses [Mahābhārata 13, 1731.] sā padmāyā viniḥsṛtā rāmapurākhyagrāmātpaścimata uttaradiggatā [Śabdakalpadruma]
Mahānanda (महानन्द):——
1) m. — a) grosse Wonne. Nom.abstr. tva n. — b) *die letzte Befreiung der Seele. — c) eine Art Flöte [Saṃgitasārasaṃgraha 196.] — d) Nomen proprium — α) eines Schülers Śākyamuni's. — β) eines Fürsten. — γ) eines Flusses. —
2) f. ā — a) *Branntwein [Rājan 14,138.] — b) *eine best. Pflanze , = ārāmaśītalā [Rājan 10,177.] — c) der neunte Tag in der lichten Hälfte des Māgha. — d) Nomen proprium eines Flusses.
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
Mahānaṃda (ಮಹಾನಂದ):—
1) [noun] great joy.
2) [noun] the final emancipation of the soul.
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 (+0): Maha, Ananda, Nanda.
Starts with (+0): Mahananda dhira, Mahananda pathaka, Mahanandakari, Mahanandakhyastotra, Mahanandana, Mahanandarasa, Mahanandatva.
Full-text (+16): Mahananda dhira, Mahanandatva, Mahananda pathaka, Mahanandarasa, Mahanandakari, Makanantai, Vaiyakaranabhushanasaravritti, Punaravarta, Ashvamedhayajnapaddhati, Supremely blissful transcendental mellow, Vasishthi shanti, Vilamba, Kamari, Vishveshvara, Taraka, Nakshatreshtiprayoga, Mantrisuta, Pralamba, Shubhakarman, Sudharmakarman.
Relevant text
Search found 45 books and stories containing Mahananda, Maha-ananda, Mahā-ānanda, Maha-nanda, Mahā-nanda, Mahā-nandā, Mahanamda, Mahānaṃda, Mahānanda, Mahānandā; (plurals include: Mahanandas, anandas, ānandas, nandas, nandās, Mahanamdas, Mahānaṃdas, Mahānandas, Mahānandās). You can also click to the full overview containing English textual excerpts. Below are direct links for the most relevant articles:
Krishna Sandarbha of Jiva Goswami (by Kusakratha Prabhu)
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Chapter 26 - Śiva’s incarnation as Vaiśyanātha < [Section 3 - Śatarudra-saṃhitā]
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Chapter 25 - Prayer by the gods < [Section 2.5 - Rudra-saṃhitā (5): Yuddha-khaṇḍa]
Rudra-Shiva concept (Study) (by Maumita Bhattacharjee)
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Markandeya Purana (by Frederick Eden Pargiter)