Mahapitha, Mahāpīṭha: 8 definitions
Introduction:
Mahapitha means something in Hinduism, Sanskrit, Jainism, Prakrit, Marathi. 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: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: The Purana IndexMahāpīṭha (महापीठ).—Also Bindupīṭha.*
- * Brahmāṇḍa-purāṇa IV. 37. 47.
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.
Vastushastra (architecture)
Source: OpenEdition books: Architectural terms contained in Ajitāgama and RauravāgamaMahāpīṭha (महापीठ) refers to “great altar offering §§ 3.1, 2, 6-8, 11, 13, 41; 5.1, n; 12.”.—(For paragraphs cf. Les enseignements architecturaux de l'Ajitāgama et du Rauravāgama by Bruno Dagens)
Vastushastra (वास्तुशास्त्र, vāstuśāstra) refers to the ancient Indian science (shastra) of architecture (vastu), dealing with topics such architecture, sculpture, town-building, fort building and various other constructions. Vastu also deals with the philosophy of the architectural relation with the cosmic universe.
Shaktism (Shakta philosophy)
Source: Google Books: ManthanabhairavatantramMahāpīṭha (महापीठ) refers to the “great seat”, according to the Kularatnoddyota, one of the earliest Kubjikā Tantras.—Accordingly, “[...] The Great Seat (mahāpīṭha) originated, O mistress of the heroes, where the Flower originated from that union of us two. It is the middle (seat) and is located in the centre, O dear one, and accompanied by its own energy, is called the ‘Flower’ by name. O supreme mistress, it is said to be the pervasive lord of the sacred seat who, in the aforementioned Primordial Seat, bears (his) own name. O Rudrā, O supreme Goddess, one should know that he is endowed with his own power”.
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 Jainism
General definition (in Jainism)
Source: archive.org: TrisastisalakapurusacaritraMahāpīṭha (महापीठ) refers to one of the sons of king Vajrasena, according to chapter 1.1 [ādīśvara-caritra] of Hemacandra’s 11th century Triṣaṣṭiśalākāpuruṣacaritra (“lives of the 63 illustrious persons”): a Sanskrit epic poem narrating the history and legends of sixty-three important persons in Jainism.
Accordingly,
“in the continent Jambūdvīpa, in the East Videhas, in the province Puṣkalāvatī in the vicinity of the ocean, in the city Puṇḍarīkiṇī, they were born in succession as the five sons of King Vajrasena by his wife Dhāriṇī. [...] The souls of the sons of the merchant and trader were named Pīṭha and Mahāpīṭha”.
Mahāpīṭha and Subāhu later incarnated as twins from Sunandā (one of Ṛṣabha’s wifes), as mentioned in chapter 1.2.—Accordingly,
Source: HereNow4u: Lord Vṛṣabhanātha“[...] when a little less than six pūrvas had passed after the wedding, while the Lord enjoyed himself with them, the Jīvas of Bāhu and Pīṭha fell from Sarvārthasiddhi and entered Sumaṅgalā’s womb as twins. Likewise the jīvas of Subāhu and Mahāpīṭha fell from Sarvārthasiddhi and entered Sunandā’s womb. [...] Lady Sunandā bore Bāhubali and Sundarī with fair figures, like the rainy-season bearing clouds and lightning”.
Mahāpīṭha (महापीठ) was one of the four friends and brother of Vajranābha: Vṛṣabhanātha’s eleventh incarnation (bhava).—After completing his life as a deva Jīvānanda was born in Puṣkalāvatī to the wife of king Vajrasena, Dharaṇī. At the time of conception the mother saw 14 great dreams. Vajrasena named his son Vajranābha, who went on to become a cakravartī (emperor). His four friends were born as his brothers Bāhu, Subāhu, Pīṭha and Mahāpīṭha and became provincial kings. When his father, Tīrthaṅkara Vajrasena, after attaining omniscience (kevalī), started delivering his religious sermons, the cakravartī Vajranābha (due to his past good merits) too accepted initiation (renounced the world).
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
Marathi-English dictionary
Source: DDSA: The Molesworth Marathi and English Dictionarymahāpīṭha (महापीठ).—n (S) A place of extraordinary sacredness, on account, probably, of the falling there of a limb of the cut up body of Parvati. (See under pīṭha.) Three and a half such places are assigned, viz. tuḷajāpūra, mātāpūra, kōlhāpūra, and the half-place saptaśṛṅga.
Marathi is an Indo-European language having over 70 million native speakers people in (predominantly) Maharashtra India. Marathi, like many other Indo-Aryan languages, evolved from early forms of Prakrit, which itself is a subset of Sanskrit, one of the most ancient languages of the world.
Sanskrit dictionary
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English DictionaryMahāpīṭha (महापीठ):—[=mahā-pīṭha] [from mahā > mah] n. a high seat, [Upaniṣad]
[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)
Full-text (+16): Pitha, Oddiyana, Kamarupa, Matanga, Purnagiri, Jalandhara, Karala, Himavadgahvara, Sahyamahavana, Ucchushmanadi, Himagahvara, Subahu, Kamala, Karnika, Bhadra, Vajrasena, Upapitha, Bahu, Trishrotra, Oddiyanaka.
Relevant text
Search found 8 books and stories containing Mahapitha, Mahāpīṭha, Maha-pitha, Mahā-pīṭha; (plurals include: Mahapithas, Mahāpīṭhas, pithas, pīṭhas). You can also click to the full overview containing English textual excerpts. Below are direct links for the most relevant articles:
Cidgaganacandrika (study) (by S. Mahalakshmi)
Verse 300 [Śambhava-Śākta-Guru kramas] < [Chapter 4 - Fourth Vimarśa]
Lalitopakhyana (Lalita Mahatmya) (by G.V. Tagare)
The chariot of Lalitā (Cakrarāja)
Chapter 37 - Description of other inner Apartments in the Royal Chamber
The Skanda Purana (by G. V. Tagare)
Chapter 132 - Greatness of Siddhalakṣmī < [Section 1 - Prabhāsa-kṣetra-māhātmya]
Chapter 83 - Manifestation of Vīreśvara < [Section 2 - Uttarārdha]
Chapter 46 - Vīreśvara (vīra-īśvara-liṅga) < [Section 2 - Caturaśīti-liṅga-māhātmya]
Trishashti Shalaka Purusha Caritra (by Helen M. Johnson)
Part 8: Coronation as king < [Chapter II]
Part 19: Eleventh incarnation as Vajranābha < [Chapter I]
The Shiva Purana (by J. L. Shastri)
Chapter 26 - The worship of Śiva with the ancillary rites < [Section 7.2 - Vāyavīya-saṃhitā (2)]
Chapter 20 - The greatness of the Jyotirliṅga Bhīmeśvara < [Section 4 - Koṭirudra-Saṃhitā]
Manasara (English translation) (by Prasanna Kumar Acharya)