Mahaprasada, Mahāprasāda, Maha-prasada: 9 definitions
Introduction:
Mahaprasada means something in Hinduism, Sanskrit, 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
Vaishnavism (Vaishava dharma)
Source: Pure Bhakti: Brhad BhagavatamrtamMahāprasāda (महाप्रसाद) refers to:—Literally, ‘great kindness’ or ‘mercy’; remnants of food offered to the Deity; other articles offered to the Lord, such as incense, flowers, garlands, and clothing. (cf. Glossary page from Śrī Bṛhad-bhāgavatāmṛta).
Vaishnava (वैष्णव, vaiṣṇava) or vaishnavism (vaiṣṇavism) represents a tradition of Hinduism worshipping Vishnu as the supreme Lord. Similar to the Shaktism and Shaivism traditions, Vaishnavism also developed as an individual movement, famous for its exposition of the dashavatara (‘ten avatars of Vishnu’).
Purana and Itihasa (epic history)
Source: archive.org: Shiva Purana - English TranslationMahāprasāda (महाप्रसाद) refers to “great grace”, according to the Śivapurāṇa 2.3.54 (“Description of the duties of the chaste wife”).—Accordingly, as a Brahmin lady said to Pārvatī: “[...] She shall partake of the leavings of her husband’s food or whatever is given by him saying ‘This is thy great grace (mahāprasāda)’. She shall never take food without first offering due share to the gods, the Pitṛs, the guests, the servants, cows and saintly mendicants. A gentle lady of chaste rites shall always be clever to manage the household with limited requisites. She shall be averse to spend unnecessarily. [...]”.
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.
Languages of India and abroad
Marathi-English dictionary
Source: DDSA: The Molesworth Marathi and English Dictionarymahāprasāda (महाप्रसाद).—m (S) The flowers, sweetmeats &c. distributed at the winding up of an utsāha or religious festival: also a present from a Guru, idol &c. 2 (Literally but less common.) Great favorableness or favor. Ex. mahāprasādācēni harikhēṃ || saprēma sukhēṃ ḍullatī ||.
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: DDSA: The practical Sanskrit-English dictionaryMahāprasāda (महाप्रसाद).—
1) a great favour.
2) a great present (of food offered to an idol); पादोदकं च निर्माल्यं नैवेद्यं च विशेषतः । महाप्रसाद इत्युक्त्वा ग्राह्यं विष्णोः प्रयत्नतः (pādodakaṃ ca nirmālyaṃ naivedyaṃ ca viśeṣataḥ | mahāprasāda ityuktvā grāhyaṃ viṣṇoḥ prayatnataḥ)
Derivable forms: mahāprasādaḥ (महाप्रसादः).
Mahāprasāda is a Sanskrit compound consisting of the terms mahā and prasāda (प्रसाद).
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Edgerton Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit DictionaryMahāprasāda (महाप्रसाद).—name of a former Buddha: Mahāvastu iii.231.8.
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary1) Mahāprasāda (महाप्रसाद):—[=mahā-prasāda] [from mahā > mah] m. a gr° favour or kindness, [Monier-Williams’ Sanskrit-English Dictionary]
2) [v.s. ...] a gr° present (of food etc. distributed among the persons present at the worship of an idol), [Matsyasūkta’s Śabdakalpadruma]
3) [v.s. ...] mfn. of gr° kindness, exceedingly gracious, [Mahābhārata]
[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.
Nepali dictionary
Source: unoes: Nepali-English DictionaryMahāprasāda (महाप्रसाद):—n. 1. a great favor; 2. a great present (of food offered to an idol);
Nepali is the primary language of the Nepalese people counting almost 20 million native speakers. The country of Nepal is situated in the Himalaya mountain range to the north of India.
See also (Relevant definitions)
Partial matches: Maha, Prasada.
Full-text: Prasada, Mahaprasad, Phalashloka, Vishnutilaka, Adharamrita, Vaishnavocchishta, Adhara, Ucchishta, Krishnadhara, Shayanarati.
Relevant text
Search found 12 books and stories containing Mahaprasada, Mahāprasāda, Maha-prasada, Mahā-prasāda; (plurals include: Mahaprasadas, Mahāprasādas, prasadas, prasādas). You can also click to the full overview containing English textual excerpts. Below are direct links for the most relevant articles:
Brihad Bhagavatamrita (commentary) (by Śrī Śrīmad Bhaktivedānta Nārāyana Gosvāmī Mahārāja)
Verse 2.2.50 < [Chapter 2 - Jñāna (knowledge)]
Verse 2.1.162 < [Chapter 1 - Vairāgya (renunciation)]
Verse 2.1.156 < [Chapter 1 - Vairāgya (renunciation)]
Chaitanya Bhagavata (by Bhumipati Dāsa)
Verse 3.8.49 < [Chapter 8 - Mahāprabhu’s Water Sports in Narendra- sarovara]
Verse 3.2.493 < [Chapter 2 - Description of the Lord’s Travel Through Bhuvaneśvara and Other Placesto Jagannātha Purī]
Verse 2.13.371 < [Chapter 13 - The Deliverance of Jagāi and Mādhāi]
Bhajana-Rahasya (by Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura Mahasaya)
Text 21 < [Chapter 5 - Pañcama-yāma-sādhana (Aparāhna-kālīya-bhajana–kṛṣṇa-āsakti)]
Text 24 < [Chapter 2 - Dvitīya-yāma-sādhana (Prātaḥ-kālīya-bhajana)]
Srila Gurudeva (The Supreme Treasure) (by Swami Bhaktivedanta Madhava Maharaja)
The Deity of Gopīnātha in Remunā < [Chapter 1.3 - The Preaching of Śrī Narottamānanda Prabhu to Śrīla Gurudeva]
Return to India < [Chapter 2.7 - Śrīla Gurudeva and Śrīla Bhaktivedānta Swāmī Mahārāja]
The Journey from Śrī Purī-dhāma to Śrī Navadvīpa-dhāma < [Chapter 2.19 - The Concluding Transcendental Pastimes]
Shrimad Bhagavad-gita (by Narayana Gosvami)
Verse 17.10 < [Chapter 17 - Śraddhā-traya-vibhāga-yoga]
Verse 9.22 < [Chapter 9 - Rāja-guhya-yoga (Yoga through the most Confidential Knowledge)]
Song 3 < [Grantharambha (the book begins)]