Mahapurusha, Mahāpuruṣa, Maha-purusha, Mahāpurusa: 16 definitions
Introduction
Introduction:
Mahapurusha means something in Hinduism, Sanskrit, Jainism, Prakrit, the history of ancient India, 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.
The Sanskrit term Mahāpuruṣa can be transliterated into English as Mahapurusa or Mahapurusha, using the IAST transliteration scheme (?).
In Hinduism
Vaishnavism (Vaishava dharma)
Source: Pure Bhakti: Bhagavad-gita (4th edition)Mahāpuruṣa (महापुरुष) refers to “liberated soul, specifically a great devotee, who is detached from the material world”. (cf. Glossary page from Śrīmad-Bhagavad-Gītā).
Source: Pure Bhakti: Bhajana-rahasya - 2nd EditionMahāpuruṣa (महापुरुष) refers to:—A great personality; one who is expert in the imports of the scriptures. (cf. Glossary page from Bhajana-Rahasya).
Source: Pure Bhakti: Brhad BhagavatamrtamMahāpurusa (महापुरुस) refers to:—The Supreme Lord, who is the supreme enjoyer; the presiding Deity of Brahmaloka; a great personality who is expert in the imports of scripture, detached from the world, and who has realized Kṛṣṇa. (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’).
In Jainism
General definition (in Jainism)
Source: Wisdom Library: JainismMahāpuruṣa (महापुरुष) refers to a class of kimpuruṣa deities according to both the Digambara and the Śvetāmbara traditions. The kimpuruṣas refer to a category of vyantaras gods which represents one of the four classes of celestial beings (devas). The kimpuruṣas are are golden in appearance according to Digambara, but white in complexion with very bright faces according to Śvetāmbara.
The deities such as the Mahāpuruṣas are defined in ancient Jain cosmological texts such as the Saṃgrahaṇīratna in the Śvetāmbara tradition or the Tiloyapaṇṇati by Yativṛṣabha (5th century) in the Digambara tradition.
Source: archive.org: TrisastisalakapurusacaritraMahāpuruṣa (महापुरुष) and Satpuruṣa are the two Indras (i.e., lords or kings) of the Kimpuruṣas who came to the peak of Meru for partaking in the birth-ceremonies of Ṛṣabha, according to chapter 1.2 [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.
Source: Encyclopedia of Jainism: Tattvartha Sutra 4: The celestial beings (deva)Mahāpuruṣa (महापुरुष) refers to one of the two Indras (lords) of the Kimpuruṣa class of “peripatetic celestial beings” (vyantara), itself a main division of devas (celestial beings) according to the 2nd-century Tattvārthasūtra 4.6. Satpuruṣa and Mahāpuruṣa are the two lords in the class ‘sex-obsessed’ peripatetic celestial beings.
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.
India history and geography
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Indian Epigraphical GlossaryMahāpuruṣa.—(BL), same as the god Viṣṇu. (EI 7), official designation; probably, the same as Mahā- manuṣya. Note: mahāpuruṣa is defined in the “Indian epigraphical glossary” as it can be found on ancient inscriptions commonly written in Sanskrit, Prakrit or Dravidian languages.
The history of India traces the identification of countries, villages, towns and other regions of India, as well as royal dynasties, rulers, tribes, local festivities and traditions and regional languages. Ancient India enjoyed religious freedom and encourages the path of Dharma, a concept common to Buddhism, Hinduism, and Jainism.
Languages of India and abroad
Marathi-English dictionary
Source: DDSA: The Molesworth Marathi and English Dictionarymahāpuruṣa (महापुरुष).—m (S) The Supreme Being. 2 Any great saint or sage. 3 A term applied to a Pishach supposed to be the spirit of a deceased Brahman.
Source: DDSA: The Aryabhusan school dictionary, Marathi-Englishmahāpuruṣa (महापुरुष).—m The Supreme Being. Any great sage.
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 dictionaryMahāpuruṣa (महापुरुष).—
1) a great man, an eminent or distinguished personage; शब्दं महापुरुषसंविहितं निशम्य (śabdaṃ mahāpuruṣasaṃvihitaṃ niśamya) U. 6.7.
2) the Supreme Spirit.
3) an epithet of Viṣṇu.
Derivable forms: mahāpuruṣaḥ (महापुरुषः).
Mahāpuruṣa is a Sanskrit compound consisting of the terms mahā and puruṣa (पुरुष).
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Shabda-Sagara Sanskrit-English DictionaryMahāpuruṣa (महापुरुष).—m.
(-ṣaḥ) A great man. E. mahā and puruṣa a man.
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Cappeller Sanskrit-English DictionaryMahāpuruṣa (महापुरुष).—[masculine] a great man or the great spirit.
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary1) Mahāpuruṣa (महापुरुष):—[=mahā-puruṣa] [from mahā > mah] m. a gr° or eminent man (-tā f. the state of being one), [Hitopadeśa; Mahāvīra-caritra; Buddhist literature] etc.
2) [v.s. ...] a gr° saint or sage or ascetic, [Monier-Williams’ Sanskrit-English Dictionary]
3) [v.s. ...] the gr° Soul, the Supreme Spirit (identified with the year, [Aitareya-āraṇyaka]; also as Name of Viṣṇu), [Gautama-dharma-śāstra; Mahābhārata; Rāmāyaṇa] etc.
4) [v.s. ...] Name of Gautama Buddha, [Monier-Williams’ Buddhism 23]
5) Mahāpūruṣa (महापूरुष):—[=mahā-pūruṣa] [from mahā > mah] m. the Supreme Spirit (= -puruṣa above), [Bhāgavata-purāṇa; Pañcarātra]
[Sanskrit to German] (Deutsch Wörterbuch)
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Sanskrit-Wörterbuch in kürzerer FassungMahāpuruṣa (महापुरुष):—m. —
1) ein grosser , bedeutender Mann. Nom.abstr. tā f. —
2) der grosse Geist [Gautama's Dharmaśāstra] mit dem Jahre identificirt [Aitareyāraṇyaka 348.] Auch Beiname Viṣṇu's.
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Mahāpūruṣa (महापूरुष):—m. = mavāpuruṣa 2).
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)
Partial matches: Purusha, Maha.
Starts with: Mahapurushadanta, Mahapurushadantika, Mahapurushalakshana, Mahapurushapavanakavaca, Mahapurushastava, Mahapurushastavaraja, Mahapurushastotra, Mahapurushata, Mahapurushavidya, Mahapurushavidyayam, Mahapurushavidyayamvishnurahasyekshetrakandejagannathamahatmya.
Full-text (+34): Mahapurushadanta, Mahapurushalakshana, Savin, Kimpurusha, Mahapurushastava, Mahapurushastotra, Mahapurushata, Mahapurushavidya, Mahapurushapavanakavaca, Mahapurushavidyayamvishnurahasyekshetrakandejagannathamahatmya, Mahapurushadantika, Atharvashiras, Satpurusha, Upakleda, Vishvasprish, Vishvasambhava, Vishvaksha, Vishvedeva, Anubhuta, Vishvavac.
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Search found 28 books and stories containing Mahapurusha, Mahāpuruṣa, Maha-purusha, Mahāpurusa, Mahā-puruṣa, Mahapurusa, Maha-purusa, Mahāpūruṣa, Mahā-pūruṣa, Mahā-purusa; (plurals include: Mahapurushas, Mahāpuruṣas, purushas, Mahāpurusas, puruṣas, Mahapurusas, purusas, Mahāpūruṣas, pūruṣas). 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 2.4.256 < [Chapter 4 - Vaikuṇṭha (the spiritual world)]
Verse 2.4.142-144 < [Chapter 4 - Vaikuṇṭha (the spiritual world)]
Verse 1.2.39-40 < [Chapter 2 - Divya (the celestial plane)]
The Ramayana of Valmiki (by Hari Prasad Shastri)
Chapter 23f - Ravana and the Maha-Purusha < [Book 7 - Uttara-kanda]
Sri Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu (by Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī)
Verse 4.8.83 < [Part 8 - Compatible & Incompatible Mellows (maitrī-vaira-sthiti)]
Shrimad Bhagavad-gita (by Narayana Gosvami)
Verse 14.19 < [Chapter 14 - Guṇa-traya-vibhāga-yoga]
Verse 3.15 < [Chapter 3 - Karma-yoga (Yoga through the Path of Action)]
Verse 9.30 < [Chapter 9 - Rāja-guhya-yoga (Yoga through the most Confidential Knowledge)]
The Vishnu Purana (by Horace Hayman Wilson)
Bhajana-Rahasya (by Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura Mahasaya)