Mahashabda, Mahāśabda, Maha-shabda: 11 definitions

Introduction:

Mahashabda means something in Buddhism, Pali, Hinduism, Sanskrit, 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 Mahāśabda can be transliterated into English as Mahasabda or Mahashabda, using the IAST transliteration scheme (?).

In Hinduism

Purana and Itihasa (epic history)

[«previous next»] — Mahashabda in Purana glossary
Source: archive.org: Shiva Purana - English Translation

Mahāśabda (महाशब्द) refers to a “(terrifying) noise”, according to the Śivapurāṇa 2.3.15 (“The penance and reign of Tārakāsura”).—Accordingly, as Brahmā narrated: “[...] At the same time, several phenomena of evil portent forboding misery and distress happened, when the son of Varāṅgī was born making the gods miserable. O dear, the phenomena of three varieties indicating great calamity and terrifying the worlds occurred in the sky, heaven and earth. I shall narrate them. With a terrifying noise [i.e., mahāśabda], thunderbolts fell along with comets; shooting meteors rose up, making the world miserable. [...]”.

Purana book cover
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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.

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Yoga (school of philosophy)

[«previous next»] — Mahashabda in Yoga glossary
Source: ORA: Amanaska (king of all yogas): A Critical Edition and Annotated Translation by Jason Birch

Mahāśabda (महाशब्द) refers to a “loud, terrifying sound”, according to the Brahmayāmala-tantra (or Picumata), an early 7th century Śaiva text consisting of twelve-thousand verses.—Accordingly, [while describing a haṭha-sādhana (foreceful practice)]: “[...] Hear what would transpire for him on the ninth day: A loud, terrifying sound (mahāśabda) arises in the hole, a sweet-smelling air is diffused [and] everywhere a shower of flowers. All the gods shake with fear, their eyes quivering. Aghorī's spirits appear in the clear of dawn by the thousands, of great majesty and deformed visage. [...]”

Yoga book cover
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Yoga is originally considered a branch of Hindu philosophy (astika), but both ancient and modern Yoga combine the physical, mental and spiritual. Yoga teaches various physical techniques also known as āsanas (postures), used for various purposes (eg., meditation, contemplation, relaxation).

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In Buddhism

Mahayana (major branch of Buddhism)

[«previous next»] — Mahashabda in Mahayana glossary
Source: De Gruyter: A Buddhist Ritual Manual on Agriculture

Mahāśabda (महाशब्द) refers to a “loud sound”, according to the Vajratuṇḍasamayakalparāja, an ancient Buddhist ritual manual on agriculture from the 5th-century (or earlier), containing various instructions for the Sangha to provide agriculture-related services to laypeople including rain-making, weather control and crop protection.—Accordingly, [as the Bhagavān said to the great Nāga kings]: “Now I will teach the auspicious offering manual which can bring about any effect. This mantra is a unique hero, it will do any task. The wise and learned one should call it to mind only once in an elevated place. One should call it to mind in a loud voice and sound (mahāśabda). [...]

Mahayana book cover
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Mahayana (महायान, mahāyāna) is a major branch of Buddhism focusing on the path of a Bodhisattva (spiritual aspirants/ enlightened beings). Extant literature is vast and primarely composed in the Sanskrit language. There are many sūtras of which some of the earliest are the various Prajñāpāramitā sūtras.

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India history and geography

Source: What is India: Epigraphia Indica volume XXXI (1955-56)

Mahāśabda refers to “five great sounds” as mentioned in the “Grant of Rājarāja I Devendravarman” (1077 A.D.). The possession of the five mahāśabdas, explained with reference to North Indian rulers as the enjoyment of five official desginations beginning with the word mahat and in regard to South Indian kings as the privilege of enjoying the sounds of five musical instruments, is usually associated with feudatories. Some early medieval South Indian dynasties, however, associated the privilege with imperial dignity and the claim of the Imperial Gaṅgas reminds us of a similar one on behalf of their western neighbours, the Eastern Chālukyas of Veṅgī.

These plates (mentioning Mahāśabda) were dug up from the fields of a village in the Bobbili Taluk of the Srikakulam District, Andhra. It records the grant of the village of Koḍila (Koḍili) in the Varāhavarttanī-viṣaya, for the merit of the king and his parents.

Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Indian Epigraphical Glossary

Mahā-śabda.—(IE 8-2), cf. aśeṣa-mahāśabda (EI 22), same as pañca-mahāśabda (q. v.). Cf. paṭaha-ḍhakkā-mahāśabda (Ep. Ind., Vol. XXVI, p. 325). Note: mahā-śabda is defined in the “Indian epigraphical glossary” as it can be found on ancient inscriptions commonly written in Sanskrit, Prakrit or Dravidian languages.

India history book cover
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The history of India traces the identification of countries, villages, towns and other regions of India, as well as mythology, zoology, 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.

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Languages of India and abroad

Marathi-English dictionary

[«previous next»] — Mahashabda in Marathi glossary
Source: DDSA: The Molesworth Marathi and English Dictionary

mahāśabda (महाशब्द).—m (S The great sound or noise.) A covert term for the cry of distress called bōmba.

context information

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.

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Sanskrit dictionary

[«previous next»] — Mahashabda in Sanskrit glossary
Source: DDSA: The practical Sanskrit-English dictionary

Mahāśabda (महाशब्द).—a. making a loud sound, very noisy, boisterous.

Mahāśabda is a Sanskrit compound consisting of the terms mahā and śabda (शब्द).

Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Cappeller Sanskrit-English Dictionary

Mahāśabda (महाशब्द).—1. [masculine] loud sound.

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Mahāśabda (महाशब्द).—2. [adjective] loud sounding.

Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary

1) Mahāśabda (महाशब्द):—[=mahā-śabda] [from mahā > mah] m. a gr° noise, loud sound, loud cry, [Mahābhārata; Kathāsaritsāgara]

2) [v.s. ...] the word mahā, [Mahābhārata; Tithyāditya]

3) [v.s. ...] any official title beginning with the word mahā (5 such titles are enumerated), [Inscriptions; Rājataraṅgiṇī]

4) [v.s. ...] mf(ā)n. very noisy or loud, [Kathāsaritsāgara]

[Sanskrit to German]

Mahashabda in German

context information

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.

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