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)
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. [...]”.
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.
Yoga (school of philosophy)
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 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).
In Buddhism
Mahayana (major branch of Buddhism)
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 (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.
India history and geography
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.
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.
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.
Languages of India and abroad
Marathi-English dictionary
mahāśabda (महाशब्द).—m (S The great sound or noise.) A covert term for the cry of distress called bōmba.
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
Mahāśabda (महाशब्द).—a. making a loud sound, very noisy, boisterous.
Mahāśabda is a Sanskrit compound consisting of the terms mahā and śabda (शब्द).
Mahāśabda (महाशब्द).—1. [masculine] loud sound.
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Mahāśabda (महाशब्द).—2. [adjective] loud sounding.
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]
Mahāśabda (महाशब्द):—1. (ma + śabda) m.
1) laute Töne, lautes Schreien u.s.w. [Hemacandra’s Anekārthasaṃgraha 4, 321.] [Mahābhārata 6, 105.] —
2) das Wort mahā [Mahābhārata 12, 6823.] prāvṛṭkāle viśeṣeṇa āśvine hyaṣṭamīṣu ca . mahaśabdo navamyāṃ tu (vgl. mahānavamī) loke khyātiṃ gamiṣyati .. [Tithyāditattva im Śabdakalpadruma] u. mahānavamī . —
3) eine mit mahā beginnende Würde, ein solches Amt: avāptapañca Inschr. in Journ. of the Am. Or. [S. 6, 539, 1. 3.] tasya pañca mahāśabdān jyāyānutpalako grahīt . anye jagṛhire nyāni karmasthānāni mātulāḥ .. [Rājataraṅgiṇī 4,] [?679; vgl. 142 und HALL] in Journ. of the Am. Or. [S. 6, 540. fg.]
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Mahāśabda (महाशब्द):—2. (wie eben) adj. f. ā überaus laut [Kathāsaritsāgara 67, 59.]
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Mahāśabda (महाशब्द):—1.
1) bherī [Kathāsaritsāgara 106, 163.]
Mahāśabda (महाशब्द):—1. m. —
1) lauter Ton , lautes Schreien u.s.w. —
2) das Wort mahā. —
3) eine mit mahā beginnende Würde , ein solches Amt. Deren werden fünf angenommen [Indian antiquary (Roth) 10,250.]
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Mahāśabda (महाशब्द):—2. Adj. (f. ā) überaus laut.
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: Shabda, Maha.
Full-text (+22): Pancamahashabda, Ashesha-mahashabda, Samadhigata-panca-mahashabda, Shabda, Prakshvedayati, Mahadandanayaka, Mahakchabda, Pancavadya, Panca-mahavadya, Mahashvashal-adhikrita, Panca-shabda, Prapta-pancamahashabda, Mahabhandagarika, Mahakartakritika, Mahasadhanika, Mahara, Tagara, Mahasamanta, Mahapratihara, Vevvalaiya.
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Search found 7 books and stories containing Mahashabda, Mahāśabda, Mahasabda, Maha-shabda, Mahā-śabda, Maha-sabda; (plurals include: Mahashabdas, Mahāśabdas, Mahasabdas, shabdas, śabdas, sabdas). You can also click to the full overview containing English textual excerpts. Below are direct links for the most relevant articles:
Studies in Indian Literary History (by P. K. Gode)
35. Prabhakarabhatta, the Brother of Ratnakarabhatta < [Volume 2 (1954)]
37-39. The Ashvamedha Sacrifice performed by Sawai Jai Singh < [Volume 2 (1954)]
Subject-Index (of second volume) < [Volume 2 (1954)]
Kingship in early Medieval India (by Sudip Narayan Maitra)
Part 4 - Mahanadi Delta region: Sub Period III: 900-1300 A.D < [Chapter 3 - Kingship And Polity In Mahanadi Delta Region]
Part 2 - Mahanadi Delta region: Sub Period I: 300-600 A.D. < [Chapter 3 - Kingship And Polity In Mahanadi Delta Region]
A Descriptive Catalogue of the Sanskrit Manuscripts, Madras (by M. Seshagiri Sastri)
Page 492 < [Volume 24 (1918)]
Canons of Orissan Architecture (by R. Chatterjee)
Appendix 2 - Sanskrit text of the Bhubanapradipa (restored)
Chapter 3 - A Chapter on Augury (the science of intepreting sounds)
Manasollasa (study of Arts and Sciences) (by Mahadev Narayanrao Joshi)
6. Music in Somesvara’s Manasollasa < [Chapter 4 - Fine arts in Manasollassa]
Impact of Vedic Culture on Society (by Kaushik Acharya)