Mahi, aka: Mahī; 16 Definition(s)

Introduction

Mahi 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.

In Hinduism

Purana and Itihasa (epic history)

1a) Mahī (मही).—A river in Kuśadvīpa.^*

• * Brahmāṇḍa-purāṇa II. 19. 62; Matsya-purāṇa 163. 64; Viṣṇu-purāṇa II. 4. 43.

1b) Mādhavī, (Vasundharā);¹ rescued by the Lord in Vārāha disguise from Pātāla; earth addressed the Lord in words of praise of his greatness;² addressed by Sananda and other sages; the earth was rescued with mountains; and was divided into seven islands and created the four; bhū and other worlds;³ see Bhūmī.⁴

• 1) Viṣṇu-purāṇa I. 4. 7, 25-28.
• 2) Ib. I. 4. 12-24.
• 3) Ib. I. 4. 27-44.
• 4) Ib. V. 1. 57.

1c) With Vikeśī: a sthāna of Rudra;¹ his son was Lohitānga.²

• 1) Viṣṇu-purāṇa I. 8. 7.
• 2) Ib. I. 8. 11.

context information

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.

Kavya (poetry)

Mahī (मही) is the name a locality mentioned in Rājaśekhara’s 10th-century Kāvyamīmāṃsā.—The river Mahī which is springs in Mālavā region and fall into the gulf of Combay.

Natyashastra (theatrics and dramaturgy)

Mahī (मही) is the name of a meter belonging to the Anuṣṭubh class of Dhruvā (songs) described in the Nāṭyaśāstra chapter 32:—“the metre which has in its feet of eight syllables sixth and eighth long, is mahī”.

context information

Natyashastra (नाट्यशास्त्र, nāṭyaśāstra) refers to both the ancient Indian tradition (śāstra) of performing arts, (nāṭya, e.g., theatrics, drama, dance, music), as well as the name of a Sanskrit work dealing with these subjects. It also teaches the rules for composing dramatic plays (nataka) and poetic works (kavya).

Jyotisha (astronomy and astrology)

Mahī (मही).—1. Base of a triangle. 2. Earth. Note: Mahī is a Sanskrit technical term used in ancient Indian sciences such as Astronomy, Mathematics and Geometry.

context information

Jyotisha (ज्योतिष, jyotiṣa or jyotish) refers to ‘astronomy’ or “Vedic astrology” and represents the fifth of the six Vedangas (additional sciences to be studied along with the Vedas). Jyotisha concerns itself with the study and prediction of the movements of celestial bodies, in order to calculate the auspicious time for rituals and ceremonies.

Ayurveda (science of life)

Mahi (महि) or Mahī refers to “earth” and is mentioned in a list of 53 synonyms for dharaṇi (“earth”), according to the second chapter (dharaṇyādi-varga) of the 13th-century Raj Nighantu or Rājanighaṇṭu (an Ayurvedic encyclopedia).  The Dharaṇyādi-varga covers the lands, soil [viz., Mahi], mountains, jungles and vegetation’s relations between trees and plants and substances, with their various kinds.

context information

Āyurveda (आयुर्वेद, ayurveda) is a branch of Indian science dealing with medicine, herbalism, taxology, anatomy, surgery, alchemy and related topics. Traditional practice of Āyurveda in ancient India dates back to at least the first millenium BC. Literature is commonly written in Sanskrit using various poetic metres.

In Buddhism

Theravada (major branch of Buddhism)

1. Mahi. One of the five great rivers of India, all of which have a common origin (Vin.ii.237; A.iv.101; v. 22; S.ii.135; v. 38; Mil. 20, 104; Vsm.10, etc.). Anguttarapa was to the north of the Mahi (SNA.ii.437ff). It is also called Mahamahi.

2. Mahi. A Lankagiri, an officer of Parakkamabahu I., stationed at Assamandala tittha. Cv.lxxii.27.

Mahayana (major branch of Buddhism)

Mahī (मही) is the name of a river mentioned by the Buddha while teaching the practice of disgust, as mentioned in the Tiṃsamattā-sutta (or Lohita-sūtra), according to Mahāprajñāpāramitāśāstra chapter XLIII.—Accordingly, “thus forty Bhikṣus from the land of Po-li (“inhabitant of the region of Pāvā”; Pāvā or Pāpā is the actual Kasia) who observed fully the twelve pure practices (dhūtaguṇa) came to the Buddha who taught them the practice of disgust (nirveda, saṃvega). The Buddha asked them: The five rivers, Heng-k’ie (Gaṅgā), Lan-meou-na (Yamunā), Sa-lo-yeou (Sarayū), A-tche-lo-p’o-t’i (Aciravati) and Mo-hi (Mahī) arise and empty into the great ocean (mahāsamudra). Is the mass of water contained in this ocean great or small? The Bhikṣus answered: It is very great. The Buddha continued: In the course of a single kalpa, during his animal existences, a single man has been cut up and flayed. In yet other circumstances when he committed a wrong-doing, his hands and feet have been cut off and his head has been has been cut off. Well then! His blood (lohita) that has been spilled surpasses the amount of water in the ocean”.

context information

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 geogprahy

Mahī (मही) is the name of a river situated in Majjhimadesa (Middle Country) of ancient India, as recorded in the Pāli Buddhist texts (detailing the geography of ancient India as it was known in to Early Buddhism).—Mahī, one of the five great rivers mentioned in Pāli literature. The river Mahī is a tributary of the Gaṇḍaka.

Mahī.—(IE 7-1-2), ‘one’. Note: mahī is defined in the “Indian epigraphical glossary” as it can be found on ancient inscriptions commonly written in Sanskrit, Prakrit or Dravidian languages.

context information

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

Pali-English dictionary

mahi : (aor. of mahati) honoured; revered. || mahī (f.) the earth; name of a river.

Mahī, (f.) (f. of mah, base of mahant, Vedic mahī) the earth (lit. Great One) Mhvs 5, 266; Sdhp. 424, 472; Loc. mahiyā Miln. 128; mahiyaṃ DhsA. 62.—Note. As mahī is only found in very late P. literature, it must have been re-introduced from Sk. sources, and is note a direct correspondent of Vedic mahī.

—tala the ground (of the earth) Mhvs 5, 54. —dhara mountain Miln. 343; Mhvs 14, 3; 28, 22 (v. l. mahin°). —pa king (of the earth) Mhvs 14, 22. —pati king Mhvs 5, 48; 33, 32. —pāla king Mhvs 4, 38; 5, 265. —ruha tree (“growing out of the earth”) Mhvs 14, 18, 18, 19. (Page 527)

context information

Pali is the language of the Tipiṭaka, which is the sacred canon of Theravāda Buddhism and contains much of the Buddha’s speech. Closeley related to Sanskrit, both languages are used interchangeably between religions.

Marathi-English dictionary

mahī (मही).—f (S) The earth. 2 The river Mahi or Mhye.

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māhī (माही).—m f (māgha S) The month commonly called māgha, January-February.

mahī (मही).—f The earth.

Sanskrit-English dictionary

Mahi (महि).—m., n. Greatness; सर्वात्मना महि गृणामि यथामनीषम् (sarvātmanā mahi gṛṇāmi yathāmanīṣam) Bhāg.7.9.12. -m. Intellect. -f. = मही (mahī) The earth. -ind. Greatly, very much.

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Mahī (मही).—1 Earth; as in महीपाल, महीमृत् (mahīpāla, mahīmṛt) &c.; मही रम्या शय्या (mahī ramyā śayyā) Bh.3.79.

2) Ground, soil; चेरतुः संयुगमहीं सासारौ जलदाविव (ceratuḥ saṃyugamahīṃ sāsārau jaladāviva) Rām.6.17.34.

3) Landed property or estate, land.

4) A country, kingdom.

5) Name of a river falling into the gulf of Cambay.

6) (In geom.) The base of any plane figure.

7) A large army (Ved).

8) A cow; ŚB. on MS.1.3.49.

9) Earth (as a substance, stones, bricks &c); Ms.7.7.

1) Space.

Mahī (मही).—(= Sanskrit maha), festival, in jātī-mahī saṃvṛttā Divy 515.18; in same line, jātamahaṃ kṛtvā; both birth- festival; is the otherwise unrecorded -mahī adapted to the gender of jātī-? Cf. jāti-maha.

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