In Hinduism

Purana and Itihasa (epic history)

Source: archive.org: Puranic Encyclopedia

Malayaprabha (मलयप्रभ).—A King celebrated in Purāṇas. He ruled over Kurukṣetra. Once when there was a famine in the land, King Malayaprabha exempted his subjects from all taxes. The greedy ministers did not like it and they advised him against it. The King yielded to the advice of his ministers. On one occasion Malayaprabha’s son Induprabha pleaded with his father and told him that he should not oppress his subjects at the instigation of his evil ministers. He added that the King was their "Kalpavṛkṣa" and the subjects were his "Kāmadhenus." But the King did not heed the advice of his son. He jokingly said that Induprabha was also their "Kalpavṛkṣa". Stung by this taunt, Induprabha took a solemn oath that he would either become a "Kalpavṛkṣa" or lay down his life in the attempt. He left the palace at once and began an austere tapas. Indra was pleased and appeared before him. Receiving his blessing, Induprabha returned to his capital and stood there as a "Kalpavṛkṣa". He fulfilled the desires of the people. A few days later, Indra came to the tree to test Induprabha. He told Induprabha: "Your mission of service is over; now you may come to Heaven". But he insisted that his subjects also should be taken with him to Heaven. Indra was pleased at the devotion and love of Induprabha for his subjects and agreed to take all his subjects also with him. Induprabha gave up the form of the tree and resuming his own shape, accepted "Bodhisattvācārya". (Kathāsaritsāgara, Śaśāṅkavatī lambaka, 5th Taraṅga).

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)

Source: Wisdom Library: Kathāsaritsāgara

Malayaprabha (मलयप्रभ) is the name of an ancient king from Kurukṣetra, according to the Kathāsaritsāgara, chapter 72. Accordingly, as king Vinītamati said to Somaśūra: “... there lived a long time ago in Kurukṣetra a king of the name of Malayaprabha. One day the king was about to give money to his subjects in a time of famine. But his ministers dissuaded him from doing so, out of avarice”.

The story of Malayaprabha was narrated by Vinītamati in order to teach Somaśūra the doctrine of the perfection of charity (dānapāramita) as known in the Buddhist doctrine with the object of dissuading Somaśūra from ignorance (ajñāna).

The Kathāsaritsāgara (‘ocean of streams of story’), mentioning Malayaprabha, is a famous Sanskrit epic story revolving around prince Naravāhanadatta and his quest to become the emperor of the vidyādharas (celestial beings). The work is said to have been an adaptation of Guṇāḍhya’s Bṛhatkathā consisting of 100,000 verses, which in turn is part of a larger work containing 700,000 verses.

context information

Kavya (काव्य, kavya) refers to Sanskrit poetry, a popular ancient Indian tradition of literature. There have been many Sanskrit poets over the ages, hailing from ancient India and beyond. This topic includes mahakavya, or ‘epic poetry’ and natya, or ‘dramatic poetry’.

Languages of India and abroad

Sanskrit dictionary

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

Malayaprabha (मलयप्रभ):—[=malaya-prabha] [from malaya] m. Name of a king, [ib.]

[Sanskrit to German]

Malayaprabha 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.

See also (Relevant definitions)

Partial matches: Malaya, Prabha.

Full-text: Induprabha, Kurukshetra.

Relevant text

Search found 1 books and stories containing Malayaprabha, Malaya-prabha; (plurals include: Malayaprabhas, prabhas). You can also click to the full overview containing English textual excerpts. Below are direct links for the most relevant articles:

Kathasaritsagara (the Ocean of Story) (by Somadeva)

Chapter LXXII < [Book XII - Śaśāṅkavatī]

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