Mayura, aka: Mayūra, Māyūra; 16 Definition(s)

Introduction

Mayura means something in Buddhism, Pali, 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.

In Hinduism

Natyashastra (theatrics and dramaturgy)

One of the Twenty-eight Single Hands (hasta):—Mayura (peacock): the third finger of the Kartarī-mukha hand is joined to the thumb, the other fingers extended. Usage: the peacock’s beak, a creeper, bird of omen (śakuna), vomiting,forehead, stroking the hair, forehead, brow-spot, wiping away tears, argument according to law (śāstra), renown.

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).

Ayurveda (science of life)

Mayūra (मयूर)—Sanskrit word for a bird, corresponding to “peacock”. This animal is from the group called Viṣkira (which scatter). Viṣkira itself is a sub-group of the group of animals known as Jāṅghala (living in high ground and in a jungle).

The flesh of the Mayura is astringent and saline in taste, and is beneficial to the skin, helps the growth of hair, improves the voice, intellect, appetite and relish for food, and imparts strength and vigour to the organs of sight and hearing.

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.

Shilpashastra (iconography)

Murugan’s vehicle is the Mayūra — peacock which represents pride, arrogance and notions of superiority which need to be controlled in order to cultivate skilful means.

context information

Shilpashastra (शिल्पशास्त्र, śilpaśāstra) represents the ancient Indian science (shastra) of creative arts (shilpa) such as sculpture, iconography and painting. Closely related to Vastushastra (architecture), they often share the same literature.

Purana and Itihasa (epic history)

Mayūra (मयूर).—An asura who fought against Subrahmaṇya. Skanda Purāṇa, Vīramahendra Kāṇḍa describes the terrible battle between Mayūra and Subrahmaṇya. Mahābhārata, Ādi Parva, Chapter 65 says that after death, Mayūra was reborn in the world as a King named Viśva.

1a) Mayūra (मयूर).—The riding animal of Kārttikeya; several on the Himālayas;¹ a banner of Skanda presented to Vāyu.²

• 1) Brahmāṇḍa-purāṇa II. 25. 16, 27; III. 10. 47. Matsya-purāṇa 160. 21. Vāyu-purāṇa 36. 2; 54. 19.
• 2) Ib. 72. 46.

1b) A peak on the Varāha hill.^*

• * Vāyu-purāṇa 42. 70.

Mayūra (मयूर) is a name mentioned in the Mahābhārata (cf. I.61.33) and represents one of the many proper names used for people and places. Note: The Mahābhārata (mentioning Mayūra) is a Sanskrit epic poem consisting of 100,000 ślokas (metrical verses) and is over 2000 years old.

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.

In Buddhism

Theravada (major branch of Buddhism)

One of the three palaces of Vidhurapandita. J.vi.289.

In Jainism

General definition (in Jainism)

Mayūra (मयूर) participated in the war between Rāma and Rāvaṇa, on the side of the latter, as mentioned in Svayambhūdeva’s Paumacariu (Padmacarita, Paumacariya or Rāmāyaṇapurāṇa) chapter 57ff. Svayambhū or Svayambhūdeva (8th or 9th century) was a Jain householder who probably lived in Karnataka. His work recounts the popular Rāma story as known from the older work Rāmāyaṇa (written by Vālmīki). Various chapters [mentioning Mayūra] are dedicated to the humongous battle whose armies (known as akṣauhiṇīs) consisted of millions of soldiers, horses and elephants, etc.

context information

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 geogprahy

Mayura is another name for Māyāpura: a place name ending in pura mentioned in the Gupta inscriptions. Māyāpura is transformed into Mayura in the way that pura is changed to ur.

Mayūra.—(CII 1), a peacock; a bird in general. Note: mayūra 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

mayūra : (m.) peacock.

Mayūra, (Vedic mayūra) a peacock D. III, 201; S. II, 279; Th. 1, 1113; J. II, 144, 150 (°gīva)=DhA. I, 144; J. IV, 211 (°nacca); V, 304; VI, 172, 272, 483; Vv 11¹, 35⁸ (=sikhaṇḍin VvA. 163); VvA. 27 (°gīva-vaṇṇa); Sdhp. 92. ‹-› The form mayūra occurs nearly always in the Gāthās and is the older form of the two m. and mora. The latter contracted form is found in Prose only and is often used to explain the old form, e, g. at VvA. 57. See also mora. (Page 524)

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

mayūra (मयूर).—m (S) A peacock. 2 A flower, Cock's comb.

mayūra (मयूर).—m A peacock. A flower, cockscomb.

Sanskrit-English dictionary

Mayūra (मयूर).—[mī ūran Uṇ 1.67]

1) A peacock; स्मरति गिरिमयूर एष देव्याः (smarati girimayūra eṣa devyāḥ) U.3.2; फणी मयूरस्य तले निषीदति (phaṇī mayūrasya tale niṣīdati) Ṛs. 1.13.

2) A kind of flower.

3) Name of a poet (author of the sūryaśataka); यस्याश्चोरश्चिकुरनिकरः कर्णपूरो मयूरः (yasyāścoraścikuranikaraḥ karṇapūro mayūraḥ) P. R.1. 22.

4) A kind of instrument for measuring time.

5) (In music) A kind of gait.

-rī A pea-hen; (Proverb :- varaṃ tatkālopanatā tittirī na punardivasāntaritā mayūrī Vb.1., or varamadya kapoto na śvo mayūraḥ 'a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush').

-ram A particular posture in sitting.

Derivable forms: mayūraḥ (मयूरः).

--- OR ---

Māyūra (मायूर).—a. (-rī f.) [मयूर-अण् (mayūra-aṇ)]

1) Belonging to or arising from a peacock; मायूरी मदयति मार्जना मनांसि (māyūrī madayati mārjanā manāṃsi) M.1. 21; Rām.2.91.7.

2) Made of the feathers of a peacock.

3) Drawn by a peacock (as a car).

4) Dear to a peacock.

-ram A flock of peacocks.

-rī Name of a plant (ajamodā).

Mayūra (मयूर).—m.

(-raḥ) 1. A peacock. 2. A flower, the coxcomb, (Celosia cristata.) 3. A plant, (Achyranthes aspera.) f. (-rī) 1. A pea-hen. 2. A potherb, (Basella rubra, &c.) E. mi to scatter, Unadi aff. ūran; or mahī the earth in the seventh case, mahyāṃ, ru to cry, ḍa aff. and the formation irr.

--- OR ---

Māyūra (मायूर).—mfn.

(-raḥ-rī-raṃ) Belonging to a peacock, made of its feathers, &c. n.

(-raṃ) A flock of peacocks. E. mayūra a peacock, and aṇ aff. of multitude, &c.

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