Megha, Meghā: 26 definitions

Introduction

Introduction
In Hinduism
In Buddhism
1. Theravada
2. Tibetan Buddhism
In Jainism
1. General definition
Languages
1. Pali
2. Marathi
3. Sanskrit
See also

Introduction:

Megha means something in Buddhism, Pali, Hinduism, Sanskrit, Jainism, Prakrit, Marathi, Hindi. 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

Shaivism (Shaiva philosophy)

Source: academia.edu: The Yoga of the Mālinīvijayottaratantra

Megha (मेघ) or Meghaśabda refers to the “sounds of a thundercloud” and represents one of the ten kinds of sounds (śabda) according to Jayaratha (author of the 13th century commentary Tantrālokaviveka on Abhinavagupta’s Tantrāloka), the Matsyendrasaṃhitā and the Haṃsa-upaniṣad. Jayaratha cites the Brahmayāmala passage giving this order of the ten sounds (e.g., Megha).

context information

Shaiva (शैव, śaiva) or Shaivism (śaivism) represents a tradition of Hinduism worshiping Shiva as the supreme being. Closely related to Shaktism, Shaiva literature includes a range of scriptures, including Tantras, while the root of this tradition may be traced back to the ancient Vedas.

Purana and Itihasa (epic history)

Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: The Purana Index

1a) Megha (मेघ).—A Rākṣasa in Sutalam.^*

* Brahmāṇḍa-purāṇa II. 20. 22; Vāyu-purāṇa 50. 22.

1b) Formed out of the shell of Brahmā's egg, cosmology of clouds and rain; waters taken in by the rays of the sun and let out as showers; served by the wind.^*

* Matsya-purāṇa 2. 33; 125. 16-35.

1c) A commander of Tāraka's force; his chariot drawn by elephants.^*

* Matsya-purāṇa 148. 42, 51.

1d) A hill.^*

* Matsya-purāṇa 163. 82.

1e) A group of gods to be worshipped in śrāddha.^*

* Brahmāṇḍa-purāṇa III. 10. 110.

1f) Nine Naiṣadha Kings who ruled from^*

* Brahmāṇḍa-purāṇa III. 74. 189; Vāyu-purāṇa 99. 376.

1g) Ety. three origins: from fire, brahmajā and pakṣaja clouds.^*

* Vāyu-purāṇa 51. 27-28.

2) Meghā (मेघा).—A river of the Bhadrā country.^*

* Vāyu-purāṇa 43. 26.

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.

Ayurveda (science of life)

Source: archive.org: Vagbhata’s Ashtanga Hridaya Samhita (first 5 chapters)

Megha (मेघ) refers to “clouds” and is mentioned in verse 3.6 of the Aṣṭāṅgahṛdayasaṃhitā (Sūtrasthāna) by Vāgbhaṭa.—Accordingly, “[...] the southern course (of the sun comprises) the seasons monsoon, etc. and (is named) ‘liberation’ as it liberates strength (in man) ; for the moon (is) strong then because of its being soma-like, (while) the sun declines, the surface of the earth showing heat tempered by cool clouds (megha), rains, and winds.”.

Note: Megha (“cloud”) has been left untranslated, whereas vṛṣṭi (“rain”) has been turned char ’bab-pa (“falling rain, rainfall”); cf. Mahāvyutpatti 4634 & 5311 sq.

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.

Chandas (prosody, study of Sanskrit metres)

Source: Journal of the University of Bombay Volume V: Apabhramsa metres (2)

Megha (मेघ) is the name of a catuṣpadi metre (as popularly employed by the Apabhraṃśa bards), as discussed in books such as the Chandonuśāsana, Kavidarpaṇa, Vṛttajātisamuccaya and Svayambhūchandas.—Megha has 29 mātrās in each of their four lines. Megha is a pure varṇa-vṛtta having in its line 1 Ra, followed by 4 Ma Gaṇas. Like the Vibhrama it is generally employed by the Apabhraṃśa poets as Hemacandra tells us.

context information

Chandas (छन्दस्) refers to Sanskrit prosody and represents one of the six Vedangas (auxiliary disciplines belonging to the study of the Vedas). The science of prosody (chandas-shastra) focusses on the study of the poetic meters such as the commonly known twenty-six metres mentioned by Pingalas.

General definition (in Hinduism)

Source: Wisdom Library: Hinduism

Megha (मेघ) is a Sanskrit word referring to a “cloud”.

In Buddhism

Theravada (major branch of Buddhism)

Source: Pali Kanon: Pali Proper Names

1. Megha. A youth in the time of Dipankara Buddha. Hearing the Buddha prophesy the future of Sumedha, Megha entered the Order with him. He was a former birth of Dhammaruci Thera. Ap.ii.430.

2. Megha (v.l. Majjha). He was treasurer of Saketa and father of Anopma Theri. ThigA.138.

3. Megha. A king of long ago; a previous birth of Dhajadayaka Thera. Ap.i.109.

1. Megha Sutta. Just as a rain cloud makes all the dust in the air vanish, so does the practice of the Noble Eightfold Path destroy evil states. S.v.50.

2. Megha Sutta. Just as a strong wind disperses rain clouds, so does the Noble Eightfold Path disperse all Ill. S.v.50.

context information

Theravāda is a major branch of Buddhism having the the Pali canon (tipitaka) as their canonical literature, which includes the vinaya-pitaka (monastic rules), the sutta-pitaka (Buddhist sermons) and the abhidhamma-pitaka (philosophy and psychology).

Tibetan Buddhism (Vajrayana or tantric Buddhism)

Source: Wisdom Library: Tibetan Buddhism

Megha (मेघ) refers to one of the male Vidyā-beings mentioned as attending the teachings in the 6th century Mañjuśrīmūlakalpa: one of the largest Kriyā Tantras devoted to Mañjuśrī (the Bodhisattva of wisdom) representing an encyclopedia of knowledge primarily concerned with ritualistic elements in Buddhism. The teachings in this text originate from Mañjuśrī and were taught to and by Buddha Śākyamuni in the presence of a large audience (including Megha).

Source: Bibliotheca Polyglotta: Ratnagotravibhāga (Uttaratantra)

Megha (मेघ) refers to a “cloud”, which is said to resemble the mind of Buddha, according to the 3rd-century Ratnagotravibhāga (Uttaratantra) verse 4.42-43.—“[...] it is said that [the mind of the Buddha in its activity] is like a cloud (megha). Just as, in the rainy season, the clouds discharge, without any effort, The multitudes of water on the earth, Causing abundance of harvest; In a similar manner, the Buddha Discharges the rain of the Highest Doctrine From the clouds of Compassion (karuṇa-ambuda), with no searching thought, For [bringing] the crops of virtue among the living beings”.

context information

Tibetan Buddhism includes schools such as Nyingma, Kadampa, Kagyu and Gelug. Their primary canon of literature is divided in two broad categories: The Kangyur, which consists of Buddha’s words, and the Tengyur, which includes commentaries from various sources. Esotericism and tantra techniques (vajrayāna) are collected indepently.

In Jainism

General definition (in Jainism)

Source: Wisdom Library: Jainism

Megha (मेघ) is the father of Sumati according to Śvetāmbara (according to Digambara he is named Meghaprabha), according to the Ācāradinakara (14th century work on Jain conduct written by Vardhamāna Sūri). Sumati is the fifth of twenty-four Tīrthaṅkaras in Janism. A Tīrthaṅkara is an enlightened being who has conquered saṃsāra (cycle of birth and death), leaving behind him a path for others to follow.

The wife of Megha is is Maṅgalā. It is an ancient Jain practice to worship the Tīrthaṅkara’s parents in various rites, such as the pratiṣṭhāvidhi.

Source: archive.org: Een Kritische Studie Van Svayambhūdeva’s Paümacariu

Megha (मेघ) 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 Megha] are dedicated to the humongous battle whose armies (known as akṣauhiṇīs) consisted of millions of soldiers, horses and elephants, etc.

Source: archive.org: Trisastisalakapurusacaritra

Megha (मेघ) is the name of an ancient king from Vinītā, and father of Sumatinātha, according to chapter 3.3 [sumatinātha-caritra] of Hemacandra’s 11th century Triṣaṣṭiśalākāpuruṣacaritra (“lives of the 63 illustrious persons”): a Sanskrit epic poem narrating the history and legends of sixty-three important persons in Jainism.

Accordingly:—“In this city (i.e., Vinītā) there was a king, named Megha, the tilaka of the Ikṣvāku family, rejoicing all, like a great cloud. His superabundant wealth, though always rising to satisfy beggars, increased like the water in a canal. Kings bowed to him like a divinity, touching the ground with five members, and paid homage to him with clothing, ornaments, jewels, etc. [...] His wife was named Maṅgalā, the abode of auspicious things, the banner of virtues, like a household Lakṣmī personified”.

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.

Languages of India and abroad

Pali-English dictionary

Source: BuddhaSasana: Concise Pali-English Dictionary

megha : (m.) rain; a cloud.

Source: Sutta: The Pali Text Society's Pali-English Dictionary

Megha, (Vedic megha; not to mih, mehati (see mīḷha), but to Idg. *meigh-, fog, rain; cp. Sk. miḥ mist; Av. maēga cloud; Gr. o)mi/xlh fog, Lith. mighá fog, Dutch miggelen to drizzle, also Ags. mist=Oicel mistr “mist”) a cloud Pv. II, 9⁴⁵; Vism. 126; esp. a thundercloud, storm, S. I, 100 (thaneti), 154; Th. I, 307 (as kāḷa); It. 66; J. I, 332 (pajjunna vuccati megha); DhA. I, 19; SnA 27 (°thanita-sadda). In this capacity often called mahā-megha, e.g. Sn. 30; DhA. I, 165; KhA 21; PvA. 132.—On megha in similes see J. P. T. S. 1907, 124, 125.

—nātha having clouds as protectors (said with ref. to grass-eating animals) J. IV, 253.—maṇḍala cloud-circle, a circle of clouds SnA 27.—vaṇṇa cloud-coloured J. V, 321 (C. for megha-sannibha); °pāsāṇa a sort of ornamental building stone Mhvs 30, 59 (v. l. , T. meda°; trsl. fat-coloured stones). See meda°. (Page 540)

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

Source: DDSA: The Molesworth Marathi and English Dictionary

mēgha (मेघ).—m (S) A cloud. 2 A certain edible substance said to be obtained (and prepared by fire in a suitable receptacle) from the air during the prevalence of a dense fog. 3 Applied to Hoarfrost.

Source: DDSA: The Aryabhusan school dictionary, Marathi-English

mēgha (मेघ).—m A cloud.

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.

Sanskrit dictionary

Source: DDSA: The practical Sanskrit-English dictionary

Megha (मेघ).—[mehati varṣati jalam, mih-ghañ kutvam]

1) A cloud; कुर्वन्नञ्जनमेचका इव दिशो मेघः समुत्तिष्ठते (kurvannañjanamecakā iva diśo meghaḥ samuttiṣṭhate) Mk.5.23,2,3 &c.

2) A mass, multitude.

3) Name of one of the six Rāgas (in music).

4) A fragrant grass.

-ghamū Talc.

Derivable forms: meghaḥ (मेघः).

Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Edgerton Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit Dictionary

Megha (मेघ).—(1) name of a previous incarnation of Śākya-muni under Dīpaṃkara, who predicted his enlighten- ment: Mahāvastu i.2.1; 232.1 ff. (corresponds to Divyāvadāna Sumati (4), q.v., and to Pali Sumedha, while Pali Megha corresp. to our Meghadatta, q.v.); (2) name of another Bodhisattva, a Dravidian (dramiḍa): Gaṇḍavyūha 2.7; 72.13 ff.; Śikṣāsamuccaya 36.14 (quotation from Gaṇḍavyūha 76.26); 95.6 (allusion to events of Gaṇḍavyūha 73.14 ff.).

Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Shabda-Sagara Sanskrit-English Dictionary

Megha (मेघ).—m.

(-ghaḥ) 1. A cloud. 2. A fragrant grass, (Cyperus rotundus.) 3. A demon, a goblin. 4. A mass, a multitude. n.

(-ghaṃ) Talc. E. mih to sprinkle, aff. ac, and the final changed.

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

Megha (मेघ).—i. e. mih + a, m. 1. A cloud, [Pañcatantra] 169, 6. 2. A demon. 3. A fragrant grass.

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

Megha (मेघ).—[masculine] cloud, [abstract] tva† [neuter]

Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Aufrecht Catalogus Catalogorum

Megha (मेघ) as mentioned in Aufrecht’s Catalogus Catalogorum:—abridged from Bhagīrathamegha. L. 1951.

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

1) Megha (मेघ):—m. ([from] √migh = mih cf. meghamāna) ‘sprinkler’, a cloud, [Ṛg-veda] etc. etc. (also = cloudy weather)

2) a mass, multitude (See gṛha-m) Cyperus Rotundus, [cf. Lexicographers, esp. such as amarasiṃha, halāyudha, hemacandra, etc.]

3) (in music) a [particular] Rāga, [Colebrooke]

4) a Rākṣasa (?), [cf. Lexicographers, esp. such as amarasiṃha, halāyudha, hemacandra, etc.]

5) Name of a king ([plural] of a dynasty), [Viṣṇu-purāṇa]

6) of an author (= -bhagīratha), [Catalogue(s)]

7) of a poet, [ib.] ([varia lectio] meca)

8) of the father of the 5th Arhat of the present Avasarpiṇī, [cf. Lexicographers, esp. such as amarasiṃha, halāyudha, hemacandra, etc.]

9) of a mountain (cf. -giri and -parvata)

10) n. talc, [cf. Lexicographers, esp. such as amarasiṃha, halāyudha, hemacandra, etc.]

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

Megha (मेघ):—(ghaḥ) 1. m. A cloud; fragrant grass; a demon, a goblin.

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.

Relevant text

Search found 40 books and stories containing Megha, Meghā, Mēgha; (plurals include: Meghas, Meghās, Mēghas). You can also click to the full overview containing English textual excerpts. Below are direct links for the most relevant articles:

Chapter XXIII - Megha and Meghadatta < [Volume I]

Chapter I - Prologue < [Volume I]

show preview

Part 7: Story of Meghakumāra < [Chapter VI - Adoption of right-belief by Śreṇika]

Part 13: Sumatinātha’s parents < [Chapter III - Sumatināthacaritra]

Part 7: Future Tīrthaṅkaras < [Chapter VI]

+ 3 more chapters / show preview

Verse 2.1.144 < [Chapter 1 - Vairāgya (renunciation)]

Verse 2.3.183 < [Chapter 3 - Bhajana (loving service)]

show preview

Part 1 - Family of Camarendra < [Chapter 5]

Part 3 - On patriarchs < [Chapter 5]