Melapaka, Mēḷāpāka, Melāpāka, Melāpaka: 14 definitions
Introduction:
Melapaka 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 Mēḷāpāka can be transliterated into English as Melapaka or Meliapaka, using the IAST transliteration scheme (?).
In Hinduism
Shaktism (Shakta philosophy)
Melāpaka (मेलापक) refers to “union” (with the Yoginīs), according to the Kulapañcāśikā, an unpublished text attributed to Matsyendranātha teaching secrecy.—Accordingly, “O goddess, one who has matted hair, (or a) shaved head, is covered in ashes and, adorned with the five insignias, observes (the ascetic’s) vow and conduct, one who practices ritual intercourse and is dedicated to drinking as Kaulas do (vīrapāna) within my body is, O Maheśvarī, one who knows (the teachings of the) Kula and is fit by virtue of each one of these (practices) for union (with the Yoginīs) [i.e., melāpaka]. Endowed with right knowledge, O goddess, he unites (with the Yoginīs) in (each) sacred seat, field and village, if he is dedicated to the wisdom of (his) teacher”.
Shakta (शाक्त, śākta) or Shaktism (śāktism) represents a tradition of Hinduism where the Goddess (Devi) is revered and worshipped. Shakta literature includes a range of scriptures, including various Agamas and Tantras, although its roots may be traced back to the Vedas.
Gitashastra (science of music)
Melāpaka (मेलापक) refers to one of the four kinds of Dhātu or “sections” of the Prabandha—“musical compositions (that belong to the category of nibaddha-gāna)”—[Cf. Saṅgītarāja, Gītaratnakośa, Prabandhollāsa, Sūḍaprabandha prakaraṇam, p.552].—There are two important aspects relating to prabandhas namely dhātu and aṅga. Dhātu refers to the sections of the composition. They are four in number, [viz. melāpaka].
Gitashastra (गीतशास्त्र, gītaśāstra) refers to the ancient Indian science of Music (gita or samgita), which is traditionally divided in Vocal music, Instrumental music and Dance (under the jurisdiction of music). The different elements and technical terms are explained in a wide range of (often Sanskrit) literature.
In Buddhism
Tibetan Buddhism (Vajrayana or tantric Buddhism)
Melāpaka (मेलापक) refers to a “meeting place” and represents one of the various classes of sacred sites, according to the Netravibhaṅga, a commentary on the Hevajratantra by Dharmakīrti.—Accordingly, “It is called a ‘seat’ (pīṭha) because one always stays there and performs the practice, also because the yogis stay there. Because it is near to that place, it is called ‘nearby seat’ (upapīṭha). It is called ‘field’ (kṣetra), because it produces good qualities, also because the mother-goddesses stay there. Because it is near to there, it is called ‘near-by field’ (upakṣetra). Because one desires and yearns, it is called Chando. Because it is near there, it is called ‘near-by Chando’. It is called ‘meeting place’ (melāpaka) because it is the site of a place, [for example] Magadha and Aṅgamagadha. It is called ‘near-by meeting place’ because it is near there. It is called ‘cemetery’ (śmaśāna) because no discriminating thought (vikalpa) arises and because there are many corpses. It is called ‘near-by cemetery’, because it is near to there”.
Melāpaka (मेलापक) is one of the Pīṭhādis (group of districts) present within the Kāyacakra (‘circle of body’) which is associated with the Ḍākinī named Pātālavāsinī (‘a woman living underground’), according to the 9th-centruy Vajraḍākatantra.
The Pīṭhādi named Melāpaka within the Kāyacakra contains the following four districts or seats:
- Pretādhivāsinī,
- Gṛhadevatā.
Melāpaka (मेलापक) refers to a type of power place where Yogins and Yoginīs congregate, according to the Sampuṭodbhavatantra chapter 5.—Accordingly, “[Vajragarbha asked:]—‘Blessed One, what places are places of gatherings?’ [The Blessed One said:]—‘There are pīṭhas and auxiliary pīṭhas, And likewise, kṣetras and auxiliary kṣetras. There are also chandohas and auxiliary chandohas, melāpakas and auxiliary melāpakas. There are charnel grounds and auxiliary charnel grounds, pīlavas and auxiliary pīlavas. These are the twelve types of meeting places. The lord of the ten bhūmis has not specified Any places other than these twelve’. [...]”.
Melāpaka in Tibetan: འདུ་བ། [’du ba].
Melāpaka (मेलापक) refers to a class of holy sites, according to the 10th-century Ḍākārṇava-tantra: one of the last Tibetan Tantric scriptures belonging to the Buddhist Saṃvara tradition consisting of 51 chapters.—Accordingly: “Now, [the Blessed One] has taught [holy sites] such as the pīṭha and upapīṭha in sequence. [...] (7) The melāpaka [sites] are proclaimed to be a bank of a river, a garden, an ocean, and a place where four roads meet. (8) The upamelāpaka [sites] are on the summit of a mountain, the center of a village, and Vṛndākaumāriparvaka (or a mountain [where there is] a flock of maidens). A lineage land is [also] the upamelāpaka. [...]”.
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.
India history and geography
Melāpaka.—(LP), a group. Note: melāpaka 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
mēḷāpāka (मेळापाक).—m Reconciliation (of disagreeing persons): also meeting again of separated friends or relatives: any agreeable and genuine remeeting. 2 Gathering together of apparatus or materials in general.
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
Melāpaka (मेलापक).—
1) Uniting, bringing together, collecting.
2) Conjunction of planets.
3) A crowd, assembly.
Derivable forms: melāpakaḥ (मेलापकः).
1) Melāpaka (मेलापक):—[from mela] m. ([from] [Causal]) uniting, bringing together, [Kātyāyana-śrauta-sūtra [Scholiast or Commentator]]
2) [v.s. ...] conjunction, (of planets), [Catalogue(s)]
Melāpaka (मेलापक):—(vom caus. von mil) m. Vereinigung, Zusammenführung: saṃsargaśca melāpakaḥ (melāyaka die Hdschr.) [KARKA] zu [Kātyāyana’s Śrautasūtrāṇi 4, 2, 6] (nicht gedruckt). Conjunction (der Planeten) [Weber’s Verzeichniss No. 873.] melaka st. dessen [Oxforder Handschriften 336,b,6.] — sthāna n. [SAṂPUṬODBHAVA 59.]
Melāpaka (मेलापक):—m. —
1) Vereinigung , Zusammenführung ; Conjunction der Planeten. —
2) der zweite Theil einer Compositon [Saṃgitasārasaṃgraha 120.182.]
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.
Kannada-English dictionary
Mēlāpaka (ಮೇಲಾಪಕ):—[noun] = ಮೇಲಾಪ - [melapa -] 1.
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Mēḷāpaka (ಮೇಳಾಪಕ):—[noun] = ಮೇಳಾಪ - [melapa -] 1.
Kannada is a Dravidian language (as opposed to the Indo-European language family) mainly spoken in the southwestern region of India.
Nepali dictionary
Melāpaka (मेलापक):—adj. causing union or alliance; causing friendship or agreement;
Nepali is the primary language of the Nepalese people counting almost 20 million native speakers. The country of Nepal is situated in the Himalaya mountain range to the north of India.
See also (Relevant definitions)
Full-text (+33): Upamelapaka, Pitha, Shmashana, Kshetra, Upapitha, Upakshetra, Upashmashana, Mahamelapaka, Pretapuri, Pretadhivasini, Melaapak, Grihadevata, Pilava, Chandoha, Upachandoha, Upapilava, Prabandha, Saurashtra, Suvarnadvipa, Pretadhivasin.
Relevant text
Search found 5 books and stories containing Melapaka, Mēḷāpāka, Melāpāka, Melāpaka, Mēlāpaka, Mēḷāpaka; (plurals include: Melapakas, Mēḷāpākas, Melāpākas, Melāpakas, Mēlāpakas, Mēḷāpakas). You can also click to the full overview containing English textual excerpts. Below are direct links for the most relevant articles:
Sutrakritanga (English translation) (by Hermann Jacobi)
Lecture 12: The Creed < [Book 1]
Kohala in the Sanskrit textual tradition (Study) (by Padma Sugavanam)
Kohala and Gītā (11): The concept of Prabandha < [Chapter 2 - Kohala as seen in citations]
Part 1(a).3 - Contents of Kohalamatam < [Chapter 4 - Works attributed to Kohala]
Musical Instruments in Sanskrit Literature (by S. Karthick Raj KMoundinya)
Brinda or Vrinda—The orchestra < [Chapter 2 - Origin and evolution of Music and Musical instruments]
Mahapurana of Puspadanta (critical study) (by Ratna Nagesha Shriyan)
Piercing to the Pith of the Body < [Volume 8, Issue 9 (2017)]
Running the Numbers for the Path of Mantra < [Volume 12, Issue 3 (2021)]