In Buddhism

Mahayana (major branch of Buddhism)

Source: Wisdom Library: Maha Prajnaparamita Sastra

Narakapāla (नरकपाल) refers to the “guardians of hell”, according to Mahāprajñāpāramitāśāstra (chapter 21).—Accordingly, “If the immoral man takes the monastic robes, these are like burning brass for him, like an iron ring around his body; his alms bowl is like a jar filled with melted copper; when he takes his food, it is as if he were swallowing balls of burning iron or drinking boiling brass; the people paying homage to him with their offerings are like the guardians of hell (narakapāla) watching over him; when he enters the monastery, it is as though he were entering the great hell; when he sits on the monastic benches, it is as if he were taking his place on a bed of burning iron”.

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.

Tibetan Buddhism (Vajrayana or tantric Buddhism)

Source: MDPI Books: The Ocean of Heroes

Narakapāla (नरकपाल) refers to the “hell guardians”, 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: [while explaining the body circle (kāyacakra)]: “[...] Great hell-guardians (mahā-narakapāla) are always in the eight charnel grounds: (1) Śālmalī, (2) Aśokavṛkṣā, and (3) Pārijātā, (4) Umbarī (for Udumbarī), (5) Ḍombarī, (6) Gambhārī (for Gambhīrī), (7) Bhadirakī (For Badarakī), and (8) Piśācakī. There are also troops of various vetālas, assemblages of yoginīs and heroes, a sky-going female, an earth-going female, and also other females who have superhuman powers. [...]”.

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.

Languages of India and abroad

Sanskrit dictionary

Source: DDSA: The practical Sanskrit-English dictionary

Narakapāla (नरकपाल).—a man's skull.

Derivable forms: narakapālaḥ (नरकपालः).

Narakapāla is a Sanskrit compound consisting of the terms nara and kapāla (कपाल).

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

1) Narakapāla (नरकपाल):—[=nara-kapāla] [from nara] n. a man’s skull, [Pañcatantra]

2) Nārakapāla (नारकपाल):—[=nāra-kapāla] [from nāra] n. a human skull

[Sanskrit to German]

Narakapala 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: Kapala, Nara.

Starts with: Narakapalakundalavant, Narakapalakundalavat.

Ends with: Mahanarakapala.

Full-text (+4): Narakapalakundalavat, Shalmali, Dagdha, Ashokavriksha, Parijata, Khandita, Gambhiri, Ashoka, Gambhira, Pishaca, Udumbari, Akhandita, Adagdha, Pishacaki, Udumbara, Bhishana, Dombari, Udbandhaka, Dombara, Khadira.

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Search found 2 books and stories containing Narakapala, Narakapāla, Nara-kapala, Nara-kapāla, Nārakapāla, Nāra-kapāla; (plurals include: Narakapalas, Narakapālas, kapalas, kapālas, Nārakapālas). You can also click to the full overview containing English textual excerpts. Below are direct links for the most relevant articles:

Maha Prajnaparamita Sastra (by Gelongma Karma Migme Chödrön)

Part 4 - Disadvantages of immorality < [Chapter XXI - Discipline or Morality]

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Bhagavati-sutra (Viyaha-pannatti) (by K. C. Lalwani)

Chapter 7: Lokapāla Somadeva < [Book 3]

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