Navashirshaka, Navaśīrṣaka, Navan-shirshaka, Navan-śīrṣaka: 2 definitions

Introduction:

Navashirshaka means something in Buddhism, Pali, Hinduism, Sanskrit. 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 terms Navaśīrṣaka and Navan-śīrṣaka can be transliterated into English as Navasirsaka or Navashirshaka or Navan-sirsaka or Navan-shirshaka, using the IAST transliteration scheme (?).

In Buddhism

Mahayana (major branch of Buddhism)

[«previous next»] — Navashirshaka in Mahayana glossary
Source: De Gruyter: A Buddhist Ritual Manual on Agriculture

Navaśīrṣaka (नवशीर्षक) is the name of a Snake-king (Nāgarāja), according to the 2nd-century Meghasūtra (“Cloud Sutra”) in those passages which contain ritual instructions.—Accordingly, “He who desires a mighty rain must perform this rite ‘the great-cloud-circle’ in an open space, overspread by a blue canopy, shaded by a blue banner, on a clear spot of earth; [...] then the prophet of the Law, after having painted towards the four quarters with liquid cow-dung on a reed, in the eastern quarter three hastas high must depict the snake-king called Triśīrṣaka, with cow-dung: in the southern quarter him called Pañcaśīrṣaka five hastas high; in the western, seven hastas high, Saptaśīrṣaka; in the northern, Navaśīrṣaka, nine hastas high. [...]”.

Mahayana book cover
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.

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Languages of India and abroad

Sanskrit dictionary

[«previous next»] — Navashirshaka in Sanskrit glossary
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Edgerton Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit Dictionary

Navaśīrṣaka (नवशीर्षक).—name of a nāga king: Megh 302.16. App. = Meghasaṃcodana, q.v., with epithet navaśīrṣa.

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.

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