In Buddhism

Mahayana (major branch of Buddhism)

Source: De Gruyter: A Buddhist Ritual Manual on Agriculture

Nīladhvaja (नीलध्वज) refers to a “blue banner” (suitable for performing rituals and offerings), according to the 2nd-century Meghasūtra (“Cloud Sutra”) in those passages which contain ritual instructions.—Accordingly, “[...] For thrice seven days uninterruptedly, with cow-dung, in the eastern quarter the snake-king called Triple-crest, with his retinue, must be painted; in the western, the snake king called Avabhāsanasikhin is to be painted, seven crested, with a retinue of serpents; in the north, the snake-king called Meghasaṃcodana, nine-crested, is to be depicted; a blue canopy and blue dress, blue banner (nīladhvaja) and all the offering is to be made blue; but the sweet offering to the snakes, and the triple-sweet, must be offered,—an oblation of all; [...]”

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.

Languages of India and abroad

Sanskrit dictionary

Source: DDSA: The practical Sanskrit-English dictionary

Nīladhvaja (नीलध्वज).—the Tamāla tree.

Derivable forms: nīladhvajaḥ (नीलध्वजः).

Nīladhvaja is a Sanskrit compound consisting of the terms nīla and dhvaja (ध्वज). See also (synonyms): nīlatāla.

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

1) Nīladhvaja (नीलध्वज):—[=nīla-dhvaja] [from nīla > nīl] m. Xanthochymus Pictorius, [cf. Lexicographers, esp. such as amarasiṃha, halāyudha, hemacandra, etc.]

2) [v.s. ...] Name of a prince of Māhiṣmatī, [Jaiminīya-brāhmaṇa]

[Sanskrit to German]

Niladhvaja 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: Dhvaja, Nila.

Full-text: Nilatala, Jvala.

Relevant text

No search results for Niladhvaja, Nīladhvaja, Nila-dhvaja, Nīla-dhvaja; (plurals include: Niladhvajas, Nīladhvajas, dhvajas) in any book or story.