Nilagriva, Nīlagrīva, Nila-griva: 11 definitions
Introduction
Introduction:
Nilagriva 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.
In Hinduism
Purana and Itihasa (epic history)
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: The Purana IndexNīlagrīva (नीलग्रीव).—Is Rudra.*
- * Brahmāṇḍa-purāṇa IV. 34. 27.

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.
In Buddhism
Tibetan Buddhism (Vajrayana or tantric Buddhism)
Source: Wisdom Library: Tibetan BuddhismNīlagrīva (नीलग्रीव) is the name of Vidyārāja (i.e., “wisdom king”) 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 Nīlagrīva).
Source: academia.edu: The Structure and Meanings of the Heruka MaṇḍalaNīlagrīva (नीलग्रीव) is the name of a Vīra (hero) who, together with the Ḍākinī named Nīlagrīvī forms one of the 36 pairs situated in the Vāyucakra, according to the 10th century Ḍākārṇava chapter 15. Accordingly, the vāyucakra refers to one of the three divisions of the dharma-puṭa (‘dharma layer’), situated in the Herukamaṇḍala. The 36 pairs of Ḍākinīs and Vīras [viz., Nīlagrīva] are dark blue in color; they each have one face and four arms; they hold a skull bowl, a skull staff, a small drum, and a knife.

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 dictionaryNīlagrīva (नीलग्रीव).—an epithet of Śiva.
Derivable forms: nīlagrīvaḥ (नीलग्रीवः).
Nīlagrīva is a Sanskrit compound consisting of the terms nīla and grīva (ग्रीव).
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Edgerton Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit DictionaryNīlagrīva (नीलग्रीव).—name of a rākṣasa: Divyāvadāna 102.29; 105.9, 24.
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Shabda-Sagara Sanskrit-English DictionaryNīlagrīva (नीलग्रीव).—m.
(-vaḥ) A name of Mahadeva. E. nīla blue, and grīvā neck; the neck of Siva was stained blue by the acrimony of the poison, which, upon its production at the churning of the ocean, he swallowed.
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Cappeller Sanskrit-English DictionaryNīlagrīva (नीलग्रीव).—[adjective] blue-necked, [Epithet] of Śiva.
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary1) Nīlagrīva (नीलग्रीव):—[=nīla-grīva] [from nīla > nīl] m. (nī) ‘blue-necked’, Name of Śiva, [Vājasaneyi-saṃhitā; Mahābhārata]
2) [v.s. ...] of a prince, [Kathārṇava]
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Yates Sanskrit-English DictionaryNīlagrīva (नीलग्रीव):—[nīla-grīva] (vaḥ) 1. m. Mahādeva.
[Sanskrit to German] (Deutsch Wörterbuch)
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Böhtlingk and Roth Grosses Petersburger WörterbuchNīlagrīva (नीलग्रीव):—(nīla + grīvā)
1) adj. blaunackig, von Rudra-Śiva [Halāyudha 1, 12.] [Vājasaneyisaṃhitā 16, 7. 28. 56. 57.] [ŚATAR.] in [Weber’s Indische Studien 2, 37.] [Mahābhārata 3, 1625. 7, 2876. 12, 10359.] —
2) m. Nomen proprium eines Königs [KATHĀRṆAVA] in [Oxforder Handschriften 154,a,19.]
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Sanskrit-Wörterbuch in kürzerer FassungNīlagrīva (नीलग्रीव):——
1) Adj. blaunackig (Rudra-Śiva). —
2) [Mānavadharmaśāstra. ] Nomen proprium eines Fürsten.
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)
Full-text: Dashagriva, Vishrama, Nilagrivi, Vayucakra.
Relevant text
Search found 8 books and stories containing Nilagriva, Nīlagrīva, Nila-griva, Nīla-grīva; (plurals include: Nilagrivas, Nīlagrīvas, grivas, grīvas). You can also click to the full overview containing English textual excerpts. Below are direct links for the most relevant articles:
The Padma Purana (by N.A. Deshpande)
Chapter 9 - The Creation of a New Powerful Weapon by Śiva < [Section 6 - Uttara-Khaṇḍa (Concluding Section)]
Chapter 7 - Elimination of Rāvaṇa by Viṣṇu < [Section 5 - Pātāla-Khaṇḍa (Section on the Nether World)]
Chapter 38 - The Installation of the Image of Vāmana < [Section 1 - Sṛṣṭi-khaṇḍa (section on creation)]
The Skanda Purana (by G. V. Tagare)
Chapter 44 - The Greatness of the Name Padmāvatī < [Section 1 - Avantīkṣetra-māhātmya]
Chapter 77 - Puṣpadanteśvara (puṣpadanta-īśvara-liṅga) < [Section 2 - Caturaśīti-liṅga-māhātmya]
Chapter 84 - Tirthas from the Confluence of Gangā and Varaṇā up to Maṇikarṇikā < [Section 2 - Uttarārdha]
The Religion and Philosophy of Tevaram (Thevaram) (by M. A. Dorai Rangaswamy)
Chapter 2.1 - Vishapaharana-murti (depiction of swallowing the poison) < [Volume 2 - Nampi Arurar and Mythology]
Lalitopakhyana (Lalita Mahatmya) (by G.V. Tagare)
The Brahma Purana (by G. P. Bhatt)
The Shiva Purana (by J. L. Shastri)
Chapter 35 - Śiva-sahasranāma: the thousand names of Śiva < [Section 4 - Koṭirudra-Saṃhitā]