Paramahamsa, Paramahaṃsa, Paramahansa, Parama-hamsa: 18 definitions
Introduction:
Paramahamsa means something in 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.
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In Hinduism
Shaivism (Shaiva philosophy)
Paramahaṃsa (परमहंस) refers to the “Supreme Self”, according to the Mahānayaprakāśa by Arṇasiṃha (Cf. verse 182-197).—Accordingly, “The indestructible Skyfarer is the one whose body is the pulsation (of consciousness and vitality) which is the Supreme Self (paramahaṃsa). His lord who is this (absolute) free of contact (with the phenomenal world) is said to be Khagendra”.
Paramahaṃsa (परमहंस).—According to the ancient tradition, ascetics who strive to gain liberation are classified into four classes. They are kuṭīcakas, bahūdakas, haṃsas and paramahaṃsas. Of these, the last represents an extremely ancient ascetic order. The paramahaṃsas live under trees, in grave yards or in deserted houses. They go naked or half-clad. They are indifferent to everything in the sense that they are disinterested, free souls. They look at a clod of mud and gold with the same dispassion. They accept food from people of any caste. They practice a kind of yogic tāntrism.
Shaiva (शैव, śaiva) or Shaivism (śaivism) represents a tradition of Hinduism worshiping Shiva as the supreme being. Closely related to Shaktism, Shaiva literature includes a range of scriptures, including Tantras, while the root of this tradition may be traced back to the ancient Vedas.
Vaishnavism (Vaishava dharma)
Paramahaṃsa (परमहंस) refers to:—A topmost, God-realised, ‘swan-like’ devotee of Śrī Bhagavān;the fourth and highest stage of sannyāsa. (cf. Glossary page from Bhajana-Rahasya).
Paramahaṃsa (परमहंस) refers to:—An exalted soul. (cf. Glossary page from Śrī Bṛhad-bhāgavatāmṛta).
Vaishnava (वैष्णव, vaiṣṇava) or vaishnavism (vaiṣṇavism) represents a tradition of Hinduism worshipping Vishnu as the supreme Lord. Similar to the Shaktism and Shaivism traditions, Vaishnavism also developed as an individual movement, famous for its exposition of the dashavatara (‘ten avatars of Vishnu’).
Purana and Itihasa (epic history)
1) Paramahaṃsa (परमहंस) refers to “great Yogins”, according to the Śivapurāṇa 2.3.25 (“The seven celestial sages test Pārvatī”).—Accordingly, as Pārvatī said to the seven Sages: “[...] Śiva is Brahman, unchanging and without aberration. He assumes shapes and forms for the welfare of his devotees. He does not make a show of worldly lordship. Therefore he assumes the attitude and behaviour of great Yogins [i.e., paramahaṃsa]. Śiva is a supreme bliss personified and an Avadhūta in form. [...]”.
2) Paramahaṃsa (परमहंस) refers to the “great Yogin and saint (who expounds the great wisdom)”, and is used to describe Viṣṇu, according to the Śivapurāṇa 2.5.16 (“The battle of the gods”).—Accordingly, as Brahmā and the Gods eulogized Viṣṇu: “[...] Obeisance to you of the form of Kapila of great soul and who expounded the doctrines of Sāṃkhya and Yoga to Devahūtī; O lord, obeisance to you the preceptor of Sāṃkhya. Obeisance to great Yogin and saint (paramahaṃsa) who expounds the great wisdom. Obeisance to the creator of the form of knowledge whereby the soul is delighted. [...]”.
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.
Pancaratra (worship of Nārāyaṇa)
Paramahaṃsa (परमहंस) refers to a subdivision of the Yati group of initiates, as discussed in chapter 5 of the Brahmarātra section of the Sanatkumārasaṃhitā: an encyclopedic Sanskrit text written in over 3500 verses dealing with a variety of topics such as yoga, temple-building, consecration ceremonies, initiation and dhanurveda (martial arts).—Description of the chapter [varṇa-ācāra-vidhi]: Sanatkumāra says that only five groups [Brāhmaṇas, Kṣatriyas, Vaiśyas and Śūdras and Sūtas] are eligible for dīkṣā-initiation. Those who were initiated by cakramaṇḍala means are further generally distinguished according to one or another of the āśrama-stages. The initiates who are known as Yatis (=Bhikṣukas; Sannyāsins) has four subdivisions, namely Haṃsas, Paramahaṃsas, Bhagavāns and Prabhus .
Pancaratra (पाञ्चरात्र, pāñcarātra) represents a tradition of Hinduism where Narayana is revered and worshipped. Closeley related to Vaishnavism, the Pancaratra literature includes various Agamas and tantras incorporating many Vaishnava philosophies.
India history and geography
Paramahansa Yogananda (1893-1952) was an Indian Hindu monk, Yogi and Guru who introduced millions to the teachings of meditation and Kriya Yoga. [...] A chief disciple of the Bengali yoga guru Swami Sri Yukteswar Giri, he was sent by his lineage to spread the teachings of yoga to the West, to prove the unity between Eastern and Western religions and to preach a balance between Western material growth and Indian spirituality.
Paramahamsa (Paramahansa) Yogananda (“Mukunda Lal Ghosh”) was born in Gorakhpur, Uttar Pradesh, India, to a Hindu Bengali Kayastha family. [...] He began praying for guidance; in 1910, his seeking after various teachers mostly ended when, at the age of 17, he met his guru, Swami Sri Yukteswar Giri. [...] He would go on to train under Sri Yukteswar as his disciple for the next ten years (1910–1920), at his hermitages in Serampore and Puri. [...] In 1917, Yogananda founded a school for boys in Dihika, West Bengal, that combined modern educational techniques with yoga training and spiritual ideals.
Paramahaṃsa.—(EI 5; BL), an ascetic; epithet of an ascetic. See Haṃsa. Note: paramahaṃsa 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
paramahaṃsa (परमहंस).—m S An order, or an individual of it, of devotees; an ascetic who has subdued all his senses by abstract meditation. 2 A name of God.
paramahaṃsa (परमहंस).—m An order, or an individual of it, of devotees; an ascetic who has subdued all his senses by abstract meditation.
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
Paramahaṃsa (परमहंस).—an ascetic of the highest order, one who has controlled and subdued all his senses by abstract meditation; cf. कुटीचक (kuṭīcaka); कुटीचको बहूदकः हंसश्चैव तृतीयकः । चतुर्थः परमो हंसो यो यः पश्चात् स उत्तमः (kuṭīcako bahūdakaḥ haṃsaścaiva tṛtīyakaḥ | caturthaḥ paramo haṃso yo yaḥ paścāt sa uttamaḥ) || Hārītāsmṛti. °परिव्राजकाचार्यः (parivrājakācāryaḥ) Name of Śaṅkarāchārya.
Derivable forms: paramahaṃsaḥ (परमहंसः).
Paramahaṃsa is a Sanskrit compound consisting of the terms parama and haṃsa (हंस).
Paramahaṃsa (परमहंस).—m.
(-saḥ) An ascetic, a religious man who has subdued all his senses by abstract meditation. E. parama best or first, haṃsa devotee.
Paramahaṃsa (परमहंस).—m. an ascetic who has subdued all his senses, Mahābhārata 13, 6478 (parama). Rājahaṃsa, i. e.
Paramahaṃsa is a Sanskrit compound consisting of the terms parama and haṃsa (हंस).
1) Paramahaṃsa (परमहंस):—[=parama-haṃsa] [from parama > para] m. an ascetic of the highest order, a religious man who has subdued all his senses by abstract meditation, [Mahābhārata; Purāṇa] etc. (cf. [Religious Thought and Life in India 87])
2) Pāramahaṃsa (पारमहंस):—[=pārama-haṃsa] [from pārama] mf(ī)n. relating to Parama-haṃsa (sub voce) idem, [ib.]
Paramahaṃsa (परमहंस):—[parama-haṃsa] (saḥ) 1. m. An ascetic.
Paramahaṃsa (परमहंस):—(pa + haṃsa) m. ein Asket der höchsten Ordnung [Mahābhārata 13, 6478.] [Harivaṃśa 15469.] [Weber’s Indische Studien 2, 76. 78. 173. fgg. 180.] [Bhāgavatapurāṇa 1, 4, 31. 8, 20.] [Vedānta lecture No. 151.] raktakaupīnavasano haṃsaḥ parama eva ca [Harivaṃśa 15472.] stotra, kavaca, paṭala [Böhtlingk’s Verzeichniss No. 45.] sahasranāmāni 46. priyā Titel einer Vopadeva zugeschriebenen Schrift [Oxforder Handschriften 38,a,9.] priya [BURNOUF] in [Bhāgavatapurāṇa I, LXVII.] paramahaṃsopaniṣad f. Titel einer Upaniṣad [Colebrooke I, 97, Nalopākhyāna 2.] [Weber’s Indische Studien 2, 173. fgg.] haṃsopaniṣaddhṛdaya [Weber’s Verzeichniss No. 356.] paramahaṃsaparivrājakopaniṣad [Weber’s Indische Studien 3, 326, 2.]
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Pāramahaṃsa (पारमहंस):—adj. f. ī zu Paramahaṃsa (nach [BURNOUF] hier so v. a. Brahman) in Beziehung stehend: saṃhitā [Bhāgavatapurāṇa] in den Unterschrr. Recueil inspiré par Brahmā [BURN.]
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Paramahaṃsa (परमहंस):—[WILSON, Sel. Works 1,231. fgg.] [Oxforder Handschriften 269,a,14] (paramo haṃsaḥ [12).b,7. fgg.] [WEBER, Rāmatāpanīya Upaniṣad 329.] Nomen proprium eines Mannes [HALL 165.]
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Paramahaṃsa (परमहंस):—auch die Weltseele; s. u. haṃsa
1) c.)
Paramahaṃsa (परमहंस):—m. —
1) ein Asket der höchsten Ordnung. —
2) die Weltseele. —
3) Nomen proprium eines Mannes.
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Pāramahaṃsa (पारमहंस):—Adj. (f. ī) zum Paramahaṃsa 1)2) in Beziehung stehend.
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
Paramahaṃsa (ಪರಮಹಂಸ):—
1) [noun] = ಪರಮಬ್ರಹ್ಮ [paramabrahma].
2) [noun] a sanyāsi, the Hindu ascetic, of the highest order.
Kannada is a Dravidian language (as opposed to the Indo-European language family) mainly spoken in the southwestern region of India.
See also (Relevant definitions)
Partial matches (+0): Parama, Hamsa.
Starts with (+0): Paramahamsadharmanirupana, Paramahamsakavaca, Paramahamsam, Paramahamsamantravidhi, Paramahamsanirnaya, Paramahamsapaddhati, Paramahamsapancanga, Paramahamsaparivrajakacarya, Paramahamsaparivrajakadharmasamgraha, Paramahamsaparivrajakopanishad, Paramahamsapatala, Paramahamsapriya, Paramahamsasahasranaman, Paramahamsasamhita, Paramahamsasamnyasavidhi, Paramahamsastavaraja, Paramahamsastotra, Paramahamsopanishad.
Full-text (+42): Paramahamsakavaca, Paramahamsya, Paramahamsanirnaya, Paramahamsapatala, Paramahamsaparivrajakacarya, Paramahamsastotra, Paramahamsapriya, Paramahamsasamhita, Paramahamsaparivrajakopanishad, Paramahamsapaddhati, Paramahamsapancanga, Paramahamsam, Paramahamsopanishad, Canniyacam, Brahmananda paramahamsa, Ramacandra paramahamsa, Anandabodha paramahamsa, Paramakamcam, Purnananda paramahamsa, Raivataka.
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Search found 101 books and stories containing Paramahamsa, Paramahaṃsa, Parama-haṃsa, Paramahansa, Pāramahaṃsa, Parama-hamsa, Pārama-haṃsa, Parama-hansa; (plurals include: Paramahamsas, Paramahaṃsas, haṃsas, Paramahansas, Pāramahaṃsas, hamsas, hansas). You can also click to the full overview containing English textual excerpts. Below are direct links for the most relevant articles:
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