Pashadhara, Pāśadhara, Pāśadharā, Pasha-dhara: 10 definitions
Introduction:
Pashadhara means something in 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 Pāśadhara and Pāśadharā can be transliterated into English as Pasadhara or Pashadhara, using the IAST transliteration scheme (?).
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In Hinduism
Shaktism (Shakta philosophy)
Source: Google Books: ManthanabhairavatantramPāśadharā (पाशधरा) refers to “she who holds a fetter”, according to the Manthānabhairavatantra, a vast sprawling work that belongs to a corpus of Tantric texts concerned with the worship of the goddess Kubjikā.—Accordingly, “(Jvālāmaṅgalyā), the goddess born of Jāla is very dignified and powerful. She has five faces, four arms, and sits on a white lion. She holds sword, club, fetter, and goad [i.e., pāśadharā—pāśāṅkuśadharā] and is adorned with jewels. She wears clothes of various colours, is fierce and, when worshipped, bestows boons”.
Source: Brill: Śaivism and the Tantric Traditions (shaktism)Pāśādharā (पाशाधरा) refers to “she who carries a snare” and is used to describe the deities of the ten gestures (mudrā-daśaka-devatā), according to the King Vatsarāja’s Pūjāstuti called the Kāmasiddhistuti (also Vāmakeśvarīstuti), guiding one through the worship of the Goddess Nityā.—Accordingly, “[...] May the deities of the ten gestures, who [have forms that] are in accordance with the powers of their respective gestures, are mild, and carry a snare (pāśādharā) and goad, endow me with the object of my desire. May the sixteen goddesses of attraction, [representing] the perennial constitutive digits of Kalānidhi [i.e. the Moon], draw towards me the object of my desire. [...]”.
Shakta (शाक्त, śākta) or Shaktism (śāktism) represents a tradition of Hinduism where the Goddess (Devi) is revered and worshipped. Shakta literature includes a range of scriptures, including various Agamas and Tantras, although its roots may be traced back to the Vedas.
Shaivism (Shaiva philosophy)
Source: Google Books: Manthanabhairavatantram (shaivism)Paśadhara (पशधर) refers to “one who holds a noose” and represents one of the attributes of Svacchanda, according to the Śrīmatottara-tantra, an expansion of the Kubjikāmatatantra: the earliest popular and most authoritative Tantra of the Kubjikā cult. Accordingly, “O goddess, Svacchanda is in the middle, within the abode of the triangle. Very powerful, he has five faces with three times five flaming eyes. [...] O fair lady, my attributes—trident, dagger, sword, the king of the snakes, and rosary—adorn the right (arms). O beloved, a skull, double-headed drum, javelin, noose [i.e., paśadhara] and goad—(these) are my divine, brilliant and very auspicious weapons that (are held) in the left (hands). The king of snakes (hangs) on the shoulder and a garland of skulls hangs (from the neck). There is a necklace of scorpions around the throat and the ears are adorned with snakes. [...]”.
Source: SOAS University of London: Protective Rites in the Netra TantraPāśadhara (पाशधर) refers to “one holding a hook” and is used to describe Bhairava, according to the Netratantra of Kṣemarāja: a Śaiva text from the 9th century in which Śiva (Bhairava) teaches Pārvatī topics such as metaphysics, cosmology, and soteriology.—Accordingly, [verse 10.1-7ab, while describing the appearance and worship of Bhairava]—“[...] He] bears a sword and shield, holds a hook and noose (pāśadhara—pāśāṅkuśadharaṃ). [His] hand[s and posed] in the wish fulfilling and protection [mudrās. He] holds the thunderbolt of a great hero. [He also] holds an axe and a hatchet. Having worshipped Bhairava, [the Mantrin] remembers being joined in union [with] him, [in the same way as] dissolution in fire”.
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.
Purana and Itihasa (epic history)
Source: archive.org: Shiva Purana - English TranslationPāśadhara (पाशधर) refers to “holding a noose”, according to the Śivapurāṇa 2.3.43 (“Description of Śiva’s wonderful sport”).—Accordingly, as Brahmā narrated to Nārada: “[...] Immediately the army of Śiva came there consisting of wonderful arrays of Bhūtas, Pretas and Gaṇas. [...] Some were awful with overgrown moustaches and beards. Some were lame. Some were blind. Some held staffs and nooses [e.g., pāśadhara] and some great iron clubs in their hands. Some rode on peculiar vehicles. Some played on horns. Some played on Ḍamarus. Some played on Gomukhas. Some had no faces. Some had distorted and deformed faces. Some had many faces. Some had no hands. Others had deformed hands. Some of them had many hands. [...]”.
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.
Languages of India and abroad
Sanskrit dictionary
Source: DDSA: The practical Sanskrit-English dictionaryPāśadhara (पाशधर).—an epithet of Varuṇa.
Derivable forms: pāśadharaḥ (पाशधरः).
Pāśadhara is a Sanskrit compound consisting of the terms pāśa and dhara (धर). See also (synonyms): pāśapāṇi.
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Benfey Sanskrit-English DictionaryPāśadhara (पाशधर).—m. (holding a noose), a name of Varuṇa, [Harivaṃśa, (ed. Calc.)] 4808.
Pāśadhara is a Sanskrit compound consisting of the terms pāśa and dhara (धर).
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English DictionaryPāśadhara (पाशधर):—[=pāśa-dhara] [from pāśa] m. ‘holding a noose’, Name of Varuṇa, [Harivaṃśa]
[Sanskrit to German]
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: Pasha, Dhara.
Full-text: Pashapani.
Relevant text
Search found 3 books and stories containing Pashadhara, Pāśa-dhara, Pāśadhara, Pāśadharā, Pasha-dhara, Pasadhara, Pasa-dhara, Pāśa-dharā; (plurals include: Pashadharas, dharas, Pāśadharas, Pāśadharās, Pasadharas, dharās). You can also click to the full overview containing English textual excerpts. Below are direct links for the most relevant articles:
The Skanda Purana (by G. V. Tagare)
Chapter 256 - Efficacy of the Name of Rāma < [Section 1 - Tīrtha-māhātmya]
Vishnudharmottara Purana (Art and Architecture) (by Bhagyashree Sarma)
8(b): The Image of Various Gods < [Chapter 5 - Painting and Image Making]
Lalitopakhyana (Lalita Mahatmya) (by G.V. Tagare)