Pataha, Paṭaha: 19 definitions
Introduction:
Pataha means something in Hinduism, Sanskrit, Buddhism, Pali. 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: Google Books: Cultural History from the Vāyu PurānaPaṭaha (पटह): a Musical Instrument.—It is not mentioned in the Vedas nor in the Jātakas. It is, however, mentioned in the epics. The Vāyu-purāṇa mentions it in the same manner as the Bherī.
Source: archive.org: Nilamata Purana: a cultural and literary studyPaṭaha (पटह) refers to a “musical instruments” (a sort of drum) that existed in ancient Kashmir (Kaśmīra) as mentioned in the Nīlamatapurāṇa.—The Nīlamata says that the land of Kaśmīra was thronged with ever-sportive and joyful people enjoying continuous festivities. Living amidst scenes of sylvan beauty they played, danced and sang to express their joys, to mitigate their pains, to please their gods and to appease their demons.
The Nīlamata refers to Paṭaha twice in association with lute. Probably the drum was played upon generally in accompaniment to the lute.
Source: archive.org: Shiva Purana - English TranslationPaṭaha (पटह) refers to a kind of drum (musical instrument), according to the Śivapurāṇa 2.2.22. Accordingly as Brahmā narrated to Nārada:—“[...] On the top of the mountain near the city of Himālaya, Śiva sported about for a long time in the company of Satī. [...] The celestial damsels played on their lutes, tabours and drums (paṭaha) and danced with enthusiasm”.
Paṭaha is mentioned among the battle-drums in Śivapurāṇa 2.2.36. Accordingly, as Brahmā narrated to Nārada:—“on hearing these words of Dakṣa. the gods including Indra set off immediately in their readiness to fight. [...] Conchs were blown. Drums were beaten in that great war festival. Battle drums were sounded both big and small [viz., paṭaha]. Being encouraged by that sound, the Devas in the company of the guardians of the quarters hit and thrashed the attendants of Śiva”.
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: The Purana IndexPaṭaha (पटह).—A war musical instrument.*
- * Matsya-purāṇa 137. 29; 138. 3.

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.
Natyashastra (theatrics and dramaturgy)
Source: Wisdom Library: Nāṭya-śāstraPaṭaha (पटह) refers to a musical instrument, first mentioned in Nāṭyaśāstra 4.253, after Śiva danced using Recakas and Aṅgahāras, and Pārvatī performed a ‘gentle dance’.

Natyashastra (नाट्यशास्त्र, nāṭyaśāstra) refers to both the ancient Indian tradition (shastra) of performing arts, (natya—theatrics, drama, dance, music), as well as the name of a Sanskrit work dealing with these subjects. It also teaches the rules for composing Dramatic plays (nataka), construction and performance of Theater, and Poetic works (kavya).
Kavya (poetry)
Source: Brill: Śaivism and the Tantric Traditions (kavya)Paṭaha (पटह) refers to “drums”, according to Bāṇa’s Kādambarī (p. 225-226).—Accordingly, while describing the shire of the Goddess Caṇḍikā, “[Then follows the image of the Goddess Caṇḍikā, which matches the conception of Kālarātri in the passage from the Mahābhārata:] [...] she was adorned in garlands of bilva-leaves furnished with gleaming fruits and buds anointed with red sandalwood, that were like hanging garlands of infant-heads; she expressed cruelty with limbs worshipped with clusters of kadamba flowers ruddy with blood, which horripilated, it seemed, at the thrill of the flavour of the keen roar of drums (paṭaha-paṭuraṭita-rasa) during the animal-offering; [...]”.

Kavya (काव्य, kavya) refers to Sanskrit poetry, a popular ancient Indian tradition of literature. There have been many Sanskrit poets over the ages, hailing from ancient India and beyond. This topic includes mahakavya, or ‘epic poetry’ and natya, or ‘dramatic poetry’.
Gitashastra (science of music)
Source: Shodhganga: Elements of Art and Architecture in the Trtiyakhanda of the Visnudharmottarapurana (gita)Paṭaha (पटह) refers to a musical instrument classified as Avanaddha (“those instrument whose mouths are covered with leather (known as avanaddha)”) which represents one of the four kinds of Instrumental Music, produced by an instrument (ātodya), according to the Saṃgītaratnākara.—In the Viṣṇudharmottarapurāṇa and the Saṃgītaratnākara, some examples of avanaddha type of instruments are given, e.g., Paṭaha.
Gitashastra (गीतशास्त्र, gītaśāstra) refers to the ancient Indian science of Music (gita or samgita), which is traditionally divided in Vocal music, Instrumental music and Dance (under the jurisdiction of music). The different elements and technical terms are explained in a wide range of (often Sanskrit) literature.
Languages of India and abroad
Pali-English dictionary
Source: BuddhaSasana: Concise Pali-English Dictionarypaṭaha : (m.) a kettle-drum; a wardrum.
Source: Sutta: The Pali Text Society's Pali-English DictionaryPaṭaha, (cp. Epic Sk. paṭaha, dial. ) a kettle-drum, war drum, one of the 2 kinds of drums (bheri) mentioned at DhsA. 319, viz. mahā-bheri & p. -bheri; J. I, 355; Dpvs 16, 14; PvA. 4. (Page 391)

Pali is the language of the Tipiṭaka, which is the sacred canon of Theravāda Buddhism and contains much of the Buddha’s speech. Closeley related to Sanskrit, both languages are used interchangeably between religions.
Sanskrit dictionary
Source: DDSA: The practical Sanskrit-English dictionaryPaṭaha (पटह).—
1) A kettle-drum, a war-drum, drum, tabor; कुर्वन् संध्याबलिपटहतां शूलिनः श्लाघनीयाम् (kurvan saṃdhyābalipaṭahatāṃ śūlinaḥ ślāghanīyām) Meghadūta 36; पटुपटह- ध्वनिभिर्विनीतनिद्रः (paṭupaṭaha- dhvanibhirvinītanidraḥ) R.9.71.
2) Beginning, undertaking.
3) Injuring, killing.
Derivable forms: paṭahaḥ (पटहः).
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Shabda-Sagara Sanskrit-English DictionaryPaṭaha (पटह).—mfn.
(-haḥ-hā-haṃ) A kettle-drum. m.
(-haḥ) 1. A war-drum, or one used in battle. 2. Injury, killing, slaughter. 4. Tumult. E. paṭa imitative sound, hā to quit or make, aff. ḍa .
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Benfey Sanskrit-English DictionaryPaṭaha (पटह).—[paṭa-ha] (vb. han), m. (and n.). A drum, a kettle-drum, [Pañcatantra] 261, 13.
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Cappeller Sanskrit-English DictionaryPaṭaha (पटह).—[masculine] ([feminine] ī & [neuter]) kettle-drum, [abstract] tā [feminine]
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary1) Paṭaha (पटह):—m. (rarely n. or f(ī). ) a kettledrum, a war-drum, drum, tabor ([accusative] with √dā, or [Causal] of √dā or √bhram, to proclaim anything by the sound of a drum), [Mahābhārata; Kāvya literature] etc.
2) m. beginning, [cf. Lexicographers, esp. such as amarasiṃha, halāyudha, hemacandra, etc.]
3) hurting, [cf. Lexicographers, esp. such as amarasiṃha, halāyudha, hemacandra, etc.]
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Yates Sanskrit-English DictionaryPaṭaha (पटह):—[paṭa-ha] (haḥ-hā-haṃ) 1. m. f. n. A kettledrum. m. A war-drum; slaughter.
Source: DDSA: Paia-sadda-mahannavo; a comprehensive Prakrit Hindi dictionary (S)Paṭaha (पटह) in the Sanskrit language is related to the Prakrit word: Paḍaha.
[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.
Kannada-English dictionary
Source: Alar: Kannada-English corpusPaṭaha (ಪಟಹ):—[noun] a kind of large drum as kettle-drum, war-drum, etc.
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)
Starts with: Patahabhramana, Patahadakke, Patahadhvani, Patahaghoshaka, Patahaghoshana, Patahanantara, Patahaprodghoshana, Patahari, Patahashabda, Patahata, Patahavela.
Ends with: Amarapataha, Dhyanapataha, Lamba-pataha, Lampapataha, Nandipataha, Patupataha, Pratipattipataha, Prayanapataha, Pretapataha, Pretapatipataha, Samgramapataha, Sangramapataha, Vadhyapataha, Vijayapataha, Virapataha, Vivahapataha, Yashahpataha.
Full-text (+34): Yashahpataha, Pretapataha, Pratipattipataha, Padaha, Sangramapataha, Patahabhramana, Lamba-pataha, Patahaghoshaka, Lampapataha, Vadhyapataha, Samgramapataha, Patahadakke, Patavuja, Ghosaka, Patahaprodghoshana, Patahashabda, Patahaghoshana, Patahata, Patahadhvani, Sapataham.
Relevant text
Search found 19 books and stories containing Pataha, Pata-ha, Paṭa-ha, Paṭaha; (plurals include: Patahas, has, Paṭahas). You can also click to the full overview containing English textual excerpts. Below are direct links for the most relevant articles:
Garga Samhita (English) (by Danavir Goswami)
Verse 8.13.129 < [Chapter 13 - A Thousand Names of Lord Balarāma]
Verse 5.7.10 < [Chapter 7 - The Killing of Kuvalayāpīḍa]
Verse 5.19.19 < [Chapter 19 - The Festival on Śrī Kṛṣṇa Return]
Chaitanya Bhagavata (by Bhumipati Dāsa)
Verse 1.15.201 < [Chapter 15 - Marriage with Śrī Viṣṇupriyā]
Verse 1.15.148-149 < [Chapter 15 - Marriage with Śrī Viṣṇupriyā]
Śrī Kṛṣṇa-vijaya (by Śrī Gunaraja Khan)
Harshacharita (socio-cultural Study) (by Mrs. Nandita Sarmah)
17. Music, Dance and Musical Instruments < [Chapter 6 - Other Socio-Cultural Aspects]
Part 9.5: Dress and Other Amenities of a Soldier < [Chapter 5 - Political Aspects]
Part 5: Cultivation of Knowledge < [Chapter 3 - Education System]
Mahabharata (English) (by Kisari Mohan Ganguli)
The Skanda Purana (by G. V. Tagare)
Chapter 109 - The Greatness of Cakra Tīrtha < [Section 3 - Revā-khaṇḍa]
Chapter 57 - The Śabara Goes to Svarga < [Section 3 - Revā-khaṇḍa]
Chapter 14 - Resuscitation of Dead Daityas < [Section 1 - Kedāra-khaṇḍa]