Pavaka, Pāvaka, Pavākā: 29 definitions
Introduction:
Pavaka means something in Hinduism, Sanskrit, Jainism, Prakrit, Buddhism, Pali, the history of ancient India, Marathi, Hindi, biology. 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.
Alternative spellings of this word include Pavak.
In Hinduism
Purana and Itihasa (epic history)
Source: Wisdom Library: Varāha-purāṇa1) Pāvaka (पावक) is another name for Mānasa, one of the seven major mountains in Krauñcadvīpa, according to the Varāhapurāṇa chapter 88. All of these mountains are tall and filled with gems. Krauñcadvīpa is one of the seven islands (dvīpa), ruled over by Jyotiṣmān, one of the ten sons of Priyavrata.
2) Pāvaka (पावक).—One of the seven regions situated in Krauñcadvīpa, according to the Varāhapurāṇa chapter 88. It is also known by the name Sudarśana. Krauñcadvīpa is one of the seven islands (dvīpa), ruled over by Jyotiṣmān, one of the ten sons of Priyavrata.
Priyavrata is the son of Svāyambhuva Manu, who was created by Brahmā, who was in turn created by Nārāyaṇa, the unknowable all-pervasive primordial being.
The Varāhapurāṇa is categorised as a Mahāpurāṇa, and was originally composed of 24,000 metrical verses, possibly originating from before the 10th century. It is composed of two parts and Sūta is the main narrator.
Source: archive.org: Puranic EncyclopediaPāvaka (पावक).—A son of Agni. Agni got of his wife Svāhā three sons, Pāvaka, Pavamāna and Śuci. These three brilliant sons got together 45 sons and they were also called Agnis. Thus there were 49 Agnis made up of the father, his three sons and their 45 sons. Pāvaka had another name also—Mahān (Chapter 219, Vana Parva).
Source: archive.org: Shiva Purana - English Translation1a) Pāvaka (पावक) refers to “fire”, according to the Śivapurāṇa 2.3.8.—Accordingly, Nārada said to Himavat:—“[..] In a majestic person a defect does not produce misery. It may well cause misery in a non-majestic person. Sun, fire and Gaṅgā [i.e., pāvaka—ravipāvakagaṃgānāṃ] may be cited as examples. Hence you give your daughter in marriage to Śiva. That will be a wise step. Lord Śiva who is the sole lord, unchanging and without any aberration is worthy of being resorted to. By performing penance, Śiva can be propitiated quickly and He will accept her undoubtedly. [...]”.
1b) Pāvaka (पावक) or “fire” refers to the foremost among the Vasus, according to the Śivapurāṇa 2.5.2 (“The Prayer of the gods).—Accordingly, as the Gods eulogized Śiva: “[...] Among the Gandharvas you are Citraratha; among the Vasus you are certainly the fire; among the months you are the intercalary month; among the holy rites you are the Caturdaśī rite. Among all lordly elephants you are Airāvata; among all Siddhas you are Kapila; among all serpents you are Ananta, among all Pitṛs you are Aryaman. [...]”.
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: The Purana Index1a) Pāvaka (पावक).—(Agni) a son of Svāhā;1 as husband of Gangā;2 Lord of Vasus;3 also known as Vaidyuta.4
- 1) Bhāgavata-purāṇa IV. I. 60; Brahmāṇḍa-purāṇa III. 8. 5; Vāyu-purāṇa 53. 97, 30; Viṣṇu-purāṇa I. 9, 63; 10. 15.
- 2) Vāyu-purāṇa 2. 17.
- 3) Ib. 70. 5; Viṣṇu-purāṇa I. 22. 3.
- 4) Brahmāṇḍa-purāṇa I. 2. 17; II. 12 2 and 33.
1b) A son of Vijitāśva and an Agni in previous birth born thus through Vasiṣṭha's curse.*
- * Bhāgavata-purāṇa IV. 24. 4.
1c) An elephant.*
- * Brahmāṇḍa-purāṇa III. 7. 332; Vāyu-purāṇa 69. 216.
Pāvaka (पावक) refers to one of the three sons of Agni and Svāhā: one of the twenty-four daughters of Dakṣa and Prasūti, according to the Vaṃśa (‘genealogical description’) of the 10th century Saurapurāṇa: one of the various Upapurāṇas depicting Śaivism.—Accordingly, Ākūti was married to Ruci and Prasūti to Dakṣa. Dakṣa produced in Prasūti twenty-four daughters. [...] [Svāhā was given to Agni.] Agni and Svāhā had three sons—Pāvaka, Pavamāna and Vaidyuta-Pāvaka.
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.
Ganitashastra (Mathematics and Algebra)
Source: archive.org: Hindu MathematicsPāvaka (पावक) represents the number 3 (three) in the “word-numeral system” (bhūtasaṃkhyā), which was used in Sanskrit texts dealing with astronomy, mathematics, metrics, as well as in the dates of inscriptions and manuscripts in ancient Indian literature.—A system of expressing numbers by means of words arranged as in the place-value notation was developed and perfected in India in the early centuries of the Christian era. In this system the numerals [e.g., 3—pāvaka] are expressed by names of things, beings or concepts, which, naturally or in accordance with the teaching of the Śāstras, connote numbers.
Ganitashastra (शिल्पशास्त्र, gaṇitaśāstra) refers to the ancient Indian science of mathematics, algebra, number theory, arithmetic, etc. Closely allied with astronomy, both were commonly taught and studied in universities, even since the 1st millennium BCE. Ganita-shastra also includes ritualistic math-books such as the Shulba-sutras.
Ayurveda (science of life)
Nighantu (Synonyms and Characteristics of Drugs and technical terms)
Source: WorldCat: Rāj nighaṇṭu1) Pāvaka (पावक) is another name for Citraka, a medicinal plant identified with (1) [white variety] Plumbago zeylanica Linn.; (2) [red variety] Plumbago rosea Linn. syn. or Plumbago indica Linn., both from the Plumbaginaceae or “leadwort” family of flowering plants, according to verse 6.43-45 of the 13th-century Raj Nighantu or Rājanighaṇṭu.—The sixth chapter (pippalyādi-varga) of this book enumerates ninety-five varieties of plants obtained from the market (paṇyauṣadhi). Together with the names Pāvaka and Citraka, there are a total of twenty Sanskrit synonyms identified for this plant.
2) Pāvaka (पावक) is also mentioned as another name for Raktacitraka, which is a variety of Citraka, according to verse 6.46-47.—Note: Bapalal refers a totally different variety, used as Red Citraka or Rato Chitro (rātocitro) in Ābu and Girnār. This is knwon as Vogalia indica.—Together with the names Pāvaka and Raktacitraka, there are a total of eleven Sanskrit synonyms identified for this plant.
Āyurveda (आयुर्वेद, ayurveda) is a branch of Indian science dealing with medicine, herbalism, taxology, anatomy, surgery, alchemy and related topics. Traditional practice of Āyurveda in ancient India dates back to at least the first millenium BC. Literature is commonly written in Sanskrit using various poetic metres.
Pancaratra (worship of Nārāyaṇa)
Source: Wisdom Library: Pancaratra (Samhita list)1) Pāvaka (पावक) is the name of an ancient Pāñcarātra Saṃhitā mentioned in the Kapiñjalasaṃhitā: a Pāñcarātra work consisting of 1550 verses dealing with a variety of topics such as worship in a temple, choosing an Ācārya, architecture, town-planning and iconography.—For the list of works, see chapter 1, verses 14b-27. The list [including Pāvaka-saṃhitā] was said to have comprised “108” titles, these, different saṃhitās named after different manifestations of the Lord or different teachers. They are all said to be authoritative as the ultimate promulgator of all these is the same Nārāyaṇa.
2) Pāvaka (पावक) or Pāvakasaṃhitā is also mentioned in the Puruṣottamasaṃhitā: a Pāñcarātra text consisting of more than 1800 verses devoted to temple-building and the practical concerns of the Pāñcarātra priestly community.
3) Pāvaka (पावक) or Pāvakasaṃhitā is also mentioned in the Bhāradvājasaṃhitā or “Bhāradvāja-kaṇva-saṃhitā”: a Pāñcarātra text comprising some 230 ślokas mainly concerned with basic details concerning temple construction and icon consecration.
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.
General definition (in Hinduism)
Source: Wisdom Library: HinduismPāvaka (पावक, “purifier”):—One of the three sons of Agni and his first wife Svāhā. Agni is one of the most important Vedic gods and represents divine illumination.
In Jainism
General definition (in Jainism)
Source: archive.org: TrisastisalakapurusacaritraPavaka (पवक) and Pavakapati are the two Indras (i.e., lords or kings) of the Pāvakas who came to the peak of Meru for partaking in the birth-ceremonies of Ṛṣabha, according to chapter 1.2 [ādīśvara-caritra] of Hemacandra’s 11th century Triṣaṣṭiśalākāpuruṣacaritra: an ancient Sanskrit epic poem narrating the history and legends of sixty-three illustrious persons in Jainism.
Source: The University of Sydney: A study of the Twelve ReflectionsPāvaka (पावक) refers to the “flames” (of violent actions), according to the 11th century Jñānārṇava, a treatise on Jain Yoga in roughly 2200 Sanskrit verses composed by Śubhacandra.—Accordingly, “Here in the cycle of rebirth consisting of endless misfortune, sentient beings roam about repeatedly, struck down by spear, axe, vice, fire, corrosive liquid or razor in hell, consumed by the multitude of flames from the fire of violent actions (kaṭukarma-pāvaka) in the plant and animal world , and subject to unequalled trouble in the human condition [or] full of desire among the gods. [Thus ends the reflection on] the cycle of rebirth.”.
Jainism is an Indian religion of Dharma whose doctrine revolves around harmlessness (ahimsa) towards every living being. The two major branches (Digambara and Svetambara) of Jainism stimulate self-control (or, shramana, ‘self-reliance’) and spiritual development through a path of peace for the soul to progess to the ultimate goal.
India history and geography
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Indian Epigraphical GlossaryPāvaka.—(IE 7-1-2), ‘three’. Note: pāvaka 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.
Biology (plants and animals)
Source: Google Books: CRC World Dictionary (Regional names)1) Pavaka in India is the name of a plant defined with Embelia ribes in various botanical sources. This page contains potential references in Ayurveda, modern medicine, and other folk traditions or local practices It has the synonym Samara ribes Benth. & Hook.f. ex Kurz (among others).
2) Pavaka is also identified with Plumbago zeylanica It has the synonym Plumbago scandens L. (etc.).
Example references for further research on medicinal uses or toxicity (see latin names for full list):
· Species Plantarum (1762)
· Revisio Generum Plantarum (1891)
· Flora of Southern Africa (1963)
· Fieldiana, Botany (1966)
· Natural history (1877)
· Species Plantarum (1753)
If you are looking for specific details regarding Pavaka, for example chemical composition, side effects, diet and recipes, health benefits, pregnancy safety, extract dosage, have a look at these references.
This sections includes definitions from the five kingdoms of living things: Animals, Plants, Fungi, Protists and Monera. It will include both the official binomial nomenclature (scientific names usually in Latin) as well as regional spellings and variants.
Languages of India and abroad
Pali-English dictionary
Source: BuddhaSasana: Concise Pali-English Dictionarypāvaka : (m.) fire.
Source: Sutta: The Pali Text Society's Pali-English DictionaryPāvaka, (adj. n.) (fr. pu, Vedic pāvaka) 1. (adj.) pure, bright, clear, shining J. V, 419.—2. (m.) the fire S. I, 69; A. IV, 97; Dh. 71, 140; J. IV, 26; V, 63 (=kaṇha-vattanin) VI, 236 (=aggi C.); Pv. I, 85; Vism. 170 (=aggi). (Page 455)
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.
Marathi-English dictionary
Source: DDSA: The Molesworth Marathi and English Dictionarypāvaka (पावक).—m S (The purifier.) Fire.
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pāvakā (पावका).—m (pāya) A step or round (of a ladder &c.): a notch or hole for the foot (to ascend a Cocoanut or other Palm, descend into a well &c.)
Source: DDSA: The Aryabhusan school dictionary, Marathi-Englishpāvaka (पावक).—m Fire.
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pāvakā (पावका).—m A step. A notch for the foot. A quarter or one-fourth.
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
Source: DDSA: The practical Sanskrit-English dictionaryPavākā (पवाका).—A whirl-wind, a hurricane.
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Pāvaka (पावक).—a. [pū-ṇvul] Purifying; पन्थानं पावकं हित्वा जनको मौढ्यमास्थितः (panthānaṃ pāvakaṃ hitvā janako mauḍhyamāsthitaḥ) Mahābhārata (Bombay) 12.18.4.
-kaḥ 1 Fire; पावकस्य महिमा स गण्यते कक्षवज्ज्ज्वलति सागरेऽपि यः (pāvakasya mahimā sa gaṇyate kakṣavajjjvalati sāgare'pi yaḥ) R.11.75;3.9;16.87.
2) Agni or the god of fire.
3) The fire of lightning.
4) The Chitraka tree.
5) The number 'three'.
6) A person purified by religious abstraction, saint, sage.
7) Good conduct or behaviour.
8) Name of Varuṇa.
-kī 1 The wife of Agni.
2) Ved. Name of Sarasvatī.
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Shabda-Sagara Sanskrit-English DictionaryPavākā (पवाका).—f.
(-kā) A whirlwind. E. pū to purify, āka Unadi aff.
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Pāvaka (पावक).—mfn.
(-kaḥ-kī-kaṃ) Who or what renders pure, a purifier, purificatory. m.
(-kaḥ) 1. fire, or its deified personification. 2. Social fire, one lighted in common. 3. A fire lighted on taking possession of a house. 4. A saint, a person purified by religious abstraction. 5. A tree, the wood of which is used to procure fire by attrition, (Premna, spinosa.) 6. Leadwort, (Plumbago zeylanica.) 7. Marking nut plant, (Semicarpus anacardium.) 8. A vermifuge plant. 9. A flash of lightning. 10. The number “three”: see viḍaṅga. f. (-kī) Wife of Agni. E. pū to purify, ṇvul aff.
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Benfey Sanskrit-English DictionaryPāvaka (पावक).—i. e. pū + aka, I. adj. 1. Belonging to Agni, [Uttara Rāmacarita, 2. ed. Calc., 1862.] 142, 12. 2. Pure. Ii. m. 1. Fire, or its deified personification, [Mānavadharmaśāstra] 2, 187. 2. A kind of Ṛṣi. 3. Name of several plants.
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Cappeller Sanskrit-English DictionaryPāvaka (पावक).—[adjective] pure, clear, bright, shining; [masculine] fire or the god of fire.
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary1) Pavākā (पवाका):—[from pava] f. a storm, whirlwind, [cf. Lexicographers, esp. such as amarasiṃha, halāyudha, hemacandra, etc.]
2) Pāvaka (पावक):—[from pāva] mf(ā)n. pure, clear, bright, shining, [Ṛg-veda; Vājasaneyi-saṃhitā; Atharva-veda] (said of Agni, Sūrya and other gods, of water, day and night etc.; according to native Comms. it is mostly = sodhaka, ‘cleansing, purifying’)
3) [v.s. ...] m. Name of a [particular] Agni (in the Purāṇas said to be a son of Agni Abhimānin and Svāhā or of Antardhāna and Śikhaṇḍinī), [Taittirīya-saṃhitā; Taittirīya-brāhmaṇa; Kātyāyana-śrauta-sūtra; Purāṇa]
4) [v.s. ...] m. (ifc. f(ā). ) fire or the god of fire, [Upaniṣad; Mahābhārata; Kāvya literature] etc.
5) [v.s. ...] m. Name of the number 3 (like all words for ‘fire’, because fire is of three kinds See agni), [Sūryasiddhānta]
6) [v.s. ...] a kind of Ṛṣi, a saint, a person purified by religious abstraction or one who purified from sin, [Mahābhārata]
7) [v.s. ...] Prenina Spinosa, [cf. Lexicographers, esp. such as amarasiṃha, halāyudha, hemacandra, etc.]
8) [v.s. ...] Plumbago Zeylanica or some other species, [cf. Lexicographers, esp. such as amarasiṃha, halāyudha, hemacandra, etc.]
9) [v.s. ...] Semecarpus Anacardium, [cf. Lexicographers, esp. such as amarasiṃha, halāyudha, hemacandra, etc.]
10) [v.s. ...] Carthamus Tinctoria, [cf. Lexicographers, esp. such as amarasiṃha, halāyudha, hemacandra, etc.]
11) [v.s. ...] Embelia Ribes, [cf. Lexicographers, esp. such as amarasiṃha, halāyudha, hemacandra, etc.]
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Yates Sanskrit-English Dictionary1) Pavākā (पवाका):—(kā) 1. f. A whirlwind.
2) Pāvaka (पावक):—[(kaḥ-kī-kaṃ) a.] Purifying. m. Fire; a house warming; a sage; Premna spinosa; leadwort; marking nut. f. Wife of Agnī.
Source: DDSA: Paia-sadda-mahannavo; a comprehensive Prakrit Hindi dictionary (S)Pāvaka (पावक) in the Sanskrit language is related to the Prakrit word: Pāvaga.
[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.
Hindi dictionary
Source: DDSA: A practical Hindi-English dictionaryPāvaka (पावक) [Also spelled pavak]:—(nm) the fire.
...
Prakrit-English dictionary
Source: DDSA: Paia-sadda-mahannavo; a comprehensive Prakrit Hindi dictionaryPavaka (पवक) in the Prakrit language is related to the Sanskrit word: Plavaka.
Prakrit is an ancient language closely associated with both Pali and Sanskrit. Jain literature is often composed in this language or sub-dialects, such as the Agamas and their commentaries which are written in Ardhamagadhi and Maharashtri Prakrit. The earliest extant texts can be dated to as early as the 4th century BCE although core portions might be older.
Kannada-English dictionary
Source: Alar: Kannada-English corpusPāvaka (ಪಾವಕ):—
1) [adjective] religiously, spiritually perfect or pure; sacred; saintly; holy.
2) [adjective] having or characterised by, moral virtue; righteous; virtuous; sinless.
3) [adjective] shining brighly; resplendent.
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Pāvaka (ಪಾವಕ):—
1) [noun] that which religiously or spiritually pure.
2) [noun] fire.
3) [noun] an exemplary, righteous behaviour.
4) [noun] the wick of a (votive) lamp.
5) [noun] a kind of mystic missile, that was believed to burn the target.
6) [noun] that which is obvious or evident.
7) [noun] the tree Anacardium occidentale of Anacardiaceae family; cashew tree.
8) [noun] the plant Plumbago zeylanica of Plumbaginaceae family.
9) [noun] the plant Embelia ribes of Myrsinaceae family; worm killer.
10) [noun] the small tree Emblica officinalis ( = Phylanthus emblica) of Euphorbiaceaefamily.
11) [noun] its berry; Indian goose berry.
12) [noun] completion; conclusion.
13) [noun] Varuṇa, the Water-God.
14) [noun] a group consisting of one long followed by a short and another long syllabic instants (-u-); amphimacer.
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 (+5): Pavakacalamahatmya, Pavakadikku, Pavakam, Pavakamani, Pavakan, Pavakanayana, Pavakanilai, Pavakapati, Pavakarani, Pavakarchis, Pavakarcis, Pavakari, Pavakasamhita, Pavakasamsthita, Pavakashikha, Pavakashoci, Pavakashocis, Pavakasnanam, Pavakastra, Pavakasuta.
Ends with: Avabhritapavaka, Davapavaka, Jotipavaka, Karmapavaka, Nitpavaka, Svalpavaka, Upavaka, Vakopavaka.
Full-text (+72): Pavakarani, Pavaki, Pavamanahavis, Pavaga, Pavakavant, Pavakeshvara, Pavakarcis, Svaha, Pavakastra, Pavakatmaja, Pavamana, Pavakapati, Payaka, Pavakavarcas, Pavakashocis, Pavakasuta, Plavaka, Pavakam, Pavakavat, Pavakavarna.
Relevant text
Search found 56 books and stories containing Pavaka, Pāvaka, Pavākā, Pāvakā; (plurals include: Pavakas, Pāvakas, Pavākās, Pāvakās). You can also click to the full overview containing English textual excerpts. Below are direct links for the most relevant articles:
Rig Veda (translation and commentary) (by H. H. Wilson)
Ramayana (by Manmatha Nath Dutt)
Chapter XXXVII < [Book 1 - Bāla-kāṇḍa]
Rivers in Ancient India (study) (by Archana Sarma)
3e. Some epithets of Sarasvatī in the Brāhmaṇas < [Chapter 3 - The Rivers in the Brāhmaṇa Literature]
1(g). Function of Sarasvatī < [Chapter 2 - The Rivers in the Saṃhitā Literature]
4. The rivers in the minor Upaniṣads < [Chapter 4 - The Rivers in the Āraṇyaka and Upaniṣadic Literature]
Mahabharata (English) (by Kisari Mohan Ganguli)
Section CCXXVII < [Khandava-daha Parva]
Section VI < [Dronabhisheka Parva]
Section CCXXVI < [Markandeya-Samasya Parva]
Jnaneshwari (Bhavartha Dipika) (by Ramchandra Keshav Bhagwat)
Verse 10.23 < [Chapter 10 - Vibhuti-yoga]
Shrimad Bhagavad-gita (by Narayana Gosvami)
Verse 2.23 < [Chapter 2 - Sāṅkhya-yoga (Yoga through distinguishing the Soul from the Body)]
Verse 15.6 < [Chapter 15 - Puruṣottama-toga (Yoga through understanding the Supreme Person)]
Verse 10.23 < [Chapter 10 - Vibhūti-yoga (appreciating the opulences of the Supreme Lord)]