Pranala, Praṇāla, Prānāla, Pranāla: 14 definitions
Introduction:
Pranala means something in Hinduism, Sanskrit, the history of ancient India. 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 IndexPraṇāla (प्रणाल).—(also praṇālaka)—the water-vent on the pīṭha of an image; facing the North.*
- * Matsya-purāṇa 262, 5 and 16.
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.
Vastushastra (architecture)
Source: Wisdom Library: Vāstu-śāstraPraṇāla (प्रणाल) means “water drain” and refers to a channel built into a sanctum for the purpose of draining oblation water and rainwater. It is also known as Somasūtra, Nāla, Vyālavāri or Nirmālyadvāra. According to the Kāraṇāgama, it may be constructed preferably with stone, or optionally with wood and brick.
There are four different kind of praṇālas defined for the four different castes:
- Brāmaṇa: govaktra (or gomukha),
- Kṣatriya: siṃhavaktra,
- Vaiśya: gajavaktra (or gajoṣṭa),
- Śūdra: makaravaktra.
The praṇālas are also categorised based on the materials being used:
- sañcita (hard material such as stone; masculine class),
- asañcita (soft material such as wood and brick; feminine class),
- upasañcita (soft material such as wood and brick; neuter class).
Praṇāla (प्रणाल).—Water drains, water chutes at required places, which are sometimes conventional or artistically decorated, are found fixed into the parapet wherever necessary to allow the rain water to drain out.
Vastushastra (वास्तुशास्त्र, vāstuśāstra) refers to the ancient Indian science (shastra) of architecture (vastu), dealing with topics such architecture, sculpture, town-building, fort building and various other constructions. Vastu also deals with the philosophy of the architectural relation with the cosmic universe.
Kavya (poetry)
Source: academia.edu: Bhoja’s Mechanical GardenPranāḷa (प्रनाऌअ) refers to the “channel type of fountain houses” (dhārāgṛha).—A great variety of water mechanisms are mentioned, and Bhoja delineates no less than four distinct types of fountain houses (dhārāgṛha) that were to be enjoyed by kings: [viz., the channel (pranāḷa)]. All were to have structures made of elaborate carved wood and to be filled with statues and mechanical devices—of birds and various other figures including monkeys with gaping mouths.
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’.
Pancaratra (worship of Nārāyaṇa)
Source: archive.org: Catalogue of Pancaratra Agama TextsPraṇāla (प्रणाल) refers to a “fastening spike for attaching the icon”, as discussed in the seventeenth chapter of the Īśvarasaṃhitā (printed edition), a Pāñcarātra work in 8200 verses and 24 chapters dealing with topics such as routines of temple worship, major and minor festivals, temple-building and initiation.—Description of the chapter [pratimālakṣaṇa]: [...] The sixteen varieties of pedestals are then discussed (261-281) with their relation to the posture of the icon they support; sometimes the measurement of an icon is itself determined by the pedestal (282 ff.). For utsavabera-icons the pedestals may take different shapes (294-296). In any case, a pedestal must have a fastening spike for attaching the icon, called a “praṇāla”—and the uses and types of these are discussed in closing (297-307).
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
Source: What is India: Inscriptions of the Śilāhāras1) Praṇāla is the name of a kingdom (viṣaya), of Praṇālaka is the capital-country, according to the “Panhāle plates of Vikramāditya”. Accordingly, “His offspring, Vikramādityadeva obtained the kingdom of Praṇāla, though there were other sons of (his father ). Though there were (numerous) jewels of the milk-ocean, only one of them, the Kaustubha, became the companion of Śrī (the goddess of fortune), (when she was churned out of the ocean)”.
2) Prānāla is the name of a village mentioned in the “British museum stone inscription of the reign of Haripāladeva”. Dikṣit identified Prānāla (which he read as Praṇāla ) with the fort of Panhāḷā in the Kolhāpur District, and Tulpule with Panvel in the Kolābā District. Both the identifications appear unlikely; for stone inscriptions are not generally transported far from their original places, and Mallikārjuna is not known to have extended his sway to the Kolhāpur reigion.
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
Sanskrit dictionary
Source: DDSA: The practical Sanskrit-English dictionaryPraṇāla (प्रणाल).—
1) A channel, water-course, drain; कौसल्या व्यसृजद् बाष्पं प्रणालीव नवोदकम् (kausalyā vyasṛjad bāṣpaṃ praṇālīva navodakam) Rām.2.62.1; कुर्वन् पूर्णा नयनपयसां चक्रवालैः प्रणालीः (kurvan pūrṇā nayanapayasāṃ cakravālaiḥ praṇālīḥ) Ud. S.2; Śiśupālavadha 3.44.
2) Succession, uninterrupted series.
3) Recension (of a text).
4) Intervention, interposition.
Derivable forms: praṇālaḥ (प्रणालः).
See also (synonyms): praṇālī, praṇālikā.
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Pranāla (प्रनाल).—f. See प्रणाल (praṇāla) and प्रणाली (praṇālī).
Derivable forms: pranālaḥ (प्रनालः).
See also (synonyms): pranālī.
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Shabda-Sagara Sanskrit-English DictionaryPraṇāla (प्रणाल).—mf. (-laḥ-lī) 1. An issue from a pond, drain, a watercourse. 2. An uninterrupted series. E. pra before, nal to bind, aff. ghañ; also with kan added in the fem. form praṇālikā f.
(-kā)
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Pranāla (प्रनाल).—mf. (-laḥ-lī) A water-course, a canal. E. pra before, nal to go, aff. ghañ .
Pranāla can also be spelled as Praṇala (प्रणल).
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary1) Praṇāla (प्रणाल):—[=pra-ṇāla] [from pra-ṇāḍī] m. a channel from a pond, watercourse, drain, [cf. Lexicographers, esp. such as amarasiṃha, halāyudha, hemacandra, etc.]
2) [v.s. ...] ([probably]) a row, series, [Kādambarī]
3) Pranāla (प्रनाल):—[=pra-nāla] -nālī = -ṇāla, -ṇālī q.v.
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Yates Sanskrit-English Dictionary1) Praṇāla (प्रणाल):—[pra-ṇāla] (laḥ-lī) 1. m. 3. f. An issue from a pond; a drain, sewer.
2) Pranāla (प्रनाल):—[(laḥ-lī)] 1. m. 3. f. A watercourse, a canal, a sewer.
Source: DDSA: Paia-sadda-mahannavo; a comprehensive Prakrit Hindi dictionary (S)Praṇāla (प्रणाल) in the Sanskrit language is related to the Prakrit word: Paṇāla.
[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 corpusPraṇāla (ಪ್ರಣಾಲ):—[noun] a water passage or course.
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Praṇāḷa (ಪ್ರಣಾಳ):—[noun] = ಪ್ರಣಾಲ [pranala].
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Pranāḷa (ಪ್ರನಾಳ):—[noun] a tube of thin, transparent glass closed at one end, used in chemical experiments, etc; a test tube.
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: Pra, Naala, Nala.
Starts with: Pranalabha, Pranalaka, Pranalakadesha, Pranalakadurga, Pranalashishu.
Ends with: Jalapranala.
Full-text (+12): Pranali, Simhavaktra, Shundamakara, Makaravaktra, Pranalashishu, Gajavaktra, Jalapranala, Govaktra, Pranalika, Gajadhara, Gajoshta, Gomukha, Ibhavaktra, Pranalikaya, Matangamakra, Panala, Simhasya, Sancita, Upasancita, Asancita.
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Search found 14 books and stories containing Pranala, Pra-nala, Pra-ṇāla, Pra-nāla, Praṇāla, Prānāla, Pranāla, Praṇala, Praṇāḷa, Praṇaḷa, Pranāḷa; (plurals include: Pranalas, nalas, ṇālas, nālas, Praṇālas, Prānālas, Pranālas, Praṇalas, Praṇāḷas, Praṇaḷas, Pranāḷas). You can also click to the full overview containing English textual excerpts. Below are direct links for the most relevant articles:
Sripura (Archaeological Survey) (by Bikash Chandra Pradhan)
Temple of Trinity < [Chapter 2 - The Architectural Panorama]
Stone Images (4): Saiva Images < [Chapter 3 - Sculptural Programme]
Vastu-shastra (Introduction to Indian architecture) (by D. N. Shukla)
Chapter 3e - Dhārāgṛha and Dolāgṛha (or Rathadolā) < [Volume 4 - Palace Architecture]
Prayogamanjari and Saivagamanibandhana (Study) (by R. Suthashi)
Talabheda—Different measurements < [Chapter 3 - Shaiva iconography in Saivagamanibandhana]
Samarangana-sutradhara (Summary) (by D. N. Shukla)
Architectural data in the Puranas (by Sharda Devi)
Erection of Door and Banner < [Chapter 3 - Temples]
Temples of Munnur (Historical Study) (by R. Muthuraman)
Adavalleswarar or Adavalleeswarar Temple (Architecture) < [Chapter 4]
Arulala Perumal Temple < [Chapter 4]