Pratibha, Pratibhā, Prātibha: 16 definitions
Introduction:
Pratibha means something in Hinduism, Sanskrit, Hindi. 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 Pratibh.
In Hinduism
Purana and Itihasa (epic history)
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: The Purana IndexPratibhā (प्रतिभा).—(Prabhāva)—characteristics of; Vidyā, Kāvyam, Śilpam, etc.*
- * Vāyu-purāṇa 12. 6-8.

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.
Kavyashastra (science of poetry)
Source: Shodhganga: The Kavyavilasa of Ciranjiva Bhattacarya (kavyashastra)Pratibhā (प्रतिभा) or “poetic intuition” is an inborn impression (saṃskāra) inherited from previous births. Cirañjīva has a clear view on the causal factor of poetry. He says, pratibhā which is assisted by śruta and abhyāsa brings forth poetry. Śruta means knowledge acquired from the instructions of those who are well-versed in different branches of knowledge. Abhyāsa means constant application or practice. Cirañjīva has also said that according to some rhetoricians of Sanskrit Poetics, without pratibhā the creation of a poetry is either not possible at all or if composed it becomes subject of ridicule.
Pratibhā or “genius” defined according to major rhetoricions of Sanskrit poetics:—It is Bharata, who has first accepted pratibhā or genius as the basic cause of any literary work. Ācārya Bhāmaha in his Kāvyālaṃkāra says that special type of intellect i.e., genius (pratibhā) is needed for composing an excellent poetry. Ānandavardhana, the author of the Dhvanyāloka has also admitted pratibhā or poetic intuition as the essential cause of poetry. Mahimabhaṭṭa says that pratibhā is like the third eye of the Lord Śankara and by it the poet visualizes the facts relating to past, present and future. Rājaśekhara, the author of the Kāvyamīmāṃsā says that pratibhā is the main cause of poetry and that there are two types of pratibhā (called kārayitrī and bhāvayitrī). Hemacandra also indicates in clear terms that inborn intellect or pratibhā is the only cause of poetry. Vāgbhaṭa I has also accepted pratibhā as the main cause of poetry, while according to him, erudition is a decorating factor and practice is just a worth adopting one. Paṇḍitarāja Jagannātha establishes that pratibhā is the sole cause of poetry. This pratibhā is originated from adṛṣṭa determined by the grace of deity and great person and sometimes from learning and practice. According to Mammaṭa pratibhā or inborn intuitive intellectual power, vyutpatti or efficiency in the knowledge of scriptures and literary works and abhyāsa or practice of composing poetic works are co-jointly responsible for any poetic work

Kavyashastra (काव्यशास्त्र, kāvyaśāstra) refers to the ancient Indian tradition of poetry (kavya). Canonical literature (shastra) of the includes encyclopedic manuals dealing with prosody, rhetoric and various other guidelines serving to teach the poet how to compose literature.
Shaktism (Shakta philosophy)
Source: Google Books: ManthanabhairavatantramPratibhā (प्रतिभा) refers to the “intuitive and creative genius”, according to the Kubjikāmatatantra: the earliest popular and most authoritative Tantra of the Kubjikā cult.—The word “śakti” which denotes the god's spiritual power, embodied in the goddess, his consort. The goddess, in other words, is the state of the god, his divinity that is his infinite divine power through which he wills, knows and does all things.—Kashmiri Śaiva theologians call this Bhairava’s “freedom” (svātantrya) or “independence” (nirapekṣatā), the intuitive and creative genius (pratibhā) of his pure conscious nature. The latter is the light of consciousness by means of which all things are made manifest, and the former the reflective awareness that the light has of its own essential nature and the forms made manifest within it through its power.

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)Pratibhā (प्रतिभा) refers to the “(impulse of the) cosmogenic imagination”, according to the Mahānayaprakāśa by Arṇasiṃha (Cf. verse 182-197).—Accordingly, “He who is one (advaya), supreme and whose glorious power is the unfolding of the first (impulse of the) cosmogenic imagination (pratibhā) who, undivided, constantly withdraws into (himself) the womb (of emanation) and the diverse deployment of all things, that is, the perception of individual differences, as does the tortoise its limbs, is the one called Kūrmanātha who is free of the obscuration of thought constructs”.

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.
Languages of India and abroad
Sanskrit dictionary
Source: DDSA: The practical Sanskrit-English dictionaryPratibhā (प्रतिभा).—2 P.
1) To shine, appear bright or luminous; प्रतिभान्त्यद्य वनानि केतकीनाम् (pratibhāntyadya vanāni ketakīnām) Ghat.15.
2) To show oneself, become manifest.
3) To seem, appear; स्त्रीरत्नसृष्टिरपरा प्रतिभाति सा मे (strīratnasṛṣṭiraparā pratibhāti sā me) Ś.2.1; R.2.47; Kumārasambhava 2.38;6.54.
4) To occur to, come into the mind of; as in नोत्तरं प्रतिभाति मे, इति प्रतिभाति मे मनः (nottaraṃ pratibhāti me, iti pratibhāti me manaḥ).
5) To fall to the lot or share of.
6) To seem fit or proper; appear good, please to; सा भार्या प्रतिभाति मे (sā bhāryā pratibhāti me) Ks; Pañcatantra (Bombay) 3.
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Pratibhā (प्रतिभा).—
1) An appearance, a look.
2) Light, splendour.
2) Intellect, understanding; सभेव भामा विदधे गणानां निद्रा निरासं प्रतिभागुणस्य (sabheva bhāmā vidadhe gaṇānāṃ nidrā nirāsaṃ pratibhāguṇasya) Kirātārjunīya 16.27; Vikr.1.18,23.
4) Genius, bright conception, vivid imagination; (prajñā navanavonmeṣaśālinī pratibhā matā Rudra.).
5) An image, reflection.
6) Audacity, impudence.
7) Suitableness, agreeableness;
8) Sudden appearance, manifestation (sphūrti); प्रतिभा त्वस्ति मे काचित्तां ब्रूयामनुमानतः (pratibhā tvasti me kācittāṃ brūyāmanumānataḥ) Mahābhārata (Bombay) 12.26.1.
9) Distraction (vikṣepa); निद्रां च प्रतिभां चैव ज्ञानाभ्यासेन तत्त्ववित् (nidrāṃ ca pratibhāṃ caiva jñānābhyāsena tattvavit) (vinivartayet); Mahābhārata (Bombay) 12.274.7;316.14.
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Prātibha (प्रातिभ).—a. (-bhī f.)
1) Relating to divination or genius.
2) Intellectual, mental.
-bham Genius or vivid imagination, intuition, divination; ... प्रभोः प्रातिभदर्पणः । प्रतिबिम्बित- मात्मानं यत्र पश्यति भारती (prabhoḥ prātibhadarpaṇaḥ | pratibimbita- mātmānaṃ yatra paśyati bhāratī) Dharmābhyudayamahākāvya 1.1; प्रातिभं त्रिसरकेण गतानां वक्रवाक्यरचनारमणीयः (prātibhaṃ trisarakeṇa gatānāṃ vakravākyaracanāramaṇīyaḥ) Śiśupālavadha 1.12; Mahābhārata (Bombay) 5.63.2.
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Shabda-Sagara Sanskrit-English DictionaryPratibhā (प्रतिभा).—f.
(-bhā) 1. Understanding, intellect, especially as opening or expanding. 2. Sharpness, brilliancy of conception. 3. Genius, especially poetic genius. 4. Light, splendour. 5. Reflected light. 6. Audacity, boldness, confidence, consequence. 7. An image. E. prati before, bhā to shine, affs. ḍa and ṭāp .
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Prātibha (प्रातिभ).—f. (-bhī) 1. Relating to divination. 2. Relating to genius.
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Benfey Sanskrit-English DictionaryPratibhā (प्रतिभा).—[prati-bhā], f. 1. Light. 2. Understanding, [Daśakumāracarita] in
Pratibhā (प्रतिभा).—[feminine] image, light, splendour, look, appearance, understanding, intelligence, presence of mind, fancy, idea, conception.
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Pratibhā (प्रतिभा).—shine upon, illumine; become manifest, offer or present one’s self, come into the mind, occur to ([accusative] or [genetive]); appear to ([genetive] or [accusative] ±prati), look or be like, resemble ( = [Simple]); seem fit, please.
Pratibhā is a Sanskrit compound consisting of the terms prati and bhā (भा).
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary1) Pratibhā (प्रतिभा):—[=prati-√bhā] a [Parasmaipada] -bhāti, to shine upon ([accusative]), [Lāṭyāyana];
—to come in sight, present or offer one’s self to ([genitive case] or [accusative]), [Mahābhārata; Rāmāyaṇa] etc. ;
—to appear to the mind (also with manasi), flash upon the thoughts, become clear or manifest, occur to ([accusative] or [genitive case]), [Upaniṣad; Mahābhārata] etc. (nottaram pratibhātime, ‘no answer occurs to me’ [Harivaṃśa]);
—to seem or appear to ([genitive case] [accusative] with or without prati) as or like ([nominative case] with or without iva, or yathā, or -vat ind.), [Mahābhārata; Kāvya literature] etc. (iti pratibhāti me manaḥ, ‘so it seems to my mind’ [Mahābhārata]);
—to seem fit, appear good, please to ([genitive case]or [accusative]), [Vikramorvaśī; Pañcatantra] etc. (sā bhāryā pratibhāti me, ‘this one would please me as a wife’ [Kathāsaritsāgara])
2) Pratibha (प्रतिभ):—[=prati-bha] [from prati-bhā] mfn. wise, intelligent, [Raghuvaṃśa viii, 79] ([varia lectio])
3) Pratibhā (प्रतिभा):—[=prati-bhā] b f. an image, [Nirukta, by Yāska]
4) [v.s. ...] light, splendour (See niṣ-pr)
5) [v.s. ...] appearance (a-pr), [Gautama-dharma-śāstra]
6) [v.s. ...] fitness, suitableness (a-pr), [???]
7) [v.s. ...] intelligence, understanding, [Mahābhārata; Kāvya literature; Sāhitya-darpaṇa]
8) [v.s. ...] presence of mind, genius, wit, [Kāmandakīya-nītisāra]
9) [v.s. ...] audacity, boldness (a-pr), [Nyāya]
10) [v.s. ...] a thought, idea, [Daśakumāra-carita; Kathāsaritsāgara]
11) [v.s. ...] a founded supposition, [Naiṣadha-carita]
12) [v.s. ...] fancy, imagination, [Mahābhārata; Kathāsaritsāgara; Sāhitya-darpaṇa]
13) Prātibha (प्रातिभ):—[=prāti-bha] [from prāti] mf(ī)n. ([from] -bhā) intuitive, divinatory
14) [v.s. ...] n. (with or [scilicet] jñāna) intuitive knowledge, intuition, divination, [Śiśupāla-vadha; Kathāsaritsāgara; Purāṇa] (-vat ind., [Nyāyasūtra])
15) Prātibhā (प्रातिभा):—[=prāti-bhā] [from prāti-bha > prāti] f. presence of mind, [Mahābhārata]
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Yates Sanskrit-English DictionaryPratibhā (प्रतिभा):—[prati-bhā] (bhā) 1. f. Understanding; sharpness; wit; light; audacity.
Source: DDSA: Paia-sadda-mahannavo; a comprehensive Prakrit Hindi dictionary (S)Pratibhā (प्रतिभा) in the Sanskrit language is related to the Prakrit words: Paibhā, Paḍibhā, Paḍihā, Paibha.
[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 dictionary1) Pratibhā (प्रतिभा):—(nf) genius; brilliance; ~[vāna] a genius; brilliant; ~[śālī] genius; brilliant; -[saṃpanna] see ~[śālī].
2) Prātibha (प्रातिभ) [Also spelled pratibh]:—(a) intuitive; —[jñāna] intuitive knowledge, intuition.
...
Kannada-English dictionary
Source: Alar: Kannada-English corpusPrātibha (ಪ್ರಾತಿಭ):—[adjective] endowed with a superior ability; talented.
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Prātibha (ಪ್ರಾತಿಭ):—[noun] a superior ability in the arts or sciences or in learning or doing of anying; talent.
Kannada is a Dravidian language (as opposed to the Indo-European language family) mainly spoken in the southwestern region of India.
Nepali dictionary
Source: unoes: Nepali-English DictionaryPratibhā (प्रतिभा):—n. 1. intelligence; genius; 2. brilliance; brightness;
Nepali is the primary language of the Nepalese people counting almost 20 million native speakers. The country of Nepal is situated in the Himalaya mountain range to the north of India.
See also (Relevant definitions)
Starts with (+10): Pratibhabalat, Pratibhagam, Pratibhagashas, Pratibhagna, Pratibhajnana, Pratibhaksh, Pratibhakshaya, Pratibhamga, Pratibhamukha, Pratibhan, Pratibhanakakuta, Pratibhanakakutalokeshvara, Pratibhanavattva, Pratibhanda, Pratibhanditavya, Pratibhanj, Pratibhanvite, Pratibhasasamuttha, Pratibhashali, Pratibhashalini.
Full-text (+45): Pratibhash, Apratibha, Pratibhavat, Nishpratibha, Pratibhamukha, Pratibhanvita, Supratibha, Pratibhahani, Pratibhavilasa, Pratibhavashat, Pratibhatas, Pratibhabalat, Pratibhakshaya, Pratibhasa, Pratibhana, Pratibha-palayana, Bhavayitri-pratibha, Luptapratibha, Pratibha-palaayan, Sapratibha.
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Search found 96 books and stories containing Pratibha, Prati-bha, Prati-bhā, Prāti-bha, Prāti-bhā, Pratibhā, Prātibha, Prātibhā; (plurals include: Pratibhas, bhas, bhās, Pratibhās, Prātibhas, Prātibhās). You can also click to the full overview containing English textual excerpts. Below are direct links for the most relevant articles:
Padarthadharmasamgraha and Nyayakandali (by Ganganatha Jha)
Text 122 < [Chapter 6a - On Qualities]
Yoga-sutras (with Bhoja’s Rajamartanda) (by Rajendralala Mitra)
Sūtra 3.33 < [Third Chapter (Vibhuti Pada)]
Sūtra 3.36 < [Third Chapter (Vibhuti Pada)]
Sūtra 1.7 < [First Chapter (Samadhi Pada)]
Yogadrstisamuccaya of Haribhadra Suri (Study) (by Riddhi J. Shah)
Chapter 3.4b - Prātibhajñāna –The intuitive knowledge < [Chapter 3 - Introduction to the Yogadṛṣṭisamuccaya]
Vakyapadiya (study of the concept of Sentence) (by Sarath P. Nath)
7.1 Pratibhā and Vāk < [Chapter 4 - The Concept of Pratibhā and its Implications]
2. The Concept of Pratibhā in Indian Philosophy < [Chapter 4 - The Concept of Pratibhā and its Implications]
6. Pratibhā: its sources < [Chapter 4 - The Concept of Pratibhā and its Implications]
Tattvasangraha [with commentary] (by Ganganatha Jha)
Verse 902-905 < [Chapter 16 - Examination of the Import of Words]
Verse 1700 < [Chapter 19g - (G) On aitihya (tradition) and pratibhā (intuition)]
Verse 923 < [Chapter 16 - Examination of the Import of Words]
Vakyapadiya of Bhartrihari (by K. A. Subramania Iyer)
Verse 2.152 < [Book 2 - Vākya-kāṇḍa]
Verse 2.400 < [Book 2 - Vākya-kāṇḍa]
Verse 2.143 < [Book 2 - Vākya-kāṇḍa]
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