Pravritti, aka: Pravṛtti; 7 Definition(s)

Introduction

Pravritti means something in Hinduism, Sanskrit, Marathi. 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 term Pravṛtti can be transliterated into English as Pravrtti or Pravritti, using the IAST transliteration scheme (?).

In Hinduism

Vyakarana (Sanskrit grammar)

Pravṛtti (प्रवृत्ति).—(l) application or presentation of a rule as opposed to निवृत्ति (nivṛtti); cf क्वचित्प्रवृत्तिः क्वचिदप्रवृत्तिः कचिद्विभाषा क्वचिद-न्येदेवः (kvacitpravṛttiḥ kvacidapravṛttiḥ kacidvibhāṣā kvacida-nyedevaḥ) (2) working; function; cf. नान्त-रेण साधन क्रियायाः प्रवृत्तिर्भवति (nānta-reṇa sādhana kriyāyāḥ pravṛttirbhavati) M. Bh. on P.II.3.7.

Natyashastra (theatrics and dramaturgy)

Pravṛtti (प्रवृत्ति) refers to “local usages”. According to the Nāṭyaśāstra verse 6.10, there are four ‘local usages’ defined:

1. Āvanti,
2. Dākṣinātyā,
3. Oḍramāgadhī
4. and Pāñcālī (Pañcālamadhyamā).

According to the Nāṭyaśāstra verse 13, “it is said that pravṛtti is so called because it gives us properly information regarding costumes, languages, and manners in different countries of the world. Vṛtti means ‘information’”.

context information

Natyashastra (नाट्यशास्त्र, nāṭyaśāstra) refers to both the ancient Indian tradition (śāstra) of performing arts, (nāṭya, e.g., 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) and poetic works (kavya).

Nyaya (school of philosophy)

1) Pravṛtti (प्रवृत्ति, “activity”) refers to one of the twelve prameya (“objects of valid knowledge) according to the first chapter of Gautama’s Nyāyasūtra (2nd century CE). Prameya in turn represents the second of the sixteen padārthas (“categories”). Accordingly, “pravṛtti (activity) is vocal, mental and bodily action”.

2) Pravṛtti (प्रवृत्ति, “inclination”) and nivṛtti (disinclination) refers to two types of Prayatna (effort) according to Viśvanātha in his Bhāṣāpariccheda.—The cause of inclination is the desire to do (cikīrṣā) notion of feasibility through one’s effort (kṛtisādhya), knowledge of being productive of the desirable (iṣṭasādhanatvamati) and the perception of the material (upādānasya adhyakṣyam). Disinclination (pravṛtti) arises from aversion and the knowledge of producing something repugnant.

General definition (in Hinduism)

There are two directions of movement or phases in life, pravṛtti and nivṛtti. Pravṛtti is accumulating and indulging. Nivṛtti is clearing debts and transcending.

In pravṛtti, yajña brings material possessions, righteousness and heavenly bliss. This helps man fulfill his aspirations as well as contribute to social living. Man gradually grows beyond desires and becomes more impersonal. This is how he enters the nivṛtti phase.

During nivṛtti, yajña is done without any desire, merely as a duty. This helps in clearing past karma, but this greatly helps the well-being of surroundings (loka kalyāṇa). This is the way the realized soul performs yajña. This is the niṣkāma karma explained in the Karma Yoga of Bhagavad Gīta. In nivṛtti, yajña brings eternal bliss. Brahmandavalli of the Taittirīya Upanishad expounds the gradation of happiness experienced by men, manes, Devatas, lord of Devatas, teacher of the Devatas, creator of Devatas and the creator of the universe in the ascending order, increasing hundred fold for each level.

At each level, the bliss is equated to that of a veda-wise person (Śrotriya) who overcame his desire (kāma hatasya). In pravṛtti one experiences the bliss of Devatas. In nivṛtti one grows beyond desires and experiences the bliss of Brahman. In nivṛtti, yajña brings liberation.

Languages of India and abroad

Marathi-English dictionary

pravṛtti (प्रवृत्ति).—f (S) Establishment, prevalence, currency: also procession or commencement. Ex. of comp. karma-kāla-dēśa-dharma-ācāra-mata-śaka-sampradāya- pravṛtti. 2 Engagedness in; state of being employed about. 3 Activity, occupation, active or worldly life: as opp. to contemplative devotion. See ex. under nivṛtti. 4 Continuous flow, stream, current, esp. in figurative senses. 5 Tendency; direction or course towards (as of the affections, genius &c.); predilection, propensity, inclination.

pravṛttī (प्रवृत्ती).—f Prevalent custom. Activity. Tendency.

Sanskrit-English dictionary

Pravṛtti (प्रवृत्ति).—f.

1) Continued advance.

2) Rise, origin, source, flow (of words &c.); प्रवृत्तिरासीच्छब्दानां चरितार्था चतुष्टयी (pravṛttirāsīcchabdānāṃ caritārthā catuṣṭayī) Ku.2.17.

3) Appearance, manifestation; कुसुमप्रवृत्तिसमये (kusumapravṛttisamaye) Ś.4.9. (v. l.); R.11.43;14.39;15.4.

4) Advent, setting in, commencement; आकालिकीं वीक्ष्य मधुप्रवृत्तिम् (ākālikīṃ vīkṣya madhupravṛttim) Ku.3.34.

5) Application or addiction to, tendency, inclination, predilection, propensity; न हि प्रजानामि तव प्रवृत्तिम् (na hi prajānāmi tava pravṛttim) Bg.11.31; सतां हि संदेहपदेषु वस्तुषु प्रमाणमन्तःकरणप्रवृत्तयः (satāṃ hi saṃdehapadeṣu vastuṣu pramāṇamantaḥkaraṇapravṛttayaḥ) Ś.1.22.

6) Conduct, behaviour; त्वां प्रत्यकस्मात् कलुषप्रवृत्तौ (tvāṃ pratyakasmāt kaluṣapravṛttau) R.14.73.

7) Employment, occupation, activity; विदितं वो यथा स्वार्था न मे काश्चित् प्रवृत्तयः (viditaṃ vo yathā svārthā na me kāścit pravṛttayaḥ) Ku.6.26.

8) Use, employment, currency (as of a word).

9) Continued effort, perseverance.

1) Signification, sense, acceptation (of a word).

11) Continuance, permanence, prevalence.

12) Active life, taking an active part in worldly affairs (opp. nivṛtti); प्रवृत्तिः कुत्र कर्तव्या जीवितव्यं कथं नु वा (pravṛttiḥ kutra kartavyā jīvitavyaṃ kathaṃ nu vā) H.

13) News, tidings, intelligence; ततः प्रवृत्तिः सीतायाः (tataḥ pravṛttiḥ sītāyāḥ) Mb.3.148.5; प्रवृत्तिसाराः खलु मादृशां गिरः (pravṛttisārāḥ khalu mādṛśāṃ giraḥ) Ki.1.25; जीमूतेन स्वकुशलमयी हारयिष्यन् प्रवृत्तिम् (jīmūtena svakuśalamayī hārayiṣyan pravṛttim) Me.4; V.4.2.

14) Applicability or validity of a rule.

15) Fate, destiny, luck.

16) Cognition, direct perception or apprehension.

17) Rutting juice, or ichor exuding from the temples of an elephant in rut.

18) Name of the city of उज्जयिनी (ujjayinī) q. v.

19) (In Arith.) The multiplier.

Derivable forms: pravṛttiḥ (प्रवृत्तिः).

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