Prayas, Prāyas, Prayash: 13 definitions
Introduction:
Prayas 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.
In Hinduism
Ayurveda (science of life)
Source: ORA: Amanaska (king of all yogas): (ayurveda)Prayas (प्रयस्) refers to “generally (speaking)”, according to the Kāśyapasaṃhitā (Khilasthāna, verse 9.43-45ab) in a chapter on abdominal swelling caused by vitiation of the blood.—Accordingly, “Listen to the cause of that which produces the cravings [of a seemingly pregnant woman with raktagulma]. Generally (prayas), there is desire for those tastes which cause an increase of the bodily constituents because of the true similarity of their origin. [When] the vitiated blood has a Vāta or Pitta [imbalance] and is accumulating, it fuels desire for tastes such as [those which are] acrid, sour, salty and so on”.
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.
Yoga (school of philosophy)
Source: ORA: Amanaska (king of all yogas): A Critical Edition and Annotated Translation by Jason BirchPrayas (प्रयस्) means “generally speaking”, according to the Amanaska Yoga treatise dealing with meditation, absorption, yogic powers and liberation.—Accordingly, as Īśvara says to Vāmadeva: “[...] Some have intellects which have become insensitive through reasoning and [philosophical] speculations, [and some] are elevated by [their] conceit and ego. Some are self-satisfied with pride, [rendered] stupid by [their obsession with] caste, and [some] are confounded by activities such as meditation. Generally speaking (prayas), the multitudes of people have deluded minds and various [mental] disturbances, for, those who experience nothing but the bliss of the undisturbed, natural [no-mind] state, are not seen in the world. [...]”.
Yoga is originally considered a branch of Hindu philosophy (astika), but both ancient and modern Yoga combine the physical, mental and spiritual. Yoga teaches various physical techniques also known as āsanas (postures), used for various purposes (eg., meditation, contemplation, relaxation).
Languages of India and abroad
Sanskrit dictionary
Source: DDSA: The practical Sanskrit-English dictionaryPrayas (प्रयस्).—
1) 4 P. To strive, endeavour.
2) To toil, labour.
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Prayas (प्रयस्).—n. Ved.
1) Food.
2) Pleasure, delight.
3) A sacrifice.
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Prāyas (प्रायस्).—ind.
1) Mostly, generally, as a general rule, for the most part; प्रायः प्रत्ययमाधत्ते स्वगुणेषूत्तमादरः (prāyaḥ pratyayamādhatte svaguṇeṣūttamādaraḥ) Ku. 6.2; प्रायो भृत्यास्त्यजन्ति प्रचलितविभवं स्वामिनं सेवमानाः (prāyo bhṛtyāstyajanti pracalitavibhavaṃ svāminaṃ sevamānāḥ) Mu. 4.21; or प्रायो गच्छति यत्र भाग्यरहितस्तत्रैव यान्त्यापदः (prāyo gacchati yatra bhāgyarahitastatraiva yāntyāpadaḥ) Bhartṛhari 2.9; प्रायः समापन्नविपत्तिकाले धियोऽपि पुंसां मलिनीभवन्ति (prāyaḥ samāpannavipattikāle dhiyo'pi puṃsāṃ malinībhavanti) H.
2) In all probability, most likely, probably, perhaps; तव प्राज्ञाप्रसादाद्धि प्रायः प्राप्स्यामि जीवितम् (tava prājñāprasādāddhi prāyaḥ prāpsyāmi jīvitam) Mb.
3) Abundantly, largely.
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Shabda-Sagara Sanskrit-English DictionaryPrayas (प्रयस्).—mfn.
(-yāḥ-yāḥ-yaḥ) Valuable, precious.
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Prāyas (प्रायस्).—Ind. 1. Frequently, generally, for the most part. 2. Abundantly, largely. E. pra before, iṇ or ay to go, aff. amuc .
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Benfey Sanskrit-English DictionaryPrayas (प्रयस्).—i. e. prī + as, n. Sacrifice,
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Prāyas (प्रायस्).— (probably acc. sing. n. of an old comparat. of puru = [Latin] plus), adv. 1. Frequently, [Pañcatantra] iv. [distich] 7; commonly, v. [distich] 19. 2. Probably, Mahābhārata 12, 4989.
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Cappeller Sanskrit-English DictionaryPrayas (प्रयस्).—[neuter] pleasure, enjoyment; object of enjoyment, e.[grammar] food & drink, dainties, etc.
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Prāyas (प्रायस्).—[adverb] = prāyaśas.
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Prayas (प्रयस्).—commence to boil up or be agitated, be hot or eager. — Cf. āyasta ([additions]), pra/yasta.
Prayas is a Sanskrit compound consisting of the terms pra and yas (यस्).
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary1) Prayas (प्रयस्):—[=pra-yas] 1. pra-√yas [Parasmaipada] -yasyati (cf. [Pāṇini 3-1, 71]), to begin to bubble, [Atharva-veda];
—to endeavour, labour, strive after ([dative case]), [Naiṣadha-carita]
2) 2. prayas n. (√prī) pleasure, enjoyment, delight, [Ṛg-veda] (prāyase, iv, 21, 7 = prayase)
3) object of delight, pleasant food or drink, dainties, libations (prayāṃsi nadīnām, ‘refreshing waters’), [ib.]
4) mfn. valuable, precious (?), [Horace H. Wilson]
5) Prāyaś (प्रायश्):—[from prāya] in [compound] for 1. prāyas.
6) Prāyas (प्रायस्):—[from prāya] 1. prāyas ind. (for 2. See below) for the most part, mostly, commonly, as a general rule, [Mahābhārata; Kāvya literature] etc.
7) [v.s. ...] in all probability, likely, perhaps, [Mahābhārata]
8) [v.s. ...] abundantly, largely, [Horace H. Wilson]
9) 2. prāyas n. (for 1. See above) = 2. prayas, [Ṛg-veda iv, 21, 7.]
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Yates Sanskrit-English Dictionary1) Prayas (प्रयस्):—[(yāḥ-yaḥ) a.] Valuable.
2) Prāyas (प्रायस्):—adv. Frequently, abundantly.
Source: DDSA: Paia-sadda-mahannavo; a comprehensive Prakrit Hindi dictionary (S)Prāyas (प्रायस्) in the Sanskrit language is related to the Prakrit words: Pāo, Pāya.
[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 dictionaryPrayas in Hindi refers in English to:—(nm) an effort, endeavour, attempt..—prayas (प्रयास) is alternatively transliterated as Prayāsa.
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Nepali dictionary
Source: unoes: Nepali-English DictionaryPrayaas is another spelling for प्रयास [prayāsa].—n. 1. effort; attempt; endeavor; 2. labor; industry;
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 (+28): Prayakcittahuti, Prayakcitteshti, Prayasabhaj, Prayashah, Prayashcita, Prayashcittabhashya, Prayashcittacandrika, Prayashcittacintamani, Prayashcittadipika, Prayashcittagrantha, Prayashcittahemadri, Prayashcittakadamba, Prayashcittakalpataru, Prayashcittakamalakara, Prayashcittakanda, Prayashcittakarika, Prayashcittakarma, Prayashcittakaumudi, Prayashcittakautuhala, Prayashcittakhanda.
Full-text (+92): Prayashcitta, Prayashcittika, Prayashcitti, Prayashcittin, Prayashcittiya, Prayashcetana, Prayasa, Ghritaprayas, Prayashcittadhikara, Prayashcittadhyaya, Prayashcittapararka, Prayashcittoddyota, Suprayas, Hitaprayas, Prayakcittahuti, Prayakcitteshti, Prayasta, Sanyukt-prayaas, Samuhik-prayaas, Samyukta-prayasa.
Relevant text
Search found 12 books and stories containing Prayas, Prāyas, Pra-yas, Prayash, Prāyaś, Prayaas; (plurals include: Prayases, Prāyases, yases, Prayashes, Prāyaśs, Prayaases). You can also click to the full overview containing English textual excerpts. Below are direct links for the most relevant articles:
Notices of Sanskrit Manuscripts (by Rajendralala Mitra)
Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu (by Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī)
Verse 1.2.219 < [Part 2 - Devotional Service in Practice (sādhana-bhakti)]
Ritual drink in the Iranian and Indian traditions (by Nawaz R. Guard)
4. The concept of Prayashcitta < [Chapter 7 - Drinks under Prayashcittas and ordeals]
Manusmriti with the Commentary of Medhatithi (by Ganganatha Jha)
Verse 11.140 < [Section XV - Expiation for the killing of Cats and other Animals]
A History of Indian Philosophy Volume 2 (by Surendranath Dasgupta)
Part 1 - Āyurveda and the Atharva-veda < [Chapter XIII - Speculations in the Medical Schools]
Part 4 - Practice of Medicine in the Atharva-veda < [Chapter XIII - Speculations in the Medical Schools]
A Descriptive Catalogue of the Sanskrit Manuscripts, Madras (by M. Seshagiri Sastri)
Page 328 < [Volume 2 (1905)]