Prayasa, Prayāsa, Prayasha: 18 definitions
Introduction:
Prayasa means something in Hinduism, Sanskrit, Jainism, Prakrit, Marathi, 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
Purana and Itihasa (epic history)
Prayāsa (प्रयास) refers to “endeavour”, according to the Śivapurāṇa 2.3.19 (“Kāma’s destruction by Śiva”).—Accordingly, as Brahmā narrated to Naradā: “[...] O great sage, when his endeavour [i.e., sva-prayāsa] became futile, Kāma who was frightened much remembered Indra and all other gods. O great sage, remembered by Kāma, Indra and other gods came there, bowed to and eulogised Śiva. When the gods eulogised thus, a great flame of fire sprang up from the third eye of the infuriated Śiva. [...]”.
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.
Yoga (school of philosophy)
Prayāsa (प्रयास) refers to “exertion”, according to the Haṭhapradīpikā of Svātmārāma: an influential 15th-century Sanskrit manual on Hatha-Yoga dealing with techniques to channel one’s vital energy.—Accordingly, “I think those who only perform Haṭhayoga without knowing Rājayoga are deprived of the fruits of their exertion (prayāsa-phala)”.
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).
Shaktism (Shakta philosophy)
Prayāsa (प्रयास) refers to one of the “sixteen Siddhas” belonging to the Siddhaugha (“the current of the Siddhas”), as discussed in the Yogakhaṇḍa of the Manthānabhairavatantra, a vast sprawling work that belongs to a corpus of Tantric texts concerned with the worship of the goddess Kubjikā.—[The seven Siddhas] are followed by the Nine Siddhas. There are three in the sky, the netherworlds and on the earth. The Sixteen Siddhas are their spiritual sons. They are born from Sūryadeva and are located in the body.—Prayāsa is associated with Raudra of the Divyaugha or Gurvogha (“current of the teachers”) and with Bhadrāṅga of the Divyādivya (“divine-cum-mortal current”).
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.
In Jainism
General definition (in Jainism)
Prayāsa (प्रयास) refers to “trouble”, 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 in the plant and animal world , and subject to unequalled trouble (atula-prayāsa-vaśaga) 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.
Languages of India and abroad
Marathi-English dictionary
prayāsa (प्रयास).—m (S) Labor, exertion, pains, efforts.
prayāsa (प्रयास).—m Labour, exertion, pains, efforts.
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
Prayāsa (प्रयास).—
1) Effort, exertion, endeavour; जहार सीतां पक्षीन्द्रप्रयासक्षणविघ्नितः (jahāra sītāṃ pakṣīndraprayāsakṣaṇavighnitaḥ) R.12.53;14.41.
2) Labour, difficulty.
Derivable forms: prayāsaḥ (प्रयासः).
Prayāsa (प्रयास).—m.
(-saḥ) 1. Trouble, labour, fatigue. 2. Desire for or pursuit of any object. E. pra before, yas to make exertion, aff. ghañ .
Prayāsa (प्रयास).—i. e. pra-yas + a, m. 1. Labour, fatigue, [Uttara Rāmacarita, 2. ed. Calc., 1862.] 34, 11. 2. Effort, [Pañcatantra] 82, 9.
Prayāsa (प्रयास).—[masculine] sita [neuter] effort, exertion.
1) Prayāsa (प्रयास):—[=pra-yāsa] [from pra-yas] a m. exertion, effort, pains, trouble ([in the beginning of a compound], with [locative case] or [genitive case], -arthāya or -nimittena), [Vājasaneyi-saṃhitā; Taittirīya-saṃhitā; Kāvya literature] etc. (cf. a-prayāsena)
2) [v.s. ...] high degree, [Jātakamālā]
3) [=pra-yāsa] b See under pra-√yas.
4) Prāyāsa (प्रायास):—[=prā-yāsa] [from prā] m. = pra-y, [Vājasaneyi-saṃhitā]
Prayāsa (प्रयास):—[pra-yāsa] (saḥ) 1. m. Pursuit; fatigue.
[Sanskrit to German]
Prayāsa (प्रयास) in the Sanskrit language is related to the Prakrit word: Payāsa.
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
1) Prayāsa (प्रयास) [Also spelled prayas]:—(nm) an effort, endeavour, attempt.
2) Prāyaśa (प्रायश):—(ind) most often, mostly; generally, usually.
...
Kannada-English dictionary
Prayāsa (ಪ್ರಯಾಸ):—
1) [noun] physical or mental exertion; work; toil; labour.
2) [noun] difficulty; trouble; an uncomfortable or unfortunate circumstance.
3) [noun] activity that includes training, observation of practice, and personal participation.
4) [noun] ಪ್ರಯಾಸ ಪಡು [prayasa padu] prayāsa paḍu to make great efforts or attempts; strive; to labour; to struggle; 2. to undergo strenuous experience or period.
Kannada is a Dravidian language (as opposed to the Indo-European language family) mainly spoken in the southwestern region of India.
Nepali dictionary
Prayāsa (प्रयास):—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: Prayasabhaj, Prayasadeva, Prayasaphala, Prayasashila, Prayashah, Prayashas.
Full-text (+12): Prayashas, Prayasabhaj, Aprayasa, Samprayasa, Prayena, Prayas, Samyukta-prayasa, Samuhika-prayasa, Prayashah, Prayasaphala, Svaprayasa, Payaso, Abhiradh, Pirayacam, Svarasika, Atulaprayasa, Aprayasena, Sanyukt-prayaas, Samuhik-prayaas, Pirayacatakshinai.
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Search found 39 books and stories containing Prayasa, Pra-yasa, Pra-yāsa, Prā-yāsa, Prayāsa, Prāyāsa, Prāyaśa, Prayasha; (plurals include: Prayasas, yasas, yāsas, Prayāsas, Prāyāsas, Prāyaśas, Prayashas). You can also click to the full overview containing English textual excerpts. Below are direct links for the most relevant articles:
Dictionaries of Indian languages (Kosha)
Page 741 < [Hindi-Malayalam-English Volume 2]
Page 219 < [Hindi-Malayalam-English Volume 2]
Page 314 < [Hindi-Malayalam-English Volume 1]
Srila Gurudeva (The Supreme Treasure) (by Swami Bhaktivedanta Madhava Maharaja)
The Glory of Bhakti < [Chapter 2.11 - Why He Came? The Contribution of Śrīla Gurudeva]
Bhajana-Rahasya (by Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura Mahasaya)
Text 17 < [Chapter 2 - Dvitīya-yāma-sādhana (Prātaḥ-kālīya-bhajana)]
Text 15 < [Chapter 1 - Prathama-yāma-sādhana (Niśānta-bhajana–śraddhā)]
Sahitya-kaumudi by Baladeva Vidyabhushana (by Gaurapada Dāsa)
Text 10.224 < [Chapter 10 - Ornaments of Meaning]
Text 7.38 < [Chapter 7 - Literary Faults]
Sanskrit Inscriptions of Thailand (by Satya Vrat Shastri)
Bhagavad-gita (with Vaishnava commentaries) (by Narayana Gosvami)
Verse 10.32 < [Chapter 10 - Vibhūti-yoga (appreciating the opulences of the Supreme Lord)]
Verse 18.55 < [Chapter 18 - Mokṣa-yoga (the Yoga of Liberation)]