Prayasa, Prayāsa, Prayasha: 14 definitions
Introduction:
Prayasa means something in Hinduism, Sanskrit, 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)
Source: archive.org: Shiva Purana - English TranslationPrayāsa (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.
Languages of India and abroad
Marathi-English dictionary
Source: DDSA: The Molesworth Marathi and English Dictionaryprayāsa (प्रयास).—m (S) Labor, exertion, pains, efforts.
Source: DDSA: The Aryabhusan school dictionary, Marathi-Englishprayāsa (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
Source: DDSA: The practical Sanskrit-English dictionaryPrayāsa (प्रयास).—
1) Effort, exertion, endeavour; जहार सीतां पक्षीन्द्रप्रयासक्षणविघ्नितः (jahāra sītāṃ pakṣīndraprayāsakṣaṇavighnitaḥ) R.12.53;14.41.
2) Labour, difficulty.
Derivable forms: prayāsaḥ (प्रयासः).
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Shabda-Sagara Sanskrit-English DictionaryPrayāsa (प्रयास).—m.
(-saḥ) 1. Trouble, labour, fatigue. 2. Desire for or pursuit of any object. E. pra before, yas to make exertion, aff. ghañ .
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Benfey Sanskrit-English DictionaryPrayāsa (प्रयास).—i. e. pra-yas + a, m. 1. Labour, fatigue, [Uttara Rāmacarita, 2. ed. Calc., 1862.] 34, 11. 2. Effort, [Pañcatantra] 82, 9.
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Cappeller Sanskrit-English DictionaryPrayāsa (प्रयास).—[masculine] sita [neuter] effort, exertion.
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary1) 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]
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Yates Sanskrit-English DictionaryPrayāsa (प्रयास):—[pra-yāsa] (saḥ) 1. m. Pursuit; fatigue.
Source: DDSA: Paia-sadda-mahannavo; a comprehensive Prakrit Hindi dictionary (S)Prayāsa (प्रयास) in the Sanskrit language is related to the Prakrit word: Payāsa.
[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) Prayāsa (प्रयास) [Also spelled prayas]:—(nm) an effort, endeavour, attempt.
2) Prāyaśa (प्रायश):—(ind) most often, mostly; generally, usually.
...
Kannada-English dictionary
Source: Alar: Kannada-English corpusPrayāsa (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.
See also (Relevant definitions)
Starts with: Prayasabhaj, Prayashah, Prayashas.
Ends with: Aprayasa, Ayasaprayasa, Mahaprayasa, Samprayasa, Saprayasa, Svaprayasa, Viprayasa.
Full-text: Prayashas, Prayasabhaj, Prayena, Payasa, Prayas, Aprayasa, Samprayasa, Aprayasena, Payaso, Alpashas, Yas, Vrittamuktavali, Praya.
Relevant text
Search found 4 books and stories containing Prayasa, Prayāsa, Pra-yasa, Pra-yāsa, Prāyāsa, Prā-yāsa, Prayasha, Prāyaśa; (plurals include: Prayasas, Prayāsas, yasas, yāsas, Prāyāsas, Prayashas, Prāyaśas). You can also click to the full overview containing English textual excerpts. Below are direct links for the most relevant articles:
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)]
Brihad Bhagavatamrita (commentary) (by Śrī Śrīmad Bhaktivedānta Nārāyana Gosvāmī Mahārāja)
Verse 1.4.10 < [Chapter 4 - Bhakta (the devotee)]
Soma in Vedic Mythology and Ritual (study) (by Anjana Chakraborty)