Priya, Priyā: 26 definitions

Introduction:

Priya means something in Hinduism, Sanskrit, Jainism, Prakrit, Marathi, Hindi, biology. 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 Priy.

Images (photo gallery)

In Hinduism

Purana and Itihasa (epic history)

Priyā (प्रिया).—A daughter of Dakṣa.*

  • * Vāyu-purāṇa 1. 122.
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: The Purana Index

Priya (प्रिय) is a name mentioned in the Mahābhārata (cf. IX.44.55) and represents one of the many proper names used for people and places. Note: The Mahābhārata (mentioning Priya) is a Sanskrit epic poem consisting of 100,000 ślokas (metrical verses) and is over 2000 years old.

Priyā also refers to the name of a Lady mentioned in the Mahābhārata (cf. I.59.44, I.65).

Source: JatLand: List of Mahabharata people and places
Purana book cover
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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.

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Natyashastra (theatrics and dramaturgy)

1) Priyā (प्रिया, “my dear”) refers to a specific “mode of address” (nāman) used in drama (nāṭya), according to Nāṭyaśāstra chapter 19. Priyā is used (by all except the king) in addressing the wife may in love-making. Hoever, priests’ and merchants’ wives are always to be addressed as Āryā (“noble lady”).

2) Priyā (प्रिया, “dear”) refers to a term to be used by women in love addressing their beloved during amorous union, according to the Nāṭyaśāstra chapter 24. Accordingly, “he who does nothing undesirable, speaks nothing improper, and always conducts himself uprightly is called ‘dear’ (priya)”

Source: Wisdom Library: Nāṭya-śāstra
Natyashastra book cover
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Natyashastra (नाट्यशास्त्र, nāṭyaśāstra) refers to both the ancient Indian tradition (shastra) of performing arts, (natya—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), construction and performance of Theater, and Poetic works (kavya).

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Chandas (prosody, study of Sanskrit metres)

Priyā (प्रिया) refers to one of the 130 varṇavṛttas (syllabo-quantitative verse) dealt with in the second chapter of the Vṛttamuktāvalī, ascribed to Durgādatta (19th century), author of eight Sanskrit work and patronised by Hindupati: an ancient king of the Bundela tribe (presently Bundelkhand of Uttar Pradesh). A Varṇavṛtta (e.g., priyā) refers to a type of classical Sanskrit metre depending on syllable count where the light-heavy patterns are fixed.

Source: Shodhganga: a concise history of Sanskrit Chanda literature
Chandas book cover
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Chandas (छन्दस्) refers to Sanskrit prosody and represents one of the six Vedangas (auxiliary disciplines belonging to the study of the Vedas). The science of prosody (chandas-shastra) focusses on the study of the poetic meters such as the commonly known twenty-six metres mentioned by Pingalas.

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Ayurveda (science of life)

Nighantu (Synonyms and Characteristics of Drugs and technical terms)

Priya (प्रिय) is another name for Jīvaka, a medicinal plant possibly identified with Microstylis wallichii Lindl., which is a synonym of Crepidium acuminatum (D.Don) Szlach. from the Orchidaceae or “orchid” family of flowering plants, according to verse 5.11-13 of the 13th-century Raj Nighantu or Rājanighaṇṭu. The fifth chapter (parpaṭādi-varga) of this book enumerates sixty varieties of smaller plants (kṣudra-kṣupa). Together with the names Priya and Jīvaka, there are a total of sixteen Sanskrit synonyms identified for this plant.

Source: WorldCat: Rāj nighaṇṭu

Unclassified Ayurveda definitions

Priya (प्रिय):—Dear

Source: gurumukhi.ru: Ayurveda glossary of terms
Ayurveda book cover
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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.

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Kavya (poetry)

Priya (प्रिय) refers to the “one’s dear one”, according to Kālidāsa’s Raghuvaṃśa verse 8.88-90.—Accordingly: “The wise say that death is the natural state of embodied creatures and life is a change in that state. If a being remains breathing even for a moment it is surely fortunate. The foolish man regards the loss of his dear one (priya-nāśa) as a dart shot into his heart. Another man looks on the same as a dart that has been pulled out, for it is a door to beatitude. When we are taught that our own body and soul unite and then separate, tell me which wise person should be tormented by separation from the external objects of the senses?”.

Source: Brill: Śaivism and the Tantric Traditions (kavya)
Kavya book cover
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Kavya (काव्य, kavya) refers to Sanskrit poetry, a popular ancient Indian tradition of literature. There have been many Sanskrit poets over the ages, hailing from ancient India and beyond. This topic includes mahakavya, or ‘epic poetry’ and natya, or ‘dramatic poetry’.

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Shaktism (Shakta philosophy)

Priya (प्रिय) refers to one of the 54 rays of the Anāhata-Cakra which (together with the 62 rays of the Maṇipūra) are associated with the solar plane called Viṣṇugranthi, according to Śaṅkarācārya’s Saudaryalaharī.—Accordingly, the Goddess is visualised (by Sādhaka) as dwelling above the six Ādhāracakras ruling over the 360 rays which emanate in them [e.g., Priya]. These 360 rays represent 360 syllables (i.e., a consummation of the śabdaprapañca or 50 alphabets) as well as the principles of nature. For the 360 syllables, together with haṃ and saḥ, Nyāsa should be performed for Śrīcakrapūjā.

Source: Shodhganga: Saudarya Lahari of Sri Sankara A Study
Shaktism book cover
context information

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.

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Vedanta (school of philosophy)

Priya (प्रिय) refers to a “friend” (seeing which does not provoke attachment for a wise man), according to the Aṣṭāvakragītā (5th century BC), an ancient text on spirituality dealing with Advaita-Vedānta topics.—Accordingly, [as Aṣṭavakra says to Janaka]: “[...] There is no attachment in the heart of a wise man whether he sees or pays homage to a learned Brahmin, a celestial being, a holy place, a woman, a king or a friend (priya). [śrotriyaṃ devatāṃ tīrthamaṅganāṃ bhūpatiṃ priyam] A yogi is not in the least put out even when humiliated by the ridicule of servants, sons, wives, grandchildren or other relatives. [...]”.

Source: Wikisource: Ashtavakra Gita
Vedanta book cover
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Vedanta (वेदान्त, vedānta) refers to a school of orthodox Hindu philosophy (astika), drawing its subject-matter from the Upanishads. There are a number of sub-schools of Vedanta, however all of them expound on the basic teaching of the ultimate reality (brahman) and liberation (moksha) of the individual soul (atman).

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In Jainism

General definition (in Jainism)

Priya (प्रिय) refers to “(that which is) dear” (to the mind), according to the 11th century Jñānārṇava, a treatise on Jain Yoga in roughly 2200 Sanskrit verses composed by Śubhacandra.—Accordingly, “Look [here], for men, those material objects dear to the mind (manas-priya) which were possessed of the character of pleasure before are now afflicted with the character of suffering”.

Synonyms: Abhīṣṭa.

Source: The University of Sydney: A study of the Twelve Reflections
General definition book cover
context information

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.

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Biology (plants and animals)

1) Priya in India is the name of a plant defined with Jasminum angustifolium in various botanical sources. This page contains potential references in Ayurveda, modern medicine, and other folk traditions or local practices It has the synonym Jasminum angustifolium Wall. (among others).

2) Priya is also identified with Jasminum sambac It has the synonym Mogorium undulatum (L.) Lam. (etc.).

Example references for further research on medicinal uses or toxicity (see latin names for full list):

· Flora (1864)
· Revisio Generum Plantarum (1891)
· Prodromus Stirpium in Horto ad Chapel Allerton vigentium (1796)
· A General History of the Dichlamydeous Plants (1837)
· Flora of the British India (1882)
· Biodiversidad del estado de Tabasco (2005)

If you are looking for specific details regarding Priya, for example chemical composition, extract dosage, health benefits, side effects, diet and recipes, pregnancy safety, have a look at these references.

Source: Google Books: CRC World Dictionary (Regional names)
Biology book cover
context information

This sections includes definitions from the five kingdoms of living things: Animals, Plants, Fungi, Protists and Monera. It will include both the official binomial nomenclature (scientific names usually in Latin) as well as regional spellings and variants.

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Languages of India and abroad

Marathi-English dictionary

priya (प्रिय).—a (S) Beloved, liked, dear, agreeable, pleasing. priya karaṇēṃ g. of o. To gratify, to please.

--- OR ---

priya (प्रिय).—m S In amorous compositions. A husband or a gallant.

--- OR ---

priyā (प्रिया).—f S A beloved female; a wife or a mistress; an inamorata.

Source: DDSA: The Molesworth Marathi and English Dictionary

priya (प्रिय).—a Beloved, dear, agreeable. priya karaṇēṃ To gratify, to please.

--- OR ---

priya (प्रिय).—m A husband or a gallant.

--- OR ---

priyā (प्रिया).—f A beloved woman; a wife, a mistress.

Source: DDSA: The Aryabhusan school dictionary, Marathi-English
context information

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.

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Sanskrit dictionary

Priya (प्रिय).—a. [prīṇāti pri-tarpaṇe ka] (compar. preyas, superl. preṣṭha)

1) Dear, beloved, liked, welcome, favourite; बन्धुप्रियाम् (bandhupriyām) Kumārasambhava 1.26; प्रकृत्यैव प्रिया सीता रामस्यासीन्महात्मनः (prakṛtyaiva priyā sītā rāmasyāsīnmahātmanaḥ) Rām; R.3.29.

2) Pleasing, agreeable; तामूचतुस्ते प्रियमप्यमिथ्या (tāmūcatuste priyamapyamithyā) R.14.6.

2) Fond of, liking, loving, devoted or attached to; प्रियमण्डना (priyamaṇḍanā) Ś.4.9.; प्रियारामा वैदेही (priyārāmā vaidehī) Uttararāmacarita 2.

2) Dear, expensive.

5) Ved. Customary, familar, usual.

-yaḥ 1 A lover, husband; स्त्रीणामाद्यं प्रणयवचनं विभ्रमो हि प्रियेषु (strīṇāmādyaṃ praṇayavacanaṃ vibhramo hi priyeṣu) Meghadūta 28.

2) A kind of deer.

3) A son-in-law (jāmātā); Manusmṛti 3.119 (com.).

-yā 1 A beloved (wife), wife, mistress; प्रिये चारुशीले प्रिये रम्यशीले प्रिये (priye cāruśīle priye ramyaśīle priye) Gīt. 1.

2) A woman in general.

3) Small cardamoms.

4) News, information.

5) Spirituous liquor.

6) A kind of jasmine.

-yam 1 Love.

2) Kindness, service, favour; प्रियमाचरितं लते त्वया मे (priyamācaritaṃ late tvayā me) V.1.16; मत्प्रियार्थं यियासोः (matpriyārthaṃ yiyāsoḥ) Meghadūta 22; प्रियं मे प्रियं मे (priyaṃ me priyaṃ me) 'a good service done to me'; प्रिय- चिकीर्षवः (priya- cikīrṣavaḥ) Bhagavadgītā (Bombay) 1.23; Uttararāmacarita 3.26; Pañcatantra (Bombay) 1.193,365.

3) Pleasing or gladsome news; विवेश भुवमाख्यातुमुरगेभ्य इव प्रियम् (viveśa bhuvamākhyātumuragebhya iva priyam) R.12. 91; प्रियनिवेदयितारम् (priyanivedayitāram) Ś.4.

4) Pleasure; प्रियं प्राप्तो दशाननः (priyaṃ prāpto daśānanaḥ) Rām.7.23.15.

-yam ind. In a pleasing or agreeable manner.

-priyeṇa ind. Willingly.

Source: DDSA: The practical Sanskrit-English dictionary

Priya (प्रिय).—name of a Śākyan youth: Avadāna-śataka i.363.11 ff.

Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Edgerton Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit Dictionary

Priya (प्रिय).—mfn.

(-yaḥ-yā-yaṃ) Beloved, dear, desired. m.

(-yaḥ) 1. A husband a lover. 2. A sort of drug, commonly Ridd'hi 3. A sort of deer. f.

(-yā) 1. A woman. 2. A wife or mistress. 3. Small cardamoms. 4. News, information. 5. Arabian jasmine. 6. Spirituous or vinous liquor. 7. A species of the Supratishtha metre. E. prī to please, aff. ka, and the vowel made short.

Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Shabda-Sagara Sanskrit-English Dictionary

Priya (प्रिय).—i. e. prī + a, I. adj., f. , comparat. priyatara and preyaṃs, superl. priyatama and preṣṭha, Beloved, dear, [Pañcatantra] i. [distich] 205; agreeable, [Śākuntala, (ed. Böhtlingk.)] 112, 15. preyaṃs, Much beloved, [Kathāsaritsāgara, (ed. Brockhaus.)] 26, 283; [Lassen, Anthologia Sanskritica.] 68, 4. Ii. m. 1. A husband, [Bhāgavata-Purāṇa, (ed. Burnouf.)] 4, 3, 6. 2. A lover, [Pañcatantra] i. [distich] 205. 3. A sort of deer. 4. A sort of drug. Iii. f. A wife or mistress. Iv. n. 1. Love, [Rājataraṅgiṇī] 5, 47; sake, Chr. 22, 18. 2. A service, [Vikramorvaśī, (ed. Bollensen.)] 11, 18.

Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Benfey Sanskrit-English Dictionary

Priya (प्रिय).—[adjective] dear, valued, pleasing to, beloved of, one’s own ([genetive], [locative], [dative], or —°); loving. fond of, devoted to ([locative], °—, or —°).

— [masculine] friend, lover, husband (also priyatama), son-in-law; [feminine] ā mistress, wife, (also priyatamā). [neuter] love, kindness, favour, as [adverb] agreeably, pleasantly, [instrumental] willingly.

Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Cappeller Sanskrit-English Dictionary

1) Priya (प्रिय):—a priyāla See under √1. prī below.

2) [from prī] b mf(ā)n. beloved, dear to ([genitive case] [locative case] [dative case] or [compound]), liked, favourite, wanted, own, [Ṛg-veda] etc. etc. (with [ablative] ‘dearer than’ [Rāmāyaṇa; Kathāsaritsāgara; Pañcatantra]; priyaṃ-√kṛ [Ātmanepada] kurute, either ‘to gain the affection of, win as a friend’ [Ṛg-veda]; or ‘to feel affection for, love more and more’ [Mahābhārata])

3) [v.s. ...] dear, expensive, high in price (cf. priya-dhānyaka, priyānna-tva)

4) [v.s. ...] fond of attached or devoted to ([locative case]), [Ṛg-veda] (idem in [compound], either [in the beginning of a compound] e.g. priya-devana, ‘fond of playing’, or ifc. e.g. akṣa-priya, ‘fond of dice’ cf. [Pāṇini 2-2, 35], [vArttika] 2; ifc. also = pleasant, agreeable e.g. gamana-priya, ‘pleasant to go’, [vi, 2, 15][Scholiast or Commentator])

5) [v.s. ...] m. a friend, [Gautama-dharma-śāstra]

6) [v.s. ...] a lover, husband, [Mahābhārata; Kāvya literature] etc.

7) [v.s. ...] a son-in-law, [Manu-smṛti iii, 119] ([Manvarthamuktāvalī, kullūka bhaṭṭa’s Commentary on manu-smṛti])

8) [v.s. ...] a kind of deer, [cf. Lexicographers, esp. such as amarasiṃha, halāyudha, hemacandra, etc.]

9) [v.s. ...] c m. Name of 2 medicinal plants, [cf. Lexicographers, esp. such as amarasiṃha, halāyudha, hemacandra, etc.]

10) Priyā (प्रिया):—[from priya > prī] f. a mistress, wife, [Mahābhārata; Kāvya literature] etc.

11) [v.s. ...] cf. new [Saxon] frī, [Anglo-Saxon] freó, ‘a wife’

12) [v.s. ...] the female of an animal, [Varāha-mihira]

13) [v.s. ...] news, [cf. Lexicographers, esp. such as amarasiṃha, halāyudha, hemacandra, etc.]

14) [v.s. ...] small cardamoms, [cf. Lexicographers, esp. such as amarasiṃha, halāyudha, hemacandra, etc.]

15) [v.s. ...] Arabian jasmine, [cf. Lexicographers, esp. such as amarasiṃha, halāyudha, hemacandra, etc.]

16) [v.s. ...] spirituous liquor, [cf. Lexicographers, esp. such as amarasiṃha, halāyudha, hemacandra, etc.]

17) [v.s. ...] Name of a daughter of Dakṣa, [Viṣṇu-purāṇa]

18) [v.s. ...] of various metres, [Colebrooke]

19) Priya (प्रिय):—[from prī] n. love, kindness, favour, pleasure, [Mahābhārata; Kāvya literature] etc.

Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary

Priya (प्रिय):—[(yaḥ-yā-yaṃ) a.] Dear, beloved. m. A husband; a sort of drug; kind of deer. f. A wife; cardamoms; news. Arabian jasmin; wine.

Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Yates Sanskrit-English Dictionary

[Sanskrit to German]

Priya in German

Priya (प्रिय) in the Sanskrit language is related to the Prakrit words: Pia, Piā.

Source: DDSA: Paia-sadda-mahannavo; a comprehensive Prakrit Hindi dictionary (S)
context information

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.

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Hindi dictionary

1) Priya (प्रिय) [Also spelled priy]:—(a) dear, darling, beloved; lovable, lovely; pleasing; pleasant; favourite, liked; (nm) a lover; husband; ~[jana] a beloved one, dear one; near and dear ones; ~[tara] dearer; ~[tama] dearest; most beloved; husband; ~[darśana] pleasing, of charming demeanour; ~[darśī] affectionate to all, looking towards all with compassion and kindness; ~[bhāṣī] sweet-spoken; ~[vacana] sweet words; sweet-spoken; ~[vādī] sweet-spoken; a flatterer; sycophant; —[satya] pleasant truth; —[suhṛda] dear friend.

2) Priyā (प्रिया):—(a and nf) beloved, darling; sweetheart; wife.

Source: DDSA: A practical Hindi-English dictionary
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Kannada-English dictionary

Priya (ಪ್ರಿಯ):—

1) [adjective] much loved; beloved; dear.

2) [adjective] expensive; high in price; dear.

--- OR ---

Priya (ಪ್ರಿಯ):—

1) [noun] a profoundly tender, passionate affection for another person; love.

2) [noun] intense liking for an object.

3) [noun] a thing liked intensely.

4) [noun] a man in relation to a woman who loves him profoundly; a lover; a darling.

5) [noun] an affectionate man; a much loved or liked man.

6) [noun] the condition of (something) being costly or expensive; dearness.

--- OR ---

Prīya (ಪ್ರೀಯ):—[noun] = ಪ್ರೀತಿ - [priti -] 2, 3, 4, & 5.

Source: Alar: Kannada-English corpus
context information

Kannada is a Dravidian language (as opposed to the Indo-European language family) mainly spoken in the southwestern region of India.

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Nepali dictionary

1) Priya (प्रिय):—adj. 1. dear; beloved; 2. pleasing; agreeable; 3. fond of; devoted to; n. lover; husband;

2) Priyā (प्रिया):—n. 1. beloved; sweet-heart; 2. a wife; mistress;

Source: unoes: Nepali-English Dictionary
context information

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.

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