Purvamukha, Pūrvamukha, Purva-mukha: 4 definitions

Introduction:

Purvamukha means something in Buddhism, Pali, Hinduism, Sanskrit. 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 Buddhism

Mahayana (major branch of Buddhism)

[«previous next»] — Purvamukha in Mahayana glossary
Source: De Gruyter: A Buddhist Ritual Manual on Agriculture

Pūrvāmukha (पूर्वामुख) refers to “facing the east” (as part of an offering ritual), according to the Vajratuṇḍasamayakalparāja, an ancient Buddhist ritual manual on agriculture from the 5th-century (or earlier), containing various instructions for the Sangha to provide agriculture-related services to laypeople including rain-making, weather control and crop protection.—Accordingly, [as the Bhagavān teaches the offering of the root spell], “[...] Having placed a Nāga facing east (pūrvāmukha), the spell-master should sit down facing that, and should perform invitation, offering of flower and incense and dismissal with the mantra. Then the spell-master should do recitation for 1,008 times. [...]”.

Mahayana book cover
context information

Mahayana (महायान, mahāyāna) is a major branch of Buddhism focusing on the path of a Bodhisattva (spiritual aspirants/ enlightened beings). Extant literature is vast and primarely composed in the Sanskrit language. There are many sūtras of which some of the earliest are the various Prajñāpāramitā sūtras.

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Languages of India and abroad

Sanskrit dictionary

[«previous next»] — Purvamukha in Sanskrit glossary
Source: DDSA: The practical Sanskrit-English dictionary

Pūrvamukha (पूर्वमुख).—a. having the face turned towards the east.

Pūrvamukha is a Sanskrit compound consisting of the terms pūrva and mukha (मुख).

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

Pūrvamukha (पूर्वमुख):—[=pūrva-mukha] [from pūrva] mfn. having the face turned towards the east, [Hemādri’s Caturvarga-cintāmaṇi]

[Sanskrit to German]

Purvamukha in German

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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