Ratnapura, Ratna-pura: 9 definitions
Introduction:
Ratnapura means something in Hinduism, Sanskrit, Jainism, Prakrit, the history of ancient India. 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.
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In Hinduism
Kavya (poetry)
Ratnapura (रत्नपुर) is the name of a city, in which the two thieves, Śiva and Mādhava, used to rob the rich men by means of trickery, according to the Kathāsaritsāgara, chapter 24. The story was told by princess Kanakarekhā to her father Paropakārin in order to demonstrate that “all kinds of deceptions are practised on the earth by rogues”.
Ratnapura is also mentioned as being situated on the bank of the river Veṇā, according to the Kathāsaritsāgara, chapter 123. Accordingly, as Rūpavatī said: “... there is on the bank of the River Veṇā a city named Ratnapura; I am a Brāhman householder in that city, the son of a rich man, and my name is Kandarpa. One evening I went down to the River Veṇā to draw water, and I slipped and fell into it, and was carried away by the current”.
The Kathāsaritsāgara (‘ocean of streams of story’), mentioning Ratnapura, is a famous Sanskrit epic story revolving around prince Naravāhanadatta and his quest to become the emperor of the vidyādharas (celestial beings). The work is said to have been an adaptation of Guṇāḍhya’s Bṛhatkathā consisting of 100,000 verses, which in turn is part of a larger work containing 700,000 verses.
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’.
In Jainism
General definition (in Jainism)
Ratnapura (रत्नपुर) is the birth-place of Dharmanātha: the fifteenth of twenty-four Tīrthaṃkaras or Jinas, commonly depicted in Jaina iconography.—Dharmanātha’s father’s name was Bhānu Rāja and his mother’s name Suvratā. He was born at Ratnapura. He obtained the name of Dharmanātha because he saved mankind from miseries. There is tradition also that the Jina’s mother performed many acts of religion while bearing him in the womb. Hence the name of the child as Dharmanātha.
1) Ratnapura (रत्नपुर) is the name of a Vidyādhara-city, situated on mount Vaitāḍhya (in the northern row), according to chapter 1.3 [ādīśvara-caritra] of Hemacandra’s 11th century Triṣaṣṭiśalākāpuruṣacaritra: an ancient Sanskrit epic poem narrating the history and legends of sixty-three illustrious persons in Jainism.
Accordingly, “[...] Taking their families and all their retinue and ascending the best of cars, they went to Vaitāḍhya. [...] Ten yojanas above the earth, King Vinami made at once sixty cities in a northern row at the command of the Nāga-king. [viz., Ratnapura]. Vinami himself, who had resorted to Dharaṇendra, inhabited the city Gaganavallabha, the capital of these. [...] The two rows of Vidyādhara-cities looked very magnificent, as if the Vyantara rows above were reflected below. After making many villages [viz., Ratnapura] and suburbs, they established communities according to the suitability of place. The communities there were called by the same name as the community from which the men had been brought and put there. [...]”.
2) Ratnapura (रत्नपुर) is the birth-place of Dharma, the fifteenth Tīrthaṅkara, according to chapter 1.6, “[...] In Bharata there will be twenty-three other Arhats and eleven other Cakrins. [...] In Ratnapura, Dharma, the son of Bhānu and Suvratā, gold-color, living for ten lacs of years, forty-five bows tall, will have two and a half lacs after initiation, and the interval between Ananta’s mokṣa and his will be four sāgaras”.
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.
India history and geography
Ratnapura (रत्नपुर) refers to one of the various Bahals (“monasteries” = Vihāras) found in the area of Old Kathmandu, situated in the Nepal Mandala (lit. “circle or country of Nepal”), the ancient name for the Kathmandu Valley. A Bahal is a type of ‘sacred monastery’ or ‘courtyard’ constructed according to traditional Newari Architecture and hence found primarily in Nepal amongst Newar communities. These buildings play a big role in maintaining the norms of their society and lifestyle. There is a common list of eighteen major such Temples (bahals) found in Old Kathmandu. For example Ratnapura.
Ratnapura (रत्नपुर) refers to the Ratnapura-bahal—one of the various Bāhās (i.e., a sacred courtyard in the Newari community where Buddhist priests reside) situated in Kathmandu.—The valley of Kathmandu is known as “Nepal Mandala”, encircling the three cities of Kathmandu (northwest), Patan (Lalitpur) (south) and Bhaktapur (east). The Vihāras, Bāhās and Bahīs were, and still are, the centre for Buddhist activities and also dwelling place of the monks or monastics. For example, Ratnapur-bahal, which is known in Sanskrit as Ratnapura-vihāra. These monstaries, courtyards and other buildings possess a central place in Buddhism and were mostly situated within the vicinity of these three cities.
The history of India traces the identification of countries, villages, towns and other regions of India, as well as mythology, zoology, royal dynasties, rulers, tribes, local festivities and traditions and regional languages. Ancient India enjoyed religious freedom and encourages the path of Dharma, a concept common to Buddhism, Hinduism, and Jainism.
Languages of India and abroad
Sanskrit dictionary
Ratnapura (रत्नपुर).—[neuter] [Name] of a city.
1) Ratnapura (रत्नपुर):—[=ratna-pura] [from ratna] n. Name of a town, [Kathāsaritsāgara; Vīracarita]
2) Ratnāpura (रत्नापुर):—[=ratnā-pura] [from ratna] n. Name of a town, [Rājataraṅgiṇī]
Ratnapura (रत्नपुर):—n. Nomen proprium einer Stadt [Kathāsaritsāgara 24, 82. 123, 204.]
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Ratnāpura (रत्नापुर):—n. Nomen proprium einer Stadt [Rājataraṅgiṇī 8, 2435.]
Ratnapura (रत्नपुर):—n. Nomen proprium einer Stadt [Indische studien von Weber 14,122.]
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Ratnāpura (रत्नापुर):—n. Nomen proprium einer Stadt.
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.
See also (Relevant definitions)
Partial matches (+0): Ratna, Pura.
Starts with (+0): Ratnapur-bahal, Ratnapuravihara.
Full-text (+38): Bhanu, Ratnapuravihara, Ratanagama, Candramukhi, Suvrata, Donivagga, Satyaki, Dhanavasu, Jalora, Kandarpa, Jambuka, Shikhinandita, Abhinandita, Shrisena, Pushpottara, Ratnaratha, Bhanuraja, Harini, Anangasundari, Jinadharma.
Relevant text
Search found 21 books and stories containing Ratnapura, Ratna-pura, Ratnāpura, Ratnā-pura; (plurals include: Ratnapuras, puras, Ratnāpuras). You can also click to the full overview containing English textual excerpts. Below are direct links for the most relevant articles:
Historical topograhpy of ancient and medieval Ceylon (by C. W. Nicholas)
Chapter 17 - The Kagalla district (ancient history and topography)
Chapter 15 - Kandy and Nuvara Eliya districts (ancient history and topography)
Paumacariya (critical study) (by K. R. Chandra)
63. The battle between the sons of king Srisena < [Chapter 4 - Intervening Stories]
10. The story of Sanatkumara < [Chapter 4 - Intervening Stories]
5. Genealogy of the Vanara Vamsa dynasty < [Chapter 5 - Origin and Genealogy of Various Vamshas]
Trishashti Shalaka Purusha Caritra (by Helen M. Johnson)
Part 2: Previous births of Sanatkumāra as Jinadharma and of Asitākṣa as Agniśarman < [Chapter VII - Sanatkumāracakricaritra]
Part 2: Previous birth of Vasudeva < [Chapter II - Marriages of Vasudeva with maidens]
Part 3: Previous birth of Bandhudatta < [Chapter IV - The wandering and emancipation of Pārśvanātha]
Mahavamsa (by Wilhelm Geiger)
AYU (Journal of Research in Ayurveda)
Clinical study on the effect of decoction of Pavetta indica Linn. in treatment of Purishaja Krimi with special reference to Enterobius vermicularis infestation < [Volume 34 (3); 2013 (Jul-Sep)]
A Descriptive Catalogue of the Sanskrit Manuscripts, Madras (by M. Seshagiri Sastri)
Page 66 < [Volume 20 (1918)]