Ratnavali, Ratnāvali, Ratna-avali: 13 definitions
Introduction
Introduction:
Ratnavali means something in Hinduism, Sanskrit, Jainism, Prakrit. 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
Natyashastra (theatrics and dramaturgy)
Source: Wisdom Library: Nāṭya-śāstraRatnāvalī (रत्नावली) refers to “jewel-neckalce” and is classified as an ornament (ābharaṇa) for the neck (kaṇṭha) to be worn by females, according to Nāṭyaśāstra chapter 23. Such ornaments for females should be used in cases of human females and celestial beings (gods and goddesses).
Ābharaṇa (‘ornaments’, eg., ratnāvalī) is a category of alaṃkāra, or “decorations”, which in turn is a category of nepathya, or “costumes and make-up”, the perfection of which forms the main concern of the Āhāryābhinaya, or “extraneous representation”, a critical component for a successful dramatic play.

Natyashastra (नाट्यशास्त्र, nāṭyaśāstra) refers to both the ancient Indian tradition (śāstra) of performing arts, (nāṭya, e.g., 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) and poetic works (kavya).
Kavya (poetry)
Source: Wisdom Library: KathāsaritsāgaraRatnāvalī (रत्नावली) is the daughter of a merchant from Candanapura, as mentioned in the third story of the Vetālapañcaviṃśati in the Kathāsaritsāgara, chapter 77. Accordingly, “... and finding out that he was of good birth, entertained him, and adopted him as a protégé. And he gave him his daughter Ratnāvalī, with a dower, and thenceforth Dhanadatta lived in his father-in-law’s house”.
The story of Ratnāvalī is mentioned in the Vetālapañcaviṃśati (twenty-five tales of a vetāla) which is embedded in the twelfth book of the Kathāsaritsāgara (‘ocean of streams of story’). The main book is a famous Sanskrit epic detailing the exploits of prince Naravāhanadatta in his quest to become the emperor of the vidyādharas (celestial beings). The Kathā-sarit-sāgara is is explained to be an adaptation of Guṇāḍhya’s Bṛhatkathā which consisted of 100,000 verses and in turn forms part of an even larger work containing 700,000 verses.
Source: Shodhganga: The Kavyamimamsa of RajasekharaRatnāvalī (रत्नावली) is the name a locality mentioned in Rājaśekhara’s 10th-century Kāvyamīmāṃsā.—A city on the southern ranges of the Malaya Mountain.
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)
Source: Wisdom Library: JainismRatnāvali (रत्नावलि) is the shorter name of Ratnāvalidvīpa, one of the continents (dvīpa) of the middle-world (madhyaloka) which is encircled by the ocean named Ratnāvalisasamudra (or simply Ratnāvali), according to Jain cosmology. The middle-world contains innumerable concentric dvīpas and, as opposed to the upper-world (adhaloka) and the lower-world (ūrdhvaloka), is the only world where humans can be born.
Ratnāvali is recorded in ancient Jaina canonical texts dealing with cosmology and geography of the universe. Examples of such texts are the Saṃgrahaṇīratna in the Śvetāmbara tradition or the Tiloyapannatti and the Trilokasāra in the Digambara tradition.
Source: archive.org: TrisastisalakapurusacaritraRatnāvali (रत्नावलि) refers to a form of penance, according to chapter 2.1 [ajitanātha-caritra] of Hemacandra’s 11th century Triṣaṣṭiśalākāpuruṣacaritra (“lives of the 63 illustrious persons”): a Sanskrit epic poem narrating the history and legends of sixty-three important persons in Jainism.
Accordingly: “Vimalavāhana practiced penance, the ekāvali, ratnāvali, kanakāvali, and siṃhaniḥkrīḍita long and short. Beginning destruction of karma by a mouth’s fast, he performed penance in the form of fasting ending with a fast of eight months. After he had practiced severe penance in this way and had performed the two saṃlekhanās, at the end he fasted till death, absorbed entirely in tranquillity. Recalling the formula of homage to the Five Supreme Ones, absorbed in abstract meditation, he abandoned his body as easily as a house”.
Note: According to the Antagaḍadasāo, the ratnāvali-series is as follows: 1, 2, 3, 8x2, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 34x2, 16, 15, 14, 13. 12, 11, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, 8x2, 3, 2, 1. This gives 384 fast-days and 88 fast-breaking days, or a total of 1 year, 3 months, and 22 days to complete the series. The complete penance consists of 4 series, which cover 5 years, 2 months, and 22 days. During the first series, the fast-breaking includes all kinds of delicacies (vikṛti); in the second, they are not permitted; in the third, the food, such as wheat, chick-peas, etc., is without dressing; and in the fourth only ācāmla is permitted (Pravacanasāroddhāra 436a). [...] The ekāvali is the same as the kanakāvali and ratnāvali with the substitution of 8x1 and 34x1. One series lasts for 1 year, 2 months, and 12 days, and the complete penance for 4 years, 9 months, and 18 days.

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
Sanskrit dictionary
Source: DDSA: The practical Sanskrit-English dictionaryRatnāvalī (रत्नावली).—
1) a necklace of jewels.
2) Name of a Nāṭikā attributed to Śrīharṣa.
Ratnāvalī is a Sanskrit compound consisting of the terms ratna and āvalī (आवली).
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Shabda-Sagara Sanskrit-English DictionaryRatnāvali (रत्नावलि).—f.
(-liḥ) A necklace of gems. E. ratna, āvali a row; also ratnāvalī .
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Cappeller Sanskrit-English DictionaryRatnāvalī (रत्नावली).—[feminine] pearl necklace, a woman’s name; T. of a play.
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Aufrecht Catalogus Catalogorum1) Ratnāvalī (रत्नावली) as mentioned in Aufrecht’s Catalogus Catalogorum:—an elementary grammar. Lgr. 105.
—by Gauramodana Vidyāratna. Burnell. 41^b.
2) Ratnāvalī (रत्नावली):—kāvya, by Kavicandra. Mentioned by him Oxf. 211^b.
3) Ratnāvalī (रत्नावली):—nāṭaka, by Harshadeva. Jones. 414. Oxf. 144^b. Paris. (B 82b). K. 74. B. 2, 122. Ben. 37. Kāṭm. 7. Rādh. 23. Burnell. 172^a. P. 10. Bhr. 630. H. 106. Taylor. 1, 479. Oppert. 601. 667. 916. 1552. 1553. 2417. 2682. 3465. 4566. 5756. 7377. Ii, 846. 974. 1147. 1365. 3358. 5994. 8766. 9084. Rice. 264. W. 1565. Peters. 3, 395. Bühler 554.
—[commentary] NW. 624.
—[commentary] by Bhīmasena. K. 74. Bühler 542. Translation of the Prākṛt passages by Mudgaladeva. Br. M. (addit. 26, 359).
4) Ratnāvalī (रत्नावली):—[dharma] See Smṛtiratnāvalī. Quoted by Raghunandana Oxf. 292^b, by Kamalākara, in Dravyaśuddhidīpikā Oxf. 274^a, in Saṃskārakaustubha, etc.
5) Ratnāvalī (रत्नावली):—yoga. Quoted in Tantrasāra Oxf. 95^b, in Āgamatattvavilāsa. See Yogaratnāvalī.
6) Ratnāvalī (रत्नावली):—vedānta, by Brahmānandasvāmin. Rice. 166. See Nyāyaratnāvalī.
7) Ratnāvalī (रत्नावली):—[nyāya] Rice. 118.
—Vādasudhāṭīkā by Kṛṣṇamitra.
8) Ratnāvalī (रत्नावली):—jy. Kāṭm. 10 (and—[commentary]). Quoted in Mārtaṇḍavallabhā.
9) Ratnāvalī (रत्नावली):—med. Cop. 104.
—by Kavīndracandra. Np. I, 16.
—by Rādhāmādhava. Np. I, 12.
10) Ratnāvalī (रत्नावली):—nāṭaka, by Harshadeva. Bl. 93. Gov. Or. Libr. Madras 74. Hz. 267. Peters. 4, 29 (inc.). Rgb. 398. 454. 455. Stein 78.
—[commentary] Ratnāvalīdyuti by Govinda. Stein 78. 298. Prākṛtachāyā. Peters. 4, 29. Rgb. 456.
11) Ratnāvalī (रत्नावली):—jy. Quoted by Hemādri in Pariśeṣakhaṇḍa 2, 848. 849. 857. 858, etc., by Divākara in Prauḍhamanoramā.
12) Ratnāvalī (रत्नावली):—med. See Cikitsā^0, Yoga^0, Rasa^0.
—by Rājīvalocana. Quoted by him in Siddhayogārṇava, Catal. Io. p. 941. Mentioned ibid. p. 944.
13) Ratnāvalī (रत्नावली):—nāṭaka by Harshadeva. As p. 159 (2 Mss.). Bd. 452. Io. 971. 2353. Peters. 5, 432.
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary1) Ratnāvalī (रत्नावली):—[from ratna] f. a string of pearls, [Mṛcchakaṭikā; Hitopadeśa; Kathāsaritsāgara]
2) [v.s. ...] a [particular] rhetorical figure, [Kuvalayānanda]
3) [v.s. ...] Name of various women, [Kathāsaritsāgara; Rājataraṅgiṇī] etc.
4) [v.s. ...] of a drama by king Harṣa-deva (or rather by the poet Bāṇa; cf. [Indian Wisdom, by Sir M. Monier-Williams 505 n. 1])
5) [v.s. ...] of other wks. (also vali)
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: Ratna, Avali.
Starts with: Ratnavalidvipa, Ratnavalinibandha, Ratnavalipaddhati, Ratnavalisamudra, Ratnavalistotra, Ratnavalivara, Ratnavalivaradvipa, Ratnavalivarasamudra, Ratnavalivaravabhasa, Ratnavalivaravabhasadvipa, Ratnavalivaravabhasasamudra.
Ends with (+58): Abhijnanaratnavali, Artharatnavali, Ashtottarashatamahavakyaratnavali, Balaratnavali, Bhagavadbhaktiratnavali, Bhagavadvilasaratnavali, Bhaishajyaratnavali, Bhaktiratnavali, Bhashyaratnavali, Brahmatattvaprashnottararatnavali, Chandoratnavali, Chhandoratnavali, Cikitsaratnavali, Dhaturatnavali, Doshajnanaratnavali, Dravidopanishattatparyaratnavali, Dravyaratnavali, Gunaratnavali, Hastaratnavali, Hatharatnavali.
Full-text (+521): Parimilana, Vrittaratnavali, Mahavakyaratnavali, Dravyaratnavali, Shukatatparyaratnavali, Dravidopanishattatparyaratnavali, Viraktiratnavali, Harsha, Ratnavalinibandha, Ratnavalipaddhati, Tilokasundari, Marutodvellita, Bashpambu, Namaratnavali, Kusumadhanvan, Vatavali, Ghanam, Nitambasthala, Malayanila, Khiragama.
Relevant text
Search found 21 books and stories containing Ratnavali, Ratnāvali, Ratnāvalī, Ratna-avali, Ratna-āvalī; (plurals include: Ratnavalis, Ratnāvalis, Ratnāvalīs, avalis, āvalīs). You can also click to the full overview containing English textual excerpts. Below are direct links for the most relevant articles:
Trishashti Shalaka Purusha Caritra (by Helen M. Johnson)
Notes on penances < [Notes]
Part 16: Eighth incarnation as Suvarṇabāhu < [Chapter II - Previous births of Pārśvanātha]
Part 1: Incarnation as Mahābala < [Chapter II - Abhinandanacaritra]
A History of Indian Philosophy Volume 3 (by Surendranath Dasgupta)
Part 1 - Antiquity of the Pañcarātra < [Chapter XVI - The Pañcarātra]
Part 4 - Rāmānuja Literature < [Chapter XVIII - An Historical and Literary Survey of the Viśiṣṭādvaita School of Thought]
Part 2 - The Position of the Pañcarātra Literature < [Chapter XVI - The Pañcarātra]
Shiva Gita (study and summary) (by K. V. Anantharaman)
Appendix 5 - Critical Evaluation of Concept of Bhakti and Advaita
The Skanda Purana (by G. V. Tagare)
Chapter 67 - In Praise of Ratneśvara < [Section 2 - Uttarārdha]
Chapter 45 - Trilocaneśvara (trilocana-īśvara-liṅga) < [Section 2 - Caturaśīti-liṅga-māhātmya]
Chapter 76 - The Power of Trilocana < [Section 2 - Uttarārdha]
A History of Indian Philosophy Volume 4 (by Surendranath Dasgupta)
Part 1 - The Bhāgavata-purāṇa (introduction) < [Chapter XXIV - The Bhāgavata-purāṇa]
Part 1 - Ontology < [Chapter XXVII - A General Review of the Philosophy of Madhva]
Part 5 - Some Companions of Caitanya < [Chapter XXXII - Caitanya and his Followers]
Puranic encyclopaedia (by Vettam Mani)