Ratri, Rātrī, Rātri: 21 definitions
Introduction:
Ratri means something in Buddhism, Pali, 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
Shaktism (Shakta philosophy)
Rātri (रात्रि) or Niśā refers to the “night”, according to the Tantrāloka verse 8.422.—The day is the domain of daily life. It is the auspicious domain of creation and stability and of the sacred forces and beings who sustain it. Conversely, night is the domain of destructive forces and the deluding darkness of slumber. Māyā is the Night (niśā, rātri), the dark night of ignorance. However, Māyā is also the goddess who is made of the night (niśāmayā). Māyā, the Night, has two faces. The night of ignorance for the worldly, fettered soul is the day of awakening for the wise. Śiva, inactive like a corpse, is immersed in contemplation (samādhi) ‘at night’ when he is free of Māyā. His is the Practice of Stillness (nirācāra)—the realisation of the extinction—nirvāṇa—of all limitations and afflictions through the rise of Kuṇḍalinī brought about by his Practice at Night (niśācāra).
The word Rātri (night) is symbolically derived from the root rā “to give,” and is taken to mean “the giver” of bliss, of peace, of happiness.
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.
Purana and Itihasa (epic history)
1) Rātrī (रात्री).—Name of a river originating from Ṛkṣa, a holy mountain (kulaparvata) in Bhārata, according to the Varāhapurāṇa chapter 85. There are settlements (janapada) where Āryas and Mlecchas dwell who drink water from these rivers.
Bhārata is a region south of Hemādri, once ruled over by Bharata (son of Ṛṣabha), whose ancestral lineage can be traced back to Svāyambhuva Manu.
2) Rātrī (रात्री).—One of the seven major rivers situated in Krauñcadvīpa, according to the Varāhapurāṇa chapter 88. It is also known by the name Sukhāvahā. Krauñcadvīpa is one of the seven islands (dvīpa), ruled over by Jyotiṣmān, one of the ten sons of Priyavrata, who is the son of Svāyambhuva Manu.
Svāyambhuva Manu, who was created by Brahmā, who was in turn created by Nārāyaṇa, the unknowable all-pervasive primordial being.
The Varāhapurāṇa is categorised as a Mahāpurāṇa, and was originally composed of 24,000 metrical verses, possibly originating from before the 10th century. It is composed of two parts and Sūta is the main narrator.
1a) Rātri (रात्रि).—A river in Krauñcadvīpa.*
- * Brahmāṇḍa-purāṇa II. 19. 75; Matsya-purāṇa 122. 88; Vāyu-purāṇa 49. 69; Viṣṇu-purāṇa II. 4. 55.
1b) A Śakti.*
- * Brahmāṇḍa-purāṇa IV. 44. 75.
1c) Pārameśvara; pralaya or destruction at the end of which recurs the creation of the universe.*
- * Vāyu-purāṇa 5. 2 and 6.
1d) When the Asuras were born to Prajāpati night came into being; ety.; three yāmas of the night are full of darkness—Triyāmikā; then Prajāpati took another guise and created the devas; āsuri of tamas quality;1 no night for the region to the north of Meru and south of Lokāloka as the sun is far removed and the earth is surrounded by the lekha;2 for the Pitṛs is Suklapakṣa;3 enters water in the morning.4
- 1) Vāyu-purāṇa 9. 6-15; Brahmāṇḍa-purāṇa II. 13. 14.
- 2) Vāyu-purāṇa 50. 108.
- 3) Ib. 51. 11; 57. 9.
- 4) Ib. 53. 14.
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.
Vaishnavism (Vaishava dharma)
Rātri (रात्रि) refers to:—Night. (cf. Glossary page from Bhajana-Rahasya).
Vaishnava (वैष्णव, vaiṣṇava) or vaishnavism (vaiṣṇavism) represents a tradition of Hinduism worshipping Vishnu as the supreme Lord. Similar to the Shaktism and Shaivism traditions, Vaishnavism also developed as an individual movement, famous for its exposition of the dashavatara (‘ten avatars of Vishnu’).
Shaivism (Shaiva philosophy)
Rātri (रात्रि) refers to the “night”, according to the Netratantra of Kṣemarāja: a Śaiva text from the 9th century in which Śiva (Bhairava) teaches Pārvatī topics such as metaphysics, cosmology, and soteriology.—Accordingly, [verse 19.94cd-99ab, while describing the ritual that protect the king and his kingdom]—“[...] Great sleep, who bewilders the world, is there. For the king’s well-being at night and for his digestion when he eats, etc., this worship should continue [throughout the night] by the order of the God of Gods. Then [the king] should sleep the entire night (rātri—tato rātriṃ samagrāṃ). He should remain at ease, free of the dangers of Yakṣas, Rakṣas, Pisācas, fear of disrupted sleep—which bring about Mātṛs—and trembling from those afflictions”.
Shaiva (शैव, śaiva) or Shaivism (śaivism) represents a tradition of Hinduism worshiping Shiva as the supreme being. Closely related to Shaktism, Shaiva literature includes a range of scriptures, including Tantras, while the root of this tradition may be traced back to the ancient Vedas.
Yoga (school of philosophy)
Rātri (रात्रि) refers to the “day”, according to the Amanaska Yoga treatise dealing with meditation, absorption, yogic powers and liberation.—Accordingly, as Īśvara says to Vāmadeva: “[...] The Yogin should not wake by day and should not sleep even for a fraction of the night (rātri). Night and day, the Yogin always sleeps in the natural [no-mind] state. For a man who remains in the pure, natural [no-mind state], there is not even the distinction of day and night, because [that] place is the bliss of mere consciousness, which is free from wakefulness and sleep. [...]”.
Yoga is originally considered a branch of Hindu philosophy (astika), but both ancient and modern Yoga combine the physical, mental and spiritual. Yoga teaches various physical techniques also known as āsanas (postures), used for various purposes (eg., meditation, contemplation, relaxation).
In Buddhism
Mahayana (major branch of Buddhism)
Rātri (रात्रि) refers to the “night” (when the Tathāgata attained awakening), according to the Gaganagañjaparipṛcchā: the eighth chapter of the Mahāsaṃnipāta (a collection of Mahāyāna Buddhist Sūtras).—Accordingly, “How, then, son of good family, does the Bodhisattva grasp the treasury of the dharma jewel of the Awakened Lords? [...] From the night (rātri) when the Gathāgata attained awakening (bodhi) to the night of his extinction (parinirvāṇa), the treasury of the dharma jewel has been explained, is being explained, and will be explained by the Tathāgata. All of them are what they really are (tathatā), not different from what they are (avitathatā), and nothing else but what they are (ananyathā). [...]”.
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.
Languages of India and abroad
Marathi-English dictionary
rātri (रात्रि).—f (S) Night.
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
Rātri (रात्रि) or Rātrī (रात्री).—f. [rāti sukhaṃ bhayaṃ vā rā-trip vā ṅīp Uṇādi-sūtra 4.69]
1) Night; रात्रिर्गता मतिमतां वर मुञ्च शशथ्याम् (rātrirgatā matimatāṃ vara muñca śaśathyām) R.5.66; दिवा काकरवाद् भीता रात्रौ तरति नर्मदाम् (divā kākaravād bhītā rātrau tarati narmadām).
2) The darkness of night.
3) Turmeric; Mahābhārata (Bombay) 13.136.25.
4) One of the four forms or bodies of Brahmā.
5) Day and night; अहःशब्दोऽपि अहोरात्रवचनः । रात्रिशब्दोऽपि (ahaḥśabdo'pi ahorātravacanaḥ | rātriśabdo'pi) ŚB. on MS.8.1.16; यां रात्रिं जायते जीवो यां रात्रिं च विनश्यति (yāṃ rātriṃ jāyate jīvo yāṃ rātriṃ ca vinaśyati) Mahābhārata (Bombay) 13.9.4.
Derivable forms: rātriḥ (रात्रिः).
Rātri (रात्रि).—f. (-triḥ-trī) Night, the darkness of night. E. rā to give, (pleasure or rest,) trip Unadi aff., ṅīp optionally added.
Rātri (रात्रि).—rātrī, probably ram + tṛ + ī, f. Night, [Hitopadeśa] pr. [distich] 24, M.M.
Rātri can also be spelled as Rātrī (रात्री).
Rātri (रात्रि).—v. rātrī.
--- OR ---
Rātrī (रात्री).—(later rātri) [feminine] night.
1) Rātri (रात्रि):—f(i or ī). or (older) rātrī ([probably] ‘bestower’, [from] √rā; or ‘season of rest’, [from] √ram) night, the darkness or stillness of night (often personified), [Ṛg-veda] etc. etc. (trau ind. or tryām ind. at n°, by n°; rātrau śayanam, a festival on the 11th day of the first half of the month Āṣāḍha, regarded as the night of the gods, beginning with the summer solstice, when Viṣṇu reposes for four months on the serpent Śeṣa)
2) = ati-rātra, [Śatapatha-brāhmaṇa]
3) = rātri-paryāya, [ib.]
4) = rātri-sāman, [Lāṭyāyana]
5) (only rātri) one of the 4 bodies of Brahmā, [Viṣṇu-purāṇa]
6) = haridrā, turmeric, [Mahābhārata; Suśruta]
7) (with the [patronymic] bhāradvājī) Name of the authoress of [Ṛg-veda x, 127; Anukramaṇikā]
8) Rātrī (रात्री):—[from rātri] (= rātri), in [compound]
Rātri (रात्रि):—[(triḥ-trī)] 2. 3. f. Night.
[Sanskrit to German]
Rātri (रात्रि) in the Sanskrit language is related to the Prakrit words: Ratti, Rāī.
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
Rātri (रात्रि):—(nf) (the) night; [kara] the moon; ~[cara/cārī] a demon; noctural; -[jāgaraṇa] keeping awake through the night; -[pāṭhaśālā] a night school.
...
Kannada-English dictionary
Rātri (ರಾತ್ರಿ):—
1) [noun] the period from sunset to sunrise; night.
2) [noun] the period of actual darkness after sunset and before sunrise; night.
3) [noun] darkness; lack of light.
4) [noun] the plant Curcuma longa of Zingiberaceae family; turmeric.
5) [noun] the powder of its rhizome used in medicine and also for seasoning the food; turmeric powder.
6) [noun] ರಾತ್ರಿ ಕಂಡ ಭಾವಿಯಲ್ಲಿ ಹಗಲು ಬೀಳು [ratri kamda bhaviyalli hagalu bilu] rātri kaṇḍa bhāviyalli hagalu bīḷu (prov.) to wilfully court a known devil and be destroyed; to engage in something the evil effects of which is obvious; ರಾತ್ರಿಯೆಲ್ಲಾ ರಾಮಾಯಣ ಕೇಳಿ ಬೆಳಿಗ್ಗೆ ರಾಮನಿಗೆ ಸೀತೆ ಏನಾಗಬೇಕೆಂದು ಕೇಳು [ratriyella ramayana keli beligge ramanige site enagabekemdu kelu] rātriyellā rāmāyaṇa kēḷi beḷigge rāmanige sIte ēnāgabēkendu kēḷu (prov.) asking about the subject after hearing the lecture for the whole day; ರಾತ್ರಿ ಹಗಲಿನಷ್ಟು ಅಂತರ [ratri hagalinashtu amtara] rātri hagalinaṣṭu antara an irreconcilable diference (between two parties).
Kannada is a Dravidian language (as opposed to the Indo-European language family) mainly spoken in the southwestern region of India.
Nepali dictionary
Rātri (रात्रि):—n. night;
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.
See also (Relevant definitions)
Starts with (+23): Ratribala, Ratribhaga, Ratribhojana, Ratribhrit, Ratribhujamga, Ratribhujanga, Ratribhuktatyaga, Ratribhuktavratika, Ratribhuktivirati, Ratricara, Ratricarya, Ratricchandas, Ratridaivodasa, Ratridevata, Ratridina, Ratridivam, Ratridvish, Ratrihasa, Ratrihindaka, Ratrihuta.
Full-text (+350): Kalaratri, Shivaratri, Ratrimata, Ratricara, Ratryandha, Ratrimani, Ratrijagara, Ratrijala, Ratrija, Ratrihindaka, Ratrivishleshagamin, Ratricarya, Brahmaratri, Ratrivigama, Ratriveda, Ratrindiva, Ratrihasa, Ratrivasas, Ratripushpa, Yaksharatri.
Relevant text
Search found 146 books and stories containing Ratri, Raatri, Rātrī, Rātri; (plurals include: Ratris, Raatris, Rātrīs, Rātris). You can also click to the full overview containing English textual excerpts. Below are direct links for the most relevant articles:
Rig Veda (translation and commentary) (by H. H. Wilson)
Dictionaries of Indian languages (Kosha)
Page 361 < [Telugu-English-Malayalam (1 volume)]
Page 376 < [Hindi-Bengali-English Volume 1]
Page 677 < [Kannada-English-Malayalam (1 volume)]
Bhagavad-gita (with Vaishnava commentaries) (by Narayana Gosvami)
Verse 8.25 < [Chapter 8 - Tāraka-brahma-yoga (the Yoga of Absolute Deliverance)]
Verse 8.17 < [Chapter 8 - Tāraka-brahma-yoga (the Yoga of Absolute Deliverance)]
Verse 8.19 < [Chapter 8 - Tāraka-brahma-yoga (the Yoga of Absolute Deliverance)]
Women in the Atharva-veda Samhita (by Pranab Jyoti Kalita)
19. Goddess Rātri < [Chapter 4 - Female Deities and the Glorification of Women in the Atharvaveda]
3. Woman as a Mother < [Chapter 3 - The Familial and Social Life of Women in the Atharvaveda]
8. Goddess Ekāṣṭakā < [Chapter 4 - Female Deities and the Glorification of Women in the Atharvaveda]
Satapatha-brahmana (by Julius Eggeling)
Kanda XI, adhyaya 5, brahmana 1 < [Eleventh Kanda]
Kanda X, adhyaya 2, brahmana 6 < [Tenth Kanda]
Kanda IV, adhyaya 6, brahmana 3 < [Fourth Kanda]
Manusmriti with the Commentary of Medhatithi (by Ganganatha Jha)
Verse 1.64 < [Section XXXVII - Measures of Time]
Verse 4.97 < [Section XII - Vedic Study]
Verse 1.65 < [Section XXXVII - Measures of Time]
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