Simhala, Siṃhala: 25 definitions
Introduction:
Simhala means something in Hinduism, Sanskrit, Jainism, Prakrit, the history of ancient India, 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.
Alternative spellings of this word include Sinhal.
In Hinduism
Purana and Itihasa (epic history)
Source: archive.org: Puranic EncyclopediaSiṃhala (सिंहल).—Modern Ceylon. In ancient days this place was called Siṃhala and the inhabitants were called Siṃhalas. The following statements about Siṃhala occur in the Mahābhārata.
The low caste people of the Siṃhalas originated from the sides of Nandinī, the cow of the Devas. (Mahābhārata Ādi Parva, Chapter 174, Verse 37).
The king of Siṃhala had taken part in the sacrifice Rājasūya of Yudhiṣṭhira. (Mahābhārata, Sabhā Parva, Chapter 34, Verse 12).
The Kṣatriyas of Siṃhala gave Yudhiṣṭhira, Chrysoprases, pearls and such other wealth of the sea as present. The people of Siṃhala wore clothes studded with jewels. They were of dark complexion with eyes the ends of which were red. (Mahābhārata Sabhā Parva, Chapter 58, Verse 35).
The Siṃhalas took the side of the Kauravas in the battle of Bhārata. In the Garuḍa vyūha formed by Droṇa, the Siṃhalas were stationed in the position of the neck. (Mahābhārata Droṇa Parva, Chapter 20, Verse 6).
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: The Purana Index1a) Siṃhala (सिंहल).—An Upadvīpa to Jambūdvīpa;1 the modern Ceylon: to be conquered by Kalki.2
1b) Ceylonese.*
- * Vāyu-purāṇa 58. 82; 98. 107.
Siṃhala (सिंहल) is a name mentioned in the Mahābhārata (cf. III.48.19) and represents one of the many proper names used for people and places. Note: The Mahābhārata (mentioning Siṃhala) is a Sanskrit epic poem consisting of 100,000 ślokas (metrical verses) and is over 2000 years old.
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.
Shaktism (Shakta philosophy)
Source: Wisdom Library: ŚāktismSiṃhala (सिंहल) is the name of a Śāktapīṭha mentioned in the Kulārṇavatantra. The Kulārṇava-tantra is an important 11th century work for the Kaula school of Śāktism. It refers to eighteen such Śākta-pīṭhas (e.g. Siṃhala) which is defined as a sacred sanctuary of Devī located here on earth. According to legend, there are in total fifty-one such sanctuaries (pīṭha) on earth, created from the corresponding parts of Devī’s body,
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.
Kavya (poetry)
Source: Wisdom Library: KathāsaritsāgaraSiṃhala (सिंहल) or Siṃhaladvīpa is the name of an island (dvīpa) according to the Kathāsaritsāgara, chapter 56. Accordingly, “... there he [Candrasvāmin] heard that the merchant Kanakavarman had gone from that island to an island named Karpūra. In the same way he visited in turn the islands of Karpūra, Suvarṇa and Siṃhala with merchants, hut he did not find the merchant whom he was in search of”.
The Kathāsaritsāgara (‘ocean of streams of story’), mentioning Siṃhala, 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.
Source: Shodhganga: The Kavyamimamsa of RajasekharaSiṃhala (सिंहल) is the name a locality mentioned in Rājaśekhara’s 10th-century Kāvyamīmāṃsā.—Ceylon, which is different from the Laṅkā.
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’.
Jyotisha (astronomy and astrology)
Source: Wisdom Library: Brihat Samhita by VarahamihiraSiṃhala (सिंहल) refers to a country identified with Ceylon, belonging to “Dakṣiṇa or Dakṣiṇadeśa (southern division)” classified under the constellations of Uttaraphālguni, Hasta and Citrā, according to the system of Kūrmavibhāga, according to the Bṛhatsaṃhitā (chapter 14), an encyclopedic Sanskrit work written by Varāhamihira mainly focusing on the science of ancient Indian astronomy astronomy (Jyotiṣa).—Accordingly, “The countries of the Earth beginning from the centre of Bhāratavarṣa and going round the east, south-east, south, etc., are divided into 9 divisions corresponding to the 27 lunar asterisms at the rate of 3 for each division and beginning from Kṛttikā. The constellations of Uttaraphālguni, Hasta and Citrā represent the southern division consisting of [i.e., Siṃhala] [...]”.
Jyotisha (ज्योतिष, jyotiṣa or jyotish) refers to ‘astronomy’ or “Vedic astrology” and represents the fifth of the six Vedangas (additional sciences to be studied along with the Vedas). Jyotisha concerns itself with the study and prediction of the movements of celestial bodies, in order to calculate the auspicious time for rituals and ceremonies.
General definition (in Hinduism)
Source: archive.org: Indian Historical Quarterly Vol. 7Siṃhala (सिंहल) is the name of a country classified as both Hādi and Kādi (both types of Tantrik division), according to the 13th century Sammoha-tantra (fol. 7).—There are ample evidences to prove that the zone of heterodox Tantras went far beyond the natural limits of India. [...] The zones in the Sammoha-tantra [viz., Siṃhala] are here fixed according to two different Tantrik modes, known as Kādi and Hādi.
In Jainism
General definition (in Jainism)
Source: archive.org: Trisastisalakapurusacaritra1) Siṃhala (सिंहल) refers to a group of Mlecchas once conquered by king Bharata, as mentioned in chapter 1.4 [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, after king Bharata instructed his general Suṣeṇa to conquer the southern district of the Sindhu: “[...] Wishing to conquer the whole southern district of the Sindhu the general advanced like the ocean at the end of the world. Eager for battle, cruel with a roar in the form of the twang of the bow, like a lion he conquered the Siṃhalas easily. [...] Then Mleccha-kings approached the general with various gifts as wives approach their husbands with devotion. The general [Suṣeṇa] gave the Cakrin [Bharata] all the tribute taken from the Mlecchas [viz., Siṃhala] which resembled a pregnancy-whim of the creepers of fame”.
2) Siṃhala (सिंहल) (or Siṃhaladvīpa) is the name of an island, according to the Jain Ramayana and chapter 7.1 [origin of the rākṣasavaṃśa and vānaravaṃśa].—Accordingly, as Kīrtidhavala said to Śrīkaṇṭha: “You stay here, since you have many enemies on Mount Vaitāḍhya now. Not far to the northwest of this very Rākṣasadvīpa, there is Vānaradvīpa, three hundred yojanas long. There are other islands of mine, too, Barbarakūla, Siṃhala, and others, that resemble pieces of heaven that have fallen to earth, my friend. In some one of them, establish your capital and stay with me in comfort, not separated because of the close proximity. [...]”.
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
Source: Wisdom Library: India HistorySiṃhala (सिंहल) is the name of a country included within Dakṣiṇapatha which was situated ahead of Māhiṣmatī according to Rājaśekhara (fl. 10th century) in his Kāvyamīmāṃsā (chapter 17). Dakṣiṇāpatha is a place-name ending is patha mentioned in the Gupta inscriptions. The Gupta empire (r. 3rd-century CE), founded by Śrī Gupta, covered much of ancient India and embraced the Dharmic religions such as Hinduism, Buddhism and Jainism.
Source: What is India: Inscriptions of the ŚilāhārasSiṃhala (सिंहल) refers to a locality mentioned in the Khārepāṭaṇ plates of Raṭṭarāja (śaka year 930).—Siṃhala has already been identified with the Gōa. In line 22 the present record describes this Śilāra family as the foremost royal family of Siṃhala. The Dagāṃve inscription describes the conquest of Goā by the Kadamba king Jayakeśin as having occurred after the defeat of the king of Laṅkā. This shows that the Goā island was known as Laṅkā or Siṃhala. There are other references also supporting this identification. So the Śilāhāras of South Kōṅkaṇ probably had their original home in the Goā territory.
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
Marathi-English dictionary
Source: DDSA: The Molesworth Marathi and English Dictionarysiṃhala (सिंहल) [or सिंहलद्वीप, siṃhaladvīpa].—n (S) siṃhalā f (S) The island of Ceylon.
Source: DDSA: The Aryabhusan school dictionary, Marathi-Englishsiṃhala (सिंहल).—n The island of Ceylon.
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
Source: DDSA: The practical Sanskrit-English dictionarySiṃhala (सिंहल).—[siṃho'styasya lac]
1) Tin.
2) Brass.
3) Bark, rind.
4) The island or country of Ceylon (oft in pl.); सिंहलेभ्यः प्रत्यागच्छता (siṃhalebhyaḥ pratyāgacchatā); सिंहलेश्वरदुहितुः फलकासाधनम् (siṃhaleśvaraduhituḥ phalakāsādhanam) Ratnāvalī 1.
-lāḥ (m. pl.) The people of Ceylon.
-dvīpaḥ the island of Ceylon.
-sthā a species of pepper.
Derivable forms: siṃhalam (सिंहलम्).
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Edgerton Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit DictionarySiṃhala (सिंहल).—(1) also °laka, °la-rāja, name of a son of the merchant Siṃha 6, and an incarnation of Śākyamuni: °la Divyāvadāna 523.23 ff.; Rāṣṭrapālaparipṛcchā 23.14; °laka Divyāvadāna 524.21 (prose; no perceptible meaning in -ka); °la-rāja Kāraṇḍavvūha 52.21; (2) name of a nāga king: Mahā-Māyūrī 247.37.
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Shabda-Sagara Sanskrit-English DictionarySiṃhala (सिंहल).—n.
(-laṃ) 1. Tin. 2. Brass. 3. Cassia bark. m.
(-laḥ) Ceylon. E. siṃha a lion, &c., lā to give or get, aff. ka .
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Benfey Sanskrit-English DictionarySiṃhala (सिंहल).—[siṃha + la], I. n. 1. Tin. 2. Brass. 3. Cassia bark. Ii. n., and f. lā, Ceylon, [Hitopadeśa] 63, 10 (la).
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Cappeller Sanskrit-English DictionarySiṃhala (सिंहल).—[masculine] [plural] the people of Ceylon; sgl. the island itself.
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary1) Siṃhala (सिंहल):—[from siṃha] m. the island of Ceylon (perhaps so called as once abounding in lions), [Bhāgavata-purāṇa; Rājataraṅgiṇī] etc.
2) [v.s. ...] Name of a man, [Buddhist literature]
3) [v.s. ...] [plural] the people of C°, [Atharva-veda.Pariś.; Mahābhārata; Varāha-mihira’s Bṛhat-saṃhitā] etc.
4) Siṃhalā (सिंहला):—[from siṃhala > siṃha] f. the island of C° (See sthāna)
5) Siṃhala (सिंहल):—[from siṃha] n. idem, [Horace H. Wilson]
6) [v.s. ...] tin, [cf. Lexicographers, esp. such as amarasiṃha, halāyudha, hemacandra, etc.]
7) [v.s. ...] brass (more correctly siṃhalaka), [cf. Lexicographers, esp. such as amarasiṃha, halāyudha, hemacandra, etc.]
8) [v.s. ...] bark, rind, [Monier-Williams’ Sanskrit-English Dictionary]
9) [v.s. ...] Cassia bark (more correctly saiṃhala), [cf. Lexicographers, esp. such as amarasiṃha, halāyudha, hemacandra, etc.]
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Yates Sanskrit-English DictionarySiṃhala (सिंहल):—(laṃ) 1. n. Tin, brass; cassia bark. n. and 1. f. (lā) Ceylon.
Source: DDSA: Paia-sadda-mahannavo; a comprehensive Prakrit Hindi dictionary (S)Siṃhala (सिंहल) in the Sanskrit language is related to the Prakrit word: Siṃhala.
[Sanskrit to German]
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
Source: DDSA: A practical Hindi-English dictionarySiṃhala (सिंहल) [Also spelled sinhal]:—(nm) an ancient name for Ceylon; also ~[dvīpa].
...
Prakrit-English dictionary
Source: DDSA: Paia-sadda-mahannavo; a comprehensive Prakrit Hindi dictionarySiṃhala (सिंहल) in the Prakrit language is related to the Sanskrit word: Siṃhala.
Prakrit is an ancient language closely associated with both Pali and Sanskrit. Jain literature is often composed in this language or sub-dialects, such as the Agamas and their commentaries which are written in Ardhamagadhi and Maharashtri Prakrit. The earliest extant texts can be dated to as early as the 4th century BCE although core portions might be older.
Kannada-English dictionary
Source: Alar: Kannada-English corpusSiṃhala (ಸಿಂಹಲ):—[noun] = ಸಿಂಹಳ [simhala].
--- OR ---
Siṃhaḷa (ಸಿಂಹಳ):—
1) [noun] the island country off the southeast tip of India, which became independent and a republic since 1972; Sri Lanka.
2) [noun] the people of this nation; Sinhalese.
3) [noun] a member of them; a Sinhalese.
Kannada is a Dravidian language (as opposed to the Indo-European language family) mainly spoken in the southwestern region of India.
See also (Relevant definitions)
Starts with: Simhaladvipa, Simhalagna, Simhalahippali, Simhalaka, Simhalalata, Simhalam, Simhalamba, Simhalangada, Simhalapippali, Simhalaraja, Simhalasimha, Simhalastha, Simhalasthana, Simhalasuta, Simhalata.
Full-text (+20): Simhalasthana, Simhaladvipa, Saimhala, Simhalastha, Simhalam, Simhalaraja, Cinkavalai, Cinkalavan, Tatanka, Ashtopadvipa, Aryadeva, Kauleya, Sinhal, Siphala, Virasena, Indumati, Lanka, Rakshasidvipa, Ashtopadvipani, Simhaka.
Relevant text
Search found 32 books and stories containing Simhala, Siṃhala, Siṃhalā, Siṃhaḷa, Simhaḷa; (plurals include: Simhalas, Siṃhalas, Siṃhalās, Siṃhaḷas, Simhaḷas). You can also click to the full overview containing English textual excerpts. Below are direct links for the most relevant articles:
Kavyamimamsa of Rajasekhara (Study) (by Debabrata Barai)
Part 8.3 - Rājaśekhara’s concepts of Bhāratavarṣa (undivided india) < [Chapter 5 - Analyasis and Interpretations of the Kāvyamīmāṃsā]
Part 8.5 - Region of Dakṣiṇāpatha (southern part) < [Chapter 5 - Analyasis and Interpretations of the Kāvyamīmāṃsā]
Appendix 2 - Identification of Geographical names mentioned in the Kāvyamīmāṃsā
Buddhist records of the Western world (Xuanzang) (by Samuel Beal)
Chapter 1 - Country of Sang-kia-lo (Simhala) < [Book XI - Twenty-three Countries]
Chapter 9 - Country of U-ch’a (Udra) < [Book X - Seventeen Countries]
Chapter 9 - Country of Su-lo-k’in-na (Srughna) < [Book IV - Fifteen Countries]
The backdrop of the Srikanthacarita and the Mankhakosa (by Dhrubajit Sarma)
Part 8a - Countries and cities (found in the Śrīkaṇṭhacarita) < [Chapter IV - Socio-cultural study of the Śrīkaṇṭhacarita]
Trishashti Shalaka Purusha Caritra (by Helen M. Johnson)
Part 4: Marriage with Lakṣmaṇā < [Chapter VI - Marriage of Kṛṣṇa with Rukmiṇī and others]
Part 2: Story of Bandhudatta < [Chapter IV - The wandering and emancipation of Pārśvanātha]
Part 7: Refusal to marry < [Chapter II - Vāsupūjyacaritra]
The travels of Fa-Hian (400 A.D.) (by Samuel Beal)
The Brahma Purana (by G. P. Bhatt)