Suradevi, Surādevī: 5 definitions
Introduction:
Suradevi means something in Buddhism, Pali, 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
Purana and Itihasa (epic history)
Source: archive.org: Puranic EncyclopediaSurādevī (सुरादेवी).—(VĀRUṆĪ). A daughter of Varuṇa born of Devī, his brother’s wife. She was the apple of the eye to the Devas. She is the presiding Devatā over liquor She lives in the court of Brahmā worshipping him. (Sabhā Parva, Chapter 11, Verse 42; Ādi Parva, Chapter 18, Verse 35 and Chapter 66, Verse 52).
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: The Purana IndexSurādevī (सुरादेवी).—Issued from the milk ocean when it was churned.*
- * Matsya-purāṇa 250. 3.
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.
In Buddhism
Tibetan Buddhism (Vajrayana or tantric Buddhism)
Source: OSU Press: Cakrasamvara SamadhiSurādevī (सुरादेवी) refers to the “goddess of liquor”, according to the Vāruṇī Pūjā [i.e., Varuni Worship] ritual often performed in combination with the Cakrasaṃvara Samādhi, which refers to the primary pūjā and sādhanā practice of Newah Mahāyāna-Vajrayāna Buddhists in Nepal.—Accordingly, “Oṃ in the mandala a passion called vajra, a milky ocean of the fluid Kha, By the idea of churning in ambrosia, in the beautiful ocean of sucking milk, In that arises the goddess of liquor (surādevī), a beautiful pleasurable virgin, The same color as the rising sun, equally splendid as red lacquer”.
Tibetan Buddhism includes schools such as Nyingma, Kadampa, Kagyu and Gelug. Their primary canon of literature is divided in two broad categories: The Kangyur, which consists of Buddha’s words, and the Tengyur, which includes commentaries from various sources. Esotericism and tantra techniques (vajrayāna) are collected indepently.
In Jainism
General definition (in Jainism)
Source: archive.org: TrisastisalakapurusacaritraSurādevī (सुरादेवी) refers to one of the eight Dikkumārīs living on the western Rucaka mountains (in the Rucakadvīpa continent), according to chapter 1.2 [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,
“[...] Eight Dikkumārīs [viz., Surādevī] also, living on the west Rucaka Mountains, came in haste, as if outstripping each other from devotion. Having bowed to the Jina and the Jina’s mother and having announced themselves as before, they stood behind, holding palm-leaf fans, singing. [...].”.
Note: In the continent Rucakadvīpa is a circular mountain-ranges Rucaka. On this in the four directions are 4 temples, and on both sides of each temple are 4 mountain peaks, making 8 peaks in each direction. Each peak is inhabited by a Dikkumārī [viz., Surādevī].—(cf. ‘Die Kosmographie der Inder’ pp. 257f).
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: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Edgerton Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit DictionarySurādevī (सुरादेवी).—name of a devakumārikā in the northern quarter: Mahāvastu iii.309.8 = Lalitavistara 391.3.
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: Sura, Devi, Cura, Tevi.
Starts with: Suradevin.
Relevant text
Search found 3 books and stories containing Suradevi, Sura-devi, Surā-devī, Surādevī; (plurals include: Suradevis, devis, devīs, Surādevīs). 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)
Part 7: Birth-rites performed by Dikkumārīs < [Chapter II - Birth of Ajita and Sagara]
Part 4: Birth ceremonies of Ṛṣabha < [Chapter II]
Mahavastu (great story) (by J. J. Jones)
The Legend of the Churning of the Ocean (in the Epics and the Puranas) < [Purana, Volume 9, Part 1 (1967)]