Vairaja, Vairāja, Vairājā: 12 definitions

Introduction:

Vairaja means something in Hinduism, Sanskrit. 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

Vastushastra (architecture)

Source: Wisdom Library: Vāstu-śāstra

1) Vairāja (वैराज):—The Sanskrit name for one of the five Vimānas created by Brahmā, the great Creator, in the hoary past for gods. They were for travelling in the air, beautiful to look at, colossal in shape, made of gold and studded with gems. Vairāja was to be used by Brahmā himself. Vimānas represent the ‘aerial chariots’ of the gods, but also refers to seven-storey palaces. It is described in the 11th-century Samarāṅgaṇasūtradhāra (49.3) by Bhojadeva. Accordingly, “Vairāja may be a square shaped”. It is from the self-same five shapes of Vimānas that later on, Brahmā created the Prāsāda.

The Vairāja type of Vimāna exhibits twenty-four different temples:

  1. Rucaka,
  2. Citrakūṭa,
  3. Siṃhapañjara,
  4. Bhadra,
  5. Śrīkūṭa,
  6. Uṣṇīṣa,
  7. Śālākṣa,
  8. Gajayūthapa,
  9. Nandyāvartta,
  10. Avataṃsāhva,
  11. Svastika,
  12. Kṣitibhūṣaṇa,
  13. Bhūjaya,
  14. Vijaya,
  15. Nandī,
  16. Śrītaru,
  17. Pramadāpriya, 
  18. Vyāmiśra,
  19. Hastijātīya,
  20. Kubera,
  21. Vasudhadhara,
  22. Sarvabhadra,
  23. Vimāna,
  24. Muktakoṇa.

These are the names of 24 out of a total of 64 temples (prāsāda) mentioned in same chapter.

2) Vairāja (वैराज):—The name of a group of temple classifications, comprising 9 square-shaped temple categories, according to the 8th-century Agnipurāṇa. The Vairāja group is one of the five groups mentioned in the purāṇa, and represents the North-Indian classification of temples.

  1. Meru,
  2. Mandara,
  3. Vimāna,
  4. Nandivardhana,
  5. Nandana,
  6. Sarvatobhadra,
  7. Bhadra,
  8. Rucaka,
  9. Śrīvatsa.
Vastushastra book cover
context information

Vastushastra (वास्तुशास्त्र, vāstuśāstra) refers to the ancient Indian science (shastra) of architecture (vastu), dealing with topics such architecture, sculpture, town-building, fort building and various other constructions. Vastu also deals with the philosophy of the architectural relation with the cosmic universe.

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Purana and Itihasa (epic history)

Source: archive.org: Puranic Encyclopedia

Vairāja (वैराज).—One of the Sapta Pitṛs (Seven Manes). The Sapta Pitṛs are, Vairāja, Agniṣvātta, Somapā; Gārhapatya, Ekaśṛṅga, Caturveda and Kala. (Mahābhārata Sabhā Parva, Chapter 11, Stanza 46).

Source: Red Zambala: Śrīmad Bhāgavatam | Canto 5 Chapter 20

The sun-god is also known as Vairāja, the total material body for all living entities. Because he entered this dull egg of the universe at the time of creation, he is also called Mārtaṇḍa. He is also known as Hiraṇyagarbha because he received his material body from Hiraṇyagarbha [Lord Brahmā].

We have information that Vairāja, Hiraṇyagarbha, entered the great, dull, material globe called the sun. This indicates that the theory held by so-called scientists that no one lives there is wrong. Bhagavad-gītā also says that Kṛṣṇa first instructed Bhagavad-gītā to the sun-god (Bhagavadgītā (Bombay) 4.1). Therefore the sun is not vacant. It is inhabited by living entities, and the predominating deity is Vairāja, or Vivasvān.

Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: The Purana Index

1a) Vairāja (वैराज).—Father of Ajita Hari;1 a Lokapāla.2

  • 1) Bhāgavata-purāṇa VIII. 5. 9.
  • 2) Brahmāṇḍa-purāṇa II. 21. 157; Vāyu-purāṇa 50. 206.

1b) A Prajāpati, whose Pitṛs are formless.*

  • * Matsya-purāṇa 13. 3.

1c) Same as Sudhāman;1 a son of Viraja, the lord of Prācidik; a Lokapāla;2 married Śatarūpā whose sons were Priyavrata and Uttānapāda and whose daughters were Ākūtī and Prasūtī;3 grandfather of Cākṣuṣa Manu.4

  • 1) Matsya-purāṇa 124. 95; Brahmāṇḍa-purāṇa II. 11. 14.
  • 2) Vāyu-purāṇa 28. 11.
  • 3) Brahmāṇḍa-purāṇa II. 9. 39.
  • 4) Vāyu-purāṇa 62. 90.

1d) The 27th kalpa;^1 (19th kalpa, Vāyu-purāṇa); the period of Vairāja Manu, son of the Creator.*

  • * Matsya-purāṇa 290. 10; Vāyu-purāṇa 21. 40-2; Brahmāṇḍa-purāṇa IV. 2. 65.

1e) Is Brahmā.*

  • * Vāyu-purāṇa 100. 43.

1f) Father of Nadvalā; a progenitor and father-in-law of sixth Manu.*

  • * Viṣṇu-purāṇa I. 13. 4.

1g) Also a vīrapuruṣa from whom was born Śatarūpā and two sons Priyavrata and Uttānapāda as also two daughters Ākūtī and Prasūtī.*

  • * Vāyu-purāṇa 10. 15-7.

1h) Got by tapas;1 a loka.2

  • 1) Matsya-purāṇa 93. 133; 143. 33; Brahmāṇḍa-purāṇa II. 30. 44; IV. 2. 60.
  • 2) Ib. IV. 2. 141.

1i) The abode of Brahmā.*

  • * Matsya-purāṇa 161. 17.

1j) A metre, creation of.*

  • * Vāyu-purāṇa 9. 52.

2a) Vairājā (वैराजा).—The first gods created by Brahmā to occupy the first worlds by name Samtānakas; among them seven groups are distinguished, three formless and four with form; then earth, rains, food, worship of moon for rice; the formless attain absolution through yoga power;1 the three formless groups are Pitṛs engaged in yoga;2 Ṛbhu and Sanatkumāra come under this class; they attained Brahmaloka or siddhi.3

  • 1) Brahmāṇḍa-purāṇa III. 9. 52-62; Vāyu-purāṇa 71. 52.
  • 2) Brahmāṇḍa-purāṇa III. 10. 4.
  • 3) Ib. IV. 2. 35, 70 ff.

2b) A class of formless Pitṛs: Fallen from Yoga, they attain eternal worlds (lokān sanātanān) and are reborn as Brahmavādins at the end of a day of Brahmā: they then gain their old memory and by sānkhya and yoga they attain final release. Their mind-born daughter Menā is the wife of Himavān.*

  • * Matsya-purāṇa 13. 3-6.

2c) The Brahmans living in the Virajasa world; this is said to be the first Kalpa of the Vairājās.*

  • * Vāyu-purāṇa 72. 4; 101. 61-4.
Purana book cover
context information

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.

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Pancaratra (worship of Nārāyaṇa)

Source: eScholarship: Chapters 1-14 of the Hayasirsa Pancaratra

Vairāja (वैराज) is the abode of Brahmā, as mentioned in the 9th century Hayaśīrṣa-pañcarātra (Ādikāṇḍa chapter 1).—“[...] Formerly, it is told, Virūpākṣa-Maheśvara (i.e., Śiva) with Gaurī (i.e., Pārvatī) questioned the four-faced one (Caturmukha, i.e., Brahmā) who was staying in the above of Vairāja”.

Pancaratra book cover
context information

Pancaratra (पाञ्चरात्र, pāñcarātra) represents a tradition of Hinduism where Narayana is revered and worshipped. Closeley related to Vaishnavism, the Pancaratra literature includes various Agamas and tantras incorporating many Vaishnava philosophies.

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Languages of India and abroad

Sanskrit dictionary

Source: DDSA: The practical Sanskrit-English dictionary

Vairāja (वैराज).—a. (- f.) Belonging to Brahman; वैराजा नाम ते लोकास्तैजसाः सन्तु ते शिवाः (vairājā nāma te lokāstaijasāḥ santu te śivāḥ) Uttararāmacarita 2.12.

-jaḥ Patronymic of Puruśa; वैराजः पुरुषो योऽसौ भगवान् धारणाश्रयः (vairājaḥ puruṣo yo'sau bhagavān dhāraṇāśrayaḥ) Bhāgavata 2. 1.25;11.3.12.

-jam Name of a Sāman; वैराजमृतुषु प्रोतम् (vairājamṛtuṣu protam) Ch. Up.2.16.1.

Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Edgerton Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit Dictionary

Vairāja (वैराज).—m., turquoise: Mahāvyutpatti 5982 (in a list of gems); so Tibetan rdoḥi rgyal po ste gyu, turquoise as the king of gems (implying derivation from vi-rāj-).

Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Benfey Sanskrit-English Dictionary

Vairāja (वैराज).—i. e. virāj + a, adj. or m. (viz. loka), The name of certain worlds, [Uttara Rāmacarita, 2. ed. Calc., 1862.] 41, 14.

Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Cappeller Sanskrit-English Dictionary

Vairāja (वैराज).—[adjective] coming from Virāj or relating to the metre Virāj.

Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary

1) Vairāja (वैराज):—mfn. ([from] 2. vi-rāj) belonging to or derived from Virāj, [Mahābhārata; Harivaṃśa; Bṛhad-āraṇyaka-upaniṣad [Scholiast or Commentator]]

2) belonging or analogous to the metre Virāj, consisting of ten, decasyllabic, [Brāhmaṇa; ???; Ṛgveda-prātiśākhya]

3) relating to or containing the Sāman Vairāja, [Vājasaneyi-saṃhitā; Taittirīya-saṃhitā; Śāṅkhāyana-śrauta-sūtra]

4) belonging to Brahmā, [Uttararāma-carita]

5) m. [patronymic] of Puruṣa, [Harivaṃśa; Bhāgavata-purāṇa]

6) of Manu or of the Manus, [Viṣṇu-purāṇa]

7) of the Vedic Ṛṣi Ṛṣabha, [Monier-Williams’ Sanskrit-English Dictionary]

8) Name of the 27th Kalpa or period of time, [Viṣṇu-purāṇa]

9) of the father of Ajita, [Bhāgavata-purāṇa]

10) [plural] Name of a [particular] class of deities, [Monier-Williams’ Sanskrit-English Dictionary]

11) of a class of Pitṛs, [Mahābhārata; Harivaṃśa; Viṣṇu-purāṇa]

12) of [particular] worlds, [Uttararāma-carita]

13) n. Name of the Virāj metre, [Monier-Williams’ Sanskrit-English Dictionary]

14) of various Sāmans, [Atharva-veda; Vājasaneyi-saṃhitā; Brāhmaṇa etc.]

[Sanskrit to German]

Vairaja in German

context information

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.

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Nepali dictionary

Source: unoes: Nepali-English Dictionary

Vairāja (वैराज):—n. the Supreme God; the God of the gods;

context information

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.

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