Vanavasa, Vanavāsa, Vānavāsa, Vana-vasa: 14 definitions
Introduction:
Vanavasa means something in Buddhism, Pali, Hinduism, Sanskrit, Jainism, Prakrit, Marathi. 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.
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In Hinduism
Purana and Itihasa (epic history)
Source: archive.org: Shiva Purana - English TranslationVanavāsa (वनवास) refers to the “life in the forest”, according to the Śivapurāṇa 2.3.27 (“Description of the fraudulent words of the Brahmacārin”).—Accordingly, as Śiva (in guise of a Brahmacārin) said to Pārvatī: “[...] Handing over a gold coin you wish to buy a piece of glass. Setting aside the pure sandal paste you wish to smear mud over your body. Unmindful of the sunlight you wish to have the light of the glow worm. Throwing away the fine China silk you wish to wear the hide. Discarding the life at home (gṛhavāsa) you yearn for a life in the forest (vanavāsa), O madam, throwing away excellent treasure you wish a piece of iron in return? [...]”.
Source: valmikiramayan.net: Srimad Valmiki RamayanaVanavāsa (वनवास) refers to one who “stays in a forest”, according to the Rāmāyaṇa chapter 2.29. Accordingly:—“[...] Sītā was distressed to hear these words of Rāma and spoke these words slowly, with her face with tears: ‘[...] Oh Rāma the man of great strength! Ever since I heard this word from Brāhmaṇas who can interpret marks on the body, I was always eager to stay in a forest (vanavāsa). Oh, Rāma the beloved! That prediction of dwelling in the forest (vanavāsa) is to be realised by me. I must accordingly accompany you to the forest, it cannot be otherwise’”.
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
Theravada (major branch of Buddhism)
Source: Pali Kanon: Pali Proper NamesA district, probably Northern Kanara, in South India. After the Third Council, Rakkhita Thera was sent there to convert the people, and he preached the Anamatagga Samyutta poised in mid air. It is said that sixty thousand persons embraced the faith, thirty seven thousand joined the Order, while fifty viharas were established in the country.
Mhv.xii.4, 30f.; Sp.i.63 66; Dpv.viii.6. The Vanavasi are mentioned in the Mahabharata (6. 366) and the Harivamsa (5232) as a people of S. India. The Sas (p.12) also mentions a county called Vanavasi, which, however, is the country round Prome in Lower Burma.
Theravāda is a major branch of Buddhism having the the Pali canon (tipitaka) as their canonical literature, which includes the vinaya-pitaka (monastic rules), the sutta-pitaka (Buddhist sermons) and the abhidhamma-pitaka (philosophy and psychology).
In Jainism
General definition (in Jainism)
Source: archive.org: TrisastisalakapurusacaritraVānavāsa (वानवास) is the name of an ancient kingdom, according to chapter 4.2 [vāsupūjya-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, as Vasupūjya and Jayā spoke to Vāsupūjya:—“All the existing kings, among men and the Vidyādharas, who are of good family, capable, heroic, wealthy, famous, possessing the fourfold army, known for guarding their subjects, free from blemish, faithful to engagements, always devoted to dharma, in Madhyadeśa, Vatsadeśa, [...] and other countries which are the ornaments of the eastern quarter; [... in the Vānavāsas, ...] these now, son, beg us constantly through messengers, who are sent bearing valuable gifts, to give their daughters to you. [...]”.
Source: academia.edu: Tessitori Collection IVanavāsa (वनवास) refers to “living in the forest”, according to the Candanamalayāgarīcaupaī by Bhadrasena (dealing with the lives of Jain teachers), which is included in the collection of manuscripts at the ‘Vincenzo Joppi’ library, collected by Luigi Pio Tessitori during his visit to Rajasthan between 1914 and 1919.—Accordingly, “King Candana and his wife Malayāgarī (various spellings) lived happily in Kusumapura with their two young sons Sāgara and Nīra. One night the family’s deity (kuladevatā) manifested herself to the king, saying that she would always assist him but that he would have to go through a period of difficulties. When the king asked her advice on what to do, she told him that together with his family he should live in a forest (vanavāsa, 1v10) for some time. [...]”.
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
Marathi-English dictionary
Source: DDSA: The Molesworth Marathi and English Dictionaryvanavāsa (वनवास).—m (S) Dwelling in a forest or wood. 2 A wild, wandering, unsettled manner of life. va0 āṇaṇēṃ acc. of o. To drive from house and home (through oppressive and harassing treatment); to force to flee to the jungle. vanavāsa is used in the sense of the vulgar corruption yavanāsa, Exceeding worry or harass.
Source: DDSA: The Aryabhusan school dictionary, Marathi-Englishvanavāsa (वनवास).—m Dwelling in a forest. A wild, wandering, unsettled manner of life. व?B āṇaṇēṃ Force to flee to the jungle; drive from home.
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vāṇavasā (वाणवसा).—m A general term for the vows and religious obligations imposed upon themselves by women.
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 dictionaryVanavāsa (वनवास).—
1) living in a wood, residence in a forest; अनुमतगमना शकुन्तला तरुभिरियं वनवास- बन्धुभिः (anumatagamanā śakuntalā tarubhiriyaṃ vanavāsa- bandhubhiḥ) Ś.4.1.
2) a wild or nomadic life.
3) a forestdweller, a forester.
Derivable forms: vanavāsaḥ (वनवासः).
Vanavāsa is a Sanskrit compound consisting of the terms vana and vāsa (वास).
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Shabda-Sagara Sanskrit-English DictionaryVanavāsa (वनवास).—m.
(-saḥ) Living in the woods, as a hermit, &c. E. vana, vāsa abode.
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Cappeller Sanskrit-English DictionaryVanavāsa (वनवास).—1. [masculine] forest-life.
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Vanavāsa (वनवास).—2. [adjective] & [masculine] = seq.
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary1) Vanavāsa (वनवास):—[=vana-vāsa] [from vana > van] m. dwelling or residence in a forest, wandering habits, [Rāmāyaṇa; Kāmandakīya-nītisāra; Mārkaṇḍeya-purāṇa]
2) [v.s. ...] Name of a country, [Catalogue(s)]
3) [v.s. ...] mfn. residing in a f°, wood-dweller, [Śakuntalā]
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Yates Sanskrit-English DictionaryVanavāsa (वनवास):—[vana-vāsa] (saḥ) 1. m. Living in a wood.
[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.
Kannada-English dictionary
Source: Alar: Kannada-English corpusVanavāsa (ವನವಾಸ):—
1) [noun] = ವನವಾಸಿ [vanavasi]2.
2) [noun] a living in a forest.
3) [noun] a man living in a forest (as hunters).
4) [noun] a miserable, wretched life.
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)
Partial matches: Vana, Vasa, Vaca.
Starts with: Vanavacam, Vanavacanam, Vanavasaja, Vanavasaka, Vanavasana, Vanavasatha, Vanavasavana.
Ends with: Bhuvanavasa, Jivanavasa, Vaishravanavasa.
Full-text (+2): Vanavacam, Vanavamsa, Vanavasin, Vanvaas, Yavanasa, Udahrita, Vanavasaka, Aryaputra, Nira, Malayagari, Grihavasa, Kusumapura, Kuladevata, Samyutta Nikaya, Candana, Rakkhita, Sagara, Candagutta, Mahodaya, Spriha.
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Search found 10 books and stories containing Vanavasa, Vanavāsa, Vana-vāsa, Vāṇavasā, Vānavāsa, Vana-vasa; (plurals include: Vanavasas, Vanavāsas, vāsas, Vāṇavasās, Vānavāsas, vasas). You can also click to the full overview containing English textual excerpts. Below are direct links for the most relevant articles:
Mahabharata (English) (by Kisari Mohan Ganguli)
Arjuna-vanavasa Parva < [Book 1 - Adi Parva]
Mahabharata (English Summary) (by Kisari Mohan Ganguli)
Arjuna-vanavasa Parva < [Book 1 - Adi Parva]
Brihad Bhagavatamrita (commentary) (by Śrī Śrīmad Bhaktivedānta Nārāyana Gosvāmī Mahārāja)
Verse 1.5.83 < [Chapter 5 - Priya (the beloved devotees)]
Verse 2.4.149-150 < [Chapter 4 - Vaikuṇṭha (the spiritual world)]
Puranic encyclopaedia (by Vettam Mani)
Trishashti Shalaka Purusha Caritra (by Helen M. Johnson)
Part 7: Refusal to marry < [Chapter II - Vāsupūjyacaritra]
Mahavamsa (by Wilhelm Geiger)