Vasumati, Vasumatī: 19 definitions

Introduction
Image gallery
In Hinduism
1. Purana
2. Kavya
3. Ayurveda
4. Vastushastra
5. Pancaratra
In Buddhism
1. Tibetan Buddhism
In Jainism
1. General definition
India history
Languages
1. Pali
2. Marathi
3. Sanskrit
4. Kannada
See also

Introduction:

Vasumati means something in Buddhism, Pali, Hinduism, Sanskrit, Jainism, Prakrit, the history of ancient India, 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.

Images (photo gallery)

In Hinduism

Purana and Itihasa (epic history)

Source: Wisdom Library: Varāha-purāṇa

Vasumatī (वसुमती) is the name of a river mentioned in a list of rivers, flowing from the five great mountains (Śailavarṇa, Mālākhya, Korajaska, Triparṇa and Nīla), according to the Varāhapurāṇa chapter 82. Those who drink the waters of these rivers live for ten thousand years and become devotees of Rudra and Umā.

One of the five mountains situated near Bhadrāśva, according to the Varāhapurāṇa chapter 82. The Varāhapurāṇa is categorised as a Mahāpurāṇa, a type of Sanskrit literature preserving ancient India’s vast cultural history, instructions for religious ceremonies and a whole range of topics concerning the various arts and sciences. The original text is said to have been composed of 24,000 metrical verses, possibly originating from before the 10th century.

Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: The Purana Index

1a) Vasumatī (वसुमती).—(River) a river of the Bhadrā country.^*

* Vāyu-purāṇa 43. 27.

1b) A daughter of the Vāleya Gandharvas; originator of Vasumati Suta gaṇa.^*

* Vāyu-purāṇa 69. 21.

1c) Earth.^*

* Vāyu-purāṇa 97. 16.

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.

Kavya (poetry)

Source: Wisdom Library: Kathāsaritsāgara

Vasumatī (वसुमती) is the wife of Śūradatta: a Brāhman from Kānyakubja, according to the Kathāsaritsāgara, chapter 68. Accordingly as Lalitalocanā said to Naravāhanadatta: “... and he [Śūradatta] had a devoted wife, named Vasumatī, and by her he begot a handsome son, named Vāmadatta”.

The Kathāsaritsāgara (‘ocean of streams of story’), mentioning Vasumatī, 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: Brill: Śaivism and the Tantric Traditions (kavya)

Vasumatī (वसुमती) refers to the “earth”, according to Kālidāsa’s Raghuvaṃśa verse 8.84.—Accordingly: “So do not think about her death. Those who have been born will surely die. Have regard for this Earth, for the Earth (vasumatī) is the true wife of kings”.

context information

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’.

Ayurveda (science of life)

Nighantu (Synonyms and Characteristics of Drugs and technical terms)

Source: Wisdom Library: Raj Nighantu

Vasumati (वसुमति) refers to “earth” and is mentioned in a list of 53 synonyms for dharaṇi (“earth”), according to the second chapter (dharaṇyādi-varga) of the 13th-century Raj Nighantu or Rājanighaṇṭu (an Ayurvedic encyclopedia). The Dharaṇyādi-varga covers the lands, soil [viz., Vasumati], mountains, jungles and vegetation’s relations between trees and plants and substances, with their various kinds.

context information

Āyurveda (आयुर्वेद, ayurveda) is a branch of Indian science dealing with medicine, herbalism, taxology, anatomy, surgery, alchemy and related topics. Traditional practice of Āyurveda in ancient India dates back to at least the first millenium BC. Literature is commonly written in Sanskrit using various poetic metres.

Vastushastra (architecture)

Source: OpenEdition books: Architectural terms contained in Ajitāgama and Rauravāgama

Vasumatī (वसुमती) refers to “- 1. plinth (thick) §§ 3.3,7. - 2. lower strip (molding) § 3.5.”.—(For paragraphs cf. Les enseignements architecturaux de l'Ajitāgama et du Rauravāgama by Bruno Dagens)

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.

Pancaratra (worship of Nārāyaṇa)

Source: University of Vienna: Sudarśana's Worship at the Royal Court According to the Ahirbudhnyasaṃhitā

Vasumatī (वसुमती) refers to the “earth”, according to the Ahirbudhnyasaṃhitā, belonging to the Pāñcarātra tradition which deals with theology, rituals, iconography, narrative mythology and others.—Accordingly, “An abnormal modification caused by a aggressive ritual against Kings, occurring at the improper time, dreadful and all-reaching, is characterized by the these signs: [...] the earth (vasumatī) produces less grains and multitudes of cows fall dead; his kingdom suffers again and again from droughts; the Earth-Master’s Queens are seized by serious illness; snakes and ants appear in the palace, at the main gate and in the pavilion; [...] from such and other signs he should understand that the enemy is performing a aggressive ritual”.

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.

In Buddhism

Tibetan Buddhism (Vajrayana or tantric Buddhism)

Source: Wisdom Library: Tibetan Buddhism

1) Vasumatī (वसुमती) is the name of a Yakṣiṇī mentioned as attending the teachings in the 6th century Mañjuśrīmūlakalpa: one of the largest Kriyā Tantras devoted to Mañjuśrī (the Bodhisattva of wisdom) representing an encyclopedia of knowledge primarily concerned with ritualistic elements in Buddhism. The teachings in this text originate from Mañjuśrī and were taught to and by Buddha Śākyamuni in the presence of a large audience (including Vasumatī).

context information

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: Trisastisalakapurusacaritra

Vasumatī (वसुमती) is the name of a Vidyādhara-city, situated on mount Vaitāḍhya (in the northern row), according to chapter 1.3 [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,

“[...] Taking their families and all their retinue and ascending the best of cars, they went to Vaitāḍhya. [...] Ten yojanas above the earth, King Vinami made at once sixty cities in a northern row at the command of the Nāga-king. [viz., Vasumatī]. Vinami himself, who had resorted to Dharaṇendra, inhabited the city Gaganavallabha, the capital of these. [...] The two rows of Vidyādhara-cities looked very magnificent, as if the Vyantara rows above were reflected below. After making many villages [viz., Vasumatī] and suburbs, they established communities according to the suitability of place. The communities there were called by the same name as the community from which the men had been brought and put there. [...]”.

context information

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: archive.org: Geography in Ancient Indian inscriptions

Vasumatī (वसुमती) is another name of Rājagaha, the ancient name for Rajgir.—Hathīgumpha Inscription of Khāravela mentions the city Rājagaha, modern Rajgir, about fourteen miles south-west of the town of Bihar Sharif in the Bihar sub-division of Patna district.

Source: Ancient Buddhist Texts: Geography of Early Buddhism

Vasumati (वसुमति) is an ancient name for Girivraja or Giribbaja: an ancient capital of Magadha, one of the sixteen Mahājanapadas of the Majjhimadesa (Middle Country) of ancient India, as recorded in the Pāli Buddhist texts (detailing the geography of ancient India as it was known in to Early Buddhism).—Early Pāli literature abounds in information about the Magadha country, its people, and its ancient capital Giribbaja. Magadha roughly corresponds to the modern Patna and Gayā districts of Bihar. Its earliest capital was Girivraja, or old Rājagriha, near Rājgir among the hills near Gayā. Giribbaja seems to have other and perhaps older names. The Rāmāyaṇa tells us that the city was known by the name of Vasumati.

context information

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

Pali-English dictionary

Source: BuddhaSasana: Concise Pali-English Dictionary

vasumatī : (f.) the earth.

context information

Pali is the language of the Tipiṭaka, which is the sacred canon of Theravāda Buddhism and contains much of the Buddha’s speech. Closeley related to Sanskrit, both languages are used interchangeably between religions.

Marathi-English dictionary

Source: DDSA: The Aryabhusan school dictionary, Marathi-English

vasumatī (वसुमती).—f The earth.

context information

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: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Edgerton Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit Dictionary

Vasumati (वसुमति).—name of the mother of the Buddha Viraja (2): °tiḥ, n. sg., Laṅkāvatāra-sūtra 364.13 (verse).

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

1) Vasumatī (वसुमती):—[=vasu-matī] [from vasu-mat > vasu > vas] a f. (atī) See below

2) Vasumati (वसुमति):—[=vasu-mati] [from vasu > vas] m. Name of a Brāhman, [Kathāsaritsāgara]

3) Vasumatī (वसुमती):—[=vasu-matī] [from vasu > vas] b f. (of -mat) the earth

4) [v.s. ...] a country, kingdom, region, [Mahābhārata; Kāvya literature] etc.

5) [v.s. ...] the ground, [Kāvya literature]

6) [v.s. ...] Name of two kinds of metre, [Kedāra’s Vṛtti-ratnākara; Colebrooke]

7) [v.s. ...] Name of various women, [Śakuntalā; Kathāsaritsāgara]

8) Vasūmatī (वसूमती):—[=vasū-matī] [from vasu > vas] ([metri causa] vasu-m) f. a rich or wealthy woman, [Harivaṃśa]

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

Vasumatī (वसुमती):—[vasu-matī] (tī) 3. f. The earth.

Source: DDSA: Paia-sadda-mahannavo; a comprehensive Prakrit Hindi dictionary (S)

Vasumatī (वसुमती) in the Sanskrit language is related to the Prakrit words: Vasumai, Vasumaī.

[Sanskrit to German]

Vasumati 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.

Kannada-English dictionary

Source: Alar: Kannada-English corpus

Vasumati (ವಸುಮತಿ):—

1) [noun] = ವಸುಧೆ - [vasudhe -] 1 & 2.

2) [noun] a wealthy woman.

3) [noun] people, in gen. of a nation.

context information

Kannada is a Dravidian language (as opposed to the Indo-European language family) mainly spoken in the southwestern region of India.

Relevant text

Search found 30 books and stories containing Vasumati, Vasu-mati, Vasu-matī, Vasū-matī, Vasumatī, Vasūmatī; (plurals include: Vasumatis, matis, matīs, Vasumatīs, Vasūmatīs). You can also click to the full overview containing English textual excerpts. Below are direct links for the most relevant articles:

11. Other Dramas describing Kerala history < [Chapter 5 - Sanskrit Dramas and Campus bearing on Kerala History]

10. Vasulaksmikalyana by Venkata Subrahmanya Dhavarin < [Chapter 5 - Sanskrit Dramas and Campus bearing on Kerala History]

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Verse 8.13.9 < [Chapter 13 - A Thousand Names of Lord Balarāma]

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Rig Veda 3.30.11 < [Sukta 30]

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Preface

Position of Purāṇas in the Sanskrit Literature < [Chapter 1 - An Introduction of the Purāṇas]

Geographical History in the Purāṇs < [Chapter 3 - Historical elements in the Mahā-Purāṇas]

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Acknowledgement