Vikramaditya, Vikramāditya, Vikrama-aditya: 15 definitions

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Introduction:

Vikramaditya means something in Hinduism, Sanskrit, the history of ancient India. 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 Encyclopedia

Vikramāditya (विक्रमादित्य).—Vikramāditya, who is believed to be one of the mighty emperors of Bhārata, was an extraordinarily wise, righteous and valiant ruler. There are several stories in all the languages of India, prevalent everywhere. They are generally called Vikramāditya stories. Vikramāditya was the son of Mahendrāditya, King of Ujjayinī. Mahendrāditya and his wife Saumyadarśanā were in great distress as they were childless. Sumati, the Prime Minister, Vajrāyudha, the army commander, and Mahīdhara, the priest, were as distressed as the royal couple. The King and the queen engaged themselves in fast and prayer.

In the meanwhile, the Devas found life extremely difficult due to the wicked deeds of the barbarians, and they went to Kailāsa and told Rudradeva of their grievances. They said, "Oh! Lord! All the asuras exterminated by yourself and Mahāviṣṇu, are born on the earth as Barbarians. They commit great sins such as killing the Brahmins, obstructing sacrifices carrying away hermit damsels etc. The sacrificial offerings in the sacred fire with Vedic Mantras by Brahmins, is the food of Devas. Because of the troubles caused by the Barbarians in the earth, the sacrifices are hindered and the Devas are in trouble due to lack of food. So a being, mighty and strong enough to exterminate all the Barbarians on the earth, should take incarnation."

Śiva agreed and sent the devas back to their world. Then he called Mālyavān and told him to take birth as the son of Mahendrāditya in the city of Ujjayinī. Śiva added. "You should exterminate all the Barbarians and reinstate rituals and ceremonies. The Yakṣas, Rākṣasas, ghosts etc. will be under your control. You will be an emperor there with divine powers." Accordingly Mālyavān took birth as the son of Mahendrāditya. That infant was Vikramāditya who became a mighty emperor later. (Kathāsaritsāgara, Viṣamaśīlalambaka, Taraṅga 1).

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

1) Vikramāditya (विक्रमादित्य) is the name of an ancient king from Pāṭaliputra that one had an enemy named Narasiṃha, according to the Kathāsaritsāgara, chapter 38. Accordingly, “there was in Pāṭaliputra a king named Vikramāditya; he had two cherished friends, the King Hayapati, and the King Gajapati, who had large armies of horses and elephants. And that proud sovereign had a mighty enemy named Narasiṃha, the lord of Pratiṣṭhāna, a king who had a large force of infantry”.

2) Vikramāditya (विक्रमादित्य) is a portion of Śiva and later incarnated as king Trivikramasena, according to the concluding story of the Vetālapañcaviṃśati in the Kathāsaritsāgara, chapter 99. Accordingly, as Śiva said to king Trivikramasena: “... I originally created thee out of a portion of myself, as Vikramāditya, in order that thou mightest destroy the Asuras, that had become incarnate in the form of Mlecchas. And now thou hast again been created by me as an heroic king of the name of Trivikramasena, in order that thou mightest overcome an audacious evildoer. So thou shalt bring under thy sway the earth with the islands and the realms below, and shalt soon become supreme ruler over the Vidyādharas”.

3) Vikramāditya (विक्रमादित्य) is the son of king Mahendrāditya as well as an incarnation of the Gaṇa named Mālyavat, according to the Kathāsaritsāgara, chapter 120. Accordingly, as Śiva said to king Mahendrāditya: “... I am pleased with thee, King: so a son shall be born to thee, who by his might shall conquer the earth with all its divisions; and that hero shall reduce under his sway the Yakṣas, Rākṣasas, Piśācas and others—even those that move in the air and dwell in Pātāla—and shall slay the hosts of the Mlecchas; for this reason he shall be named Vikramāditya, and also Viṣamaśīla, on account of his stern hostility to his enemies”.

The Kathāsaritsāgara (‘ocean of streams of story’), mentioning Vikramāditya, 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.

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’.

General definition (in Hinduism)

Source: WikiPedia: Hinduism

Vikramāditya (विक्रमादित्य).—The Bhavishya Purana mentions that Vikramaditya ruled Bharatavarsha (India) bounded by Indus river in the west, Badaristhana (Badrinath) in the north, Kapila in the east and Setubandha (Rameshwaram) in the south. A hundred years after his death, many languages and many religions had developed in the 18 kingdoms of the Aryadesha (country of the Aryas). When the outsiders such as the Śakas heard about the destruction of dharma (righteousness, law and order) in Aryadesha, they raided the country by crossing the Indus and the Himalayas. They plundered Aryas and returned to their countries with the wives of the Aryas. Shalivahana, the grandson of Vikramaditya, then subjugated the Śakas and other barbarians. He defined the maryada to distinguish the Aryans from the mlecchas, and established Indus as the border between the Aryan lands and the land of the mlecchas.

India history and geography

Source: Archaeological Survey of India: Śaiva monuments at Paṭṭadakal

1) Vikramāditya I (विक्रमादित्य) (655–680 CE), the favourite son of Pulakeśin II had already some experience of ruling, because he was helping his father Pulikeśin II who bore the title “Parameśvara” after defeating successfully King Harṣavardhana of Kanauj. That means it was a decisive war in which the young prince had participated. On his accession to the throne King Vikramāditya I tried his best to reestablish peace and order in the realm. King Vikramāditya I was succeeded by his son and grandson Vinayāditya and Vijayāditya.

2) Vikramāditya II.—With the rule of Vikramāditya II in A.D. 733-34 to 744-45, once again stars started to shine over the Calukya kingdom. Within a span of ten years, King Vikramāditya II, son of King Vijāditya, achieved even much more than his father and grandfather.

Source: What is India: Inscriptions of the Śilāhāras

Vikramāditya or Vikramādityadeva (fl. 1139 A.D.) is the son of Aparāditya, according to the “Panhāle plates of Vikramāditya”. It seems that Vikramāditya was very dear to Aparāditya, who had appointed him in supercession of his other sons, to govern the southern part of his kingdom with his capital at Praṇālaka in his life-time. So, having made the grant, he asked his son to execute it as the donated village lay in his territory (Praṇālaka-viṣaya).

These copper plates (mentioning Vikramāditya) were found at Panhāle in the Dāpolī-tālukā of the Ratnāgiri District. It records a grant made by Aparāditya for the spiritual welfare of his son, the prince (Kumāra) Vikramāditya. It was made by Aparāditya on the occasion of a lunar eclipse, on Monday, the 15th tithi of the bright fortnight of Āśvina in the expired Śaka year 1061.

Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Indian Epigraphical Glossary

Vikramāditya.—(IE 8-2), see āditya. Note: vikramāditya is defined in the “Indian epigraphical glossary” as it can be found on ancient inscriptions commonly written in Sanskrit, Prakrit or Dravidian languages.

Source: Shodhganga: The significance of the mūla-beras (history)

1) Vikramaditya I (AD 655-681) is the name of a king from the Chalukya Dynasty (AD 543).—The Chalukyas, who succeeded the Vakatakas in the Deccan, were great lovers of art. Vikramaditya I, the Chalukya king, claimed the conquest of Kanchi.

2) Vikramaditya II (AD 733-34-46) invaded Kanchi in c. 740. He entered the city of Kanchi and acquired high merit by restoring much gold to the stone temple Rajasimhesvara and other images of gods. It is said that Narasimhapotavarman built the Rajasimhesvara Temple. Being struck by the beauty of the Pallava temples at Kanchi, Vikramaditya I induced some of the sculptors and architects of the Pallava realm to come to his kingdom.

Source: OpenEdition books: Vividhatīrthakalpaḥ (History)

Vikramāditya (विक्रमादित्य) is the name of an ancient king, as is mentioned in the Vividhatīrthakalpa by Jinaprabhasūri (13th century A.D.): an ancient text devoted to various Jaina holy places (tīrthas).—Accordingly, “Vikramāditya gave by edict to Rsabha 91 villages in the district of Gohrada, Sāṃbadrā, etc., 84 villages in the district of Citrakūta, Vasāda, etc., 84 villages in the district of Ghumtārasī, etc. and 56 villages in the district of Mohaḍavāsaka, Īsaroḍā, etc. and had Kātyāyana, son of the Brahmin Gautama, inscribe a tablet of the law in the year 1, on a Thursday of the clear fortnight of Caitra”.

Note: Vikramāditya is also known as Avantinareśitṛ, Avantipati, Avantīśitr, Mālaveśa and Vikrama.

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

Sanskrit dictionary

Source: DDSA: The practical Sanskrit-English dictionary

Vikramāditya (विक्रमादित्य).—see विक्रम (vikrama).

Derivable forms: vikramādityaḥ (विक्रमादित्यः).

Vikramāditya is a Sanskrit compound consisting of the terms vikrama and āditya (आदित्य). See also (synonyms): vikramārka.

Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Shabda-Sagara Sanskrit-English Dictionary

Vikramāditya (विक्रमादित्य).—m.

(-tyaḥ) The name of a celebrated prince, the sovereign of Ougein, and reputed founder of an æra still in use amongst the Hindus, commencing 56 years before the Christian æra; there are however many princes of this name, and it has been applied to Bho4Ja-Raja, to Salivahana, and Prithvi Raja, as well as to five or six others; the name also occurs variously written, as Vikramaditya, Vikramasena, Vikramasinha, Vikramarka, &c. E. vikrama power, and āditya the sun.

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

Vikramāditya (विक्रमादित्य).—[masculine] [Name] of [several] kings, [especially] of the supposed founder of the Samvat era (56 B.[Causative]).

Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Aufrecht Catalogus Catalogorum

1) Vikramāditya (विक्रमादित्य) as mentioned in Aufrecht’s Catalogus Catalogorum:—a tale. B. 2, 134.

2) Vikramāditya (विक्रमादित्य):—reported to have been a patron of Vararuci (Pattrakaumudī). L. 347.

3) Vikramāditya (विक्रमादित्य):—poet. Śp. p. 85. [Sūktikarṇāmṛta by Śrīdharadāsa] (2 stanzas from Harshacarita). [Subhāshitāvali by Vallabhadeva]

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

1) Vikramāditya (विक्रमादित्य):—[=vi-kramāditya] [from vi-krama > vi-kram] a m. See below

2) [from vi-kram] b m. ‘valour-sun’, Name of a celebrated Hindū king (of Ujjayinī and supposed founder of the [Mālava-] Vikrama era cf. saṃvat, which begins 58 B.C. [but subtract 57-56 from an expired year of the V° era to convert it into A.D.]; he is said to have driven out the Śakas and to have reigned over almost the whole of Northern India; he is represented as a great patron of literature; nine celebrated men are said to have flourished at his court [see nava-ratna], and innumerable legends are related of him all teeming with exaggerations; according to some he fell in a battle with his rival Śāli-vāhana, king of the south country or Deccan, and the legendary date given for his death is Kali-yuga 3044 [which really is the epoch-year of the Vikrama era]; there are, however, other kings called Vikramāditya, and the name has been applied to king Bhoja and even to Śāli-vāhana), [Inscriptions; Kathāsaritsāgara; Vetāla-pañcaviṃśatikā] etc.

3) [v.s. ...] of a poet, [Catalogue(s)] (-kośa m. Name of a dictionary; -caritra n. Name of a poem = vikrama-c; -rāja m. Name of a king)

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

Vikramāditya (विक्रमादित्य):—[vikramā+ditya] (tyaḥ) 1. m. The name of a celebrated king of Oujein.

[Sanskrit to German]

Vikramaditya 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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Search found 43 books and stories containing Vikramaditya, Vi-kramaditya, Vi-kramāditya, Vikrama-aditya, Vikrama-āditya, Vikramāditya; (plurals include: Vikramadityas, kramadityas, kramādityas, adityas, ādityas, Vikramādityas). You can also click to the full overview containing English textual excerpts. Below are direct links for the most relevant articles:

Durvinita and Vikramaditya I < [January, 1928]

The Triple Stream < [December 1943]

Kalidasa the Playwright different from < [July – September, 1999]

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Part 51 - The Telugu Cholas of Hemavati < [Chapter XX - The Telugu Cholas (Chodas)]

Part 3 - Beddana and Bhima (A.D. 1115-1127) < [Chapter XII - The Pallavas]

Part 40 - Tondayaraju (A.D. 1120) < [Chapter XX - The Telugu Cholas (Chodas)]

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Vira Rajendra (a.d. 1062-1070) < [Chapter V - Successors of Rajendra I (a.d. 1018 to 1070)]

The Temple Complex < [Tanjavur/Thanjavur (Rajarajesvaram temple)]

Introduction < [Chapter III - Rajendra I (a.d. 1012 to 1044)]

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