Viraketu, Vīraketu: 4 definitions
Introduction:
Viraketu 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
Purana and Itihasa (epic history)
Source: archive.org: Puranic Encyclopedia1) Vīraketu (वीरकेतु).—A son of the King Drupada of Pāñcāla. In the battle of Kurukṣetra, Vīraketu confronted Droṇa and was killed by Droṇa. (Mahābhārata Droṇa Parva, Chapter 122, Stanza 33).
2) Vīraketu (वीरकेतु).—A King of Ayodhyā.
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: KathāsaritsāgaraVīraketu (वीरकेतु) is the name of an ancient king from Ayodhyā, as mentioned in the thirteenth story of the Vetālapañcaviṃśati in the Kathāsaritsāgara, chapter 88. Accordingly, “... in it [Ayodhyā] there lived a mighty king, of the name of Vīraketu, who defended this earth, as a rampart defends a city. During the reign of that king there lived in that city a great merchant, named Ratnadatta, who was the head of the mercantile community”.
The story of Vīraketu is mentioned in the Vetālapañcaviṃśati (twenty-five tales of a vetāla) which is embedded in the twelfth book of the Kathāsaritsāgara (‘ocean of streams of story’). The main book is a famous Sanskrit epic detailing the exploits of prince Naravāhanadatta in his quest to become the emperor of the vidyādharas (celestial beings). The Kathā-sarit-sāgara is is explained to be an adaptation of Guṇāḍhya’s Bṛhatkathā which consisted of 100,000 verses and in turn forms part of an even larger work containing 700,000 verses.
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’.
Languages of India and abroad
Sanskrit dictionary
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary1) Vīraketu (वीरकेतु):—[=vīra-ketu] [from vīra > vīr] m. Name of a man with the [patronymic] Pāñcāla-putra, [Mahābhārata]
2) [v.s. ...] of a king of Ayodhyā, [Kathāsaritsāgara]
3) [v.s. ...] of a king of Pāṭalī, [Daśakumāra-carita]
[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.
See also (Relevant definitions)
Full-text: Vamalocana, Citravarma, Sudhanus, Nandayanti, Ratnadatta, Sudhanva.
Relevant text
Search found 5 books and stories containing Viraketu, Vīraketu, Vira-ketu, Vīra-ketu; (plurals include: Viraketus, Vīraketus, ketus). You can also click to the full overview containing English textual excerpts. Below are direct links for the most relevant articles:
The Skanda Purana (by G. V. Tagare)
Chapter 73 - Karabheśvara (karabha-īśvara-liṅga) < [Section 2 - Caturaśīti-liṅga-māhātmya]
Kathasaritsagara (the Ocean of Story) (by Somadeva)
Chapter LXXXVIII < [Book XII - Śaśāṅkavatī]
Vetāla 14: The Merchant’s Daughter who fell in love with a Thief < [Appendix 6.1 - The Twenty-five Tales of a Vetāla]
Mahabharata (English) (by Kisari Mohan Ganguli)
Section CXXI < [Jayadratha-Vadha Parva]
Chapter 7 - Satyaki Follows the Path of Arjuna < [Drona Parva]
Puranic encyclopaedia (by Vettam Mani)