Vishnugupta, Viṣṇugupta, Vishnu-gupta: 12 definitions

Introduction
In Hinduism
1. Kavya
In Buddhism
1. Tibetan Buddhism
India history
Languages
1. Sanskrit
See also
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Introduction:

Vishnugupta means something in Buddhism, Pali, 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.

The Sanskrit term Viṣṇugupta can be transliterated into English as Visnugupta or Vishnugupta, using the IAST transliteration scheme (?).

In Hinduism

Kavya (poetry)

Source: Wisdom Library: Kathāsaritsāgara

Viṣṇugupta (विष्णुगुप्त) is the name of a Buddhist mendicant dwelling on the banks of the Veṇī at Jambuvana, according to the Kathāsaritsāgara, chapter 49. Accordingly, as a certain Yakṣiṇī said to Ādityaśarman upon being inquired as how to summon the Yakṣiṇī Sulocanā: “... there is a place called Jambuvana in the south. There is a mendicant there, named Viṣṇugupta, who has made his dwelling on the banks of the Veṇī; he is the best of Buddhist mendicants, and knows the spell at full length”.

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

In Buddhism

Tibetan Buddhism (Vajrayana or tantric Buddhism)

Source: Wisdom Library: Tibetan Buddhist Teachers, Deities and other Spiritual beings

Viṣṇugupta (विष्णुगुप्त) refers to one of the “Twenty-Five Kalkis” (Tibetan: rigs ldan) as well as the “Thirty-two kings of Shambhala”, according to the Tibetan oral recounting and written texts such as the Kalachakra Tantra (kālacakratantra), dealing with the Buddhist conception of the end of the world and time.—The Tibetan mythic land (the kingdom of Shambhala) is a parallel world invisible and inaccessible to common people which is closely related to the teaching about the Wheel of Time (dus 'khor). The seven Dharmarajas and twenty-five Kulikas [e.g., Viṣṇugupta] are the traditional rulers of Shambhala, passing on the reign from father to son.

Viṣṇugupta is also known in Tibetan as (1) Kyabjug Bäpa (2) Khyabjugbelwa [rigs ldan khyab 'jug sbal ba] (3) [khyab 'jug sbal ba] (4) khyab 'jug sbas pa and in Mongolian as: Khaan Chavjügva. His traditional reign is considered to be from 527 to 627 CE.

Source: WikiPedia: Tibetan Buddhism

Viṣṇugupta (विष्णुगुप्त) (in Tibetan: Kyabjug Bäpa) (527–627 CE) refers to the seventh of the twenty-five Kalki kings (of Shambhala) who represents the holders of the Kalachakra (“wheel of time”) teachings of Buddha Shakyamuni.—The king Viṣṇugupta is described as “smiling holder of the trident and rosary”.

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.

India history and geography

Source: archive.org: Personal and geographical names in the Gupta inscriptions

Viṣṇugupta (विष्णुगुप्त) is an example of a Vaiṣṇavite name mentioned in the Gupta inscriptions. Classification of personal names according to deities (e.g., from Vaiṣṇavism) were sometimes used by more than one person and somehow seem to have been popular. The Gupta empire (r. 3rd-century CE), founded by Śrī Gupta, covered much of ancient India and embraced the Dharmic religions such as Hinduism, Buddhism and Jainism. Derivation of personal names (e.g., Viṣṇugupta) during the rule of the Guptas followed patterns such as tribes, places, rivers and mountains.

Source: What is India: Inscriptions of the Śilāhāras

Viṣṇugupta (विष्णुगुप्त) is mentioned as the son of Pūrṇahari in the Kanherī cave inscription of Pullaśakti. These copper plates (mentioning Viṣṇugupta) are incised in the caves at Kānherī near Bombay. The inscription refers itself to the reign of the illustrious Pullaśakti, who meditated on the feet of the illustrious Kapardin. This date (saṃvat 765) must evidently be referred to the Śaka era, in which all the inscriptions of the Śilāhāras are dated. It corresponds to A.D. 843-44. The object of the inscription is to record that Viṣṇugupta, son of Pūrṇahari, made certain grants of money for ( the worship of) the Bhagavat (Buddha), the repairs of the vihāra, the clothing of the monks and the purchase of their (religious) books at Kṛṣṇagiri.

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

Viṣṇugupta (विष्णुगुप्त).—Name of Chāṇakya.

Derivable forms: viṣṇuguptaḥ (विष्णुगुप्तः).

Viṣṇugupta is a Sanskrit compound consisting of the terms viṣṇu and gupta (गुप्त).

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

Viṣṇugupta (विष्णुगुप्त).—m.

(-ptaḥ) The saint Kaundilya. E. viṣṇu, gupta hidden, having been concealed by Vishnu when pursued by Siva, whom he had incensed.

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

Viṣṇugupta (विष्णुगुप्त).—[masculine] [Epithet] of Cāṇakya.

Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Aufrecht Catalogus Catalogorum

1) Viṣṇugupta (विष्णुगुप्त) as mentioned in Aufrecht’s Catalogus Catalogorum:—a pupil of Śaṅkarācārya. Oxf. 248^a.

2) Viṣṇugupta (विष्णुगुप्त):—astronomer. Quoted by Varāhamihira W. p. 239. 255. Oxf. 329^a (Utpala: Cāṇakyāparanāman), by Hemādri in Vratakhaṇḍa 1, 55. 56, in Dānakhaṇḍa 117, by Bhūdhara W. p. 259, by Lakṣmīdāsa Cambr. 54, by Raghunandana in Prāyaścittatattva.

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

1) Viṣṇugupta (विष्णुगुप्त):—[=viṣṇu-gupta] [from viṣṇu] m. ‘hidden by V°’, Name of the Muni Vātsyāyana, [Monier-Williams’ Sanskrit-English Dictionary]

2) [v.s. ...] of the saint Kauṇḍinya (said to have been concealed by Viṣṇu when pursued by Śiva, whom he had incensed), [cf. Lexicographers, esp. such as amarasiṃha, halāyudha, hemacandra, etc.]

3) [v.s. ...] of the minister and sage Cāṇakya, [Kāmandakīya-nītisāra; Varāha-mihira’s Bṛhat-saṃhitā] etc.

4) [v.s. ...] of a follower of Śaṃkarācārya, [Catalogue(s)]

5) [v.s. ...] of an astronomer, [Catalogue(s)]

6) [v.s. ...] of a Buddhist, [Kathāsaritsāgara]

7) [v.s. ...] a species of bulbous plant, [cf. Lexicographers, esp. such as amarasiṃha, halāyudha, hemacandra, etc.]

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

Viṣṇugupta (विष्णुगुप्त):—[viṣṇu-gupta] (ptaḥ) 1. m. The sage Kaundilya.

[Sanskrit to German]

Vishnugupta 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 21 books and stories containing Vishnugupta, Vishnu-gupta, Viṣṇu-gupta, Visnu-gupta, Viṣṇugupta, Visnugupta; (plurals include: Vishnuguptas, guptas, Viṣṇuguptas, Visnuguptas). You can also click to the full overview containing English textual excerpts. Below are direct links for the most relevant articles:

Verse 21.3 < [Chapter 22 - Miscellaneous Yogas]

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