Visvadhara, Visvadhāra, Viśvādhāra, Viśvadharā, Vishvadhara, Vishva-adhara: 9 definitions
Introduction:
Visvadhara means something in Buddhism, Pali, Hinduism, Sanskrit, Hindi. 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 terms Viśvādhāra and Viśvadharā can be transliterated into English as Visvadhara or Vishvadhara, using the IAST transliteration scheme (?).
In Hinduism
Purana and Itihasa (epic history)
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: The Purana IndexVisvadhāra (विस्वधार).—A son of Medhātithi of Śākadvīpa.*
- * Bhāgavata-purāṇa V. 20. 25.
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.
Ayurveda (science of life)
Rasashastra (Alchemy and Herbo-Mineral preparations)
Source: Wisdom Library: Rasa-śāstraViśvadhara (विश्वधर) or Viśvadhararasa is the name of an Ayurvedic recipe defined in the fifth volume of the Rasajalanidhi (chapter 6, Hridroga: heart-diseases). These remedies are classified as Iatrochemistry and form part of the ancient Indian science known as Rasaśāstra (medical alchemy). However, since it is an ayurveda treatment it should be taken with caution and in accordance with rules laid down in the texts.
Accordingly, when using such recipes (e.g., viśvadhara-rasa): “the minerals (uparasa), poisons (viṣa), and other drugs (except herbs), referred to as ingredients of medicines, are to be duly purified and incinerated, as the case may be, in accordance with the processes laid out in the texts.” (see introduction to Iatro chemical medicines)
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.
In Buddhism
Tibetan Buddhism (Vajrayana or tantric Buddhism)
Source: archive.org: The Indian Buddhist IconographyViśvadharā (विश्वधरा) is the (Mortal) Buddhaśakti associated with Viśvabhū: one of the seven mortal Buddhas (mānuṣī) whose names appear last in the list of thirty-two Buddhas in Mahāyāna Buddhism.—The last seven Tathāgatas are well-known, and are designated by the Mahāyānist as Mānuṣī or “Mortal Buddhas”. When represented, the last seven Mortal Buddhas appear all alike; they are of one colour and one form, usually sitting cross-legged,with the right hand disposed in the Bhūmisparśa-mudrā (earth-touching attitute), which is the mudrā peculiar to Akṣobhya. [...] In paintings, the Mortal Buddhas [viz., Viśvabhū and Viśvadharā] have usually a yellow or golden complexion. [...] Sometimes they are represented as standing, in which case the appear under a distinguishing Bodhi Tree and with a distinguishing mudrā.
Viśvadharā and Viśvabhū together bring into existence the (Mortal) Bodhisattva named Ākāśagañja.
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.
Languages of India and abroad
Sanskrit dictionary
Source: DDSA: The practical Sanskrit-English dictionaryViśvādhāra (विश्वाधार).—support of the universe; विश्वाधारं गगनसदृशं मेघवर्णं शुभाङ्गम् (viśvādhāraṃ gaganasadṛśaṃ meghavarṇaṃ śubhāṅgam) Viṣṇustotra.
Derivable forms: viśvādhāraḥ (विश्वाधारः).
Viśvādhāra is a Sanskrit compound consisting of the terms viśva and ādhāra (आधार).
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Aufrecht Catalogus CatalogorumViśvadhara (विश्वधर) as mentioned in Aufrecht’s Catalogus Catalogorum:—father of Harinātha (Kāvyādarśamārjana). Oxf. 206^b.
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary1) Viśvadhara (विश्वधर):—[=viśva-dhara] [from viśva] mfn. Preserving all things (Name of Viṣṇu), [Viṣṇu-smṛti, viṣṇu-sūtra, vaiṣṇava-dharma-śāstra]
2) [v.s. ...] Name of a man, [Catalogue(s)]
3) Viśvadhāra (विश्वधार):—[=viśva-dhāra] [from viśva] m. Name of a son of Medhātithi, [Bhāgavata-purāṇa]
4) [v.s. ...] n. Name of the Varṣa ruled by him, [ib.]
5) Viśvādhāra (विश्वाधार):—[from viśva] m. support of the universe, [Pañcarātra; Rāmatāpanīya-upaniṣad; Hemacandra’s Yoga-śāstra]
[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.
Hindi dictionary
Source: DDSA: A practical Hindi-English dictionaryViśvādhāra (विश्वाधार):—(nm) God—the support and basis of the universe.
...
Kannada-English dictionary
Source: Alar: Kannada-English corpusViśvādhāra (ವಿಶ್ವಾಧಾರ):—[noun] the Supreme Being, who supports the entire universe.
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: Dhara, Vishva, Adhara.
Starts with: Vishvadharana.
Full-text: Bhanu, Kesava, Harinatha, Vallura, Vishvabhu, Akashaganja, Manushi, Kavyadarsha.
Relevant text
Search found 5 books and stories containing Visvadhara, Vishva-adhara, Vishva-dhara, Vishvadhara, Visva-adhara, Viśva-ādhāra, Viśva-dhara, Visva-dhara, Viśva-dhāra, Visvadhāra, Viśvādhāra, Viśvadharā, Viśvadhara, Viśvadhāra; (plurals include: Visvadharas, adharas, dharas, Vishvadharas, ādhāras, dhāras, Visvadhāras, Viśvādhāras, Viśvadharās, Viśvadharas, Viśvadhāras). You can also click to the full overview containing English textual excerpts. Below are direct links for the most relevant articles:
Sanskrit sources of Kerala history (by Suma Parappattoli)
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Chapter 20 - Description of the remaining six Dvīpas < [Book 5 - Fifth Skandha]
The Skanda Purana (by G. V. Tagare)
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