Vithi, Vīthī, Vīthi: 24 definitions
Introduction:
Vithi means something in Hinduism, Sanskrit, Buddhism, Pali, the history of ancient India, Marathi, 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.
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In Hinduism
Natyashastra (theatrics and dramaturgy)
1) Vīthi (वीथि) refers to one of the “ten kinds of dramatic plays” (daśarūpa), according to the Nāṭyaśāstra chapter 20. These different types of dramas are considered to have originated from the various styles (vṛtti), which is discussed in chapter 22 of the same work. The Vīthi type of drama includes the following styles: Verbal (bhāratī), Grand (sāttvatī) and Energetic (ārabhaṭī).
Vīthi is of thirteen types:
- udghātyaka (‘accidental interpretation’),
- avalagita (‘transference’),
- avaspandita (‘ominous significance’),
- asatpralāpa (‘incoherent chatter’),
- prapañca (‘compliment’),
- nāli or nālikā (‘enigma’),
- vākkeli (‘repartee’),
- adhivala (‘outvying’),
- chala (‘deception’),
- vyāhāra (‘declaration’),
- mṛdava (‘crushing’),
- trigata (‘three men’s talk’),
- gaṇḍa (‘undue combination of words’).
The Vīthi should be acted by one or two persons. It may contain any of the three kinds of characters: superior, middling and inferior. It seems to be a kind of very short one Act play. But one cannot be sure about this; for no specimen of this type of play has come down to us.
2) Vīthi (वीथि) refers to one of the four varieties of the verbal style (bhāratī), according to the Nāṭyaśāstra chapter 22. Bhāratī represents one of the four styles (vṛtti) employed in a dramatic production.
3) Vīthi (वीथि) is the name of a meter belonging to the Gāyatrī class of Dhruvā (songs) described in the Nāṭyaśāstra chapter 32:—“the metre which has in its feet of six syllables the first three and the last one long, is vīthi”.
Vīthī (वीथी) refers to one of the twelve kinds of Rūpaka, which represents the dṛśyakāvya division of Kāvya (“poetry”), according to the Viṣṇudharmottarapurāṇa, an ancient Sanskrit text which (being encyclopedic in nature) deals with a variety of cultural topics such as arts, architecture, music, grammar and astronomy.—In vīthī [vīthi], there is no hero. According to the Sāhityadarpaṇa, in a vīthī, the hero should be imagined and the voice of the hero should be heard through ākāśabhāṣita i.e., a sound or voice in the air. This type of dṛśyakāvya consists of thirteen acts. But in the Sāhityadarpaṇa, only one act is considered. Bharata accepts thirteen kinds of vīthī in the Nāṭyaśāstra.
Vīthī (वीथी) refers to one of the twenty-one divisions of the Mārga-Rūpaka compositions in ancient Indian art of dance and theater.—Puruṣottama Miśrā, while defining the terms mārga and deśī quotes the Saṅgītanārāyaṇa (Vol. II, pp.406-410) which he says has been taken from Kohala (the work of Kohala). He says that mārga is that which was shown to Śiva and Pārvatī by Brahma after performing penance. He says the mārgarūpakas are twenty in number [e.g., vīthī]. [...] But when listing out the names, there appear twenty-one rūpakas. [...]
Natyashastra (नाट्यशास्त्र, nāṭyaśāstra) refers to both the ancient Indian tradition (shastra) of performing arts, (natya—theatrics, drama, dance, music), as well as the name of a Sanskrit work dealing with these subjects. It also teaches the rules for composing Dramatic plays (nataka), construction and performance of Theater, and Poetic works (kavya).
Ayurveda (science of life)
Veterinary Medicine (The study and treatment of Animals)
1) Vīthi (वीथि) refers to a “lane” (of the elephant-trap) (opening outward), according to the 15th century Mātaṅgalīlā composed by Nīlakaṇṭha in 263 Sanskrit verses, dealing with elephantology in ancient India, focusing on the science of management and treatment of elephants.—[Cf. chapter 10, “on the catching of elephants”]: “2. The trap pen is celebrated as having a length and breadth of approximately a kos (ca. one and one-half miles). Making a fence round about it with stout trees, etc., dug into the ground, and a ditch hard to cross on the outside, he shall construct with bamboos, etc., a lane (vīthi) opening outward, (beginning) between two fences arranged on either side of the entrance, and gradually becoming wider (as it leads out). [...]”.
2) Vīthī (वीथी) refers to the “streets (of a city)” (requiring a particular training-method for elephants).—[Cf. chapter 12, “On the qualities of elephant drivers, etc.”]: “4. Hard for foes to conquer is an elephant driver who is clever at the ways of mounting and dismounting from elephants, at sitting by means of seats on the shoulders and the hind parts, at driving them with the voice, feet, and hook, at the methods of marching and running them in the streets (vīthī) and in the country (maṇḍala) [vīthīmaṇḍalayānadhāvanavidhau], at turning them back and stopping them, and at fighting with hostile elephants”.
Unclassified Ayurveda definitions
Vīthi (वीथि, “line”) refers to one of the layout designs for gardens and orchards mentioned in the Vṛkṣāyurveda: a Sanskrit text by written by Surapāla that deals with agriculture (kṛṣi).—Surapāla’s text mentions 170 species of plants including trees, shrubs and a few herbs, and deals with the laying out gardens and orchards and growing unusual trees. Layouts included designs such as vīthi (line).
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.
Chandas (prosody, study of Sanskrit metres)
Vīthī (वीथी) is the name of a catuṣpadi metre (as popularly employed by the Apabhraṃśa bards), as discussed in books such as the Chandonuśāsana, Kavidarpaṇa, Vṛttajātisamuccaya and Svayambhūchandas.—Vīthī has 19 mātrās in each of its four lines, divided into the groups of 4, 4, 4, [SIS] and [IS] mātrās.
Chandas (छन्दस्) refers to Sanskrit prosody and represents one of the six Vedangas (auxiliary disciplines belonging to the study of the Vedas). The science of prosody (chandas-shastra) focusses on the study of the poetic meters such as the commonly known twenty-six metres mentioned by Pingalas.
Jyotisha (astronomy and astrology)
Vīthi (वीथि, “path”) refers to the nine divisions of the ecliptic, according to the Bṛhatsaṃhitā (chapter 9), an encyclopedic Sanskrit work written by Varāhamihira mainly focusing on the science of ancient Indian astronomy astronomy (Jyotiṣa).
The ecliptic is divided into nine divisions known as Vīthis (paths). According to some each division consists of three constellations beginning from Aśvini: these divisions are technically known as:
- Nāga (serpent),
- Gaja (elephant),
- Airāvata (the divine elephant),
- Vṛṣabha (bull),
- Go (cow),
- Jaradgava,
- Mṛga (deer),
- Aja (ram),
- Dahana (fire).
Accordingly, “According to others the Nāga Vīthi consists of the constellations of Svāti, Bharaṇī and Kṛttikā; the Gaja Vīthi of the three constellations from Rohiṇī; the Airāvata Vīthi of the three from Punaravasu; the Vṛṣabha Vīthi of the three from Māgha; the Go Vīthi of the three from Aśvini Revatī, Pūrvabhādrapada and Uttarabhādrapada. The Jaradgava Vīthi consists of the three constellations from Śravaṇa; the Mṛga Vīthi of the three from Anurādhā; the Aja Vīthi of Hasta, Viśākhā and Citrā; and the Dahana Vīthi consists of the two constellations Pūrvāṣāḍha and Uttarāṣāḍha”.
Jyotisha (ज्योतिष, jyotiṣa or jyotish) refers to ‘astronomy’ or “Vedic astrology” and represents the fifth of the six Vedangas (additional sciences to be studied along with the Vedas). Jyotisha concerns itself with the study and prediction of the movements of celestial bodies, in order to calculate the auspicious time for rituals and ceremonies.
India history and geography
Vīthi (वीथि) refers to a name-ending for place-names mentioned in the Gupta inscriptions (reigned from 3rd century CE). Vīthi is spelt both as vīthi and vīthī and means a “row”, “line”, “road”, “way” or “street”. But in the inscription it has been used to refer to an administrative division. It seems to have been smaller than a viṣaya (district) and bigger than a maṇḍala.
Vīthi or Vīthī.—(SII 1), a street. (EI 24, 30; CII 4), a shop; a stall or shop in a market. (EI 21, 23, 29, 30), a territorial unit; the subdivision of a district. (IE 8-4), sometimes a subdivision forming part of a maṇḍala, but sometimes a district forming part of a bhukti or province. Note: vīthi is defined in the “Indian epigraphical glossary” as it can be found on ancient inscriptions commonly written in Sanskrit, Prakrit or Dravidian languages.
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
vīthi : (f.) a street; a track.
Vīthi, (f.) (cp. Epic Sk. vīthi, to Idg. *ǔeịā- to aim at, as in Lat. via way, Sk. veti to pursue; Lat. venor to hunt; Gr. ei)ζato he went) 1. street, way, road, path, track A. V, 347, 350 sq.; Vv 836; J. I, 158 (garden path); V, 350 (dve vīthiyo gahetvā tiṭṭhati, of a house); VI, 276 (v. and raccha); DhA. I, 14; VvA. 31; PvA. 54. —antaravīthiyaṃ (Loc.) in the middle of the road J. I, 373; PvA. 96. —°sabhāga share of road J. I, 422; —°siṅghāṭaka crossroad DhA. IV, 4.—Of the path of the stars and heavenly bodies J. I, 23; VvA. 326.—Various streets (roads, paths) are named either after the professions carried on in them, e.g. dantakāra° street of ivory-workers J. I, 320; pesakāra° weaver st. DhA. I, 424; bhatakāra° soldier st. DhA. I, 233;— or after the main kind of traffic frequenting these, e.g. nāga° elephant road VvA. 316; miga° animal rd. J. I, 372;— or after special occasions (like distinguished people passing by this or that road), e.g. buddha° the road of the Buddha DhA. II, 80; rāja° King st. ThA. 52; Mhvs 20, 38.—2. (t. t. in psychology) course, process (of judgment, senseperception or cognition, cp. Cpd. 25, 124, 241 (vinicchaya°), 266.—Vism. 187 (kammaṭṭhāna°); KhA 102 (viññāṇa°). —°citta process of cognition (lit. processed cognition) Vism. 22; DhsA. 269. (Page 644)
Vīthi (in Pali) can be associated with the following Chinese terms:
1) 夾 [jiā]: “squeeze”.
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
viṭhī (विठी).—& viṭhīdāṇḍū See iṭī & iṭīdāṇḍū.
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
Vīthi (वीथि) or Vīthī (वीथी).—f. [vith-in vā ṅīp]
1) A road, way; पीपतिषतां विलङ्घ्य वीथीम् (pīpatiṣatāṃ vilaṅghya vīthīm) Kirātārjunīya 7.17; यदि रोहिण्याः शकटं भिनत्ति रविनन्दनो गगनवीथ्याम् (yadi rohiṇyāḥ śakaṭaṃ bhinatti ravinandano gaganavīthyām) Pañcatantra (Bombay) 1.211.
2) A row, line.
3) A market, stall, shop in a market; घनवीथिवीथिमवतीर्णवतः (ghanavīthivīthimavatīrṇavataḥ) Śiśupālavadha 9.32.
4) A terrace in front of a house.
5) A variety of drama; it is thus defined in S. D. :-वीध्यामेवो भवेदङ्कः कश्चिदेकोऽत्र कल्प्यते । आकाशभाषितैरुक्तैश्चित्रां प्रत्युक्तिमाश्रितः । सूचयेद् भूरिशृङ्गारं किंचितन्यान् रसानपि । मुखनिर्वहणे संधी अर्थप्रकृतयोऽ- खिलाः (vīdhyāmevo bhavedaṅkaḥ kaścideko'tra kalpyate | ākāśabhāṣitairuktaiścitrāṃ pratyuktimāśritaḥ | sūcayed bhūriśṛṅgāraṃ kiṃcitanyān rasānapi | mukhanirvahaṇe saṃdhī arthaprakṛtayo'- khilāḥ) | 52.
6) A race-course; a training ground for horses; सिद्धं मुखे नवसु वीथिषु कश्चिदश्वम् (siddhaṃ mukhe navasu vīthiṣu kaścidaśvam) Śiśupālavadha 5.6. (com. vīthayo navāśvānāṃ sarvatra dhārādāḍhyārthāḥ parimitāḥ pracāradeśāḥ).
7) A particular division of the planetary sphere.
Derivable forms: vīthiḥ (वीथिः).
Vīthi (वीथि).—f. (-thiḥ or thī) 1. A road. 2. A row, a line. 3. A terrace in front of a house. 4. A stall, a shop. 5. A sort of drama, in one act, and by one or by two performers, the dramatic narration of an amatory story or intrigue. E. vith to ask or beg, aff. in, and the vowel made long; also ṅīṣ optionally added, with kan aff., fem. form, vīthikā .
Vīthi (वीथि).—vīthī, probably vi-i + tha + ī, f. 1. A line, Mahābhārata 13, 5261. 2. A road, [Pañcatantra] i. [distich] 189; [Indralokāgamana] 2, 12. 3. A stall, a shop, [Śiśupālavadha] 9, 32. 4. A terrace in front of a house. 5. A sort of drama.
Vīthi can also be spelled as Vīthī (वीथी).
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Vīthī (वीथी).—see vīthi.
Vīthi (वीथि).—[feminine] row, line, road, street, way, terrace, gallery, a kind of drama.
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Vīthī (वीथी).—[feminine] row, line, road, street, way, terrace, gallery, a kind of drama.
1) Vīthi (वीथि):—f. or vīthī (perhaps [from] √vī; cf. 1. vīta) a row, line, [Kāvya literature; Rājataraṅgiṇī]
2) a road, way, street, [Mahābhārata; Kāvya literature] etc.
3) a race-course, [Śiśupāla-vadha v, 60]
4) a market, stall, shop, [ib. ix. 32]
5) a row of pictures, p°-gallery, [Uttararāma-carita] ([varia lectio] vīthikā)
6) a [particular] division of the planetary sphere (comprising 3 asterisms), [Varāha-mihira’s Bṛhat-saṃhitā]
7) a terrace in front of a house, [cf. Lexicographers, esp. such as amarasiṃha, halāyudha, hemacandra, etc.]
8) a sort of drama (having an amatory intrigue for its plot and said to be in one act and performed by one or two players), [Bharata-nāṭya-śāstra; Daśarūpa etc.]
9) Vīthī (वीथी):—a f. or vīthi (perhaps [from] √vī; cf. 1. vīta) a row, line, [Kāvya literature; Rājataraṅgiṇī]
10) a road, way, street, [Mahābhārata; Kāvya literature] etc.
11) a race-course, [Śiśupāla-vadha v, 60]
12) a market, stall, shop, [ib. ix. 32]
13) a row of pictures, p°-gallery, [Uttararāma-carita] ([varia lectio] vīthikā)
14) a [particular] division of the planetary sphere (comprising 3 asterisms), [Varāha-mihira’s Bṛhat-saṃhitā]
15) a terrace in front of a house, [cf. Lexicographers, esp. such as amarasiṃha, halāyudha, hemacandra, etc.]
16) a sort of drama (having an amatory intrigue for its plot and said to be in one act and performed by one or two players), [Bharata-nāṭya-śāstra; Daśarūpa etc.]
17) b in [compound] for vīthi.
Vīthi (वीथि):—(thiḥ) 2. f. A road; a row; a terrace; a shop; tragi-comedy.
Vīthi (वीथि):—und vīthī (verwandt mit 5. vīta) f.
1) Reihe [Amarakoṣa 2, 4, 1, 4.] [Trikāṇḍaśeṣa 3, 3, 197.] [Hemacandra’s Abhidhānacintāmaṇi 1423.] [Anekārthasaṃgraha 2, 220.] [Medinīkoṣa th. 12.] [Halāyudha 4, 36.] bālapādapa [Chezy’s Ausgabe des Śākuntala 45, 3.] cāṇḍālāgāravīthiṣu [Spr. 4967.] krīḍāvasathavīthiṣu [Rājataraṅgiṇī 3, 360.] —
2) Strasse, Weg [Amarakoṣa 3, 4, 15, 90.] [Hemacandra’s Anekārthasaṃgraha] [Medinīkoṣa] [Mahābhārata 2, 822.] vīthīṃ kurvan drāvayanmama vāhinīm [5, 2049.] kā vīthī bhavatāmiha [2982. 13, 3248. 3510.] mālyāpaṇānām [Harivaṃśa 4478.] nagarāpaṇavīthyantaḥ [Rājataraṅgiṇī 6, 173.] so v. a. āpaṇa Marktstrasse [Śiśupālavadha 9, 32.] vīthyantarāpaṇagata [Varāhamihira’s Bṛhajjātaka 27] [?(25),19. Harivaṃśa 4533. Rāmāyaṇa.5,20,10. 95,13.6,92,3. Spr. (II) 1658. (I) 1191. Oxforder Handschriften 93,b, Nalopākhyāna 1. YAVANEŚVARA in Kunde des Morgenlandes.4,345. Pañcatantra 129,14.] daridra [Saddharmapuṇḍarīka, 13],a. bildlich: khilībhūtāḥ kṛtajñatvasya vīthayaḥ [Rājataraṅgiṇī 3, 302.] —
3) Strasse am Himmel, eine drei Nakṣatra umfassende Strecke einer Planetenbahn [Varāhamihira’s Bṛhajjātaka S. 9, 1. 5. 8. 9.] [Viṣṇupurāṇa 266,] [Nalopākhyāna 21.] —
4) Terrasse, der freie Raum zwischen Haus und Strasse [Trikāṇḍaśeṣa] [Hemacandra’s Anekārthasaṃgraha] [Medinīkoṣa] [Hārāvalī 152.] —
5) Bildergallerie [UTTARAR. 6, 9] (vīthikā die neuere Ausg.). —
6) ein best. einactiges Drama [Hemacandra’s Abhidhānacintāmaṇi 284.] [Hemacandra’s Anekārthasaṃgraha] [Medinīkoṣa] [Bharata] [NĀṬYAŚ. 18, 2. 59] (savīthīka). [?102. 20, 26. DAŚAR. 1, 8. 3, 5. 6. 62. Sāhityadarpana 286. 433. 520.fg.] nānārasānāṃ cātra mālārūpatayā sthitatvādvīthīyaṃ yathā mālavikā (!) [?532, Comm. PRATĀPAR. 20,a,1. 23,a,8. 24,b,9.] — Vgl. aja, uttara, gaja, go, ghana, jaradgava, nakṣatra, nabho, nāga, paṇya, pāda, mṛga, ratha, rāja, sura, soma, svarvīthi .
Vīthi (वीथि) in the Sanskrit language is related to the Prakrit words: Vīhi, Vīhiyā, Vīhī.
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
Vīthi (वीथि):—[[~thī]] (nf) an alley, avenue; gallery.
...
Kannada-English dictionary
Vīthi (ವೀಥಿ):—
1) [noun] a line; a row.
2) [noun] a road; a way; a street.
3) [noun] a group, crowd; a multitude.
4) [noun] a kind of single-act drama having an amatory intrigue for its plot performed by one or two players.
Kannada is a Dravidian language (as opposed to the Indo-European language family) mainly spoken in the southwestern region of India.
Nepali dictionary
Vīthī (वीथी):—n. 1. a road; way; 2. a row; line; 3. a market; stall; shop in a market; 4. orbit; 5. a variety of drama;
Nepali is the primary language of the Nepalese people counting almost 20 million native speakers. The country of Nepal is situated in the Himalaya mountain range to the north of India.
See also (Relevant definitions)
Partial matches (+0): The, The, Vithi, Te, Vitti.
Starts with (+11): Vithi Citta Vithi, Vithi-kharsan, Vithi-mahattara, Vithibhramana, Vithicitta, Vithikrita, Vithimana, Vithimarga, Viticcuttiram, Vitikkuttu, Vitimanam, Vitimariccan, Vitimurai, Vitinata, Vitippayccal, Vitippiracankam, Vitippirayokam, Vitippokku, Vitittokai, Vitivacam.
Full-text (+352): Vitti, Nagavithi, Ajavithi, Rajavithi, Govithi, Nabhovithi, Panyavithi, Ghanavithi, Gajavithi, Rathavithi, Lakshyavithi, Somavithi, Suravithi, Mrigavithi, Uttaravithi, Jaradgavavithi, Vithimarga, Nakshatravithi, Valliyavithi, Vrishabhavithi.
Relevant text
Search found 94 books and stories containing Vithi, The vithi, Viṭhī, Vīthī, Vīthi; (plurals include: Vithis, The vithis, Viṭhīs, Vīthīs, Vīthis). You can also click to the full overview containing English textual excerpts. Below are direct links for the most relevant articles:
Brahmanda Purana (by G.V. Tagare)
Chapter 3 - The race of Dharma: three attributes of the self-born God < [Section 3 - Upodghāta-pāda]
Chapter 21 - Description of the solar system < [Section 2 - Anuṣaṅga-pāda]
Chapter 23 - Information about Heavenly bodies (stars, planets etc.) < [Section 2 - Anuṣaṅga-pāda]
Brihat Samhita (by N. Chidambaram Iyer)
Chapter 9 - On the course of Venus (śukra-cāra)
Chapter 53 - On House-building (vāstu-vidyā)
A Survey of Paramattha Dhammas (by Sujin Boriharnwanaket)
Chapter 11 - The Duration Of Different Processes < [Part 2 - Citta]
Chapter 9 - A Process of Citta < [Part 2 - Citta]
Chapter 10 - Functions of Citta < [Part 2 - Citta]
Devi Bhagavata Purana (by Swami Vijñanananda)
Patthana Dhamma (by Htoo Naing)
Chapter 14 - Purejāta paccayo (or prenascence condition)
Chapter 9 - Samanantara paccayo (or contiguity condition)
Chapter 26 - Natthi paccayo and vigata paccayo (or absence and disappearance)
Dasarupaka (critical study) (by Anuru Ranjan Mishra)
Introduction to the Vīthī type of Drama < [Chapter 7 - Vīthī (critical study)]
Part 3-6 - Vīthī rules < [Chapter 7 - Vīthī (critical study)]
Dhanañjaya on the ten types of drama < [Introduction]