Vyantara, Vyamtara: 13 definitions

Introduction
In Hinduism
1. Shaivism
In Jainism
1. General definition
Languages
1. Sanskrit
2. Kannada
See also

Introduction:

Vyantara means something in Hinduism, Sanskrit, Jainism, Prakrit. 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

Shaivism (Shaiva philosophy)

Source: SOAS University of London: Protective Rites in the Netra Tantra

Vyantara (व्यन्तर) is mentioned in a list of afflictions (which does not arise in the place and time of the Mantravid), according to the Netratantra of Kṣemarāja: a Śaiva text from the 9th century in which Śiva (Bhairava) teaches Pārvatī topics such as metaphysics, cosmology, and soteriology.—Accordingly, [verse 19.129-133, while describing daily rituals]—“[...] In whichever place and time the Mantravid lives, none [of the following] will arise near him: plagues, diseases, khārkhodas, grahas, śākinīs of various sorts, yakṣas, piśācas, rākṣasas, seizers of children, visphoṭas, vyantaras or asparas. Any of the poisons that exist, famine and eclipses, none will arise because of the Mantrin being there”.

context information

Shaiva (शैव, śaiva) or Shaivism (śaivism) represents a tradition of Hinduism worshiping Shiva as the supreme being. Closely related to Shaktism, Shaiva literature includes a range of scriptures, including Tantras, while the root of this tradition may be traced back to the ancient Vedas.

In Jainism

General definition (in Jainism)

Source: Wisdom Library: Jainism

Vyantara (व्यन्तर).—The vyantaras represent a class of Gods (devas) comprising eight groups of deities that wander about the three worlds (adhaloka, madhyaloka and ūrdhvaloka).

The following are the eight groups of vyantaras:

Piśāca,
Bhūta,
Yakṣa,
Rākṣasa,
Kiṃnara,
Kiṃpuruṣa,
Mahoraga,
Gandharva.

Each group of deities is made up of different members and ruled over by two kings (indras), idintified by a colour, a symbol and a species of tree.

Source: Google Books: Jaina Iconography

Vyantara (व्यन्तर).—The Vyantaras or Vāṇamantaras living in the Ratnaprabhā earth are divided into eight chief classes by both the sects (Digambara and Śvetāmbara). They are:

Piśācas,
Bhūtas,
Yakṣas,
Rākṣasas,
Kinnaras,
Kimpuruṣas,
Mahoragas,
Gandharvas.

The Tiloyapannatti further says that vyantara cities of the jambūdvīpa have various types of gṛhas namely sāmānyagṛha, caityagṛha, kadalīgṛha, garbhagṛha, latāgṛha, nādagṛha and āsanagṛha. In the beautiful palaces of the city are various types of seats, of the shape of elephants, lions, parrots, peacocks, crocodiles, eagles, swans etc.

The Prajñāpanā describes the general appearance of all the Vānamantaras or Vyantaras. They are of an unsteady nature attached to dance and music, adorned with vanamālās of various flowers, wearing garments of different colours, and used to taking different shapes and forms, smiling or laughing. They like love-quarrels and adorn their bodies with various ornaments such as the aṅgada, kuṇḍala, karṇapīṭha etc., and with marks of sandal pastes. they carry sword, mudgara (club), śakti (dark) and kunta (spear) in their hands.

Source: archive.org: Trisastisalakapurusacaritra

Vyantara (व्यन्तर) refers to a group of deities living above the Ratnaprabhā-earth in the “lower world” (adhaloka), according to chapter 2.2 [ajitanātha-caritra] of Hemacandra’s 11th century Triṣaṣṭiśalākāpuruṣacaritra (“lives of the 63 illustrious persons”): a Sanskrit epic poem narrating the history and legends of sixty-three important persons in Jainism.—Accordingly: “[...] One thousand yojanas above Ratnaprabhā, with the exception of 100 yojanas above and below, live the eight classes of the Vyantaras in northern and southern rows within the 800 yojanas. [...]”.

In these are:

the Piśācas with the kadamba tree as lāñchana;
the Bhūtas with the sulasa tree as lāñchana;
the Yakṣas with the vaṭa tree as lāñchana;
the Rākṣasas with the khaṭvāṅga tree as lāñchana;
the Kinnaras with the aśoka tree as lāñchana;
the Kimpuruṣas with the campaka tree as lāñchana;
the Mahoragas with the nāgadru tree as lāñchana;
the Gandharvas with the beautiful tumburu tree as lāñchana.

[Among these:] Kāla and Mahākāla are overlords of the Piśācas; Surūpa and Apratirūpa are lords of the Bhutas; Pūrṇabhadra and Māṇibhadra of the Yakṣas; Bhīma and Mahābhīma of the Rākṣasas; Kinnara and Kimpuruṣa of the Kinnaras; Satpuruṣa and Mahāpuruṣa of the Kimpuruṣas; Atikāya and Mahākāya of the Mahoragas; Gītarati and Gītayaśas of the Gandharvas. These are the 16 Indras of the Vyantaras

In the first 100 yojanas of Ratnaprabhā, with the exception of 10 above and 10 below, i.e., in 80 yojanas, there are 8 classes of Vyantaras:

Aprajñaptikas,
Pañcaprajñaptis,
Ṛṣivāditas,
Bhūtavāditas,
Kranditas,
Mahākranditas,
Kūṣmāṇḍas,
Pacakas.

The two Indras in these classes are respectively: Sannihita and Samāna; Dhātṛ and Vidhātṛka; Ṛṣi and Ṛṣipāla; Īśvara and Maheśvara; Suvatsaka and Viśāla; Hāsa and Hāsarati; Śveta and Mahāśveta; Pacaka and Pacakādhipa.

Source: Encyclopedia of Jainism: Tattvartha Sutra 4: The celestial beings (deva)

Vyantara (व्यन्तर) refers to “peripatetic (forest) celestial beings” and represents one of the four classes of Devas, according to the 2nd-century Tattvārthasūtra 4.3. These celestial beings have transformable bodies. They generally live in the deserted places of the middle world. They normally intrude the bodies of human and subhuman beings to make them enjoy or suffer. They have large families and wealth.

The peripatetic gods (vyantara) have eight subclasses namely:

Kinnara (music-obsessed),
Kimpuruṣa, (sex-obsessed)
Mahoraga (great serpent),
Gandharva (musician),
Yakṣa (treasure keeper),
Rākṣasa (demon),
Bhūta (devil),
Piśāca (goblin).

Where do peripatetic celestial beings live? The dwelling places of the seven subclasses are in the upper hard khara part and demons reside in Paṅkabahula part of the first infernal region.

Source: The University of Sydney: A study of the Twelve Reflections

Vyantara (व्यन्तर) refers to a special group of Gods, according to the 11th century Jñānārṇava, a treatise on Jain Yoga in roughly 2200 Sanskrit verses composed by Śubhacandra.—Accordingly, “Rudra, elephants of the quarters, gods, demons, aerial spirits, aquatic predators, the planets, the Vyantaras [com.—special gods (devaviśeṣāḥ)] , the guardians of the quarters of the sky, the enemies [of Vāsudeva], Hari, Bala, the chief of the snakes, the lord of the discus (i.e. Viṣṇu) and others who are powerful, the wind, the sun, etc. all themselves having come together are not able to protect an embodied soul even for an instant [when death is] initiated by the servants of Yama”.

context information

Jainism is an Indian religion of Dharma whose doctrine revolves around harmlessness (ahimsa) towards every living being. The two major branches (Digambara and Svetambara) of Jainism stimulate self-control (or, shramana, ‘self-reliance’) and spiritual development through a path of peace for the soul to progess to the ultimate goal.

Languages of India and abroad

Sanskrit dictionary

Source: DDSA: The practical Sanskrit-English dictionary

Vyantara (व्यन्तर).—A spirit, a kind of supernatural being; अस्माकं कश्चिद् व्यन्तरः सिद्धः (asmākaṃ kaścid vyantaraḥ siddhaḥ) Pañcatantra (Bombay) 5.

Derivable forms: vyantaraḥ (व्यन्तरः).

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

Vyantara (व्यन्तर).—i. e. vi-antara, m. A deity (haunting in a tree), [Pañcatantra] 250, 2.

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

Vyantara (व्यन्तर).—1. [neuter] interval, indistinctness.

--- OR ---

Vyantara (व्यन्तर).—2. [masculine] a class of supernatural beings.

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

1) Vyantara (व्यन्तर):—[=vy-antara] [from vy] n. (ifc. f(ā). )

2) [v.s. ...] absence of distinction, [Harivaṃśa]

3) [v.s. ...] an interval, [Gobhila-śrāddha-kalpa]

4) [v.s. ...] m. ‘occupying an intermediate position’, (with Jainas) Name of a class of gods (including Piśācas, Bhūtas, Yakṣas, Rākṣasas, Kiṃ-naras, Kim-puruṣas, Mahôragas and Gandharvas), [Śatruṃjaya-māhātmya; Hemacandra’s Pariśiṣṭaparvan; Pañcatantra] etc.

Source: DDSA: Paia-sadda-mahannavo; a comprehensive Prakrit Hindi dictionary (S)

Vyantara (व्यन्तर) in the Sanskrit language is related to the Prakrit words: Vaṃtara, Viṃtara.

[Sanskrit to German]

Vyantara 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.

Kannada-English dictionary

Source: Alar: Kannada-English corpus

Vyaṃtara (ವ್ಯಂತರ):—[noun] a supernatural being considered as a demigod (in jainism).

context information

Kannada is a Dravidian language (as opposed to the Indo-European language family) mainly spoken in the southwestern region of India.

Relevant text

Search found 7 books and stories containing Vyantara, Vy-antara, Vyamtara, Vyaṃtara; (plurals include: Vyantaras, antaras, Vyamtaras, Vyaṃtaras). You can also click to the full overview containing English textual excerpts. Below are direct links for the most relevant articles:

Part 10: Description of a samavasaraṇa < [Chapter III]

Part 13: Building of the samavasaraṇa < [Chapter III - The initiation and omniscience of Ajita]

Part 26: Śreyāṃsa’s samavasaraṇa < [Chapter I - Śreyāṃsanāthacaritra]

+ 56 more chapters / show preview

Chapter 294 - The characteristics of different kinds of serpents (nāga-lakṣaṇa)

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Verse 4.39 - The maximum lifetime of the peripatetic beings (vyantara-deva) < [Chapter 4 - The Celestial Beings]

Verse 4.11 - The subclasses of the peripatetic beings (vyantara-deva) < [Chapter 4 - The Celestial Beings]

Verse 4.38 - The minimum lifetime of the peripatetic beings (vyantara-deva) < [Chapter 4 - The Celestial Beings]

+ 10 more chapters / show preview

Chapter 32: An interview with Gāṅgeya < [Book 9]

Part 7 - Camara’s challenge to Śakra < [Chapter 2]