Nahusa, Nahuṣa, Nahusha, Nāhuṣa: 18 definitions

Introduction
In Hinduism
In Jainism
1. General definition
Languages
1. Sanskrit
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Introduction:

Nahusa 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.

The Sanskrit terms Nahuṣa and Nāhuṣa can be transliterated into English as Nahusa or Nahusha, using the IAST transliteration scheme (?).

In Hinduism

Natyashastra (theatrics and dramaturgy)

Source: Wisdom Library: Nāṭya-śāstra

Nahuṣa (नहुष) is the name of a king who witnessed musical performance (gāndharva) and drama produced by the Apsarasas according to the Nāṭyaśāstra chapter 35. Accordingly, “In course of time, a king named Nahuṣa attained the kingdom of heaven through his polity, intelligence and prowess. He then governed the kingdom and obtained a divine prosperity (vyuṣṭi). And on seeing the musical performance (gāndharva) and drama of the gods, he became anxious for these. And he thought within himself as to how the dramatic performance of gods might be held in his own house on the earth and to the gods he spoke for causing such a performance, with joined palms. ‘Let the drama produced by the Apsarasas be performed in our house [on the earth’”.

Source: archive.org: The mirror of gesture (abhinaya-darpana)

One of the Hands of Famous Emperors.—Nahusa: the hand moving.

context information

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).

Purana and Itihasa (epic history)

Source: Wisdom Library: Bhagavata Purana

Nahuṣa (नहुष):—Son of Āyu (one of the six sons of Purūravā, who was a son of Budha). King Nahuṣa had six sons, named Yati, Yayāti, Saṃyāti, Āyati, Viyati and Kṛti. (see Bhāgavata Purāṇa 9.17.1-3, 9.18.1)

Source: archive.org: Puranic Encyclopedia

1) Nahuṣa (नहुष).—A famous King of the Lunar dynasty. Genealogy. Descended from Viṣṇu in the following order:—Brahmā-Atri-Candra-Budha-Purūravas-Āyus-Nahuṣa. (See full article at Story of Nahuṣa from the Puranic encyclopaedia by Vettam Mani)

2) Nahuṣa (नहुष).—A famous nāga (serpent) born to Kaśyapaprajāpati by his wife Kadrū. (Mahābhārata, Ādi Parva, Chapter 35, Stanza 9).

Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: The Purana Index

1a) Nahuṣa (नहुष).—The first of the five sons of Āyu (Svarbhānu) and Prabhā; married Virajā, a mind-born daughter of the Ājyapapitrs; had by her six (seven Matsya-purāṇa) sons, comparable to Indra in efflulgence namely, Yati, Yayāti, Samyāti, Āyāti and two others; ruled heaven in the absence of Indra in the Mānasa lake; due to an offence he gave to Indrāṇi on account his own overweaning pride he lost his place, fell down and was condemned to be an ajāgara (serpent);¹ was succeeded by Yayāti;² divisions of more territory on earth.³

1) Bhāgavata-purāṇa IX. 17. 1; 18. 1-2; VI. 13. 16; X. 73. 20; Brahmāṇḍa-purāṇa II. 27. 24; III. 6. 24; 10. 95; 67. 2; 68. 11; Matsya-purāṇa 15. 23; 24. 34, 49; Vāyu-purāṇa 68. 24; 73. 46. 92. 2; 93. 12-3. Viṣṇu-purāṇa IV. 8. 3; 9. 28; 10. 1.
2) Bhāgavata-purāṇa IX. 18. 3.
3) Ib. XII. 3. 9.

1b) A son of Aurvaśaya.^*

* Brahmāṇḍa-purāṇa I. 2. 24; Vāyu-purāṇa 2. 24.

1c) A Kādraveya Nāga.^*

* Brahmāṇḍa-purāṇa III. 7. 37; Vāyu-purāṇa 69. 74.

1d) One of the nine sons of Manu.^*

* Vāyu-purāṇa 85. 4.

1e) A son of Yadu of the lunar line.^*

* Viṣṇu-purāṇa IV. 6. 4; 11. 5.

2) Nāhuṣa (नाहुष).—The patronymic of Yayāti (s.v.) knew the power of the yoga of Viṣṇu.^*

* Bhāgavata-purāṇa II. 7. 44; X. 60. 41.

Source: JatLand: List of Mahabharata people and places

Nahuṣa (नहुष) is a name mentioned in the Mahābhārata (cf. I.35.9) and represents one of the many proper names used for people and places. Note: The Mahābhārata (mentioning Nahuṣa) is a Sanskrit epic poem consisting of 100,000 ślokas (metrical verses) and is over 2000 years old.

Nahuṣa is also mentioned in the Mahābhārata (cf. III.87.8) and represents one of the many proper names used for people and places.

Source: Shodhganga: The saurapurana - a critical study

Nahuṣa (नहुष) is the eldest of the five sons of Āyu (Āyus): one of the six sons of Aila Purūravas, according to the Vaṃśānucarita section of the 10th century Saurapurāṇa: one of the various Upapurāṇas depicting Śaivism.—Accordingly, [...] Aila Purūravas, the most illustrious pious king gets married to Urvaśī, the heavenly damsel who is cursed by Brahmā to spend sometime here on earth. Purūravas begets on her six sons [viz., Āyu]. All these are celebrated like Semi-divine beings (devayonaya). Āyu got married to the daughter of Svarbhānu and became the father of five sons who were quite famous and well known. Nahuṣa was the eldest of them. Nahuṣa married Virajā the daughter of Pitṛ and was blessed with five sons of whom Yayāti was the most famous.

Source: Shodhganga: Kasyapa Samhita—Text on Visha Chikitsa (itihasa)

Nahuṣa is the name of a Serpent (sarpa) mentioned in the thirty-fifth chapter (verses 4-17) of the Ādiparva of the Mahābhārata.—Accordingly, Sauti, on being implored by Śaunaka to name all the serpents in the course of the sarpa-sattra, tells him that it is humanly impossible to give a complete list because of their sheer multiplicity; but would name the prominent ones in accordance with their significance [e.g., Nahuṣa].

context information

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.

General definition (in Hinduism)

Source: Apam Napat: Indian Mythology

1) Nahusha was an ancestor of the Pandavas. He is the grandson of Puroorava. His father was Ayus, who was the eldest son of Puroorava. His son is Yayati, who appears in this story. After Nahusha's death, due to his good deeds, he was rewarded with heaven. He had also obtained a boon that half the power of anybody within his eyesight would be transferred to him and this made him nearly invincible. When Indra had to go into exile due to a curse, the Devas chose him to be their King. Unfortunately he became arrogant and wanted Sachi, the consort of Indra to be his queen.

2) Nahusha was a king of the solar dynasty, the son of Ambarisha, and an ancestor of Rama. Yayati is his son.

Source: WikiPedia: Hinduism

Nahusha (नहुष): A mighty king who was made king of the gods because Indra had disappeared due to his killing Vritra through sin and deceit.

In Jainism

General definition (in Jainism)

Source: archive.org: Een Kritische Studie Van Svayambhūdeva’s Paümacariu

Nahuṣa (नहुष) participated in the war between Rāma and Rāvaṇa, on the side of the latter, as mentioned in Svayambhūdeva’s Paumacariu (Padmacarita, Paumacariya or Rāmāyaṇapurāṇa) chapter 57ff. Svayambhū or Svayambhūdeva (8th or 9th century) was a Jain householder who probably lived in Karnataka. His work recounts the popular Rāma story as known from the older work Rāmāyaṇa (written by Vālmīki). Various chapters [mentioning Nahuṣa] are dedicated to the humongous battle whose armies (known as akṣauhiṇīs) consisted of millions of soldiers, horses and elephants, etc.

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

Nahuṣa (नहुष).—Name of a king of the lunar race, son of Āyus and grandson of Purūravas and father of Yayāti. [He was a very wise and powerful king, and when Indra lay concealed under waters to expiate the sin of having killed the demon Vṛtra, a Brāhmaṇa, he was asked to occupy his seat. While there he thought of winning the love of Indrāṇī and caused the seven sages to convey him in a palanquin to her house. On his way he asked each of them to be quick using the words 'sarpa', 'sarpa', (move on, move on), when one of the sages (Agastya ?) cursed him to be a 'sarpa' (serpent). He fell down from the sky, and remained in that wretched state till he was relieved from it by Yudhiṣttod;hira.]

Derivable forms: nahuṣaḥ (नहुषः).

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Nāhuṣa (नाहुष).—An epithet of Yayāti; एका तु तस्य राजर्षेर्नाहुषस्य पुरस्कृता (ekā tu tasya rājarṣernāhuṣasya puraskṛtā) Rām.7.58.8; Bhāgavata 1.6.41.

Derivable forms: nāhuṣaḥ (नाहुषः).

[Sanskrit to German]

Nahusa 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 61 books and stories containing Nahusa, Nahuṣa, Nahusha, Nāhuṣa; (plurals include: Nahusas, Nahuṣas, Nahushas, Nāhuṣas). You can also click to the full overview containing English textual excerpts. Below are direct links for the most relevant articles:

Rig Veda 8.8.3 < [Sukta 8]

Rig Veda 10.80.6 < [Sukta 80]

Rig Veda 1.122.8 < [Sukta 122]

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Sūtra 2.12 < [Second Chapter (Sadhana Pada)]

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Chapter X - An account of Nahusha and Yayati < [Book IV]

Chapter XXI - Families of the Daityas < [Book I]

Chapter IX - Battle of Raji and Daityas < [Book IV]

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