Pranava, ʰṇa, ʰṇa: 28 definitions
Introduction:
Pranava means something in Buddhism, Pali, Hinduism, Sanskrit, Jainism, Prakrit, 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.
Alternative spellings of this word include Pranav.
In Hinduism
Purana and Itihasa (epic history)
Source: Wisdom Library: Skanda-puranaʰṇa (प्रण�, “sacred ṃ�) refers to one of the fifty-six ⲹ첹 located at Kśī (Vrṇasī), and forms part of a sacred pilgrimage (ٰ), described in the Kśīkhaṇḍa (Skanda-purṇa 4.2.57). He is also known as ʰṇavinyaka, ʰṇagaṇeśa and ʰṇavighneśa. These fifty-six ⲹ첹 are positioned at the eight cardinal points in seven concentric circles (8x7). They center around a deity named Ḍhuṇḍhirja (or Ḍhuṇḍhi-vinyaka) positioned near the Viśvantha temple, which lies at the heart of Kśī, near the Gaṅges. This arrangement symbolises the interconnecting relationship of the macrocosmos, the mesocosmos and the microcosmos.
ʰṇa is positioned in the Eastern corner of the second circle of the śī-ṇḍ. According to Rana Singh , his shrine is located at “in Hiranyagarbheshvara, at Trilochan Ghat�. Worshippers of ʰṇa will benefit from his quality, which is defined as “the giver of the message of eternity�. His coordinates are: Lat. 25.19152, Lon. 83.01411 (or, 25°11'29.5"N, 83°00'50.8"E) (Google maps)
ʰṇa, and the other ⲹ첹, are described in the Skandapurṇa (the largest of the eighteen ܰṇa). This book narrates the details and legends surrounding numerous holy pilgrimages (īٳ-ٳⲹ) throughout India. It is composed of over 81,000 metrical verses with the core text dating from the before the 4th-century CE.
: archive.org: Shiva Purana - English Translationʰṇa (प्रण�) refers to the syllable “Om�, as defined in the Śivapurṇa 1.17. Accordingly, “[...] the syllable Om means an excellent boat to cross the ocean of worldly existence. [Pra=of the Prakṛti i.e. the world evolved out of it. Navam—Nv� Varam—an excellent boat] Or ʰṇa may mean: “there is no world for you� or it may mean ‘That which leads to salvation�. Or it may mean “that which leads to new knowledge.� After annihilating all actions it gives the persons who repeat the mantra or worship, a fresh knowledge of the pure soul. This ʰṇa is two-fold (1) the subtle (2) the gross. The subtle one is of a single syllable where the constituent five syllables are not differentiated clearly. The gross one is of five syllables where all the constituent syllables are manifest�.
: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: The Purana Indexʰṇa (प्रण�).—The top mantra; glorifies Īśvara; ⲹñ glorifies ʰṇa; manas ⲹñ in the form of Rudra; hence Paramampadam;1 Omkram, Akṣaram, Brahm and three varṇas;2 ʰṇatmaka is Brahm;3 is Rudra.4

The Purana (पुरा�, purṇas) 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.
Chandas (prosody, study of Sanskrit metres)
: Shodhganga: a concise history of Sanskrit Chanda literatureʰṇa (प्रण�) refers to one of the seventy-two -ṇaṛtٲ (regular syllabo-quantitative verse) mentioned in the 334th chapter of the Ծܰṇa. The Ծܰṇa deals with various subjects viz. literature, poetics, grammar, architecture in its 383 chapters and deals with the entire science of prosody (e.g., the ṇa metre) in 8 chapters (328-335) in 101 verses in total.

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.
Shaivism (Shaiva philosophy)
: Google Books: Manthanabhairavatantram (shaivism)ʰṇa (प्रण�) refers to the fivefold stages in the utterance of O�, according to Kṣemarja’s commentary on the Svacchandabhairavatantra.—Accordingly, “ʰṇa is called this because in a pre-eminent way (pra-) it acknowledges (nava-), i.e. praises i.e. contemplates in its ultimate unity, the nature of the Supreme Lord which encompasses the cosmic totality; as such it is the Indivisible Lord; ʰṇa also stands for the syllable O�, the mystic pervasion of which is inseparably connected with it�.
Note: In the Svacchandabhairavatantra the Instruments (첹ṇa) are assimilated, as are the ṇas, to stages in the utterance of O�. The lower Instruments, progressively abandoned, merge into the higher ones leading to Śiva who is beyond them. [...] It seems that Kṣemarja is referring to just one, original ṇa i.e. O�. But in actual fact, as it possesses five states, this one ṇa is presented in the Svacchandabhairavatantra as the Five ʰṇas. Despite this fundamental difference, we find several carry-overs in the doctrines associated with this fivefold ṇa in the Kubjik system, thus exemplifying the pervasive influence the cult of Svacchanda Bhairava has had on it, as it has on all the major cults that have their roots in the Bhairava Tantras.
: Shodhganga: Iconographical representations of Śivaʰṇa (प्रण�) is the name of a deity who was imparted with the knowledge of the Kmikgama by ś through parasambandha, according to the پṃh theory of Āgama origin and relationship (sambandha). The 峾첹-岵, being part of the ten Śivabhedgamas, refers to one of the twenty-eight Siddhntgamas: a classification of the Śaiva division of Śaivgamas. The Śaivgamas represent the wisdom that has come down from lord Śiva, received by Prvatī and accepted by Viṣṇu.
ʰṇa in turn transmitted the Kmikgama (through ԲԻ) to Trikala, who then transmitted it to Hara who then, through divya-sambandha, transmitted it to the Devas who, through 徱徱ⲹ-Ի, transmitted it to the Ṛṣis who finally, through adivya-sambandha, revealed the Kmikgama to human beings (Manuṣya). (also see Anantaśambhu’s commentary on the Siddhntasrvali of Trilocanaśivcrya)
: SOAS University of London: Protective Rites in the Netra Tantraʰṇa (प्रण�) refers to “Oṃ�, according to the Netratantra of Kṣemarja: a Śaiva text from the 9th century in which Śiva (Bhairava) teaches Prvatī topics such as metaphysics, cosmology, and soteriology.—Accordingly, [verse 22.14]—“O� (ṇa) exists as the vital energy [i.e., life] (ṇa) of living beings (ṇi). It is established as that which keeps [living beings] alive. ʰṇa enables [those beings] with all [their] parts. He [who knows this] shall know Śiva�.

Shaiva (शै�, 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.
Vaishnavism (Vaishava dharma)
: Pure Bhakti: Bhagavad-gita (4th edition)ʰṇa (प्रण�) refers to “the syllable that gives life, derived from the Sanskrit verbal root , to make a reverberating humming of the syllable � (10.25)�. (cf. Glossary page from Śī--ī).

Vaishnava (वैष्णव, vaiṣṇava) or vaishnavism (vaiṣṇavism) represents a tradition of Hinduism worshipping Vishnu as the supreme Lord. Similar to the Shaktism and Shaivism traditions, Vaishnavism also developed as an individual movement, famous for its exposition of the dashavatara (‘ten avatars of Vishnu�).
Mantrashastra (the science of Mantras)
: archive.org: Catalogue of Pancaratra Agama Texts (mantra)1) ʰṇa (प्रण�) is the name of a Mantra discussed in chapter 6 of the վś峾ٰṃh: a Pñcartra text comprising some 2600 Sanskrit verses covering topics such as initiation (īṣ�) and the construction, decoration and consecration of temples and icons, as well as routines of regular and special worship cycles.—Description of the chapter [ṇa徱-ܻ]: Kśyapa wants to know what it is that a preceptor is to give his aspiring student and in what way the aspirant properly puts into practice that instruction (1). Viśvmitra points out that the main thing concerned in the instruction is mantra-lore, commencing with basic information about the ṇa-syllable (mantra); [...] The interpretation of the ṇa-mantra is that �a� denotes Viṣṇu, ��� denotes the individual ī, and �u� the relationship existing between the two (2-28a). There follows a similar treatment of the ṣṭṣaԳٰ, with its eight ṛṣ, etc. (28b-69).
2) ʰṇa (प्रण�) or ʰṇamantra is the name of a Mantra discussed in chapter 2 of the Śṣaṃh: a Pñcartra text comprising 2800 Sanskrit verses narrated by Śeṣa (=Ananta) to Nrada and dealing primarily with the use of the appropriate mantras for various occasions such as ᲹⲹԳī celebrations.—[Description of the chapter mantrkṣaravarṇane svaravarṇana]: Nrada asks to know about the ṇa and other mantras, especially in regard to their ٳٱ첹 and other, different categories, and their 𱹲, ṛṣ, etc. (1-7a). [...] As for the ṇa-mantra, its ṛṣ, presiding deity, īᲹ, śپ, meter, etc., are given along with instructions for Բ-meditations to accompany its japa-repetition (69b-83a). Then he offers an analysis of the mantras for each of the 15 “vowels� of the alphabet-including the proper object of Բ- meditation for use with each (83b-132).
: Shodhganga: Kasyapa Samhita—Text on Visha Chikitsa (mantra)ʰṇa (प्रण�) (Mantra) refers to the “quintessence of the Vedas�, according to the Mṇḍūkyopaniṣd I.1.—Mantras refers to “that which is chanted by people to obtain their spiritual aspirations�.—The Upaniṣads often echo the fact that Om or ʰṇa is the quintessence of the Vedas. It is the crest jewel of all mantras, as all mantras derive their potency from it.All that is past, present and future is indeed Om. ʰṇa is beyond the triple concept of time.
Mantrashastra (शिल्पशास्त्र, Գٰśٰ) refers to the ancient Indian science of mantras—chants, incantations, spells, magical hymns, etc. Mantra Sastra literature includes many ancient books dealing with the methods reciting mantras, identifying and purifying its defects and the science behind uttering or chanting syllables.
Pancaratra (worship of Nryaṇa)
: archive.org: Catalogue of Pancaratra Agama Texts1) ʰṇa (प्रण�) is the name of a Mantra discussed in the twenty-fifth chapter of the 辱ñᲹṃh: a Pñcartra work consisting of 1550 verses dealing with a variety of topics such as worship in a temple, choosing an Ācrya, architecture, town-planning and iconography. Description of the chapter [Գٰś-]:—Kapiñjala first of all points out the necessity of mantras (1-2a). Then he gives [in prose] the mantras [e.g., the ṇa-mantra] [...]. Those not found here may be, says Kapiñjala, found elsewhere.
2) ʰṇa (प्रण�) or ʰṇamudr refers to one of the 81 Mudrs (hand-gestures) described in chapter 2 of the Ṛṣirtra section of the Բٰܳṃh: an encyclopedic Sanskrit text written in over 3500 verses dealing with a variety of topics such as yoga, temple-building, consecration ceremonies, initiation and dhanurveda (martial arts).—[Cf. the chapter ܻ-ṣaṇa].

Pancaratra (पाञ्चरात्र, pñcartra) represents a tradition of Hinduism where Narayana is revered and worshipped. Closeley related to Vaishnavism, the Pancaratra literature includes various Agamas and tantras incorporating many Vaishnava philosophies.
General definition (in Hinduism)
: Manblunder: Sri Chakra Nysaʰṇa (�). � is known as Brahma ṇa or Prkaśa ṇa.
In Buddhism
Tibetan Buddhism (Vajrayana or tantric Buddhism)
: academia.edu: A Critical Sanskrit Edition and a Translation of Kambala’s Sdhananidhi, Chapter 8ʰṇa (प्रणवा) is the name of a Deity associated with the syllable “ṃ� of the ٱīṛdⲹԳٰ (Goddess� heart mantra): one of the four major mantras in the Cakrasaṃvara tradition, as taught in the eighth chapter of the 9th-century Herukbhidhna and its commentary, the Sdhananidhi. The thirteen letters constituting the mantra are transformed in meditation into thirteen deities. All these female deities [viz., ʰṇa] have their male consorts who resemble their consort female deities in appearance and are in sexual union with them.

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 (Բ) are collected indepently.
In Jainism
Jain philosophy
: archive.org: Anekanta Jaya Pataka of Haribhadra Suriʰṇa (प्रण�) refers to “Oṃkra� (the sacred syllable ���), as occurring in the Anekntajayapatk-pra첹ṇa, a Śvetmbara Jain philosophical work written by Haribhadra Sūri.—[Cf. Vol. I, P. 357, l. 19]—‘ʰṇa�, a homonym here means �ṃkra�, the sacred syllable ���. It occurs in Bhagavadgīt (VII, 8), Raghuvaṃśa (1,11) etc.
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Languages of India and abroad
Marathi-English dictionary
: DDSA: The Molesworth Marathi and English Dictionaryṇa (प्रण�).—m S The mystical name of the Hindu triad,--the syllable ō q. v. Ex. ṇarūpiṇ� mūḷaprakṛti || pari kōpēla tribhuvanapati ||.
: DDSA: The Aryabhusan school dictionary, Marathi-Englishṇa (प्रण�).�m The mystical name of the Hindu' triad,-the syllable >.
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ṇa (प्रण�).�a Sloping, declining. Bent, dis posed towards.
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
: DDSA: The practical Sanskrit-English dictionaryʰṇa (प्रण�).�
1) The sacred syllable om; आसीन्महीक्षितामाद्यः प्रणवश्छन्दसांमि� (sīnmahīkṣitmdya� ṇaśchandasṃmiva) R.1.11; Manusmṛti 2.74; Kumrasambhava 2.12; प्रणवः सवेदेष� (ṇa� savedeṣu) Bhagavadgīt (Bombay) 7.8; तस्य वाचक� प्रणवः (tasya vcaka� ṇa�), Ptañjala S.27; प्राणद� प्रणवः प्रभुः (ṇada� ṇa� prabhu�) Viṣṇu Sahasranma.
2) A kind of musical instrument (drum or tabor).
3) An epithet of Viṣṇu or the Supreme Being.
Derivable forms: ṇa� (प्रणवः).
: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Shabda-Sagara Sanskrit-English Dictionaryʰṇa (प्रण�).—m.
(-�) 1. The mystical name of the Deity, or syllable “Om.� 2. A small kind of drum or tabor. 3. A name of Vishnu. E. pra before, nu to praise, aff. ap .
: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Benfey Sanskrit-English Dictionaryʰṇa (प्रण�).—i. e. pra-nu + a, m. 1. The holy syllable om, [Բśٰ] 2, 74. 2. A small tabor.
: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Cappeller Sanskrit-English Dictionaryʰṇa (प्रण�).—[masculine] the sacred syllable Om (—� also ṇaka).
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ʰṇa (प्रण�).—[masculine] the sacred syllable Om (—� also ṇaka).
: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Aufrecht Catalogus Catalogorumʰṇa (प्रण�) as mentioned in Aufrecht’s Catalogus Catalogorum:—[dharma] Rice. 208.
: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary1) ʰṇa (प्रण�):—[=-ṇa] a See -.
2) [=-ṇa] [from -] b mf. (or -�) (ifc. f(). ) the mystical or sacred syllable om, [Vjasaneyi-saṃhit; Taittirīya-saṃhit; Śatapatha-brhmaṇa; Manu-smṛti] (ifc. also -ka) etc. (-tva n., [Rmatpanīya-upaniṣad])
3) [v.s. ...] m. a kind of small drum or tabor = (and [probably] [wrong reading] for) 貹ṇaԲ, [cf. Lexicographers, esp. such as amarasiṃha, halyudha, hemacandra, etc.]
: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Yates Sanskrit-English Dictionaryʰṇa (प्रण�):—[-ṇa] (�) 5. m. Name of the trinity, om. a. A small drum.
: DDSA: Paia-sadda-mahannavo; a comprehensive Prakrit Hindi dictionary (S)ʰṇa (प्रण�) in the Sanskrit language is related to the Prakrit word: ʲṇa.
[Sanskrit to German]
Sanskrit, also spelled संस्कृतम� (ṃsṛt), 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
: DDSA: A practical Hindi-English dictionaryʰṇa (प्रण�) [Also spelled pranav]:�(nm) the sacred and mystical syllable Om, God Almighty.
...
Kannada-English dictionary
: Alar: Kannada-English corpusʰṇa (ಪ್ರಣ�):�
1) [noun] the sacred and mystic syllable 'ಓಂ [om]' (consisting of three syllables � �, � [a, u]Ի�).
2) [noun] the Supreme Being.
3) [noun] a kind of small drum or tabor.
4) [noun] the quality of being novel; newness; freshness; novelty.
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Pranava (ಪ್ರನ�):—[adjective] absolutely new; brand new; (the construction of this word is considered as grammatically wrong).
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: Pra, The, The, Pranava, Nava, Te.
Starts with (+6): Pranavabija, Pranavadakini, Pranavadarpana, Pranavadhe, Pranavadhi, Pranavadi, Pranavajapa, Pranavakalpa, Pranavallabhe, Pranavamamtra, Pranavamcaka, Pranavan, Pranavant, Pranavanyasa, Pranavaparishishta, Pranavapitha, Pranavarcanacandrika, Pranavarodha, Pranavarthanirnaya, Pranavarthaprakashikavyakhyana.
Full-text (+286): Pratipranavam, Pranavopanishad, Pranavakalpa, Pranavaparishishta, Pranavavyakhya, Pranavamamtra, Pranavadarpana, Parapranava, Panava, Pranavam, Sapranava, Pranavatva, Pranavabija, Pranavaka, Om, Pranavasvarupa, Shivapranava, Omkara, Pratipranavasamyukta, Vedapranava.
Relevant text
Search found 138 books and stories containing Pranava, ʰṇa, ʰṇa, Pra-nava, Pra-ṇava, The pranava; (plurals include: Pranavas, ʰṇas, ʰṇas, navas, ṇavas, The pranavas). You can also click to the full overview containing English textual excerpts. Below are direct links for the most relevant articles:
A Descriptive Catalogue of the Sanskrit Manuscripts, Madras (by M. Seshagiri Sastri)
Svacchandatantra (history and structure) (by William James Arraj)
Svacchandatantra, chapter 6 (Summary) < [Summaries]
Svacchandatantra, chapter 1 (Summary) < [Summaries]
1.4 Source Criticism < [Introduction]
Garga Samhita (English) (by Danavir Goswami)
Verse 8.10.17 < [Chapter 10 - The Paddhati and Paṭala of Lord Balarma]
Verse 4.18.3 < [Chapter 18 - The Names and Worship of Srī Yamun]
Jainism and Patanjali Yoga (Comparative Study) (by Deepak bagadia)
Part 4.4 - Yogic techniques for control of Vrttis (4): Pranava Sadhana < [Chapter 2 - Yoga philosophy and practices]
Part 4.4 - Yogic techniques for control of Vrttis (5): Isvara-pranidhana < [Chapter 2 - Yoga philosophy and practices]
Introduction < [Chapter 4 - A Comparative Study]
The concept of Yoga in Yoga Upanishads (by Philomina T.L)
18.3. The Concept of Nda < [Chapter 4 - The contents of the Yogopaniṣads]
18.2. The Concept of ʰṇa < [Chapter 4 - The contents of the Yogopaniṣads]
16. The Achievements of Yoga < [Chapter 4 - The contents of the Yogopaniṣads]
Chandogya Upanishad (english Translation) (by Swami Lokeswarananda)
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