Yamajihva, Yamajihvā: 6 definitions
Introduction:
Yamajihva means something in Hinduism, Sanskrit. 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
Purana and Itihasa (epic history)
Source: archive.org: Puranic EncyclopediaYamajihvā (यमजिह्वा).—A prostitute. In Kathāsaritsāgara, Śaktiyaśolambaka, 1st Taraṅga, there is a story about her as follows:—
In the city of Citrakūṭa Ratnavarmā a wealthy Vaiśya, had a son named Īśvaravarmā. In order to avoid his son falling under the influence of prostitutes, the father decided to teach "veśyātantram", to Īśvaravarmā while he was a boy. Yamajihvā, the prostitute undertook this task for a reward of 1000 Niṣkas. (a gold coin of that time). (See full article at Story of Yamajihvā from the Puranic encyclopaedia by Vettam Mani)
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: The Purana IndexYamajihva (यमजिह्व).—A Bhairava god.*
- * Brahmāṇḍa-purāṇa IV. 20. 82.
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.
Kavya (poetry)
Source: Wisdom Library: KathāsaritsāgaraYamajihvā (यमजिह्वा) is the name of a bawd (kuṭṭanī), according to the Kathāsaritsāgara, chapter 57. Accordingly, “... having thus reflected, he [Ratnavarman] went with his son Īśvaravarman to the house of a certain bawd, whose name was Yamajihvā. There he saw that bawd, with massive jaw, and long teeth, and snub nose, instructing her daughter...”.
The story of Yamajihvā was narrated by Marubhūti to Naravāhanadatta in order to demonstrate that “courtesans have no goodness of character”, in other words, that “there never dwells in the minds of courtesans even an atom of truth, unalloyed with treachery, so a man who desires prosperity should not take pleasure in them, as their society is only to be gained by the wealthy, any more than in uninhabited woods to be crossed only with a caravan”.
The Kathāsaritsāgara (‘ocean of streams of story’), mentioning Yamajihvā, is a famous Sanskrit epic story revolving around prince Naravāhanadatta and his quest to become the emperor of the vidyādharas (celestial beings). The work is said to have been an adaptation of Guṇāḍhya’s Bṛhatkathā consisting of 100,000 verses, which in turn is part of a larger work containing 700,000 verses.
Kavya (काव्य, kavya) refers to Sanskrit poetry, a popular ancient Indian tradition of literature. There have been many Sanskrit poets over the ages, hailing from ancient India and beyond. This topic includes mahakavya, or ‘epic poetry’ and natya, or ‘dramatic poetry’.
Languages of India and abroad
Sanskrit dictionary
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary1) Yamajihvā (यमजिह्वा):—[=yama-jihvā] [from yama > yam] f. Name of a Yoginī, [Hemādri’s Caturvarga-cintāmaṇi]
2) [v.s. ...] ‘Yama’s tongue’, Name of a procuress, [Kathāsaritsāgara]
[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.
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Search found 6 books and stories containing Yamajihva, Yama-jihva, Yama-jihvā, Yamajihvā; (plurals include: Yamajihvas, jihvas, jihvās, Yamajihvās). You can also click to the full overview containing English textual excerpts. Below are direct links for the most relevant articles:
Puranic encyclopaedia (by Vettam Mani)
Kathasaritsagara (the Ocean of Story) (by Somadeva)
Chapter LVII < [Book X - Śaktiyaśas]
The Agni Purana (by N. Gangadharan)
Chapter 52 - Characteristics of images of different forms of goddesses
Chapter 146 - Names of different Goddesses
Chapter 96 - Mode of initial consecration of an image (adhivāsana)
The Skanda Purana (by G. V. Tagare)
Chapter 168 - Greatness of the Source of Dhārotpatti < [Section 1 - Tīrtha-māhātmya]
Lalitopakhyana (Lalita Mahatmya) (by G.V. Tagare)
The Linga Purana (by J. L. Shastri)
Chapter 72 - Construction of Rudra’s chariot < [Section 1 - Uttarabhāga]