# चित्ररथ (citraratha)

Canonical page: https://sanskritlexicon.com/word/chitraratha

चित्ररथ (citraratha) is a Sanskrit word meaning having a bright chariot, the sun, the polar star, name of a man, the king of the Gandharvas, name of a king. Its 41 recorded definitions are grouped into 23 contexts, among them Dual Meaning: Sun and Gandharva Chief, King of Aṅga, Adjective: "Having a bright chariot".

- **SLP1:** `citraraTa`  **IAST:** citraratha  **Devanagari:** चित्ररथ
- **Wikipedia:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chitraratha
- **Declensions:** 48 forms — https://sanskritlexicon.com/word/chitraratha/declensions.md
- **Other headwords romanised the same way:** चित्ररथा (citrarathā)

## Meanings by context

### Dual Meaning: Sun and Gandharva Chief (4 definitions)
- 1. The sun. 2. The chief of the Gandharbas.  
  *Wilson Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > चित्र (citra) रथ (ratha) (citraratha) [Printed book page 326 ] चित्र (citra) रथ (ratha) (citraratha) m. ( - थः (-thaḥ) ) 1 The sun. 2 The chief of the Gandharbas or choristers of INDRA'S heaven. E. चित्र (citra) painted, and रथ (ratha) a car; lord of the painted car. [ ID=15193 ]
- 1. The sun. 2. A Gandharva or celestial chorister.  
  *Yates Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > चित्ररथ (citraratha) [Printed book page 286-a ] चित्र - रथ (citra-ratha) ( थः ) ((thaḥ)) 1. m. The sun; a Gandharba or celestial chorister. [ ID=14651 ]
- 1. The sun. 2. Name of a Gandharva king.  
  *Vaidya Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > चित्ररथ (citraratha) [Printed book page 273-08 ] चित्र - रथ (citra-ratha) m. 1. the sun; 2. name of a Gandharva king, son of Kaśyapa and Muni, अत्र मुनेस्तनयश्चिरसेनादीनां पंचदशानां भ्रातॄणामधिको गुणैः षोडशश्चित्ररथ (citraratha) ो नाम समुत्पन्नः (atra munestanayaścirasenādīnāṃ paṃcadaśānāṃ bhrātṝṇāmadhiko guṇaiḥ ṣoḍaśaścitraratho nāma samutpannaḥ) Kad., Vikr. i. [ ID=13740 ]
- 1. The sun. 2. The chief of the Gandharvas.  
  *Shabda-Sagara Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > चित्र (citra) रथ (ratha) (citraratha) [Printed book page 269-b ] चित्र (citra) रथ (ratha) (citraratha) m. ( - थः (-thaḥ) ) 1. The sun. 2. The chief of the Gandharbas or choristers of INDRA'S heaven. E. चित्र (citra) painted, and रथ (ratha) a car; lord of the painted car. चित्र (citra) ः रथ (ratha) ः अस्य । (citraḥ rathaḥ asya.) [ ID=15185 ]

### King of Aṅga (4 definitions)
- of a king of the Angas  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > of a king of the Aṅgas, Mahābhārata (Title) xiii, 2351 [ ID=73842.3 ]
- a descendant of Anga and son of Dharma-ratha  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > of a descendant of Aṅga and son of Dharma-ratha, Harivaṃśa (Title) 1695 ff.; Bhāgavata-purāṇa (Title) ix, 23, 6 [ ID=73842.35 ]
- an Anga king  
  *Index to the Names in the Mahabharata*
  > Citraratha 4, an Aṅga king. § 743 b (Vipulop.): XIII, 42, 2351 ( Aṅgeśvarasya, the husband of Prabhāvatī). Cf. Aṅgapati, Angeśvara, Aṅgendra. [ ID=2131 ]
- The son of Dharmaratha also known as Romapada, a friend of Dasharatha who adopted Shanta and fathered Caturanga.  
  *The Purana Index*
  > [Printed book page 1-605 ] Citraratha (V) — the son of Dharmaratha, well known as Romapāda. A friend of Daśaratha. As he had no children, he adopted Śāntā, daughter of Daśaratha. Ṛṣyaśṛnga mar- ried her. Then he had a son Caturanga. Bhā. IX. 23. 7-10; M. 48. 94; Vā. 93. 103; Vi. IV. 18. 16-18. [ ID=4804 ]

### Adjective: "Having a bright chariot" (3 definitions)
- having a bright chariot  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > (H3) [Printed book page 397,1] चित्र (citra) — रथ (—ratha) ( ° त्र - (°tra-) ), mfn. having a bright chariot (Agni), Ṛg-veda (Title) x, 1, 5 [ ID=73842 ]
- having a brilliant car  
  *Macdonell Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > चित्ररथ (citraratha) [Printed book page 094-3 ] चित्ररथ (citraratha) citrá-ratha, a. having a brilliant car; m. N.; -likhana, n. painting; -likhita, pp. painted; -lekhā, f. picture; N.; -vat, a. adorned with pictures, painted; -vana, n. (variegated wood), N. of a forest on the Gandakī; -varti, f. paint-brush; -varti-kā, f. id.; -varman, m. N. of a son of Dhṛtarāṣṭra. [ ID=7584 ]
- 1. Having a bright chariot. 2. The name of a Gandharva and several men.  
  *Cappeller Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > चित्ररथ (citraratha) [Printed book page 173 ] चित्ररथ (citraratha) a. having a bright chariot; m. N. of a Gandharva & sev. men. [ ID=10551 ]

### Chief of Gandharvas (Aṅgāraparṇa) (3 definitions)
- the king of the Gandharvas  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > the king of the Gandharvas, Atharva-veda (Title) viii, 10, 27; Mahābhārata (Title); Harivaṃśa (Title); Vikramorvaśī (Title); Kādambarī (Title); Bhāgavata-purāṇa (Title) [ ID=73842.2 ]
- king of the Gandharvas  
  *Index to the Names in the Mahabharata*
  > चित्ररथ (citraratha) [Printed book page 177-1 ] Citraratha 1, king of the Gandharvas. § 101 (Aṃśāvat.): I, 65, 2551 (among the Devagandharvas, sons of Muni).— § 191 (Arjuna): I, 123, 4813 (among the Devagandharvas present at the birth of Arjuna).—§ 221 (Caitrarathap.): I, 170, 6475 ( so 'haṃ C°o bhūtva nāmnā Dagdharatho 'bhavaṃ says the Gandharva, who, v. 6448, had named himself Aṅgāraparṇa).—§ 269 (Vaiśravaṇasabhāv.): II, 10, 407 (among the Gandharvas in the palace of Kubera).— § 295 (Dyūtap.): II, 52, 1880 ( rājā C°o Gandharvo Vāsavā- nugaḥ, had given 400 horses to Yudhiṣṭhira).—§ 298 (do.): II, 61, 2083 (had given horses to Arjuna).—§ 561 h (Arjuna): V, 56, †2226 ( sadaśvāh…C°ena dattaḥ, i.e. Arjuna's)— Page177-b+ 63 § 576 (Bhagavadgītāp.): VI, 34, 1230 ( Gandharvānāṃ C°aḥ, sc. asmi, says Kṛṣṇa).—§ 595 (Ṣoḍaśarāj., v. Pṛthu Vainya): VII, 69, 2418 (when the Gandharvas milked the Earth C. was their calf). Cf. Aṅgāraparṇa, Dagdharatha, Gandharva, Gandharvarāja. [ ID=2128 ]
- A Mauneya Gandharva and overlord of the Gandharvas, Kinnaras, and Vidyadharas.  
  *The Purana Index*
  > Citraratha (VIII) — a Mauneya Gandharva; overlord of the Gandharvas, Kinnaras and Vidyādharas; 1 served as the calf when the Gandharvas milked the earth in the lotus vessel along with the Apsaras. 2 [ Footnote: 1) Br. III. 7. 3; 8. 10; IV. 20. 50; M. 8. 6; Vā. 69. 2; 70. 9.] [ Footnote: 2) Br. II. 36. 221.] [ ID=4807 ]

### Miscellaneous Specific Individuals (3 definitions)
- an officer  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > of an officer, Rājataraṃgiṇī (Title) viii, 1438 [ ID=73842.6 ]
- a son of Agavaha  
  *The Purana Index*
  > Citraratha (IX) — a son of Agāvaha. Br. III. 71. 257. [ ID=4808 ]
- a son of Bhuri  
  *The Purana Index*
  > Citraratha (X) — a son of Bhūri. M. 50. 80. [ ID=4809 ]

### Prince/King in Vedic Literature (3 definitions)
- Name of a man  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > N. of a man, Ṛg-veda (Title) iv, 30, 18 [ ID=73842.15 ]
- name of a king  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > N. of a king, Tāṇḍya-brāhmaṇa (Title) xx, 12; Pañcatantra (Title) [ ID=73842.25 ]
- having a brilliant car  
  *The Vedic Index of Names and Subjects*
  > चित्ररथ (citraratha) [Printed book page 1-261 ] Citra-ratha (‘having a brilliant car’) is the name of two persons. ( a ) It designates an Āryan prince, who, with Arṇa, was defeated by Indra for the Turvaśa-Yadus on the Sarayu (per- haps the modern Sarju in Oudh), according to the Rigveda (iv. 30, 18). The locality would accord with the close connexion of Turvaśa and Krivi or Pañcāla. Page1-262+ 46 ( b ) Citraratha is also the name of a king for whom the Kāpeyas performed a special kind of sacrifice ( dvirātra ), with the result, according to the Pañcaviṃśa Brāhmaṇa, 1 that in the Caitrarathi family only one member was a Kṣatra-pati, the rest dependents. Apparently this must mean that the Caitrarathis were distinguished from other families of princes by the fact that the chief of the clan received a markedly higher position than in most cases, in which probably the heads of the family were rather an oligarchy than a monarch and his dependents. See Rājan. [ Footnote: 1) xx. 12, 5. Cf. Hopkins. Transactions of the Connecticut Academy of Arts and Sciences, 15, 52, 53; Weber, Indische Studien, 1, 32; Indian Literature, 68, n.] [ ID=975 ]

### Yādava Ancestor (3 definitions)
- the great-grandfather of Krishna  
  *Index to the Names in the Mahabharata*
  > Citraratha 5, the great-grandfather of Kṛṣṇa. § 768 b (Kṛṣṇa Vāsudeva): XII, 147, 6839 (son of Ṛṣadgu and father of Śūra). [ ID=2132 ]
- 1. The son of Rusheku and father of Shashabindu.  
  *The Purana Index*
  > Citraratha (VI) — the son of Ruśeku (Ruṣ(ś)anku- M. P., Vi. P. ) and father of Śaśabindu. Bhā. IX. 23. 31; Br. III. 70. 18; M. 44. 17; Vi. IV. 12. 2-3. [ ID=4805 ]
- the son of Rashadu who became known as Shashabindu  
  *The Purana Index*
  > Citraratha (XI) — the son of Raśādu; performed several sacrifices; became later known as Śaśabindu; had 10,000 sons of whom six were famous with names beginning in Pṛthu. Vā. 95. 17-18, 20-21. [ ID=4810 ]

### King of Mṛttikāvatī (Reṇukā episode) (2 definitions)
- a prince of Mrittikavati  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > of a prince of Mṛttikāvatī, Mahābhārata (Title) iii, 11076 ( cf. Bhāgavata-purāṇa (Title) ix, 16, 3 ) [ ID=73842.5 ]
- A king of Mrittikavati  
  *Index to the Names in the Mahabharata*
  > [Printed book page 177-2 ] Citraratha 2, king of Mṛttikāvatī. § 396 (Jamadagni): III, 116, 10176 ( Mārttikāvatakaṃ nṛpaṃ, seeing him bathing, Reṇukā, the wife of Jamadagni, became filled with desire). [ ID=2129 ]

### Son of Ukta or Uṣṇa (2 definitions)
- son of Ukta and father of Kaviratha  
  *The Purana Index*
  > Citraratha (IV) — the son of Ukta and father of Kavi- ratha. Bhā. IX. 22. 40. [ ID=4803 ]
- a son of Ushna  
  *The Purana Index*
  > Citraratha (XII) — a son of Uṣṇa. Vā. 99. 272; 108. 49. [ ID=4811 ]

### Form of Goddess Durgā (Citrarathī) (1 definition)
- a form of Durga  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > चित्र (citra) — रथी (—rathī) f. a form of Durgā, Harivaṃśa (Title) ii, 109, 48 [ ID=73842.75 ]

### Name of a River (1 definition)
- a river  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > (H3B) [Printed book page 397,1] चित्र (citra) — रथा (—rathā) f. N. of a river, Mahābhārata (Title) vi, 341 [ ID=73842.7 ]

### Puranic Lineages List (1 definition)
- a proper name  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > of a son (of Gada or Kṛṣṇa, Harivaṃśa (Title) 9193; of Uṣadgu or Ruśeku, Mahābhārata (Title) xiii, 6834; Harivaṃśa (Title) 1971; Bhāgavata-purāṇa (Title) ix, 23, 30; of Vṛṣṇi, 24, 14 and 17; of Gaja, v, 15, 2; of Supārśvaka, ix, 13, 23; of Ukta or Uṣṇa, 22, 39 ) [ ID=73842.45 ]

### Pāñcāla Prince (1 definition)
- brother of the Panchala prince Viraketu  
  *Index to the Names in the Mahabharata*
  > Citraratha 3, brother of the Pāñcāla prince Vīraketu. § 599 (Jayadrathavadhap.): VII, 122 ιι, 4903 (slain by Droṇa). [ ID=2130 ]

### Related Term Reference (1 definition)
- see chaitraratha  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > cf. चैत्ररथ (caitraratha) [ ID=73842.8 ]

### Snake-Demon (1 definition)
- a snake-demon  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > of a snake-demon, Kauśika-sūtra (Title) 74 [ ID=73842.4 ]

### Son of Gaya (Bharata Dynasty) (1 definition)
- a son of Gaya and father of Samrat  
  *The Purana Index*
  > चित्ररथ (citraratha) [Printed book page 1-604 ] Citraratha (I) — a son of Gaya, and father of Samrāṭ; wife Ūrṇā. Bhā. V. 15. 14. [ ID=4800 ]

### Son of Supārśvaka, King of Mithilā (1 definition)
- the son of Suparshvaka, father of Kshemadhi, and king of Mithila  
  *The Purana Index*
  > Citraratha (III) — the son of Supārśvaka and father of Kṣemādhi. He was king of Mithilā. Bhā. IX. 13. 23. [ ID=4802 ]

### Son of Vṛṣṇi (1 definition)
- A son of Vrishni, grandson of Anamitra, and father of Prithu and other sons.  
  *The Purana Index*
  > Citraratha (VII) — a son of Vṛṣṇi and a grandson of Anamitra. Father of Pṛthu and other sons. Bhā. IX. 24. 15 and 18. [ ID=4806 ]

### Specific Gandharva (Puranic episodes) (1 definition)
- A Gandharva who collected the bones of Koushika and threw them into the Sarasvati, and who was seen sporting at the Ganges with apsaras by Renuka.  
  *The Purana Index*
  > Citraratha (II) — a Gandharva who crossed the place where the bones of a certain Kauśika lay dropped down to the earth. After collecting and throwing them into the Sarasvatī, he went to his home. 1 He was seen sporting at the Ganges with apsaras by Reṇukā. 2 [ Footnote: 1) Bhā. VI. 8. 39-40.] [ Footnote: 2) Ib. IX. 16. 2-3.] [ ID=4801 ]

### Sūta, Minister of Daśaratha (1 definition)
- of a Suta  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > of a Sūta, Rāmāyaṇa (Title) ii, 32, 17 [ ID=73842.55 ]

### The Polar Star (1 definition)
- the polar star  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > the polar star (Dhruva), Bhāgavata-purāṇa (Title) iv, 10, 22 [ ID=73842.1 ]

### The Sun God (1 definition)
- the sun  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > चित्र (citra) — रथ (—ratha) m. the sun, Lexicographers, esp. such as Amarasiṃha, Halāyudha, Hemacandra, etc. (Author) [ ID=73842.05 ]

### Vidyā-dhara (1 definition)
- a Vidyadhara  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > of a Vidyā-dhara, Lexicographers, esp. such as Amarasiṃha, Halāyudha, Hemacandra, etc. (Author) [ ID=73842.65 ]

## Sources

Definitions from Cappeller Sanskrit-English Dictionary; Index to the Names in the Mahabharata; Macdonell Sanskrit-English Dictionary; Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899); Shabda-Sagara Sanskrit-English Dictionary; The Purana Index; The Vedic Index of Names and Subjects; Vaidya Sanskrit-English Dictionary; Wilson Sanskrit-English Dictionary; Yates Sanskrit-English Dictionary.
Text from the Cologne Digital Sanskrit Lexicon, University of Cologne.

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