# धृति (dhṛti)

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

धृति (dhṛti) is a Sanskrit word meaning holding, firmness, resolution, or will, satisfaction, content, joy, particular evening oblations at the Ashvamedha, any offering or sacrifice, the numeral 18, one of the astrological yogas. Its 47 recorded definitions are grouped into 13 contexts, among them Human/Ancestral Males named Dhṛti, General Abstract Qualities, Other Goddesses/Divine Females.

- **Roots:** बन्ध् (bandh), कृ (kṛ)
- **Etymology:** E. धृ to have, &c. affix क्तिन् — E. dhṛ to have, &c. affix ktin
- **SLP1:** `Dfti`  **IAST:** dhṛti  **Devanagari:** धृति
- **Wikipedia:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dhrti
- **Declensions:** 72 forms — https://sanskritlexicon.com/word/dhriti/declensions.md
- **Other headwords romanised the same way:** धृती (dhṛtī)

## Meanings by context

### Human/Ancestral Males named Dhṛti (14 definitions)
- of a preceptor  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > of a preceptor, Catalogue(s) [Cologne Addition] (Title) [ ID=101901 ]
- the son of Vijaya and father of Dhrita-vrata  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > of the son of Vijaya and father of Dhṛta-vrata, Harivaṃśa (Title); Purāṇas (Literary category) [ ID=101902 ]
- the son of Vitahavya and father of Bahulashva  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > of a son of Vīta-havya and father of Bahulāśva, Purāṇas (Literary category) [ ID=101903 ]
- a son of Babhru  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > of a son of Babhru, Lexicographers, esp. such as Amarasiṃha, Halāyudha, Hemacandra, etc. (Author) [ ID=101904 ]
- a son of Vitahavya  
  *The Purana Index*
  > धृति (dhṛti) [Printed book page 2-179 ] Dhṛti (I) — a son of Vītahavya and father of Bahu- laśva. Bhā. IX. 13. 26; Br. III. 64. 23; Vā. 89. 22; Vi. IV. 5. 31. [ ID=6717 ]
- a son of Vijaya and father of Dhritavrata  
  *The Purana Index*
  > [Printed book page 2-180 ] Dhṛti (II) — a son of Vijaya and father of Dhṛtavrata. Bhā. IX. 23. 12; Vā. 99. 116; Vi. IV. 18. 24-5. [ ID=6718 ]
- a son of Jyotishman  
  *The Purana Index*
  > Dhṛti (IV) — a son of Jyotiṣman, after whom came Dhṛtimatvarṣa. Br. II. 14. 27-9; Vā. 33. 24; Vi. II. 4. 36. [ ID=6720 ]
- a son of Srishti and Chhaya  
  *The Purana Index*
  > Dhṛti (VI) — a son of Sṛṣti (Puṣṭi- Vā. P. ) and Chāyā. Br. II. 36. 98; Vā. 62. 83-4. [ ID=6722 ]
- a son of Brahmadhana  
  *The Purana Index*
  > Dhṛti (VII) — a son of Brahmadhāna. Br. III. 7. 98. [ ID=6723 ]
- A son of Ardraka or Ahuka.  
  *The Purana Index*
  > Dhṛti (IX) — a son of Ārdraka? or Āhuka, said to have had 80 horses; equal to Bhoja of Nāgas in the Eastern region. Br. III. 71. 124; Vā. 96. 123-5. [ ID=6725 ]
- a son of Savarna Manu  
  *The Purana Index*
  > Dhṛti (XI) — a son of Sāvarṇa Manu. M. 9. 33. [ ID=6727 ]
- a son of Vrishni and father of Kapotaroma  
  *The Purana Index*
  > Dhṛti (XIV) — a son of Vṛṣṇi and father of Kapota- romā. M. 44. 62. [ ID=6730 ]
- a son of Vibudha  
  *The Purana Index*
  > Dhṛti (XV) — a son of Vibudha. Vā. 89. 12. [ ID=6731 ]
- a son of Babhru and father of Kaushika  
  *The Purana Index*
  > Dhṛti (XVI) — a son of Babhru and father of Kauśika. Vi. IV. 12. 39. [ ID=6732 ]

### General Abstract Qualities (8 definitions)
- 1. Holding fast or standing still. 2. Firmness, steadiness, fortitude, constancy, or resoluteness. 3. Satisfaction or contentment.  
  *Macdonell Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > धृति (dhṛti) [Printed book page 134-2 ] धृति (dhṛti) dhṛ́-ti, f. holding fast; standing still; firmness, steadiness; fortitude; constancy; resoluteness; satisfaction, contentment: -ṃ kṛ, find satisfaction; stand oneʼs ground; -ṃ bandh, direct oneʼs will towards ( lc. ). [ ID=10124 ]
- 1. Sacrifice or religious rite. 2. Holding or having. 3. Steadiness or firmness. 4. An astrological Yoga. 5. Pleasure. 6. Satisfaction or content. 7. Happiness. 8. A poetic metre. 9. The thirteenth Matrika.  
  *Wilson Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > धृ (dhṛ) ति (dhṛti) [Printed book page 447 ] धृ (dhṛ) ति (dhṛti) m. ( - तिः (-tiḥ) ) Sacrifice, offering, religious rite or ceremony. f. ( - तिः (-tiḥ) ) 1 Holding, having. 2 Steadiness, firmness. 3 One of the astrological Yogas: see योग (yoga). 4 Pleasure. 5 Satisfaction, content. 6 Happiness. 7 A metre; a stanza of four lines of eighteen syllables each. 8 The thirteenth Mātṛkā. E. धृ (dhṛ) to have, &c. affix क्तिन् (ktin). [ ID=20772 ]
- 1. Sacrifice. 2. Holding, firmness, pleasure, or content.  
  *Yates Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > धृति (dhṛti) [Printed book page 399-a ] धृति (dhṛti) ( तिः ) ((tiḥ)) 2. m. Sacrifice. f. A holding; firmness; pleasure, content. [ ID=20266 ]
- 1. Holding, seizing, or possessing. 2. Firmness or steadiness. 3. Fortitude or resolution. 4. Satisfaction or contentment. 5. Pleasure or joy.  
  *Vaidya Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > धृति (dhṛti) [Printed book page 362-18 ] धृति (dhṛti) f. 1. Holding, seizing, possessing; 2. firmness, steadiness; 3. fortitude, resolution; 4. satisfaction, contentment; 5. satisfaction considered as one of the 33 subordinate feelings (in rhetoric); (it is thus defined- ज्ञानाभीष्टागमाद्यैस्तु संपुर्णस्पृहता धृति (dhṛti) ः (jñānābhīṣṭāgamādyaistu saṃpurṇaspṛhatā dhṛtiḥ) ); 6. pleasure, joy, चक्षुर्बध्नाति धृति (dhṛti) म् (cakṣurbadhnāti dhṛtim) Vikr. ii., R. iii.10. [ ID=18559 ]
- 1. Sacrifice, offering, or religious rite. 2. Holding or having. 3. Steadiness or firmness. 4. An astrological Yoga. 5. Pleasure. 6. Satisfaction or content. 7. Happiness. 8. A metre with four lines of eighteen syllables each. 9. The thirteenth Matrika.  
  *Shabda-Sagara Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > धृ (dhṛ) ति (dhṛti) [Printed book page 372-b ] धृ (dhṛ) ति (dhṛti) m. ( - तिः (-tiḥ) ) Sacrifice, offering, religious rite or ceremony. f. ( - तिः (-tiḥ) ) 1. Holding, having. 2. Steadiness, firmness. 3. One of the astrological Yogas. see योग (yoga). 4. Pleasure. 5. Satisfaction, content. 6. Happiness. 7. A metre; a stanza of four lines of eighteen syllables each. 8. The thirteenth Mātrikā E. धृ (dhṛ) to have &c. affix क्तिन् (ktin). [ ID=20758 ]
- 1. Holding. 2. Steadiness. 3. Contentment and satisfaction. 4. A deity or proper name.  
  *Benfey Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > धृति (dhṛti) [Printed book page 0447-a ] धृति (dhṛti) dhṛ + ti, I. f. 1. Holding, MBh. 7, 4540 ( dhṛtiṃ kṛ, To keep ground). Page0447-b+ 44 2. Steadiness, Nal. 6, 10. 3. Content, Man. 10, 116. 4. Satisfaction, Kir. 5, 35. 5. personified, MBh. 1, 2794. II. m. 1. The name of a deity, MBh. 13, 4355. 2. A proper name. — Comp. A-, f. 1. uneasiness. 2. discontent, Man. 12, 33. Kṣmā-, m. a king and a moun- tain, Rājat. 5, 476. Śata-, m. 1. Indra. 2. Brahman. [ ID=7082 ]
- 1. Firmness, constancy, or resolution. 2. Satisfaction or contentment.  
  *Cappeller Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > धृति (dhṛti) [Printed book page 256 ] धृति (dhṛti) f. holding fast, firmness, solidity, constancy, resolution; satisfaction, contentment. — धृति (dhṛti) ं कृ (dhṛtiṃ kṛ) hold fast or be satisfied; ° बन्ध् (°bandh) set the mind on ( loc. ). [ ID=15536 ]
- 1. Holding, possessing, or supporting. 2. Firmness, constancy, fortitude, or resolution. 3. Satisfaction, happiness, or contentment. 4. A Vedic metre of seventy-two syllables or any metre consisting of four times eighteen syllables.  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1872)*
  > धृति (dhṛti) [Printed book page 0459-b ] Dhṛti, is, f. holding, holding fast, laying hold of, seizing, having, possessing; supporting, maintaining; firmness (e. g. dhṛtiṃ kṛ, to show firmness, stand firm); constancy, steadiness, steadfastness, fortitude, energy, resolution; strong will, self-command; will, command (Ved.); satisfaction, happiness, pleasure, contentment; N. of certain evening oblations offered at the Aśva-medha; a sacrifice, offering; N. of a Vedic metre of seventy-two syllables; (in the later language) any metre consisting of 4×18 syllables; a metre composed of the Upendra-vajrā and Indra- vajrā; N. of one of the astrological Yogas; Reso- lution or Satisfaction personified as a daughter of Dakṣa and wife of Dharma, (regarded as one of the Vasu-patnīs or as a form of Dākṣāyaṇī in Piṇḍā- raka); N. of one of the sixteen Kalās of the Moon; N. of a goddess, daughter of a Kalās of Prakṛti and wife of Kapila; N. of the wife of Rudra-manu; N. of the thirteenth of the sixteen Mātṛkās; ( is ), m., N. of one of the Viśve-Devās; of a preceptor, Dhṛti Aindrota; of a son of Vi-jaya and father of Dhṛta-vrata; of a son of Vīta-havya and father of Bahulāśva; of a son of Babhru; [cf. a-dh° and kṣmā-dh°. ] —Dhṛti-paripūrṇa, as, m., N. of a Bodhi-sattva. —Dhṛti-mat, ān, atī, at, steadfast, firm, steady, calm, determined, resolute; satisfied, content; ( ān ), m., N. of a form of Agni; of a son of Manu Raivata; of Manu Sāvarṇa; of one of the Saptarṣis in the thirteenth Manv-antara; of a son of Kīrtti-mat, son of Aṅgiras; of a son of Yavīnara; of a Brāhman; ( atī ), f., N. of a river, also read dhṛta-vatī; (at), n., N. of a Varṣa in Kuśa- dvīpa. —Dhṛtimat-tā, f. steadfastness, steadiness, calmness, &c. —Dhṛti-maya, as, ī, am, consisting of steadfastness or constancy; consisting of content- ment. —Dhṛti-muṣ, ṭ, ṭ, ṭ, ‘fortitude-stealing,’ who or what robs one of one's steadfastness, dis- composing, agitating. —Dhṛti-siṃha, as, m., N. of a man said to have assisted Puruṣottama in com- posing the Hārāvalī; (also read dhṛta-siṃha. ) [ ID=23533 ]

### Other Goddesses/Divine Females (7 definitions)
- one of the sixteen digits or phases of the moon  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > of one of the 16 Kalās of the moon, Purāṇas (Literary category) [ ID=101895 ]
- a goddess, daughter of a Kala of Prakriti and wife of Kapila  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > of a goddess (daughter of a Kalā of Prakṛti and wife of Kapila), in the same place [Cologne Addition] (Title) [ ID=101896 ]
- of the wife of Rudra-Manu  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > of the wife of Rudra-Manu, in the same place [Cologne Addition] (Title) [ ID=101897 ]
- the thirteenth of the sixteen Matrikas  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > of the 13th of the 16 Mātṛkās, Lexicographers, esp. such as Amarasiṃha, Halāyudha, Hemacandra, etc. (Author) [ ID=101898 ]
- a Devi attending on Soma  
  *The Purana Index*
  > Dhṛti (VIII) — a Devī attending on Soma. Br. III. 65. 26. [ ID=6724 ]
- a mother goddess  
  *The Purana Index*
  > [Printed book page 2-181 ] Dhṛti (XII) — a mother goddess; enshrined at Piṇḍā- raka. M. 13. 48; 179. 20; 246. 62. [ ID=6728 ]
- same as Mahati  
  *The Purana Index*
  > Dhṛti (XIII) — same as Mahatī; left her consort Nandi for Soma. M. 23. 26; 122. 74. [ ID=6729 ]

### Male Deities/Gods named Dhṛti (5 definitions)
- Name of one of the Vishve Devas  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > N. of one of the Viśve Devās, Mahābhārata (Title) [ ID=101900 ]
- an epithet of Shiva  
  *Index to the Names in the Mahabharata*
  > Dhṛti 2 = Śiva (1000 names 1 ). [ ID=3540 ]
- a Vishvadeva  
  *Index to the Names in the Mahabharata*
  > Dhṛti 3, a Viśvadeva. § 749 (Ānuśās.): XIII, 91 γ, 4355 (enumeration). [ ID=3541 ]
- a Sudhamana god  
  *The Purana Index*
  > Dhṛti (V) — a Sudhāmāna god. Br. II. 26. 45; 36. 27. [ ID=6721 ]
- a Sutapa god  
  *The Purana Index*
  > Dhṛti (X) — a Sutapa god. Br. IV. 1. 15; Vā. 100. 15. [ ID=6726 ]

### Goddess Dhṛti (Daughter of Dakṣa) (3 definitions)
- Resolution or satisfaction personified as a daughter of Daksha and wife of Dharma or as a Shakti  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > Resolution or Satisfaction personified as a daughter of Dakṣa and wife of Dharma ( Mahābhārata (Title); Harivaṃśa (Title); Purāṇas (Literary category) ) or as a Śakti ( Hemādri’s Caturvarga-cintāmaṇi (Title) &c.) [ ID=101888 ]
- resolution  
  *Index to the Names in the Mahabharata*
  > धृति (dhṛti) [Printed book page 253-1 ] Dhṛti 1 (“resolution,” personif.). § 115 (Aṃśāvat.): I, 66, 2578 (daughter of Dakṣa and wife of Dharma).—§ 132 (do.): I, 67, 2794 (Siddhi and Dhṛti became incarnate as Kuntī and Mādrī).—§ 330 (Indradarśana): III, 37, 1488 (only B., C. has Dyuti).—§ 565 (Gālavac.): V, 117, 3974 ( reme …yathā…Dhṛtyāṃ Dharmaś ca, wife of Dharma).— § 595 (Sṛñjaya): VII, 55 α, 2143 (Parvata asks if the daughter of Sṛñjaya is Dh°, etc.).—§ 606 (Tripurākhyāna): VIII, 34, 1484 (was transformed into a skin to cover the chariot of Śiva).—§ 615 u (Skanda): IX, 46 κ, 2682. [ ID=3539 ]
- 1. A daughter of Daksha, wife of Dharma, and mother of Niyama. 2. One of nine goddesses serving Soma.  
  *The Purana Index*
  > Dhṛti (III) — a daughter of Dakṣa; wife of Dharma and mother of a son Niyama; 1 one of nine devis serving Soma. 2 [ Footnote: 1) Br. II. 9. 49, 59; Vā. 10. 25, 34; Vi. I. 7. 23, 28.] [ Footnote: 2) Vā. 55. 43; 90. 25.] [ ID=6719 ]

### Geographical/Mythical Place (2 definitions)
- of a mythical garden  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > of a mythical garden, Golādhyāya (subtitle) [ ID=101894 ]
- of a Varsha in Kusha-dvipa  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > of a Varṣa in Kuśa-dvīpa, Viṣṇu-purāṇa (Title) [ ID=101905 ]

### Sacrifice or Offering (2 definitions)
- particular evening oblations at the Ashvamedha  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > N. of partic. evening oblations at the Aśvamedha, Śatapatha-brāhmaṇa (Title) [ ID=101889 ]
- any offering or sacrifice  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > any offering or sacrifice, Horace H. Wilson, author of first Sanskrit-English dictionary in 1819 (Author) [ ID=101890 ]

### Astrological Yoga (1 definition)
- one of the astrological yogas  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > of one of the astrol. Yoga-sūtra (Title); Lexicographers, esp. such as Amarasiṃha, Halāyudha, Hemacandra, etc. (Author) [ ID=101893 ]

### Firmness, Resolution, Holding (1 definition)
- holding, firmness, resolution, or will  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > (H2) [Printed book page 519,2] धृति (dhṛti) f. holding, seizing, keeping, supporting ( cf. चर्षणी - (carṣaṇī-), वि - (vi-) ), firmness, constancy, resolution, will, command, Ṛg-veda (Title) &c. &c. [ ID=101886 ]

### Poetic Metre (1 definition)
- a class of metres consisting of four times eighteen syllables  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > of sev. kinds of metre and of a class of metres consisting of 4 × 18 syllables, Colebrooke (Author) [ ID=101891 ]

### Satisfaction, Contentment, Joy (1 definition)
- Satisfaction, content, joy  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > [Printed book page 519,3] satisfaction, content, joy, Mahābhārata (Title); Kāvya literature (Literary category) &c. ( ° तिं -√ कृ (°tiṃ-√kṛ), to keep ground or stand still, Mahābhārata (Title) vii, 4540; to find pleasure or satisfaction, Ratnāvalī (Title) iv, 4/5; ° तिम् -√ बन्ध् (°tim-√bandh), to show firmness, Amaru-śataka (Title) 67; to fix the mind on Manu-smṛti (Title) v, 47 ) [ ID=101887 ]

### Specific Textual Combination (1 definition)
- holding the ruling power  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > धृति (dhṛti) m. with क्षत्रस्य (kṣatrasya) = क्षत्र - ध् (kṣatra-dh) ° (°), Lāṭyāyana (Author) [ ID=101899 ]

### The Numeral 18 (1 definition)
- the numeral 18  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > of the numeral 18 Varāha-mihira [Cologne Addition] (Author); Gaṇitādhyāya (subtitle) [ ID=101892 ]

## Sources

Definitions from Benfey Sanskrit-English Dictionary; Cappeller Sanskrit-English Dictionary; Index to the Names in the Mahabharata; Macdonell Sanskrit-English Dictionary; Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1872); Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899); Shabda-Sagara Sanskrit-English Dictionary; The Purana Index; 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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