# ईशान (īśāna)

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

ईशान (īśāna) is a Sanskrit word meaning owning, possessing, wealthy, reigning, a ruler or master, an older name of Shiva-Rudra, one of the Rudras, the sun as a form of Shiva. Its 42 recorded definitions are grouped into 16 contexts, among them Ruler, Owner, Master (General Sense), Name/Epithet of Śiva, Name/Epithet of Viṣṇu.

- **Etymology:** E. ईश a master, &c. and आनच् affix, and fem. ङीष् — E. īśa a master, &c. and ānac affix, and fem. ṅīṣ
- **SLP1:** `ISAna`  **IAST:** īśāna  **Devanagari:** ईशान
- **Wikipedia:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ishana
- **Declensions:** 48 forms — https://sanskritlexicon.com/word/ishana/declensions.md
- **Other headwords romanised the same way:** ईशाना (īśānā), ईशन (īśana), ईषणा (īṣaṇā), ईषण (īṣaṇa)

## Meanings by context

### Ruler, Owner, Master (General Sense) (12 definitions)
- owning, possessing, wealthy  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > (H2) [Printed book page 171,1] ईशान (īśāna) (and ईशान (īśāna) ) mfn. owning, possessing, wealthy [ ID=29852 ]
- reigning  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > reigning, Ṛg-veda (Title); Atharva-veda (Title); Vājasaneyi-saṃhitā (Title); Śatapatha-brāhmaṇa (Title) &c. [ ID=29854 ]
- Owning, possessing, master or lord  
  *Apte Practical Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > ईशान (īśāna) [Printed book page 0283-c ] ईशान (īśāna) a. [ ईश् ताच्छील्ये चानश् (īś tācchīlye cānaś) ] 1 Owning, possessing, master or lord
- Reigning, ruling  
  *Apte Practical Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > ईशान (īśāna) [Printed book page 0283-c ] ईशान (īśāna) a. [ ईश् ताच्छील्ये चानश् (īś tācchīlye cānaś) ] 2 Reigning, ruling
- Wealthy, rich  
  *Apte Practical Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > ईशान (īśāna) [Printed book page 0283-c ] ईशान (īśāna) a. [ ईश् ताच्छील्ये चानश् (īś tācchīlye cānaś) ] 3 Wealthy, rich
- A ruler, master, or lord.  
  *Apte Practical Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > — नः (naḥ) 1 A ruler, master, lord
- 1. Possessing or ruling over. 2. A ruler. 3. An epithet of Shiva.  
  *Macdonell Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > ईशान (īśāna) [Printed book page 047-3 ] ईशान (īśāna) ī́ś-āna ( or á ), pr. pt. possessing; ruling over ( g. ); m. ruler; ep. of Śiva; N.; -candra, m. N.; -devī, f. N.. [ ID=4250 ]
- 1. A ruler. 2. An epithet of Shiva. 3. An epithet of Vishnu.  
  *Vaidya Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > ईशान (īśāna) [Printed book page 120-31 ] ईशान (īśāna) m. 1. A ruler, e.g. ईशान (īśāna) ः सर्वभूतानाम् (īśānaḥ sarvabhūtānām); 2. an epithet of Śiva; 3. an epithet of Vishṇu. [ ID=5954 ]
- 1. Ruling. 2. A name of Shiva. 3. A surname of Durga.  
  *Benfey Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > ईशान (īśāna) [Printed book page 0106-a ] ईशान (īśāna) īś + āna (properly the ptcple. of the pres. ), I. adj Ruling, Chr. 293, Page0106-b+ 44 4 = Rigv. i. 87, 4. II. m. A name of Śiva, MBh. 3, 8169. III. f. nī, A sur- name of Durgā, Dev. 8, 21. — Comp. Gaṇa-īśāna, Gaṇeśa, MBh. 1, 75. [ ID=1933 ]
- 1. Owning, able, or disposing of. 2. A ruler or sovereign. 3. An epithet of Shiva and other gods. 4. An epithet of Durga.  
  *Cappeller Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > ईशान (īśāna) [Printed book page 078 ] ईशान (īśāna) a. owning, disposing of ( gen. or acc. ), able; m. ruler, sovereign; E. of Śiva & other gods. f. ईशान (īśāna) ा (īśānā) E. of Durgā. [ ID=5124 ]
- 1. Owning, able, or in control. 2. A ruler or sovereign. 3. An epithet of Shiva and other gods. 4. An epithet of Durga.  
  *Cappeller Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > ईशान (īśāna) a. owning, disposing of ( gen. or acc. ), able; m. ruler, sovereign; E. of Śiva & other gods. f. ईशान (īśāna) ा (īśānā) E. of Durgā. [ ID=5125 ]
- 1. Owning, possessing, wealthy, or reigning. 2. A ruler or master. 3. An epithet of Shiva, Rudra, and Vishnu. 4. The sun as a form of Shiva. 5. A Sadhya deity. 6. An epithet of Durga. 7. The silk-cotton tree. 8. Light or splendor.  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1872)*
  > ईशान (īśāna) [Printed book page 0144-a ] Īśāna, as, ā, am, owning, possessing, wealthy; reigning; ( as ), m. a ruler, master, one of the older names of Śiva-Rudra; one of the Rudras; the sun as a form of Śiva; a Sādhya; epithet of Viṣṇu; N. of a man; ( ī ), f. an epithet of Durgā; ( as or ī ), m. or f. the silk-cotton tree, Bombax Heptaphyllum; ( am ), n. light, splendor. —Īśāna-kṛt, t, t, t, Ved. acting like a competent person, making use of one's possessions or faculties; (Sāy.) rendering one a master or able. —Īśāna-candra, as, m., N. of a physician. —Īśāna-ja, ās, m. pl. a class of deities forming a section of the Kalpa-bhavas. —Īśāna-devī, f., N. of a woman. [ ID=10117 ]

### Name/Epithet of Śiva (8 definitions)
- 1. A ruler or master. 2. An older name of Shiva-Rudra.  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > ईशान (īśāna) ( अस् (as) ), m. a ruler, master, one of the older names of Śiva-Rudra, Atharva-veda (Title); Vājasaneyi-saṃhitā (Title); Śatapatha-brāhmaṇa (Title); Mahābhārata (Title); Kumāra-sambhava (Title) &c. [ ID=29855 ]
- An epithet of Shiva  
  *Apte Practical Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > — नः (naḥ) 2 N. of Śiva; ईशानसंदर्शनलालसानां (īśānasaṃdarśanalālasānāṃ) Kumārasambhava (Bombay) 7. 56; Kādambarī (Bombay) 10
- one of the five forms of Shiva  
  *Apte Practical Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > — आदिपंचमूर्तिः (ādipaṃcamūrtiḥ) f. one of the five forms of Śiva
- 1. A name of Shiva. 2. The regent of the north-east quarter. 3. One of the Rudras. 4. The sun as a form of Shiva. 5. The silk cotton tree. 6. Light or splendor. 7. A name of Durga.  
  *Wilson Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > ईश (īśa) ान (īśāna) [Printed book page 135 ] ईश (īśa) ान (īśāna) m. ( - नः (-naḥ) ) 1 A name of ŚIVA. 2 Also of the same as regent of the north-east quarter. 3 One of the Rudras. 4 The sun as a form. of ŚIVA. mf. ( - नः (-naḥ)- नी (-nī) (-naḥ-nī) ) The silk cotton tree, ( Bombax heptaphyllum ). n. ( - नं (-naṃ) ) Light, splendor. f. ( - नी (-nī) ) A name of DURGĀ. E. ईश (īśa) a master, &c. and आनच् (ānac) affix, and fem. ङीष् (ṅīṣ) [ ID=6492 ]
- 1. Shiva, a Rudra, the north-east direction, the sun, or the silk-cotton tree. 2. Lordly. 3. Splendor. 4. Durga.  
  *Yates Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > ईशान (īśāna) [Printed book page 110-b ] ईशान (īśāna) ( नः ) ((naḥ)) 1. m. Shiva; a Ruddra; north-east; the sun; silk-cotton tree. n. ( नं (naṃ) ) Splendor. a. Lordly. ( नी (nī) ) 3. f. Durgā. [ ID=5884 ]
- 1. An epithet of Shiva. 2. The regent of the north-east quarter. 3. One of the Rudras. 4. The sun as a form of Shiva. 5. The silk cotton tree. 6. Light or splendor. 7. An epithet of Durga.  
  *Shabda-Sagara Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > ईश (īśa) ान (īśāna) [Printed book page 111-b ] ईश (īśa) ान (īśāna) m. ( - नः (-naḥ) ) 1. A name of SIVA. 2. Also of the same deity as regent of the north-east quarter. 3. One of the Rudras. 4. The sun as a form of SIVA. mf. ( - नः (-naḥ)- नी (-nī) (-naḥ-nī) ) The silk cotton tree, (Bombax heptaphyllum.) n. ( - नं (-naṃ) ) Light, splendor. f. ( - नी (-nī) ) A name of DURGA. E. ईश (īśa) a master, &c. and आनच् (ānac) affix, and fem. ङीष् (ṅīṣ). [ ID=6490 ]
- Shiva  
  *Index to the Names in the Mahabharata*
  > Īśāna 2 (do.) = Śiva: III, 8169 (worshipped in Gokarṇa), 8836 ( Śaṅkaraṃ Bhavaṃ ), 9953, 15887 (friend of Kubera); VII, 2863, 2876, 5144 ( Brahme°endra-Varuṇān ), 9453, 9462, 9503, 9504, 9534, 9595; VIII, 628 ( Brahme°āv iva ), 1435 ( Sthāṇuṃ ), 1489, 1531, 1665, 2161 ( Brahme°endra-Varuṇān ), 4361, 4440 ( Brahme°au ), 4456 ( Brahme°ānuśāsanaṃ ); IX, 908; X, 252; XII, 4498 ( Rudrānāṃ…goptāraṃ ), 10141, 10330, 10390 (1000 names 1 ), 13152, 13292; XIII, 658, 728, 828, 908, 924, 956, 998, 1015, 1042, 1103, 1188 (1000 names 2 ), 1273, 1305, 1331, 1359, 7497; XIV, 208. [ ID=4578 ]
- 1. A name of Shiva. 2. Lord of the northeast. 3. The fourth body of Vayu or the five vital airs, with the wife Shiva and sons Manojava and Avijnanagati.  
  *The Purana Index*
  > Īśāna (Īśa) (II) — a name of Śiva; 1 lord of the N. E.; 2 the fourth body of Vāyu or the five vital airs; wife Śivā; son, Manojava and Avijñānagati. 3 [ Footnote: 1) Br. III. 24. 4; 73. 1; IV. 20. 51; 34. 91; 41. 6; Vi. I. 8. 6.] [ Footnote: 2) Vā. 108, 32.] [ Footnote: 3) Vā. 27. 12, 32, 52; Br. II. 10. 11, 41 and 79.] [ ID=1629 ]

### Name/Epithet of Viṣṇu (3 definitions)
- an epithet of Vishnu  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > N. of Viṣṇu [ ID=29859 ]
- an epithet of Vishnu  
  *Apte Practical Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > — नः (naḥ) 8 N. of Viṣṇu
- Vishnu  
  *Index to the Names in the Mahabharata*
  > Īśāna 3 (do.) = Viṣṇu (Nārāyaṇa, Kṛṣṇa): I, 22; XII, Page326-b+ 63 12903 (in the form of Aniruddha), 12982, 13063, 13226, 13480, 13695; XIII, 6957 (1000 names); XIV, 1088 ( = mahān ātmā ). [ ID=4579 ]

### A Sādhya (2 definitions)
- a Sadhya  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > a Sādhya [ ID=29858 ]
- A Sadhya  
  *Apte Practical Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > — नः (naḥ) 7 A Sādhya

### Light or Splendour (2 definitions)
- light, splendour  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > ईशान (īśāna) ( अम् (am) ), n. light, splendour, Lexicographers, esp. such as Amarasiṃha, Halāyudha, Hemacandra, etc. (Author) [ ID=29863 ]
- Light, splendour  
  *Apte Practical Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > — नं (naṃ) Light, splendour

### Name/Epithet of Durgā (feminine form) (2 definitions)
- an epithet of Durga  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > (H2B) [Printed book page 171,1] ईशाना (īśānā) ( आ (ā) ), f. N. of Durgā [ ID=29861 ]
- an epithet of Durga  
  *Apte Practical Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > — नी (nī) N. of Durgā

### One of the Rudras (2 definitions)
- one of the Rudras  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > one of the Rudras [ ID=29856 ]
- One of the Rudras  
  *Apte Practical Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > — नः (naḥ) 4 One of the Rudras

### The Silk-Cotton Tree (2 definitions)
- the silk-cotton tree  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > ईशानी (īśānī) f. the silk-cotton tree, Bombax Heptaphyllum, Lexicographers, esp. such as Amarasiṃha, Halāyudha, Hemacandra, etc. (Author) [ ID=29862 ]
- the silk-cotton tree  
  *Apte Practical Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > — नी, - नः (nī, -naḥ) The silk-cotton tree ( शाल्मली (śālmalī) )

### The Sun as a form of Śiva (2 definitions)
- the sun as a form of Shiva  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > the sun as a form of Śiva [ ID=29857 ]
- The sun as a form of Shiva  
  *Apte Practical Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > — नः (naḥ) 6 The sun as a form of Śiva

### Cosmological Term (Name of a Kalpa) (1 definition)
- the name of the tenth Kalpa  
  *The Purana Index*
  > Īśāna (III) — the name of the tenth Kalpa. M. 290. 5. [ ID=1630 ]

### Geographical Name (Boundary Hill) (1 definition)
- a boundary hill of Shakadvipa  
  *The Purana Index*
  > ईशान (īśāna) [Printed book page 1-206 ] Īśāna (I) — a boundary hill of Śākadvīpa. Bhā. V. 20. 26. [ ID=1628 ]

### Name/Epithet of Brahmán (1 definition)
- Brahman  
  *Index to the Names in the Mahabharata*
  > ईशान (īśāna) [Printed book page 326-1 ] Īśāna 1 (“the Lord”) = Brahmán: XII, 11229 (?), 11602 ( Śambhuḥ Prajāpatiḥ ). [ ID=4577 ]

### Proper Name (Human Male) (1 definition)
- Name of a man  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > N. of a man [ ID=29860 ]

### The Number Eleven (1 definition)
- The number eleven  
  *Apte Practical Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > — नः (naḥ) 5 The number ‘eleven’

### The Supreme Being (General) (1 definition)
- the Supreme Being  
  *Index to the Names in the Mahabharata*
  > [Printed book page 326-2 ] Īśāna 4 (do.) = the Supreme Being, in general: III, 1139: V, 917, 1751; XII, 11692. [ ID=4580 ]

### The Ārdrā Nakṣatra (1 definition)
- The Ardra Nakshatra.  
  *Apte Practical Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > — नः (naḥ) 3 The Ārdrā Nakṣatra

## Sources

Definitions from Apte Practical Sanskrit-English Dictionary; 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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