# महाविद्या (mahāvidyā)

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

महाविद्या (mahāvidyā) is a Sanskrit word meaning an exalted science, an epithet of Lakshmi, of Durga, of a Mantra, kali, tara. Its 7 recorded definitions are grouped into 4 contexts, among them Name/Epithet of a Specific Goddess, The Ten Mahavidyas (Group of Goddesses), A Mantra.

- **SLP1:** `mahAvidyA`  **IAST:** mahāvidyā  **Devanagari:** महाविद्या
- **Wikipedia:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mahavidya
- **Declensions:** 24 forms — https://sanskritlexicon.com/word/mahavidya/declensions.md

## Meanings by context

### Name/Epithet of a Specific Goddess (3 definitions)
- An epithet of Lakshmi  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > N. of Lakṣmī, Viṣṇu-purāṇa (Title) (= विश्व - रूपो (viśva-rūpo) पा (pā) सना (sanā) Comm. ) [ ID=160759 ]
- of Durga  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > of Durgā, Mārkaṇḍeya-purāṇa (Title) [ ID=160760 ]
- 1. A name of Lalita. 2. Symbolic of Devi.  
  *The Purana Index*
  > महाविद्या (mahāvidyā) [Printed book page 2-664 ] Mahāvidyā — a name of Lalitā; 1 symbolical of Devī. 2 [ Footnote: 1) Br. IV. 18. 16.] [ Footnote: 2) Vi. I. 9. 120.] [ ID=10451 ]

### The Ten Mahavidyas (Group of Goddesses) (2 definitions)
- A class of ten personifications of the female energy of Shiva  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > pl. of a class of personifications of the Śakti or female energy of Śiva (10 in number), Religious Thought and Life in India, also called ’Brāhmanism and Hindūism,’ by Sir M. Monier-Williams (Title) 187 [ ID=160762 ]
- 1. Kali 2. Tara 3. Shodashi 4. Bhuvaneshvari 5. Bhairavi 6. Chinnamasta 7. Dhumavati 8. Vagalamukhi 9. Matangi 10. Kamala  
  *Shabda-Sagara Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > महाविद्या (mahāvidyā) [Printed book page 559-a ] महाविद्या (mahāvidyā) f. ( - द्या (-dyā) ) The name of the following ten goddess:- “ काली तारा महाविद्या (mahāvidyā) षोडशी भुवनेश्वरी । (“kālī tārā mahāvidyā ṣoḍaśī bhuvaneśvarī.) भैरवी छिन्नमस्ता च विद्या धूमावती तथा । (bhairavī chinnamastā ca vidyā dhūmāvatī tathā.) वगला सिद्धविद्या च मातङ्गी कमलात्मिका ॥ (vagalā siddhavidyā ca mātaṅgī kamalātmikā..) ” (”) [ ID=31021 ]

### A Mantra (1 definition)
- of a Mantra  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > of a Mantra, Catalogue(s) [Cologne Addition] (Title) [ ID=160761 ]

### Great Knowledge/Science (1 definition)
- an exalted science  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > (H3) [Printed book page 800,2] महा (mahā) — विद्या (—vidyā) f. a gr° or exalted science, Monier-Williams’ Sanskrit-English Dictionary, 1st edition with marginal notes (Title) [ ID=160758 ]

## Sources

Definitions from Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899); Shabda-Sagara Sanskrit-English Dictionary; The Purana Index.
Text from the Cologne Digital Sanskrit Lexicon, University of Cologne.

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