# मोहिनी (mohinī)

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

मोहिनी (mohinī) is a Sanskrit word meaning deluding, confusing, or illusive, a fascinating woman, the flower of a species of jasmine, an Apsaras, a daughter of Rukmangada, the flower of a kind of jasmine. Its 12 recorded definitions are grouped into 6 contexts, among them A Fascinating or Enchanting Woman, A Type of Jasmine Flower, An Apsaras (Celestial Nymph).

- **Etymology:** E. मोह folly, इनि aff., and fem. aff. ङीष् । — E. moha folly, ini aff., and fem. aff. ṅīṣ
- **SLP1:** `mohinI`  **IAST:** mohinī  **Devanagari:** मोहिनी
- **Wikipedia:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mohini
- **Declensions:** 72 forms — https://sanskritlexicon.com/word/mohini/declensions.md
- **Other headwords romanised the same way:** मोहनी (mohanī)

## Meanings by context

### A Fascinating or Enchanting Woman (4 definitions)
- a fascinating woman  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > (H2B) [Printed book page 836,2] मोहिनी (mohinī) f. a fascinating woman, MW. ( cf. Religious Thought and Life in India, also called ’Brāhmanism and Hindūism,’ by Sir M. Monier-Williams (Title) 65 n. 1 ) [ ID=168644 ]
- A fascinating woman, or the form assumed by Vishnu when depriving the demons of nectar.  
  *Apte Practical Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > मोहिनी (mohinī) [Printed book page 0881-b ] 2 A fascinating woman (the form assumed by Viṣṇu at the time of cheating the demons of nectar.) [ ID=23565 ]
- 1. Vishnu in the form of a fascinating woman. 2. Name of an apsaras. 3. The flower of a kind of jasmine.  
  *Vaidya Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > मोहिनी (mohinī) [Printed book page 587-18 ] मोहिनी (mohinī) f. 1. Vishṇu in the form of a fascinating woman; 2. name of an apsaras; 3. the flower of a kind of jasmine. [ ID=31005 ]
- 1. A kind of jasmine. 2. Vishnu in the form of a fascinating woman. 3. A name of an Apsara.  
  *Shabda-Sagara Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > मोह (moha) िनी (mohinī) [Printed book page 580-a ] मोह (moha) िनी (mohinī) f. ( - नी (-nī) ) 1. A kind of jasmine, commonly Tripuramāli. 2. Page580-b+ 60 VISHṆU in the form of a fascinating woman. 3. A name of an APSARĀ. E. मोह (moha) folly, इनि (ini) aff., and fem. aff. ङीष् । (ṅīṣ.) [ ID=32253 ]

### A Type of Jasmine Flower (3 definitions)
- the flower of a species of jasmine  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > the flower of a species of jasmine, L. [ ID=168645 ]
- the flower of a kind of jasmine  
  *Apte Practical Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > मोहिनी (mohinī) [Printed book page 0881-b ] 3 The flower of a kind of jasmine. [ ID=23565 ]
- A kind of jasmine  
  *Wilson Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > मोह (moha) िनी (mohinī) [Printed book page 676 ] मोह (moha) िनी (mohinī) f. ( - नी (-nī) ) A kind of jasmine, commonly Tripuramāli. E. मोह (moha) folly, इनि (ini) aff., and ङीष् (ṅīṣ) fem. [ ID=31066 ]

### An Apsaras (Celestial Nymph) (2 definitions)
- An Apsaras  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > N. of an Apsaras, Pañcar. [ ID=168646 ]
- name of an Apsaras  
  *Apte Practical Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > मोहिनी (mohinī) [Printed book page 0881-b ] 1 N. of an Apsaras. [ ID=23565 ]

### Daughter of Rukmāṅgada (1 definition)
- a daughter of Rukmangada  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > of a daughter of Rukmāṅgada, VP. [ ID=168647 ]

### Deluding or Illusive Quality/Nature (1 definition)
- deluding, confusing, or illusive  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > (H2) [Printed book page 836,2] मोहिन् (mohin) mfn. deluding, confusing, perplexing, illusive, MBh.; R. &c. [ ID=168643 ]

### Vishnu's Female Avatar (1 definition)
- 1. The thirteenth incarnation of Vishnu who deluded the demons to prevent them from sharing the nectar of immortality and distributed it to the gods. 2. A form of Vishnu that enchanted Shiva. 3. A female divine energy or shakti.  
  *The Purana Index*
  > मोहिनी (mohinī) [Printed book page 2-742 ] Mohinī — the thirteenth avatār of Viṣṇu (Nārāyaṇa) to delude the Asuras from having any share of the Amṛta and distribute it to the Devas; reappeared in that form before Śiva at his request and Śiva who got enamoured of her, ran after her letting his seed fall down; 1 a Śakti. 2 Page2-743+ 26 [ Footnote: 1) Bhā. I. 3. 17; VIII. 8. 41-46; Chh. 9 and 12 (whole) M. 251. 7; Vā. 25. 48.] [ Footnote: 2) Br. IV. 10. 27. 34; 19. 65 and 74; 20. 6, 38 and 57; 44. 72 and 141.] [ ID=11099 ]

## Sources

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

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