# मुनि (muni)

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

मुनि (muni) is a Sanskrit word meaning impulse or eagerness, an inspired or ecstatic person or enthusiast, a saint, sage, or ascetic, a Brahman of the highest order, a son of Kuru, of a son of Dyuti-mat. Its 41 recorded definitions are grouped into 11 contexts, among them Sage, Ascetic, Holy Person (General), Mythological/Genealogical Male Figures Named Muni, Mythological Female Figure Named Muni / Female Saint.

- **Root:** मन् (man)
- **Etymology:** E. मन् to be revered, Unādi aff. इन्, and उ substituted for the radical vowel — E. man to be revered, Unādi aff. in, and u substituted for the radical vowel
- **SLP1:** `muni`  **IAST:** muni  **Devanagari:** मुनि
- **Declensions:** 72 forms — https://sanskritlexicon.com/word/muni/declensions.md

## Meanings by context

### Sage, Ascetic, Holy Person (General) (12 definitions)
- a saint, sage, or ascetic  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > a saint, sage, seer, ascetic, monk, devotee, hermit ( esp. one who has taken the vow of silence), ŚBr. &c. &c. (with हृदयेषु स्थितः (hṛdayeṣu sthitaḥ), the internal monitor or conscience, Manu-smṛti (Title) viii, 91 ) [ ID=165592 ]
- 1. An inspired or ecstatic man. 2. A sage, seer, ascetic, or hermit, especially one who has taken a vow of silence. 3. Conscience. 4. The seven sages or stars of the Great Bear. 5. The mango tree, Artemisia indica, Butea frondosa, Buchanania latifolia, and Agati grandiflora.  
  *Macdonell Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > मुनि (muni) [Printed book page 231-2 ] मुनि (muni) múni, m. inspired or ecstatic man ( V. ); sage, seer, ascetic, hermit, sp. one who has taken the vow of silence ( C., rarely in Br. ); seer in the heart = conscience: pl. the seven sages (= the seven Ṛṣis ) or stars of the Great Bear; sg. N.; N. of the mango tree, Artemisia indica, Butea frondosa, Buchanania latifolia, and Agati grandiflora. [ ID=14297 ]
- 1. A holy sage, pious and learned person, or inspired writer. 2. An ascetic or devotee. 3. A Jaina deified teacher. 4. The saint Agastya. 5. The palasha tree. 6. Another tree, Buchanania latifolia.  
  *Wilson Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > मुनि (muni) [Printed book page 665 ] मुनि (muni) m. ( - निः (-niḥ) ) 1 A holy sage, a pious and learned person, endowed with more or less of a divine nature, or having attained it by rigid abstraction and mortification; the title is applied to the Ṛṣis, the Brahmādikas, and to a great number of persons distinguished for their writings, considered as Page666 inspired, as PĀṆINI, VYĀSA, &c. 2 An ascetic, a devotee. 3 An Arhat or Jaina deified teacher. 4 The saint AGASTYA. 5 The Palāśa tree, ( Butea frondosa.) 6 Another tree, ( Buchanania latifolia.) E. मन (mana) to be revered, Uṇādi aff. इन् (in), and उ (u) substituted for the radical vowel. [ ID=30574 ]
- A holy sage  
  *Yates Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > मुनि (muni) [Printed book page 597-a ] मुनि (muni) ( निः ) ((niḥ)) 2. m. A holy sage. [ ID=30122 ]
- 1. A sage, holy man, or recluse. 2. The mango tree. 3. An epithet of Agastya. 4. An epithet of Buddha. 5. The number seven.  
  *Vaidya Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > मुनि (muni) [Printed book page 578-13 ] मुनि (muni) m. 1. A sage, a holy man, a devotee, a recluse, पुण्यः शब्दो मुनि (muni) रिति मुहुः केवलं राजपूर्वः (puṇyaḥ śabdo muniriti muhuḥ kevalaṃ rājapūrvaḥ) Sak. ii., R. i.8, iii.49, Rt. vi.31, Bg. ii.56; 2. the mango tree; 3. an epithet of Agastya; 4. of Buddha; 5. the number ‘seven.’ [ ID=30442 ]
- 1. A holy sage, pious and learned person, or inspired author. 2. An ascetic or devotee. 3. A Jaina deified teacher or Arhat. 4. The saint Agastya. 5. The Palasha tree. 6. The Buchanania latifolia tree.  
  *Shabda-Sagara Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > मुनि (muni) [Printed book page 571-b ] मुनि (muni) m. ( - निः (-niḥ) ) 1. A holy sage, a pious and learned person, endowed with more or less of a divine nature, or having attained it by rigid abstraction and mortification; the title is applied to the Rishis, the Brahmadikās, and to a great number of persons distinguished for their writings, considered as inspired, as PĀṆINI, VYĀSA, &c. 2. An ascetic, a devotee. 3. An Arhat or Jaina deified teacher. 4. The saint AGASTYA. 5. The Palāśh tree, (Butea frondosa.) 6. Another tree, (Buchanania latifolia.) E. मन् (man) to be revered, Unādi aff. इन्, (in,) and उ (u) substituted for the radical vowel. [ ID=31698 ]
- 1. A holy sage or ascetic. 2. A particular saint such as Agastya or Vyasa. 3. The name of two plants. Feminine: A female saint.  
  *Benfey Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > मुनि (muni) [Printed book page 0715-a ] मुनि (muni) muni, i. e. man + i ( u for a, by the influence of the preceding labial), I. m. 1. A holy sage, endowed with divine inspiration, Vikr. d. 3. 2. An ascetic, Pañc. 34, 13. 3. The saint Agastya, Vyāsa, Kir. 5, 49. 4. The name of two plants. II. f. nī̆, A female saint. — Comp. Mahā-, I. m. 1. a great Muni, Chr. 15, 29; Rām. 3, 49, 50 (epithet of Agastya.) 2. the saint Agastya. 3. epithet of Paraśurāma, Chr. 19, 12, and of Vyāsa. 4. time. II. n. Coriander. [ ID=11395 ]
- 1. An inspired saint, seer, ascetic, or monk. 2. The seven stars of the Great Bear in the plural.  
  *Cappeller Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > मुनि (muni) [Printed book page 415 ] मुनि (muni) m. impulse or a man driven by (inward) impulse; an inspired saint or seer; ascetic, devotee, hermit, monk, esp. one who has taken the vow of silence; pl. the seven stars of the Great Bear ( cf. ऋषि (ṛṣi) ). [ ID=25035 ]
- 1. Pressure or impetus. 2. A person in religious ecstasy. 3. A distinguished sage, ascetic, or hermit.  
  *Lanman's Sanskrit Reader Vocabulary*
  > मुनि (muni) [Printed book page 218-b ] múni, m. —1. pressure, the pressing onward, impetus, 78 7; —2. a man driven on by inward pressure or impulse, person in a (religious) ecstasy, enthusiast; later —3. any distinguished sage or seer or ascetic, esp. one who has taken a vow of silence ( cf. mauna ); hermit, 40 9, etc. [ ID=3302 ]
- 1. An inspired saint, holy man, sage, seer, ascetic, devotee, or monk. 2. A recluse who lives alone and has taken the vow of silence. 3. The internal monitor or conscience. 4. Various plants, including Agati grandiflora, the mango tree, and others. 5. The seven stars of Ursa Major.  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1872)*
  > मुनि (muni) [Printed book page 0785-a ] मुनि (muni) muni, is, m. (said to be fr. rt. man, to think or perceive, Uṇādi-s. IV. 122; perhaps connected with μόνος, alone, whence the Eng. monk is said to be derived; cf. also μία fr. εἷς), impulse (Ved. ?); an inspired saint, holy man endowed with divine inspiration or one who has attained more or less of a divine nature by mortification and abstraction; a sage, seer, ascetic, devotee, monk; (especially) a recluse who lives alone and has taken the vow of silence [cf. mauna ]; epithet of Agastya; of Vyāsa; of Pāṇini, &c. [cf. muni-traya ]; of a Buddha or Arhat [cf. śākya-muni ]; of a son of Kuru; of a son of Dyuti-mat, &c. the internal monitor or conscience, (according to Kullūka on Manu VIII. 91 = paramātman, the Supreme Spirit); N. of various plants, Agati Grandiflora ( = agasti, agastya ); Bu- chanania Latifolia; Butea Frondosa; Terminalia Catappa; the mango tree; Artemisia Indica; ( ayas ), m. pl. ‘the celestial Munis, the seven Munis,’ an epithet of the seven stars of Ursa Major; a symbo- lical expression for the number seven; ( is or munī ), f. a female Muni; ( is ), f., N. of a daughter of Dakṣa and wife of Kaśyapa, mother of a class of Gandharvas and Apsarasas, (see mauneya. ) —Muni- keśa, as, ā or ī, am, Ved. ‘monk-haired,’ wearing long hair like a Muni. —Muni-kharjūrikā, f. a species of date. —Muni-cita, see Gaṇa Sutaṅgamādi to Pāṇ. IV. 2, 80. —Muni-cchada, as, m. ‘seven- leaved,’ N. of a plant (= sapta-cchada). —Muni- jñāna-jyanta, as, m., N. of a scribe. —Muni- taru, us, m. Agati Grandiflora. —Muni-tā, f. or muni-tva, am, n. the state or character of a Muni, saintship, monkhood. —Muni-traya, am, n. ‘the Muni-triad,’ i. e. Pāṇini, Kātyāyana, and Patañjali. —Muni-deśa, as, m., N. of a place. —Muni-druma, as, m. ‘the sage Agastya's tree,’ Agati Grandiflora; Calosanthes Indica. —Muni-nir- mita, as, m. a species of plant (= ḍiṇḍiśa). —Muni- padī, f., see Gaṇa Kumbhapadyādi to Pāṇ. V. 4, 139. —Muni-paramaparā, f., Ved. a tradition handed down from one Muni to another in regular succession. —Muni-pittala, am, n. copper. —Muni- puṅgava, as, m. an eminent sage. —Muni-putra, as, m. Artemisia Indica. —Muni-putraka, as, m. a wagtail. —Muni-puṣpaka, am, n. the blossom of Agati Grandiflora. —Muni-pūga, as, m. Areca Triandra. —Muni-bheṣaja, am, n. ‘sage's medi- cine,’ fasting; the fruit of the yellow Myrobalan; Agati Grandiflora; Terminalia Chebula or Citrina. —Muni-maraṇa, am, n., N. of a district. —Muni- vana, am, n. a hermit's grove, a wood inhabited by ascetics. —Muni-vara, as, m. an excellent Muni, best of ascetics or holy sages. —Muni-vākya, am, n. the saying or sentence of a holy sage. —Muni- vīrya, as, m., N. of a divine being reckoned among the Viśve Devāḥ. —Muni-vrata, as, ā, am, observing the vow of a Muni, i. e. keeping perpetual silence. —Muni-śreṣṭha, as, m. an excellent sage, eminent saint. —Muni-sattra, am, n., Ved., N. of an Iṣṭi, q. v. —Muni-suvrata, as, m., N. of the twelfth Arhat of the past Ut-sarpiṇī; of the twen- tieth of the present Ava-sarpiṇī, (also called simply Muni. ) —Muni-sthala, see Gaṇa Kumudādi to Pāṇ. IV. 2, 80. —Muni-sthāna, am, n. an abode of ascetics, the hermitage of a recluse or holy sage. —Muni-hata, as, m. an epithet of king Puṣpa- mitra. —Munīndra (°ni-in°), as, m. ‘chief of sages or ascetics,’ a great sage or ascetic; epithet of a Buddha; of Śākya-muni; of Bharata; of Śiva; of a Dānava. —Munīndra-tā, f. the rank of a great Muni. —Munī-vatī, f., see Gaṇa Śarādi to Pāṇ. VI. 3, 120. —Munī-vaha, see Scholiast on Pāṇ. VI. 3, 121. —Munīśa (°ni-īśa), as, m. ‘chief of sages or ascetics,’ a great sage or ascetic. —Munīśvara (°ni-īś°), as, m. ‘chief of sages or ascetics,’ a great sage or ascetic; an epithet of Viṣṇu; of Buddha; N. of a commentator on the Siddhānta-Śiromaṇi. Page0785-b+ 69 —Muny-anna, āni, n. pl. the food of ascetics (consisting mostly of roots and fruits). —Muny- ayana, am, n., N. of an Iṣṭi, q. v. —Muny- ālaya-tīrtha, am, n., N. of a Tīrtha. [ ID=37619 ]
- sages who delight in the self, renounce even the region of Brahma, and realize the supreme spirit by overcoming the three states of non-duality of thought, action, and substance  
  *The Purana Index*
  > Munis — those who delight in the Ātman, after many births, and renounce even the region of Brahmā; realise the Supreme Spirit by shaking off the three dreamy stages — bhāvādvaita, kriyādvaita, and dravyādvaita. Bhā. III. 27. 27; VII. 15. 62-5; X. 2. 25. [ ID=10888 ]
- an ascetic possessing magic powers or one who learns the nature of the absolute through study, penance, or faith  
  *The Vedic Index of Names and Subjects*
  > मुनि (muni) [Printed book page 2-167 ] Muni occurs in one hymn of the Rigveda 1 where it seems to denote an ascetic of magic powers with divine afflatus ( deveṣita ), the precursor of the strange ascetics of later India. This agrees with the fact that Aitaśa, the Muni, is in the Aitareya Brāhmaṇa 2 regarded by his son as deranged, a view not unjustified if the nonsense which passes as the Aitaśapralāpa. 3 ‘Chatter of Aitaśa,’ was really his. The Rigveda 4 calls Indra the ‘friend of Munis,’ and the Atharvaveda 5 refers to a ‘divine Muni’ ( deva muni ), by whom a similar ascetic may be meant. In the Upaniṣads 6 the Muni is of a more restrained type: he is one who learns the nature of the Brahman, the Absolute, by study, or sacrifice, or penance, or fasting, or faith ( śraddhā ). It must not of course be thought that there is any absolute distinction between the older Muni and the later: in both cases the man is in a peculiar ecstatic condition, but the ideal of the Upaniṣads is less material than the earlier picture of the Muni, who is more of a ‘medicine man’ than a sage. Nor would it be wise to conclude from the comparative rareness Page2-168+ 39 of the mention of the Muni in the Vedic texts that he was an infrequent figure in Vedic times: he was probably not approved by the priests who followed the ritual, and whose views were essentially different from the ideals of a Muni, which were superior to earthly considerations, such as the desire for children and Dakṣiṇās. 7 [ Footnote: 1) x. 136, 2. 4. 5. In verse I he is described as ‘long-haired.’] [ Footnote: 2) vi. 33, 3.] [ Footnote: 3) See Bloomfield, Atharvaveda, 98 et seq. ] [ Footnote: 4) viii. 17, 14. Cf. vii. 56, 8; Max Müller, Sacred Books of the East, 32, 376.] [ Footnote: 5) vii. 74, 1. Cf. Whitney, Translation of the Atharvaveda, 440; Śatapatha Brāhmaṇa, ix. 5, 2, 15, and Muni- maraṇa. ] [ Footnote: 6) Bṛhadāraṇyaka Upaniṣad, iii. 4, 1; iv. 4, 25; Taittirīya Āraṇyaka, ii. 20.] [ Footnote: 7) Cf. Bṛhadāranyaka Upaniṣad, iii. 4, 1. Cf. Oldenberg, Religion des Veda, 406; Zeitschrift der Deutschen Morgenländischen Gesellschaft, 49, 480; Buddha, ^5 36.] [ ID=2496 ]

### Mythological/Genealogical Male Figures Named Muni (8 definitions)
- A son of Kuru  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > N. of a son of Kuru, MBh. [ ID=165594 ]
- of a son of Dyuti-mat  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > of a son of Dyuti-mat, MārkP. [ ID=165595 ]
- of other men  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > of other men, VP. [ ID=165601 ]
- son of Ahar  
  *Index to the Names in the Mahabharata*
  > मुनि (muni) [Printed book page 491-1 ] Muni 1 (?), son of Ahar. § 116 (Vasu, pl.): I, 66, 2587 ( śāntas tathā muniḥ? ). [ ID=7412 ]
- son of Kuru  
  *Index to the Names in the Mahabharata*
  > Muni 2, son of Kuru. § 154 (Pūruvaṃś.): I, 94, 3740 (fourth son of Kuru). [ ID=7413 ]
- a son of Dyutiman  
  *The Purana Index*
  > Muni (II) — a son of Dyutimān, after whom came the Maunideśam in Krauncadvīpa. Br. II. 14. 23, 26; Vā. 33. 21, 23. Vi. II. 4. 48. [ ID=10881 ]
- a son of Vaidya  
  *The Purana Index*
  > Muni (IV) — a son of Vaidya. Br. III. 59. 7. Vā. 84. 7. [ ID=10883 ]
- a son of Pradyumna and father of Urjavaha  
  *The Purana Index*
  > Muni (V) — a son of Pradyumna and father of Ūrja- vaha. Br. III. 64. 20; Vā. 89. 19. [ ID=10884 ]

### Mythological Female Figure Named Muni / Female Saint (5 definitions)
- a female sage or ascetic  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > मुनि (muni) f. a female Muni (also ई (ī) ), Uṇādi-sūtra (Title) iv, 122, Sch. [ ID=165605 ]
- A daughter of Daksha and wife of Kashyapa, who was the mother of a class of Gandharvas and Apsaras.  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > N. of a daughter of Dakṣa (and wife of Kaśyapa), mother of a class of Gandharvas and Apsaras ( cf. मौनेय (mauneya) ), MBh.; Hariv.; Pur. [ ID=165606 ]
- mother of the Devagandharvas Mauneyas  
  *Index to the Names in the Mahabharata*
  > Muni 4, fem., mother of the Devagandharvas Mauneyas. § 87 (Aṃśāvat.): I, 65, 2520 (daughter of Dakṣa and wife of Kaśyapa). [ ID=7415 ]
- 1. A daughter of Daksha and wife of Kashyapa, who was a mother goddess and the mother of sages, Apsaras, and Gandharvas. 2. Given to Gandhashila.  
  *The Purana Index*
  > मुनि (muni) [Printed book page 2-716 ] Muni (I) — a daughter of Dakṣa and one of the 13 wives of Kaśyapa; a mother goddess; mother of groups of munis and sages, Apsaras and Gandharvas; 1 given to Gandha śīlā. 2 [ Footnote: 1) Bhā. VI. 6. 26-7; Br. III. 3. 56; M. 6. 2, 45; 146. 19; 171. 29, 60; Vā. 66. 55.] [ Footnote: 2) Br. III. 7. 466.] [ ID=10880 ]
- One of the wives of Kashyapa, who gave birth to the Apsarasas.  
  *The Purana Index*
  > Muni (VIII) — one of the wives of Kaśyapa; gave birth to Apsarasas. Vi. I. 15. 125; 21. 25. [ ID=10887 ]

### Specific Renowned Sages and Authors (5 definitions)
- pertaining to Vyasa  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > of Vyāsa, Kir. [ ID=165596 ]
- of Bharata  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > of Bharata, Sāh. [ ID=165597 ]
- of Agastya  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > of Agastya, L. [ ID=165598 ]
- three times  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > of Pāṇini &c. ( cf. - त्रय (-traya) ) [ ID=165600 ]
- of various authors  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > of various authors, Cat. [ ID=165602 ]

### Specific Deities Named Muni (4 definitions)
- an epithet of Shiva  
  *Index to the Names in the Mahabharata*
  > Muni 3 = Śiva (1000 names 2 ). [ ID=7414 ]
- a god of the Prasuta group  
  *The Purana Index*
  > Muni (III) — a god of Prasūta group. Br. II. 36. 71. [ ID=10882 ]
- one of the twenty Amitabha gods  
  *The Purana Index*
  > [Printed book page 2-717 ] Muni (VI) — one of the twenty Amitābha gods. Br. IV. 1. 17; Vā. 100. 17. [ ID=10885 ]
- 1. A sage of the Raivata epoch. 2. A Vishvedeva.  
  *The Purana Index*
  > Muni (VII) — a sage of the Raivata epoch; 1 a Viśvedeva. 2 [ Footnote: 1) M. 9. 9.] [ Footnote: 2) Ib. 203. 13; Br. III. 3. 30.] [ ID=10886 ]

### Specific Religious/Spiritual Roles (2 definitions)
- a Brahman of the highest order  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > a Brāhman of the highest (eighth) order, Hcat. [ ID=165593 ]
- of a Buddha or Arhat  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > of a Buddha or Arhat, Lalit. [ ID=165599 ]

### Abstract Concept: Impulse/Eagerness (1 definition)
- impulse or eagerness  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > (H1) [Printed book page 823,1] मुनि (muni) m. ( accord. to Uṇādi-sūtra (Title) iv, 122 fr. √ मन् (man) ) impulse, eagerness (?), Ṛg-veda (Title) vii, 56, 8 [ ID=165590 ]

### Celestial Group / Ursa Major / Number Seven (1 definition)
- The seven stars of Ursa Major  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > pl. ‘the celestial Munis’, N. of the seven stars of Ursa Major (and there fore a symbolical N. for the number ‘seven’), Var.; Sūryas.; Śrutab. [ ID=165604 ]

### Geographical Name (Varṣa) (1 definition)
- Name of a region or division of the earth  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > मुनि (muni) n. N. of a Varṣa (called after a royal Muni), VP. [ ID=165607 ]

### Inspired/Ecstatic Person (Vedic Context) (1 definition)
- an inspired or ecstatic person or enthusiast  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > ( prob. ) any one who is moved by inward impulse, an inspired or ecstatic person, enthusiast, RV.; AV.; Br. [ ID=165591 ]

### Names of Plants (1 definition)
- various plants, including the mango tree  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > of various plants ( Agati Grandiflora, Buchanania Latifolia, Butea Frondosa, Terminalia Catappa, the mango-tree and Artemisia Indica ), L. [ ID=165603 ]

## Sources

Definitions from Benfey Sanskrit-English Dictionary; Cappeller Sanskrit-English Dictionary; Index to the Names in the Mahabharata; Lanman's Sanskrit Reader Vocabulary; Macdonell Sanskrit-English Dictionary; Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1872); 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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