# नन्दि (nandi)

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

नन्दि (nandi) is a Sanskrit word meaning an epithet of Vishnu, of Shiva, of a Gandharva, of a man, the speaker of a prologue, joy, happiness, welfare. Its 27 recorded definitions are grouped into 11 contexts, among them Multiple Meanings (General Lexicography), Various Other Proper Names (Persons/Mythological Figures), Śiva's Attendant/Follower/Vāhana.

- **Root:** नन्द् (nand)
- **Etymology:** E. नदि to make happy, and इन् Uṇādi aff — E. nadi to make happy, and in Uṇādi aff
- **SLP1:** `nandi`  **IAST:** nandi  **Devanagari:** नन्दि
- **Wikipedia:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nandi_%28Hinduism%29
- **Declensions:** 72 forms — https://sanskritlexicon.com/word/nandi/declensions.md
- **Other headwords romanised the same way:** नांदी (nāṃdī), नान्दी (nāndī), नान्दि (nāndi), नंदि (naṃdi), नन्दी (nandī)

## Meanings by context

### Multiple Meanings (General Lexicography) (7 definitions)
- 1. An epithet of Vishnu or Shiva as masculine, and joy as feminine.  
  *Macdonell Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > नन्दि (nandi) [Printed book page 136-2 ] नन्दि (nandi) nand-i, m. Gladsome, euphemistic ep. of Viṣṇu or Śiva; f. joy: -kara, a. causing joy to ( g. ); m. son ( —° ); -kṣetra, n. N. of a sacred region; -gupta, m. N. of a king; -grāma, m. N. of a village; -deva, m. N.. [ ID=10275 ]
- 1. Gambling. 2. Happiness. 3. One of Shiva's principal attendants. 4. The speaker of a drama's prologue. 5. One who pronounces a benediction.  
  *Wilson Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > नन्दि (nandi) [Printed book page 453 ] नन्दि (nandi) mn. ( - न्दिः (-ndiḥ)- न्दि (-ndiḥ-ndi) ) 1 Gambling, gaming. 2 Happiness. m. ( - न्दिः (-ndiḥ) ) 1 One of ŚIVA'S principal attendants. 2 The speaker of the prologue or prelude to a drama. 3 One who pronounces a benediction. E. नदि (nadi) to make happy, and इन् (in) Uṇādi aff. [ ID=21052 ]
- 1. Gambling and happiness. 2. An attendant of Shiva. 3. The speaker of a prologue.  
  *Yates Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > नन्दि (nandi) [Printed book page 404-b ] नन्दि (nandi) ( न्दिः - न्दि ) ((ndiḥ-ndi)) 2. m. n. Gambling; happiness. m. An attendant of Shi- va; speaker of a prologue, &c. [ ID=20544 ]
- 1. Gambling or gaming. 2. Happiness. 3. One of Shiva's principal attendants. 4. The speaker of the prologue or prelude to a drama. 5. One who pronounces a benediction.  
  *Shabda-Sagara Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > नन्दि (nandi) [Printed book page 378-a ] नन्दि (nandi) mn. ( - न्दिः (-ndiḥ)- न्दि (-ndiḥ-ndi) ) 1. Gambling, gaming. 2. Happiness. m. ( - न्दिः (-ndiḥ) ) 1. One of SIVA'S principal attendants. 2. The speaker of the prologue or prelude to a drama. 3. One who pronounces a benediction. E. नदि (nadi) to make happy, and इन् (in) Unādi aff. [ ID=21038 ]
- 1. An epithet of Vishnu and Shiva. 2. A proper name. 3. Joy.  
  *Benfey Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > नन्दि (nandi) [Printed book page 0456-b ] नन्दि (nandi) nand + i, I. m. I. Epithet of Viṣṇu and Śiva, MBh. 13, 7015; 1189. 2. A proper name, 13, 872. II. f. (and m. and n. ) Joy, MBh. 5, 4600; per- sonified, Bhāg. P. 6, 6, 6. [ ID=7198 ]
- 1. An epithet of Vishnu, Shiva, and one of Shiva's attendants. 2. Joy, happiness, or a woman's name.  
  *Cappeller Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > नन्दि (nandi) [Printed book page 260 ] नन्दि (nandi) m. the Joyful, E. of Viṣṇu, Śiva & one of his attendants; f. joy, happiness, a woman's name. [ ID=15785 ]
- 1. An epithet of Vishnu or Shiva. 2. An attendant of Shiva. 3. Gambling or gaming. 4. Joy, delight, pleasure, happiness, prosperity, or welfare. 5. Joy personified as a daughter of Heaven or as the wife of Kama and mother of Harsha.  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1872)*
  > नन्दि (nandi) [Printed book page 0467-c ] Nandi, is, m. (for nandī see under nanda ), ‘the happy one,’ epithet of Viṣṇu; of Śiva; N. of an attendant of Śiva [cf. nandin and nandikeśvara ]; N. of a man; of a Gandharva; (according to some also) the speaker of the prologue or prelude to a drama or one who pronounces the benediction, see nāndī, nāndin; (is, i), m. n. gambling, gaming; ( is ), f. joy, delight, pleasure, happiness, prosperity, welfare, (in these senses said to be also m. n.); Joy personified as a daughter of Heaven or as the wife of Kāma and mother of Harṣa. —Nandi-kuṇḍa, as, am, m. n., N. of a sacred bathing-place. —Nandi- kṣetra, am, n., N. of a district frequented by the gods. —Nandi-giri, is, m., N. of a mountain; [cf. nandi-devī. ] —Nandigiri-māhātmya, am, n. ‘the glory of Nandi-giri,’ N. of a work. —Nandi- gupta, as, m., N. of a prince of Kaśmīra. —Nandi- grāma, as, m., N. of a village (near the modern Daulatābād, where Bharata resided during Rāma's banishment). —Nandigrāma-darśana, am, n. ‘description of the village Nandi-grāma,’ the twenty- ninth chapter of the Pātāla-khaṇḍa of the Padma- Purāṇa. —Nandi-ghoṣa, as, m. cry of joy ( = vandi-ghoṣa ); the proclamation of a panegyrist or herald; the chariot of Arjuna. —Nandi-taru, us, m. = dhava, the tree Grislea Tomentosa. —Nandi- tūrya, am, n. a musical instrument played on joyful occasions. —Nandi-deva, as, m., N. of a man; ( ī ), ? the common N. of one of the loftiest Himalayan peaks. —Nandi-purāṇa, am, n. ‘the Purāṇa of Nandi,’ N. of part of the Kedāra-kalpa. —Nandi-mukha = nandī-mukha, a species of rice [cf. nadī-mukha ]; N. of a man. —Nandimukha-sughoṣa, as, m., N. of a man. —Nandimukhasughoṣāvadāna (°ṣa- av°), N. of a Buddhist work. —Nandi-rudra, as, m., N. of Śiva in a joyful or serene form. —Nandi- vardhana, as, ā, am, increasing pleasure, promoting happiness; ( as ), m. an epithet of Śiva; a son [cf. nandana ]; a friend; the end of a half month, i. e. the day of full moon or new moon; N. of a particular form of temple ( = nandin ); N. of a prince, son of Udāvasu or of Janaka, (in this sense also read nandi-vardha ); N. of a place. —Nandi- vāralaka, as, m. a species of fish. —Nandi-vṛkṣa or nandi-vṛkṣaka, as, m. the tree Cedrela Toona; [cf. nandī-vṛkṣa. ] —Nandi-vega, ās, m. pl., N. of a people. —Nandi-ṣeṇa or nandi-sena, as, m., N. of one of Skanda's attendants. —Nandiṣeṇeśvara (°ṇa-īś°), am, n., N. of a Liṅga. —Nandī-mukha, as, m. ( nandī for nandi? ), ‘having joy on the face,’ an epithet of Śiva; a species of aquatic bird; a species of rice [cf. nandi-mukha, nadī-mukha, nāndī-mukhī ]; ( ās ), m. pl. a class of manes or deceased ancestors who are worshipped on festival occasions [cf. nāndī-mukha ]; ( ī ), f. sleep (in which the face shows joy), drowsiness; a species of the Ati-śakvarī metre; (more correctly nāndī-mukha. ) —Nandīśa (°di-īśa), as, m., N. of one of Śiva's Page0468-a+ 79 attendants [cf. nandi, nandin ]; N. of Śiva; a kind of time in music (= nandīśvara). —Nandīśvara (°di-īś°), as, m. ‘lord of joy,’ an epithet of Śiva; N. of Nandin, the leader of Śiva's attendants; N. of one of Kuvera's attendants; N. of a place held sacred by the Jainas; a kind of time in music (= nandīśa). —Nandīśvara-purāṇa = nandi-purāṇa. —Nan- dīśvara-yogopākhyāna (°ga-up°), am, n., N. of the thirty-first and thirty-second chapters of the Uttara-khaṇḍa of the Śiva-Purāṇa. —Nandīśvarot- patti (°di-īś°, °ra-ut°), is, f. ‘the birth of Śiva,’ N. of the forty-second chapter of the Liṅga-Purāṇa. —Nandy-āvarta, as, m. a particular kind of diagram [cf. nandikāvarta ]; a sort of palace or temple built in the shape of the above diagram or in the form of a quadrangle without a western gate, (in this sense also am, n.); a species of large fish; a kind of tree; the shrub Tabernæmontana Corona- ria ( = tagara, = bhagavad-druma ), probably the sacred fig-tree; a species of shell called so because of its convolutions (āvarta). —Nandy-upapurāṇa, am, n. = nandi-purāṇa. —Nandy-upākhyāna, am, n. ‘the episode of Nandi,’ N. of the forty-fifth to the fiftieth chapter of the Uttara-khaṇḍa of the Śiva-Purāṇa. [ ID=23839 ]

### Various Other Proper Names (Persons/Mythological Figures) (4 definitions)
- of a man  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > of a man, Pravar. [ ID=103549 ]
- a son of Svarga  
  *The Purana Index*
  > नन्दि (nandi) [Printed book page 2-199 ] Nandi (I) — a son of Svarga. Bhā. VI. 6. 6. [ ID=6864 ]
- a consort of Dhriti  
  *The Purana Index*
  > Nandi (III) — a consort of Dhṛti; was deserted by her for Soma. M. 23. 26. [ ID=6866 ]
- A son of Nandivardhana and fifth of the Pradyota line with whom the dynasty ended.  
  *The Purana Index*
  > Nandi (V) — a son of Nandivardhana; with him the Pradyota line came to an end; was the fifth of the line. All the five ruled for a period of 138 years. Vi. IV. 24. 7-8. [ ID=6868 ]

### Śiva's Attendant/Follower/Vāhana (4 definitions)
- an attendant of Shiva  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > of an attendant of Śiva, TĀr.; MBh. &c. [ ID=103547 ]
- a follower of Shiva  
  *Index to the Names in the Mahabharata*
  > Nandi 2, a follower of Śiva. § 730 g (Upamanyu): XIII, 14, 872 ( purastāc ca devasya…dvitīyam iva Śaṅkaraṃ ). Cf. Nandīśvara, Nandin. [ ID=7567 ]
- 1. The vehicle of Shiva. 2. Harnessed the steeds of Bana's chariot.  
  *The Purana Index*
  > Nandi (II) — the vāhana of Śiva; 1 harnessed the steeds of Bāṇa's chariot. 2 [ Footnote: 1) Vā. 54. 76 and 108; 101. 265.] [ Footnote: 2) Vi. V. 33. 28.] [ ID=6865 ]
- an attendant of Mahadeva seated on the Himalayas  
  *The Purana Index*
  > Nandi (IV) — a gaṇa attending on Mahādeva seated on the peak of the Himālayas. M. 192. 6. [ ID=6867 ]

### Epithet or Name of Lord Śiva (3 definitions)
- of Shiva  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > of Śiva, ib. [ ID=103546 ]
- The Gladsome One, an epithet of Shiva-Rudra  
  *Lanman's Sanskrit Reader Vocabulary*
  > नन्दि (nandi) [Printed book page 179-b ] nandi, m. The Gladsome One, euphemistic epithet of the dreadful god, ŚivaRudra. [ √nand: cf. śiva. ] [ ID=2224 ]
- Shiva  
  *Index to the Names in the Mahabharata*
  > Nandi 3 = Śiva (1000 names 2 ). [ ID=7568 ]

### Epithet or Name of Lord Viṣṇu (2 definitions)
- an epithet of Vishnu  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > (H2) [Printed book page 527,1] नन्दि (nandi) m. ‘the happy one’, N. of Viṣṇu, MBh. [ ID=103545 ]
- Vishnu  
  *Index to the Names in the Mahabharata*
  > Nandi 4 = Viṣṇu (1000 names). [ ID=7569 ]

### Name of a Gandharva/Devagandharva (2 definitions)
- of a Gandharva  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > of a Gandharva, MBh. [ ID=103548 ]
- a Devagandharva  
  *Index to the Names in the Mahabharata*
  > नन्दि (nandi) [Printed book page 503-2 ] Nandi 1, a Devagandharva. § 191 (Arjuna): I, 123, 4812 (sung at the birth of Arjuna). [ ID=7566 ]

### Gambling, Gaming (1 definition)
- gambling  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > नन्दि (nandi) n. = द्यूत (dyūta) and द्यूत (dyūta) ा (dyūtā) ङ्ग (ṅga), L. [ ID=103553 ]

### Jaina Sacred Writings (1 definition)
- a class of sacred writings among the Jainas  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > नन्दि (nandi) n. (with Jainas) a class of sacred writings ( m. or f. ?), Monier-Williams’ Buddhism in its connexion with Brāhmaṇism and Hindūism: and in its contrast with Christianity (Title) 533. [ ID=103554 ]

### Joy Personified (Female Deity/Figure) (1 definition)
- Joy personified as daughter of Heaven or as wife of Kama and mother of Harsha  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > Joy personified as daughter of Heaven or as wife of Kāma and mother of Harṣa, Pur. [ ID=103552 ]

### Joy, Happiness, Welfare (Abstract Noun) (1 definition)
- Joy, happiness, welfare  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > नन्दि (nandi) f. joy, happiness, welfare, MBh. &c. (also m. n., L. ) [ ID=103551 ]

### Speaker of Prologue/Benediction in Drama (1 definition)
- the speaker of a prologue  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > the speaker of a prologue, W. ( w.r. for नान्दिन् (nāndin) ) [ ID=103550 ]

## 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; Wilson Sanskrit-English Dictionary; Yates Sanskrit-English Dictionary.
Text from the Cologne Digital Sanskrit Lexicon, University of Cologne.

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