# प्रधान (pradhāna)

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

प्रधान (pradhāna) is a Sanskrit word meaning the most important part or chief thing, the principal, first, chief, or head, having as the chief object or essential part, the original source of the visible universe, primary or unevolved matter or nature, supreme or universal soul. Its 41 recorded definitions are grouped into 9 contexts, among them Chief, Principal, Main, Primordial Matter/Source (Sāṃkhya/Cosmology), Minister, Chief Official, Noble.

- **Root:** 1. धा (1. dhā)
- **Etymology:** E. प्र before धा to have, aff. ल्युट् — E. pra before dhā to have, aff. lyuṭ
- **SLP1:** `praDAna`  **IAST:** pradhāna  **Devanagari:** प्रधान
- **Wikipedia:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pradhana
- **Declensions:** 48 forms — https://sanskritlexicon.com/word/pradhana/declensions.md
- **Other headwords romanised the same way:** प्रधाना (pradhānā), प्रधन (pradhana)

## Meanings by context

### Chief, Principal, Main (14 definitions)
- the most important part or chief thing  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > (H2) [Printed book page 680,3] प्रधान (pradhāna) n. a chief thing or person, the most important or essential part of anything, KātyŚr.; Mn.; MBh. &c. [ ID=134889 ]
- the principal, first, chief, or head  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > ( ibc. ) the principal or first, chief, head of [ ID=134890 ]
- having as the chief object or essential part  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > [often also ifc. ( f( आ (ā) ). ) e.g. इन्द्र - प्रधान (indra-pradhāna), (a hymn) having Indra as the chief object or person addressed, Nir.; प्रयोग - प् (prayoga-p) ° (°), (the art of dancing) having practice as its essential part, chiefly practical, Mālav. ] [ ID=134891 ]
- chief, main, principal, most important  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > प्रधान (pradhāna) mf( आ (ā) )n. chief, main, principal, most important [ ID=134899 ]
- Chief, principal, or most excellent  
  *Apte Practical Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > प्रधान (pradhāna) [Printed book page 0749-c ] प्रधान (pradhāna) a. 1 Chief, principal, preeminent, main, best, most excellent; as in प्रधान (pradhāna) ामात्य, प्रधान (pradhāna) पुरुष (pradhānāmātya, pradhānapuruṣa) &c. Meghadūta (Bombay) 7. 203
- principally inherent, prevalent, or predominant  
  *Apte Practical Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > प्रधान (pradhāna) [Printed book page 0749-c ] प्रधान (pradhāna) a. 2 Principally inherent, prevalent, predominant
- 1. The most important thing or primary object. 2. A chief or leader.  
  *Apte Practical Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > — नं (naṃ) 1 The chief thing or object, most important thing; head, chief; न परिचयो मलिनात्मनां प्रधानं (naṃ) (na paricayo malinātmanāṃ pradhānaṃ) Śiśupālavadha 7. 61; Gaṅgālaharī 18; प्रयोगप्रधानं (naṃ) हि नाट्यशास्त्र (prayogapradhānaṃ hi nāṭyaśāstra) ( pb ) Mālavikāgnimitra (Bombay) 1; शमप्रधानेषु तपोधनेषु (śamapradhāneṣu tapodhaneṣu) Śakuntalā (Bombay) 2. 7; गुणैश्च तैस्तैर्विनयप्रधानैः (guṇaiśca taistairvinayapradhānaiḥ) Raghuvaṃśa (Bombay) 6. 79
- 1. Most distinguished. 2. Receiving the chief share.  
  *Apte Practical Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > — भाज् (bhāj) a. 1 most distinguished. 2 receiving the chief share
- 1. The chief thing, object, or person. 2. The essential or best part. 3. Chaos or unevolved nature. 4. The supreme or universal soul. 5. Most excellent, principal, or pre-eminent.  
  *Macdonell Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > प्रधान (pradhāna) [Printed book page 178-3 ] प्रधान (pradhāna) pra-dhāna, n. (that which is put forward), important or chief thing, object, or person; essential, best, or most important part, head ( °— = principal, chief, head); chaos, unevolved nature; supreme or universal soul; —° a. having at the head or as the chief person or thing, chiefly dependent on; devoted to; a. most excellent, best, foremost, principal, chief; pre-eminent in ( in. ); better, than ( ab. ), superior, to ( ab. ): -ka, n. unevolved nature; -kāraṇa-vāda, m. the system asserting that unevolved nature is the cause of the world, the Sāṃkhya or evolutionist theory; -tama, spv. pre-eminent, most important; -tara, cpv. better, superior; -tas, ad. in consequence of his superiority, as being the most excellent; -tā, f. excellence, pre-eminence, superiority, premiership; -tva, n. id.; -puruṣa, m. chief person, authority; -bhāj, a. pre-eminent among, foremost of ( g. ); -mantrin, m. prime minister; -vādin, m. adherent of the Sāṃkhya system; -aṅga, n. chief member of the body, chief person of the state; -ātman, m. supreme or universal soul; -adhyakṣa, m. chief superintendent: -tā, f. office of —. [ ID=12221 ]
- 1. Chief, principal, or most excellent. 2. Prevalent or predominant.  
  *Vaidya Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > प्रधान (pradhāna) [Printed book page 472-29 ] प्रधान (pradhāna) (I) a. (f. ना (nā) ) 1. Chief, principal, pre-eminent, most excellent, M. vii.203; 2. prevalent, predominant. [ ID=24536 ]
- 1. The chief or head. 2. The primary germ from which the material world evolves in philosophy. 3. The supreme spirit. 4. Intellect.  
  *Vaidya Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > प्रधान (pradhāna) (III) n. 1. The chief object, the head, the chief, प्रधान (pradhāna) ं तीर्थानाममलपरिधानं त्रिजगतः (pradhānaṃ tīrthānāmamalaparidhānaṃ trijagataḥ) G.L. 18; 2. the primary germ out of whioh the material world is evolved (in Sānkhya phil.), अनुमाननिरूपितमपि प्रधान (pradhāna) मेकेषां शाखिनां शब्दवदुपलभ्यते (anumānanirūpitamapi pradhānamekeṣāṃ śākhināṃ śabdavadupalabhyate) S.Bh. i.; (See प्रकृति (prakṛti) ); 3. the supreme spirit; 4. intellect. [ ID=24538 ]
- 1. The chief thing, head, or principal person. 2. Original matter or supreme spirit. 3. Chief, main, or best.  
  *Cappeller Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > प्रधान (pradhāna) [Printed book page 340 ] प्रधान (pradhāna) n. the main thing or person, chief, head; original matter or supreme spirit (ph.); often —° having — as chief thing or person i.e. devoted to, excelling or delighting in, full of. Adj. & °— chief, main, principal, best. [ ID=20657 ]
- the chief thing  
  *Lanman's Sanskrit Reader Vocabulary*
  > प्रधान (pradhāna) [Printed book page 195-b ] pradhāna, n. (that which is put forward) the important or chief thing; at end of cpds [ 1302], having…as chief thing, devoted to…. [ √1dhā + pra. ] [ ID=2751 ]
- 1. Chief, main, principal, or pre-eminent. 2. A chief thing, principal object, or the most important thing. 3. Original matter out of which the material world is evolved, or nature as opposed to spirit. 4. The Supreme Spirit or Supreme Deity. 5. Intellect or understanding. 6. A king's minister, courtier, or noble.  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1872)*
  > प्रधान (pradhāna) [Printed book page 0631-c ] Pra-dhāna, as, ā, am, chief, main, principal, capital (city); pre-eminent, most eminent, most ex- cellent, best; prevalent, predominant, preponderant, principally or pre-eminently inherent; ( am ), n. a chief or principal thing, chief object, the most important thing, the head, chief, (often at the end of a comp., e. g. Indra-pradhāna, having Indra as the chief object; cf. dharma-p°, vinaya-p°, yathā-pradhā- nam ); (in Sāṅkhya phil.) = Prakṛti, ‘the Ori- ginant,’ primary or original matter or rather the primary germ out of which all material appearances are evolved, the first evolver or source of the material world (hence in a general acceptation ‘nature’ or rather ‘matter’ as opposed to puruṣa or ‘spirit’); the Supreme Spirit, the Supreme Deity; intellect, un- derstanding; (in grammar) the principal member of a compound (opposed to the upa-sarjana or secondary member by which the primary member is qualified); ( as, am ), m. n. the first companion or attendant of a king, his minister or counsellor, his eunuch or con- fidant; a courtier, a noble; an elephant-driver; ( as ), m., N. of an ancient king. —Pradhāna-karman, a, n. or pradhāna-kārya, am, n. chief or principal action; the principal mode of treatment (in medi- cine). —Pradhāna-tama, as, ā, am, the most excellent or distinguished, most important, chiefest. —Pradhāna-tara, as, ā, am, more excellent, better. —Pradhāna-tas, ind. according to eminence or superiority. —Pradhāna-tā, f. pre-eminence, excellence, superiority, supremacy, prevalence; the being Pra-dhāna, q. v., (in Mahā-bh. Vana-p. 173 = jagat-kāraṇatā; cf. śarīra-p°. ) —Pradhāna- tva, am, n. pre-eminence, superiority, excellence; (in Sāṅkhya phil.) the being Pra-dhāna, q. v. —Pradhāna-dhātu, us, m. the chief element or ingredient of the body, semen virile. —Pradhāna- puruṣa, as, m. a chief person, most distinguished personage; an epithet of Śiva. —Pradhāna-puru- ṣātīta (°ṣa-at°), as, m. transcending Pradhāna and Puruṣa (matter and spirit); an epithet of Śiva. —Pradhāna-bhāj, k, k, k, receiving the chief share, presiding over; the most excellent or distinguished. —Pradhāna-mantrin, ī, m. a prime minister. —Pradhāna-mitra, am, n. a chief friend. —Pra- dhāna-vāsas, asī, n. du. two principal garments, best clothes. —Pradhāna-vṛṣṭi, is, f. very copious rain, heaviest rain. —Pradhāna-śiṣṭa, as, ā, am, taught or laid down as of primary importance; [cf. anvā- caya-śiṣṭa. ] —Pradhāna-sevā, f. chief or prin- cipal service. —Pradhānāṅga (°na-aṅ°), am, n. a chief member, the chief member of the body; most eminent person in a state; principal branch of a science, &c. —Pradhānātman (°na-āt°), ā, m. the highest personal principle, the chief soul, an epithet of Viṣṇu; one with crude nature or Viśva-bhāvana. —Pradhānādhyakṣa (°na-adh°), as, m. a chief superintendent. —Pradhānādhyakṣa-tā (°na- adh°), f. the office of chief superintendent. —Pra- dhānāmātya (°na-am°), as, m. a prime minister. —Pradhānottama (°na-ut°), as, ā, am, best of the eminent, eminent, illustrious; warlike, brave. [ ID=32103 ]

### Primordial Matter/Source (Sāṃkhya/Cosmology) (9 definitions)
- the original source of the visible universe  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > ‘the Originator’, primary germ, original source of the visible or material universe (in Sāṃkhya = प्रकृति (prakṛti), q.v. ), Indian Wisdom, by Sir M. Monier-Williams (Title) 53, 1 &c. [ ID=134892 ]
- primary or unevolved matter or nature  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > primary or unevolved matter or nature, Sarvad. [ ID=134893 ]
- the primary source of the material world  
  *Apte Practical Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > — नं (naṃ) 2 The first evolver, originator, or source of the material world, the primary germ out of which all material appearances are evolved, according to the Sāṃkhya philosophy; न पुनरपि प्रधानवादी अशब्दत्वं (na punarapi pradhānavādī aśabdatvaṃ) प्रधानस्यासिद्धमित्याह (pradhānasyāsiddhamityāha) S. B; see प्रकृति (prakṛti) also
- 1. Nature or the cause of the material world. 2. The Supreme God. 3. Intellect or understanding. 4. Chief or principal. 5. A minister, courtier, or noble. 6. An elephant-driver.  
  *Wilson Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > प्र (pra) धा (dhā) न (pradhāna) [Printed book page 572 ] प्र (pra) धा (dhā) न (pradhāna) n. ( - नं (-naṃ) ) 1 Nature, the natural state of any thing, or the cause of the material world. 2 The SUPREME GOD. 3 Intellect, understanding. 4 Chief, principal, (in this sense, it is always neuter and confined to the singular number.) mn. ( - नः - नं (-naṃ) (-naḥ-naṃ) ) 1 The first companion of a king, his minister, his eunuch or confident, &c. a courtier, a noble. 2 An elephant-driver. E. प्र (pra) before धा (dhā) to have, aff. ल्युट् (lyuṭ). [ ID=26412 ]
- 1. Nature, God, intellect, or being chief. 2. A king's companion or an elephant-driver.  
  *Yates Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > प्रधान (pradhāna) [Printed book page 513-b ] प्र - धान (pra-dhāna) ( नं ) ((naṃ)) 1. n. Nature; God; intellect; being chief. m. King's companion; elephant-driver. [ ID=25908 ]
- 1. Nature, the natural state of anything, or the cause of the material world. 2. The supreme god. 3. Intellect or understanding. 4. Chief or principal. 5. A minister, courtier, noble, or confidant of a king. 6. An elephant-driver. 7. Prevalent or predominant.  
  *Shabda-Sagara Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > प्र (pra) धा (dhā) न (pradhāna) [Printed book page 488-b ] प्र (pra) धा (dhā) न (pradhāna) n. ( - नं (-naṃ) ) 1. Nature, the natural state of anything, or the cause of the material world. 2. The SUPREME GOD. 3. Intellect, understanding. 4. Chief, principal, (in this sense, it is always neuter and confined to the singular number.) mn. ( - नः - नं (-naṃ) (-naḥ-naṃ) ) 1. The first companion of a king, his minister, his eunuch or confident, &c. a courtier, a noble, 2. An elephant-driver. f. ( - ना (-nā) ) Prevalent, predominant. E. प्र (pra) before, धा (dhā) to have, aff. ल्युट् । (lyuṭ.) [ ID=27004 ]
- 1. Nature. 2. The Supreme God. 3. Intellect. 4. Chief, principal, or excellent. 5. A king's first companion, minister, or confidant.  
  *Benfey Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > प्रधान (pradhāna) [Printed book page 0600-b ] प्रधान (pradhāna) pradhāna, i. e. pra-dhā + ana, I. n. 1. Nature, MBh. 13, 1009. 2. The Supreme God. 3. Intellect. 4. Chief, Hit. 49, 18; principal (only sing. ), ex- cellent, Pañc. 156, 15. 5. The first companion of a king, his minister, his confidant, etc. II. adj. Chief, principal, Pañc. i. d. 324; Hit. 60, 22; Bhartṛ. 2, 99. — Comp. A-, adj. not principal, not minister, subordinate, inferior, Hit. 51, 22. Tad-, adj. having her (viz. his wife) as chief, i. e. performed principally with her assistance, Man. 3, 18. Dharma-, adj. loving justice, Man. 4, 243. Niṣpr°, i. e. nis-, adj. deprived of one's chief, Rām. 2, 111, 16 Gorr. Yathā-pradhāna + m, adv. according to their chiefs, represented by their chiefs, Johns. Sel. 46, 73. Viśuddha-sattva-, adj., f. nā, having the nature of pure good- ness, Vedāntas. in Chr. 204, 17. [ ID=9746 ]
- prakriti  
  *Index to the Names in the Mahabharata*
  > *pradhāna = prakṛti: I, 2429 (i.e. Kṛṣṇa); XII, 7484, 9105, 9115, 11635, 13035, 13466 (identified with Aniruddha), 13537, 13758; XIII, 1009, 1090; XIV, 522, 529, 1080, 1325, 1399, 1400.—Do. 2 = Mahāpuruṣa (Mahāpuruṣastava). [ ID=8464 ]
- an Ananta and Avyayatma  
  *The Purana Index*
  > प्रधान (pradhāna) [Printed book page 2-418 ] Pradhāna — an Ananta and Avyayātma; covers the mahat. Br. II. 21. 28; III. 43. 4; IV. 4. 12 and 20. [ ID=8581 ]

### Minister, Chief Official, Noble (5 definitions)
- A courtier, noble, or king's companion.  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > the first companion or attendant of a king, a courtier, a noble (also m. ), L. [ ID=134896 ]
- The principal attendant or companion of a king  
  *Apte Practical Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > — नः, - नं (naḥ, -naṃ) 1 The principal attendant or companion of a king (his minister or confidant)
- A noble or courtier.  
  *Apte Practical Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > — नः, - नं (naḥ, -naṃ) 2 A noble, courtier
- The commander-in-chief  
  *Apte Practical Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > — नः, - नं (naḥ, -naṃ) 4 The commander-in-chief
- 1. A king's chief attendant, minister, or confidant. 2. A courtier. 3. An elephant-driver.  
  *Vaidya Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > प्रधान (pradhāna) (II) m.n. 1. The first attendant of a king (either his minister or confidant); 2. a courtier; 3. an elephant-driver. [ ID=24537 ]

### Supreme Being/Soul/Deity (3 definitions)
- supreme or universal soul  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > supreme or universal soul, L. [ ID=134894 ]
- the name of a Shakti  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > (H2B) [Printed book page 680,3] प्रधाना (pradhānā) f. N. of a Śakti, Tantr. ( cf. Indian Wisdom, by Sir M. Monier-Williams (Title) 522 ). [ ID=134903 ]
- The Supreme Spirit  
  *Apte Practical Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > — नं (naṃ) 3 The Supreme Spirit

### Elephant Driver (2 definitions)
- an elephant-driver  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > an elephant-driver (also m. ), L. [ ID=134897 ]
- An elephant-driver  
  *Apte Practical Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > — नः, - नं (naḥ, -naṃ) 3 An elephant-driver

### Grammatical Principal Member (2 definitions)
- in grammar, the principal member of a compound  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > (in gram. ) the principal member of a compound ( opp. to उपसर्जन (upasarjana), q.v. ) [ ID=134898 ]
- The principal member of a compound  
  *Apte Practical Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > — नं (naṃ) 5 The principal member of a compound

### Intellect, Understanding (2 definitions)
- intellect and understanding  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > intellect, understanding, L. [ ID=134895 ]
- Intellect  
  *Apte Practical Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > — नं (naṃ) 4 Intellect

### Proper Name (King/Rājarṣi) (2 definitions)
- An ancient king  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > प्रधान (pradhāna) m. N. of an ancient king, MBh. [ ID=134902 ]
- a royal sage  
  *Index to the Names in the Mahabharata*
  > प्रधान (pradhāna) [Printed book page 554-2 ] Pradhāna, a rājarṣi. § 709 b (Sulabhā-Janakasaṃv.): XII, 321, 12034 ( rājarṣiḥ, ancestor of Sulabhā). [ ID=8463 ]

### Superior, Better Than (2 definitions)
- pre-eminent  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > pre-eminent in ( instr. ) [ ID=134900 ]
- superior to  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > better than or superior to ( abl. ), MBh.; Kāv. &c. [ ID=134901 ]

## Sources

Definitions from Apte Practical Sanskrit-English Dictionary; 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; 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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