# विराज (virāja)

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

विराज (virāja) is a Sanskrit word meaning shining, brilliant, a particular form of a temple, a participle, a species of plant, an epithet of a Prajapati, a son of Avikshit. Its 16 recorded definitions are grouped into 7 contexts, among them Mythological Progenitor / Cosmic Being, Referential (Points to विराज् or related entry), Specific Categories (Temple Form, Ritual, Plant).

- **SLP1:** `virAja`  **IAST:** virāja  **Devanagari:** विराज
- **Wikipedia:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vir%C4%81ja
- **Declensions:** 48 forms — https://sanskritlexicon.com/word/viraja/declensions.md
- **Other headwords romanised the same way:** वीरजा (vīrajā), विरजा (virajā), विरज (viraja)

## Meanings by context

### Mythological Progenitor / Cosmic Being (3 definitions)
- An epithet of a Prajapati  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > N. of a Prajā-pati, Hariv. [ ID=199230 ]
- 1. A man of the regal or military class. 2. Splendour or beauty. 3. The body. 4. The first progeny of Brahma or Brahma himself in an androgynous form.  
  *Shabda-Sagara Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > वि (vi) राज (virāja) [Printed book page 667-b ] वि (vi) राज (virāja) m. ( - राट् (-rāṭ) ) 1. A man of the regal or military class. 2. Splendour, beauty. 3. The body. 4. The first progeny of BRAHMĀ, who having divided himself into male and female, produced from the female, VIRĀJ; VIRĀJ then by himself produced the first Manu or SWAYAMBHŪVA who was the progenitor of the Prajāpatis, and the secondary framer of the visible world: in other places VIRĀJ is the same as BRAHMĀ, and assumer of the androgynous form in his own person. E. वि (vi) severally or separately, &c., राज् (rāj) to shine, aff. क्वि (vi) प् । (kvip.) [ ID=37283 ]
- married Shatarupa and fathered Priyavrata, Uttanapada, Akuti, and Prasuti  
  *The Purana Index*
  > Virāja (III) — (Virāṭpuruṣa; also Samrāt and Manu) 1 married Śatarūpā; sons Priyavrata and Uttānapāda and two daughters, Ākūtī and Prasūtī; the latter was given to Dakṣa and the former to Ruci to whom twins, Yajña and Dakṣiṇa were born. 2 [ Footnote: 1) Vā. 10. 15.] [ Footnote: 2) Br. II. 9. 39.] [ ID=13067 ]

### Referential (Points to विराज् or related entry) (3 definitions)
- See viraj.  
  *Apte Practical Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > विराज (virāja) [Printed book page 0988-c ] विराज (virāja) See विराज (virāja) ् (virāj). [ ID=26346 ]
- The same as viraj  
  *Vaidya Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > विराज (virāja) [Printed book page 673-06 ] विराज (virāja) m. The same as विराज (virāja) ् (virāj) q.v. [ ID=35373 ]
- ruler or sovereign  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1872)*
  > विराज (virāja) [Printed book page 0935-b ] Vi-rāja, as, m. = 2. vi-rāj. [ ID=43704 ]

### Specific Categories (Temple Form, Ritual, Plant) (3 definitions)
- a particular form of a temple  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > वि - राज (vi-rāja) m. a partic. form of a temple, Hcat. [ ID=199227 ]
- a participle  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > a part. Ekāha, Vait. [ ID=199228 ]
- a species of plant  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > a species of plant, L. [ ID=199229 ]

### Other Named Individuals/Groups (2 definitions)
- a son of Shamika  
  *The Purana Index*
  > विराज (virāja) [Printed book page 3-255 ] Virāja (I) — a son of Śamīka. M. 46. 27. [ ID=13065 ]
- a Marut gana  
  *The Purana Index*
  > Virāja (II) — a Marut gaṇa. M. 171. 53. [ ID=13066 ]

### Quality of Being Radiant (2 definitions)
- shining, brilliant  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > (H2) [Printed book page 983,1] वि - राज (vi-rāja) mfn. shining, brilliant, Pañcar. [ ID=199226 ]
- shining, resplendent  
  *Cappeller Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > विराज (virāja) [Printed book page 504 ] विराज (virāja) a. shining, resplendent. [ ID=29987 ]

### Son of Avikṣit (2 definitions)
- a son of Avikshit  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > of a son of A-vikṣit, MBh. [ ID=199231 ]
- son of Avikshit  
  *Index to the Names in the Mahabharata*
  > विराज (virāja) [Printed book page 740-1 ] Virāja, son of Avikṣit. § 154 (Pūruvaṃś.): I, 94, 3741. [ ID=12144 ]

### Named Mountain (1 definition)
- a mountain north of the Mahabhadra lake  
  *The Purana Index*
  > Virāja (IV) — a Mt. north of the Mahābhadra lake. Vā. 36. 33. [ ID=13068 ]

## Sources

Definitions from Apte Practical Sanskrit-English Dictionary; Cappeller Sanskrit-English Dictionary; Index to the Names in the Mahabharata; Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1872); Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899); Shabda-Sagara Sanskrit-English Dictionary; The Purana Index; Vaidya Sanskrit-English Dictionary.
Text from the Cologne Digital Sanskrit Lexicon, University of Cologne.

The Sanskrit Lexicon app for iPhone, iPad and Mac: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/sanskrit-lexicon-dictionary/id6746787546