# विश्वावसु (viśvāvasu)

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

विश्वावसु (viśvāvasu) is a Sanskrit word meaning beneficent to all, the name of a Gandharva, belonging to a Sadhya, of a Marutvat, a son of Pururavas, of a prince of the Siddhas. Its 30 recorded definitions are grouped into 13 contexts, among them A Gandharva or Celestial Musician, Adjective 'Beneficent to all' or Divine Epithet, A Son of Jamadagni.

- **SLP1:** `viSvAvasu`  **IAST:** viśvāvasu  **Devanagari:** विश्वावसु
- **Wikipedia:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vishvavasu
- **Declensions:** 72 forms — https://sanskritlexicon.com/word/vishvavasu/declensions.md
- **Other headwords romanised the same way:** विश्ववसु (viśvavasu)

## Meanings by context

### A Gandharva or Celestial Musician (10 definitions)
- the name of a Gandharva  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > विश्वा (viśvā) — वसु (—vasu) m. N. of a Gandharva (regarded as the author of the hymn, Ṛg-veda (Title) x, 139 ), Ṛg-veda (Title); AV.; VS. &c. [ ID=201536.05 ]
- 1. One of the celestial singers or Gandharvas. 2. A particular night.  
  *Wilson Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > विश्वावसु (viśvāvasu) [Printed book page 789 ] विश्वावसु (viśvāvasu) m. ( - सुः (-suḥ) ) One of the Gandharbas or celestial singers. f. ( - सुः (-suḥ) ) A particular night. [ ID=35987 ]
- 1. A celestial singer or gandharva. 2. A particular night.  
  *Yates Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > विश्वावसु (viśvāvasu) [Printed book page 708-a ] विश्वावसु (viśvāvasu) ( सुः ) ((suḥ)) 2. m. One of the gan- dharbas or celestial singers. f. A particular night. [ ID=35594 ]
- 1. A celestial singer or Gandharva. 2. A particular night.  
  *Shabda-Sagara Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > विश्वावसु (viśvāvasu) [Printed book page 675-a ] विश्वावसु (viśvāvasu) m. ( - सुः (-suḥ) ) One of the Gandharbas or celestial singers. f. ( - सुः (-suḥ) ) A particular night. [ ID=37670 ]
- a Gandharva king  
  *Index to the Names in the Mahabharata*
  > विश्वावसु (viśvāvasu) [Printed book page 730-2 ] Viśvāvasu, a Gandharva king. § 21 (Pramadvarā): I, 8, 943 ( Gandharvarājaḥ, begot Pramadvarā on Menakā).—§ 102 (Aṃśāvat.): I, 65, 2555 (among the Devagandharvas, sons of Prādhā).—§ 191 (Arjuna): I, 123, 4814 (among the Devagandharvas present at the birth of Arjuna).—§ 221 b (Cākṣuṣī): I, 170, 6478 (learnt the Cākṣuṣī from Soma and communicated it to Citraratha).—§ 233 (Svayaṃvarap.): I, 187, †7011 (came to see the svayaṃvara of Draupadī).— § 266 (Śakrasabhāv.): II, 7, 303 (in the palace of Indra).— § 269 (Vaiśravaṇasabhāv.): II, 10, 406 ( Gandharvāṇāñ ca patayo V°uḥ, etc., in the palace of Kubera).—§ 336 (Indra- lokābhigamanap.): III, 43, 1773 ( °prabhṛtibhir Gandhar- vaiḥ ).—§ 377 (Dhaumyatīrthak.): III, 90, 8389 (a śloka sung by V. quoted, PCR. has Vibhāvasu).—§ 378 (Tīrtha- yātrāp.): III, 91, 8420 ( °os tu tanayād, i.e. Citrasena).— § 443 (Nivātakavacayuddhap.): III, 168, 12048 ( °oś ca vai putraś Citrasenaḥ ).—§ 530 (Viśvāvasumokṣaṇa): III, 279, 16086 ( Gandharvaḥ, had been cursed and become a Rākṣasa (Kabandha), but was delivered by Rāma Dāśarathi).—§ 555 (Indravijaya): V, 11, 356 ( °ur Nāradaś ca ).—§ 574 (Jambūkh.): VI, 6, 214 (on Meru).—§ 595 (Ṣoḍaśarāj., v. Dilīpa): VII, 61, v. 7 (only B. in a śloka wanting in C. after v. 2266; played on his vīṇā at the sacrifice of Dilīpa). § 615 d (Gandharvānāṃ tīrthaṃ): IX, 37, 2128 ( °mukhāḥ …Gandharvāḥ ).—§ 632 b (Ṣoḍaśarāj., cf. § 595, v. Dilīpa): XII, 29, 969 (played on his vīṇā at the sacrifice of Dilīpa). —§ 662 b (Jāpakop.): XII, 200 δ, 7340.—§ 694 b (Jvarot- patti): XII, 284 α, 10218 ( Gandharvaḥ ).—§ 695 b (Dakṣa- yajñavināśa): XII, 285 α, 10279.—§ 707 (Mokṣadh.): XII, 319, 11750 ( Gandharvaḥ ), 11759, 11771, (11781), (†11807) (was instructed by Yājñavalkya).—§ 712 (Śukot- patti): XII, 324, 12176 ( Gandharvaḥ ); 325, 12201 (do.). —§ 730 (Ānuśāsanik.): XIII, 16 ηη, 1050 ( ?°-Hiraṇyākṣa- Puruhātanamaskṛta, sc. Śiva).—§ 746 (do.): XIII, 83 ξ, 3887.—§ 775 (do.): XIII, 166 α, 7639.—§ 785 (Anugītāp.): XIV, 88 ψ, 2642.—§ 786 e (Agastya): XIV, 92, 2871.— Page731-a+ 63 § 789 (Putradarśanap.): XV, 29 α, 774. Cf. Gandharva, Gandharvarāja, Gandharvendra, Kāśyapa. [ ID=11952 ]
- Name of a Gandharva.  
  *The Purana Index*
  > विश्वावसु (viśvāvasu) [Printed book page 3-279 ] Viśvāvasu (I) — a Gandharva got infatuated at the sight of Devahūti playing on the terrace of her house: served as calf for Gandharvas and Apsarasas to milk Gandharva- Madhu from earth; 1 praised Hīraṇyakaśipu, the over lord of all worlds: sang the glory of Indra defeating Namuci. 2 Page3-280+ 32 [ Footnote: 1) Bhā. III. 20. 39; 22. 17; IV. 18. 17. Br. III. 7. 12. IV. 14. 4.] [ Footnote: 2) Bhā. VII. 4. 14; VIII. 11. 41; XI. 16. 33.] [ ID=13262 ]
- the Gandharva presiding over the month of Nabha  
  *The Purana Index*
  > [Printed book page 3-280 ] Viśvāvasu (II) — the Gandharva presiding over the month of Nabha; in the sun's chariot, with the sun in Āvaṇi and Puraṭṭāśi, (śarat season); 2 in the sun's chariot during the month of Kārtika. 3 [ Footnote: 1) Bhā. XII. 11. 37; Br. II. 23. 10; Vi. II. 10. 9.] [ Footnote: 2) Vā. 52. 10, 13; 62. 188.] [ Footnote: 3) Vi. II. 10. 12.] [ ID=13263 ]
- a son of Krodha and a deva-gandharva  
  *The Purana Index*
  > Viśvāvasu (III) — a son of Krodhā and a Deva- gandharva. Br. III. 6. 39. [ ID=13264 ]
- a celestial musician  
  *The Purana Index*
  > Viśvāvasu (VII) — a Gandharva and the best of speakers; deprived Ūrvaśī and Purūravas of the two sheep. Vā. 91. 16-22; Vi. I. 9. 102; IV. 6. 51. [ ID=13268 ]
- 1. A Gandharva. 2. An expert in divine music.  
  *The Purana Index*
  > Viśvāvasu (VIII) — a Gandharva; 1 an expert in divine music. 2 [ Footnote: 1) Vā. 30. 86.] [ Footnote: 2) Ib. 69. 47.] [ ID=13269 ]

### Adjective 'Beneficent to all' or Divine Epithet (3 definitions)
- beneficent to all  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > (H3) [Printed book page 994,3] विश्वा (viśvā) — वसु (—vasu) ( विश्वा (viśvā)- (viśvā-) ), mfn. beneficent to all (said of Viṣṇu), MBh. [ ID=201536 ]
- 1. Blessing all. 2. A Gandharva.  
  *Cappeller Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > विश्वावसु (viśvāvasu) [Printed book page 510 ] विश्वावसु (viśvāvasu) a. blessing all (Viṣṇu); m. N. of a Gandharva, a son of Purūravas, etc. [ ID=30353 ]
- Krishna  
  *Index to the Names in the Mahabharata*
  > Viśvāvasu 3 = Kṛṣṇa: VI, †2944. [ ID=11954 ]

### A Son of Jamadagni (2 definitions)
- a son of Jamadagni  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > of a son of Jamad-agni, MBh. [ ID=201536.30 ]
- son of Jamadagni  
  *Index to the Names in the Mahabharata*
  > [Printed book page 731-1 ] Viśvāvasu 2, son of Jamadagni. § 396 (Jamadagni): III, 116, 10180. [ ID=11953 ]

### A Son of Purūravas (2 definitions)
- a son of Pururavas  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > of a son of Purū-ravas (said to be one of the Viśve Devāḥ), ib.; VP. [ ID=201536.20 ]
- 1. A son of Pururavas and Urvashi. 2. The Gandharva who returned Urvashi from earth to heaven.  
  *The Purana Index*
  > Viśvāvasu (IV) — a son of Purūravas and Ūrvaśī; 1 the Gandharva who brought back Ūrvaśī to heaven from earth. 2 [ Footnote: 1) Br. III. 66. 23; IV. 20. 48 and 101; Vi. IV. 7. 1.] [ Footnote: 2) Br. III. 66. 16.] [ ID=13265 ]

### A Sādhya (2 definitions)
- belonging to a Sadhya  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > of a Sādhya, Hariv. [ ID=201536.10 ]
- a Sadhya  
  *The Purana Index*
  > Viśvāvasu (V) — a Sādhya. M. 171. 43. [ ID=13266 ]

### Astronomical/Chronological Term (2 definitions)
- the thirty-ninth year in Jupiter's cycle of sixty years  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > of the 39th year in Jupiter's cycle of 60 years, VarBṛS. [ ID=201536.45 ]
- of the seventh Muhurta  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > of the 7th Muhūrta, AV.; Jyot. [ ID=201536.50 ]

### Feminine: Night or a Specific Night (2 definitions)
- night  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > विश्वा (viśvā) — वसु (—vasu) f. night, L. [ ID=201536.55 ]
- a particular night  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > N. of a partic. night, W. [ ID=201536.60 ]

### One of the Manus (2 definitions)
- of one of the Manus  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > of one of the Manus, Uṇ., Sch. [ ID=201536.35 ]
- 1. One of the Manus. 2. One of the Gandharvas.  
  *Benfey Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > विश्वावसु (viśvāvasu) [Printed book page 0876-b ] विश्वावसु (viśvāvasu) viśvāvasu, i. e. viśva-vasu, m. 1. One of the Manus. 2. One of the Gandharvas, Indr. 2, 18. [ ID=13688 ]

### A Marut-vat (1 definition)
- of a Marutvat  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > of a Marut-vat, ib. [ ID=201536.15 ]

### A Poet (1 definition)
- of a poet  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > of a poet, Cat. [ ID=201536.40 ]

### A Prince of the Siddhas (1 definition)
- of a prince of the Siddhas  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > of a prince of the Siddhas, Kathās.; Nāg. [ ID=201536.25 ]

### A Vasu (1 definition)
- a Vasu, a son of Dharma and Sudevi  
  *The Purana Index*
  > Viśvāvasu (VI) — a Vasu, a son of Dharma and Sudevī. M. 171. 46. [ ID=13267 ]

### Viśvāvasus (plural): A Class of Musicians (1 definition)
- a class of musicians who sang the Sama Veda  
  *The Purana Index*
  > Viśvāvasus — a class of musicians who sang the Sāma Veda. Br. III. 1. 25. [ ID=13270 ]

## Sources

Definitions from Benfey Sanskrit-English Dictionary; Cappeller Sanskrit-English Dictionary; Index to the Names in the Mahabharata; 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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