Pītāmbara

Pītāmbara

Pītāmbara

Yellow garments in Hindu iconography

Pītāmbara (Sanskrit: पीताम्बर) is a term in Hindu iconography, meaning "yellow garment or shawl",[1][2] also translated as "clothed in yellow garments",[3] and "name of Vishnu-Krishna".[4] It is primarily depicted on the deity Vishnu and his incarnations,[5] regarded to represent the Vedas.[6]

Krishna (left) wearing yellow garments, with Arjuna (right).

Description

In Hinduism, the pītāmbara is regarded to represent a yajna or sacrifice,[7] and is referred to as a garment of Purusha and the Vedic metre.[8][9]

In the Puranas, pītāmbara means "yellow cloth", and is used to describe Vishnu.[10]

In Vaishnavism and Shaivism, the pītāmbara is the "yellow dhoti" or "bright golden-yellow garment" described as the garment of Vishnu or Krishna.[11]

References

  1. [1]
    pitambar, Wiktionary
  2. [2]
    Rao, T. A. Gopinatha (1985). Elements of Hindu Iconography. Motilal Banarsidass Publishers. p. 210. ISBN 978-81-208-0878-2.
  3. [3]
    Walker, Benjamin (2019-04-09). Hindu World: An Encyclopedic Survey of Hinduism. In Two Volumes. Volume II M-Z. Routledge. p. 624. ISBN 978-0-429-62419-3.
  4. [4]
    pītāmbara पीताम्बर
  5. [5]
    Daniélou, Alain (December 1991). The Myths and Gods of India: The Classic Work on Hindu Polytheism from the Princeton Bollingen Series. Inner Traditions / Bear & Co. p. 158. ISBN 978-0-89281-354-4.
  6. [6]
    Stutley, Margaret (2019-04-09). The Illustrated Dictionary of Hindu Iconography. Routledge. p. 390. ISBN 978-0-429-62425-4.
  7. [7]
    Pitambara, Pitāmbara, Pītāmbara, Pita-ambara: 19 definitions, In Hinduism, Pancaratra (worship of Nārāyaṇa), wisdomlib.org
  8. [8]
    Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (Bhāgavata Purāṇa), Canto 12: The Age of Deterioration, CHAPTER ELEVEN
  9. [9]
    Srimad Bhagavatam: Canto 12, SB 12.11: Summary Description of the Mahāpuruṣa (11-12)
  10. [10]
    Śivapurāṇa 2.3.43, The Shiva Purana by J. L. Shastri, Chapter 43 - Description of Śiva's wonderful sport, Pārvatī-khaṇḍa
  11. [11]
    Pitambara, Pitāmbara, Pītāmbara, Pita-ambara: 19 definitions, Vaishnavism (Vaishava dharma), wisdomlib.org

Sources

  • Dowson, John: A Classical Dictionary of Hindu Mythology and Religion – Geography, History and Religion; D.K.Printworld Ltd., New Delhi, India, 2005


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