avaṃtiḥ

avaṃtiḥ tī f. [av-bāhu° jhic Uṇ. 3. 50]

1 N. of a city, the modern (pb) ujjayinī, one of the seven sacred cities of the Hindus, to die at which is said to secure eternal happiness; cf. ayodhyā mathurā māyā kāśī kāṃciravaṃtikā . purī dvārāvatī caiva saptaitā mokṣadāyikāḥ ... The women of Avanti are said to be very skilful in all erotic arts; cf. āvaṃtya eva nipuṇā sudṛśo ratakarmaṇi B. R. 10. 82.

2 N. of a river.

— m. pl. N. of a country and its inhabitants; its capital being ujjayinī on the river siprā; and there is also the temple of mahākāla in the suburbs. [According to Hemacandra abaṃti is synonymous with Mālava or the modern Mālavā; but the latter country covered in ancient times, as now, a wider area than Avanti, as Bāṇa applies the name to a neighbouring kingdom in the east, whose capital was Vidiśā on the Vetravatī or Betvā. In the time of the Mahābhārata Avanti appears to have extended on the south to the banks of the Narmadā and on the west probably to the banks of the Myhe or Mahi]; avaṃtinātho'yamudagrabāhuḥ R. 6. 32; asau mahākālaniketanasya vasannadūre kila caṃdramauleḥ 6. 34, 35; prāpyāvaṃtīnudayanakathākovidagrāmavṛddhān Me. 30; avaṃtīṣūjjayinī nāma nagarī K. 52.

Comp.

— puraṃ the city of Avanti ujjayinī.

— brahmaḥ [avaṃtiṣu brahmā ac samāsaḥ P. V. 4. 104] a Brāhmaṇa residing in Avanti.

— somaḥ [avaṃtiṣu soma iva] sour gruel prepared from the fermentation of rice-water (kāṃjikaṃ).