avantiḥ, avantīf. [av-bāhu˚ jhic Uṇ.3.50.] 1 N. of a city, the modern 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 kāñcirava- ntikā | purī dvārāvatī caiva saptaitā maukṣadāyikāḥ || The women of Avanti are said to be very skilful in all erotic arts; cf. āvantya eva nipuṇāḥ 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 Hemachandra avanti 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 Mahī]; avantinātho'yamudagrabāhuḥ R.6.32; asau mahākāla- niketanasya vasannadūre kila candramauleḥ 6.34,35; prāpyāvantīnudayanakathākovidagrāmavṛddhān Me.30; avantīṣūjjayinī nāma nagarī K.52. -Comp. -puram the city of Avanti ujjayinī. -brahmaḥ [avantiṣu brahmā ac samāsāntaḥ brahmaṇojānapadākhyāyām P.V.4.104] a Brāhmaṇa residing in Avanti. -bhūpālaḥ Bhoja, the king of Avanti. -somaḥ [avantiṣu soma iva] sour gruel (prepared from the fermentation of rice-water (kāñjikam).