मेरु m. m. (
[Uṇ. iv, 101] )
N. of a fabulous mountain (regarded as the Olympus of
Hindū mythology and said to form the central point of
जम्बु-द्वीप; all the planets revolve round it and it is compared to the cup or seed-vessel of a lotus, the leaves of which are formed by the different
द्वीपs
q.v. ; the river Ganges falls from heaven on its summit, and flows thence to the surrounding worlds in four streams; the regents of the four quarters of the compass occupy the corresponding faces of the mountain, the whole of which consists of gold and gems; its summit is the residence of
ब्रह्मा, and a place of meeting for the gods,
ऋषिs,
गन्धर्वs &c., when not regarded as a fabulous mountain, it appears to mean the highland of Tartary north of the
हिमालय),
[MBh.] ;
[Kāv.] &c.
a
partic. kind of temple,
[VarBṛS.] the central or most prominent bead in a rosary,
[L.] the most prominent finger-joint in
partic. positions of the fingers,
[L.] N. of the palace of
गान्धारि (one of the wives of
कृष्ण),
[Hariv.] of a
चक्र-वर्तिन्,
[L.] शास्त्रिन् (with ) of a modern teacher,
[Cat.] of another man,
[Rājat.] मेरु f. f.N. of the wife of
नाभि and mother of
ऋषभ,
[VP.] (
cf. -देवी).