As a Hindi name
धारण · noun · masculine
किसी पदार्थ को अपने ऊपर रखना अथवा अपने किसी अंग में लेना । थामना, लेना या अपने ऊपर ठहराना । जैसे, शेष जी का पृथ्वी को धारण करना, शिव जी का गंगा को धारण करना, हाथ में छड़ी या अस्त्र धारण करना · परिधान । पहनना । जैसे, वस्त्र या आभूषण धारण करना · सेवन करना । खाना या पीना । जैसे, शिव जी का विष धारण करना, औषध धारण करना — Śabdasāgara
धारण · dhāraṇ · s.m.
Holding, bearing, carrying, keeping, wearing; upholding, maintaining, sustaining, preserving; possessing, having, assuming; knowing, acquiring — Platts (1884), digital edition courtesy DSAL, University of Chicago, p. 538
As a Sanskrit word
Meaning
the act of holding, bearing &c., &c.
Verified derivationMultiple readings (10)Why this matches what you typed
M1 · same meaning "dhāraṇa" is the vocative of "dhāraṇā" — the same word in a different grammatical case.
Dictionary citations
dhāraṇa mf(ī)n. holding, bearing, keeping (in remembrance), retention, preserving, protecting, maintaining, possessing, having (ifc. or with gen.), TĀr.; MBh.; Suśr. : BhP.
assuming the shape of (gen.), resembling, MBh. xiii, 739
dhāraṇa m. N. of Śiva, MBh.
of a son of Kaśyapa, ib.
of a prince of the Candravatsas, ib.
dhāraṇā f. (cf. ˚ṇa, col. 1) the act of holding, bearing, wearing, supporting, maintaining, MBh.; R.
retaining, keeping back (also in remembrance), a good memory, KaṭhUp.; GṛS.; MBh.; BhP.
Alternative readings
More than one analysis survives full verification. That ambiguity is real, so we show every reading rather than pick one silently.
Caveats
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