नायक _nāyaka

नायक a. [नी-ण्वुल्] Guiding, leading, conducting.

-कः 1 A guide, leader, conductor.

-2 A chief, master, head, lord.

-3 A pre-eminent or principal person, distinguished personage; सैन्यनायकः &c.

-4 A general, commander.

-5 (In Rhet.) The hero of a poetic composition (a play or drama); (according to S. D. there are four main kinds of नायक:-- धीरोदात्त, धीरोद्धत, धीरललित, and धीरप्रशान्त, q. v.; these are again subdivided, the total number of kinds being 48; see S. D.64-75. The Rasamañjarī mentions 3 classes पति, उपपति, and वैशिक; 95.11).

-6 The central gem of a necklace; नायको नेतरि श्रेष्ठे हारमध्य- मणावपि' इति विश्वः.

-7 A paradigm or leading example; दशैते स्त्रीषु नायकाः.

-8 An epithet of Śākyamuni.

-Comp. -अधिपः a king, sovereign.