Lila (Hinduism)
Sanskrit word, "divine play"
Lila (Sanskrit: लीला līlā) or leela () can be loosely translated as "divine play". The concept of lila asserts that creation, instead of being an objective for achieving any purpose, is rather an outcome of the playful nature of the divine. As the divine is perfect, it could have no want fulfilled, thereby signifying freedom, instead of necessity, behind the creation.
The concept of lila is common to both non-dualist and dualist philosophical schools of Indian philosophy, but has a markedly different significance in each. Within non-dualism, lila is a way of describing all reality, including the cosmos, as the outcome of creative play by the divine absolute (Brahman). In Vaishnavism, lila refers to the activities of God and devotee, as well as the macrocosmic actions of the manifest universe.
Translation
There are multiple theories about the derivation of lila. It may be derived from the Sanskrit root lal, which suggests playfulness of children or someone delicate.
According to Edwin Bryant, lila cannot be translated as "sport" or "game", since those words suggest a motivation of competition. In contrast, lila is "pure play, or spontaneous pastime", which has no purpose other than experiencing joy.
The public source identifies “Lila (Hinduism)” as sanskrit word, "divine play". This brief keeps that definition visible, then builds a research path around Lila, Hinduism and Sanskrit.
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Object files, edition statements, performance records and contemporary criticism preserve different stages of the work’s history. The source revision retrieved here is dated Aug 7, 2026. The linked authority identifier is Q1163669. None of the 0 selected statements returned an explicit reference.
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