nAyaka a. [ nI-Rvul ] Guiding, leading, conducting. — kaH 1 A guide, leader, conductor. 2 A chief, master, head, lord. 3 A pre-eminent or principal person, distinguished personage; sEnyanAyakaH &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 nAyakaH - DIrodAtta , ( pb ) DIrodData, DIralalita , and DIrapraSAMta , q. q. v. v; these are again subdivided, the total number of kinds being 48; see S. D. 64-75. The Rasamañjarī mentions 3 classes pati, upapati and vESika ; 95. 110 ). 6 The central gem of a neck. lace. 7 A paradigm or leading example; daSEte strIzu nAyakAH . 8 An epithet of Śākyamuni. Comp. — aDipaH a king, sovereign.