Leela (name)

Leela is a name of Arabic, Hebrew, and Sanskrit origin. It is a variation of the Semitic name Leila. It means “night” in both Arabic and Hebrew. As with many Sanskrit words, it cannot be literally translated to English but can be loosely translated as "play" (noun). Lila is common to both non-dualistic and dualistic philosophical schools, but has a markedly different significance in each. Within non-dualism, Leela is a way of describing all reality, including the cosmos, as the outcome of creative play by the divine absolute (Brahman). It was also used to mean "Princess of Darkness" in some regions of the world.