In Hinduism

Shaivism (Shaiva philosophy)

Source: Shodhganga: Temple management in the Āgamas

Garbhanyāsa (गर्भन्यास) refers to a certain ceremony performed by Ādiśaiva priests (Ācāryas), as defined in the Śaivāgamas.—The Ācāryas were honoured with dakṣiṇā on the occasion of [various] ritual ceremonies. Besides that, they received a share of the naivedya and nirmālya each day. [...] After garbhanyāsa, the Āgama prescribes that the Ācārya should be honoured with new clothes and rings and at least 5 niṣka of dakṣiṇā. Twice that (10 niṣka) is said to be madhyama and thrice that (15 niṣka) is declared uttama. It is also considered auspicious to give cattle, land, servants, food-grain and other household material to the deśikas.

context information

Shaiva (शैव, śaiva) or Shaivism (śaivism) represents a tradition of Hinduism worshiping Shiva as the supreme being. Closely related to Shaktism, Shaiva literature includes a range of scriptures, including Tantras, while the root of this tradition may be traced back to the ancient Vedas.

Pancaratra (worship of Nārāyaṇa)

Source: Wisdom Library: Pāñcarātra

Garbhanyāsa (गर्भन्यास) [=garbhanyāsavidhiḥ] is the name of the thirty-first chapter of the Aniruddhasaṃhitā: an ancient Pāñcarātra Āgama scripture in thirty-four chapters dealing with the varieties of worships, administration of sciences, rājadharma, town planning, expiation, installation of images, the rules regarding the construction of images, etc.

Source: archive.org: Catalogue of Pancaratra Agama Texts

Garbhanyāsa (गर्भन्यास) refers to a “series of rituals accompanying the laying of the foundation for a temple”, according to the thirty-first chapter of the Aniruddhasaṃhitā, an ancient Pāñcarātra Āgama text dealing with the annual festivals of temples and regular temple worship routines.—Description of the chapter [garbhanyāsa-vidhi]: A series of rituals collectively called garbhanyāsa must accompany the laying of the foundation for a temple. After preliminary preparations have been made on days preceding, an auspicious night is chosen when nine pits are dug at the foundation site, lined and filled with pots. Into these pots various items are to be placed and given homage. The pits containing these treasures are then filled up with sand, to the accompaniment of mantras (1-17). Thereupon the director Ācārya and architect [Śilpin] are both handsomely rewarded for their participation in this all-important ceremony. Mantras which are to be used in garbhanyāsa-rites are named but not given in full (18-24).

Source: eScholarship: Chapters 1-14 of the Hayasirsa Pancaratra

Garbhanyāsa (गर्भन्यास) refers to the “consecration deposit”.—Ślączka (in chapter six) discusses the meaning of garbhanyāsa. She translates the term as consecration deposit and means that it refers to a ritual of installing the garbha in the consecration casket and then into the ground where the temple will be built. She further notes the fertility aspect of the ‘deposit (nyāsa) of the embryo (garbha)”. According to Acharya garbhanyāsa and garbhavinyāsa are the same. He translates garbhavinyāsa as “the arrangement of the foundation, the foundations”. Acharya also divides it into various categories of foundations. Moreover, Acharya does not seem to think that the term necessarily implies any kind of ritual. The term garbhādāna seems to be a synonym of garbhanyāsa—“consecration deposit”.

context information

Pancaratra (पाञ्चरात्र, pāñcarātra) represents a tradition of Hinduism where Narayana is revered and worshipped. Closeley related to Vaishnavism, the Pancaratra literature includes various Agamas and tantras incorporating many Vaishnava philosophies.

General definition (in Hinduism)

Source: Leiden Repository: Chapter 6 The function and meaning of the garbhanyāsa

The principal function of the garbhanyāsa as revealed by the textual sources is to bring prosperity and welfare to human bein gs in general and to those who perform the ritual in particular. According to several works, those who perform the ceremony will obtain success and all their wishes will be fulfilled. Surprisingly, the positive influence of garbhanyāsa for the building (here: a temple) in which the deposit is installed is only explicitly mentioned by one text and the protection offered by the deposit to the settlement (in which a deposit is installed) is promised by no more than two texts

Failing to perform the ritual leads to destruction: of the house and land, of the patron or, simply, ‘of everything’. The Kāśyapaśilpa, moreover, warns that one should not stay in a house without a garbha and assures that no god will ever commit such a deed.

The fertility aspect of garbhanyāsa is reflected in the very term by which the ritual is referred to, which means ‘the depositing (nyāsa) of the embryo (garbha)’. The term garbha might be translated as ‘embryo’, ‘womb’ or ‘interior’, ‘middle’, but it is the first interpretation, namely embryo, which seems to be the most appropriate here.

Languages of India and abroad

Sanskrit dictionary

Source: DDSA: The practical Sanskrit-English dictionary

Garbhanyāsa (गर्भन्यास).—

1) laying the foundation.

2) the foundations.

Derivable forms: garbhanyāsaḥ (गर्भन्यासः).

Garbhanyāsa is a Sanskrit compound consisting of the terms garbha and nyāsa (न्यास).

context information

Sanskrit, also spelled संस्कृतम् (saṃskṛtam), is an ancient language of India commonly seen as the grandmother of the Indo-European language family (even English!). Closely allied with Prakrit and Pali, Sanskrit is more exhaustive in both grammar and terms and has the most extensive collection of literature in the world, greatly surpassing its sister-languages Greek and Latin.

See also (Relevant definitions)

Partial matches: Garbha, Nyasa.

Starts with: Garbhanyasavidhi.

Full-text: Garbhavinyasa, Garbhanyasavidhi, Garbhadana, Garbhabhajana, Navakoshtha, Garbha.

Relevant text

Search found 2 books and stories containing Garbhanyasa, Garbha-nyasa, Garbha-nyāsa, Garbhanyāsa; (plurals include: Garbhanyasas, nyasas, nyāsas, Garbhanyāsas). You can also click to the full overview containing English textual excerpts. Below are direct links for the most relevant articles:

Vastu-shastra (3): House Architecture (by D. N. Shukla)

Chapter 1 - Preliminaries In House-Construction

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Vastu-shastra (1): Canons of Architecture (by D. N. Shukla)

(vii.b) Śilparatna (Summary of Chapters 1-13) < [Chapter 5 - Study of Hindu Science of Architecture]

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