Ishtaka, Iṣṭaka, Iṣṭakā: 18 definitions

Introduction
In Hinduism
Languages
1. Sanskrit
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Introduction:

Ishtaka means something in Hinduism, Sanskrit. If you want to know the exact meaning, history, etymology or English translation of this term then check out the descriptions on this page. Add your comment or reference to a book if you want to contribute to this summary article.

The Sanskrit terms Iṣṭaka and Iṣṭakā can be transliterated into English as Istaka or Ishtaka, using the IAST transliteration scheme (?).

In Hinduism

Purana and Itihasa (epic history)

Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: The Purana Index

1a) Iṣṭaka (इष्टक).—Bricks used for buildings.^*

* Matsya-purāṇa 254. 41; 269. 46.

1b) A son of Devāpi.^*

* Vāyu-purāṇa 99. 237. I

context information

The Purana (पुराण, purāṇas) refers to Sanskrit literature preserving ancient India’s vast cultural history, including historical legends, religious ceremonies, various arts and sciences. The eighteen mahapuranas total over 400,000 shlokas (metrical couplets) and date to at least several centuries BCE.

Vastushastra (architecture)

Source: Wisdom Library: Vāstu-śāstra

Iṣṭakā (इष्टका) refers to either “a brick” in general, or to a brick used in the construction of a sacrificial altar.

Source: OpenEdition books: Architectural terms contained in Ajitāgama and Rauravāgama

Iṣṭakā (इष्टका) refers to “brick § 2.12.”.—(For paragraphs cf. Les enseignements architecturaux de l'Ajitāgama et du Rauravāgama by Bruno Dagens)

Source: Shodhganga: Elements of Art and Architecture in the Trtiyakhanda of the Visnudharmottarapurana (vastu)

Iṣṭakā (इष्टका) or “bricks” refers to one of the most important building materials in the construction of a Temple, which used to make walls, according to the Viṣṇudharmottarapurāṇa, an ancient Sanskrit text which (being encyclopedic in nature) deals with a variety of cultural topics such as arts, architecture, music, grammar and astronomy.

In ancient time bricks (iṣṭakā) used to be made of clay which were of four kinds viz.,

ūṣara,
pāṇḍura,
kṛṣṇacikkaṇa and
tāmraputtaka (the best one for making of bricks according to the Mayamata).

The procedure of making bricks (iṣṭakā) according to the Viṣṇudharmottarapurāṇa.—In the brick making process in the first stage all the clay should be dried up in an auspicious ground and thereafter it should be gently mixed with water and moss. After that the dough of the clay should be shaped in a machine which should be one hand in length, half a hand in breadth and one forth hand in height. In that machine the clay should be baked in the fire of wood, cow-dung and grass and thus bricks got prepared. These bricks should be made in proper shape and be arranged skillfully in proper place. This is important to note that only properly baked bricks are accepted for construction. In the Śatapathabrāhmaṇa also, the reference of baked bricks are found which were used for making fire altars during Vedic time.

context information

Vastushastra (वास्तुशास्त्र, vāstuśāstra) refers to the ancient Indian science (shastra) of architecture (vastu), dealing with topics such architecture, sculpture, town-building, fort building and various other constructions. Vastu also deals with the philosophy of the architectural relation with the cosmic universe.

Dharmashastra (religious law)

Source: Sacred Texts: The Grihya Sutras, Part 2 (SBE30)

Iṣṭakā (इष्टका) refers to “bricks” (placed together for building an altar), according to the Āpastamba-yajña-paribhāṣā-sūtras.—“with the Iṣṭakās, the act should be made to coincide with the words tayā deva tena”. Commentary: When the different iṣṭakās or bricks are placed together for building an altar, &c., the act itself begins with the first and ends with the last words of the accompanying verse.

context information

Dharmashastra (धर्मशास्त्र, dharmaśāstra) contains the instructions (shastra) regarding religious conduct of livelihood (dharma), ceremonies, jurisprudence (study of law) and more. It is categorized as smriti, an important and authoritative selection of books dealing with the Hindu lifestyle.

Shilpashastra (iconography)

Source: Shodhganga: Vaisnava Agamas And Visnu Images

Iṣṭakā (इष्टका) refers to “icons made with brick”, as defined in treatises such as the Pāñcarātra, Pādmasaṃhitā and Vaikhānasa-āgamas, extensively dealing with the technical features of temple art, iconography and architecture in Vaishnavism.—The Vaiṣṇava Āgamas prescribe different materials for different types of icons installed in the temple. [...] Marīci and Bhṛgu state that the dhruva icons of Viṣṇu are made of processed earth (mṛd) with brick (iṣṭakā), wood (dāru), stone (śilā) and metal (loha) every succeeding one being superior to the one preceding in sequential order.

Source: Shodhganga: Elements of Art and Architecture in the Trtiyakhanda of the Visnudharmottarapurana (shilpa)

Iṣṭakā (इष्टका) refers to “bricks”, the powder of which was used in the process of creating a Canvas, in the ancient Indian art of Painting (citra), according to the Viṣṇudharmottarapurāṇa, an ancient Sanskrit text which (being encyclopedic in nature) deals with a variety of cultural topics such as arts, architecture, music, grammar and astronomy.—Canvas is a kind of surface on which a painter can draw a picture. In ancient time walls are seen to be plastered with different substances and these were prepared for Painting. [...] For the process of kuḍya i.e., plastering on a wall, the painter needs iṣṭakā-cūrṇa i.e., powder of bricks and mṛd i.e., clay as basic ingredients. To prepare this at first the powder of three kinds of brick and one third of clay should be mixed.

context information

Shilpashastra (शिल्पशास्त्र, śilpaśāstra) represents the ancient Indian science (shastra) of creative arts (shilpa) such as sculpture, iconography and painting. Closely related to Vastushastra (architecture), they often share the same literature.

Ayurveda (science of life)

Agriculture (Krishi) and Vrikshayurveda (study of Plant life)

Source: Shodhganga: Drumavichitrikarnam—Plant mutagenesis in ancient India

Iṣṭakā (इष्टका) refers to “bricks” used for planting trees, according to certain bio-organical recipes including plant mutagenesis, according to the Vṛkṣāyurveda by Sūrapāla (1000 CE): an encyclopedic work dealing with the study of trees and the principles of ancient Indian agriculture.—Accordingly, “If a tree is planted and grown faithfully with efforts by a person in a pit as deep as man’s height and properly covered from inside with new bricks (nava-iṣṭakā) [iṣṭhakā?] it blossoms even in dwarf condition”.

context information

Āyurveda (आयुर्वेद, ayurveda) is a branch of Indian science dealing with medicine, herbalism, taxology, anatomy, surgery, alchemy and related topics. Traditional practice of Āyurveda in ancient India dates back to at least the first millenium BC. Literature is commonly written in Sanskrit using various poetic metres.

Languages of India and abroad

Sanskrit dictionary

Source: DDSA: The practical Sanskrit-English dictionary

Iṣṭakā (इष्टका).—Name of a deity (Nārāyaṇa Up.8).

--- OR ---

Iṣṭakā (इष्टका).—[iṣ-takan ṭāp Uṇādi-sūtra 3.148]

1) A brick; Mṛcchakaṭika 3.

2) A brick used in preparing the sacrificial altar &c. लोकादिमग्निं तमुवाच तस्मै या इष्टकी यावतार्वा यथा वा (lokādimagniṃ tamuvāca tasmai yā iṣṭakī yāvatārvā yathā vā) Kaṭh.1.15.

Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Edgerton Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit Dictionary

Iṣṭaka (इष्टक).—m. pl., name of a brahmanical gotra: Divyāvadāna 635.17.

Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Shabda-Sagara Sanskrit-English Dictionary

Iṣṭakā (इष्टका).—f.

(-kā) A brick; also iṣṭikā. E. iṣ to wish, takak Unadi aff.

Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Benfey Sanskrit-English Dictionary

Iṣṭakā (इष्टका).—f. A brick, [Rājataraṅgiṇī] 5, 463.

Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Cappeller Sanskrit-English Dictionary

Iṣṭakā (इष्टका).—[feminine] brick.

Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary

1) Iṣṭakā (इष्टका):—[from iṣṭa] f. a brick in general

2) [v.s. ...] a brick used in building the sacrificial altar, [Vājasaneyi-saṃhitā; Aitareya-brāhmaṇa; Śatapatha-brāhmaṇa; Kātyāyana-śrauta-sūtra; Mṛcchakaṭikā etc.]

Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Yates Sanskrit-English Dictionary

Iṣṭakā (इष्टका):—(kā) 1. f. A brick.

Source: DDSA: Paia-sadda-mahannavo; a comprehensive Prakrit Hindi dictionary (S)

Iṣṭakā (इष्टका) in the Sanskrit language is related to the Prakrit words: Iṭṭagā, Iṭṭā.

[Sanskrit to German]

Ishtaka in German

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.

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Search found 14 books and stories containing Ishtaka, Iṣṭaka, Iṣṭakā, Istaka; (plurals include: Ishtakas, Iṣṭakas, Iṣṭakās, Istakas). You can also click to the full overview containing English textual excerpts. Below are direct links for the most relevant articles:

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