Karmakara, Karman-kara, Karmakāra: 14 definitions

Introduction:

Karmakara means something in Buddhism, Pali, 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.

In Hinduism

Purana and Itihasa (epic history)

[«previous next»] — Karmakara in Purana glossary
Source: archive.org: Shiva Purana - English Translation

Karmakara (कर्मकर) refers to “one who performs activities”, according to the Śivapurāṇa 2.3.13 (“Śiva-Pārvatī dialogue”).—Accordingly, as Pārvatī said to Śiva: “[...] With my blessings you become qualitative and embodied. Without me, you are attributeless and incompetent to perform any activity. Being always subservient to Prakṛti you perform all activities [i.e., nānā-karmakara]. Self-controlled, free from aberrations and untainted by me how can you perform them? If you are really superior to Prakṛti, if what you say is true, you need not be afraid to be near me, O Śiva”.

Purana book cover
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.

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In Buddhism

Mahayana (major branch of Buddhism)

[«previous next»] — Karmakara in Mahayana glossary
Source: academia.edu: A Study and Translation of the Gaganagañjaparipṛcchā

Karmakāra (कर्मकार) refers to “performing deeds”, according to the Gaganagañjaparipṛcchā: the eighth chapter of the Mahāsaṃnipāta (a collection of Mahāyāna Buddhist Sūtras).—Accordingly, “Son of good family, there are eight purities of the insight (prajñā) of the Bodhisattvas. What are the eight? To with, [...] (5) although they teach four summaries of the dharma, they never see anything in impermanence, suffering, selfless, or quiescence; (6) although they teach to enter into action and duties, they are free from karmic result and also not disturbed by performing deeds (karmakāra); (7) although they are established in the knowledge of teachings which is beyond discursive thinking, they elucidate the division of words of all teachings; (8) they attain the illumination of all teachings and teach living beings about impurity and purification”.

Source: De Gruyter: A Buddhist Ritual Manual on Agriculture

Karmakara (कर्मकर) refers to “that which brings about an effect”, according to the Vajratuṇḍasamayakalparāja, an ancient Buddhist ritual manual on agriculture from the 5th-century (or earlier), containing various instructions for the Sangha to provide agriculture-related services to laypeople including rain-making, weather control and crop protection.—Accordingly, [As the Bhagavān said]: “Now I shall teach the offering manual which is auspicious and can bring about any effect (sarva-karmakara). At the time of crop damage the [Nāgas] are agitated. Then the spell-master should prepare a square maṇḍalaka in the middle of the field or forest. Four filled jars should be placed [in the four directions]. Flowers should be scattered. [...]”.

Mahayana book cover
context information

Mahayana (महायान, mahāyāna) is a major branch of Buddhism focusing on the path of a Bodhisattva (spiritual aspirants/ enlightened beings). Extant literature is vast and primarely composed in the Sanskrit language. There are many sūtras of which some of the earliest are the various Prajñāpāramitā sūtras.

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Tibetan Buddhism (Vajrayana or tantric Buddhism)

Source: Brill: Śaivism and the Tantric Traditions (tantric Buddhism)

Karmakara (कर्मकर) refers to “assistants” (of the architects), according to Kuladatta’s Kriyāsaṃgrahapañjikā, a text within Tantric Buddhism representing a construction manual for monasteries.—Accordingly, [while describing pratiṣṭhā in chapter 4]—“Then the king should satisfy the architects, the assistants (karmakara), and the spectators with a bracelet, a finger-ring, a garment, gold, heap of chaplet, tāmbūla, or other [articles] according to [the donor’s] wealth”.

Tibetan Buddhism book cover
context information

Tibetan Buddhism includes schools such as Nyingma, Kadampa, Kagyu and Gelug. Their primary canon of literature is divided in two broad categories: The Kangyur, which consists of Buddha’s words, and the Tengyur, which includes commentaries from various sources. Esotericism and tantra techniques (vajrayāna) are collected indepently.

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Languages of India and abroad

Sanskrit dictionary

[«previous next»] — Karmakara in Sanskrit glossary
Source: DDSA: The practical Sanskrit-English dictionary

Karmakara (कर्मकर).—

1) a hired labourer (a servant who is not a slave); आ तस्य गोः प्रतिदानात् कर्मकारी आगबीनः कर्मकरः (ā tasya goḥ pratidānāt karmakārī āgabīnaḥ karmakaraḥ) Mahābhārata on P.V.2.14. कर्मकराः स्थपत्यादयः (karmakarāḥ sthapatyādayaḥ) Pañcatantra (Bombay) 1; Śiśupālavadha 14.16.

2) Yama.

Derivable forms: karmakaraḥ (कर्मकरः).

Karmakara is a Sanskrit compound consisting of the terms karman and kara (कर).

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Karmakāra (कर्मकार).—

1) one who does any business, a mechanic, artisan (technically a worker not hired).

2) any labourer in general (whether hired or not).

3) a black-smith; हरिणाक्षि कटाक्षेण आत्मानमवलोकय । न हि खङ्गो विजानाति कर्मकारं स्वकारणम् (hariṇākṣi kaṭākṣeṇa ātmānamavalokaya | na hi khaṅgo vijānāti karmakāraṃ svakāraṇam) || Udb.

4) a bull.

Derivable forms: karmakāraḥ (कर्मकारः).

Karmakāra is a Sanskrit compound consisting of the terms karman and kāra (कार).

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

Karmakara (कर्मकर).—i. e. karman -kṛ + a, adj., f. , A hired labourer, a servant, [Pañcatantra] 10, 4; [Kathāsaritsāgara, (ed. Brockhaus.)] 13, 94.

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Karmakāra (कर्मकार).—i. e. karman -kṛ + a, adj. A hired labourer, [Pañcatantra] 116, 20.

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

Karmakara (कर्मकर).—[feminine] ī doing work (for others); servant, artisan.

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

1) Karmakara (कर्मकर):—[=karma-kara] [from karma > karman] mf(ī)n. doing work, a workman, a hired labourer, servant of any kind (who is not a slave, [Horace H. Wilson]), mechanic, artisan, [Mahābhārata; Bhāgavata-purāṇa; Pañcatantra] etc.

2) [v.s. ...] m. Name of Yama, [cf. Lexicographers, esp. such as amarasiṃha, halāyudha, hemacandra, etc.]

3) Karmakāra (कर्मकार):—[=karma-kāra] [from karma > karman] mfn. = doing work (but without receiving wages, according to native authorities), [Kāśikā-vṛtti on Pāṇini 3-2, 22; Pañcatantra] etc.

4) [v.s. ...] m. a blacksmith (forming a mixed caste, regarded as the progeny of the divine artist Viśva-karman and a Śūdrā woman), [Brahma-purāṇa]

5) [v.s. ...] a bull, [cf. Lexicographers, esp. such as amarasiṃha, halāyudha, hemacandra, etc.]

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

1) Karmakara (कर्मकर):—[karma-kara] (raḥ) 1. m. A hired labourer; Yuma. () 3. f. Aletris hyacinthoides; a female slave.

2) Karmakāra (कर्मकार):—[karma-kāra] (raḥ) 1. m. A workman; a blacksmith; a bull.

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

Karmakāra (कर्मकार) in the Sanskrit language is related to the Prakrit words: Kammāra, Kammāraga.

[Sanskrit to German]

Karmakara 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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Kannada-English dictionary

[«previous next»] — Karmakara in Kannada glossary
Source: Alar: Kannada-English corpus

Karmakara (ಕರ್ಮಕರ):—[noun] a man who works; a worker.

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Karmakāra (ಕರ್ಮಕಾರ):—

1) [noun] a man who works; a worker.

2) [noun] a skilled worker.

3) [noun] a smith who works in iron; black-smith.

4) [noun] a man who works on a machine.

context information

Kannada is a Dravidian language (as opposed to the Indo-European language family) mainly spoken in the southwestern region of India.

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Nepali dictionary

[«previous next»] — Karmakara in Nepali glossary
Source: unoes: Nepali-English Dictionary

1) Karmakara (कर्मकर):—1. servant; salve; 2. a laborer;

2) Karmakāra (कर्मकार):—n. 1. a workman; goldsmith; blacksmith; 2. slave; bondsman;

context information

Nepali is the primary language of the Nepalese people counting almost 20 million native speakers. The country of Nepal is situated in the Himalaya mountain range to the north of India.

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