Liksha, Likṣā, Līkṣa: 15 definitions

Introduction:

Liksha means something in Hinduism, Sanskrit, Marathi. 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 Likṣā and Līkṣa can be transliterated into English as Liksa or Liksha, using the IAST transliteration scheme (?).

In Hinduism

Ayurveda (science of life)

Rasashastra (Alchemy and Herbo-Mineral preparations)

Source: Wisdom Library: Rasa-śāstra

Likṣā (लिक्षा):—Sanskrit word for a unit of measurement of weight, according to the Rasa-darpaṇa (Sanskrit work on rasaśāstra, or Medical Alchemy). Six truṭis constitute one likṣā, and six likṣās constiture one yūkā.

Ayurveda book cover
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.

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Vastushastra (architecture)

Source: Wisdom Library: Vāstu-śāstra

Likṣā (लिक्षा, “nit”) is the Sanskrit name for a unit of measurement, used in Vāstuśāstra literature, according to the Mānasāra II.40-53. A single Likṣā unit corresponds to 8 Vālāgra units. It takes 8 Likṣā units to make a single Yūka unit.

Below follows a table of the different units of measurement in relation to one another:

  • 8 Paramāṇu = 1 Rathadhūli, chariot-dust
  • 8 Rathadhūli = 1 Vālāgra, hair-end
  • 8 Vālāgra = 1 Likṣā, nit,
  • 8 Likṣā = 1 Yūka, louse
  • 8 Yūka = 1 Yava, barley-corn,
  • 8 Yava = 1 Aṅgula, digit (finger-breadth),
  • 12 Aṅgula = 1 Vitasti, span,
  • 2 Vitasti (24 aṅgulas) = 1 Kiṣku, cubit,
  • 4 Dhanurmuṣṭi (26 aṅgulas) = 1 Daṇḍa, rod,
  • 8 Daṇḍa = 1 Rajju, rope

The smallest unit, which is paramāṇu, atom is stated ta be perceived (only) by the sages. For all practical purposes, aṅgula is the smallest unit of measurement. For this reason, it is seen to be treated in a special way in the text with regards to its universality that significantly downplays its semantic reference to the body.

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

Līkṣa (लीक्ष) refers to “pou slow (unit of measurement) § 2.1.”.—(For paragraphs cf. Les enseignements architecturaux de l'Ajitāgama et du Rauravāgama by Bruno Dagens)

Vastushastra book cover
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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.

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Shilpashastra (iconography)

Source: Shodhganga: The significance of the mūla-beras (śilpa)

Likṣā (लिक्षा) refers to the “egg of a louse” and represents a type of absolute measurement, as defined in the texts dealing with śilpa (arts and crafs), known as śilpaśāstras.—In the Indian value of measurement of length there are two different kinds of units, namely, the absolute and the relative. Of these, the first is based on the length of certain natural objects, while the second is obtained from the length of a particular part or limb of the person whose measurement is under consideration. They have been specified by R. N. Mishra, in his text in volume 1 of Kalātattvakośa.

8 romāgras make 1 likṣā (egg of a louse). 8 likṣās make 1 yūka (length of a louse).

Shilpashastra book cover
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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.

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Sports, Arts and Entertainment (wordly enjoyments)

Source: archive.org: Syainika Sastra of Rudradeva with English Translation (art)

Likṣā (लिक्षा) refers to “lice eggs” (causing problems for hawks), according to the Śyainika-śāstra: a Sanskrit treatise dealing with the divisions and benefits of Hunting and Hawking, written by Rājā Rudradeva (or Candradeva) in possibly the 13th century.—Accordingly, [while discussing the treatment of hawks]: “If a hawk does not bathe through fear, and lice with their eggs (likṣā) thrive in its body [gātre likṣā yūkāḥ patanti ca], to radically destroy them, a powder of long pepper should be scattered over, or the bark of the root of Bel pounded with cow’s urine should be plastered over its body. There is no doubt that this destroys lice with their eggs”.

Arts book cover
context information

This section covers the skills and profiencies of the Kalas (“performing arts”) and Shastras (“sciences”) involving ancient Indian traditions of sports, games, arts, entertainment, love-making and other means of wordly enjoyments. Traditionally these topics were dealt with in Sanskrit treatises explaing the philosophy and the justification of enjoying the pleasures of the senses.

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Languages of India and abroad

Marathi-English dictionary

Source: DDSA: The Molesworth Marathi and English Dictionary

likṣā (लिक्षा).—f S A young louse or the egg of a louse, a nit. 2 A poppy-seed considered as a measure of weight, 1&2044;16 of a mustard seed.

context information

Marathi is an Indo-European language having over 70 million native speakers people in (predominantly) Maharashtra India. Marathi, like many other Indo-Aryan languages, evolved from early forms of Prakrit, which itself is a subset of Sanskrit, one of the most ancient languages of the world.

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Sanskrit dictionary

Source: DDSA: The practical Sanskrit-English dictionary

Likṣā (लिक्षा).—[riṣeḥ saḥ kit Un.3.66]

1) A nit, the egg of a louse.

2) A very minute measure of weight (said to be equal to 4 or 8 trasareṇus); जालान्तरगते भानौ यच्चाणुर्दृश्यते रजः । तैश्चतुर्भिर्भवेल्लिक्षा (jālāntaragate bhānau yaccāṇurdṛśyate rajaḥ | taiścaturbhirbhavellikṣā); or त्रसरेणवोऽष्टौ विज्ञेया लिक्षैका परिमाणतः (trasareṇavo'ṣṭau vijñeyā likṣaikā parimāṇataḥ) Manusmṛti 8.133; see Y.1.362 also.

See also (synonyms): likhyā.

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

Likṣā (लिक्षा).—f.

(-kṣā) 1. A nit, a young louse, or the egg of a louse. 2. A poppy seed considered as a measure of weight, or one sixth of a mustard seed. E. lakṣ to mark, aff. ghañ, i substituted for the radical vowel and the deriv. irr.: also kka being substituted for the final likkā, and with kan added, fem. form, likṣikā; again with ī substituted for the radical vowel līkṣā, &c.; also read likhyā .

--- OR ---

Līkṣā (लीक्षा).—f.

(-kṣā) A nit: see likṣā .

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

Likṣā (लिक्षा).—f. 1. A nit, a young louse. 2. A poppy seed, considered as a measure of weight, [Mānavadharmaśāstra] 8, 133.

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

Likṣa (लिक्ष).—[substantive] nit (louse-egg).

--- OR ---

Likṣā (लिक्षा).—[feminine] nit (louse-egg).

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

1) Likṣā (लिक्षा):—f. (also written likkā) a nit, young louse, the egg of a louse (as a measure of weight = 8 Trasa-reṇus), [Manu-smṛti; Yājñavalkya] ([metri causa] also likṣa, [Varāha-mihira’s Bṛhat-saṃhitā])

2) Līkṣā (लीक्षा):—or līkkā f. = likṣā, [cf. Lexicographers, esp. such as amarasiṃha, halāyudha, hemacandra, etc.]

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

1) Likṣā (लिक्षा):—(kṣā) 1. f. Idem; a poppy seed; a weight of (1/6) of a mustard seed.

2) Līkṣā (लीक्षा):—(kṣā) 1. f. Idem.

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

Likṣā (लिक्षा) in the Sanskrit language is related to the Prakrit word: Likkhā.

[Sanskrit to German]

Liksha 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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