Ashlesha, Āśleṣā, Aśleṣā, Āśleṣa, Āśleśā: 21 definitions
Introduction:
Ashlesha 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.
The Sanskrit terms Āśleṣā and Aśleṣā and Āśleṣa and Āśleśā can be transliterated into English as Aslesa or Ashlesha, using the IAST transliteration scheme (?).
Images (photo gallery)
In Hinduism
Jyotisha (astronomy and astrology)
Source: Wisdom Library: JyotiṣaĀśleṣā (आश्लेषा):—Name for a particular section of the ecliptic. It is also known as Āśleṣānakṣatra. Nakṣatra means “Lunar mansion” and corresponds to a specific region of the sky through which the moon passes each day. Āśleṣā means “the embrace” and is associated with the deity known as Naga (Dragons). The presiding Lord of this lunar house is Budha (Mercury).
Indian zodiac: |16°40'| – |30° Karka|
Karka (कर्क, “crab”) corresponds with Cancer.
Western zodiac: |12°40'| – |26° Leo|
Leo corresponds with Siṃha (सिंह, “lion”).
Jyotisha (ज्योतिष, jyotiṣa or jyotish) refers to ‘astronomy’ or “Vedic astrology” and represents the fifth of the six Vedangas (additional sciences to be studied along with the Vedas). Jyotisha concerns itself with the study and prediction of the movements of celestial bodies, in order to calculate the auspicious time for rituals and ceremonies.
Purana and Itihasa (epic history)
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: The Purana IndexĀśleṣā (आश्लेषा).—On the left hind foot of the śiśumāra.1 Its importance for śrāddha;2 the seventh nakṣatra.3
- 1) Bhāgavata-purāṇa V. 23. 6; Brahmāṇḍa-purāṇa II. 24. 135.
- 2) Brahmāṇḍa-purāṇa III. 18. 5.
- 3) Vāyu-purāṇa 82. 5.
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.
Natyashastra (theatrics and dramaturgy)
Source: Wisdom Library: Nāṭya-śāstraĀśleṣā (आश्लेषा) is the Sanskrit name for an asterism (Hydrae). According to the Nāṭyaśāstra 3.14-15, the master of the dramatic art (nāṭyācārya) should perform raṅgapūjā after offering pūjā to the Jarjara (Indra’s staff). Accordingly, “After proceeding thus according to rules and staying in the phayhouse for the night, he should begin pūjā as soon as it is morning. This pūjā connected with the stage should take place under the asterism Ārdrā, Maghā, Yāmyā, Pūrvaphalgunī, Pūrvāṣāḍhā, Pūrvabhādrapadā, Aśleṣā or Mūlā”.
Natyashastra (नाट्यशास्त्र, nāṭyaśāstra) refers to both the ancient Indian tradition (shastra) of performing arts, (natya—theatrics, drama, dance, music), as well as the name of a Sanskrit work dealing with these subjects. It also teaches the rules for composing Dramatic plays (nataka), construction and performance of Theater, and Poetic works (kavya).
Vastushastra (architecture)
Source: Wisdom Library: Vāstu-śāstraĀśleṣā (आश्लेषा) refers to the ninth of twenty-seven constellations (ṛkṣa), according to the Mānasāra. Ṛkṣa is the third of the āyādiṣaḍvarga, or “six principles” that constitute the “horoscope” of an architectural or iconographic object. Their application is intended to “verify” the measurements of the architectural and iconographic object against the dictates of astrology that lay out the conditions of auspiciousness.
The particular nakṣatra, also known as ṛkṣa (e.g., āśleṣā) of all architectural and iconographic objects (settlement, building, image) must be calculated and ascertained. This process is based on the principle of the remainder. An arithmetical formula to be used in each case is stipulated, which engages one of the basic dimensions of the object (breadth, length, or perimeter/circumference). In the context of village planning and measurement, the text sates that among the stars (ṛkṣa), the ones that are pūrṇa (odd), are auspicious and the ones that are karṇa (even), inauspicious.
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.
Ayurveda (science of life)
Toxicology (Study and Treatment of poison)
Source: Shodhganga: Kasyapa Samhita—Text on Visha ChikitsaĀśleṣā (आश्लेषा) (Nakṣatra) is considered negative for the recovery for a person to be bitten by snake, as taught in the Kāśyapa Saṃhitā: an ancient Sanskrit text from the Pāñcarātra tradition dealing with both Tantra and Viṣacikitsā—an important topic from Āyurveda which deals with the study of Toxicology (Agadatantra or Sarpavidyā).—The malignant asterisms and baneful lunar phases and astral combinations, with reference to snake-bite, are discussed in the tail-end of the fourth Adhyāya. [...] The Kāśyapasaṃhitā mentions the following details regarding the Nakṣatras:—The stars of a malignant nature that determine the virulence of the poison of the snake bite are [e.g., Āśleṣā] (Cf. verse IV.108)
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.
Sports, Arts and Entertainment (wordly enjoyments)
Source: archive.org: Syainika Sastra of Rudradeva with English Translation (art)Āśleṣa (आश्लेष) refers to a “(sexual) embrace”, 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 outlines of hawking]: “The throwing of Vāsas on to birds resembles a sexual embrace (āśleṣa) [vihitāśleṣaḥ śṛṅgāram], sometimes pushing and sometimes pulling. When the quarry is caught and in the struggle its feathers drop from the sky, the feathers look like a shower of flowers from the hands of the delighted Indra. [...]”.
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.
In Buddhism
Mahayana (major branch of Buddhism)
Source: Wisdom Library: Maha Prajnaparamita SastraĀśleṣā (आश्लेषा) refers to one of the twenty-seven constellations (nakṣatra) according to according to Mahāprajñāpāramitāśāstra (chapter XIV).—Āśleṣā is the Sanskrit equivalent of Chinese Lieou, Tibetan Skag and modern Hydrae.
Āśleṣā is classified in the second group: “The moon revolves around the earth in 28 days. If the moon enters one of the six following constellations (e.g., Āśleṣā), then at that moment the earth trembles as if it would collapse and this trembling extends as far as the Nāgas. Then there is no more rain, the rivers dry up, the year is bad for grain, the emperor (T’ien tseu) is cruel and the great ministers are unjust”.
Source: archive.org: Bulletin of the French School of the Far East (volume 5)Āśleṣā (आश्लेषा) is the name of a Nakṣatra mentioned in chapter 18 of the Candragarbha: the 55th section of the Mahāsaṃnipāta-sūtra, a large compilation of Sūtras (texts) in Mahāyāna Buddhism partly available in Sanskrit, Tibetan and Chinese.—Chapter 18 deals with geographical astrology and, in conversation with Brahmarāja and others, Buddha explains how he entrusts the Nakṣatras [e.g., Āśleṣā] with a group of kingdoms for the sake of protection and prosperity.
The Āśleṣānakṣatra comprises the following realms:
- Ki-sa-li (Kesari?),
- Mo-ho-ni-t'i (Mahāniti?),
- Wou-tch'ang (Udyāna?),
- Siu-ni-k'i (Sunikhi?),
- Po-lo-p'o (Pahlava),
- Yeou-lo-p'o (Urava?),
- K'iu-tch'a (Kūṭa?),
- Ni-k'ia (Nikha?),
- K'ien-tch'a-po-lo-p'o (Kaṇṭhapahlava),
- P'o-ki-to or So-kit-to (Vaketa or Saketa?),
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.
Tibetan Buddhism (Vajrayana or tantric Buddhism)
Source: Wisdom Library: Tibetan BuddhismĀśleṣā (आश्लेषा) refers to one of the various Nakṣatras mentioned as attending the teachings in the 6th century Mañjuśrīmūlakalpa: one of the largest Kriyā Tantras devoted to Mañjuśrī (the Bodhisattva of wisdom) representing an encyclopedia of knowledge primarily concerned with ritualistic elements in Buddhism. The teachings in this text originate from Mañjuśrī and were taught to and by Buddha Śākyamuni in the presence of a large audience (including Āśleṣā).
Source: archive.org: The Indian Buddhist IconographyĀśleśā (आश्लेशा) refers to the ninth of the 28 nakṣatras (“constellations”) of the zodiac, as commonly depicted in Buddhist Iconography, and mentioned in the 11th-century Niṣpannayogāvalī of Mahāpaṇḍita Abhayākara.—The nakṣatras are described collectively in the dharmadhātuvāgīśvara-maṇḍala of the Niṣpannayogāvalī. In this maṇḍala the nakṣatras are given one face and two arms, which are clasped against the chest in the añjalimudrā:—“the deities [viz., Āśleśā] are decked in bejewelled jackets and they all show the añjali-mudrā”.—In colour, however, they differ. [viz., Āśleśā is given the colour white].
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.
Languages of India and abroad
Sanskrit dictionary
Source: DDSA: The practical Sanskrit-English dictionaryAśleṣā (अश्लेषा).—[na śliṣyati yatrotpannena śiśunā, śliṣ-ghañ Tv.]
1) The 9th Nakṣatra of lunar mansion containing five stars.
2) Disunion, disjunction.
--- OR ---
Āśleṣa (आश्लेष).—
1) Embracing, clasping, an embrace; आश्लेषः लोलुपवधूस्तनकार्कश्यसाक्षिणीम् (āśleṣaḥ lolupavadhūstanakārkaśyasākṣiṇīm) Śiśupālavadha 2.17; Amaruśataka 17,74,95- कण्ठाश्लेषप्रणयिनि जने (kaṇṭhāśleṣapraṇayini jane) Meghadūta 3,18.
2) Contact, intimate connection; relation; सामीप्याश्लेषविषयैर्व्याप्त्याधारश्चतुर्विधः (sāmīpyāśleṣaviṣayairvyāptyādhāraścaturvidhaḥ) Mugdha.
3) The site of an act.
-ṣāḥ f. (pl.) Name of the ninth Nakṣatra.
Derivable forms: āśleṣaḥ (आश्लेषः).
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Edgerton Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit DictionaryAśleṣa (अश्लेष).—m., non-binding, disconnection, freedom: Aṣṭasāhasrikā-prajñāpāramitā 294.18—19 yaḥ…rūpasyāsaṃbandhaḥ sa rūpasyāśleṣaḥ …sa rūpasyānutpādo 'nirodhaḥ.
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Shabda-Sagara Sanskrit-English DictionaryAśleṣā (अश्लेषा).—f.
(-ṣā) 1. The ninth Nakshatra or lunar mansion, containing five stars. 2. Disunion, disjunction. E. a neg. and śleṣa union.
--- OR ---
Āśleṣa (आश्लेष).—m.
(-ṣaḥ) 1. Embracing, an embrace. 2. Site of any act. 3. Intimate connexion. E. āṅ before śliṣ to fold, ghañ aff.
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Benfey Sanskrit-English DictionaryĀśleṣa (आश्लेष).—i. e. ā-śliṣ + a, m. An embrace, [Meghadūta, (ed. Gildemeister.)] 105.
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Cappeller Sanskrit-English DictionaryĀśleṣa (आश्लेष).—[masculine] close contact, embrace. [feminine] āślevā sgl. & [plural] [Name] of a lunar mansion.
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary1) Aśleṣā (अश्लेषा):—[=a-śleṣā] f. sg. [plural] (= aśleṣā q.v.) Name of the seventh (in later times the ninth) lunar mansion (containing five stars), [Mahābhārata xiii, 3262; Jyotiṣa; Varāha-mihira’s Bṛhat-saṃhitā]
2) Āśleṣa (आश्लेष):—[=ā-śleṣa] [from ā-śliṣ] m. intimate connection, contact
3) [v.s. ...] slight contact, [cf. Lexicographers, esp. such as amarasiṃha, halāyudha, hemacandra, etc.]
4) [v.s. ...] embracing, embrace
5) [v.s. ...] intwining, [Mahābhārata; Bhāgavata-purāṇa; Meghadūta; Amaru-śataka] etc.
6) [v.s. ...] adherence, clinging to, [Nyāyamālā-vistara]
7) Āśleṣā (आश्लेषा):—[=ā-śleṣā] [from ā-śleṣa > ā-śliṣ] f. and (ās) f. [plural] Name of the seventh Nakṣatra, [Atharva-veda; Taittirīya-saṃhitā; Suśruta; Mahābhārata; Varāha-mihira’s Bṛhat-saṃhitā]
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Yates Sanskrit-English Dictionary1) Aśleṣā (अश्लेषा):—(ṣā) 1. f. 9th lunar mansion.
2) Āśleṣa (आश्लेष):—[ā-śleṣa] (ṣaḥ) 1. m. Embracing.
Source: DDSA: Paia-sadda-mahannavo; a comprehensive Prakrit Hindi dictionary (S)Aśleṣā (अश्लेषा) in the Sanskrit language is related to the Prakrit word: Asilesā.
[Sanskrit to German]
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.
Kannada-English dictionary
Source: Alar: Kannada-English corpusĀślēṣa (ಆಶ್ಲೇಷ):—
1) [noun] a taking of another person into arms and pressing to the bosom with affection; an embrace.
2) [noun] a close relationship; intimate connection.
3) [noun] a bright star in the southern constellation Hydra; Epsilon Hydra; Alpha Hydra.
4) [noun] the fact of two or more things being in union.
Kannada is a Dravidian language (as opposed to the Indo-European language family) mainly spoken in the southwestern region of India.
See also (Relevant definitions)
Starts with: Ashleshabhava, Ashleshabhu, Ashleshaja, Ashleshaka, Ashleshana, Ashleshanakshatra, Ashleshanakshatrashanti, Ashleshashanti, Ashleshashantiprayoga, Ashleshashantividhana, Ashleshavidhana, Ashleshavidhi.
Ends with: Abhangashlesha, Arthashlesha, Bhamgashlesha, Ghrishtakashlesha, Hathashlesha, Kanthashlesha, Prashlesha, Sabhangashlesha, Samashlesha, Sashlesha, Shabdashlesha, Upashlesha.
Full-text (+143): Ashleshabhava, Ashleshabhu, Auraga, Ashresha, Ahideva, Bhasamdhi, Bhujangama, Bhujamgabha, Naganakshatra, Bhaujamga, Ashleshavidhi, Ashleshanakshatra, Gajavithi, Ayiliyam, Samashleshana, Aashlesh, Samashlesha, Asilesa, Ahidaivata, Bhaujanga.
Relevant text
Search found 33 books and stories containing Ashlesha, Āśleṣā, Aśleṣā, Āśleṣa, Āśleśā, A-slesa, Aśleṣa, A-śleṣā, A-shlesha, Aslesa, Ā-śleṣa, Ā-śleṣā, Āślēṣa; (plurals include: Ashleshas, Āśleṣās, Aśleṣās, Āśleṣas, Āśleśās, slesas, Aśleṣas, śleṣās, shleshas, Aslesas, śleṣas, Āślēṣas). You can also click to the full overview containing English textual excerpts. Below are direct links for the most relevant articles:
Sanskrit sources of Kerala history (by Suma Parappattoli)
15. Vrttaratnavali by Ilathur Ramaswami Sastri < [Chapter 6 - Miscellaneous Sanskrit works bearing on Kerala history]
6. The Sri Ramavarma Maharajacarita by Paramesvara Sivadvija < [Chapter 3 - Historical Details from Mahakavyas]
Sankhayana-grihya-sutra (by Hermann Oldenberg)
The Garuda Purana (by Manmatha Nath Dutt)
Chapter LIX - Discourses on Astrology < [Agastya Samhita]
Chapter XIX - The Garudi Vidya which is the cure for all kinds of snake-bite < [Agastya Samhita]
Chapter CLXXXI - The Nidanam of poisons < [Dhanvantari Samhita]
Brihad Bhagavatamrita (commentary) (by Śrī Śrīmad Bhaktivedānta Nārāyana Gosvāmī Mahārāja)
Verse 1.4.3 < [Chapter 4 - Bhakta (the devotee)]
Brahma Sutras (Shankara Bhashya) (by Swami Vireshwarananda)
Chapter IV, Section I, Adhikarana IX < [Section I]
Shrimad Bhagavad-gita (by Narayana Gosvami)
Verse 4.37 < [Chapter 4 - Jñāna-Yoga (Yoga through Transcendental Knowledge)]
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