Acchavaka, Acchāvāka: 7 definitions
Introduction:
Acchavaka 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.
Alternative spellings of this word include Achchhavaka.
In Hinduism
Purana and Itihasa (epic history)
Acchāvāka (अच्छावाक) refers to one of the three types of companions for the Hotṛ, which is one of the four classes of Ṛtvijas (Ṛtvik), or “priests participating in the Vedic sacrifices”, as mentioned in the Śivapurāṇa 2.2.27.—The priests (Ṛtvijas) participating in the Vedic sacrifices are usually four in number. They are Hotṛ, Adhvaryu, Udgātṛ and Brahman corresponding to the four Vedas—Ṛg, Yajus, Sāman and Atharvan respectively. Each of the priests has three companions or helpers, the total no. is sixteen viz. Hotṛ—Maitrāvaruṇa, Acchāvāka, Grāvastut; Adhvaryu—Pratiprasthātṛ, Neṣṭṛ, Unnetṛ; Udgātṛ—Prastotṛ, Pratihartṛ, Subrahmaṇya and Brahman—Brāhmaṇācchaṃsin, Agnīdhra, Potṛ. See Āśvalāyana Śrauta Sūtra IV. 1.4-6.
Acchāvāka (अच्छावाक).—The Agni at Bhuvasthānam.*
- * Vāyu-purāṇa 29. 28.
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.
Languages of India and abroad
Sanskrit dictionary
Acchāvāka (अच्छावाक).—[acchaṃ nirmalaṃ accha ābhimukhyena vā vakti śaṃsati; vac kartari saṃjñāyāṃ ghañ nipātasya ceti dīrghaḥ Tv.] The invoker or inviter, a priest or Ṛitvij who is employed at Soma sacrifices, and is a co-adjutor of होतृ (hotṛ). Each of the four principal priests, होतृ, अध्वर्यु, उद्गातृ (hotṛ, adhvaryu, udgātṛ) and ब्रह्मन् (brahman) has three assistants, the total number of priests employed at Soma sacrifices being therefore 16; °सामन् (sāman) a. Name of the Sāman to be chanted by an अच्छावाक (acchāvāka), also called उद्वंशीय (udvaṃśīya).
Derivable forms: acchāvākaḥ (अच्छावाकः).
Acchāvāka (अच्छावाक):—[=acchā-vāka] [from a-cchambaṭkārāya] m. ‘the inviter’, title of a particular priest or Ṛtvij, one of the sixteen required to perform the great sacrifices with the Soma juice.
Acchāvāka (अच्छावाक):—m.
(-kaḥ) One of the sixteen Ṛtvijs or priests required for the performance of the great sacrifices with the juice of the Soma plant. He is one of the three priests who are subordinate to the hotṛ q. v. (see besides maitrāvaruṇa and grāvastut) and one of the four priests who receive the third division of the Dakṣiṇā q. v. (See also neṣṭṛ, agnīdh and pratihartṛ.) E. vac with accha in its protracted form, kṛt aff. ghañ.
Acchāvāka (अच्छावाक):—(2. accha + vāka von vac) m. der Einlader, Name eines Priesters, welcher einen Theil der Recitation bei den gewöhnlichen Opfern zu versehen hat. Die zu seinem Amte gehörigen Liederabschnitte beginnen zum Theil mit dem Worte acchā . [The Śatapathabrāhmaṇa 3, 6, 2, 12. 13. 4, 2, 3, 14. 3, 1, 1. 4, 22. 5, 4, 5, 22.] [Kātyāyana’s Śrautasūtrāṇi 7, 1, 6. 8, 6, 21. 9, 12, 10.] u. s. w. aindrāgnamacchāvākaḥ prātaḥ savane śaṃsati [Aitareyabrāhmaṇa 2, 36. 6, 4. 7, 1.] acchāvāka vadasvetyukto cchā vo agnimavasa ( [Ṛgveda 5, 25, 1—3]) iti tṛcamanvāha [Aśvalāyana’s Śrautasūtrāni 5, 7.] praśāstā brāhmaṇācchaṃsyacchāvāka iti śastriṇo hotrakāḥ [5, 10.] acchāvākacamasa n. [Kātyāyana’s Śrautasūtrāṇi 9, 12, 13.] acchāvākasāman n. [The Śatapathabrāhmaṇa 13, 3, 4, 6.] Statt acchāvākśabdo sminnastīti acchāvākīyaṃ sūktam [Pāṇini’s acht Bücher 5, 2, 59,] [Scholiast] [Siddhāntakaumudī 94], b, [11.] ist wohl acchāvākaśabdo zu lesen.
Acchāvāka (अच्छावाक):—m. der Einlader , N. eines best. Priesters , eines der drei Gehülfen des Hotar , [Indische studien von Weber 10,144.] acchāvākacamasa [Kātyāyana’s Śrautasūtra 9,12,13.] vigraha [14,16.22,10,3.] vāda m. der Ort wo der A. ruft [Vaitānasūtra 18.] śastra n. Titel eines Werkes , sāman n. [Tāṇḍyabrāhmaṇa 18,11,10.]
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 (+0): Accha, Vaka.
Starts with (+0): Acchavakashastra.
Full-text (+4): Acchavakiya, Acchavakashastra, Ritvik, Avasyu, Acchavakya, Accavakan, Hotri, Agnidh, Adhvaryu, Agnidhra, Unnetri, Maitravaruna, Neshtri, Potrin, Pratiprasthatri, Pratihartri, Prastotri, Brahmanacchamsin, Gravastut, Subrahmanya.
Relevant text
Search found 17 books and stories containing Acchavaka, Acchāvāka, Accha-vaka, Acchā-vāka; (plurals include: Acchavakas, Acchāvākas, vakas, vākas). You can also click to the full overview containing English textual excerpts. Below are direct links for the most relevant articles:
Panchavimsha Brahmana (English translation) (by W. Caland)
Chapter 8 - The Jyotistoma, Ukthya and Atiratra (continued)
Chapter 3 - The Vistutis (continued)
Bharadvaja-srauta-sutra (by C. G. Kashikar)
Soma in Vedic Mythology and Ritual (study) (by Anjana Chakraborty)
Chapter 3(i) - The rite of ‘pressing of Soma’ (Abhisavana)
Chapter 3(c) - Ritvika (Priest)—Four groups of Priests
Manusmriti with the Commentary of Medhatithi (by Ganganatha Jha)
Verse 8.210 < [Section XXXIV - Joint Concerns]
The Agnistoma Somayaga in the Shukla Yajurveda (by Madan Haloi)
Part 5.4: Mid-day soma pressing (mādhyandina-savana) < [Chapter 4 - The Agniṣṭoma Ritual]
Part 2.2: The Priests of Somayāga < [Chapter 3 - The Somayāga]
Part 5.2: Morning Soma pressing (prātaḥsavana) < [Chapter 4 - The Agniṣṭoma Ritual]
Notices of Sanskrit Manuscripts (by Rajendralala Mitra)
Page 134 < [Volume 2 (1872)]