Akarshana, Ākarṣaṇa: 22 definitions

Introduction:

Akarshana means something in Buddhism, Pali, Hinduism, Sanskrit, Marathi, Hindi. 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 term Ākarṣaṇa can be transliterated into English as Akarsana or Akarshana, using the IAST transliteration scheme (?).

Alternative spellings of this word include Akarshan.

In Hinduism

Shaivism (Shaiva philosophy)

[«previous next»] — Akarshana in Shaivism glossary
Source: Wisdom Library: Kakṣapuṭa-tantra

Ākarṣaṇa (आकर्षण) refers to “attracting others”. It is a siddhi (‘supernatural power’) described in chapter one of the Kakṣapuṭatantra (a manual of Tantric practice from the tenth century).

Source: Shodhganga: Mantra-sādhana: Chapter One of the Kakṣapuṭatantra

Ākarṣaṇa (आकर्षण) or Ākṛṣṭa or Ākṛṣṭi refers to “attracting others” and represents a ritual that is accomplished (siddhi) by performing mantrasādhana (preparatory procedures) through japaprakāra, reciting a mantra in a specific manner, according to the Kakṣapuṭatantra verse 1.48, “One should recite a mantra using the thumb and ring finger for the best rituals; using the thumb and middle finger for the ākṛṣṭa (syn. ākarṣaṇa, attracting others) ritual”.

Source: Brill: Śaivism and the Tantric Traditions

Ākarṣaṇa (आकर्षण) refers to the “extraction (of the five nectars)”, according to the Brahmayāmala-tantra.—The extraction of the five nectars (pañcāmṛta-ākarṣaṇa), as well as other, Kāpālika-type cremation ground practices, also figure in the Brahmayāmala, as Hatley (2007, 143ff.) points out. The five substances are not listed in a systematic way, but they usually seem to include these four: semen (śukra), blood (rakta), fat/marrow (medas) and sneha (see also the entry pañcāmṛta in Tāntrikābhidhānakośa, vol. III).

Shaivism book cover
context information

Shaiva (शैव, śaiva) or Shaivism (śaivism) represents a tradition of Hinduism worshiping Shiva as the supreme being. Closely related to Shaktism, Shaiva literature includes a range of scriptures, including Tantras, while the root of this tradition may be traced back to the ancient Vedas.

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Shaktism (Shakta philosophy)

[«previous next»] — Akarshana in Shaktism glossary
Source: Google Books: Manthanabhairavatantram

Ākarṣaṇa (आकर्षण) (Cf. Vaśa) refers to the “one who is capable of attracting” (i.e., the three worlds), according to the Kulapañcāśikā, an unpublished text attributed to Matsyendranātha teaching secrecy (quoted by Kṣemarāja in his commentary on the Śivasūtra 3.26).—Accordingly, “Even though they know the three times and are capable of attracting the three worlds [i.e.,  trailokya-ākarṣaṇa], they conceal their practice and guard (the teaching) that has come from (their) Kula. Seeing one who does not have manifest outer signs (of his attainment and practice) the rays (of the deity) converge (upon him). O beloved, they are most hidden and so do not approach one who bears outer signs”.

Source: Brill: Śaivism and the Tantric Traditions (shaktism)

Ākarṣaṇa (आकर्षण) or Ākarṣiṇī refers to the sixteen goddesses of attraction, to be installed on the petals of the sixteen-petalled lotuses, according to the Kāmasiddhi-stuti (also Vāmakeśvarī-stuti) and the Vāmakeśvaratantra (also known as Nityāṣoḍaśikārṇava).

Source: Google books: Genesis and Development of Tantra (Shaktism)

Ākarṣaṇa (आकर्षण) refers to “attracting people” and represents one of the various Siddhis (“supernatural powers”) according to the Siddhayogeśvarīmata: an ancient Sanskrit text devoted to cults of Goddesses as the Vidyāpīṭha or Vidyā Corpus.—Although Vedic rituals were a reliable way for the people of ancient India to fulfill their objectives, Tantric rites too claim to bring about the attainment of wishes. [...] In the Siddhayogeśvarīmata, the objectives of the rites are classified as siddhis [e.g., attracting people (esp. women, ākarṣaṇa)]. They belong to the category of supernatural phenomena and seem to be considerably different from the types of wish people expected to gain from the Vedic rituals that still remained within the sphere of everyday life.

Shaktism book cover
context information

Shakta (शाक्त, śākta) or Shaktism (śāktism) represents a tradition of Hinduism where the Goddess (Devi) is revered and worshipped. Shakta literature includes a range of scriptures, including various Agamas and Tantras, although its roots may be traced back to the Vedas.

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Mantrashastra (the science of Mantras)

Source: Shodhganga: Kasyapa Samhita—Text on Visha Chikitsa (mantra)

Ākarṣaṇa (आकर्षण, “attraction”) refers to one of the eight divisions of the object or purpose of a Mantra, according to the Śrīpraśṇa-saṃhitā (verse 50.70-2).—Mantras refers to “that which is chanted by people to obtain their spiritual aspirations”.

context information

Mantrashastra (शिल्पशास्त्र, mantraśāstra) refers to the ancient Indian science of mantras—chants, incantations, spells, magical hymns, etc. Mantra Sastra literature includes many ancient books dealing with the methods reciting mantras, identifying and purifying its defects and the science behind uttering or chanting syllables.

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In Buddhism

Tibetan Buddhism (Vajrayana or tantric Buddhism)

Source: OSU Press: Cakrasamvara Samadhi

Ākarṣaṇa (आकर्षण) refers to the “attraction (of vajra)” [i.e., oṃ vajrākarṣaṇe hūṃ ityādi], according to the Guru Mandala Worship (maṇḍalārcana) ritual often performed in combination with the Cakrasaṃvara Samādhi, which refers to the primary pūjā and sādhanā practice of Newah Mahāyāna-Vajrayāna Buddhists in Nepal.—

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

Marathi-English dictionary

[«previous next»] — Akarshana in Marathi glossary
Source: DDSA: The Molesworth Marathi and English Dictionary

ākarṣaṇa (आकर्षण).—n (S) Drawing, pulling, attracting, lit. fig. 2 Contraction, drawing up, in, together.

Source: DDSA: The Aryabhusan school dictionary, Marathi-English

ākarṣaṇa (आकर्षण).—n Drawing, attracting, contrac- tion. Attraction.

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

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

Ākarṣaṇa (आकर्षण).—a. Attracting, carrying to another place.

-ṇam 1 Pulling, drawing, attracting.

2) Seduction.

-ṇī 1 A curved stick for pulling down fruits, flowers &c. (standing on elevated places); any instrument for pulling.

2) A variety of Mudrā (or mark on the body).

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

Ākarṣaṇā (आकर्षणा) or Ākarṣaṇatā.—and °ṇī (compare Sanskrit ākarṣaṇa, nt., attraction), (a Buddha's) power of attraction (of men, to himself and his doctrine): Mahāvastu i.314.2—3 (prose) ākarṣaṇā eṣā buddhānāṃ; bhagavatā vaineyasattvānāṃ ākarṣaṇa- tāyai (instr.! for °ye; here perhaps rather by the exercize of that power)…; Mahāvyutpatti 4315 sarvatathāgatākarṣaṇī.

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

Ākarṣaṇa (आकर्षण).—n.

(-ṇaṃ) Pulling, drawing, attracting. f. (-ṇī) 1. A crooked stick, for pulling down fruit, &c. 2. Any instrument for pulling. E. āṅ before kṛṣ to pull, lyuṭ aff.

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

Ākarṣaṇa (आकर्षण).—i. e. ā-kṛṣ + ana, n. Attracting, drawing near, drawing on, Mahābhārata 1, 7109.

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

Ākarṣaṇa (आकर्षण).—[feminine] ī the same as adj.; [neuter] = [preceding], also bending (a bow).

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

1) Ākarṣaṇa (आकर्षण):—[=ā-karṣaṇa] [from ā-kṛṣ] n. pulling, drawing near, attracting, [Mahābhārata; Mṛcchakaṭikā] etc.

2) [v.s. ...] (in Tāntric texts) attracting an absent person into one’s presence by magic formulas

3) [v.s. ...] tearing by (as by the hairs; in [compound]), [Mārkaṇḍeya-purāṇa; Veṇīs.] (quoted in [Sāhitya-darpaṇa])

4) [v.s. ...] bending (of a bow), [Caraka]

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

Ākarṣaṇa (आकर्षण):—[ā-karṣaṇa] (ṇa) 1. n. Attraction.

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

Ākarṣaṇa (आकर्षण) in the Sanskrit language is related to the Prakrit words: Ākaḍḍhaṇa, Āgarisaṇa, Āyaḍḍhaṇa.

[Sanskrit to German]

Akarshana 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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Hindi dictionary

[«previous next»] — Akarshana in Hindi glossary
Source: DDSA: A practical Hindi-English dictionary

Ākarṣaṇa (आकर्षण) [Also spelled akarshan]:—(nm) attraction, charm, allurement; -[śakti] the power of gravitation; attraction.

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Kannada-English dictionary

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

Ākarṣaṇa (ಆಕರ್ಷಣ):—

1) [noun] the act or fact of drawing near or towards; attraction.

2) [noun] the act of drawing and holding another’s attention; fascination.

3) [noun] a taking away of another’s possession forcibly; robbing; extortion.

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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