Akshaya, Akṣayā, Akṣaya, Akshayya, Akṣayya: 35 definitions
Introduction:
Akshaya means something in Buddhism, Pali, Hinduism, Sanskrit, Jainism, Prakrit, 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 terms Akṣayā and Akṣaya and Akṣayya can be transliterated into English as Aksaya or Akshaya or Aksayya or Akshayya, using the IAST transliteration scheme (?).
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In Hinduism
Purana and Itihasa (epic history)
Akṣaya (अक्षय) refers to the “everlasting (lord)” and is used to describe Śiva, according to the Śivapurāṇa 2.5.6 (“Prayer to Śiva”).—Accordingly, as the Gods eulogized Śiva: “Obeisance to you, the soul of all, obeisance to Śiva the remover of distress, obeisance to the blue-necked Rudra, obeisance to the knowledge-formed Śiva of great mind. You are our ultimate goal for ever. You are the remover of all adversities. O destroyer of the enemies of the gods, you alone are to be respected by us always. You are the beginning. You are the primordial being. You are self-bliss. You are the everlasting lord (akṣaya) [cākṣayaḥ prabhuḥ]. You are the lord of the universe, the direct creator of Prakṛti and Puruṣa. [...]”.
Akṣayā (अक्षया).—A Brahmarākṣasī.*
- * Vāyu-purāṇa 69. 134.
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.
Jyotisha (astronomy and astrology)
Akshaya (अक्स्हय) refers to the sixtieth saṃvatsara (“jovian year)” in Vedic astrology.—The native whose birth occurs in the ‘samvatsara’ named ‘akshaya’ spends the wealth earned by him very quickly, has the tendency of serving others, is hard hearted and does not have much desire to do good deeds.
According with Jataka Parijata, the person born in the year akshaya (2046-2047 AD) will be virtuous, cheerful, handsome, endowed with a high sense of honor and exempt from foes and ailments.
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.
Vaishnavism (Vaishava dharma)
Akṣaya (अक्षय) is the sixtieth of sixty years (saṃvatsara) in the Vedic lunar calendar according to the Arcana-dīpikā by Vāmana Mahārāja (cf. Appendix).—Accordingl, There are sixty different names for each year in the Vedic lunar calendar, which begins on the new moon day (Amāvasyā) after the appearance day of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu (Gaura-pūrṇimā), in February or March. The Vedic year [viz., Akṣaya], therefore, does not correspond exactly with the Christian solar calendar year.
Vaishnava (वैष्णव, vaiṣṇava) or vaishnavism (vaiṣṇavism) represents a tradition of Hinduism worshipping Vishnu as the supreme Lord. Similar to the Shaktism and Shaivism traditions, Vaishnavism also developed as an individual movement, famous for its exposition of the dashavatara (‘ten avatars of Vishnu’).
Shaktism (Shakta philosophy)
Akṣayā (अक्षया) refers to “imperishable”, according to the Jayadrathayāmala verse 12.33.33cd.—Accordingly, “She is Śāmbhavī who destroys transmigratory existence and is imperishable contemplation [i.e., bhāvanā-akṣayā]”.
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.
Vedanta (school of philosophy)
Akṣaya (अक्षय) refers to “imperishable”, which is used to describe one’s true Self—Ātman, according to the Aṣṭāvakragītā (5th century BC), an ancient text on spirituality dealing with Advaita-Vedānta topics.—Accordingly, [as Aṣṭavakra says to Janaka]: “[...] Pure illusion reigns in Saṃsāra which will continue until self realisation, but the enlightened man lives in the beauty of freedom from me and mine, from the sense of responsibility and from any attachment. For the seer who knows himself as imperishable (akṣaya) and beyond pain [akṣayaṃ gatasantāpamātmānaṃ paśyato muneḥ] there is neither knowledge, a world nor the sense that I am the body or the body mine. [...]”.
Vedanta (वेदान्त, vedānta) refers to a school of orthodox Hindu philosophy (astika), drawing its subject-matter from the Upanishads. There are a number of sub-schools of Vedanta, however all of them expound on the basic teaching of the ultimate reality (brahman) and liberation (moksha) of the individual soul (atman).
Shaivism (Shaiva philosophy)
Akṣayā (अक्षया) or Akṣayātantra refers to one of the Tantras mentioned in the Mahāmokṣa-Tantra, a Sanskrit manuscript collected in volume 12 of the catalogue “Notices of Sanskrit Manuscripts (second series)” by Mahamahopadhyaya Haraprasad Shastri.—The Mahāmokṣatantra manuscript, consisting of 3,024 ślokas (metrical verses), is deposit: Dhaka, Vikramapura Majhapada, Babu Rasavihari Raya. It deals with the salvation, cosmogony (i.e., the order of cosmic regions) and contains a bibliography of Tantric literature.—The catalogue includes the term—Akṣayā in its ‘subject-matter list’ or Viṣaya (which lists topics, chapters and technical terms).
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.
Ayurveda (science of life)
Kalpa (Formulas, Drug prescriptions and other Medicinal preparations)
Akṣaya (अक्षय) [=akṣaya-ādya-lauha] refers to one of the topics discussed in the Yogāmṛta, a Sanskrit manuscript collected in volume 4 of the catalogue “Notices of Sanskrit Manuscripts (first series)” by Rajendralal Mitra (1822–1891), who was one of the first English-writing historians dealing with Indian culture and heritage.—The Yogāmṛta is a large Ayurvedic compilation dealing with the practice of medicine and therapeutics authored by Gopāla Sena, Kavirāja, of Dvārandhā. It is dated to the 18th century and contains 11,700 ślokas.—The catalogue includes the term—Akṣaya-ādya-lauha in its ‘subject-matter list’ or Viṣaya (which lists topics, chapters and technical terms). The complete entry reads: akṣayādyalauhaḥ .
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.
In Buddhism
Mahayana (major branch of Buddhism)
Akṣaya (अक्षय) refers to “(that which is) indestructible”, according to Mahāprajñāpāramitāśāstra (chapter 39).—Accordingly, “[The knowledge of the retribution of actions (karmavipāka-jñānabala)].—[...] Those are the various retributions of sinful and meritorious actions as well as their functioning (pravṛtti). The Śrāvakas know only that bad action is punished and good action rewarded, but they are unable to analyze the problem with such clarity. The Buddha himself understands fully and completely both action and the retribution of action. The power of his knowledge (jñānaprabhāva) is without obstacle (avyāhata), is indestructible (akṣaya) and invincible (ajeya): this is why it is described as the second ‘power’”.
Akṣaya (अक्षय) [=Akṣayatā?] refers to the “inexhaustibility” (of the four dharmas), according to the Gaganagañjaparipṛcchā: the eighth chapter of the Mahāsaṃnipāta (a collection of Mahāyāna Buddhist Sūtras).—Accordingly: “[...] (161) The protector of the world has taught the inexhaustibility (akṣayatā)) of these four dharmas, to wit, living beings, open space, the thought of awakening, and the dharma of the Buddha. (162) If those were material things, those will be exhausted; but since those are not material things, those are inexhaustible, thus it is called inexhaustible (akṣaya). (163) Since the dharma is momentary, even if the dharma is consumed, it would never be exhausted. There is nothing exhausted in that inexhaustibility, thus it is called inexhaustibility (akṣayatā) [...]’”.
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)
Akṣayā (अक्षया) refers to an “indestructible (state of being)”, according to the Vāruṇī Pūjā [i.e., Varuni Worship] 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.—Accordingly, “Oṃ dark blue, born of a dark-blue Māṃ, a consort united with Akṣobhya, I worship you great heroine, with an indestructible (akṣayā) state of being, Māmakī”.
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.
In Jainism
General definition (in Jainism)
Akṣaya (अक्षय) refers to “imperishable”, according to the 11th century Jñānārṇava, a treatise on Jain Yoga in roughly 2200 Sanskrit verses composed by Śubhacandra.—Accordingly, “Certainly in this world the one knowing the higher knowledge constantly obtains fearlessness [and] happiness that is beyond the senses [and] imperishable (akṣaya) through the reflections with playful knowledge. The fire of passion becomes extinguished, desire flows away, darkness disappears [and] the light of knowledge shines forth in the heart for men from the repetition of the reflections”.
Synonyms: Anaśvara, Avināśin.
Jainism is an Indian religion of Dharma whose doctrine revolves around harmlessness (ahimsa) towards every living being. The two major branches (Digambara and Svetambara) of Jainism stimulate self-control (or, shramana, ‘self-reliance’) and spiritual development through a path of peace for the soul to progess to the ultimate goal.
Languages of India and abroad
Marathi-English dictionary
akṣaya (अक्षय) [or अक्षय्य, akṣayya].—a (S) corruptly akṣayī a Imperishable, indestructible, undecaying, unfading. 2 Inexhaustible or unfailing; as akṣayabhātā A quiver ever full. Ex. mājhēṃ dhanuṣya || akṣayabhātē viśēṣa || gharadaśastrēṃ aṇāvīṃ || 3 (Laxly.) Permanent, not transitory or temporary. Ex. āmacēṃ rāhaṇēṃ hyā gāṃvānta a0 asatēṃ tara ghara bāndhalēṃ asatēṃ.
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akṣaya (अक्षय).—m (S) Indestructibility.
akṣaya (अक्षय) [-yya, -य्य].—a Imperishable, unfailing, per- manent.
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.
Sanskrit dictionary
Akṣaya (अक्षय).—a. [nāsti kṣayo yasya]
1) Undecaying, exempt from decay, imperishable, undying, unfailing, inexhaustible; सदोपयोगेऽपि गुरुस्त्वमक्षयो निधिः (sadopayoge'pi gurustvamakṣayo nidhiḥ) Śi 1.28; स संधार्यः प्रयत्नेन स्वर्गमक्षयमिच्छता (sa saṃdhāryaḥ prayatnena svargamakṣayamicchatā) Manusmṛti 3.79; यज्ञनिर्वृत्तिमक्षयां (yajñanirvṛttimakṣayāṃ) 4.23; गया- यामक्षयवटे पितॄणां दत्तमक्षयं (gayā- yāmakṣayavaṭe pitṝṇāṃ dattamakṣayaṃ) Vāyu P.; त्रिसाधना शक्तिरिवार्थमक्षयं (trisādhanā śaktirivārthamakṣayaṃ) R.3. 13; मुनिभिः सार्धमक्षयैः (munibhiḥ sārdhamakṣayaiḥ) Rām.7.18.12; Mahābhārata (Bombay) 9.176.
2) Poor, without house or habitation, such as a hermit or संन्यासिन् (saṃnyāsin) (kṣayo vāsaḥ tacchūnyaḥ aniketanaḥ saṃnyāsī daridro vā.)
-yaḥ 1 The Supreme Spirit परमात्मन् (paramātman).
2) Name of the 2th year in the cycle of Jupiter.
-yā [akṣayaṃ puṇyaṃ yatrāsti-ac] Name of a day which is said to confer undying religious merit; अमैव सोमवारेण रविवारेण सप्तमी । चतुर्थी भौमवारेण अक्षयादपि चाक्षया (amaiva somavāreṇa ravivāreṇa saptamī | caturthī bhaumavāreṇa akṣayādapi cākṣayā).
Akṣayya (अक्षय्य).—a. [kṣetuṃ śakyam; kṣi -yat; na. ta.] That which cannot decay, imperishable; तपःषड्भागमक्षय्यं ददत्यारण्यका हि नः (tapaḥṣaḍbhāgamakṣayyaṃ dadatyāraṇyakā hi naḥ) Ś.2.13; अस्त्यत्र भोग्यवस्तु वर्षशतेनाप्यक्षय्यम् (astyatra bhogyavastu varṣaśatenāpyakṣayyam) Daśakumāracarita 19 inexhaustible.
Akṣaya (अक्षय).—(1) a high number, m. in Mahāvyutpatti 7793, nt. in Gaṇḍavyūha 134.2 and Mahāvyutpatti 7922 (cited from Gaṇḍavyūha); gender ambiguous (°asya, gen.) Gaṇḍavyūha 106.5, 18, in both of which read sattvāk- ṣaya-for sattva-kṣaya-; (2) m., name of a samādhi: Mahāvyutpatti 547; Śatasāhasrikā-prajñāpāramitā 1418.15.
Akṣaya (अक्षय).—mfn.
(-yaḥ-yā-yaṃ) Durable, permanent, imperishable. f.
(-yā) The seventh day of a lunar month, which happens on a Sunday or Monday, and the fourth, which falls on a Wednesday. E. a neg. and kṣa to waste or decay, aff. ac.
Akṣayya (अक्षय्य).—adj. imperishable, [Mānavadharmaśāstra] 4, 156.
Akṣayya is a Sanskrit compound consisting of the terms a and kṣayya (क्षय्य).
Akṣaya (अक्षय).—[adjective] imperishable; abstr tā [feminine], tva [neuter]
Akṣayya (अक्षय्य).—[adjective] inexhaustible, imperishable.
1) Akṣaya (अक्षय):—[=a-kṣaya] mf(ā)n. exempt from decay, undecaying
2) [v.s. ...] m. Name of the twentieth year in the cycle of Jupiter
3) [v.s. ...] Name of a mountain, [Harivaṃśa]
4) Akṣayā (अक्षया):—[=a-kṣayā] [from a-kṣaya] f. the seventh day of a lunar month, if it fall on Sunday or Monday
5) [v.s. ...] the fourth, if it fall on Wednesday.
1) Akṣayya (अक्षय्य):—[=a-kṣayya] [from a-kṣaya] mfn. undecaying
2) [v.s. ...] n. ‘may thy prosperity be undecaying!’ (a form of blessing addressed to a Vaiśya), [Mahābhārata]
Akṣaya (अक्षय):—[bahuvrihi compound] I. m. f. n.
(-yaḥ-yā-yam) Durable, permanent, imperishable. Ii. f.
(-yā) The seventh day of a lunar month, which happens on a Sunday or Monday, and the fourth, which falls on a Wednesday. E. a priv. and kṣaya.
Akṣayya (अक्षय्य):—[tatpurusha compound] m. f. n.
(-yyaḥ-yyā-yyam) Imperishable, eternal. E. a neg. and kṣayya.
1) Akṣaya (अक्षय):—[a-kṣaya] (yaḥ-yā-yaṃ) a. Durable.
2) Akṣayā (अक्षया):—[a-kṣayā] (yā) 1. f. Idem.
Akṣaya (अक्षय):—(3. a + kṣaya)
1) adj. f. ā unvergänglich [Manu’s Gesetzbuch 3, 79. 202. 273. 275. 4, 23. 226. 6, 64. 97. 7, 82. 83. 8, 344.] —
2) Name des 20sten Jahres im 60jährigen Bṛhaspati - Cyclus, [CSOMA, Tib. Gr. 151.] —
3) f. yā der 7te Tag eines Mondmonats, der mit einem Sonntag oder Montag beginnt, oder der 4te Tag eines solchen, der mit einem Donnerstag anhebt: amaiva somavāreṇa ravivāreṇa saptamī . caturthī bhaumavāreṇa akṣayādapi cākṣayā [Bhaviṣyapurāna im Śabdakalpadruma]
Akṣayya (अक्षय्य):—(3. a + kṣayya) adj. unvergänglich [The Śatapathabrāhmaṇa 1, 6, 1, 19. 4, 16.] [Manu’s Gesetzbuch 4, 156. 229.] [Rāmāyaṇa 1, 1, 41.] [Nalopākhyāna 26, 27.]
Akṣaya (अक्षय):——
1) Adj. (f. ā) unvergänglich [88,26.96,16.] —
2) f. ā der 7te Tag eines Mondmonats , der mit einem Sonnoder Montag beginnt , order der 4te Tag eines solchen , der mit einem Dienstag anhebt.
Akṣayya (अक्षय्य):—Adj. unvergänglich , unerschöpflich [Meghadūta .IX.] akṣayyam als Glückwunsch an einen Vaiśya so v.a. mögest du nie Mangel haben [Mahābhārata 13,23,36.]
Akṣaya (अक्षय) in the Sanskrit language is related to the Prakrit word: Akkhaya.
Akṣaya (in Sanskrit) can be associated with the following Chinese terms:
1) 無有盡 [wú yǒu jǐn]: “inexhaustible”.
2) 無盡 [wú jǐn]: “inexhaustible”.
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.
Hindi dictionary
Akṣayya (अक्षय्य) [Also spelled akshayy]:—(a) imperishable, undecaying; perennial.
...
Kannada-English dictionary
Akṣaya (ಅಕ್ಷಯ):—
1) [adjective] unceasing; not dying; everlasting; eternal; perdurable.
2) [adjective] not becoming or that cannot be made, empty; inexhaustible.
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Akṣaya (ಅಕ್ಷಯ):—
1) [noun] name of the last of the sixty-years cycle.
2) [noun] the plant, Hordeum vulgare of Poaceae family.
3) [noun] its cereal; barley.
4) [noun] the organ of sight; the eye.
5) [noun] the result of action; work; deed; performance.
6) [noun] absence of light; darkness.
7) [noun] wild growth of trees and underwood over a large tract of land; a forest.
8) [noun] the tree Cocos nucifera; coconut tree.
9) [noun] its nut; coconut.
10) [noun] the tree Atrocarpus integra of Urticaceae family; jack fruit tree.
11) [noun] its fruit; jack fruit.
12) [noun] the tree Mangifera indica of the Anacardiaceae family. mango tree.
13) [noun] its fruit; mango.
14) [noun] any plant of Musaceae family; plantain tree.
15) [noun] its fruit; banana; plantain.
16) [noun] any essential feature or peculiarity; a quality; nature; character.
17) [noun] a hollow place in a rock; a cave.
18) [noun] the state of being imperishable or undecaying.
Kannada is a Dravidian language (as opposed to the Indo-European language family) mainly spoken in the southwestern region of India.
Nepali dictionary
Akṣaya (अक्षय):—adj. 1. enduring; everlasting; undecaying; permanent; durable; indestructible; 2. eternal; imperishable;
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.
See also (Relevant definitions)
Partial matches (+0): Kshaya, Kshayya, A.
Starts with (+18): Akshaya-dhana, Akshaya-kosha, Akshaya-nivika, Akshaya-purnamasi, Akshayabhava, Akshayabhoga, Akshayabodha, Akshayabuddhavamshanirdesha, Akshayabuddhavamshavyuha, Akshayadhana, Akshayadi, Akshayadilauha, Akshayadya, Akshayadyalauha, Akshayagagana, Akshayaguna, Akshayajnanakaranda, Akshayakaranda, Akshayakavaca, Akshayakosha.
Full-text (+79): Akshayatritiya, Akshayamati, Akshayata, Akshayatva, Akshayaloka, Akshayyanavami, Akshayapuruhuta, Akshayaguna, Akshayavata, Akshayyam, Akshayanivi, Akshayyodaka, Akshayam, Nidrakshaya, Kshayya, Akshayapratibhana, Bhavanakshaya, Akshaya-dhana, Akshayyabhuj, Akshaya-kosha.
Relevant text
Search found 102 books and stories containing Akshaya, A-kṣaya, A-ksaya, A-kṣayā, A-kṣayya, A-ksayya, A-kshaya, A-kshayya, Akṣayā, Akṣaya, Aksaya, Akṣayya, Aksayya, Akshayya, Akshayyas; (plurals include: Akshayas, kṣayas, ksayas, kṣayās, kṣayyas, ksayyas, kshayas, kshayyas, Akṣayās, Akṣayas, Aksayas, Akṣayyas, Aksayyas, Akshayyas, Akshayyases). You can also click to the full overview containing English textual excerpts. Below are direct links for the most relevant articles:
Yajnavalkya-smriti with Mitakshara and Viramitrodaya (by J. R. Gharpure)
Verse 1.252 < [Chapter 10 - On the Śrāddhas]
Verse 1.256 < [Chapter 10 - On the Śrāddhas]
Agriculture and Animal husbandry in the Puranas (by Purboshri Borpuzari)
Part 22 - Description of the Akṣaya Tṛtīyā festival (i.e., Akha Teej) < [Chapter 5 - Modern relevance of Purāṇic agriculture and Animal Husbandry]
Part 8 - The Myth of Gautama and Gaṇeśa < [Chapter 3 - Purāṇic myths related to Agriculture]
Garga Samhita (English) (by Danavir Goswami)
Verse 2.16.16 < [Chapter 16 - The Worship of Tulasī]
Verse 2.1.30 < [Chapter 1 - Description of the Entrance in Vṛndāvana]
Verse 1.2.37 < [Chapter 2 - Description of the Abode of Śrī Goloka]
Dictionaries of Indian languages (Kosha)
Page 117 < [Hindi-Bengali-English Volume 1]
Page 33 < [Hindi-Assamese-English Volume 1]
Page 12 < [Gujarati-Hindi-English, Volume 1]
Inscriptions of Orissa (Rajaguru) (by Shri Satyanarayana Rajguru)
Tiruvaymoli (Thiruvaimozhi): English translation (by S. Satyamurthi Ayyangar)
Pasuram 4.10.4 < [Section 10 - Tenth Tiruvaymoli (Onrum-tevum, ulakum)]