Amshu, Aṃsu, Aṃśu, Āṃsu: 21 definitions

Introduction:

Amshu means something in Hinduism, Sanskrit, Jainism, Prakrit, Buddhism, Pali, 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 Aṃśu can be transliterated into English as Amsu or Amshu, using the IAST transliteration scheme (?).

Alternative spellings of this word include Anshu.

In Hinduism

Purana and Itihasa (epic history)

Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: The Purana Index

1a) Aṃśu (अंशु).—A playmate of Krṣṇa.*

  • * Bhāgavata-purāṇa X. 22. 31.

1b) The name of the sun in the month of Saha (Mārgaśīrṣa).1 the Āditya of the month Citra, possessing 7000 rays.2 An Āditya.3

  • 1) Bhāgavata-purāṇa XII. 11. 41.
  • 2) Brahmāṇḍa-purāṇa II. 24. 34 and 38.
  • 3) Brahmāṇḍa-purāṇa III. 3. 67; Viṣṇu-purāṇa I. 15. 131.

1c) One of the ten devas of the Harita gaṇa.*

  • * Vāyu-purāṇa 100. 89.

1d) The son of Purumitra and father of Satvata.*

  • * Viṣṇu-purāṇa IV. 12. 43.
Purana book cover
context information

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.

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Shaivism (Shaiva philosophy)

Source: Shodhganga: Iconographical representations of Śiva

Aṃśu (अंशु) or Ambu is the name of a deity who was imparted with the knowledge of the Aṃśumadāgama by Sadāśiva through parasambandha, according to the pratisaṃhitā theory of Āgama origin and relationship (sambandha). The aṃśumada-āgama, being part of the ten Śivabhedāgamas, refers to one of the twenty-eight Siddhāntāgamas: a classification of the Śaiva division of Śaivāgamas. The Śaivāgamas represent the wisdom that has come down from lord Śiva, received by Pārvatī and accepted by Viṣṇu.

Ambu in turn transmitted the Aṃśumadāgama (through mahānsambandha) to Ugra, who then transmitted it to Ravi who then, through divya-sambandha, transmitted it to the Devas who, through divyādivya-sambandha, transmitted it to the Ṛṣis who finally, through adivya-sambandha, revealed the Aṃśumadāgama to human beings (Manuṣya). (also see Anantaśambhu’s commentary on the Siddhāntasārāvali of Trilocanaśivācārya)

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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Jyotisha (astronomy and astrology)

Source: Wisdom Library: Brihat Samhita by Varahamihira

Aṃśu (अंशु) refers to the “rays” (of the moon), according to the Bṛhatsaṃhitā (chapter 4), an encyclopedic Sanskrit work written by Varāhamihira mainly focusing on the science of ancient Indian astronomy astronomy (Jyotiṣa).—Accordingly, “If the disc of the moon that regularly waxes and wanes should appear white resembling the colour of the Kumuda flower or that of the stem of the lotus or if the moon’s course or disc or rays [i.e., aṃśu] should suffer no irregular change there will be prosperity in the land. During the waxing moon, the Brāhmins, the Kṣatriyas and mankind at large will prosper; and during the waning moon, they will suffer miseries. The increase of prosperity will commence after the new-moon and of adversity after the full moon”.

Jyotisha book cover
context information

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.

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In Jainism

General definition (in Jainism)

Source: The University of Sydney: A study of the Twelve Reflections

Aṃśu (अंशु) refers to the “(sun) beams (of knowledge)”, according to the 11th century Jñānārṇava, a treatise on Jain Yoga in roughly 2200 Sanskrit verses composed by Śubhacandra.—Accordingly, “Those who know the self certainly destroy mental darkness, which is produced by the great quantity of ignorance [and] is a barrier to reality, with the sunbeams of knowledge (jñāna-sūrya-aṃśu). One who is restrained who is intent on stopping the influx of karma fearlessly drives away the discharge of the poison of non-restraint with the nectar waters of true restraint”.

General definition book cover
context information

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.

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Languages of India and abroad

Pali-English dictionary

Source: BuddhaSasana: Concise Pali-English Dictionary

aṃsu : (m.) ray of light; a fibre.

Source: Sutta: The Pali Text Society's Pali-English Dictionary

Aṃsu, (cp. Sk. aṃśu (Halāyudha) a ray of light) a thread Vin.III, 224. —mālin, sun Sāsv 1. (Page 1)

Pali book cover
context information

Pali is the language of the Tipiṭaka, which is the sacred canon of Theravāda Buddhism and contains much of the Buddha’s speech. Closeley related to Sanskrit, both languages are used interchangeably between religions.

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Marathi-English dictionary

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

aṃśu (अंशु).—m A ray of light, ray.

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

Aṃśu (अंशु).—[aṃś-mṛga° ku.]

1) A ray, beam of light; चण्ड°, घर्मं° (caṇḍa°, gharmaṃ°) hot-rayed the sun; सूर्यांशुभिर्भिन्नमिवारविन्दम् (sūryāṃśubhirbhinnamivāravindam) Kumārasambhava 1.32; Iustre, brilliance चण्डांशुकिरणाभाश्च हाराः (caṇḍāṃśukiraṇābhāśca hārāḥ) Rām.5.9.48; Śiśupālavadha 1.9. रत्न°, नख° (ratna°, nakha°) &c.

2) A point or end.

3) A small or minute particle.

- 4 End of a thread.

5) A filament, especially of the Soma plant (Ved.)

6) Garment; decoration.

7) Name of a sage or of a prince.

8) Speed, velocity (vega).

9) Fine thread

Derivable forms: aṃśuḥ (अंशुः).

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

Aṃśu (अंशु).—(= Sanskrit aṃśuka), cloth, or garment (less prob-ably thread, a meaning recorded for Sanskrit aṃśu and for Pali aṃsu): -kāśikāṃśu-kṣomakādyāḥ Divyāvadāna 316.27.

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

Aṃśu (अंशु).—m.

(-śuḥ) 1. A ray of light, a sun-beam. 2. Light, splendor, effulgence. 3. Dress, decoration. 4. A small filament or end of thread. 5. The sun. 6. A minute particle or atom. E. aṃśa to divide, ku aff.

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

Aṃśu (अंशु).— (cf. śo), m. A ray of light, a sunbeam.

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

Aṃśu (अंशु).—[masculine] stem or juice of the Soma plant; ray of light.

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

1) Aṃśu (अंशु):—m. a filament (especially of the Soma plant)

2) a kind of Soma libation, [Śatapatha-brāhmaṇa]

3) thread

4) end of a thread, a minute particle

5) a point, end

6) a ray, sunbeam

7) cloth, [cf. Lexicographers, esp. such as amarasiṃha, halāyudha, hemacandra, etc.]

8) Name of a Ṛṣi, [Ṛg-veda viii, 5, 26]

9) of an ancient Vedic teacher, son of a Dhanaṃjaya, [Vaṃśa-brāhmaṇa]

10) of a prince.

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

Aṃśu (अंशु):—m.

(-śuḥ) 1) A ray of light, a sunor moon-beam.

2) The sun.

3) Light, splendour, effulgence.

4) Any thing minute or pointed (as a sun-beam).

5) A small end of thread, a small filament &c.

6) Dress, decoration.

7) The name of one of the Grahas (q. v.) which serve for making libations with the juice of the Soma plant.

8) The name of a Rishi.

9) The name of a prince, son of Puruhotra. E. aṃś, uṇ. aff. ku, or am, uṇ. aff. ku, āgama śuk.

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

Aṃśu (अंशु):—(śuḥ) 2. m. A ray of light; light; dress; an atom.

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

Aṃśu (अंशु) in the Sanskrit language is related to the Prakrit word: Aṃsu.

[Sanskrit to German]

Amshu 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

Source: DDSA: A practical Hindi-English dictionary

1) Aṃśu (अंशु) [Also spelled anshu]:—(nf) a ray, sunbeam; ~[mālī] the sun.

2) Āṃsū (आंसू):—(nm) tear;—[pīkara raha jānā] to suppress one’s tears, to hide one’s sorrow;—[poṃchanā] to console; —[bahānā] to shed tears.

context information

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Prakrit-English dictionary

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

1) Aṃsu (अंसु) in the Prakrit language is related to the Sanskrit word: Aṃśu.

2) Aṃsu (अंसु) also relates to the Sanskrit word: Aṃśu.

3) Aṃsu (अंसु) also relates to the Sanskrit word: Aśru.

4) Aṃsu (अंसु) also relates to the Sanskrit word: Aśru.

Aṃsu has the following synonyms: Aṃsuya.

context information

Prakrit is an ancient language closely associated with both Pali and Sanskrit. Jain literature is often composed in this language or sub-dialects, such as the Agamas and their commentaries which are written in Ardhamagadhi and Maharashtri Prakrit. The earliest extant texts can be dated to as early as the 4th century BCE although core portions might be older.

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Kannada-English dictionary

Source: Alar: Kannada-English corpus

Aṃśu (ಅಂಶು):—

1) [noun] a line along which light is propagated; a ray.

2) [noun] a sharp edge of anything.

3) [noun] a point, end; end of a thread.

4) [noun] a stitched cloth used as an article of clothing; a garment.

5) [noun] an act of making (something) more beautiful; a decorating.

6) [noun] swiftness; quickness; speed.

7) [noun] the sun.

8) [noun] brilliance; lustre.

--- OR ---

Aṃsu (ಅಂಸು):—[noun] the margin of earth bordering a pond, lake or running along a river on either side; a bank.

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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