Ashtadashabhuja, Ashtadashan-bhuja, Aṣṭādaśabhujā, Aṣṭādaśabhuja: 5 definitions

Introduction:

Ashtadashabhuja 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 Aṣṭādaśabhujā and Aṣṭādaśabhuja can be transliterated into English as Astadasabhuja or Ashtadashabhuja, using the IAST transliteration scheme (?).

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In Hinduism

Shaktism (Shakta philosophy)

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

1) Aṣṭādaśabhujā (अष्टादशभुजा) refers to “she who has eighteen arms” and is used to describe Goddess Tvaritā, according to the Kulakaulinīmata verse 3.77-81.—Accordingly, “Tvaritā is without compare and bestows all accomplishments. She is dark blue and her form is that of a (tribal) Śāvarī. She has big, upraised breasts and has two snakes as earrings and two as (her) anklets. She is the three-eyed goddess Tripurā who bestows boons and freedom from fear. Or else, she has eighteen arms [i.e., aṣṭādaśabhujā] and one should think (of her when engaged) in magical rites. She wears golden clothes and is adorned with a peacock banner. She sits on a lion throne, bestows boons and holds a peacock parasol. She has a peacock bangle and is adorned with a garland of wild flowers. She is adorned with a beautiful peacock diadem”.

2) Aṣṭādaśabhuja (अष्टादशभुज) (=bhujāṣṭādaśaka) refers to “one having eighteen arms”, according to the Śrīmatottara-tantra, an expansion of the Kubjikāmatatantra: the earliest popular and most authoritative Tantra of the Kubjikā cult.—Accordingly, [while describing the visualized form of Navātman Bhairava]: “[...] Navātman’s mind is blissful with his own energy and he is delighted by the bliss of (spiritual) wine. [...] He has eighteen arms (bhujāṣṭādaśaka) and is adorned with many ornaments. A skull, conch, noose, gaud, (a threatening gesture with the) index finger, bow, shield and a club studded with iron are on the left hand side. O dear one, a trident, double-headed drum, sword, ascetic’s staff, pestle, bell, thread, arrow and boon-bestowing gesture are on the right”.

Shaktism book cover
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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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In Buddhism

Tibetan Buddhism (Vajrayana or tantric Buddhism)

[«previous next»] — Ashtadashabhuja in Tibetan Buddhism glossary
Source: OSU Press: Cakrasamvara Samadhi

Aṣṭādaśabhūja (अष्टादशभूज) refers to “(having) eighteen arms”, according to the Cakrasaṃvara Samādhi [i.e., Cakrasamvara Meditation] 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, “By the form of a skull cup, and by the letter Māṃ, Vāruṇī, Eighteen arms (aṣṭādaśabhūja), one face, red color, and three eyes, A sword, arrow and hook, on the right, a skull cup, ax and banner, Thus a mace, thus a bell, and in the ninth, granting wishes, A two-headed drum, a bow and noose, a staff and a water pot, A trident, hammer and lute, and thus a number, in the upper hand, A young adolescent beauty, a great beauty, a beautiful goddess”.

Tibetan Buddhism book cover
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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

Sanskrit dictionary

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

Aṣṭādaśabhujā (अष्टादशभुजा).—an epithet of the goddess महालक्ष्मी (mahālakṣmī).

Aṣṭādaśabhujā is a Sanskrit compound consisting of the terms aṣṭādaśan and bhujā (भुजा).

[Sanskrit to German]

Ashtadashabhuja 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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