Ashtakshara, Aṣṭakṣāra, Aṣṭākṣarā, Aṣṭākṣara, Ashtan-akshara, Astakshara: 13 definitions
Introduction:
Ashtakshara means something in Hinduism, Sanskrit, Marathi. 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 Aṣṭakṣāra and Aṣṭākṣarā and Aṣṭākṣara can be transliterated into English as Astaksara or Ashtakshara, using the IAST transliteration scheme (?).
In Hinduism
Vyakarana (Sanskrit grammar)
Source: Wikisource: A dictionary of Sanskrit grammarAṣṭākṣarā (अष्टाक्षरा).—A metre having eight syllables in a foot;cf.गायत्री सा चतुर्विंशत्यक्षरा । अष्टाक्षरास्त्रयः पादाः चत्वारो वा षडक्षराः (gāyatrī sā caturviṃśatyakṣarā | aṣṭākṣarāstrayaḥ pādāḥ catvāro vā ṣaḍakṣarāḥ) R. Pr.XVI.9.
Vyakarana (व्याकरण, vyākaraṇa) refers to Sanskrit grammar and represents one of the six additional sciences (vedanga) to be studied along with the Vedas. Vyakarana concerns itself with the rules of Sanskrit grammar and linguistic analysis in order to establish the correct context of words and sentences.
Ayurveda (science of life)
Toxicology (Study and Treatment of poison)
Source: Shodhganga: Kasyapa Samhita—Text on Visha ChikitsaAṣṭākṣara (अष्टाक्षर) or Aṣṭākṣaramantra is the name of a Mantra, as described in the Kāśyapa Saṃhitā: an ancient Sanskrit text from the Pāñcarātra tradition dealing with both Tantra and Viṣacikitsā—an important topic from Āyurveda which deals with the study of Toxicology (Viṣavidyā or Sarpavidyā).
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.
Pancaratra (worship of Nārāyaṇa)
Source: archive.org: Catalogue of Pancaratra Agama Texts1) Aṣṭākṣara (अष्टाक्षर) refers to a particular method of making an image of Rāma, as discussed in the thirtieth chapter of the Agastyasaṃhitā (agastya-suīkṣṇa-saṃvāda edition), an ancient Pāñcarātra Āgama text dealing with the worship of Rāma, Sītā, Lakṣmaṇa and Hanumān.—[Cf. the chapter daśākṣaravidhi]:—[...] Three other methods—the “saptākṣara”, the “aṣṭākṣara” and the “ekākṣara”—are described : One reveals Rāma primarily as a warrior with Lakṣmaṇa, another as a warrior without Lakṣmaṇa, and the third as central figure among His male retinue and without Sītā. Other methods are alluded to, any one of which might be used for worship or meditation icons of Rāma. The way one worships any one of these ( groups of ?) images is by nyāsa, mūla-mantras (=japa), etc.—just so long as it has been “vitalized” [prāṇapratiṣṭhā] according to the rules. The mantras used for Lakṣmaṇa, Śatrughna and Hanumān are to be prepared according to the rules, also. [...]
2) Aṣṭākṣara (अष्टाक्षर) refers to a class of Mantras, according to the twenty-third chapter of the Īśvarasaṃhitā (printed edition), a Pāñcarātra work in 8200 verses and 24 chapters dealing with topics such as routines of temple worship, major and minor festivals, temple-building and initiation.—Description of the chapter [mantroddhāra-vidhi]: The sages ask Nārada to answer six questions. In this chapter his answers to the first two questions are recorded. [...] Second: what is the nature of mantras used in establishing an image? He replies that among mantras of Viṣṇu which are “vyāpaka”, there are three—namely, the aṣṭākṣara, dvādaśākṣara and ṣaḍakṣaramantras. All images may be worshipped with these mantras; some particular images, however, must have, in addition, their own appropriate, special mantras. But of all the mantras, the aṣṭākṣaramantra is best (51-61).
3a) Aṣṭākṣara (अष्टाक्षर) refers to the “eight-syllable mantra”, as discussed in chapter 25 (Caryāpāda) of the Padmasaṃhitā: the most widely followed of Saṃhitā covering the entire range of concerns of Pāñcarātra doctrine and practice (i.e., the four-fold formulation of subject matter—jñāna, yoga, kriyā and caryā) consisting of roughly 9000 verses.—Description of the chapter [aṣṭākṣara-mantra-vaibhava]: This chapter answers Brahmā’s question about the eight-syllable aṣṭākṣara-mantra by outlining the meaning of each of the mantra’s three words (3-28a ), the various ways of doing japa-repetition when aspirants of different abilities wish to employ this mantra as a means to salvation (28b-98a) [...]
3b) Aṣṭākṣara (अष्टाक्षर) refers to the “eight-syllable aṣṭākṣaramantra”, as discussed in chapter 6 of the (first section of the) Bṛhadbrahmasaṃhitā: a Pāñcarātra text containing over 4600 Sanskrit verses dealing primarily with Vaiṣṇava theology and practical matters concerning the Śrī-Vaiṣṇava community but also discussing aspects of Viśiṣṭādvaita philosophy.—Description of the chapter [aṣṭākṣara-māhātmya]: This chapter continues (cf. ch. IV, above) Nārāyaṇa’s narration to Śrīvatsa and Viṣṇudharma and turns to an analysis and eulogy of the eight-syllable aṣṭākṣara-mantra. First the praṇava-syllable of OM is analyzed, the three letters representing the three guṇas; the trinity of God, Goddess and Jīva; etc. (1-55). [...]
3c) Aṣṭākṣara (अष्टाक्षर) is the name of a Mantra discussed in chapter 6 of the Viśvāmitrasaṃhitā.—Description of the chapter [praṇavādi-uddhāra]: [...] The interpretation of the praṇava-mantra is that “a” denotes Viṣṇu, “ṃ” denotes the individual jīva, and “u” the relationship existing between the two (2-28a). There follows a similar treatment of the aṣṭākṣara-mantra, with its eight ṛṣis, etc. (28b-69).
3d) Aṣṭākṣara (अष्टाक्षर) is the name of a Mantra mentioned in chapter 11 of the Brahmarātra section of the Sanatkumārasaṃhitā.—Description of the chapter [mantra-kośa]: Sanatkumāra says that everything in this world can be obtained by employing mantra-formulas properly (1-4a). He then gives (in prose) the mantras that Brahma revealed to him, in each case citing the bīja, astra, kavaca, etc. The mantras given are: [e.g., Aṣṭākṣara] [...] The chapter closes by stating that the fruits obtained through reciting mantra-formulas can be selected and varied by adding particular suffixes and prefixes to the set formulas.—[Also see chapter 6 of the Ṛṣirātra, named chandovidhi]
Source: Shodhganga: Kasyapa Samhita—Text on Visha Chikitsa (p)Aṣṭākṣara (अष्टाक्षर) (or the Garuḍa-Aṣṭākṣara-Mantra) refers to one of the three Garuḍa-Saṃjñā-Mantras, according to the Kāśyapa Saṃhitā: an ancient Sanskrit text from the Pāñcarātra tradition dealing with both Tantra and Viṣacikitsā (Toxicology).—Kāśyapa gives the details of the Garuḍa-samjñāmantra which is composed of the words ‘vainateyāya namaḥ’ and concluding with praṇava as—oṃ vainateyāya namaḥ oṃ. The Ṛṣi of this mantra is Pulastya, metre is paṅkti; Garuḍa is the deity with ‘va’ as bīja; ‘namaḥ’ is said to be the śakti.
Pancaratra (पाञ्चरात्र, pāñcarātra) represents a tradition of Hinduism where Narayana is revered and worshipped. Closeley related to Vaishnavism, the Pancaratra literature includes various Agamas and tantras incorporating many Vaishnava philosophies.
Mantrashastra (the science of Mantras)
Source: archive.org: Catalogue of Pancaratra Agama Texts (mantra)Aṣṭākṣara (अष्टाक्षर) or Aṣṭākṣaramantra is the name of a Mantra associated with japa (repetition), as discussed in chapter 53 of the Śrīpraśnasaṃhitā: a Pāñcarātra text comprising 5500 Sanskrit verses covering a number of subjects ranging from selecting a temple site through building and furnishing it to sanctifying and maintaining worship in the sacred complex.—Description of the chapter [mantrajapa-ādi-viṣaya-vidhi]: After completing the homa-portion of this first initiating sequence into the mantra, the aspirant will attend to the feeding of Brahmins and to certain liturgical cycles (1-7). As for japa-repetitions these are to be done with comprehension of their meaning and toward this end the dvādaśākṣaramantra is explained (14-19) as well as the aṣṭākṣara-mantra (20-24), and some others (25-55). [...]
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.
Languages of India and abroad
Marathi-English dictionary
Source: DDSA: The Molesworth Marathi and English Dictionaryaṣṭakṣāra (अष्टक्षार).—m pl (S) The eight salts; viz. palāśa- kṣāra, snuhīkṣāra, sarjikākṣāra, apāmārgakṣāra, arkakṣāra, tilakṣāra, yavakṣāra, ṭaṅkaṇakṣāra, or popularly, paḷasācā khāra, nivaḍuṅgācā -sajī -aghāḍyācā -ruīcā -tiḷācā -javācā -ṭāṅkaṇa -khāra Ashes of Butea frondosa, ashes of Prickly pear, impure carbonate of soda, ashes of Achyranthes aspera, ashes of Gigantic swallowwort, ashes of Sesamum, ashes of Barley, and Borax.
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
Source: DDSA: The practical Sanskrit-English dictionaryAṣṭākṣara (अष्टाक्षर).—a. consisting of eight letters or parts; अष्टाक्षरं ह वा एकं गायत्र्यै पदम् (aṣṭākṣaraṃ ha vā ekaṃ gāyatryai padam) Bṛ. Up.5.14.1.
-raḥ Name of a metre.
Aṣṭākṣara is a Sanskrit compound consisting of the terms aṣṭan and akṣara (अक्षर).
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Aufrecht Catalogus CatalogorumAṣṭākṣara (अष्टाक्षर) as mentioned in Aufrecht’s Catalogus Catalogorum:—a name of Nārāyaṇa (8 letters), son of Paśupati (Śāṅkhāyanasūtrapaddhati). W. p. 28.
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary1) Aṣṭākṣara (अष्टाक्षर):—[from aṣṭa > aṣṭan] mf(ā)n. containing eight syllables, [Vājasaneyi-saṃhitā; Aitareya-brāhmaṇa; Śatapatha-brāhmaṇa]
2) [v.s. ...] m. Name of an author.
[Sanskrit to German]
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.
Kannada-English dictionary
Source: Alar: Kannada-English corpusAstākṣara (ಅಸ್ತಾಕ್ಷರ):—[noun] the omission a vowel, syllable, etc. in pronunciation; elision.
Kannada is a Dravidian language (as opposed to the Indo-European language family) mainly spoken in the southwestern region of India.
Nepali dictionary
Source: unoes: Nepali-English DictionaryAṣṭākṣara (अष्टाक्षर):—adj. consisting of 8 letters; n. 1. name of a meter; 2. consisting of eight letters;
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: Ashta, Akshara.
Starts with: Ashtaksharadi, Ashtaksharadi, Ashtaksharam, Ashtaksharamahatmya, Ashtaksharamantra, Ashtaksharamantravaibhava, Ashtaksharamantravyakhya, Ashtaksharanirupana, Ashtaksharaparibhasha, Ashtaksharavyakhya.
Full-text (+57): Ashtaksharavyakhya, Ashtaksharamantra, Ashtaksharam, Ashtaksharadi, Gayatryashtakshara, Savitryashtakshara, Atthakathagata, Ashtaksharamahatmya, Saptakshara, Rupasuttavannana, Ashtakshar, Dasamatthakatha, Shrikarashtakshara, Mantravaibhava, Tirumantiram, Bahiddhabhinivesa, Etteluttu, Vyapakamantra, Saumya, Agneya.
Relevant text
Search found 20 books and stories containing Ashtakshara, Aṣṭakṣāra, Astaksara, Aṣṭākṣarā, Aṣṭākṣara, Ashtan-akshara, Aṣṭan-akṣara, Astan-aksara, Astakshara, Astākṣara; (plurals include: Ashtaksharas, Aṣṭakṣāras, Astaksaras, Aṣṭākṣarās, Aṣṭākṣaras, aksharas, akṣaras, aksaras, Astaksharas, Astākṣaras). You can also click to the full overview containing English textual excerpts. Below are direct links for the most relevant articles:
Diksha (initiation) in Pancharatra (by Shanta Srinivasan)
14. The concepts of Mantras < [Chapter 1 - Introduction]
11. Post-activities of Diksha < [Chapter 4 - The Process of Diksha]
3. General charateristics of a Disciple or Aspirant (Shishya) < [Chapter 2 - Aspects of Diksa]
Isanasivagurudeva Paddhati (study) (by J. P. Prajith)
37. Description of Srikara-ashtakshara-murti (rites and rituals) < [Chapter 4 - Worship of Gods and Goddesses]
32. Description of Surya (rites and rituals) < [Chapter 4 - Worship of Gods and Goddesses]
3. Summary of contents of the Sarada-tilaka < [Chapter 5 - Isanasivagurudeva-paddhati and Saradatilaka]
A Descriptive Catalogue of the Sanskrit Manuscripts, Madras (by M. Seshagiri Sastri)
Thirty minor Upanishads (by K. Narayanasvami Aiyar)
Brihad Bhagavatamrita (commentary) (by Śrī Śrīmad Bhaktivedānta Nārāyana Gosvāmī Mahārāja)
Verse 1.1.12 < [Chapter 1 - Bhauma (the earthly plane)]
Eulogy of Gayatri by Rudra < [Purana, Volume 7, Part 1 (1965)]
Worship of the Sun < [Purana, Volume 12, Part 2 (1970)]