Bhanga, aka: Bhaṅgā, Bhaṅga; 12 Definition(s)

Introduction

Bhanga means something in Buddhism, Pali, Hinduism, Sanskrit, the history of ancient India, 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.

In Hinduism

Ayurveda (science of life)

Bhaṅgā (भङ्गा, “Hemp”):—A Sanskrit word referring to the leaf of “Cannabis Sativa” and is used throughout Āyurvedic literature and the Atharva-veda. It has a synonym named Vijayā. It is sometimes used for ritualistic worship and/or to induce a state of trance.

context information

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.

Purana and Itihasa (epic history)

Bhaṅga (भङ्ग).—A serpent born in the Takṣaka dynasty. Bhaṅga was burnt to ashes at the Serpent Yajña performed by King Janamejaya. (Mahābhārata, Chapter 57, Verse 9).

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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.

Shilpashastra (iconography)

Bhaṅga (भङ्ग) refers to the “inflexions of the body”, and forms one of the three divisions of pratimālakṣaṇa (body postures of the icons), as defined according to texts dealing with śilpa (arts and crafs), known as śilpaśāstras.—The bhaṅgas are the flexions of the body. The poses and the inclinations of the figures are the peculiar characteristics of the South Indian images. The easy pose and the exquisite balance of some of these images are so very remarkable in their aesthetic quality and are based on certain rules as to the bent and disposition of the trunk and legs laid down in the sculptor’s handbooks. The bend in the body of an icon is called bhaṅga (flexions or attitudes).

They are three [bhaṅgas], namely

1. abhaṅga,
2. samabhaṅga,
3. atibhaṅga,

The bhaṅgas play a vital role in the postures of the deities and also while depicting them in dance. Gods and goddesses are mostly found in samabhaṅga pose, which is equivalent to the nata and unnata of dancing. The atibhaṅga and the abhaṅga postures are found in dance practice, but there is no exact term given for these postures in dance.

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Shilpashastra (शिल्पशास्त्र, śilpaśāstra) represents the ancient Indian science (shastra) of creative arts (shilpa) such as sculpture, iconography and painting. Closely related to Vastushastra (architecture), they often share the same literature.

General definition (in Hinduism)

Bhaṅga (भङ्ग, ‘hemp’) is mentioned in the Atharvaveda. In the Rigveda it is an epithet of Soma, presumably in the sense of ‘intoxicating’, which then came to designate hemp.

In Buddhism

General definition (in Buddhism)

Vangasena’s Compendium of the Essence of Medicine, an eleventh-century Bengali medicinal text, describes cannabis (bhanga) as “a drug like opium” and prescribes it as a medicine to enhance longevity.

Languages of India and abroad

Pali-English dictionary

bhaṅga : (m.) breaking up; dissolution. (nt.), the humped cloth.

1) Bhaṅga, ² (nt.) (cp. Class. Sk. bhaṅga, fr. bhañj: see bhañjati) 1. (lit.) breaking, breaking off, in sākhā° a layer of broken-off branches J. III, 407.—2. (fig.) breaking up, dissolution, disruption (see on form Cpd. 25, 66) Ps. I, 57 sq. (°ânupassanā insight into disruption), quoted & expl^d at Vism. 640 sq. ; VbhA. 27 (°khaṇa); Sdhp. 48, 78 (āsā°). Cp. vi°. (Page 496)

2) Bhaṅga, ¹ (nt.) (cp. Sk. bhaṅga, which occurs already Atharva-veda XI. 6. 15 (see Zimmer. Altind. Leben 68), also Av. baṃha, Polish pienka hemp. On its possible etym. connection with Vedic śaṇa (Ath. Veda II. 4. 5) =P. saṇa & sāṇa hemp (=Gr. kάnnabis, Ger. hanf, E. hemp) see Walde, Lat. Wtb. s. v. cannabis) hemp; coarse hempen cloth Vin. I, 58 (where comb^d with sāṇa). (Page 496)

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.

Marathi-English dictionary

bhaṅga (भंग).—m (S) Fracture; act of breaking or broken state. 2 Act of breaking or broken state (in numerous shades or diversifications of the sense);--splitting, bursting, crushing, shattering, destroying, blasting (of things in general, of armies, of affairs); violating (as of a promise); infringing (as of a law or rule); dissolving or disuniting (as of associations); subduing, appalling (as of the spirit): also the state occasioned by such action. 3 Liability or obnoxiousness to fracture, injury, decay. Ex. lākaḍī kāma karāvēṃ tyāpēkṣāṃ dagaḍī kāmāsa bhaṅga nā- hīṃ; hyā dhōtarāsa sāhā mahinyāṃsa bhaṅga nāhīṃ. In this sense used esp. with neg. con. With this word are formed many elegant and expressive compounds, of which, as but few of them can be inserted in order, the following specimens may be studied;--ājñābhaṅga Violation or neglect of a command, disobedience; āśābhaṅga Destruction of hope or expectation, disappointment; utsāhabhaṅga Damping or blasting the ardor or spirit of; or breaking in upon and interrupting a festival; icchābhaṅga, kāryabhaṅga, gātrabhaṅga, gṛhabhaṅga, chandōbhaṅga, tapōbhaṅga, tējōbhaṅga, dhairyabhaṅga, niyamabhaṅga, prītibhaṅga, manōbhaṅga, mānabhaṅga, rājyabhaṅga, vratabhaṅga, śaktibhaṅga, sainyabhaṅga, snēhabhaṅga. bhaṅgāsa jāṇēṃ To be broken up; to be smashed, dissolved, destroyed, ruined.

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bhaṅga (भंग).—f (bhaṅgā S) Hemp, Cannabis sativa.

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bhāṅga (भांग).—m (bhaṅga S) The line along the sinciput (of females) made by parting the hair on both sides. 2 Neaptide.

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bhāṅga (भांग).—f (bhaṅgā S) Hemp, Cannabis sativa. 2 The intoxicating potion prepared from it: also the pālā or leaves.

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bhāṅgā (भांगा).—m R A field or a division of a field.

bhaṅga (भंग).—m Fracture; act of breaking. f Hemp.

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bhāṅga (भांग).—m The line along the sinciput made by parting the hair on both sides; neap-tide. f Hemp; the intoxicating potion prepared from it.

Sanskrit-English dictionary

Bhaṅga (भङ्ग).—[bhañj-bhāvādau ghañ]

1) Breaking, breaking down, shattering, tearing down, splitting, dividing; भङ्गः स जिष्णोर्धृतिमुन्ममाथ (bhaṅgaḥ sa jiṣṇordhṛtimunmamātha) Ki.17.29. वार्यर्गलाभङ्ग इव प्रवृत्तः (vāryargalābhaṅga iva pravṛttaḥ) R.5.45.

2) A break, fracture, breach.

3) Plucking off, lopping; आम्रकलिकाभङ्ग (āmrakalikābhaṅga) Ś.6.

4) Separation, analysis.

5) A portion, bit, fragment, detached portion; पुष्पोच्चयः पल्लवभङ्गभिन्नः (puṣpoccayaḥ pallavabhaṅgabhinnaḥ) Ku.3.61; R.16.16.

6) Fall, downfall, decay, destruction, ruin; as in राज्य°, सत्त्व° (rājya°, sattva°) &c.

7) Breaking up, dispersion; यात्राभङ्ग (yātrābhaṅga) Māl.1.

8) Defeat, overthrow, discomfiture, rout; भग्ने भग्नमवाप्नुयात् (bhagne bhagnamavāpnuyāt) Pt.4.41; प्रसभं भङ्गमभङ्गुरोदयः (prasabhaṃ bhaṅgamabhaṅgurodayaḥ) (nayati) Śi.16.72.

9) Failure, disappointment, frustration; तत्पूर्वभङ्गे वितथप्रयत्नः (tatpūrvabhaṅge vitathaprayatnaḥ) R.2.42. (v. l.); आशाभङ्ग (āśābhaṅga) &c.

1) Rejection, refusal; अभ्यर्थनाभङ्गभयेन साधुर्माध्यस्थमिष्टेऽ- प्यवलम्बतेऽर्थे (abhyarthanābhaṅgabhayena sādhurmādhyasthamiṣṭe'- pyavalambate'rthe) Ku.1.52.

11) A chasm, fissure.

12) Interruption, obstacle, disturbance; निद्रा°, गति° (nidrā°, gati°) Ki.17.29.

13) Non-performance, suspension, stoppage.

14) Taking to flight, flight.

15) (a) A bend, fold. (b) A wave; क्षौमे भङ्गवती तरङ्गतरले फेनाम्बुतुल्ये वहन् (kṣaume bhaṅgavatī taraṅgatarale phenāmbutulye vahan) Nāg.5.2; ज्वालाभङ्गैः (jvālābhaṅgaiḥ) (= Wavelike flames) Nāg.5.21.

16) Contraction, bending, knitting; ग्रीवाभङ्गाभिरामम् (grīvābhaṅgābhirāmam) Ś1.7; so भ्रूभङ्ग (bhrūbhaṅga) U.5.36.

17) Going, motion.

18) Paralysis.

19) Fraud, deceit.

2) A canal, water-course.

21) A circumlocutory or round-about way of speaking or acting; see भङ्गि (bhaṅgi).

22) Hemp.

23) (With Buddhists) The constant decay taking place in the universe; constant change.

24) (With Jainas) A dialectical formula beginning with स्यात् (syāt).

Derivable forms: bhaṅgaḥ (भङ्गः).

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Bhaṅgā (भङ्गा).—

1) Hemp.

2) An intoxicating drink prepared from hemp.

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Bhāṅga (भाङ्ग).—a. (-ṅgī f.) [भङ्गाया इदम् अण् (bhaṅgāyā idam aṇ)] Made of hemp, hempen.

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