Bhiksha, Bhikṣā: 19 definitions
Introduction:
Bhiksha means something in Hinduism, Sanskrit, the history of ancient India, 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 Bhikṣā can be transliterated into English as Bhiksa or Bhiksha, using the IAST transliteration scheme (?).
In Hinduism
Shaivism (Shaiva philosophy)
Source: Brill: Śaivism and the Tantric TraditionsBhikṣā (भिक्षा) refers to “alms”, according to the 9th-century Sarvajñānottaratantra chapter 18.—Accordingly, “Next, I shall teach the best observance among observances, which is known as the Śiva-vrata and which is revered by Asuras and Gods alike. [...] He should dwell constantly in a temple of Śiva, eating alms (bhikṣā-bhakṣa), controlling his senses, devoted to recitation and meditation, maintaining silence, venerating Śiva, the fire and his guru. When a year has passed, he will become equal to Śiva. [...]”.
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.
Shaktism (Shakta philosophy)
Source: Google Books: ManthanabhairavatantramBhikṣā (भिक्षा) refers to “one who begs”, according to the Kubjikāmata-tantra, the earliest popular and most authoritative Tantra of the Kubjikā cult.—Accordingly, “Neither mother, father, brother or relatives help one as the teacher does. Having understood this, whether he suffers when there is (cause for) suffering or is happy when there is (cause for) happiness, he should not, even unwittingly, assume a position contrary to (the one his) teacher has. Sitting next to him (the disciple) should massage him and the like. He should offer him the bowl with which he begs (bhikṣā-pātra) and flowers constantly”.
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.
Purana and Itihasa (epic history)
Source: archive.org: Shiva Purana - English TranslationBhikṣā (भिक्षा) refers to “alms”, according to the Śivapurāṇa 2.3.34 (“The Story of Anaraṇya”).—Accordingly, as Vasiṣṭha said to Himavat (Himācala): “[...] On hearing the words of the people who spoke the truth, the sage became much agitated in the mind and was eager to possess her. O mountain, the sage took bath and worshipped his favourite deity Śiva duly. The lustful sage went to the council-chamber of Anaraṇya for the sake of alms (bhikṣā-artha). Immediately after seeing the sage, the king was struck with awe and bowed to him. He offered him homage and devoutly worshipped him. [...]”.
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.
Dharmashastra (religious law)
Source: HAL: The function of the Vṛṣasārasaṃgraha in the Śivadharma corpus (ds)Bhikṣā (भिक्षा) refers to “accepting food” (e.g., from a single house), according to the Vṛṣasārasaṃgraha: A Sanskrit text of twenty-four chapters contained in the Śivadharma corpus dealing with Dharma (religious duties).—Accordingly, [verse 11.45-46]: “He should avoid honey/alcohol and meat, as well as others’ wives. He should avoid staying [in a place] for long and also staying at others’ places. He should avoid food that has been thrown away and he should avoid food from a single house (bhikṣā) [bhikṣām ekāṃ ca varjayet]. He should always refrain from accumulating [wealth] and from self conceit”.
Dharmashastra (धर्मशास्त्र, dharmaśāstra) contains the instructions (shastra) regarding religious conduct of livelihood (dharma), ceremonies, jurisprudence (study of law) and more. It is categorized as smriti, an important and authoritative selection of books dealing with the Hindu lifestyle.
India history and geography
Source: Project Gutenberg: Castes and Tribes of Southern India, Volume 1Bhiksha (receiving alms) refers to a type of “privilege” applied to certain divisions of the Nambutiris. Bhiksha refers to the right of becoming a Sanyasi. The Nambutiri people form the socio-spiritual aristocracy of Malabar, and, as the traditional landlords of Parasu Rama’s land, they are everywhere held in great reverence.
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Indian Epigraphical GlossaryBhikṣā.—(IE 8-4), a grant or endowment; cf. ekādaśa- Rudra-bhikṣā (EI 32), an endowment in the gods’ name. Note: bhikṣā is defined in the “Indian epigraphical glossary” as it can be found on ancient inscriptions commonly written in Sanskrit, Prakrit or Dravidian languages.
The history of India traces the identification of countries, villages, towns and other regions of India, as well as mythology, zoology, royal dynasties, rulers, tribes, local festivities and traditions and regional languages. Ancient India enjoyed religious freedom and encourages the path of Dharma, a concept common to Buddhism, Hinduism, and Jainism.
Languages of India and abroad
Marathi-English dictionary
Source: DDSA: The Molesworth Marathi and English Dictionarybhikṣā (भिक्षा).—f (S) Alms or charity; money or food given to beggars. v ghāla, dē. Pr. bhikṣā ghāla gē sāvitrī kōṇhī ghālatō kāya? Pr. bhikṣēśvara kiṃvā laṅkēśvara or, popularly, bhikēsarī kīṃ laṅkēsarī (I'll be) either the king of beggars or the lord of Lanka. 2 Applied to a boon or thing earnestly besought. Ex. tū kōṇhāvara rāgēṃ bharūṃ nakō ēvaḍhī malā bhikṣā dē.
Source: DDSA: The Aryabhusan school dictionary, Marathi-Englishbhikṣā (भिक्षा).—f Alms or charity.
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 dictionaryBhikṣā (भिक्षा).—[bhikṣ-a]
1) Asking, begging, soliciting वृत्ते शरावसंपाते भिक्षां नित्यं यतिश्चरेत् (vṛtte śarāvasaṃpāte bhikṣāṃ nityaṃ yatiścaret) Manusmṛti 6.56.
2) Anything given as alms, alms; भवति भिक्षां देहि (bhavati bhikṣāṃ dehi).
3) Wages, hire.
4) Service.
5) A means of subsistence अपेतक्लमसंतापाः सुभिक्षाः सुप्रतिश्रयाः (apetaklamasaṃtāpāḥ subhikṣāḥ supratiśrayāḥ) Rām.2.92.6.
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Shabda-Sagara Sanskrit-English DictionaryBhikṣā (भिक्षा).—f.
(-kṣā) 1. Service. 2. Hire, wages. 3. Begging, asking. 4. The thing obtained by begging, alms. 5. A mouthful or handful of food, given as alms. E. bhikṣ to beg or obtain by begging, aṅ and ṭāp affs.
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Benfey Sanskrit-English DictionaryBhikṣā (भिक्षा).—[bhikṣ + ā], f. 1. Begging, [Pañcatantra] 116, 17. 2. Alms., [Pañcatantra] 116, 19. 3. Begged food, [Mānavadharmaśāstra] 2, 50. 4. Hire. 5. Service.
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Cappeller Sanskrit-English DictionaryBhikṣā (भिक्षा).—[feminine] begging or begged food, alms; [accusative] [with] yā, car, or aṭ go begging for food.
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary1) Bhikṣā (भिक्षा):—[from bhikṣ] f. the act of begging or asking (with √kṛ, to beg; with √aṭ, car, bhram and yā, to go about begging), [Śatapatha-brāhmaṇa] etc. etc.
2) [v.s. ...] any boon obtained by begging (alms, food etc.), [Atharva-veda] etc. etc. (also ifc. e.g. putra-bhikṣāṃ dehi, ‘grant the boon of a son’ [Rāmāyaṇa])
3) [v.s. ...] hire, wages, [cf. Lexicographers, esp. such as amarasiṃha, halāyudha, hemacandra, etc.]
4) [v.s. ...] service, [cf. Lexicographers, esp. such as amarasiṃha, halāyudha, hemacandra, etc.]
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Yates Sanskrit-English Dictionary1) Bhikṣa (भिक्ष):—(ṅa) bhikṣata 1. d. To beg, to get; to fail to get; to be weary.
2) Bhikṣā (भिक्षा):—(kṣā) 1. f. Begging; service; hire; a mouthful given in alms.
Source: DDSA: Paia-sadda-mahannavo; a comprehensive Prakrit Hindi dictionary (S)Bhikṣā (भिक्षा) in the Sanskrit language is related to the Prakrit word: Bhikkhā.
[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.
Hindi dictionary
Source: DDSA: A practical Hindi-English dictionaryBhikṣā (भिक्षा):—(nf) alms, charity; begging; ~[caryā] occupation of begging; ~[jīvī] subsisting on alms/charity; -[pātra] one who deserves being granted alms; a begging bowl; -[bhājana] see -[pātra] ; -[vṛttī] a beggar’s occupation, beggary.
...
Kannada-English dictionary
Source: Alar: Kannada-English corpusBhikṣa (ಭಿಕ್ಷ):—[noun] = ಭಿಕ್ಷೆ [bhikshe].
Kannada is a Dravidian language (as opposed to the Indo-European language family) mainly spoken in the southwestern region of India.
See also (Relevant definitions)
Starts with (+35): Bhiksanapa, Bhikshabhagya, Bhikshabhajana, Bhikshabhaksha, Bhikshabhanda, Bhikshabhuj, Bhikshabidala, Bhikshacara, Bhikshacarana, Bhikshacarya, Bhikshacaryacarana, Bhikshachara, Bhikshacharana, Bhikshacharya, Bhikshada, Bhikshadana, Bhikshadi, Bhikshahara, Bhikshajivi, Bhikshaka.
Ends with (+16): Asubhiksha, Bhojanabhiksha, Brahmasubhiksha, Daurbhiksha, Dhanyabhiksha, Durbhiksha, Ekadasha-Rudra-bhiksha, Grihabhiksha, Kamtebhiksha, Karatalabhiksha, Khala-bhiksha, Koradi Bhiksha, Koradi-bhiksha, Koribhiksha, Kshatrasubhiksha, Mahasubhiksha, Mamsabhiksha, Mathabhiksha, Nagadurbhiksha, Nirogadurbhiksha.
Full-text (+107): Durbhiksha, Bhikshanna, Subhiksha, Bhikshacara, Bhiksharha, Bhikshatana, Bhikshashin, Bhikshapatra, Bhiksharthin, Vratabhiksha, Bhikshashitva, Bhikshabhuj, Bhikshahara, Bhikshopajivin, Bhikshakarana, Bhikshavasas, Bhikshavritti, Bhikshaka, Bhikshotkara, Durbhikshatva.
Relevant text
Search found 30 books and stories containing Bhiksha, Bhikṣā, Bhiksa, Bhikṣa; (plurals include: Bhikshas, Bhikṣās, Bhiksas, Bhikṣas). You can also click to the full overview containing English textual excerpts. Below are direct links for the most relevant articles:
Chaitanya Bhagavata (by Bhumipati Dāsa)
Verse 3.2.55 < [Chapter 2 - Description of the Lord’s Travel Through Bhuvaneśvara and Other Placesto Jagannātha Purī]
Verse 3.4.141 < [Chapter 4 - Descriptions of Śrī Acyutānanda’s Pastimes and the Worship of Śrī Mādhavendra]
Verse 3.4.276 < [Chapter 4 - Descriptions of Śrī Acyutānanda’s Pastimes and the Worship of Śrī Mādhavendra]
Manusmriti with the Commentary of Medhatithi (by Ganganatha Jha)
Verse 4.248 < [Section XIX - Accepting of Gifts]
Verse 2.49 < [Section XIII - Initiation (upanayana)]
Verse 6.50 < [Section VI - Procedure of going forth as a Wandering Mendicant]
Baudhayana Dharmasutra (by Georg Bühler)
Jainism and Patanjali Yoga (Comparative Study) (by Deepak bagadia)
Part 5 - Jain scriptures and Spiritual teachers < [Chapter 3 - Jain Philosophy and Practice]
Part 5.5 - Availability of Jain scriptures < [Chapter 3 - Jain Philosophy and Practice]
Part 8 - Five Attitudes (bhavana) < [Chapter 4 - A Comparative Study]
Bhagavatpadabhyudaya by Lakshmana Suri (study) (by Lathika M. P.)
Canto VI—Meeting with Sureśvara < [Chapter 2 - Content Analysis of Bhagavatpādābhyudaya]
Canto V—The Blessing of Vyāsa < [Chapter 2 - Content Analysis of Bhagavatpādābhyudaya]
Same Instances in Different Digvijayas < [Chapter 4 - Similarities and Dissimilarities]
Atithi or Guest Reception (study) (by Sarika. P.)
Part 1 - Who is an ‘atithi’? < [Chapter 9 - Atithi-saparyā in Dharmaśāstra Literature]
Part 3 - Honouring Atithi and Vaiśvadeva < [Chapter 9 - Atithi-saparyā in Dharmaśāstra Literature]
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