Bhikshuka, Bhikṣuka: 18 definitions
Introduction:
Bhikshuka means something in Hinduism, Sanskrit, Jainism, Prakrit, 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 Bhikṣuka can be transliterated into English as Bhiksuka or Bhikshuka, using the IAST transliteration scheme (?).
Alternative spellings of this word include Bhikshuk.
Images (photo gallery)
In Hinduism
Purana and Itihasa (epic history)
Bhikṣuka (भिक्षुक) refers to a “mendicant”, and is used to describe Śiva, according to the Śivapurāṇa 2.2.29. Accordingly as Brahmā narrated to Nārada:—“[...] Satī addressed Viṣṇu and others severally, taunting them. Satī said:—‘[...] Once the lord wandered (begging for alms) in Dāruvana. You, sages, cursed him in the guise of a mendicant (bhikṣuka). How is it that you have now forgotten what Śiva did on being cursed by you? The entire universe of the mobile and immobile was burnt by His Liṅga’”.
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.
Jyotisha (astronomy and astrology)
Bhikṣuka (भिक्षुक) [=Bhikṣu?] refers to “ascetics”, according to the Bṛhatsaṃhitā (chapter 10), an encyclopedic Sanskrit work written by Varāhamihira mainly focusing on the science of ancient Indian astronomy astronomy (Jyotiṣa).—Accordingly, “If the course of Saturn should lie through the constellation of Āśleṣā, the creatures of water and serpents will suffer; if through the constellation of Maghā, the Bāhlīkas, the Cīna (Chinese), the people of Gāndhāra, of Śūlika, of Pārata, the Vaiáyas, store houses and merchants will suffer. If his course should lie through the constellation of Pūrvaphālguni, juice-sellers, prostitutes, virgins and the people of Mahāraṣṭras will suffer miseries; if through Uttaraphālguni, kings, ascetics [i.e., bhikṣuka], jaggery, salt, water and the town of Takṣaśilā will suffer”.
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.
Pancaratra (worship of Nārāyaṇa)
1) Bhikṣuka (भिक्षुक) is another name for Yati—a group of initiates (initiated by cakramaṇḍala) which has four subdivisions, as discussed in chapter 5 of the Brahmarātra section of the Sanatkumārasaṃhitā: an encyclopedic Sanskrit text written in over 3500 verses dealing with a variety of topics such as yoga, temple-building, consecration ceremonies, initiation and dhanurveda (martial arts).—Description of the chapter [varṇa-ācāra-vidhi]: [...] The initiates who are known as Yatis (=Bhikṣukas; Sannyāsins) have four subdivisions, namely: Haṃsas, Paramahaṃsas, Bhagavāns and Prabhus.
2) Bhikṣuka (भिक्षुक) refers to a class of persons for whom their “behavior” is discussed in the fourth chapter of the Kapiñjalasaṃhitā: a Pāñcarātra work consisting of 1550 verses dealing with a variety of topics such as worship in a temple, choosing an Ācārya, architecture, town-planning and iconography.—Description of the chapter [samayācāra-vidhi]:—For each of the four castes and for pratilomakas and sūtakas as well as for any of the four āśramas certain modes of behavior are expected; further, all of these persons are eligible for saṃskāras (1-4). [...] Such terms as [e.g., bhikṣuka] [...] are defined (5-21a). The remainder of the chapter deals with general principles of conduct common to all these persons—prāṇāhuti, japa, etc. (21b-24a).
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.
Kama-shastra (the science of Love-making)
Bhikṣuka (भिक्षुक) refers to “beggars” (asking for food), according to the Vātsyāyana’s Kāmasūtra: a Sanskrit text from the 2nd century dealing with eroticism, sexuality and emotional fulfillment in life belonging to Kāmaśāstra (the ancient Indian science of love-making).—Accordingly, “[While answering the objection raised by the Pragmatists]—This objection cannot be sustained, for pleasures, being as necessary for the existence and well-being of the body as food, are consequently equally required. They are, moreover, the results of Dharma and Artha. Pleasures are, therefore, to be followed with moderation and caution. No one refrains from cooking food because there are beggars (bhikṣuka) to ask for it, or from sowing seed because there are deer to destroy the corn when it is grown up. [boddhavyaṃ tu doṣeṣviva / na hi bhikṣukāḥ santīti sthālyo nādhiśrīyante/ na hi mṛgāḥ santīti yavā nopayanta iti vātsyāyanaḥ] [...]”.
Note: Bhikṣuka (भिक्षुक) (“beggars” or “mendicants”) represents a suitable social class for forming Friendships (Mitra).
Kamashastra (कामशास्त्र, kāmaśāstra) deals with ancient Indian science of love-making, passion, emotions and other related topics dealing with the pleasures of the senses.
Shaivism
Bhikṣuka (भिक्षुक) refers to a “mendicant” (wandering from one house to another for collecting alms), according to the Pātravidhi—a manual of the Lakulīśa Pāśupata school of Śaivism dealing with purification of the initiate’s vessel (pātra) and other concerned issues.—Accordingly, “Wandering about from one house to another, he should not [normally] avoid any house. [But] he should avoid a rogue’s house having listened to others’ opinion. (52) If a mendicant (bhikṣuka) passes over [the house of] a good man, who is neither a rogue nor one fallen from his state, he receives that man’s demerit, having bestowed his merit on that man. (53) In the same way, if a mendicant (bhikṣuka) returns disappointed from a householder’s [door], he goes away taking with him the rewards of [householder’s] sacrifice and charity. (54)”.
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.
In Jainism
General definition (in Jainism)
Bhikṣuka (भिक्षुक) refers to a classification of a śrāvaka (laymen), based on his progress through the pratimās, according to Āśādhara. Bhikṣuka refers to the first to six pratimās, also known as Uttama or Utkṛṣṭa (best)
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.
Languages of India and abroad
Marathi-English dictionary
bhikṣuka (भिक्षुक).—m A Brahman beggar; a beggar.
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
Bhikṣuka (भिक्षुक).—[bhikṣ-uka] A beggar, mendicant; आकीर्णं भिक्षुकैर्वान्यैरगारमुपसंव्रजेत् (ākīrṇaṃ bhikṣukairvānyairagāramupasaṃvrajet) Manusmṛti 6.51.
-kī A female mendicant; cf. [bhikṣuṇī] A Buddhist nun.
Derivable forms: bhikṣukaḥ (भिक्षुकः).
Bhikṣuka (भिक्षुक).—mf. (-kaḥ-kī) A beggar. E. bhikṣu a beggar, kan added; or bhikṣa-uka .
Bhikṣuka (भिक्षुक).—[bhikṣu + ka], m., and f. kī, A beggar, [Daśakumāracarita] in
Bhikṣuka (भिक्षुक).—[masculine] = [preceding], [feminine] ī a female mendicant.
Bhikṣuka (भिक्षुक):—[from bhikṣ] m. a beggar, mendicant, a Brāhman of the m° order (cf. bhikṣu), [Gṛhya-sūtra; Manu-smṛti; Mahābhārata] etc. ([Religious Thought and Life in India 386])
Bhikṣuka (भिक्षुक):—[(kaḥ-kī)] 1. m. 3. f. A beggar.
Bhikṣuka (भिक्षुक):—(von bhikṣ oder von bhikṣu) m. = bhikṣu 1. gaṇa khaṇḍikādi zu [Pāṇini’s acht Bücher 4, 2, 45.] [Vyutpatti oder Mahāvyutpatti 80.] [Pāraskara’s Gṛhyasūtrāṇi 2, 9.] [Manu’s Gesetzbuch 3, 243. 6, 51. 8, 360.] [Yājñavalkya’s Gesetzbuch 3, 59.] [Mahābhārata 13, 6693.] [Rāmāyaṇa 1, 31, 16. 2, 30, 43.] [Rāmāyaṇa] [Gorresio 2, 68, 56.] [KĀM. NĪTIS. 12, 43.] saṃtuṣṭo bhikṣukaḥ cintitācintitapradaḥ [Spr. 1097. 1243.] [Spr.] kṣatriyāṇāṃ im 4ten Th. [Pāṇini’s acht Bücher 1, 3, 25, Vārttika von Kātyāyana. 2,] [Scholiast] nikāya [Scholiast] zu [Pāṇini’s acht Bücher 3, 3, 42.] gṛhastho brahmacārī ca vānaprastho tha bhikṣukaḥ . catvāra āśramāḥ proktāḥ [Mahābhārata 14, 1246.] [Harivaṃśa 15495. fg.] bhikṣukī f. Bettlerin [Trikāṇḍaśeṣa.3,3,141.] [Hemacandra’s Abhidhānacintāmaṇi.532.] [Halāyudha.2,332.] [Mahābhārata.1,3289. 12,11858.] [Rāmāyaṇa Gorresio 2,29,13.] [Bhāgavatapurāṇa.9,18,16.] [Oxforder Handschriften 216,b,44.] [Daśakumāracarita] in [Benfey’ Chrestomathie aus Sanskritwerken 180,14.] [Rgva tch’er rol pa ed. Calc. 101,18. 184,16.] śākya [Daśakumāracarita 79, 11.] bhikṣukasatīsuta [Hemacandra’s Abhidhānacintāmaṇi 549] (vgl. [Amarakoṣa 2, 6, 1, 26] und [Pāṇini’s acht Bücher 4, 1, 127, Scholiast]). bhikṣuka kann, je nachdem das Wort als ein näher bestimmender oder ein näher bestimmter Begriff gefasst wird, im comp. voranstehen oder nachfolgen nach gaṇa kaḍārādi zu [Pāṇini’s acht Bücher 2, 2, 38.] — Vgl. dharma und bhaikṣuka.
Bhikṣuka (भिक्षुक):——
1) m. = bhikṣu 1)a) —
2) f. ī Bettlerin.
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
Bhikṣuka (भिक्षुक) [Also spelled bhikshuk]:—(nm) a beggar.
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Kannada-English dictionary
Bhikṣuka (ಭಿಕ್ಷುಕ):—
1) [noun] a man who begs or asks for charity; he who lives by begging.
2) [noun] a man who is detached from worldly affairs and living by begging; a mendicant.
3) [noun] a Jaina monk.
Kannada is a Dravidian language (as opposed to the Indo-European language family) mainly spoken in the southwestern region of India.
Nepali dictionary
Bhikṣuka (भिक्षुक):—n./adj. → भिक्षु [bhikṣu]
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)
Starts with (+0): Bhikshukanci Dhama, Bhikshukarya, Bhikshukasati, Bhikshukopanishad.
Full-text (+9): Dharmabhikshuka, Shakyabhikshuka, Bhikshukopanishad, Bhikshukasati, Bhikshuki, Bhikshuk, Bhikshu, Bhaikshuka, Nirarambha, Bhikshukanci Dhama, Shakyabhikshuki, Sabhikshuka, Abhikshuka, Ashrama, Bhikkhaka, Karyavant, Uttama, Utkrishta, Sannyasin, Pindara.
Relevant text
Search found 26 books and stories containing Bhikshuka, Bhikṣuka, Bhiksuka, Bhikshukas; (plurals include: Bhikshukas, Bhikṣukas, Bhiksukas, Bhikshukases). You can also click to the full overview containing English textual excerpts. Below are direct links for the most relevant articles:
Manusmriti with the Commentary of Medhatithi (by Ganganatha Jha)
Verse 3.243 < [Section XIV - Method of Feeding]
Verse 3.94 < [Section VII - Duties of the Householder]
Dictionaries of Indian languages (Kosha)
Page 508 < [Hindi-Bengali-English Volume 2]
Page 708 < [Bengali-Hindi-English, Volume 3]
Page 508 < [Hindi-Kannada-English Volume 2]
Chaitanya Bhagavata (by Bhumipati Dāsa)
Verse 2.13.9 < [Chapter 13 - The Deliverance of Jagāi and Mādhāi]
Verse 3.6.21 < [Chapter 6 - The Glories of Śrī Nityānanda Prabhu]
Verse 2.13.21 < [Chapter 13 - The Deliverance of Jagāi and Mādhāi]
Indian Antiquary (a journal of oriental research) (by Jas Burgess)
The Veda in India < [Volume 3 (1874)]
Index and Errata < [Volume 3 (1874)]
Tribes and languages of the Bombay presidency < [Volume 3 (1874)]
A Descriptive Catalogue of the Sanskrit Manuscripts, Madras (by M. Seshagiri Sastri)
Atithi or Guest Reception (study) (by Sarika. P.)
Part 4 - Atithi in Śrāddha < [Chapter 9 - Atithi-saparyā in Dharmaśāstra Literature]