Bijakshara, Bījākṣara, Bija-akshara: 13 definitions
Introduction:
Bijakshara means something in Buddhism, Pali, Hinduism, Sanskrit, 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 Bījākṣara can be transliterated into English as Bijaksara or Bijakshara, using the IAST transliteration scheme (?).
Alternative spellings of this word include Bijakshar.
Images (photo gallery)
In Hinduism
Shaktism (Shakta philosophy)
Source: Google Books: ManthanabhairavatantramBījākṣara (बीजाक्षर) or simply Bīja refers to “sead-syllables”, according to Tantric texts such as the Kubjikāmata-tantra, the earliest popular and most authoritative Tantra of the Kubjikā cult.—The seed-syllable [i.e., bīja-akṣara] of the goddess, like that of any deity, is her sonic body. One might say it is her iconic form made of sound. Moreover, a deity’s seed-syllable is, in a sense, a condensed form of that deity’s mantra (or Vidyā if the deity is a goddess). Although the texts do not normally express themselves in this way, one could say that the Goddess’s Vidyā is her gross sonic body in relation to her seed-syllable, which is the subtle one.
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.
Mantrashastra (the science of Mantras)
Source: Shodhganga: Kasyapa Samhita—Text on Visha Chikitsa (mantra)Bījākṣara (बीजाक्षर) refers to the “very life or essence of mantras” (even as the vital airs and mind are to living beings).—Mantras refers to “that which is chanted by people to obtain their spiritual aspirations”.—The Śrīpraśṇasaṃhitā gives a detailed explanation of the logistics of a basic mantra. The praṇava, or Om, is the sound equivalent of Brahman. i.e., Śabda Brahman, while the bījamantras are diverse forms of various aspects of the different gods and goddesses. The mantra of a devatā is itself the devatā. A mantra bereft of bījākṣara is all but futile. Bījākṣaras are the very life or essence of mantras even as the vital airs and mind are to living beings.
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.
Pancaratra (worship of Nārāyaṇa)
Source: Wisdom Library: PāñcarātraBījākṣara (बीजाक्षर) [=tārādibījākṣarasvarūpatadarthavarṇanam] refers to one of the topics discussed in the fifty-first chapter of the Ahirbudhnyasaṃhitā: an ancient Pāñcarātra Āgama scripture dealing with the symbology of the Sudarśana weapon while also dealing with iconography, philosophy and Vaiṣṇava rituals.
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.
In Buddhism
Tibetan Buddhism (Vajrayana or tantric Buddhism)
Source: OSU Press: Cakrasamvara SamadhiBījākṣara (बीजाक्षर) refers to “seed syllables”, according to the Vāruṇī Pūjā [i.e., Varuni Worship] 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, “Immersed in the heat of a flaming fire impelled by wind, seed syllables etc. (bījākṣara-ādika), a very young, bright colored, beautiful liquid, widely diffused, settled down, born of a Hūṃ, becoming pure liquefied immortality, becoming divine like Pātāla, with seven milky oceans, attract to one's self the five ambrosias”.
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.
Languages of India and abroad
Marathi-English dictionary
Source: DDSA: The Molesworth Marathi and English Dictionarybījākṣara (बीजाक्षर).—m (S) A cabalistic letter. See bīja.
Source: DDSA: The Aryabhusan school dictionary, Marathi-Englishbījākṣara (बीजाक्षर).—m A caballistic letter.
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 dictionaryBījākṣara (बीजाक्षर).—the first syllable of a Mantra.
Derivable forms: bījākṣaram (बीजाक्षरम्).
Bījākṣara is a Sanskrit compound consisting of the terms bīja and akṣara (अक्षर).
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English DictionaryBījākṣara (बीजाक्षर):—[from bīja] n. the first syllable of a Mantra or spell, [cf. Lexicographers, esp. such as amarasiṃha, halāyudha, hemacandra, etc.]
[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 dictionaryBījākṣara (बीजाक्षर) [Also spelled bijakshar]:—(nm the first letter of a [maṃtra]; code characters.
...
Kannada-English dictionary
Source: Alar: Kannada-English corpusBījākṣara (ಬೀಜಾಕ್ಷರ):—[noun] a mystical syllable in a hymn.
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)
Partial matches: Akshara, Bija.
Starts with: Bijaksharasvarupa.
Ends with: Shivabijakshara.
Full-text: Bijamantra, Bija, Bijakshar, Picatcaram, Pilavanam, Mantrashastra, Padmavaticaupai, Shasanadevata, Mantra, Padmavati.
Relevant text
Search found 11 books and stories containing Bijakshara, Bījākṣara, Bijaksara, Bija-akshara, Bīja-akṣara, Bija-aksara; (plurals include: Bijaksharas, Bījākṣaras, Bijaksaras, aksharas, akṣaras, aksaras). You can also click to the full overview containing English textual excerpts. Below are direct links for the most relevant articles:
Shaiva Upanishads (A Critical Study) (by Arpita Chakraborty)
17. The esoteric significance of Five Faces of Lord Śiva < [Chapter 5 - Essence of Pañcabrahma Upaniṣad]
Vakyapadiya of Bhartrihari (by K. A. Subramania Iyer)
Verse 3.3.35 < [Book 3 - Pada-kāṇḍa (3): Sambandha-samuddeśa (On Relation)]
The Skanda Purana (by G. V. Tagare)
Chapter 262 - Jñāna-Yoga Explained < [Section 1 - Tīrtha-māhātmya]
Chapter 17 - Procedure of Worship (of the Sun-God) < [Section 1 - Prabhāsa-kṣetra-māhātmya]
Chapter 64 - The Secret of Jyeṣṭheśvara < [Section 2 - Uttarārdha]
Parama Samhita (English translation) (by Krishnaswami Aiyangar)
A Medieval Saint < [January 1937]
Art and Morality < [July 1966]
Art and Morality < [January – March, 1990]
Trishashti Shalaka Purusha Caritra (by Helen M. Johnson)
Appendix 5.2: new and rare words < [Appendices]
Appendix 3.2: new and rare words < [Appendices]
Related products
