Caracara, Cara-acara, Carācara: 23 definitions
Introduction:
Caracara means something in Hinduism, Sanskrit, Jainism, Prakrit, Marathi, Hindi, Tamil. 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.
Alternative spellings of this word include Charachara.
In Hinduism
Purana and Itihasa (epic history)
Source: archive.org: Shiva Purana - English TranslationCarācara (चराचर) refers to the “movable and the immovable beings”, whose energy (su-śakti) represents Goddess Durgā, according to the Śivapurāṇa 2.2.11. Accordingly as Brahmā said to Nārada:—“[...] O sage, seeing her [Durgā] who was Śiva’s Energy herself, directly in front of me, my lofty shoulders bent down with devotion and I eulogised her after due obeisance. [...] Obeisance, obeisence, to Thee, who art in the form of Pravṛtti (action) and Nivṛtti (abstinence); who art in the form of creation and sustenance of the universe. Thou art the eternal Energy of the movable and the immovable beings (carācara) capable of enchanting everyone”.
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.
Shaktism (Shakta philosophy)
Source: Google Books: ManthanabhairavatantramCarācara (चराचर) refers to the “mobile and immobile” (universe), according to the second recension of the Yogakhaṇḍa of the Manthānabhairavatantra, a vast sprawling work that belongs to a corpus of Tantric texts concerned with the worship of the goddess Kubjikā.—Accordingly, as the Goddess Kumārī said to Ṛṣi Vyāsa said: “Vyāsa’s state is nothing (real). O Śaṃkara, (there is nothing) of mine (I can give) you. [...] Māyā pervades this world and the entire mobile and immobile universe [i.e., carācara]. Māyā is the supreme Nirvāṇa. Māyā is the supreme delusion. Māyā, the whore, is the source (yoni) (of the universe). Māyā is the sacrifice (yāga) without consciousness. Māyā is maṇḍala and mantra. Māyā is the ocean of the principles (of existence). Māyā is Śakti. Śiva is Māyā. Due to Māyā, Śaṃkara (appears as) a sage. [...]”.
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.
Yoga (school of philosophy)
Source: ORA: Amanaska (king of all yogas): A Critical Edition and Annotated Translation by Jason BirchCarācara (चराचर) refers to “moving and unmoving (things)”, according to the Viṣṇudharma verse 96.1 and 4.—Accordingly, “O Brahmin, you mentioned that this Brahma is eternal and from it this whole world [consisting of] moving and unmoving [things](carācara) arose [...]. Therefore, how could the [ever-changing] world arise from the eternal and omnipresent [Brahma], which is free from transformation and even devoid of quality?”.
Yoga is originally considered a branch of Hindu philosophy (astika), but both ancient and modern Yoga combine the physical, mental and spiritual. Yoga teaches various physical techniques also known as āsanas (postures), used for various purposes (eg., meditation, contemplation, relaxation).
Vedanta (school of philosophy)
Source: ORA: Amanaska (king of all yogas): (Advaita Vedanta)Carācara (चराचर) refers to “whatever is moving and motionless”, according to the Māṇḍūkyopaniṣatkārikā 3.31-32.—Accordingly, while discussing duality and mental activity: “All this duality which is [comprising of] whatever is moving and motionless (carācara) is [just] a visible object of the mind. For when [the state of] no-mind of mind [arises], duality is not perceived. [Why is this?] When the mind does not conceptualize because [one has] realized the truth of the self, then, it goes to the state of no mind. Therefore, in the absence of perceivable objects, there is no perception [of duality]”.
Vedanta (वेदान्त, vedānta) refers to a school of orthodox Hindu philosophy (astika), drawing its subject-matter from the Upanishads. There are a number of sub-schools of Vedanta, however all of them expound on the basic teaching of the ultimate reality (brahman) and liberation (moksha) of the individual soul (atman).
Shaivism (Shaiva philosophy)
Source: ORA: Amanaska (king of all yogas): (Shaivism)Carācara (चराचर) refers to the “moving and unmoving” (universe), according to the Niśvāsatattvasaṃhitā’s Nayasūtra 4.53-55.—Accordingly, “Thus one should meditate upon Śiva and the [individual] soul as one. Thus thinking of all things, and similarly [one’s own] self, as like Śiva, one becomes devoid of attachment and hatred. They [scil. those who think in this way] become spotless, pure, full of Śiva nature. He should understand [himself] as having one flavour [with Śiva], being [as he now is] joined with Śiva. The whole universe, moving and unmoving (carācara) is thought of as being like 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.
General definition (in Hinduism)
Source: archive.org: Vedic index of Names and SubjectsCarācara (चराचर) (‘running about’), a term found classed with Sarīsṛpa in the Yajurveda-saṃhitās, must apparently denote some kind of animal.
In Jainism
General definition (in Jainism)
Source: The University of Sydney: A study of the Twelve ReflectionsCarācara (चराचर) refers to “mobile and immobile” (beings), according to the 11th century Jñānārṇava, a treatise on Jain Yoga in roughly 2200 Sanskrit verses composed by Śubhacandra.—Accordingly, “The doctrine protects all [beings] that are mobile and immobile (carācara) with regard to the occurrence of misfortune. It also comforts [them] completely with a stream of the liquid ambrosia of happiness. The rain clouds, wind, sun, moon, earth, ocean and Indra—those, which are protected by the doctrine, are of service to the whole world”.
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
Source: DDSA: The Molesworth Marathi and English Dictionarycaracara (चरचर) [or रां, rāṃ].—ad Imit. of the sound of rending, slitting, tearing; of flapping, fluttering, rustling; of spitting, sputtering, hissing, crackling, brustling; of cutting or slashing coarse grass &c. Hence mājhēṃ kāḷīja ca0 kāmpatēṃ. Also expressive of the manner of smart or brisk speaking, writing, sewing, and some other actions.
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caracara (चरचर).—a & ad Sharp or keen--an edge. v kara, lāva.
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caracara (चरचर).—f (Commonly caracura) Smart; sharp, stinging, tingling pain. v lāga. 2 fig. Regret. v lāga. 3 Sharpness (as of a weapon or tool): also fig. pertness or saucy briskness (of speech).
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carācara (चराचर).—a (S cara Movable, acara Immovable.) Every created thing, animate or inanimate.
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carācara (चराचर).—f n S Traditional or transmitted practice.
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carācara (चराचर) [or रां, rāṃ].—ad (Intens. of caracara) Imit. of the sound of a violent rending or tearing; of a loud and rapid crackling or brustling; or of a sharp spitting and sputtering: also expressive of recklessness, vehemence, or rapidity of manner; as ca0 -khātō-bōlatō-vācatō-lihitō &c.
Source: DDSA: The Aryabhusan school dictionary, Marathi-Englishcaracara (चरचर) [or rāṃ, or रां].—ad Imit. of the sound of rending, slitting, tearing.
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caracara (चरचर).—a & ad Sharp or keen-an edge.
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carācara (चराचर).—a Every created thing, animate or inanimate.
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carācara (चराचर) [or rāṃ, or रां].—ad (Intens. of caracara) Imit. of the sound of a violent rending or tearing.
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 dictionaryCarācara (चराचर).—a.
1) movable and immovable; चरा- चराणां भूतानां कुक्षिराधारतां गतः (carā- carāṇāṃ bhūtānāṃ kukṣirādhāratāṃ gataḥ) Kumārasambhava 6.67;2.5; Bhagavadgītā (Bombay) 11.43.
2) wished, desired.
3) shaking, trembling.
Carācara is a Sanskrit compound consisting of the terms cara and acara (अचर).
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Shabda-Sagara Sanskrit-English DictionaryCarācara (चराचर).—mfn.
(-raḥ-rā-rī-raṃ) 1. Moveable, locomotive. 2. Shaking, trembling, unsteady. 3. Wished, desired. 4. Moveable and immoveable. n.
(-raṃ) 1. The world. 2. Sky, atmosphere. 3. Heaven, paradise. 4. The aggregate of all things, whether inanimate or animate. E. car to go, affix ac and the derivative reiterated, āṅ inserted; or cara what goes and acara what does not go.
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Benfey Sanskrit-English DictionaryCarācara (चराचर).—i. e. caraacara, adj. Moveable and immoveable, [Rāmāyaṇa] 4, 15, 8.
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Cappeller Sanskrit-English DictionaryCarācara (चराचर).—1. [adjective] movable, stirring.
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Carācara (चराचर).—2. [adjective] movable and immovable, [substantive] animals and plants, the whole world.
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary1) Carācara (चराचर):—[from cara > car] 1. carācara mfn. movable and immovable, locomotive and stationary, moving and fixed (as animals and plants), [Manu-smṛti i, iii; Bhagavad-gītā xf.; Rāmāyaṇa; Bhāgavata-purāṇa]
2) [v.s. ...] n. the aggregate of all created things whether animate or inanimate, world, [Manu-smṛti; Yājñavalkya; Bhagavad-gītā; Rāmāyaṇa; Bhāgavata-purāṇa]
3) [from car] 2. carācara mfn. (√car [reduplicated] [Pāṇini 6-1, 12], [vArttika] 6; vii, 4, 58, [Patañjali]) moving, locomotive, running, [Ṛg-veda x, 85, 11; Vājasaneyi-saṃhitā xxii; Śatapatha-brāhmaṇa]
4) [v.s. ...] n. Cypraea moneta, [cf. Lexicographers, esp. such as amarasiṃha, halāyudha, hemacandra, etc.]
5) a and carāc See √car.
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Yates Sanskrit-English DictionaryCarācara (चराचर):—[carā-cara] (raḥ-rā-raṃ) a. Moveable, unsteady; wished for. n. The world; sky; heaven; all things.
Source: DDSA: Paia-sadda-mahannavo; a comprehensive Prakrit Hindi dictionary (S)Caracarā (चरचरा) in the Sanskrit language is related to the Prakrit word: Caracarā.
[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 dictionaryCarācara (चराचर) [Also spelled charachar]:—(a) movable and immovable, animate and inanimate; (nm) the entire creation.
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Prakrit-English dictionary
Source: DDSA: Paia-sadda-mahannavo; a comprehensive Prakrit Hindi dictionaryCaracarā (चरचरा) in the Prakrit language is related to the Sanskrit word: Caracarā.
Prakrit is an ancient language closely associated with both Pali and Sanskrit. Jain literature is often composed in this language or sub-dialects, such as the Agamas and their commentaries which are written in Ardhamagadhi and Maharashtri Prakrit. The earliest extant texts can be dated to as early as the 4th century BCE although core portions might be older.
Kannada-English dictionary
Source: Alar: Kannada-English corpusCaracara (ಚರಚರ):—[noun] an onomatopoetic term formed by imitating the sound produced by a knife while cutting an object.
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Carācara (ಚರಾಚರ):—[adjective] moving and not moving; not stationary and stationary.
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Carācara (ಚರಾಚರ):—
1) [noun] collectively, everything that are moving and stationary, in the world.
2) [noun] the world consisting of moving non-moving things.
Kannada is a Dravidian language (as opposed to the Indo-European language family) mainly spoken in the southwestern region of India.
Tamil dictionary
Source: DDSA: University of Madras: Tamil LexiconCaracara (சரசர) [caracarattal] intransitive verb Onomatopoeic
1. To rustle, as dry leaves; சருகு முதலியவை ஒலித்தல். [sarugu muthaliyavai olithal.] (W.)
2. To be rough of surface; தொடுதற்குச் சுரசுரவென்றிருத்தல். [thodutharkus surasuravenriruthal.]
Tamil is an ancient language of India from the Dravidian family spoken by roughly 250 million people mainly in southern India and Sri Lanka.
See also (Relevant definitions)
Starts with: Caracaraguru, Caracarahata, Caracarana, Caracarane, Caracaranem, Caracarapatha, Caracarapati.
Ends with: Sacaracara, Shanaishcaracara.
Full-text (+11): Sarasara, Caracaranem, Acara, Caracarane, Sassara, Caracaraguru, Cara, Sarsar, Sarasaranem, Caruccarai, Charachar, Charachara, Caraccara, Sacaracara, Samjiv, Vadavada, Sarasarayate, Natanem, Cara Sutta, Caratha.
Relevant text
Search found 17 books and stories containing Caracara, Cara-acara, Cara-cara, Carā-cara, Carācara, Caracarā, Charachara, Sarasara; (plurals include: Caracaras, acaras, caras, Carācaras, Caracarās, Characharas, Sarasaras). You can also click to the full overview containing English textual excerpts. Below are direct links for the most relevant articles:
Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu (by Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī)
Verse 2.1.43 < [Part 1 - Ecstatic Excitants (vibhāva)]
Verse 1.2.136 < [Part 2 - Devotional Service in Practice (sādhana-bhakti)]
Rig Veda (translation and commentary) (by H. H. Wilson)
Rig Veda 10.85.11 < [Sukta 85]
Rasa Jala Nidhi, vol 2: Minerals (uparasa) (by Bhudeb Mookerjee)
Part 1 - Characteristics of Kapardi or Kapardaka (cowri or marine shells) < [Chapter XIX - Uparasa (20a): Kapardi or Kapardaka (cowri or marine shells)]
Cidgaganacandrika (study) (by S. Mahalakshmi)
Verse 297 [Trika principle of Nara-Śakti-Śiva] < [Chapter 4 - Fourth Vimarśa]
Namasmarana - A Universal Sadhana (by Narayana Kasturi)
D. Source Of Power In Namasmarana < [Significance And Power Of Namasmarana]
Manusmriti with the Commentary of Medhatithi (by Ganganatha Jha)
Verse 1.57 < [Section XXXII - Creation of all things by Brahmā’s waking and sleeping]
Verse 3.75 < [Section VII - Duties of the Householder]