Drekkana, Drekkāṇa: 8 definitions
Introduction:
Drekkana means something in Hinduism, Sanskrit. 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
Jyotisha (astronomy and astrology)
Drekkana (द्रेक्कन) refers to a “space of 10°” (=one third of a rāśi—‘zodiac sign’”, according to the Bṛhatsaṃhitā (chapter 2), an encyclopedic Sanskrit work written by Varāhamihira mainly focusing on the science of ancient Indian astronomy astronomy (Jyotiṣa).—Accordingly, “And in horoscopy, the Jyotiṣaka must know such divisions of space as rāśi (a sign of Zodiac or a space of 30°), horā (15° or half a sign), drekkana (10° or one third of a sign), navāṃśaka (3° 20' or one-ninth of a sign), dvādaśāṃśaka (2° 30' or one twelfth of a sign), triṃśāṃśaka (one-thirtieth of a sign), and their strength or weakness considered horoscopically; he must know the horoscopic strength of the planets with respect to their Dik (direction), Sthāna (place), Kāla, (time) Ceṭā (motions, conjunctions and the like)”.
Drekkāṇa (द्रेक्काण).—In India, the division of the zodiac into 36 ten degree portions is called either the drekkāṇa, the dreṣkāṇa, or the dṛkāṇa. The iconography and use of the drekkana’s is mention earliest by Sphujidhvaja in Yavanajataka (269-70 CE), and given detailed treatment by Varahamihira in his Brihat-Samhita (550 CE).
There are multiple types of drekkana in use in Indian astrology. The parivritti-drekkana goes in order of the signs; the first decan is Aries, the second is Taurus, the third is Gemini, the fourth is Cancer, etc. Then there is the trinal calculation which utilizes the elemental trines to each sign; In Aries there is Aries, Leo, and Sagittarius, while in Taurus there is Taurus, Virgo, and Capricorn. There are in total four variations of drekkana calculations. Indian astrologers will calculate these signs (varga) and create a new chart based upon the sign placement for predictive purposes.
Drekkāṇa (द्रेक्काण) refers to one of the topics discussed in the Siddhāntamaṇimañjarī, a Sanskrit manuscript collected in volume 1 of the catalogue “Notices of Sanskrit Manuscripts (first series)” by Rajendralal Mitra (1822–1891), who was one of the first English-writing historians dealing with Indian culture and heritage.— The Siddhāntamaṇimañjarī is an astrological compendium authored by Vecārāma Nyāyālaṅkāra which contains detailed accounts of the effects of particular conjunctions of the Planets. It contains roughly 400 ślokas.—The catalogue includes the term—Drekkāṇa in its ‘subject-matter list’ or Viṣaya (which lists topics, chapters and technical terms). The complete entry reads: drekkāṇakathanaṃ.
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.
Languages of India and abroad
Sanskrit dictionary
Drekkāṇa (द्रेक्काण).—m.
(-ṇaḥ) The regent of one-third of a planetary sign, the Decanus of European astrology, whence the word is probably derived.
Drekkāṇa (द्रेक्काण):—drekka or drekkāṇa or dreṣkāṇa = dṛkāna, [cf. Lexicographers, esp. such as amarasiṃha, halāyudha, hemacandra, etc.]
Drekkāṇa (द्रेक्काण):—(ṇaḥ) 1. m. Idem.
Drekkāṇa (द्रेक्काण):—m. s. u. dṛkāṇa .
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.
Kannada-English dictionary
Drēkkāṇa (ದ್ರೇಕ್ಕಾಣ):—[noun] (astrol.) the third part of a sign of the zodiac.
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: Drekkanakathana.
Full-text (+16): Drekka, Drekkanakathana, Dreshkana, Drikana, Devataguru, Brihaspati, Devaguru, Jagadvandya, Vishvatma, Suraguru, Abhishtadayaka, Vedaparaga, Sukhaprada, Shubhalakshana, Suracarya, Guru, Sarvajna, Vakpati, Shubhaprada, Angirasa.
Relevant text
Search found 11 books and stories containing Drekkana, Drekkāṇa, Drēkkāṇa, Drekkanas; (plurals include: Drekkanas, Drekkāṇas, Drēkkāṇas, Drekkanases). You can also click to the full overview containing English textual excerpts. Below are direct links for the most relevant articles:
Brihat Jataka by Varahamihira [Sanskrit/English] (by Michael D Neely)
Verse 25.13 < [Chapter 25 - Death]
Verse 26.2 < [Chapter 26 - Lost Horoscopes]
Verse 25.4 < [Chapter 25 - Death]
Narada Purana (English translation) (by G. V. Tagare)
Chapter 56.34 - Description of Marriage (Vivāha or Pāṇipīḍana) < [Part 2 - Pūrva-bhāga: Dvitīya-pāda]
Chapter 56.33 - Description of Vivāha-praśna (Solicitation for marriage) < [Part 2 - Pūrva-bhāga: Dvitīya-pāda]
Chapter 55 - Delineation of Horoscopy (jātaka-nirūpaṇa) < [Part 2 - Pūrva-bhāga: Dvitīya-pāda]
Phaladeepika by Mantreswara (text and translation) (by Panditabhushana V. Subrahmanya Sastri)
Chapter 3 - Divisions of the Zodiac
Chapter 17 - Exit from the World
Notices of Sanskrit Manuscripts (by Rajendralala Mitra)
Page 127 < [Volume 4 (1877)]
A Descriptive Catalogue of the Sanskrit Manuscripts, Madras (by M. Seshagiri Sastri)
Page 363 < [Volume 24 (1918)]
Brihat Samhita (by N. Chidambaram Iyer)
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