Kamsya, Kāṃsya, Kāṃsyā: 27 definitions

Introduction
In Hinduism
1. Ayurveda
2. Purana
3. Shaivism
4. Shilpashastra
5. Jyotisha
6. Vastushastra
7. Gitashastra
In Buddhism
1. Tibetan Buddhism
Languages
1. Marathi
2. Sanskrit
3. Hindi
4. Kannada
See also
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Introduction:

Kamsya 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.

Alternative spellings of this word include Kansy.

In Hinduism

Ayurveda (science of life)

Rasashastra (Alchemy and Herbo-Mineral preparations)

Source: Wisdom Library: Rasa-śāstra

Kāṃsya (कांस्य, “bell-metal”) is the name for a variation of ‘metal’ (dhātu/loha) from the sub-group named Miśraloha, according to the Rasaprakāśasudhākara: a 13th century Sanskrit book on Indian alchemy, or, Rasaśāstra. It is also known by its synonym Sauraṣṭra. Bell-metal has no variations.

Source: Indian Journal of History of Science: Rasaprakāśa-sudhākara, chapter 4-5

Kāṃsya (‘bell-metal’) reduced to an ash pacifies vātadoṣa, destroys pramehas. It isalso said here that all types of foods except amla, ghṛta and śāka if put in kāṃsyapātra turns pathya (acceptable to the body).

Source: PMC: Therapeutic potentials of metals in ancient India

Kamsya is another important Misra Loha, an alloy of Copper and Tin known since the period of Samhita Kala. Charaka used this metal to prepare Vasti netra. It is known as Bell Metal or Bronze. According to the descriptions given in Ayurveda Prakasha, there are two varieties of Kamsya viz. Pushpa and Tailika, only the former being acceptable for therapeutic applications. Samples giving a sharp sound (Teekshna Shabdam), soft (Mridu), smooth to touch (Snigdha), slightly grayish (Eshat Shyamalam), clear from impurities (Shubhram/Nirmalam) and turning red on heating (Dahe Raktam) possess the characteristic features of the material preferred for therapeutic purposes. Formulations of ‘Kamsya’ are beneficial in diseases like Krimi, Kusta etc.

Dietetics and Culinary Art (such as household cooking)

Source: Shodhganga: Dietetics and culinary art in ancient and medieval India

Kāṃsya (कांस्य) or Kāṃsyapātra refers to a “utensil made of bell-metal” (used for food) according to the 17th century Bhojanakutūhala (dravyaguṇāguṇa-kathana), and is commonly found in literature dealing with the topics of dietetics and culinary art, also known as Pākaśāstra or Pākakalā.—Different metallic vessels are described in the text. The vessels/utensils that are made of bell-metal (kāṃsya) have the following dietetic effects: buddhiprada (sharpen intellect), rucya (improves appetite) and raktapittaprasādana (clears the blood and bile).

Toxicology (Study and Treatment of poison)

Source: Shodhganga: Kasyapa Samhita—Text on Visha Chikitsa

Kāṃsya (कांस्य) refers to a “bell-metal (vessel)”, according to the Kāśyapa Saṃhitā: an ancient Sanskrit text from the Pāñcarātra tradition dealing with both Tantra and Viṣacikitsā—an important topic from Āyurveda which deals with the study of Toxicology (Viṣavidyā or Sarpavidyā).—Accordingly, one of the treatments is mentioned as follows: “Exhalation of warm goat-milk and ghee well cooked/boiled in a Bell-metal (kāṃsya) vessel removes vāta (cold) and poison. The same can be taken to treat other kinds of poisoning which affect the hands and stomach”.

context information

Āyurveda (आयुर्वेद, ayurveda) is a branch of Indian science dealing with medicine, herbalism, taxology, anatomy, surgery, alchemy and related topics. Traditional practice of Āyurveda in ancient India dates back to at least the first millenium BC. Literature is commonly written in Sanskrit using various poetic metres.

Purana and Itihasa (epic history)

Source: archive.org: Shiva Purana - English Translation

Kāṃsya (कांस्य) refers to a “bell metal pot”, which is mentioned as an item of wealth in order to demonstrate the wicked nature of gambling (durodara), according to the Śivapurāṇa 2.1.17.—Accordingly, “[...] O mistress! where is that gambling rogue of a son, Guṇanidhi? Or let it be. Why should I ask for him? [...] Where is that bell metal pot (kāṃsya) made in the South (dākṣiṇātya)? Where is that copper pot made in Bengal? Where is that ivory casket intended for curios and trinkets? [...]”.

Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: The Purana Index

Kāṃsya (कांस्य).—Fit to be a milking vessel and for a gift with a cow.^*

* Matsya-purāṇa 16. 26 & 32; 57. 20; 205. 2.

context information

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.

Shaivism (Shaiva philosophy)

Source: academia.edu: The Yoga of the Mālinīvijayottaratantra

Kāṃsya (कांस्य) or Kāṃsyatāla or Kaṃsa refers to the “sounds of cymbals” and represents one of the ten kinds of sounds (śabda) according to Jayaratha (author of the 13th century commentary Tantrālokaviveka on Abhinavagupta’s Tantrāloka). Jayaratha cites the Brahmayāmala passage giving this order of the ten sounds (e.g., Kāṃsya).

context information

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.

Shilpashastra (iconography)

Source: Shodhganga: The significance of the mūla-beras (śilpa)

1) Kāṃsya (कांस्य) refers to “bronze”, representing materials used for the making of images (Hindu icons), as defined in the texts dealing with śilpa (arts and crafs), known as śilpaśāstras.—The materials listed in the Āgamas for the making of images are wood, stone, precious gems, metals, terracotta, laterite, earth, and a combination of two or three or more of the materials specified above. Bronze (kāṃsya) and Brass (ārakūṭa or paittala) are used for portable icons.

2) Kāṃsyā (कांस्या) is the name of a Ḍākinī who, together with the Vīra (hero) named Kāṃsya forms one of the 36 pairs situated in the Ākāśacakra, according to the 10th century Ḍākārṇava chapter 15. Accordingly, the ākāśacakra refers to one of the three divisions of the dharma-puṭa (‘dharma layer’), situated in the Herukamaṇḍala. The 36 pairs of Ḍākinīs [viz., Kāṃsyā] and Vīras are dark blue in color; they each have one face and four arms; they hold a skull bowl, a skull staff, a small drum, and a knife. Alternatively, the Ḍākinīs have their own marks and motions according to the taste instead of a small drum and a skull staff.

Source: Shodhganga: Vaisnava Agamas And Visnu Images

Kāṃsya (कांस्य) refers to “icons made of bell-metal”, as defined in treatises such as the Pāñcarātra, Pādmasaṃhitā and Vaikhānasa-āgamas, extensively dealing with the technical features of temple art, iconography and architecture in Vaishnavism.—The Āgamas prescribe the metals and the results. The icon made of different metals brings different results. The icon made of bell-metal (kāṃsya) causes enmity (vidveṣa). [...] According to Atri the icon made of iron, tin, brass, lead and bell metal results in ābhicārika.

context information

Shilpashastra (शिल्पशास्त्र, śilpaśāstra) represents the ancient Indian science (shastra) of creative arts (shilpa) such as sculpture, iconography and painting. Closely related to Vastushastra (architecture), they often share the same literature.

Jyotisha (astronomy and astrology)

Source: Google Books: Studies in the History of the Exact Sciences (Astronomy)

Kāṃsya (कांस्य) refers to “white copper”, representing the material to be used for the images (pratimā) of Ketu, according to the grahaśānti (cf. grahayajña) section of the Yājñavalkyasmṛti (1.295-309), preceded by the section called vināyakakalpa (1.271-294), prescribing a rite to be offered to Vināyaka.—[Images of and offerings to grahas]—The materials which are used to compose the images (pratimā) of the grahas are prescribed: red copper (Sun), crystal (Moon), red sandal-wood (Mars), gold (Mercury and Jupiter), silver (Venus), iron (Saturn), lead (Rāhu) and white copper (Ketu) [i.e., kāṃsya]. Such prescriptions for the planetary images are not found in gṛhya texts except in the Āśvalāyanagṛhyapariśiṣṭa (2.3) where the materials are almost the same as those in Yājñavalkyasmṛti, the only difference being the use of saffron for Mercury instead of gold. According to the Śāntikalpa (13.3), red copper (Sun and Mars), gold (Mercury and Jupiter), silver (Moon and Venus), and black iron (Saturn, Rāhu, and Ketu) are used.

context information

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.

Vastushastra (architecture)

Source: Brill: Śaivism and the Tantric Traditions (architecture)

Kāṃsya (कांस्य) refers to “bell-metal”, according to the Devyāmata (in the section śalyoddhāra-paṭala or “excavation of extraneous substances”).—Accordingly, “[...] If [someone] scratches his toe, [the officiant] should prognosticate a foot of a horse [beneath the site]. It exists at a depth of one and a half vitastis. There is no doubt regarding this. If [someone] scratches his little toe, [the officiant] should prognosticate a piece of bell-metal (kāṃsya) [beneath] the spot. That [extraneous thing] exists [at a depth of] eight digits [underground]. There is no doubt about it. [...]”.

Source: Shodhganga: Elements of Art and Architecture in the Trtiyakhanda of the Visnudharmottarapurana (vastu)

Kāṃsya (कांस्य) or “bell-metal” is used as an ingredient of a mixture of Vajralepa (“a special kind of hard cement”) which was used in the construction of a Temple and as a binding agent for joining bricks, according to the Viṣṇudharmottarapurāṇa, an ancient Sanskrit text which (being encyclopedic in nature) deals with a variety of cultural topics such as arts, architecture, music, grammar and astronomy. In the Viṣṇudharmottarapurāṇa, five procedures of preparing the vajralepa are suggested.—The fourth kind of vajralepa is made by the mixture of some metals [e.g., two parts of kāṃsya i.e., bell metal]. It is seen that the portions of the metals, suggested in the Bṛhatsaṃhitā are similar as stated in the Viṣṇudharmottarapurāṇa.

context information

Vastushastra (वास्तुशास्त्र, vāstuśāstra) refers to the ancient Indian science (shastra) of architecture (vastu), dealing with topics such architecture, sculpture, town-building, fort building and various other constructions. Vastu also deals with the philosophy of the architectural relation with the cosmic universe.

Gitashastra (science of music)

Source: Shodhganga: Elements of Art and Architecture in the Trtiyakhanda of the Visnudharmottarapurana (gita)

Kāṃsya (कांस्य) refers to a musical instrument classified as Ghana (“those instruments which are made with some solid metals”) which represents one of the four kinds of Instrumental Music, produced by an instrument (ātodya), according to the Saṃgītaratnākara.—It can be said that as the word ghana denotes compactor solid, this kind of Music instruments are made with some solid metals. According to the Saṃgītaratnākara, the ghana kind of instruments [e.g., kāṃsya] make sound when they strike together.

context information

Gitashastra (गीतशास्त्र, gītaśāstra) refers to the ancient Indian science of Music (gita or samgita), which is traditionally divided in Vocal music, Instrumental music and Dance (under the jurisdiction of music). The different elements and technical terms are explained in a wide range of (often Sanskrit) literature.

In Buddhism

Tibetan Buddhism (Vajrayana or tantric Buddhism)

Source: academia.edu: The Structure and Meanings of the Heruka Maṇḍala

Kāṃsyā (कांस्या) is the name of a Ḍākinī who, together with the Vīra (hero) named Kāṃsya forms one of the 36 pairs situated in the Ākāśacakra, according to the 10th century Ḍākārṇava chapter 15. Accordingly, the ākāśacakra refers to one of the three divisions of the dharma-puṭa (‘dharma layer’), situated in the Herukamaṇḍala. The 36 pairs of Ḍākinīs [viz., Kāṃsyā] and Vīras are dark blue in color; they each have one face and four arms; they hold a skull bowl, a skull staff, a small drum, and a knife. Alternatively, the Ḍākinīs have their own marks and motions according to the taste instead of a small drum and a skull staff.

context information

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 Dictionary

kāṃsya (कांस्य).—& kāṃsyakāra S See kāṃsēṃ & kāṃsāra.

context information

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 dictionary

Kāṃsya (कांस्य).—a. [kaṃsāya pānapātrāya hitaṃ kaṃsīyaṃ tasya vikāraḥ yañ chalopaḥ cf. P.IV.3.168] Made of white copper or bellmetal; न पादौ धावयेत्कांस्ये (na pādau dhāvayetkāṃsye) Manusmṛti 4.65.

-syam 1 Bell-metal or white copper; Manusmṛti 5.114; Y.1.19.

2) A gong of bell-metal; Mahābhārata (Bombay) 4.

3) A kind of measure.

-syaḥ -syam A drinking vessel (of brass), a goblet; Śi. 15.81.

Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Shabda-Sagara Sanskrit-English Dictionary

Kāṃsya (कांस्य).—mn.

(-syaḥ-syaṃ) A goblet, a drinking vessel. n.

(-syaṃ) 1. White copper or brass, queen’s metal, any amalgam zinc and copper. 2. A musical instrument, a sort of gong or plate of bell-metal struck with a stick or rod. 3. A measure: see kaṃsa, &c. E. kasi to injure, ṇyat aff.

Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Benfey Sanskrit-English Dictionary

Kāṃsya (कांस्य).—i. e. kaṃsa + ya, I. adj. Made of brass, [Mānavadharmaśāstra] 4, 65. Ii. n. 1. Brass, [Mānavadharmaśāstra] 5, 114. 2. A drinking vessel, Mahābhārata 2, 1751.

Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Cappeller Sanskrit-English Dictionary

Kāṃsya (कांस्य).—[adjective] brazen; [neuter] brass.

Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary

1) Kāṃsya (कांस्य):—[from kāṃsīya] mf(ā)n. ([from] kaṃsa) consisting of white-copper or bell-metal or brass, [Kātyāyana-śrauta-sūtra; Mahābhārata xiii, 94, 91; Rāmāyaṇa; Manu-smṛti iv, 65]

2) [v.s. ...] n. white-copper or bell-metal or brass, queen’s metal, any amalgam of zinc and copper, [Manu-smṛti v, 114]

3) [v.s. ...] [xi, 167; xii, 62; Yājñavalkya i, 190; Suśruta]

4) [v.s. ...] a drinking vessel of brass, goblet, [Śāṅkhāyana-śrauta-sūtra; Mahābhārata; Rāmāyaṇa]

5) [v.s. ...] n. (ifc. f(ā). ), [Hemādri’s Caturvarga-cintāmaṇi] (cf. [Atharva-veda xviii, 3, 17])

6) [v.s. ...] n. a kind of musical instrument (a sort of gong or plate of bell-metal struck with a stick or rod), [cf. Lexicographers, esp. such as amarasiṃha, halāyudha, hemacandra, etc.]

7) [v.s. ...] a particular measure of capacity, [cf. Lexicographers, esp. such as amarasiṃha, halāyudha, hemacandra, etc.]

Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Yates Sanskrit-English Dictionary

Kāṃsya (कांस्य):—[(syaḥ-syaṃ)] 1. m. n. A goblet. n. White copper or brass; a gong of bell metal; a measure.

Source: DDSA: Paia-sadda-mahannavo; a comprehensive Prakrit Hindi dictionary (S)

Kāṃsya (कांस्य) in the Sanskrit language is related to the Prakrit word: Kaṃsa.

[Sanskrit to German]

Kamsya in German

context information

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 dictionary

Kāṃsya (कांस्य) [Also spelled kansy]:—(nm) see [kāṃsā; —padaka] a bronze medal; —[yuga] the bronze age.

context information

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Kannada-English dictionary

Source: Alar: Kannada-English corpus

Kāṃsya (ಕಾಂಸ್ಯ):—

1) [noun] an alloy of copper with up to one-third tin; bronze.

2) [noun] any kitchen vessel made of bronze.

context information

Kannada is a Dravidian language (as opposed to the Indo-European language family) mainly spoken in the southwestern region of India.

Relevant text

Search found 17 books and stories containing Kamsya, Kāṃsya, Kāṃsyā, Kāmsya; (plurals include: Kamsyas, Kāṃsyas, Kāṃsyās, Kāmsyas). You can also click to the full overview containing English textual excerpts. Below are direct links for the most relevant articles:

Verse 4.8.29 < [Chapter 8 - In the Story of the Yajña-sītās, the Glories of Ekādaśī]

Verses 4.8.26-27 < [Chapter 8 - In the Story of the Yajña-sītās, the Glories of Ekādaśī]

Verse 5.19.10 < [Chapter 19 - The Festival on Śrī Kṛṣṇa Return]

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Part 1 - Characteristics of Bell-metal (kamsya) < [Chapter IX - Mixed metals (2): Kamsya (bell-metal)]

Chapter IX - Mixed metals (2): Kamsya (bell-metal)

Part 1 - Characteristics of Varta-loha < [Chapter X - Mixed metals (3): Varta-loha]

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Verse 4.231 < [Section XV - Charity]

Verse 5.110 < [Section XIII - Purification of Substances]

Verse 12.62 < [Section IX - Details of Transmigration]

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