Kamakshi, Kāmākṣī, Kama-akshi: 12 definitions

Introduction:

Kamakshi means something in Hinduism, Sanskrit, Marathi. 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 Kāmākṣī can be transliterated into English as Kamaksi or Kamakshi, using the IAST transliteration scheme (?).

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In Hinduism

Shaktism (Shakta philosophy)

Source: Wisdom Library: Śāktism

Kāmākṣī (कामाक्षी, “lustful-eyed”).—One of the names of the Goddess, Devī, who is regarded as the female principle of the divine; the embodiement of the energies of the Gods.

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

Kāmākṣī (कामाक्षी) is the name of Devī (Goddess) enshrined at the Kamakshi Amman Temple in Kanchipuram, one of the most sacred places for the worship of the Goddess (Devī).—This Kāmākṣī Amman Temple is said to be the foremost and is hence called Ādi-pīṭha (the first place goddess Pārvatī came to the world). A large hall with ornate pillars enshrines the standing image of the four armed goddess called Lalita Kāmākṣī. The term “Kāmākṣī” is derived thus: Ka denotes “Brahmā,” ma denotes “Viṣṇu,” and akṣi denotes “eye”. Kāmakṣī is also called Kāmakoṭi, which means any prayer to the goddess for a particular blessing results in manifold blessings showered on her devotee.

Kāmākṣī according to sthala-purāṇas: The Devas prayed to Śiva to destroy Bandakāsūra who harassed them. Śiva told the devas to enter the tunnel at Mount Kailas and reach Kāñcī, and worship Kāmākṣī. They did as advised by Śiva. At the request of the devas, Kāmākṣī rose in anger and killed the asura and returned to Kāñcī. There she is found suppressing her anger.

Shaktism book cover
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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.

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Purana and Itihasa (epic history)

[«previous next»] — Kamakshi in Purana glossary
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: The Purana Index

Kāmākṣī (कामाक्षी).—The goddess enshrined in Kāñcī; Ādilakṣmī: said to possess one eye at Kāñcī and the other at Kāsi: also Mahālakṣmī;1 enshrined at Gandhamādana.2

  • 1) Brahmāṇḍa-purāṇa IV. 5. 7; 13. 1; 15. 35; 38. 81; 30. 5, 14 & 21; 40. 1, 16, 85-105.
  • 2) Matsya-purāṇa 13. 26.
Purana book cover
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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.

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Shilpashastra (iconography)

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

Kāmākṣī is the deity enshrined at the Kamakshi Amman Temple in Kanchipuram, one of the most sacred places for the worship of the Goddess (Devī).—When the devotee crosses the icon of Vināyaka, there is the utsava Kāmākṣī Amman sannidhi. Goddess Lakṣmī and Sarasvatī are seen on either side of Kāmākṣī Amman. There is a small siṃha (lion), the vehicle of Kāmākṣī, in front of the sannidhi. A little to the front of the lion’s statue, there is a sannidhi for Śrī Tuntīra Mahārāja with folded hands in añjali hasta facing the utsava Kāmākṣī Amman sannidhi. This king is said to have ruled Tondai maṇḍala. The three goddesses in the utsava Kāmākṣī Amman sannidhi are found in their respective poses.

In the garbhagṛha, the icon of Kāmākṣī is seen seated with folded legs in brahma sthānaka. In pratimā lakṣaṇa, this position is termed padmāsana. Kāmakṣī is represented with four hands. The upper right and left hands are in kapittha-hasta. The upper right hand holds aṅkuśa and the upper left hand holds pāśa. The lower right hand is in kapittha and the lower left hand is in muṣṭi. The lower right hand holds the lotus with a parrot on the lotus and the lower left hand holds the sugarcane. In pratimā-lakṣaṇa, the lower right hand is in kaṭaka-hasta and the lower left hand is in muṣṭi hasta. The Kāmākṣī found in the main sanctum has the same attributes as the Kāmākṣī in the utsava Kāmākṣī Amman sannidhi. On the left side of her head is the half moon. She glitters when seen from the āsthāna-maṇḍapa.

Shilpashastra book cover
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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.

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General definition (in Hinduism)

Source: WikiPedia: Hinduism

The goddess Kamakshi is a form of Tripura Sundari or Parvati or the universal mother goddess. The main abode of Kamakshi is the Kamakshi Amman temple at Kanchipuram. Other important forms of goddess Tripura Sundari are MeenakshiMinakshi The main temples of Kamakshi Devi in Goa are the Kamakshi Rayeshwar temple at Shiroda.

Source: Oxford Reference: A Dictionary of Hinduism

A supreme but benign form of the Goddess worshipped in the temple of the same name at Kāñcīpuram. She is connected with the Śrīdevī of the Śrīvidyā cult, and worshipped with the śrīvidyā mantra.

Languages of India and abroad

Marathi-English dictionary

Source: DDSA: The Molesworth Marathi and English Dictionary

kāmākṣī (कामाक्षी).—f (S) A flower shrub, Canna Indica.

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.

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Sanskrit dictionary

Source: DDSA: The practical Sanskrit-English dictionary

Kāmākṣī (कामाक्षी).—Name of Durgā.

Kāmākṣī is a Sanskrit compound consisting of the terms kāma and akṣī (अक्षी). See also (synonyms): kāmākhyā.

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

1) Kāmākṣī (कामाक्षी):—[from kāma] f. a form of Durgā

2) [v.s. ...] Name of a district sacred to Durgā in Assam.

[Sanskrit to German]

Kamakshi 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.

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Kannada-English dictionary

Source: Alar: Kannada-English corpus

Kāmākṣi (ಕಾಮಾಕ್ಷಿ):—

1) [noun] Pārvati, the consort of Śiva.

2) [noun] a kind of vīṇa (indian lute).

3) [noun] the berry of the tree Elaeocarpus sphaericus (= E. ganitrus) of Elaeocarpaceae family, used for rosaries.

context information

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

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