Kanti, Kaṇṭī, Kānti: 21 definitions
Introduction
Introduction:
Kanti means something in Hinduism, Sanskrit, Buddhism, Pali, 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.
In Hinduism
Shaktism (Shakta philosophy)
Source: Wisdom Library: ŚāktismKānti (कान्ति, “beauty, splendour”):—Name of one of the sixty-four mātṛs to be worshipped during Āvaraṇapūjā (“Worship of the Circuit of Goddesses”, or “Durgā’s Retinue”), according to the Durgāpūjātattva. They should be worshipped with either the five upācāras or perfume and flowers.
Her mantra is as follows:
ॐ कान्त्यै नमः
oṃ kāntyai namaḥ.

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.
Pancaratra (worship of Nārāyaṇa)
Source: Wisdom Library: PāñcarātraKānti (कान्ति, “beauty, loveliness”):—One of the twenty-four emanations of Lakṣmī accompanying Nārāyaṇa. This particular manifestation couples with his counterpart form called Nārāyaṇa and together they form the second celestial couple. Lakṣmī represents a form of the Goddess (Devī) as the wife of Viṣṇu, while Nārāyaṇa represents the personification of his creative energy, according to the Pāñcarātra literature.

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.
Purana and Itihasa (epic history)
Source: archive.org: Shiva Purana - English TranslationKānti (कान्ति) refers to “splendour” and is used to describe Goddess Umā, according to the Śivapurāṇa 2.3.3.—Accordingly, as the Gods eulogized Umā (Durgā/Satī) with devotion:—“[...] you are sleep in all living beings; you are hunger, satiety, thirst, splendour (i.e., kānti), brilliance and contentment. You are the delighter of every one for ever. To those who perform meritorious actions you are the goddess of fortune. To the sinners you are the eldest sister, the deity of Ignominy; you are peace for the universe, and the mother sustaining lives”.
Source: archive.org: Puranic EncyclopediaKānti (कान्ति).—A city in ancient India. (Mahābhārata Bhīṣma Parva, Chapter 9, Verse 40).
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: The Purana Index1a) Kānti (कान्ति).—A śakti.*
- * Brahmāṇḍa-purāṇa IV. 44. 72.
1b) A Brahma kalā.*
- * Brahmāṇḍa-purāṇa IV. 35. 94.

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.
Natyashastra (theatrics and dramaturgy)
Source: Wisdom Library: Nāṭya-śāstra1) Kānti (कान्ति, “loveliness”) refers to one of the ten merits (guṇa) of a dramatic play (kāvya), according to Nāṭyaśāstra chapter 17. They are characterised by their sweetness and depth of meaning.
2) Kānti (कान्ति, “charm”) refers to one of the ten “ involuntary graces” of women (svābhāvikā), according to the Nāṭyaśāstra chapter 24. These involuntary (spontaneous) graces, represent one of the three aspects of graces (alaṃkāra) which forms which forms the support of sentiments (rasa) in drama. These involuntary graces (such as kānti) are defined according to the science of sāmānyābhinaya, or “harmonious representation”.
According to the Nāṭyaśāstra, “beauty which is full of a lover’s passion, is called ‘charm’ (kānti)”.
Source: archive.org: Natya ShastraKānti (कान्ति, “loveliness”).—One of the ten guṇas (merits) of a kāvya (dramatic play);—Description of kānti: When a composition gives delight to the ears as well as to the mind on account of its well-put-together words, it is an instance of Loveliness (kānti).

Natyashastra (नाट्यशास्त्र, nāṭyaśāstra) refers to both the ancient Indian tradition (śāstra) of performing arts, (nāṭya, e.g., theatrics, drama, dance, music), as well as the name of a Sanskrit work dealing with these subjects. It also teaches the rules for composing dramatic plays (nataka) and poetic works (kavya).
Ayurveda (science of life)
Source: archive.org: Vagbhata’s Ashtanga Hridaya Samhita (first 5 chapters)Kānti (कान्ति) refers to “beauty”, as mentioned in verse 5.37-39 of the Aṣṭāṅgahṛdayasaṃhitā (Sūtrasthāna) by Vāgbhaṭa.—Accordingly, “[...] [ghee is] recommended for [...] children, old people, those desirous of offspring, beauty [viz., kānti], great tenderness, and voice, [...]: ghee [viz., ghṛta] (is) possessed of a thousand powers (and), by its (many) ways of application, productive of a thousand effects”.
Note: Prajā (“offspring”) has been translated by bu (“son”), kānti (“beauty”) by mdaṅs bzaṅ (“fair complexion”), and saukumārya (“great tenderness”) by rab gźon (“great youthfulness”) (gźon-pa being so far attested only as an adjective). The following arthin (“desirous of”), which in Sanskrit belongs to prajā, kanti, saukumārya, and svara alike, has in Tibetan been confined to prajā.
Source: WorldCat: Rāj nighaṇṭuKaṇṭī (कण्टी) is another name for Apāmārga, a medicinal plant identified with Achyranthes aspera Linn. (“prickly chaff-flower”) from the Amaranthaceae or “amaranth” family of flowering plants, according to verse 4.88-91 of the 13th-century Raj Nighantu or Rājanighaṇṭu. The fourth chapter (śatāhvādi-varga) of this book enumerates eighty varieties of small plants (pṛthu-kṣupa). Together with the names Kaṇṭī and Apāmārga, there are a total of twenty-three Sanskrit synonyms identified for this plant.

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.
Languages of India and abroad
Pali-English dictionary
Source: BuddhaSasana: Concise Pali-English Dictionarykanti : (aor. of kantati) spined; cut; sheared; incised.

Pali is the language of the Tipiṭaka, which is the sacred canon of Theravāda Buddhism and contains much of the Buddha’s speech. Closeley related to Sanskrit, both languages are used interchangeably between religions.
Marathi-English dictionary
Source: DDSA: The Molesworth Marathi and English Dictionarykāṇṭī (कांटी) [or काटी, kāṭī].—f (kāṇṭā) A thorny tree or bush: also a detached branch of such. 2 The name of the two side-lines of the square drawn in the play āṭyā pāṭyā: the other line from end to end is pāṭī. 3 Applied to the bābhaḷa (Acacia) whilst small and young. kāṇṭī lāvaṇēṃ (gharāsa-saṃsārāsa-vyavahārāsa-rōjagārāsa) To ruin, destroy, crush. Ex. āpulyā saṃsārāsa lā- vūna kāṇṭī || āmacē pāṭhīṃ lāgalāsa kāṃ ||. kāṭyā āpalyā pōṭāvara ōḍhaṇēṃ To be ready to draw thorny bushes over one's belly--rather than not stuff it. To be very greedy or selfish. kāṭyākuṭyā f pl Thorny bushes and shrubs. Pr. durūna ḍōṅgara sājarā javaḷa gēlē kā0 Things (or matters) agreeable in the distance often show roughnesses on near approach to them. kāṇṭyā ghāsaṇēṃ with sīṃ of o. To scold roughly: also to harass, worry, torment. kāṇṭyāñcē kōlhē karaṇēṃ (To make jackals out of thorn-bushes.) To make a serious charge out of little matter. kāṇṭyāṃvarūna ōḍhaṇēṃ (To drag over thorny bushes) To worry grievously: also to scold coarsely and vehemently.
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kānti (कांति).—f (S) Beauty, splendor, light, lustre. 2 pop. kāntī f The exuvies or slough of a snake.
Source: DDSA: The Aryabhusan school dictionary, Marathi-Englishkāṇṭī (कांटी).—f A thorny tree or bush. kāṇṭī lavaṇēṃ Ruin, destroy.
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kānti (कांति).—f Beauty, lustre. The slough of a snake.
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 dictionaryKānti (कान्ति).—[kam bhāve ktin]
1) Loveliness, beauty, Me. 15; अक्लिष्टकान्ति (akliṣṭakānti) Ś.5.19.
2) Brightness, lustre, brilliance; Me.84.
3) Personal decoration or embellishment.
4) Wish, desire.
5) (In Rhet.) Beauty enhanced by love; (S. D. thus distinguishes kānti from śobhā and dīptiḥ -rūpayauvanalālityaṃ bhogādyairaṅgabhūṣaṇam | śobhā proktā saiva kānti- rmanmathāpyāyitā dyutiḥ | kāntirevātivistīrṇā dāptirityabhidhīyate 13, 131).
6) A lovely or desirable woman.
7) An epithet of Durgā.
8) A digit of the moon.
9) Name of Lakṣmī; भूषणानि महार्हाणि ददौ कान्तिः शुभां स्रजम् (bhūṣaṇāni mahārhāṇi dadau kāntiḥ śubhāṃ srajam) Bhāg.1.65.29.
Derivable forms: kāntiḥ (कान्तिः).
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Shabda-Sagara Sanskrit-English DictionaryKanti (कन्ति).—mfn. (-ntiḥ-ntiḥ-nti) Happy. E. kam and ti aff.
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Kānti (कान्ति).—f.
(-ntiḥ) 1. Beauty, splendor, light. 2. Female beauty. 3. Wish, desire. 4. A lovely or desirable woman. 5. Persoual decoration or embellishment. E. kam to desire or be desired, ktin aff.
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Benfey Sanskrit-English DictionaryKānti (कान्ति).—i. e. kam + ti, f. Beauty, [Indralokāgamana] 5, 7.
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Cappeller Sanskrit-English DictionaryKānti (कान्ति).—[feminine] (adj. —° [feminine] also ī) loveliness, splendour, beauty, [especially] womanly beauty, charms.
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary1) Kanti (कन्ति):—[from kanta] a mfn. idem, [ib.]
2) [from kam] b mfn. idem, [Tārānātha tarkavācaspati’s Vācaspatyam, Sanskrit dictionary]
3) Kānti (कान्ति):—[from kānta] f. desire, wish, [cf. Lexicographers, esp. such as amarasiṃha, halāyudha, hemacandra, etc.]
4) [v.s. ...] loveliness, beauty, splendour, female beauty, personal decoration or embellishment, [Nalopākhyāna; Śakuntalā; Meghadūta; Pañcatantra; Suśruta; Kathāsaritsāgara]
5) [v.s. ...] a lovely colour, brightness (especially of the moon), [Kathāsaritsāgara]
6) [v.s. ...] (fī. ifc.), [Caurapañcāśikā]
7) [v.s. ...] (in rhetoric) beauty enhanced by love, [Vāmana’s Kāvyālaṃkāravṛtti iii, 1, 22; xxii, 14; Sāhitya-darpaṇa]
8) [v.s. ...] a lovely or desirable woman personified as wife of the moon, [Harivaṃśa 5419]
9) [v.s. ...] Name of Lakṣmī, [Bhāgavata-purāṇa x, 65, 29]
10) [v.s. ...] of Durgā, [DevīP.]
11) Kāntī (कान्ती):—[from kānta] f. Name of a town.
[Sanskrit to German] (Deutsch Wörterbuch)
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Sanskrit-Wörterbuch in kürzerer FassungKānti (कान्ति):—f. (adj. Comp. f. auch ī) —
1) *Begehr , Verlangen. —
2) Liebreiz , Lieblichkeit , Anmuth , Schönheit. —
3) liebliche Farbe , heller Schein (insbes. des Mondes [116,17.] [Indische sprüche 2121.7756.] —
4) in der Rhet. gesteigerte Anmuth [Vāmana’s Kāvyālaṃkāravṛtti 3,1.22.22,14.] —
5) personif. , insbes. als Gattin des Mondes ; auch Beiname der Lakṣmī und der Durgā.
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Kāntī (कान्ती):—([Indische studien von Weber 15,337]) und nagarī f. Nomen proprium einer Stadt.
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 dictionaryKanti in Hindi refers in English to:—(nf) brightness, lustre, splendour, gloss; loveliness; ~[maya/mana] bright, lustrous, glossy..—kanti (कांति) is alternatively transliterated as Kāṃti.
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See also (Relevant definitions)
Starts with (+12): Kantibhrit, Kanticandra, Kantida, Kantidayaka, Kantidayin, Kantihara, Kantika, Kantikara, Kantikosala, Kantila, Kantimala, Kantiman, Kantimant, Kantimat, Kantimati, Kantimatiparinaya, Kantimatta, Kantin, Kantina, Kantinagari.
Ends with (+20): Anukanti, Attakanti, Avakkanti, Bhushanakanti, Borakanti, Brihatkanti, Candrakanti, Chandrakanti, Dantakanti, Dukanti, Gabbhavakkanti, Hemakanti, Indukanti, Jivitanikanti, Kalakanti, Kancanakanti, Kuntakanti, Laghubhushanakanti, Lambhitakanti, Mandakanti.
Full-text (+63): Kantinagari, Kantimat, Kantihara, Kantida, Kantikara, Kantibhrit, Kantidayaka, Guna, Suryakanti, Mandakanti, Kati, Candrakanti, Namadvadashi, Kantimatta, Kantipuri, Vishnukanti, Ramababhala, Vishnukantitirtha, Kantimati, Kantiraja.
Relevant text
Search found 26 books and stories containing Kanti, Kaṇṭī, Kānti, Kāṇṭī, Kāntī; (plurals include: Kantis, Kaṇṭīs, Kāntis, Kāṇṭīs, Kāntīs). You can also click to the full overview containing English textual excerpts. Below are direct links for the most relevant articles:
Śrī Kṛṣṇa-vijaya (by Śrī Gunaraja Khan)
The Garuda Purana (by Manmatha Nath Dutt)
Chapter XXI - Mode of worshipping, the Panchavaktra (fivefaced) manifestation of Shiva < [Agastya Samhita]
Chapter XXXVIII - The mode of worshipping the deities, Durga, etc. < [Agastya Samhita]
Chapter CXXIX - The Pratipad Vratas < [Brihaspati (Nitisara) Samhita]
The backdrop of the Srikanthacarita and the Mankhakosa (by Dhrubajit Sarma)
Introduction: Socio-cultural study of the Śrīkaṇṭhacarita < [Chapter IV - Socio-cultural study of the Śrīkaṇṭhacarita]
Part 3 - Guṇa or the quality < [Chapter III - Literary Assessment Of The Śrīkaṇṭhacarita]
Brihad Bhagavatamrita (commentary) (by Śrī Śrīmad Bhaktivedānta Nārāyana Gosvāmī Mahārāja)
Verse 2.4.70 < [Chapter 4 - Vaikuṇṭha (the spiritual world)]
Verse 2.4.23 < [Chapter 4 - Vaikuṇṭha (the spiritual world)]
Verse 2.2.221 < [Chapter 2 - Jñāna (knowledge)]
Harivamsha Purana (by Manmatha Nath Dutt)
Chapter 41 - Balarama Gets Drunk < [Book 2 - Vishnu Parva]
Sri Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu (by Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī)
Verse 3.2.33 < [Part 2 - Affection and Service (dāsya-rasa)]
Verse 3.4.15 < [Part 4 - Parenthood (vātsalya-rasa)]
Verse 4.4.12 < [Part 4 - Compassion (karuṇa-rasa)]