Karkata, Karkaṭa: 13 definitions
Introduction
Karkata means something in Buddhism, Pali, 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.
In Hinduism
Natyashastra (theatrics and dramaturgy)
Source: Wisdom Library: Nāṭya-śāstraKarkaṭa (कर्कट, “crab”) refers to a gesture (āṅgika) made with ‘combined hands’ (saṃyuta), according to the Nāṭyaśāstra chapter 8. The hands (hasta) form a part of the human body which represents one of the six major limbs (aṅga) used in dramatic performance. With these limbs are made the various gestures (āṅgika), which form a part of the histrionic representation (abhinaya).
Source: archive.org: The mirror of gesture (abhinaya-darpana)One of the saṃyutta-hastāni (Twenty-four combined Hands).—Karkaṭa (crab): the fingers of the hands are interlocked, and the hands turned inwards or outwards. Usage: group, stoutness, blowing the conch, stretching the limbs, bending thebough of a tree.
According to another book: in the Urṇa-nābha hand, the fingers of one hand are introduced into the interspaces of thoseof the other hand. Its patron deity is Viṣṇu. Usage: lamentation, yawning, breathing hard, crab, blowing the conch, cracking the fingers by women.
Source: archive.org: Natya ShastraKarkaṭa (कर्कट, “crab”).—A type of gesture (āṅgika) made with combined hands (saṃyuta-hasta);—(Instructions): When the fingers of the hands are interlocked the Karkaṭa hand is produced.
(Uses): It is used to indicate the bees-wax, massaging of the limbs, yawning just after awakening from sleep, a big body, supporting the chin and holding a conch-shell [for blowing it].
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).
Shaivism (Shaiva philosophy)
Source: Wisdom Library: ŚaivismKarkaṭa (कर्कट) is the name of a nāga chief, presiding over Gabhasti, according to the Parākhyatantra 5.44-45. Gabhasti refers to one of the seven pātālas (‘subterranean paradise’). The word pātāla in this tantra refers to subterranean paradises for seekers of otherworldly pleasures and each the seven pātālas is occupied by a regent of the daityas, nāgas and rākṣasas.
The Parākhyatantra is an old Śaiva-siddhānta tantra dating from before the 10th century.
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.
Pancaratra (worship of Nārāyaṇa)
Source: archive.org: Isvara Samhita Vol 5Karkaṭa (कर्कट) refers to one of the seven forest-products that are fit for oblation according to verse 25.59 of the Īśvarasaṃhitā, dealing with the classification of the places for building the fire-pits (kuṇḍa). Accordingly, “bamboo (veṇu), śyāmāka, nīvāra (wild gram), jartila, gavīdhuka, karkaṭa and kanaka are the seven which grow in the forest. Śāli is important among them. Others are to be taken in its absence, or that of others”.
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.
Vaishnavism (Vaishava dharma)
Source: Pure Bhakti: Arcana-dipika - 3rd EditionKarkaṭa (कर्कट) corresponds to “cancer” (mid July to mid August) and refers to one of the zodiac signs (rāśī) in the Vedic calendar.—Rāśī refers to the different signs of the zodiac through which the sun travels. For precise dates, please refer to a Vedic calendar. In accordance with the zodiac sign the sun is situated in, one would utter [for example, karkaṭa-rāśī sthite bhāskare]
Vaishnava (वैष्णव, vaiṣṇava) or vaishnavism (vaiṣṇavism) represents a tradition of Hinduism worshipping Vishnu as the supreme Lord. Similar to the Shaktism and Shaivism traditions, Vaishnavism also developed as an individual movement, famous for its exposition of the dashavatara (‘ten avatars of Vishnu’).
In Buddhism
Tibetan Buddhism (Vajrayana or tantric Buddhism)
Source: academia.edu: The Structure and Meanings of the Heruka MaṇḍalaKarkaṭa (कर्कट) is the name of a Vīra (hero) who, together with the Ḍākinī named Karkaṭī forms one of the 36 pairs situated in the Jalacakra, according to the 10th century Ḍākārṇava chapter 15. Accordingly, the jalacakra refers to one of the three divisions of the saṃbhoga-puṭa (‘enjoyment layer’), situated in the Herukamaṇḍala. The 36 pairs of Ḍākinīs and Vīras [viz., Karkaṭa] are white in color; the shapes of their faces are in accordance with their names; they have four arms; they hold a skull bowl, a skull staff, a small drum, and a knife..
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 Dictionarykarkaṭa (कर्कट).—m (S) karkāṭaka n karkōṭaka n A pair of compasses. 2 A crab.
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-English dictionary
Source: DDSA: The practical Sanskrit-English dictionaryKarkaṭa (कर्कट).—1 A crab.
2) Cancer, the fourth sign of the zodiac.
3) A kind of crane.
4) The fibrous root of a lotus.
5) A thorn.
6) The curved end of the beam of a balance.
7) A kind of coitus (ratibandha).
8) The radius of a circle.
9) Compass, circuit.
1) A kind of pin or wedge.
-ṭī 1 A female crab.
2) A kind of cucumber.
3) The curved end of a balance.
4) A small water-pot.
Derivable forms: karkaṭaḥ (कर्कटः).
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Shabda-Sagara Sanskrit-English DictionaryKarkaṭa (कर्कट).—m.
(-ṭaḥ) 1. A crab. 2. The sign of the zodiac, (Cancer.) 3. A kind of bird, the numidian crane. 4. A long gourd: see tumbī. 5. The fibrous root of the lotus. 6. The curved end of the beam of a balance, to which the strings supporting the scale are attached. 7. A compass. 8. The radius of a circle. f.
(-ṭā) A plant, commonly Kurkavali, (Momordica mixta.) f. (-ṭī) 1. A kind of cucumber, (Cucumis utilatissimus, Rox.) 2. The fruit of the silk cotton tree. 3. A snake. 4. A water jar. E. karka a Sautra root, to laugh or smile, and aṭan affix, fem. affix ṭāp or ṅīṣ.
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Benfey Sanskrit-English DictionaryKarkaṭa (कर्कट).—a form of * karkarta, i. e. an old reduplicated form of kṛt + a, I. m. 1. A crab, [Pañcatantra] iv. [distich] 10. 2. The sign of the zodiac, Cancer, [Rāmāyaṇa] 1, 19, 2. 3. The name of a plant, [Suśruta] 2, 253, 12. Ii. f. ṭī, A female crab, Mahābhārata 4, 272. Iii. m., f. ṭī, The curved end of the beam of a balance, [Pañcatantra] ii. [distich] 74.
— Cf. [Latin] cancer; .
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Cappeller Sanskrit-English DictionaryKarkaṭa (कर्कट).—[masculine] a crab; the sign Cancer.
Sanskrit, also spelled संस्कृतम् (saṃskṛtam), is an ancient language of India commonly seen as the grandmother of the Indo-European language family. 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.
See also (Relevant definitions)
Starts with: Karkatahva, Karkataka, Karkatakam, Karkatakarajju, Karkatakasthi, Karkatakhya, Karkatanga, Karkatasamkranti, Karkatasankranti, Karkatashringi, Karkatashringika, Karkatasthi, Karkatavalli, Karkatayala.
Full-text (+39): Karkati, Karkatashringika, Karkatashringi, Karkatahva, Karkatavalli, Karkatanga, Karkatakhya, Karkatasthi, Ghatakarkatatala, Karkatika, Ahimsra, Kasanashini, Dakshinayana, Shikhari, Karkatasankranti, Vishanika, Karkatasamkranti, Tagana, Kakkataka, Kakolyadi.
Relevant text
Search found 22 books and stories containing Karkata, Karkaṭa, Karkaṭā; (plurals include: Karkatas, Karkaṭas, Karkaṭās). You can also click to the full overview containing English textual excerpts. Below are direct links for the most relevant articles:
Rasa Jala Nidhi, vol 3: Metals, Gems and other substances (by Bhudeb Mookerjee)
Part 13 - Tuber Poison (13): Karkata or Karkota < [Chapter XXX - Visha (poisons)]
Introduction to Poisons (visha)
Part 14 - Dietary presecriptions and prohibitions when taking iron < [Chapter IV - Metals (4): Lauha (iron)]
The Mirror of Gesture (abhinaya-darpana) (by Ananda Coomaraswamy)
Chapter 28 - Hands denoting Water Creatures
Plate XII - Single and Combined Hands (part 2) < [Plates]
Rasa Jala Nidhi, vol 4: Iatrochemistry (by Bhudeb Mookerjee)
Part 46 - Treatment for chronic diarrhea (18): Nripendra-vallabha rasa < [Chapter III - Jvaratisara fever with diarrhoea]
Part 47 - Treatment for chronic diarrhea (19): Rajendra-vallabha rasa < [Chapter III - Jvaratisara fever with diarrhoea]
Bhagavati-sutra (Viyaha-pannatti) (by K. C. Lalwani)
Part 2 - Sound of a horse < [Chapter 3]
The Padma Purana (by N.A. Deshpande)
Chapter 222 - Kāśī, Gokarṇa, Śivakāñcī, Tīrthasaptaka and Bhīmakuṇḍa < [Section 6 - Uttara-Khaṇḍa (Concluding Section)]
Chapter 59 - In Praise of Rudrākṣa < [Section 1 - Sṛṣṭi-khaṇḍa (section on creation)]
Rasa Jala Nidhi, vol 2: Minerals (uparasa) (by Bhudeb Mookerjee)
Part 2 - Purification of Bimala < [Chapter III - Uparasa (3): Bimala or Vimala (pyrites with red tints)]
Part 2 - Purification of shilajatu < [Chapter IV - Uparasa (4): Shilajatu or Shilajit (bitumen)]
Part 4 - Process for creation of Dhanya-abhra (paddy mica) < [Chapter I - Uparasa (1): Abhra or Abhraka (mica)]