The Sanskrit term Kaṣṭatara can be transliterated into English as Kastatara or Kashtatara, using the IAST transliteration scheme (?).

In Hinduism

Jyotisha (astronomy and astrology)

Source: Wisdom Library: Brihat Samhita by Varahamihira

Kaṣṭatara (कष्टतर) or Kaṣṭatama refers to a “very poor” [?] (condition of the world), according to the Bṛhatsaṃhitā (chapter 9), an encyclopedic Sanskrit work written by Varāhamihira mainly focusing on the science of ancient Indian astronomy astronomy (Jyotiṣa).—Accordingly, “If Venus (śukra) should either disappear or reappear in a northern Vīthi there will be prosperity and happiness in the land; if in a central Vīthi there will not be much of either; and if in a southern Vīthi mankind will be afflicted with miseries. If Venus should disappear or reappear in the several Vīthis beginning from the northernmost one, the condition of the world will respectively be—1. Very excellent, 2. Excellent, 3. Good. 4. Fair, 5. Moderate, 6. Tolerable, 7. Poor, 8. Very poor [i.e., kaṣṭatara], 9. Miserable”.

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.

Purana and Itihasa (epic history)

Source: archive.org: Shiva Purana - English Translation

Kaṣṭatara (कष्टतर) refers to “severe (penance)”, according to the Śivapurāṇa 2.3.15 (“The penance and reign of Tārakāsura”).—Accordingly, as Brahmā narrated: “Thus with ardour, the king of the demons [i.e., Tāraka] performed the severe penance [i.e., kaṣṭatara—kaṣṭataraṃ tepe sutapassa] duly unbearable even to those who heard about it. O sage, in the process of such a penance, a huge mass of light shot up from his head and spread all round. It caused great havoc. All the worlds of the gods were well nigh consumed by it alone. O sage, all the celestial sages were hard hit and distressed. [...]”.

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.

In Buddhism

Mahayana (major branch of Buddhism)

Source: De Gruyter: A Buddhist Ritual Manual on Agriculture

Kaṣṭatara (कष्टतर) refers to a “very bad thing”, according to the Vajratuṇḍasamayakalparāja, an ancient Buddhist ritual manual on agriculture from the 5th-century (or earlier), containing various instructions for the Sangha to provide agriculture-related services to laypeople including rain-making, weather control and crop protection.—Accordingly, [after Vairambhaka spoke to the Bhagavān], “Then, having heard this voice, all the Devas, Nāgas, Yakṣas, Gandharvas, Asuras, Garuḍas, Kiṃnaras, Mahoragas, humans and non-humans said, ‘Alas, alas, woe, woe, so bad (kaṣṭatara—kaṣṭataraṃ mahākaṣṭaṃ) that destroyers have arisen in the world’”.

context information

Mahayana (महायान, mahāyāna) is a major branch of Buddhism focusing on the path of a Bodhisattva (spiritual aspirants/ enlightened beings). Extant literature is vast and primarely composed in the Sanskrit language. There are many sūtras of which some of the earliest are the various Prajñāpāramitā sūtras.

Languages of India and abroad

Sanskrit dictionary

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

1) Kaṣṭatara (कष्टतर):—[=kaṣṭa-tara] [from kaṣṭa] mfn. worse, more pernicious, [Manu-smṛti vii, 53]

2) [v.s. ...] more difficult, [Monier-Williams’ Sanskrit-English Dictionary]

3) [v.s. ...] n. a worse evil.

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.

See also (Relevant definitions)

Partial matches: Kashta, Tara.

Full-text: Kashta, Kashtalabhya, Kashtatama, Prabodha, Mahakashta, Sutapas, Moha.

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