Keshanta, Keśānta, Kesha-anta, Keśāntā: 10 definitions
Introduction:
Keshanta means something in Buddhism, Pali, Hinduism, Sanskrit. 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 terms Keśānta and Keśāntā can be transliterated into English as Kesanta or Keshanta, using the IAST transliteration scheme (?).
In Hinduism
Dharmashastra (religious law)
Source: Shodhganga: Facts of society in the ManusamhitaKeśānta (केशान्त):—There is a ceremony named Keśānta. The very term is suggestive of the fact of shaving of hair. It signifies not only the hair the shaving but also the shaving of other parts of the body such as arm-pits, chin. According to Manu, the keśānta-saṃskāra is performed for a brāhmaṇa in his sixteenth year kṣatriya in the twenty second and for a vaiśya in the twenty fourth of his age.
Dharmashastra (धर्मशास्त्र, dharmaśāstra) contains the instructions (shastra) regarding religious conduct of livelihood (dharma), ceremonies, jurisprudence (study of law) and more. It is categorized as smriti, an important and authoritative selection of books dealing with the Hindu lifestyle.
Purana and Itihasa (epic history)
Source: archive.org: Shiva Purana - English TranslationKeśānta (केशान्त) refers to a religious ceremony in which the hair were cut off was performed upon Brāhmins at 16 years of age, Kṣattriyas at 22 and Vaiśyas at 24. Cf. Manu. II.65, Yājñavalkya 1.36.
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
Tibetan Buddhism (Vajrayana or tantric Buddhism)
Source: Wisdom Library: Tibetan Buddhism1) Keśānta (केशान्त) is the name of Vidyārāja (i.e., “wisdom king”) mentioned as attending the teachings in the 6th century Mañjuśrīmūlakalpa: one of the largest Kriyā Tantras devoted to Mañjuśrī (the Bodhisattva of wisdom) representing an encyclopedia of knowledge primarily concerned with ritualistic elements in Buddhism. The teachings in this text originate from Mañjuśrī and were taught to and by Buddha Śākyamuni in the presence of a large audience (including Keśānta).
2) Keśāntā (केशान्ता) is also the name of a Yakṣiṇī mentioned as attending the teachings in the 6th century Mañjuśrīmūlakalpa.
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
Sanskrit dictionary
Source: DDSA: The practical Sanskrit-English dictionaryKeśānta (केशान्त).—
1) the tip of the hair.
2) long hair hanging down, a lock of tuft of hair.
3) cutting of the hair as a religious ceremony; केशान्तः षोडशे वर्षे ब्राह्मणस्य विधीयते । राजन्यबन्धोर्द्वाविंशे वैश्यस्य द्वयधिके ततः (keśāntaḥ ṣoḍaśe varṣe brāhmaṇasya vidhīyate | rājanyabandhordvāviṃśe vaiśyasya dvayadhike tataḥ) || Manusmṛti 2.65.
Derivable forms: keśāntaḥ (केशान्तः).
Keśānta is a Sanskrit compound consisting of the terms keśa and anta (अन्त).
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Shabda-Sagara Sanskrit-English DictionaryKeśānta (केशान्त).—m.
(-ntaḥ) 1. Cutting off the hair finally as a religious ceremony, performed upon Brahmans at sixteen years of age; Kshetriyas at twenty-two; and Vaisyas at twenty-four. 2. The tip or end of hair. E. keśa and anta end.
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Cappeller Sanskrit-English DictionaryKeśānta (केशान्त).—[masculine] end or lock of hair, tuft; tonsure.
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary1) Keśānta (केशान्त):—[from keśa] m. (ifc. f(ā). ) the border of the hair on the forehead, [Śāṅkhāyana-gṛhya-sūtra; Taittirīya-upaniṣad; Rāmāyaṇa; Suśruta]
2) [v.s. ...] long hair hanging down, lock of hair, tuft, [Mahābhārata; Rāmāyaṇa] etc.
3) [v.s. ...] cutting off the hair finally (as a religious ceremony performed upon Brāhmans at 16 years of age, Kṣatriyas at 22, and Vaiśyas at 24), [Pāraskara-gṛhya-sūtra; Gobhila-śrāddha-kalpa; Manu-smṛti ii, 65; Yājñavalkya i, 36]
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Yates Sanskrit-English DictionaryKeśānta (केशान्त):—[keśā+nta] (ntaḥ) 1. m. The duty of tonsure; the end of the hair.
[Sanskrit to German]
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)
Starts with: Keshantakarana, Keshantasamskara.
Ends with: Asitakeshanta, Lulitakulakeshanta, Lulitalakakeshanta, Subhrunasakshikeshanta, Sukeshanta.
Full-text (+1): Keshantika, Asitakeshanta, Subhrunasakshikeshanta, Keshantakarana, Vishnupadadikeshantastuti, Shodasha, Shivapadadikeshantavarnanastotra, Rajanyabandhu, Lulitakulakeshanta, Lulitalakakeshanta, Sukeshanta, Kecantam, Dhupa, Utkshepa, Samskara, Godana, Kship, Shankha, Antika, Adhika.
Relevant text
Search found 7 books and stories containing Keshanta, Keśānta, Kesanta, Kesha-anta, Keśa-anta, Kesa-anta, Keśāntā; (plurals include: Keshantas, Keśāntas, Kesantas, antas, Keśāntās). You can also click to the full overview containing English textual excerpts. Below are direct links for the most relevant articles:
Manusmriti with the Commentary of Medhatithi (by Ganganatha Jha)
Verse 2.65 < [Section XIV - Hair-clipping (keśānta)]
Verse 2.68 < [Section XV - Sacraments for Females]
Section XIV - Hair-clipping (keśānta) < [Discourse II - Sources of Knowledge of Dharma]
Paraskara-grihya-sutra (by Hermann Oldenberg)
Formal Education System in Ancient India (by Sushmita Nath)
Number of Saṃskāras < [Chapter 2 - Rituals of the Education System]
Gobhila-grihya-sutra (by Hermann Oldenberg)
The Shiva Purana (by J. L. Shastri)
Chapter 17 - The Story of Guṇanidhi < [Section 2.1 - Rudra-saṃhitā (1): Sṛśṭi-khaṇḍa]
The Skanda Purana (by G. V. Tagare)
Chapter 36 - The Rites and Duties of a Religious Student < [Section 1 - Pūrvārdha]
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