Kshapa, Kṣapa, Kṣapā: 13 definitions

Introduction:

Kshapa means something in 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 Kṣapa and Kṣapā can be transliterated into English as Ksapa or Kshapa, using the IAST transliteration scheme (?).

In Hinduism

Purana and Itihasa (epic history)

Kṣapā (क्षपा) refers to the “(close of the) nights”, according to the Śivapurāṇa 2.2.22. Accordingly as Sitā said to Śiva:—“[...] the most unbearable season of the advent of clouds (ghanāgama or jaladāgama) has arrived with clusters of clouds of diverse hues, and their music reverberating in the sky and the various quarters. [...] During the close of the nights (kṣapā) the circle of lightning appears like the blazing submarine fire in the ocean”.

Source: archive.org: Shiva Purana - English Translation
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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Ayurveda (science of life)

Kalpa (Formulas, Drug prescriptions and other Medicinal preparations)

Kṣapā (क्षपा) is another name for “Haridrā” and is dealt with in the 15th-century Yogasārasaṅgraha (Yogasara-saṅgraha) by Vāsudeva: an unpublished Keralite work representing an Ayurvedic compendium of medicinal recipes. The Yogasārasaṃgraha [mentioning kṣapā] deals with entire recipes in the route of administration, and thus deals with the knowledge of pharmacy (bhaiṣajya-kalpanā) which is a branch of pharmacology (dravyaguṇa).

Source: Shodhganga: Edition translation and critical study of yogasarasamgraha

Toxicology (Study and Treatment of poison)

Kṣapā (क्षपा) (seeds) is the name of an ingredient used in the treatment (cikitsā) of rat poison (ākhu-viṣa), according to the Kāśyapa Saṃhitā: an ancient Sanskrit text from the Pāñcarātra tradition dealing with both Tantra and Viṣacikitsā—an important topic from Āyurveda which deals with the study of Toxicology (Viṣavidyā or Sarpavidyā).—Kāśyapa has recommended a slew of generic formulae that successfully neutralise rat poison.—According to Kāśyapasaṃhitā (verse 11.84): “Intake of tablet prepared from a khārī of two kinds of Kṣapā (kṣapādvaya) Seeds [bījakṣapādvayam], mixed with the urine of goat and cow, along with the root of Nirguṇḍī and jaggery, promptly destroys poison of home bound rats”.

Source: Shodhganga: Kasyapa Samhita—Text on Visha Chikitsa
Ayurveda book cover
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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.

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Shaivism (Shaiva philosophy)

Kṣapā (क्षपा) refers to “demons”, according to the Netratantra of Kṣemarāja: a Śaiva text from the 9th century in which Śiva (Bhairava) teaches Pārvatī topics such as metaphysics, cosmology, and soteriology.—Accordingly, [verse 10.1-7ab, while describing the appearance and worship of Bhairava]—“Now, at this moment, I shall explain the distinct appearance of Bhairava, [who] resembles an ointment [that clears the eye]. He has a nature that burns up and dissolves all things. Five-faced, atop a corpse, ten-armed [and] terrible, he resembles troops with demon mouths (kṣapā-mukha-gaṇa-prakhya). He rumbles, [producing] a terrible noise, speaks with a gaping mouth [adorned with] with large tusks, [his face] bent in a frown. [...] Having worshipped Bhairava, [the Mantrin] remembers being joined in union [with] him, [in the same way as] dissolution in fire”.

Source: SOAS University of London: Protective Rites in the Netra Tantra
Shaivism book cover
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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.

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Languages of India and abroad

Sanskrit dictionary

Kṣapa (क्षप).—Water.

Derivable forms: kṣapaḥ (क्षपः).

--- OR ---

Kṣapā (क्षपा).—[kṣapayati ceṣṭām; kṣi-ṇic ac]

1) A night; बिगमयत्युन्निद्र एव क्षपाः (bigamayatyunnidra eva kṣapāḥ) Ś.6.5; R.2.2; Meghadūta 112.

2) Turmeric.

Source: DDSA: The practical Sanskrit-English dictionary

Kṣapā (क्षपा).—f.

(-pā) Night. E. kṣap to send or reject, a affix, and ṭāp fem. do.

Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Shabda-Sagara Sanskrit-English Dictionary

Kṣapā (क्षपा).—i. e. 3. kṣi, [Causal.], + a, f. Night, Rām, 2, 25, 9.

— Cf. probably [Latin] crepusculum.

Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Benfey Sanskrit-English Dictionary

Kṣapā (क्षपा).—[feminine] night.

Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Cappeller Sanskrit-English Dictionary

1) Kṣapa (क्षप):—[from kṣap] mfn. [varia lectio] for kṣama q.v.

2) Kṣapā (क्षपा):—[from kṣap] a ind. [instrumental case] at night, [Ṛg-veda]

3) [v.s. ...] 2. kṣapā f. ([Naighaṇṭuka, commented on by Yāska i, 7]; for 1. kṣ See 4. kṣap) night, [Ṛg-veda iv, 53, 7] ([instrumental case] [plural] pābhis), [Aitareya-brāhmaṇa i, 13; Mahābhārata] etc.

4) [v.s. ...] a measure of time equivalent to a whole day of twenty-four hours, [Jyotiṣa]

5) [v.s. ...] turmeric, [cf. Lexicographers, esp. such as amarasiṃha, halāyudha, hemacandra, etc.]

6) b See 4. kṣap.

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

Kṣapā (क्षपा):—(pā) 1. f. Night.

Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Yates Sanskrit-English Dictionary

[Sanskrit to German]

Kshapa in German

Kṣapa (क्षप) in the Sanskrit language is related to the Prakrit words: Khava, Khavā.

Source: DDSA: Paia-sadda-mahannavo; a comprehensive Prakrit Hindi dictionary (S)
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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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