Kumbhakara, Kumbhakāra, Kumbha-kara: 17 definitions
Introduction:
Kumbhakara means something in Hinduism, Sanskrit, Jainism, Prakrit, Buddhism, Pali, the history of ancient India, 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
Arthashastra (politics and welfare)
Source: Shodhganga: Kakati Ganapatideva and his times (artha)Kumbhakāra (कुम्भकार, “potter”) refers to an official title designating one of the seventy-two officers (niyoga) of the Bāhattaraniyogādhipati circle, according to the Inscriptional glossary of Andhra Pradesh (Śāsana-śabdakośāmu). The bāhattaraniyoga-adhipati is the highest executive officer of this circle (including a Kumbhakāra). For example: During the reign of Gaṇapatideva, the area extending between Pānagal to Mārjavāḍi was entrusted to Gaṇḍapeṇḍāru Gangayasāhiṇi as Bāhattaraniyogādhipati. Later on, this office was entrusted to Kāyastha Jannigadeva.

Arthashastra (अर्थशास्त्र, arthaśāstra) literature concerns itself with the teachings (shastra) of economic prosperity (artha) statecraft, politics and military tactics. The term arthashastra refers to both the name of these scientific teachings, as well as the name of a Sanskrit work included in such literature. This book was written (3rd century BCE) by by Kautilya, who flourished in the 4th century BCE.
Shaivism (Shaiva philosophy)
Source: Brill: Śaivism and the Tantric Traditions (philosophy)Kumbhakāra (कुम्भकार) refers to “potters”, according to the Īśvarapratyabhijñāvivṛtivimarśinī 2.133.—Accordingly, “A manifestation necessarily requires a cause as regards both [its] arising and [its] not arising. And if there is no such [cause], then [this manifestation] is causeless. And since as a consequence there is no relation of cause and effect, [someone] who wants a pot should not get clay [and] should not go see a family of potters (kumbhakāra-kula); [and someone] who wants smoke should not get himself a fire. Moreover, the relation between the knowing subject and the object of knowledge has as its root the relation of cause and effect. [...]”.

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.
In Jainism
General definition (in Jainism)
Source: HereNow4u: Jain Dharma ka Maulika Itihasa (2)Kumbhakāra (कुम्भकार) or “Kumbhakāra Śakadālaputra” refers to one of the ten householders mentioned in the Upāsaka Daśā, one of the Dvādaśāṅgī (twelve Aṅgas) of Jainism.—As the name suggests 'uvāsagadasāo', the seventh Aṃga describes about the ten devotees (layman - householders). Its chapters are also ten, and so the name is appropriate. It has 1 Śruta skaṇdha, 10 chapters, 10 topics and 10 sub topics. It comprises of thousands of verses. Presently the quantity of this Āgama is 812 verses (ślokas). Its ten chapters describe the life of individual votaries like Anand et al. pertaining to different castes and professions [i.e., Kumbhakāra Śakadālaputra].

Jainism is an Indian religion of Dharma whose doctrine revolves around harmlessness (ahimsa) towards every living being. The two major branches (Digambara and Svetambara) of Jainism stimulate self-control (or, shramana, ‘self-reliance’) and spiritual development through a path of peace for the soul to progess to the ultimate goal.
India history and geography
Source: Google Books: Medieval Orissa: A Socio-economic StudyKumbhakāra (कुम्भकार) refers to a “potter” and represents one of the occupational groups commonly found in Townships or Urban centers (nagari) in ancient India (Medieval Orissa).—An example (of Township) is provided by the Nagari plates of Anangabhima III, dated A.D. 1230, which describe an assigned township which contained four large houses of the dimension of royal residences and thirty other houses. The occupational groups present in the settlement were [e.g., a potter (kumbhakāra)]. The range of occupations is large, some of them being rural in character. The context in which the township (or Urban centres—nagari) is assigned suggest that nagaris in such cases were perhaps extended villages, formed out of a cluster of several contiguous villages and thus assuming physical and consequently, economic dimensions much larger than those of an ordinary village settlement.

The history of India traces the identification of countries, villages, towns and other regions of India, as well as mythology, zoology, royal dynasties, rulers, tribes, local festivities and traditions and regional languages. Ancient India enjoyed religious freedom and encourages the path of Dharma, a concept common to Buddhism, Hinduism, and Jainism.
Languages of India and abroad
Pali-English dictionary
Source: BuddhaSasana: Concise Pali-English Dictionarykumbhakāra : (m.) potter.
Source: Sutta: The Pali Text Society's Pali-English DictionaryKumbhakāra refers to: (1). a potter; enumerated with other occupations and trades at D. I, 51=Miln. 331. Vin. IV, 7. In similes, generally referring to his skill D. I, 78=M. II, 18; Vism. 142, 376; Sn. 577; DhA. I, 39 (°sālā). rāja° the king’s potter J. I, 121.; (2). a bird (Phasianus gallus? Hardy) VvA. 163.—Cpds. : °antevāsin the potter’s apprentice D. I, 78=M. II, 18;
Note: kumbhakāra is a Pali compound consisting of the words kumbha and kāra.

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 Dictionarykumbhakāra (कुंभकार).—m S A potter.
Source: DDSA: The Aryabhusan school dictionary, Marathi-Englishkumbhakāra (कुंभकार).—m A potter.
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 dictionaryKumbhakāra (कुम्भकार).—
1) a potter; मृद्दण्डचक्रसंयोगात्कुम्भकारो यथा घटम् (mṛddaṇḍacakrasaṃyogātkumbhakāro yathā ghaṭam) (karoti) Y.3.146.
2) a mixed tribe (veśyāyāṃ viprataścauryāt kumbhakāraḥ sa ucyate Uśanas; or mālākārātkarmakaryāṃ kumbhakāro vyajāyata Parāśara).
3) a serpent.
4) a kind of wild fowl. (-rī), -कारिका (kārikā) 1 the wife of a potter.
2) a kind of collyrium.
Derivable forms: kumbhakāraḥ (कुम्भकारः).
Kumbhakāra is a Sanskrit compound consisting of the terms kumbha and kāra (कार).
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Benfey Sanskrit-English DictionaryKumbhakāra (कुम्भकार).—[kumbha-kāra], m. A potter, [Pañcatantra] 217, 20.
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Cappeller Sanskrit-English DictionaryKumbhakāra (कुम्भकार).—[masculine] a potter (a cert. mixed caste).
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary1) Kumbhakāra (कुम्भकार):—[=kumbha-kāra] [from kumbha] m. a potter (being according to some authorities the son of a Brāhman by a wife of the Kṣatriya caste), [Yājñavalkya iii, 146; Mahābhārata] etc.
2) [v.s. ...] a serpent, [cf. Lexicographers, esp. such as amarasiṃha, halāyudha, hemacandra, etc.]
3) [v.s. ...] a wild fowl (Phasianus gallus), [cf. Lexicographers, esp. such as amarasiṃha, halāyudha, hemacandra, etc.]
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Yates Sanskrit-English DictionaryKumbhakāra (कुम्भकार):—[kumbha-kāra] (raḥ) 1. m. A potter; a wild fowl. f. (rī) A collyrium; red arsenic; a potter’s wife.
Source: DDSA: Paia-sadda-mahannavo; a comprehensive Prakrit Hindi dictionary (S)Kumbhakāra (कुम्भकार) in the Sanskrit language is related to the Prakrit word: Kuṃbhāra.
[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.
Kannada-English dictionary
Source: Alar: Kannada-English corpusKuṃbhakāra (ಕುಂಭಕಾರ):—[noun] = ಕುಂಭಗಾಱ [kumbhagara].
Kannada is a Dravidian language (as opposed to the Indo-European language family) mainly spoken in the southwestern region of India.
See also (Relevant definitions)
Partial matches: Kara, Kumbha.
Starts with: Kumbhakara Jataka, Kumbhakaragama, Kumbhakaraka, Kumbhakarakakukkuta, Kumbhakarakukkuta, Kumbhakarakula, Kumbhakarasala.
Ends with: Gauda kumbhakara, Rajakumbhakara.
Full-text (+22): Kumbhara, Upapadasamasa, Karandu, Ghatikara, Gauda kumbhakara, Pattikara, Rajakumbhakara, Nandapala, Tailika, Kumbhakari, Ahicchatra, Kampillanagara, Nalakara, Bhabbata, Manosila, Bhaggava, Khatarupakara, Shakadalaputra, Bhargava, Kamsakara.
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Search found 13 books and stories containing Kumbhakara, Kumbhakāra, Kumbha-kara, Kumbha-kāra, Kuṃbhakāra; (plurals include: Kumbhakaras, Kumbhakāras, karas, kāras, Kuṃbhakāras). You can also click to the full overview containing English textual excerpts. Below are direct links for the most relevant articles:
The Agni Purana (by N. Gangadharan)
Chapter 355 - Different kinds of compounds
Chapter 359 - Adding the kṛt affixes (primary affixes added to verbs)
Trishashti Shalaka Purusha Caritra (by Helen M. Johnson)
List of 18 guilds < [Notes]
History of Indian Medicine (and Ayurveda) (by Shree Gulabkunverba Ayurvedic Society)
Chapter 18 - People and their Professions < [Part 4 - Some Aspects of Life in Caraka’s Times]
Puranic encyclopaedia (by Vettam Mani)
Maha Prajnaparamita Sastra (by Gelongma Karma Migme Chödrön)
Gifts practiced by Śākyamuni in his jātakas < [Part 14 - Generosity and the other virtues]
Appendix 5 - Story of the bhikṣu Uttara < [Chapter XLII - The Great Loving-kindness and the Great Compassion of the Buddhas]
Part 8 - Origin of the name Ānanda < [Chapter VI - The Great Bhikṣu Saṃgha]
The Brihaddharma Purana (abridged) (by Syama Charan Banerji)