Kutapa, Kuṭapa, Ku-tapa: 16 definitions
Introduction:
Kutapa means something in 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-śāstra1) Kutapa (कुतप) refers to “musical instruments”, according to the Nāṭyaśāstra 2.80-82.—“The architect should value the sound of musical instruments (kutapa) when building the playhouse (nāṭyamaṇḍapa). Accordingly, “The playhouse should be made like a mountain cavern and it should have two floors [on two different levels] and small windows; And it should be free from wind and should have good acoustic quality. For [in such a playhouse] made free from the interference of wind, voice of actors and singers as well as the sound of musical instruments (kutapa) will acquire volume”.
2) Kutapa (कुतप) refers to “orchestra”, according to the Nāṭyaśāstra chapter 33.—“The members of the orchestra (kutapa) should be seated on the stage with their face to the east. The Orchestra should be placed between the two doors of the tiring room mentioned before. The player of a Muraja (Mṛdaṅga) should face the stage; to his right should sit the player of a Paṇava, and to his left the player of a Dardara. Here the Orchestra (kutapa) relates first to the players of covered instruments. Among them a male singer will face the north, to his left will be the Vīṇā-player and to his right the two flute-players. And a female singer will face the male singer. So much about the seating the orchestra”.
Source: Sreenivasarao’s blog: Music of IndiaBharatha mentions three groups (kutapa) of music-performers:
- Tata-kutapa (the vocalists, the players on string instruments, and the flutists),
- Avanaddha-kutapa (players on percussion instruments such as Mrudanga, Pavana and Dardura),
- Natyakrta-kutapa (actors and actresses who take part in the play).

Natyashastra (नाट्यशास्त्र, nāṭyaśāstra) refers to both the ancient Indian tradition (shastra) of performing arts, (natya—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), construction and performance of Theater, and Poetic works (kavya).
Dharmashastra (religious law)
Source: Google Books: Manusmṛti with the Manubhāṣya1) The Kutapa (कुतप) is a piece of cloth of the shape of a blanket, and made of the goat-wool; it is known among the Northerners as ‘Kambala’ (Blanket). This he should give as sent. (Also see the Manubhāṣya, verse 3.234)
2) Kutapa as “a particular kind of blanket made of the wool of goats common in the, regions of Avantī (Ujjain)” (or var: lec: in mountainous regions). (Also see the Manubhāṣya, verse 5.119)
3) The word (kutapa) also means “the hour of the day after half-past eleven, the best suited for the offering of Śrāddhas”. This meaning, however, is not applicable to the present verse. (Also see the Manubhāṣya, verse 3.234)

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: Puranic EncyclopediaKutapa (कुतप).—After-noon, considered to be auspicious for performing obsequies. The offerings made to Pitṛs at Kutapa are the best. (Ādi Parva, Southern text, Chapter 93).
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: The Purana IndexKutapa (कुतप).—Eight in relation to a śrāddha—middle noon, khaḍgapātra, Nepal shawl, silver, kuśa grass, seasamum, cow, son of a daughter: ety. kutsitam pāpam tapanti; Of 5 and 6 are born of Viṣṇu's body and are by themselves enough to protect a śrāddha.*
- * Matsya-purāṇa 22. 84-9.

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.
General definition (in Hinduism)
Source: Google Books: Puspika: Tracing Ancient India Through Texts and TraditionsKutapa (कुतप).—The three ensembles (kutapa), described immediately before the ‘fire-wheel’ passage in Nāṭyaśāstra 28.3-6, are called, respectively,
- tatakutapa (‘the ensemble of the stringed instruments’),
- avanaddhakutapa (‘the ensemble of the covered instruments’)
- and nāṭyakutapa (‘the ensemble of theatre’).
Languages of India and abroad
Marathi-English dictionary
Source: DDSA: The Molesworth Marathi and English Dictionarykutapa (कुतप).—m n (kutupa S) The eighth portion of the day, the period of noon. An eligible time for sacrifices to the manes.
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 dictionaryKuṭapa (कुटप).—
1) A measure of grain (= kuḍava).
2) A garden near a house.
3) A sage, an ascetic.
-pam A lotus.
Derivable forms: kuṭapaḥ (कुटपः).
--- OR ---
Kutapa (कुतप).—1 A Brāhmaṇa.
2) A twice-born man (dvijanman).
3) The sun.
4) Fire
5) A guest.
6) An ox, a bull.
7) A daughter's son.
8) A sister's son.
9) Grain.
1) The eighth Muhūrta of the day; Mahābhārata (Bombay) 13.126.36; cf. अह्नो मुहूर्ता विख्याता दश पञ्च च सर्वदा । तत्राष्टमो मुहूर्तो यः स कालः कुतपः स्मृतः (ahno muhūrtā vikhyātā daśa pañca ca sarvadā | tatrāṣṭamo muhūrto yaḥ sa kālaḥ kutapaḥ smṛtaḥ) ||
11) A musical instrument.
12) A time suitable for the performance of sacrifices to the manes.
-pam 1 The Kuśa grass.
Derivable forms: kutapaḥ (कुतपः).
--- OR ---
Kutapa (कुतप).—
1) a sort of blanket (made of the hair of the mountain goat).
2) the eighth Muhūrta or portion of the day.
3) a daughter's or sister's son.
4) the sun.
Derivable forms: kutapaḥ (कुतपः).
Kutapa is a Sanskrit compound consisting of the terms ku and tapa (तप).
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Shabda-Sagara Sanskrit-English DictionaryKuṭapa (कुटप).—m.
(-paḥ) 1. A saint, a divine sage or Muni. 2. A garden or grove near a house. 3. A measure of grain, &c. see kuḍapa n.
(-paṃ) A lotus. E. kuṭa a house, and pa what nourishes.
--- OR ---
Kutapa (कुतप).—mfn.
(-paḥ-pā-paṃ) Slightly hot, mild, tepid. mn.
(-paḥ-paṃ) 1. The eight Muhurta or portion of the day, from the last Danda of the second watch to the first of the third or about noon; an eligible time for the performance of sacrifices to the manes. 2. A daughter’s son. 3. A musical instrument. 4. A sort of blanket made of the hair of the mountain goat. 5. Sacrificial grass, (Poa cynosuroides.) m.
(-paḥ) 1. The. sun. 2. Fire. 3. A twice born man, one of the three first classes. 4. A guest. 5. A sister’s son. 6. An ox. E. ku the earth, and tapa what warms, or ku diminutive, and tapa heat; the sun being on the decline, &c.
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Benfey Sanskrit-English DictionaryKutapa (कुतप).—[ku-tap + a], m. and n. 1. A blanket made of the hair of the mountain goat, [Mānavadharmaśāstra] 3, 234. 2. The eighth portion of the day, about noon, Mahābhārata 13, 6040.
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Cappeller Sanskrit-English DictionaryKutapa (कुतप).—[masculine] [neuter] a blanket of goat-hair; [masculine] Kuśa grass.
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary1) Kutapa (कुतप):—[=ku-tapa] [from ku] a mfn. slightly hot, [Horace H. Wilson]
2) [v.s. ...] mn. ([gana] ardharcādi) a sort of blanket (made of the hair of the mountain goat), [Gautama-dharma-śāstra; Manu-smṛti; Yājñavalkya; Varāha-mihira’s Bṛhat-saṃhitā]
3) [v.s. ...] m. the Kuśa grass (Poa cynosuroides), [Hemādri’s Caturvarga-cintāmaṇi]
4) [v.s. ...] the eighth Muhūrta or portion of the day from the last Daṇḍa of the second watch to the first of the third or about noon (an eligible time for the performance of sacrifices to the Manes), [Mahābhārata xiii, 6040; Matsya-purāṇa]
5) [v.s. ...] grain, [cf. Lexicographers, esp. such as amarasiṃha, halāyudha, hemacandra, etc.]
6) [v.s. ...] a daughter’s son, [cf. Lexicographers, esp. such as amarasiṃha, halāyudha, hemacandra, etc.]
7) [v.s. ...] a sister’s son, [cf. Lexicographers, esp. such as amarasiṃha, halāyudha, hemacandra, etc.]
8) [v.s. ...] a twice-born man (one of the first three classes), [cf. Lexicographers, esp. such as amarasiṃha, halāyudha, hemacandra, etc.]
9) [v.s. ...] a Brāhman, [cf. Lexicographers, esp. such as amarasiṃha, halāyudha, hemacandra, etc.]
10) [v.s. ...] a guest, [cf. Lexicographers, esp. such as amarasiṃha, halāyudha, hemacandra, etc.]
11) [v.s. ...] the sun, [cf. Lexicographers, esp. such as amarasiṃha, halāyudha, hemacandra, etc.]
12) [v.s. ...] fire, [cf. Lexicographers, esp. such as amarasiṃha, halāyudha, hemacandra, etc.]
13) [v.s. ...] an ox, [cf. Lexicographers, esp. such as amarasiṃha, halāyudha, hemacandra, etc.]
14) [v.s. ...] a kind of musical instrument, [cf. Lexicographers, esp. such as amarasiṃha, halāyudha, hemacandra, etc.]
15) Kuṭapa (कुटप):—m. a measure of grain, etc. (= kuḍava), [Jyotiṣa; Uṇādi-sūtra iii, 141]
16) m. a divine sage or Muni, [cf. Lexicographers, esp. such as amarasiṃha, halāyudha, hemacandra, etc.]
17) a garden or grove near a house (= niṣkuṭa), [cf. Lexicographers, esp. such as amarasiṃha, halāyudha, hemacandra, etc.]
18) n. a lotus, [cf. Lexicographers, esp. such as amarasiṃha, halāyudha, hemacandra, etc.]
19) Kutapa (कुतप):—[=ku-tapa] [from ku-tanaya] b etc. See, [ib.]
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Yates Sanskrit-English Dictionary1) Kuṭapa (कुटप):—[kuṭa-pa] (paḥ) 1. m. A sage; garden near a house; measure of grain.
2) Kutapa (कुतप):—[ku-tapa] (paḥ-paṃ) 1. m. n. The eighth hour or portion of the day, about noon; the sun; fire; daughter’s or sister’s son; a guest; sacrificial grass. a. Tepid.
[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 corpusKuṭapa (ಕುಟಪ):—
1) [noun] a kitchen garden.
2) [noun] a sage; an ascetic.
3) [noun] a lotus flower.
--- OR ---
Kutapa (ಕುತಪ):—[adjective] slightly hot; warm.
--- OR ---
Kutapa (ಕುತಪ):—
1) [noun] the period (approx.) from 12.20 p.m. to 1.10 pm believed to be the right time for giving oblations to the Manes.
2) [noun] the time of day from noon to evening; afternoon.
3) [noun] the hollow formed by both palms put together facing upward and the central portion slightly depressed.
4) [noun] defilement or stoppage of a sacrifice in the middle.
5) [noun] the grass Desmostachya tripinnata of Poaceae family; Kuśa grass.
6) [noun] a kindof musical instrument.
7) [noun] a man belonging to Brāhmaṇa caste.
8) [noun] the sun.
9) [noun] fire.
10) [noun] a person entertained at the home of another; a guest.
11) [noun] an ox; a bull.
12) [noun] a daughter’s son.
13) [noun] a sister’s son.
14) [noun] a small, hard seed or seedlike fruit, esp. that of any cereal plant, as wheat, rice, corn, rye, etc.; a grain.
--- OR ---
Kutāpa (ಕುತಾಪ):—[noun] the sufferings, agony of the people, in gen. (on the earth).
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: Kuta, Tapa, Ku, Pa.
Starts with: Kutapadya, Kutapahara, Kutapakala, Kutapala, Kutapalaka, Kutapalam, Kutapana, Kutapapul, Kutaparbba, Kutaparva, Kutaparvva, Kutapasa, Kutapasaptaka, Kutapasaushruta, Kutapashtaka, Kutapasi, Kutapasvin, Kutapatra, Kutapavidari, Kutapavinyasa.
Full-text: Kutupa, Kautapa, Kutapasaptaka, Kutapasaushruta, Kutapavinyasa, Kutapahara, Kutapini, Kutapashtaka, Kutapakala, Kutu, Saushruta, Nepathya, Kudava, Pratyahara, Nishkuta, Jarjara, Muhurta, Kut, Abhijit.
Relevant text
Search found 12 books and stories containing Kutapa, Kuṭapa, Ku-tapa, Kuta-pa, Kuṭa-pa, Kutāpa; (plurals include: Kutapas, Kuṭapas, tapas, pas, Kutāpas). 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 3.234 < [Section XIV - Method of Feeding]
Verse 5.119 < [Section XIII - Purification of Substances]
The Skanda Purana (by G. V. Tagare)
Chapter 205 - Brāhmaṇas Unfit for Śrāddha < [Section 1 - Prabhāsa-kṣetra-māhātmya]
Chapter 206 - Procedure for Performing Śrāddha < [Section 1 - Prabhāsa-kṣetra-māhātmya]
Chapter 34 - In Praise of the Chariot-Procession < [Section 2 - Puruṣottama-kṣetra-māhātmya]
The Religion and Philosophy of Tevaram (Thevaram) (by M. A. Dorai Rangaswamy)
Chapter 4.3 - (d) Technical terms used by Arurar in relation to Dance and Music < [Volume 2 - Nampi Arurar and Mythology]
Chapter 4.3 - (e) Arurar’s references to Dance < [Volume 2 - Nampi Arurar and Mythology]
Cosmetics, Costumes and Ornaments in Ancient India (by Remadevi. O.)
2.4. Kambala (Blanket) < [Chapter 2 - Costumes]
1. Materials for Garments (c): Woollen clothes < [Chapter 2 - Costumes]
The Padma Purana (by N.A. Deshpande)
Chapter 11 - A list of sacred places (tīrtha) < [Section 1 - Sṛṣṭi-khaṇḍa (section on creation)]
Chapter 135 - The Greatness of Sābhramatī < [Section 6 - Uttara-Khaṇḍa (Concluding Section)]
Chapter 50 - The Account of the Five < [Section 1 - Sṛṣṭi-khaṇḍa (section on creation)]
Hindu Origins of Javanese Music < [January-February 1933]
Theatre Architecture in Ancient India < [October – December, 1998]
Theatre-Architecture in Ancient India < [July-August 1933]