Mashaka, Maśaka, Māsaka, Masaka, Māṣaka: 25 definitions
Introduction:
Mashaka means something in Buddhism, Pali, Hinduism, Sanskrit, the history of ancient India, Marathi, Hindi. 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 Maśaka and Māṣaka can be transliterated into English as Masaka or Mashaka, using the IAST transliteration scheme (?).
Alternative spellings of this word include Mashak.
In Hinduism
Kavya (poetry)
Source: Wisdom Library: KathāsaritsāgaraMaśaka (मशक) refers to “flies and mosquitoes”, according to the seventeenth story of the Vetālapañcaviṃśati in the Kathāsaritsāgara, chapter 91. Accordingly, as the Vetāla said to king Trivikramasena:—“... servants are bound to preserve their masters even by the sacrifice of their lives. But kings are inflated with arrogance, uncontrollable as elephants, and when bent on enjoyment they snap as under the chain of the moral law. [...] And the breeze of the waving chowries fans away the atoms of the sense of scripture taught them by old men, as it fans away flies and mosquitoes [viz., maśaka]. [...]”.
The Kathāsaritsāgara (‘ocean of streams of story’), mentioning maśaka, is a famous Sanskrit epic story revolving around prince Naravāhanadatta and his quest to become the emperor of the vidyādharas (celestial beings). The work is said to have been an adaptation of Guṇāḍhya’s Bṛhatkathā consisting of 100,000 verses, which in turn is part of a larger work containing 700,000 verses.
Source: OpenEdition books: Vividhatīrthakalpaḥ (Kāvya)Māṣaka (माषक) in Sanskrit (or Māṣaka in Prakrit) is the name of a coin, as is mentioned in the Vividhatīrthakalpa by Jinaprabhasūri (13th century A.D.): an ancient text devoted to various Jaina holy places (tīrthas).—(Sircar 1966 p. 200).
Kavya (काव्य, kavya) refers to Sanskrit poetry, a popular ancient Indian tradition of literature. There have been many Sanskrit poets over the ages, hailing from ancient India and beyond. This topic includes mahakavya, or ‘epic poetry’ and natya, or ‘dramatic poetry’.
Purana and Itihasa (epic history)
Source: archive.org: Shiva Purana - English TranslationMāṣaka (माषक) refers to “black gram” which is used in the worship of Śiva, according to the Śivapurāṇa 2.1.13:—“[...] then the Ācamana shall be offered and cloth dedicated. Gingelly seeds, barley grains, wheat, green gram or black gram (māṣaka) shall then be offered to Śiva with various mantras. Then flowers shall be offered to the five-faced noble soul. Lotuses, rose, Śaṅkha, and Kuśa flowers, Dhattūras, Mandāras grown in a wooden vessel, holy basil leaves or Bilva leaves shall be offered to each of the faces in accordance with the previous meditation or according to one’s wish. By all means Śiva favourably disposed to His devotees shall be worshipped with great devotion. If other flowers are not available, Bilva leaves shall be used exclusively in the worship of Śiva”.
Source: archive.org: Puranic EncyclopediaMaśaka (मशक).—A place in the ancient island of Śāka. Mahābhārata, Bhīṣma Parva, Chapter 11 says that in ancient times, Kings used to live there for the fulfilment of their desires.
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: The Purana IndexMāṣaka (माषक).—Weight in gold; fine for failure to feed Brahmanas when there is occasion for it and for mentioning one man to a prostitute and taking her to another; in silver for causing injury to animals and insects and for other offences.*
- * Matsya-purāṇa 227. 7, 89, 108, 146.
Maśaka (मशक) refers to “flies” (viz., in the forest), according to the Rāmāyaṇa chapter 2.28. Accordingly:—“[...] soothening with kind words to Sītā, when eyes were blemished with tears, the virtuous Rāma spoke again as follows, for the purpose of waking her turn back: ‘[...] Oh, frail princess! Flying insects, scorpions insects including mosquitoes and flies (maśaka) always annoy every one. Hence, forest is full of hardship’”.
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.
Ayurveda (science of life)
Source: gurumukhi.ru: Ayurveda glossary of termsMaśakā (मशका):—[maśakāḥ] Mosquitoes.
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.
General definition (in Hinduism)
Source: archive.org: Vedic index of Names and SubjectsMaśaka (मशक) denotes a ‘biting fly’ or ‘mosquito’, being described in the Atharvaveda1 as ‘quickly (?) biting’ (tṛpra-daṃśin), and as having a poisonous sting. The elephant is mentioned as particularly subject to its stings. The insect is often referred to elsewhere. Cf. Daṃśa.
In Buddhism
Mahayana (major branch of Buddhism)
Source: De Gruyter: A Buddhist Ritual Manual on AgricultureMaśaka (मशक) refers to “mosquitos” (causing crop destruction), 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, [As the Bhagavān teaches an offering manual]: “[...] All crops, all flowers and fruits will be well protected. [...] All pests will be destroyed. Snakes, mice, mongooses, porcupines, goats, frogs, stinging insects (daṃśa), mosquitos (maśaka), locusts and so on, flocks of birds will perish. All worms will be destroyed. Furthermore, flying insects and so on do not occur. They are never able to destroy. [...]”.
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.
India history and geography
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Indian Epigraphical GlossaryMāṣaka.—(IE 8-8), name of a coin; cf. māṣa and dināri- māṣaka; mentioned as a silver coin (K. V. Rangaswami Aiyangar, Kṛtyakalpataru, Vyavahāra-kāṇḍa, p. 125). Note: māṣaka is defined in the “Indian epigraphical glossary” as it can be found on ancient inscriptions commonly written in Sanskrit, Prakrit or Dravidian languages.
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Māṣaka.—same as māṣa; according to the Kṛtyakalpataru, a silver coin as opposed to the gold māṣa Note: māṣaka is defined in the “Indian epigraphical glossary” as it can be found on ancient inscriptions commonly written in Sanskrit, Prakrit or Dravidian languages.
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 Dictionarymāsaka : (m.) a small coin, (the value of which is about an anna).
Source: Sutta: The Pali Text Society's Pali-English DictionaryMāsaka, (fr. māsa2+ka=māsa3) lit. a small bean, used as a standard of weight & value; hence a small coin of very low value. Of copper, wood & lac (DhsA. 318; cp. KhA 37; jatu°, dāru°, loha°); the suvaṇṇa° (golden m.) at J. IV, 107 reminds of the “gold” in fairy tales. That its worth is next to nothing is seen from the descending progression of coins at DhA. III, 108=VvA. 77, which, beginning with kahāpaṇa, aḍḍha-pāda, places māsaka & kāhaṇikā next to mudhā “gratis. ” It only “counts” when it amounts to 5 māsakas.—Vin. III, 47, 67; IV, 226 (pañca°); J. I, 112 (aḍḍha-māsakaṃ na agghati is worth nothing); IV, 107; V, 135 (first a rain of flowers, then of māsakas, then kahāpaṇas); DhA. II, 29 (pañca-m. -mattaṃ a sum of 5 m.); PvA. 282 (m+aḍḍha° half-pennies & farthings, as children’s pocket-money). (Page 531)
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 Dictionarymaśaka (मशक).—m S A gnat or mosquito. Ex. kiṃ rājahaṃsā- puḍhēṃ maśaka || kiṃ nāmā ||; also tyā maśakācā pāḍa kōṇa || kāya uśīra āṇāvayā ||.
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masaka (मसक).—f (maśaka S through P) A leathern water-bag carried under the arm.
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masakā (मसका).—m ( H Butter.) An amalgam in general.
Source: DDSA: The Aryabhusan school dictionary, Marathi-Englishmaśaka (मशक).—m A gnat or mosquito.
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masaka (मसक).—f A leathern water-bag carried under the arm.
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masakā (मसका).—m An amalgam in general.
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 dictionaryMaśaka (मशक).—[maś-vun]
1) A mosquito, gnat; सर्वं खलस्य चरितं मशकः करोति (sarvaṃ khalasya caritaṃ maśakaḥ karoti) H.1.78; Manusmṛti 1.45.
2) A particular disease of the skin.
3) A leather water-bag.
4) Name of a district in Śākadvīpa inhabited by Kṣatriyas.
5) Gadfly, any fly that stings (daṃśamaśaka); Mahābhārata (Bombay) 3.141.27.
-kī A female mosquito; मद्गेहे मशकीव मूषकवधूः (madgehe maśakīva mūṣakavadhūḥ) ...... Sūkti.5.19.
Derivable forms: maśakaḥ (मशकः).
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Māṣaka (माषक).—
1) A bean.
2) A kind of weight of gold; द्वे कृष्णले समधृते विज्ञेयो रौप्यमाषकः (dve kṛṣṇale samadhṛte vijñeyo raupyamāṣakaḥ) Manusmṛti 8.135.
Derivable forms: māṣakaḥ (माषकः).
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Māsaka (मासक).—A month.
Derivable forms: māsakaḥ (मासकः).
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Shabda-Sagara Sanskrit-English DictionaryMaśaka (मशक).—m.
(-kaḥ) 1. A gnat, a musquito. 2. A kind of cutaneous eruption the formation of small pustules or warts. 3. A leather water-bag. E. maś to be angry and vun aff.
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Masaka (मसक).—m.
(-kaḥ) A gnat. E. maṣ to hurt, vun aff.
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Māṣaka (माषक).—m.
(-kaḥ) 1. A weight of silver of two Rattis or about 4(1/2) grains. 2. The same in gold. 3. A Masha: see the last. E. kan added to the preceding.
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Benfey Sanskrit-English DictionaryMaśaka (मशक).— (akin to makṣikā, q. cf.), m. 1. A gnat, a musquito, [Hitopadeśa] i. [distich] 80, M. M.; [Pañcatantra] iii. [distich] 98. 2. A kind of cutaneous eruption. 3. A leather water-bag.
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Māṣaka (माषक).—[māṣa + ka], m. A weight of gold and of silver, [Mānavadharmaśāstra] 8, 135.
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Cappeller Sanskrit-English DictionaryMaśaka (मशक).—[masculine] biting insect, gnat, fly.
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Aufrecht Catalogus Catalogorum1) Maśaka (मशक) as mentioned in Aufrecht’s Catalogus Catalogorum:—Kalpasūtra or Ārṣeyakalpa Sv. W. p. 71. L. 113. 654. Oudh. Iii, 4. Burnell. 22^b. Sb. 30.
—[commentary] by Varadarāja. Io. 698. Oxf. 386^b. L. 664. Khn. 10. Ben. 17. Oudh. Iii, 6. Burnell. 22^b. Oppert. Ii, 7910.
2) Maśaka (मशक):—Kalpasūtra. Cs. 202. 203. Stein 18
—[commentary] by Varadarāja. Cs. 204. 205.
1) Maśaka (मशक):—[from maś] m. a mosquito, gnat, any fly that bites or stings, [Atharva-veda] etc. etc.
2) [v.s. ...] a [particular] skin disease (causing dark bean-like pustules or eruptions), [Varāha-mihira’s Bṛhat-saṃhitā; Suśruta]
3) [v.s. ...] a leather water-bag, [Kātyāyana-śrauta-sūtra]
4) [v.s. ...] Name of a preceptor with the [patronymic] Gārgya (the composer of a Kalpa-sūtra), [Lāṭyāyana] ([Indian Wisdom, by Sir M. Monier-Williams 176])
5) [v.s. ...] Name of the district in Śāka-dvīpa inhabited by Kṣatriyas, [Mahābhārata]
6) Maśāka (मशाक):—[from maś] m. a bird, [cf. Lexicographers, esp. such as amarasiṃha, halāyudha, hemacandra, etc.]
7) Masaka (मसक):—incorrectly for maśaka.
8) Māṣaka (माषक):—[from māṣa] m. a bean, [Suśruta]
9) [v.s. ...] mn. a [particular] weight of gold etc. (= 7 or 8 Guñjās [accusative] to some about 4 1/2 grains), [Manu-smṛti; Varāha-mihira’s Bṛhat-saṃhitā; Suśruta] (cf. pañca-m).
10) Māsaka (मासक):—[from mās] m. a month, [Sūryasiddhānta; Śatruṃjaya-māhātmya]
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Yates Sanskrit-English Dictionary1) Maśaka (मशक):—(kaḥ) 1. m. A gnat, a musquito; an eruption on the skin; a leather water-bag.
2) Masaka (मसक):—(kaḥ) 1. m. A gnat.
3) Māṣaka (माषक):—(kaḥ) 1. m. A weight of 4(1/2) grains either in silver or gold.
[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.
Hindi dictionary
Source: DDSA: A practical Hindi-English dictionary1) Maśaka (मशक) [Also spelled mashak]:—(nm) a mosquito; (nf) a large leathern water-bag (used for sprinkling water on the roads etc.).
2) Masaka (मसक) [Also spelled masak]:—(nm) a mosquito.
3) Masakā (मसका) [Also spelled maska]:—(nm) butter; —[lagānā] to butter up, to flatter; [masakebāja] a flatterer, sycophant; [masakebājī] flattery, sycophancy.
...
Kannada-English dictionary
Source: Alar: Kannada-English corpusMaśaka (ಮಶಕ):—[noun] any of numerous dipterous insects of the family Culicidae, the females of which suck the blood of animals and humans, some species transmitting certain diseases, as malaria and yellow fever; a mossquito.
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Masaka (ಮಸಕ):—
1) [noun] the property of a moreadequate quantity or supply; abundance; copiousness.
2) [noun] force or speed; great energy or vehemence of activity.
3) [noun] a deep prolonged loud noise; roar.
4) [noun] extreme degree of anything; the quality of being intense.
5) [noun] a lively interest or strong eagerness; enthusiasm; zeal.
6) [noun] mentalof extreme emotional.
7) [noun] intense anger; ire; wrath.
8) [noun] the quality of being magnificent or splendid; brilliance.
9) [noun] any substance that causes injury or illness or death of a living organism in a slow manner; a slow-poison.
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Masaka (ಮಸಕ):—
1) [noun] = ಮಶಕ [mashaka].
2) [noun] any of various plant diseases, esp. of cereal grasses, characterised by the appearance of masses of black spores which usu. break up into a fine powder; smut disease.
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Māṣaka (ಮಾಷಕ):—[noun] = ಮಾಷ [masha].
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)
Starts with: Mashaka gargya, Mashakadarshana, Mashakahari, Mashakajambhana, Mashakakalpa, Mashakakalpasutra, Mashakakuti, Mashakalai, Mashakari, Mashakartha, Mashakavarana, Mashakavati.
Ends with: Adyamashaka, Bhumashaka, Damshamashaka, Dinari-mashaka, Drishadimashaka, Ekamashaka, Kalmashaka, Luhombia mashaka, Nadimashaka, Nirmashaka, Pancamashaka, Raupyamashaka, Ruhombya mashaka, Sukshmashaka, Sumashaka, Suvarnamashaka, Udumbaramashaka, Vikramashaka.
Full-text (+142): Adyamashaka, Kanakapala, Raupyamashaka, Hemadhanyaka, Mashakavati, Dhamaka, Ravimasaka, Mashakin, Mashakahari, Mashakakuti, Shatasamvatsara, Mashakavarana, Sarvasvara, Mashahari, Taura, Nirmashaka, Sahasrasavya, Damshamashaka, Shataratra, Makasa.
Relevant text
Search found 30 books and stories containing Mashaka, Maśaka, Māsaka, Masaka, Māṣaka, Masakā, Maśāka, Maśakā; (plurals include: Mashakas, Maśakas, Māsakas, Masakas, Māṣakas, Masakās, Maśākas, Maśakās). You can also click to the full overview containing English textual excerpts. Below are direct links for the most relevant articles:
Charaka Samhita (English translation) (by Shree Gulabkunverba Ayurvedic Society)
Chapter 12c - Table of Measures (mana) < [Kalpasthana (Kalpa Sthana) — Section on Pharmaceutics]
Manusmriti with the Commentary of Medhatithi (by Ganganatha Jha)
Verse 8.131 < [Section XXIII - Measures]
Verse 8.392 < [Section XLVIII - Laws relating to Civic Misdemeanours]
Verse 8.298 < [Section XLII - Assaults]
Vinaya Pitaka (4): Parivara (by I. B. Horner)
Monks’ Analysis: on How Many Offences? (Pārājika) < [1.2. Monks’ Analysis: on How Many Offences?]
Vinaya Pitaka (1): Bhikkhu-vibhanga (the analysis of Monks’ rules) (by I. B. Horner)
Monks’ Forfeiture (Nissaggiya) 18
Monks’ Expulsion (Pārājika) 2: Permutations < [Monks’ Expulsion (Pārājika) 2]
Monks’ Expulsion (Pārājika) 2: Origin story < [Monks’ Expulsion (Pārājika) 2]
The Garuda Purana (by Manmatha Nath Dutt)
Chapter LXXIII - Tests of Lapis Lazuli (Vaidurya) < [Agastya Samhita]
Chapter LXIX - Tests of Pearls < [Agastya Samhita]
Chapter CXCIV - Medical treatments of Sinus etc < [Dhanvantari Samhita]
Amarakoshodghatana of Kshirasvamin (study) (by A. Yamuna Devi)
Economics (4): Measures, Weights and Coinage < [Chapter 3 - Social Aspects]
Fauna (2-3): Division of Animals based on their origin < [Chapter 5 - Aspects of Nature]