Mrittika, aka: Mṛttikā, Mṛttika; 8 Definition(s)

Introduction

Mrittika 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.

The Sanskrit terms Mṛttikā and Mṛttika can be transliterated into English as Mrttika or Mrittika, using the IAST transliteration scheme (?).

In Hinduism

Ayurveda (science of life)

Mṛttikā (मृत्तिका) refers to “good clay” or “earth” as defined in the second chapter (dharaṇyādi-varga) of the 13th-century Raj Nighantu or Rājanighaṇṭu (an Ayurvedic encyclopedia). The Dharaṇyādi-varga covers the lands, soil [viz., Mṛttikā], mountains, jungles and vegetation’s relations between trees and plants and substances, with their various kinds.

context information

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)

Mṛttikā (मृत्तिका) is a Sanskrit word referring to clay derived from wet earth.

Mṛttikā (मृत्तिका, ‘clay’) is mentioned in the later Saṃhitās and the Brāhmaṇas.

Mṛttika is soil, most suited for cultivating paddy, vegetables and other grains, generally with good earth that could be ploughed. In all auspicious functions it is customary to bring from the river bed or anthills and use for sowing grains, Pālikai which sprout quickly as a symbol of fertility. This rite of bringing fertile earth, called Mṛt Sangrahana is performed in all marriage functions . Thus Mṛttika stands for fertile soil, cultivable land. It is called in Tamil Literature as Marutam. The people occupying such lands have settled life and are engaged in cultivation and the lands are also called Nādu.

Languages of India and abroad

Marathi-English dictionary

mṛttikā (मृत्तिका).—f (S) Earth. 2 Any particular earth. Seven kinds of earth are enumerated as necessary in certain anuṣṭhāna or śāntikarma (propitiatory observances); viz. aśvamṛttikā, gaja -ratha -catuṣpatha -gōṣṭha- valmīka-ṛhada or saṅgama-mṛttikā; or, according to another catalogue, gōṣṭha -vēdikā -kitava -sthāna -ṛhada -karṣitakṣētra- catuṣpatha -śmaśāna -mṛttikā.

mṛttikā (मृत्तिका).—f Earth. mṛttikā hōṇēṃ Be reduced to dust; be destroyed.

Sanskrit-English dictionary

Mṛttikā (मृत्तिका).—[mṛd tikan ṭāp]

1) Clay, earth; Ms.2.182.

2) Fresh earth.

3) A kind of fragrant earth.

Mṛttikā (मृत्तिका).—f.

(-kā) 1. Earth, clay, soil. 2. A fragrant earth. E. mṛt earth and tikan pleonastic addition, fem. aff. ṭāp .

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