Pancavarna, Pañcavarṇā, Panca-varna: 10 definitions
Introduction:
Pancavarna means something in Buddhism, Pali, 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.
Alternative spellings of this word include Panchavarna.
In Hinduism
Purana and Itihasa (epic history)
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: The Purana IndexPañcavarṇā (पञ्चवर्णा).—A river of the Bhadra country*
- * Vāyu-purāṇa 43. 27.
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.
Shaktism (Shakta philosophy)
Source: Google Books: ManthanabhairavatantramPañcavarṇa (पञ्चवर्ण) is another name for Pañcapraṇava, which refers to the “five Praṇavas”, according to the Manthānabhairavatantra, a vast sprawling work that belongs to a corpus of Tantric texts concerned with the worship of the goddess Kubjikā.—[...] The five together can also be treated as a single unit called ‘pañcapraṇava’—‘the (one called) Five Praṇavas’, ‘pañcārṇa’—‘the (one called) Five Letters’ or simply ‘pañcaka’—‘the Group of Five’. As such the five together are sometimes treated as a single mantra in its own right called ‘pañcākṣarī-vidyā’—‘the Vidyā of Five Syllables’. They may also be called ‘the Five Letters’ (pañcavarṇa—pañcārṇā pañcavarṇāḥ pañcapraṇavās te).
Shakta (शाक्त, śākta) or Shaktism (śāktism) represents a tradition of Hinduism where the Goddess (Devi) is revered and worshipped. Shakta literature includes a range of scriptures, including various Agamas and Tantras, although its roots may be traced back to the Vedas.
Pancaratra (worship of Nārāyaṇa)
Source: Shodhganga: Kasyapa Samhita—Text on Visha Chikitsa (p)Pañcavarṇa (पञ्चवर्ण) refers to “one having five colours”, as mentioned in the meditation on Garuḍa in the Vyomamaṇḍala, according to the second chapter of the Kāśyapa Saṃhitā: an ancient Sanskrit text from the Pāñcarātra tradition dealing with both Tantra and Viṣacikitsā (Toxicology).—The Kāśyapasaṃhitā describes the different forms of Garuḍa in the five bhūta-maṇḍalas on which the aspirant has to meditate upon to cure the snake-bite victim from the poison which could have killed him. In the Vyoma-maṇḍala, contemplating on Garuḍa as one with 16 arms with 16 weapons, of five colours (pañcavarṇa) and high speed, adorned with all kinds of jewellery, should remove every single variety of venom from the aspirant.
Pancaratra (पाञ्चरात्र, pāñcarātra) represents a tradition of Hinduism where Narayana is revered and worshipped. Closeley related to Vaishnavism, the Pancaratra literature includes various Agamas and tantras incorporating many Vaishnava philosophies.
In Buddhism
Tibetan Buddhism (Vajrayana or tantric Buddhism)
Source: Brill: Śaivism and the Tantric Traditions (tantric Buddhism)Pañcavarṇa (पञ्चवर्ण) refers to “five colours”, according to the Nāmamantrārthāvalokinī by Vilāsavajra, which is a commentary on the Nāmasaṃgīti.—Accordingly, [while describing Ādibuddha]—“[...] [The Ādibuddha] has five faces. [...] [His five faces] have five [different] colours (pañcavarṇa-upeta): dark blue for the east [and forward-facing face], yellow for the south, red for the west, [and] green for the north. On the top, he has a white face, the face of [the deity] Paramāśva. [...]”.
Source: OSU Press: Cakrasamvara SamadhiPañcavarṇā (पञ्चवर्णा) refers to the “goddesses having five colors”, according to the Guru Mandala Worship (maṇḍalārcana) ritual often performed in combination with the Cakrasaṃvara Samādhi, which refers to the primary pūjā and sādhanā practice of Newah Mahāyāna-Vajrayāna Buddhists in Nepal.—Accordingly, “Goddesses having five colors (pañcavarṇā-devī dharā), givers of five (kinds of) knowledge, Pañca Buddha wisdom goddesses, Pañca Tārā, homage be to you”.
Tibetan Buddhism includes schools such as Nyingma, Kadampa, Kagyu and Gelug. Their primary canon of literature is divided in two broad categories: The Kangyur, which consists of Buddha’s words, and the Tengyur, which includes commentaries from various sources. Esotericism and tantra techniques (vajrayāna) are collected indepently.
Languages of India and abroad
Sanskrit dictionary
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Cappeller Sanskrit-English DictionaryPañcavarṇa (पञ्चवर्ण).—[adjective] five-coloured, many-coloured.
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary1) Pañcavarṇa (पञ्चवर्ण):—[=pañca-varṇa] [from pañca] mfn. ‘5-coloured’ [cf. Lexicographers, esp. such as amarasiṃha, halāyudha, hemacandra, etc.] ([Mṛcchakaṭikā i, 7/8?])
2) [v.s. ...] fivefold, of 5 kinds (-tā f.), [Hemādri’s Caturvarga-cintāmaṇi]
3) [v.s. ...] m. Name of a mountain, [Harivaṃśa]
4) [v.s. ...] of a forest, [ib.] ([varia lectio] pāñc).
5) Pāñcavarṇa (पाञ्चवर्ण):—[=pāñca-varṇa] [from pāñca] [wrong reading] for pañca-v.
[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 corpusPaṃcavarṇa (ಪಂಚವರ್ಣ):—
1) [noun] (pl.) the five colours white, black, red, yellow and green.
2) [noun] a sacred five-syllabic hymn repeated with reverence, submitting oneself to Śiva.
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: Varna, Panca.
Starts with: Panca-varnakili, Pancavarnam, Pancavarnata.
Full-text: Pancavarnata, Pancavanna, Panca-varnakili, Pancakshari, Pancarna, Pancavarnam, Pancaka, Anjuvannam, Hanjamana, Varna, Pancapranava, Arcishmat, Samacara.
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Search found 3 books and stories containing Pancavarna, Pañcavarṇā, Pañcavarṇa, Pāñcavarṇa, Pāñca-varṇa, Paṃcavarṇa, Pancavarṇa, Panca-varṇa, Pancāvarṇa, Panca-varna, Pañca-varṇa, Pancan-varna, Pamcavarna, Pañcan-varṇā, Pañcan-varṇa; (plurals include: Pancavarnas, Pañcavarṇās, Pañcavarṇas, Pāñcavarṇas, varṇas, Paṃcavarṇas, Pancavarṇas, Pancāvarṇas, varnas, Pamcavarnas, varṇās). You can also click to the full overview containing English textual excerpts. Below are direct links for the most relevant articles:
Manasara (English translation) (by Prasanna Kumar Acharya)
Trishashti Shalaka Purusha Caritra (by Helen M. Johnson)
Appendix 2.3: new and rare words < [Appendices]
Harivamsha Purana (by Manmatha Nath Dutt)
Chapter 99 - The Celestial Architect Builds Dvaraka < [Book 2 - Vishnu Parva]