Pancakarma, Pañcakarma, Pañcakarman, Pancan-karman, Pancakarman, Pamcakarma: 14 definitions

Introduction:

Pancakarma means something in 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 Panchakarma.

In Hinduism

Ayurveda (science of life)

[«previous next»] — Pancakarma in Ayurveda glossary

Kalpa (Formulas, Drug prescriptions and other Medicinal preparations)

Source: Ancient Science of Life: Yogaśataka of Pandita Vararuci

Pañcakarma (पञ्चकर्म) is dealt with in the 10th century Yogaśataka written by Pandita Vararuci.—It describes Pañcakarma as one separate branch from Kāyacikitsā. This may be the only book which describes Pañcakarma as an independent branch.

In Pañcakarma section, there is one stanza and preparation described for each Karma. (1) Vamana: Paste of Indrayava, Pippalī and Madanaphala (Randia dumetorum Retz.) mixed with Yaṣṭimadhu decoction is described for Vamana. (2) Virecana: Powder of Dantī (Baliospermum solanifolium Suresh), Citraka (Plumbago zeylanica Linn.), Pippalī and Biḍlavaṇa mixed with Harītakī decoction made up from Sauvīraka is used for Virecana. Castor oil is also recommended for Virecana. (3) Nirūha: One yoga for Nirūha Basti (Decoction enema) and (4) Anuvāsana: two yogas for Anuvāsana Basti (oil enema) is described. (5) Śirovirecana: Nasya of jaggery and Śuṇṭhi (dried rhizome of Zingiber officinale), Saindhava and Pippalī is described for Śirovirecana (errhine therapy).

Rasashastra (Alchemy and Herbo-Mineral preparations)

Source: Indian National Science Academy: Annual Report 2015-16 (rasashastra)

Pañcakarma (पञ्चकर्म) is introduced (as a new set) in the Āyurvedaprakāśa: an exclusive text on Rasaśāstra the pharmaceutical wing of Ayurveda that concentrates on preparation of herbo-mineral medicaments, written in 17th Century AD by Mādhava Upādhyaya.

The pañcakarma for Rasaśāstra include:

  1. digestion (pācana),
  2. oleation (snehana),
  3. sudation (svedana),
  4. emesis (vamana),
  5. purgation (virecana).

Unclassified Ayurveda definitions

Source: Wisdom Library: Āyurveda and botany

Pañcakarma (पञ्चकर्म) refers to an intensive detoxifying procedure with five components, and is used throughout Ayurvedic literature such as the Caraka-saṃhitā and the Suśruta-saṃhitā. The compound Pañcakarma is composed of the words Pañca (‘five’) and Karma (‘action, work’).

Source: Google Books: Essentials of Ayurveda

Pañcakarma (पञ्चकर्म, “five measures”):—For śodhana, five measures are employed which are collectively known as pañcakarma:—

  1. Vamana (‘emesis’),
  2. Virecana (‘purgation’),
  3. Āsthāpana (‘non-unctuous enema’),
  4. Anuvāsana (‘unctuous enema’)
  5. and Śirovirecana (‘head-evacuation’ or ‘snuffing’).

It has been modified further by including Raktamokṣaṇa (‘blood-letting’).

Source: eJournal of Indian Medicine: Memoirs of Vaidyas (3)

Pañcakarma is a collective term for the five kinds of purificatory treatment in Āyurveda. There are some differences among the contents of Pañcakarma in each tradition and text. In the interviewee, Nair’s tradition, pañcakarma means

  1. enema (vasti),
  2. emesis (vamana),
  3. purgation (virecana),
  4. nasal insufflation (nasya),
  5. and bloodletting (raktamokṣa),
Ayurveda book cover
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.

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Purana and Itihasa (epic history)

[«previous next»] — Pancakarma in Purana glossary
Source: archive.org: Shiva Purana - English Translation

Pañcakarma (पञ्चकर्म) refers to the “five organs of activity”, according to the Śivapurāṇa 2.5.5 (“The Tripuras are fascinated).—Accordingly, as Arihan said to the Lord of the Three Cities: “O ruler of the Asuras, listen to my statement, pregnant with wisdom. It is the essence of the Vedānta and bears high esoteric importance. [...] The hoarding and amassing of vast wealth is useful only for the propitiation of twelve organs of senses. Of what avail is the propitiation of other things? The twelve organs of senses are the five organs of activity (pañcakarma-indriya) and the five organs of knowledge together with the mind and intellect. [...]”.

Purana book cover
context information

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.

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Languages of India and abroad

Sanskrit dictionary

[«previous next»] — Pancakarma in Sanskrit glossary
Source: DDSA: The practical Sanskrit-English dictionary

Pañcakarman (पञ्चकर्मन्).—n. (in medicine) the five kinds of treatment; i. e. 1 वमन (vamana) 'giving emetics'; 2 रेचन (recana) 'purging'; 3 नस्य (nasya) 'giving strenutatories'; 4 अनुवासन (anuvāsana) 'administering an enema which is oily', and 5 निरूह (nirūha) 'administering an enema which is not oily. वमनं रेचनं नस्यं निरूहश्चानुवासनम् । पञ्चकर्मेदमन्यश्च ज्ञेयमुत्क्षेपणादिकम् (vamanaṃ recanaṃ nasyaṃ nirūhaścānuvāsanam | pañcakarmedamanyaśca jñeyamutkṣepaṇādikam) ||

Pañcakarman is a Sanskrit compound consisting of the terms pañcan and karman (कर्मन्).

Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary

Pañcakarma (पञ्चकर्म):—[=pañca-karma] [from pañca] n. ([cf. Lexicographers, esp. such as amarasiṃha, halāyudha, hemacandra, etc.]) the 5 kinds of treatment (in medicine, viz. giving emetics, purgative medicines, sternutatories, and enemas of two kinds, oily and not oily)

Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary

Pañcakarman (पञ्चकर्मन्):—[=pañca-karman] [from pañca] n. ([Suśruta]) the 5 kinds of treatment (in medicine, viz. giving emetics, purgative medicines, sternutatories, and enemas of two kinds, oily and not oily)

Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Yates Sanskrit-English Dictionary

Pañcakarman (पञ्चकर्मन्):—[pañca-karman] (rmma) 5. n. Five actions of the body, vomiting, evacuation by bleeding, or stool; excretion or perspiring, blowing the nose.

[Sanskrit to German]

Pancakarma in German

context information

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.

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Kannada-English dictionary

[«previous next»] — Pancakarma in Kannada glossary
Source: Alar: Kannada-English corpus

Paṃcakarma (ಪಂಚಕರ್ಮ):—[noun] a treatment that includes emetics, purgative medicines, sternutatories and enemas of two kinds (oily and non-oily).

context information

Kannada is a Dravidian language (as opposed to the Indo-European language family) mainly spoken in the southwestern region of India.

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Nepali dictionary

[«previous next»] — Pancakarma in Nepali glossary
Source: unoes: Nepali-English Dictionary

Pañcakarma (पञ्चकर्म):—n. Mythol. (Hinduism) five sacred deeds, repetition of deity's name (जय [jaya] ), offering on the fire (होम [homa] ), offering of water to gods (तर्पश [tarpaśa] ), bathing the Rudra in water (रुद्राभिषेक [rudrābhiṣeka] ) and feeding the Brahmins (ब्राह्मणभोजन [brāhmaṇabhojana] ); 2. five Ayurvedic purification methods;

context information

Nepali is the primary language of the Nepalese people counting almost 20 million native speakers. The country of Nepal is situated in the Himalaya mountain range to the north of India.

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