Pancaratra, Pañcarātra, Panca-ratra, Pāñcarātra, Pancan-ratra: 13 definitions
Introduction
Introduction:
Pancaratra 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 Pancharatra.
In Hinduism
Vaishnavism (Vaishava dharma)
Source: ISKCON Press: GlossaryPañcarātra (पञ्चरात्र).—Vedic literatures describing the process of Deity worship.
Source: Pure Bhakti: Bhagavad-gita (4th edition)Pañcarātra (पञ्चरात्र) refers to “group of devotional scriptures that assist in the practice of the principal limbs of bhakti; they cover five topics: (a) the process of cleansing the temple, (b) performing āratika with flowers, incense, etc., (c) worship, bathing, etc. of the deity of Śrī Viṣṇu, (d) the performance of meditation on the holy name and on śrī gāyatrī, (e) recita-tion of verses and prayers, performance of nāma-kīrtana and study of scriptures such as Bhagavad-gītā and Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, which establish tattva-jñāna. The Pañcarātras are numerous, some of them being prominent in the Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇava lineage: Śrī Nārada-pañcarātra, Śrī Hayaśīrṣa-pañcarātra and Śrī Śāṇḍilya-pañcarātra”. (cf. Glossary page from Śrīmad-Bhagavad-Gītā).
Source: Pure Bhakti: Arcana-dipika - 3rd EditionPañcarātra (पञ्चरात्र) refers to:—A section of the Vedic scriptures. There are many Pañcarātras. Those mostly referred to by the Gauḍīya sampradayā are Śrī Nārada-pañcarātra, Śrī Hayaśīrṣa-pañcarātra and Śrī Śāṇḍilya-pañcarātra. (cf. Glossary page from Arcana-dīpikā).
Source: Pure Bhakti: Brhad BhagavatamrtamPañcarātra (पञ्चरात्र) refers to:—System of Deity worship initiated by Śrī Nārada; a group of scriptures that support the process of bhakti. (cf. Glossary page from Śrī Bṛhad-bhāgavatāmṛta).

Vaishnava (वैष्णव, vaiṣṇava) or vaishnavism (vaiṣṇavism) represents a tradition of Hinduism worshipping Vishnu as the supreme Lord. Similar to the Shaktism and Shaivism traditions, Vaishnavism also developed as an individual movement, famous for its exposition of the dashavatara (‘ten avatars of Vishnu’).
Purana and Itihasa (epic history)
Source: archive.org: Puranic Encyclopedia1) Pañcarātra (पञ्चरात्र).—An āgama (a system of philosophy). (Chapter 218, Śānti Parva).
2) Pāñcarātra (पाञ्चरात्र).—A book of spiritual doctrines. He who learns this will attain the position of Uparicaravasu. Śloka 25, Chapter 325, Śānti Parva).
Source: archive.org: Nilamata Purana: a cultural and literary studyPāñcarātra (पाञ्चरात्र) refers to a system of worship that was once commonly practised in ancient Kashmir (Kaśmīra) according to the Nīlamatapurāṇa.—Pāñcarātra system of worship is prescribed for the worship of Viṣṇu, which in its turn anticipates the popularity of the Pāñcarātra cult in Kaśmīra. The cults of the Bhāgavatas and the Pāñcarātras were originally different; the former had Vāsudeva-Nārāyaṇa as their deity and the latter worshipped four Vyūhas, namely, Vāsudeva, Saṅkarṣaṇa, Aniruddha and Pradyumna.

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.
Pancaratra (worship of Nārāyaṇa)
Source: Shodhganga: Iconographical representations of Śiva (pancaratra)Pāñcarātra (पाञ्चरात्र) or Pāñcarātrāgama refers to one of the two classifications of Vaiṣṇavāgamas: one of the three classes of āgamas (traditionally communicated wisdom).—Texts of the Pāñcara Āgamas are divided in to two sects. It is believed that Lord Vāsudeva revealed the first group of texts which are called Divya and the next group is called Muniprokta which are further divided in to three viz. a. Sāttvika. b. Rājasa. c. Tāmasa.

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.
Languages of India and abroad
Sanskrit dictionary
Source: DDSA: The practical Sanskrit-English dictionaryPāñcarātra (पाञ्चरात्र).—Name of a Vaiṣṇava sect and its doctrine; भक्तिमार्ग (bhaktimārga); परस्पराङ्गान्येतानि पाञ्चरात्रं च कथ्यते । एष एकान्तिनां धर्मो नारायणपरात्मकः (parasparāṅgānyetāni pāñcarātraṃ ca kathyate | eṣa ekāntināṃ dharmo nārāyaṇaparātmakaḥ) || Mb.12.348.82.
Derivable forms: pāñcarātram (पाञ्चरात्रम्).
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Pañcarātra (पञ्चरात्र).—
1) a period of five nights; इत्यर्थं वयमानीताः पञ्चरात्रोऽपि विद्यते (ityarthaṃ vayamānītāḥ pañcarātro'pi vidyate) Pañch.3.24.
2) Name of one of Bhāsa's dramas.
3) Name of a philosophical treatise attributed to Nārada.
4) Name of an अहीन (ahīna) (sacrifice) lasting for 5 days; स एतं पञ्चरात्रं पुरुषमेधं यज्ञक्रतुमपश्यत् (sa etaṃ pañcarātraṃ puruṣamedhaṃ yajñakratumapaśyat) Śat. Br.; cf. Mb.12.218. 11.
Derivable forms: pañcarātram (पञ्चरात्रम्).
Pañcarātra is a Sanskrit compound consisting of the terms pañcan and rātra (रात्र).
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Cappeller Sanskrit-English DictionaryPañcarātra (पञ्चरात्र).—1. [masculine] five days (nights).
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Pañcarātra (पञ्चरात्र).—2. [adjective] lasting five days.
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Aufrecht Catalogus Catalogorum1) Pañcarātra (पञ्चरात्र) as mentioned in Aufrecht’s Catalogus Catalogorum:—See Kapilapañcarātra, Nāradapañcarātra, Hayagrivapañcarātra, and Pāñcarātra. Quoted by Hemādri, in Sarvadarśanasaṃgraha Oxf. 247^a, by Devanātha L. 2010, in Dānamayūkha, Smṛtyarthasāgara, etc.
2) Pāñcarātra (पाञ्चरात्र):—Oppert. Ii, 1915. 4721. 5224. 8500. Rice. 96. See Pañcarātra. Pāñcarātre Agastyasaṃhitā. Mysore. 3.
—Aṅkurārpaṇavidhi. Taylor. 1, 135.
—Aniruddhasaṃhitā. Mysore. 3.
—Anekotsavapratipādakasaṃhitāsārasaṃgraha. Mysore. 3.
—Ahirbudhnyasaṃhitā. Mysore. 3.
—Kārtavīryamāhātmya. Oppert. Ii, 6631.
—Jitaṃtestotra. Burnell. 201^a. Bhr. 551.
—Jñānapādavyākhyāna. Mysore. 3.
—Nāradīyasaṃhitā. Mysore. 3.
—Pādmasaṃhitā. Mysore. 3.
—Pārameśvarasaṃhitā. Mysore. 3.
—Pauṣkarasaṃhitā. Mysore. 3.
—Prayogamaṇimālikā. Mysore. 3. Taylor. 1. 425.
—Prāyaścittasaṃgraha. Mysore. 3.
—Bharadvājasaṃhitā. Mysore. 3.
—Maṇḍalārcana. Oppert. Ii, 4106.
—Mahāgastyasaṃhitā. Oppert. Ii, 4107.
—Mahotpātaprāyaścitta. Oppert. Ii, 4108.
—Mahotsavavidhi. Oppert. Ii, 4109.
—Mārkaṇḍeyasaṃhitā. Mysore. 3.
—Veṅkaṭeśamāhātmya. Rice. 90.
—Vaikhānasabhṛgusaṃhitā. Mysore. 3.
—Śeṣasaṃhitā. Mysore. 3.
—Samprokṣaṇādividhayaḥ. Mysore. 3.
—Sātvatasaṃhitā. Mysore. 2.
Pāñcarātra has the following synonyms: Pāñcarātrāgama.
3) Pāñcarātra (पाञ्चरात्र):—on architecture. Quoted by Rāmrāj.
—[commentary] by Peḍḍanācārya. [Mackenzie Collection] 132.
4) Pañcarātra (पञ्चरात्र):—See Aurvaº, Kāśyapaº, Kratuº Mahāpañcarātra.
5) Pāñcarātra (पाञ्चरात्र):—Quoted by Utpala in Spandapradīpikā. Pāñcarātre Kārttikamāhātmya. Hz. 1535.
—Dhanurmāsamāhātmya. Ak 143.
1) Pañcarātra (पञ्चरात्र):—[=pañca-rātra] [from pañca] m. a period of 5 days (nights), [Kauśika-sūtra; Manu-smṛti] etc.
2) [v.s. ...] mfn. (tra) lasting 5 days, [Śatapatha-brāhmaṇa; Mahābhārata] (also traka, [Pañcatantra])
3) [v.s. ...] m. Name of an Ahīna (See 1. ah) which lasts 5 days, [Tāṇḍya-brāhmaṇa; ???]
4) [v.s. ...] Name of the sacred books of various Vaiṣṇava sects (also [plural]), [Mahābhārata; Rāmāyaṇa etc.]
5) Pāñcarātra (पाञ्चरात्र):—[=pāñca-rātra] [from pāñca] m. [plural] Name of a Vaiṣṇava sect following the doctrine of their sacred book called Pañcarātra, [Sarvadarśana-saṃgraha; Colebrooke; Catalogue(s)]
6) [v.s. ...] n. the doctrine of the Pāñcarātras, [ib.] (also trya and traka)
7) [v.s. ...] Name of sub voce works.
[Sanskrit to German] (Deutsch Wörterbuch)
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Böhtlingk and Roth Grosses Petersburger WörterbuchPañcarātra (पञ्चरात्र):—1. (pañcan + rātri) n. ein Zeitraum von fünf Nächten (Tagen) [Kauśika’s Sūtra zum Atuarvaveda 140.] [Manu’s Gesetzbuch 8, 402. 11, 147.] [Varāhamihira’s Bṛhajjātaka S. 37, 7.] [Kathāsaritsāgara 33, 30.]
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Pañcarātra (पञ्चरात्र):—2. (wie eben)
1) adj. fünf Nächte (Tage) während: yajñakratu [The Śatapathabrāhmaṇa 13, 6, 1, 1. 7. 9.] [Mahābhārata 13, 4914.] —
2) n. N. eines fünftägigen Ahina [Pañcaviṃśabrāhmaṇa 22, 13, 6.] [Śāṅkhāyana’s Śrautasūtrāṇi 16, 24, 1. 21.] [LĀṬY. 9, 12, 15.] Vgl. deva . —
3) n. allgemeine Bez. für das heilige Buch verschiedener Viṣṇuitischer Secten (der Pāñcarātra) [Mahābhārata 12,7891. 12720. 12976. 13702. 13706.] [Vārāhapurāṇa] in [Oxforder Handschriften 58,b,2. fgg.] [Bhāgavatapurāṇa I, XCV.] rātraṃ ca jñānavacanaṃ jñānaṃ pañcavidhaṃ (sāttvikam, noch einmal sāttvikam, nairguṇyam, rājasikam und tāmasam) smṛtam . tenedaṃ pañcarātraṃ ca pravadanti manīṣiṇaḥ .. pañcarātraṃ saptavidhaṃ jñānināṃ jñānadaṃ param . brāhmaṃ śaivaṃ ca kaumāraṃ vāsiṣṭhaṃ kāpilaṃ param .. gautamīyaṃ nāradīyamidaṃ saptavidhaṃ smṛtam [NĀRADA][?’s PAÑCARĀTRA, 1stes Rātra im Śabdakalpadruma] pañcakaṃ pañcarātrāṇāṃ kṛṣṇamāhātmyapūrvakam . vāsiṣṭhaṃ nāradīyaṃ ca kāpilaṃ gautamīyakam . paraṃ sanatkumārīyaṃ pañcarātraṃ ca pañcakam .. [BRAHMAVAIV.] [Pāṇini’s acht Bücher,] [ŚRĪKṚṢṆAJANMAKHAṆḌA 132 im Śabdakalpadruma] [Madhusūdanasarasvatī’s Prasthānabheda] in [Weber’s Indische Studien 1, 23, 5; vgl. 400.] Schliesslich heisst es noch im [Śabdakalpadruma] : etadatiriktāni hayaśīrṣapṛthudhruvādipañcarātrāṇi santināradapañcarātrāgama [MACK. Coll. I, 132.] dīpikā ebend. 132 soll über die Verfertigung von Idolen, ihren Dimensionen und Verzierungen handeln (!).
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Pāñcarātra (पाञ्चरात्र):—m. pl. Name einer Viṣṇu'itischen Secte, die sich an die Lehren des Pañcarātra, ihres heiligen Buches, hält, [Colebrooke I, 413. fg.] [Lassen’s Indische Alterthumskunde II, 1095. fg.] [KUMĀRILA] bei [MÜLLER, SL. 78.]
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Pañcarātra (पञ्चरात्र):—2.
3) [Rāmāyaṇa.7,37,2,16] [?(pl.). Oxforder Handschriften 278,b,20. 341,a,35.] — Vgl. kapila, mahākapila .
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Pāñcarātra (पाञ्चरात्र):—[Oxforder Handschriften 258,b,10.] rahasya n. Titel einer Schrift [SARVADARŚANAS. 57, 7.] in pāñcarātropajīvyatva [61, 10] n. die Pāñcarātra-Lehre.
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.
See also (Relevant definitions)
Partial matches: Ratra, Pancan, Panca.
Starts with (+4): Pancaratradipika, Pancaratragama, Pancaratraka, Pancaratrakadipika, Pancaratrakanaivedyavidhana, Pancaratrakapakvannavidhana, Pancaratrakaprayashcitta, Pancaratrakaraksha, Pancaratramahopanishad, Pancaratramantra, Pancaratramantram, Pancaratranaivedyavidhana, Pancaratrapakvannavidhana, Pancaratraprayashcitta, Pancaratraprayashcittavidhana, Pancaratraradhana, Pancaratrarahasya, Pancaratraraksha, Pancaratrarasthapana, Pancaratrasamgraha.
Ends with: Atikalapancaratra, Aurvapancaratra, Devapancaratra, Hayagrivapancaratra, Hayashirshapancaratra, Kapilapancaratra, Kashyapapancaratra, Kratupancaratra, Mahakapilapancaratra, Mahapancaratra, Naradapancaratra, Nardapancaratra, Shripancaratra.
Full-text (+1459): Pancaratraraksha, Pancaratraprayashcittavidhana, Pancaratravacana, Pancaratrasthapana, Pancaratrarahasya, Pancaratrasamgraha, Pancaratramantra, Pancaratramahopanishad, Pancaratrashricurnaparipalana, Ratraka, Pancaratraprayashcitta, Pancaratradipika, Pancaratranaivedyavidhana, Pancaratrapakvannavidhana, Pancaratrika, Pancaratragama, Pancaratraradhana, Naradapancaratra, Ahirbudhnya-samhita, Vavara.
Relevant text
Search found 34 books and stories containing Pancaratra, Pañcarātra, Panca-ratra, Pañca-rātra, Pāñcarātra, Pancan-ratra, Pañcan-rātra, Pāñca-rātra; (plurals include: Pancaratras, Pañcarātras, ratras, rātras, Pāñcarātras). You can also click to the full overview containing English textual excerpts. Below are direct links for the most relevant articles:
Brahma Sutras (Nimbarka commentary) (by Roma Bose)
Brahma-Sūtra 2.2.42 < [Adhikaraṇa 8 - Sūtras 42-45]
Brahma-Sūtra 2.2.45 < [Adhikaraṇa 8 - Sūtras 42-45]
Brahma-Sūtra 2.2.43 < [Adhikaraṇa 8 - Sūtras 42-45]
A History of Indian Philosophy Volume 2 (by Surendranath Dasgupta)
Part 12 - Bhāgavata and the Bhagavad-gita < [Chapter XIV - The Philosophy of the Bhagavad-gītā]
Part 3 - Sāṃkhya and Yoga in the Gītā < [Chapter XIV - The Philosophy of the Bhagavad-gītā]
Part 12 - Viṣṇu, Vasudeva and Kṛṣṇa < [Chapter XIV - The Philosophy of the Bhagavad-gītā]
A History of Indian Philosophy Volume 3 (by Surendranath Dasgupta)
Part 2 - The Position of the Pañcarātra Literature < [Chapter XVI - The Pañcarātra]
Part 2 - God and the World < [Chapter XIX - The Philosophy of Yāmunācārya]
Part 1 - Date of Bhāskara < [Chapter XV - The Bhāskara School of Philosophy]
Parama Samhita (English translation) (by Krishnaswami Aiyangar)
Kṛṣṇa-Devakīputra, a student of the Pāñcarātra < [Introduction]
Gītā, a manual of Pāñcarātra teaching < [Introduction]
The Bhāgavata religion of the Pāñcarātras < [Introduction]
Mundaka Upanishad (Madhva commentary) (by Srisa Chandra Vasu)
Siddhanta Sangraha of Sri Sailacharya (by E. Sowmya Narayanan)