Pancashirsha, Pañcaśīrṣa, Pancan-shirsha: 7 definitions
Introduction:
Pancashirsha 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.
The Sanskrit term Pañcaśīrṣa can be transliterated into English as Pancasirsa or Pancashirsha, using the IAST transliteration scheme (?).
Alternative spellings of this word include Panchashirsha.
In Buddhism
Tibetan Buddhism (Vajrayana or tantric Buddhism)
Source: archive.org: The Indian Buddhist IconographyPañcaśīrṣa (पञ्चशीर्ष) refers to the “Hill of Five Peaks” according to the Svayambhūpurāṇa, which extolls the glories of the Svayambhūkṣetra (“place of the Self-Born”).—It is said therein that Mañjuśrī hailed from China, where he was living on mount Pañcaśīrṣa (the Hill of Five Peaks). He was a great saint with many disciples and followers, including Dharmakara, the king of the country. Receiving divine intimation one day that the self-born Lord Ādibuddha, has manifested himself as a flame of fire on a lotus on the waters of Lake Kālīhrada in Nepal, he forthwith set out for that country along with a large number of his disciples, his two wives and king Dharmakara, with the intention of paying homage to the deity. [...]
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.
Mahayana (major branch of Buddhism)
Source: De Gruyter: A Buddhist Ritual Manual on AgriculturePañcaśīrṣa (पञ्चशीर्ष) refers to a “five-crested” (Snake-king—nāgarāja), according to the 2nd-century Meghasūtra (“Cloud Sutra”) in those passages which contain ritual instructions.—Accordingly, “[...] For thrice seven days uninterruptedly, with cow-dung, in the eastern quarter the snake-king called Triple-crest, with his retinue, must be painted; [+, pañcaśīrṣa] in the western, the snake king called Avabhāsanasikhin is to be painted, seven crested, with a retinue of serpents; in the north, the snake-king called Meghasaṃcodana, nine-crested, is to be depicted; a blue canopy and blue dress, blue banner and all the offering is to be made blue; but the sweet offering to the snakes, and the triple-sweet, must be offered,—an oblation of all; [...]”
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.
Languages of India and abroad
Sanskrit dictionary
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Benfey Sanskrit-English DictionaryPañcaśīrṣa (पञ्चशीर्ष).—adj. having five heads, [Bhāgavata-Purāṇa, (ed. Burnouf.)] 4, 25, 21.
Pañcaśīrṣa is a Sanskrit compound consisting of the terms pañca and śīrṣa (शीर्ष).
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Cappeller Sanskrit-English DictionaryPañcaśīrṣa (पञ्चशीर्ष).—[adjective] five-headed.
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary1) Pañcaśīrṣa (पञ्चशीर्ष):—[=pañca-śīrṣa] [from pañca] mf(ā)n. 5-headed, [Mahābhārata]; 5-eared (as corn, sc. on one stalk), [ib.]
2) [v.s. ...] m. Name of a mountain, [Buddhist literature]
[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.
See also (Relevant definitions)
Partial matches: Shirsha, Panca.
Starts with: Pancashirshaka.
Full-text: Pancashirshaka, Prasphotana, Dharmakara, Kalihrada, Nepal.
Relevant text
Search found 3 books and stories containing Pancashirsha, Pañcaśīrṣa, Pancan-shirsha, Panca-sirsa, Pañca-śīrṣa, Pancasirsa, Panca-shirsha, Pañcan-śīrṣa, Pancan-sirsa; (plurals include: Pancashirshas, Pañcaśīrṣas, shirshas, sirsas, śīrṣas, Pancasirsas). You can also click to the full overview containing English textual excerpts. Below are direct links for the most relevant articles:
Sanskrit sources of Kerala history (by Suma Parappattoli)
13. The Cakorasandesa < [Chapter 4 - Traces of Historical Facts from Sandesha Kavyas and Short poems]
The Skanda Purana (by G. V. Tagare)
Chapter 256 - Efficacy of the Name of Rāma < [Section 1 - Tīrtha-māhātmya]
Stupas in Orissa (Study) (by Meenakshi Chauley)
Buddha Images < [Chapter 5]