Alternative spellings of this word include Panchavastha.

In Hinduism

Shaivism (Shaiva philosophy)

Source: Brill: Śaivism and the Tantric Traditions

Pañcāvastha (पञ्चावस्थ) or simply Avasthā refers to the “five mystic states” (i.e., ‘bliss’, ‘ascent’, ‘trembling’, ‘sleep’, ‘whirling’), as cited in the Īśvarapratyabhijñāvimarśinī (KSTS vol. 65, 330).—Accordingly, “[...] Thus, due to practicing [this insight], the qualities of His consciousness, which are aspects of Śakti, fully penetrate [those various levels], causing the [various] powers to arise. But even without practice, in the [rare] case of an instantaneous immersion into That, one obtains the state of liberation-in-life through the process of the direct experience (āvirbhāvana) of [the Five Mystic States] [i.e., pañcāvastha]: Bliss, Ascent, Trembling, Sleep, and ‘Whirling,’ which means Pervasion”.

Note: Gnostic realization is here inseparably wedded to the pañcāvastha [pañcāvasthāḥ] or Five Mystic States that we see repeatedly in the Kaula scriptures. This emphasis on direct experience (āvirbhāvana) demonstrates that Abhinava’s understanding of the path of the jñānī is not one of intellectual or conceptual realization, but rather one of insights into the nature of reality so powerful that they spontaneously bring on psychophysical experiences.

context information

Shaiva (शैव, śaiva) or Shaivism (śaivism) represents a tradition of Hinduism worshiping Shiva as the supreme being. Closely related to Shaktism, Shaiva literature includes a range of scriptures, including Tantras, while the root of this tradition may be traced back to the ancient Vedas.

Shaktism (Shakta philosophy)

Source: Google Books: Manthanabhairavatantram

Pañcāvastha (पञ्चावस्थ) refers to a “five-fold state”, according to the Ṭīkā (commentary) on the Manthānabhairavatantra, a vast sprawling work that belongs to a corpus of Tantric texts concerned with the worship of the goddess Kubjikā.—Accordingly, “[...] Once (the god) had known himself here in the company of the goddess, he assumed a five-fold state (pañcāvastha), that is, Kula consisting of the five gross elements and was (thus) endowed with a body. Again, initially (everything) was as if void. [...]”.

context information

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.

Languages of India and abroad

Sanskrit dictionary

Source: DDSA: The practical Sanskrit-English dictionary

Pañcāvastha (पञ्चावस्थ).—a corpse (so called because it is resolved into the five elements) cf. पञ्चत्व (pañcatva) below.

Derivable forms: pañcāvasthaḥ (पञ्चावस्थः).

Pañcāvastha is a Sanskrit compound consisting of the terms pañcan and avastha (अवस्थ).

Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Shabda-Sagara Sanskrit-English Dictionary

Pañcāvastha (पञ्चावस्थ).—m.

(-sthaḥ) A corpse. E. pañca five, (elements,) avasthā state or condition.

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

Pañcāvastha (पञ्चावस्थ):—[from pañca] m. a corpse (resolved into the 5 elements), [Demetrius Galanos’s Lexiko: sanskritikes, anglikes, hellenikes]

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

Pañcāvastha (पञ्चावस्थ):—[pañcā+vastha] (sthaḥ) 1. m. A corpse.

[Sanskrit to German]

Pancavastha 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.

See also (Relevant definitions)

Partial matches: Avastha, Panca.

Full-text: Avastha, Cinta.

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