Pingalaka, Piṅgalaka: 8 definitions
Introduction:
Pingalaka 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.
In Hinduism
Purana and Itihasa (epic history)
Piṅgalaka (पिङ्गलक) is a name mentioned in the Mahābhārata (cf. I.52.14, I.57) and represents one of the many proper names used for people and places. Note: The Mahābhārata (mentioning Piṅgalaka) is a Sanskrit epic poem consisting of 100,000 ślokas (metrical verses) and is over 2000 years old.
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.
Kavya (poetry)
Piṅgalaka (पिङ्गलक) or Saṃjīvaka is the name of a lion (siṃha), according to the Kathāsaritsāgara, chapter 59. Accordingly, “... there lived in a neighbouring wood a lion named Piṅgalaka, who had subdued the forest by his might; and that king of beasts had two jackals for ministers: the name of the one was Damanaka, and the name of the other was Karaṭaka”.
The story of Piṅgalaka was narrated by Gomukha to Naravāhanadatta in order to demonstrate that “a man who conquers wrath will not be subject to grief; and a man who displays prudence is never harmed. Even in the case of animals prudence produces success, not valour”.
The Kathāsaritsāgara (‘ocean of streams of story’), mentioning Piṅgalaka, is a famous Sanskrit epic story revolving around prince Naravāhanadatta and his quest to become the emperor of the vidyādharas (celestial beings). The work is said to have been an adaptation of Guṇāḍhya’s Bṛhatkathā consisting of 100,000 verses, which in turn is part of a larger work containing 700,000 verses.
Kavya (काव्य, kavya) refers to Sanskrit poetry, a popular ancient Indian tradition of literature. There have been many Sanskrit poets over the ages, hailing from ancient India and beyond. This topic includes mahakavya, or ‘epic poetry’ and natya, or ‘dramatic poetry’.
Jyotisha (astronomy and astrology)
Piṅgalaka (पिङ्गलक) [=Daṇḍapiṅgalaka ?] (or Piṅgala) refers to a country belonging to “Uttaratas or Uttaradeśa (northern division)” classified under the constellations of Śatabhiṣaj, Pūrvabhādrapada and Uttarabhādrapada, according to the system of Kūrmavibhāga, according to the Bṛhatsaṃhitā (chapter 14), an encyclopedic Sanskrit work written by Varāhamihira mainly focusing on the science of ancient Indian astronomy astronomy (Jyotiṣa).—Accordingly, “The countries of the Earth beginning from the centre of Bhāratavarṣa and going round the east, south-east, south, etc., are divided into 9 divisions corresponding to the 27 lunar asterisms at the rate of 3 for each division and beginning from Kṛttikā. The constellations of Śatabhiṣaj, Pūrvabhādrapada and Uttarabhādrapada represent the northern division consisting of [i.e., Daṇḍa, Piṅgalaka] [...]”.
Jyotisha (ज्योतिष, jyotiṣa or jyotish) refers to ‘astronomy’ or “Vedic astrology” and represents the fifth of the six Vedangas (additional sciences to be studied along with the Vedas). Jyotisha concerns itself with the study and prediction of the movements of celestial bodies, in order to calculate the auspicious time for rituals and ceremonies.
Ganitashastra (Mathematics and Algebra)
Piṅgalaka (पिङ्गलक) or Piṅgalaka refers to the “reddish-brown color” which were used as symbols for the unknowns, according to the principles of Bījagaṇita (“algebra” or ‘science of calculation’), according to Gaṇita-śāstra, ancient Indian mathematics and astronomy.—Āryabhaṭa I (499) very probably used coloured shots to represent unknowns. Brahmagupta (628) in the Brāhmasphuṭasiddhānta mentions varṇa as the symbols of unknowns. As he has not attempted in any way to explain this method of symbolism, it appears that the method was already very familiar. [...] In the case of more unknowns, it is usual to denote the first yāvattāvat and the remaining ones by alphabets or colours [e.g., piṅgala].—Cf. Pṛthūdakasvāmī (860) in his commentary on the Brāhmasphuṭasiddhānta by Brahmagupta (628) and Bhāskara II in the Bījagaṇita.
Ganita (गणित) or Ganitashastra refers to the ancient Indian science of mathematics, algebra, number theory, arithmetic, etc. Closely allied with astronomy, both were commonly taught and studied in universities, even since the 1st millennium BCE. Ganita-shastra also includes ritualistic math-books such as the Shulba-sutras.
Languages of India and abroad
Sanskrit dictionary
Piṅgalaka (पिङ्गलक).—[feminine] likā = [preceding] adj.; [feminine] a kind of owl, a woman’s name.
1) Piṅgalaka (पिङ्गलक):—[from piñj] mf(ikā)n. reddish-brown, yellow, tawny, [Atharva-veda]
2) [v.s. ...] m. Name of a Yakṣa, [Mahābhārata]
3) [v.s. ...] of a man ([plural] his descendants) [gana] upakādi
4) [v.s. ...] of a lion, [Pañcatantra]
Piṅgalaka (पिङ्गलक):—(von piṅgala)
1) adj. f. likā = piṅgala. ku.ā.i.ā piṅgali.ā kā.yaṃ kṛ.vā pra dhāvati [Atharvavedasaṃhitā 20, 136, 14.] —
2) m. a) Nomen proprium eines Yakṣa [Mahābhārata 2, 399.] Nomen proprium eines Mannes gaṇa upakādi zu [Pāṇini’s acht Bücher 2, 4, 69.] pl. seine Nachkommen ebend. — b) Nomen proprium eines Löwen [Pañcatantra 9, 11.] —
3) f. likā a) eine Bienenart [Suśruta 2, 290, 17.] — b) eine Eulenart = piṅgalā [Varāhamihira’s Bṛhajjātaka S. 87, 4 ] (v. l. piṅgalakā). ruta [Weber’s Verzeichniss No. 896.] eine Kranichart (balākā) [Jaṭādhara im Śabdakalpadruma] — c) Nomen proprium eines Weibes [Kathāsaritsāgara 21, 122. 34, 116.] — Vgl. daṇḍa .
--- OR ---
Piṅgalaka (पिङ्गलक):—
2) b) [Kathāsaritsāgara 60, 18.]
Piṅgalaka (पिङ्गलक):——
1) Adj. (f. likā röthlich braun. —
2) m. Nomen proprium — a) eines Yakṣa. — b) *eines Mannes ; Pl. seine Nachkommen. — c) eines Löwen —
3) f. likā — a) eine Eulenart. — b) *eine Kranichart. — c) eine Bienenart. — d) Nomen proprium einer Frau.
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)
Starts with (+0): Pingalakanva.
Full-text (+0): Dandapingalaka, Shvetapingalaka, Apingalaka, Viyojya, Pingalin, Pingaliman, Pingalita, Pingala, Avyaktarashi, Pingalika, Karataka, Damanaka, Dandapingala, Tittibha, Mandavisarpini, Netti, Tanta.
Relevant text
Search found 10 books and stories containing Pingalaka, Piṅgalaka; (plurals include: Pingalakas, Piṅgalakas). You can also click to the full overview containing English textual excerpts. Below are direct links for the most relevant articles:
List of Mahabharata people and places (by Laxman Burdak)
Panchatantra: A reflex of Arthashastra (by M. N. Indrani)
Summary of Chapter 1—Mitrabheda (Seperation of Friends) < [Chapter 3 - Contents of the Panchatantra]
The concept of Amatya (Minister) < [Chapter 4 - Arthashastra and Panchatantra—a comparison]
Contents of Panchatantra < [Chapter 1 - A survey of the Niti-Katha-Sahitya]
Glimpses of History of Sanskrit Literature (by Satya Vrat Shastri)
Chapter 18.1 - Popular Tales and Fables in Sanskrit literature < [Section 4 - Classical Sanskrit literature]
Kathasaritsagara (the Ocean of Story) (by Somadeva)
Chapter LX < [Book X - Śaktiyaśas]
Puranic encyclopaedia (by Vettam Mani)
Brahmasphutasiddhanta by Brahmagupta (Introduction) (by Acharyavara Ram Swarup Sharma)
Part 2 - Technical Terms (in ancient Indian Algebra) < [Chapter 10 - Brahmagupta as an Algebraist]