Pishaci, Piśācī, Piśāci: 13 definitions
Introduction:
Pishaci means something in Buddhism, Pali, Hinduism, Sanskrit, Marathi. 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 terms Piśācī and Piśāci can be transliterated into English as Pisaci or Pishaci, using the IAST transliteration scheme (?).
Alternative spellings of this word include Pishachi.
Images (photo gallery)
In Hinduism
Purana and Itihasa (epic history)
Source: Wisdom Library: The Matsya-purāṇaPiśācī (पिशाची) is the name of a mind-born ‘divine mother’ (mātṛ), created for the purpose of drinking the blood of the Andhaka demons, according to the Matsya-purāṇa 179.8. The Andhaka demons spawned out of every drop of blood spilled from the original Andhakāsura (Andhaka-demon). According to the Matsya-purāṇa 179.35, “Most terrible they (e.g., Piśācī) all drank the blood of those Andhakas and become exceedingly satiated.”
The Matsyapurāṇa is categorised as a Mahāpurāṇa, and was originally composed of 20,000 metrical verses, dating from the 1st-millennium BCE. The narrator is Matsya, one of the ten major avatars of Viṣṇu.
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: The Purana IndexPiśācī (पिशाची).—A mind-born mother.*
- * Matsya-purāṇa 179. 16.
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.
Shaktism (Shakta philosophy)
Source: Kamakoti Mandali: The Yoginis of Narasimha VyuhaPiśācī (पिशाची) is the name of a Mātṛkā-Śakti created by Mahārudra in order to control the plague of demons created by Andhakāsura.—Accordingly, Andhaka-Asura tried to kidnap Umā (Devī Pārvatī), and was fiercely attacked by Mahārudra who shot arrows at him from his mahāpināka. when the arrows pierced the body of Andhakāsura, drops of blood fell to earth and from those drops, thousands of Andhakas arose. To control this plague of demons, Mahārudra created Mātṛkā-Śaktis [viz., Piśācī] and ordered them to drink the blood of the demons and drain them dry.
Source: Kamakoti Mandali: Nrisimha matrika-mandalaPiśācī (पिशाची) refers to one of the various Mātṛkā-Śaktis created by Rudra in order to destroy the clones that spawned from Andhaka’s body.—Accordingly, [...] Andhakāsura attempted to abduct Girājanandinī (Pārvatī) and thus ensued a fierce battle between Andhakāsura and the great Rudra, the Lord of Umā. Like raktabīja, every drop of blood that fell from the body of Andhaka created another Asura like him and in no time, the entire world was filled with Andhakas. To destroy the growing number of Andhakas, Rudra created innumerable Mātṛkā-Śaktis [viz., Piśācī]. These Śaktis of immense power at once began to drink every drop of blood that flowed from the body of Andhaka, but they could still not effectively contain the emergence of more and more demons.
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.
In Buddhism
Tibetan Buddhism (Vajrayana or tantric Buddhism)
Source: Wisdom Library: Tibetan BuddhismPiśācī (पिशाची) refers to a group of beings mentioned as attending the teachings in the 6th century Mañjuśrīmūlakalpa: one of the largest Kriyā Tantras devoted to Mañjuśrī (the Bodhisattva of wisdom) representing an encyclopedia of knowledge primarily concerned with ritualistic elements in Buddhism. The teachings in this text originate from Mañjuśrī and were taught to and by Buddha Śākyamuni in the presence of a large audience (including the Piśācīs).
Source: Wisdom Library: Tibetan Buddhist Teachers, Deities and other Spiritual beingsPiśācī (पिशाची) refers to the “Eight Tramen” forming part of the “Fifty-eight Wrathful Deities” (Tibetan: khro bo lha nga brgyad) according to various sources such as the Guhyagarbha Tantra and the Tibetan Book of the Dead.—They feature in Tantric teachings and practices which focus on purifying elements of the body and mind. These deities [e.g., the piśācīs] form part part of the the Hundred Peaceful and Wrathful Deities who manifest to a deceased person following the dissolution of the body and consciousness whilst they are in the intermediate state (bardo) between death and rebirth.
The eight piśācīs (in Tibetan: phra men brgyad) are animal-headed deities. They are:
- Siṃhamukhā (seng gdong ma),
- Vyāghramukhā (stag gdong ma),
- Śṛgālamukhā (wa gdong ma),
- Śvanamukhā (spyang ki),
- Gṛdhramukhā (bya rgod),
- Kaṅkamukhā (dur bya),
- Kākamukhā (bya rog),
- Ulūkamukhā ('ug pa'i gdong can ma).
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.
Languages of India and abroad
Marathi-English dictionary
Source: DDSA: The Molesworth Marathi and English Dictionarypiśācī (पिशाची).—f A female fiend or goblin. 2 fig. A hideous woman.
Marathi is an Indo-European language having over 70 million native speakers people in (predominantly) Maharashtra India. Marathi, like many other Indo-Aryan languages, evolved from early forms of Prakrit, which itself is a subset of Sanskrit, one of the most ancient languages of the world.
Sanskrit dictionary
Source: DDSA: The practical Sanskrit-English dictionaryPiśāci (पिशाचि).—Ved. = पिशाच (piśāca) q. v.
Derivable forms: piśāciḥ (पिशाचिः).
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Cappeller Sanskrit-English DictionaryPiśāci (पिशाचि).—[masculine] [Name] of a demon.
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary1) Piśācī (पिशाची):—[from piśāca > piś] f. a female P°, a she-devil, [Atharva-veda] etc. etc. (also ifc. = m.)
2) [v.s. ...] excessive fondness for (ifc.; e.g. āyudha-p, e° f° for fighting), [Bālarāmāyaṇa; Anargharāghava]
3) [v.s. ...] a species of Valerian, [cf. Lexicographers, esp. such as amarasiṃha, halāyudha, hemacandra, etc.]
4) [v.s. ...] Name of a Yoginī, [Hemādri’s Caturvarga-cintāmaṇi]
5) Piśāci (पिशाचि):—[from piś] m. = piśāca or Name of a demon, [Ṛg-veda i, 133, 5.]
[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.
Kannada-English dictionary
Source: Alar: Kannada-English corpusPiśāci (ಪಿಶಾಚಿ):—[noun] a female ghost.
--- OR ---
Piśāci (ಪಿಶಾಚಿ):—
1) [noun] = ಪಿಶಾಚ - [pishaca -] 1.
2) [noun] a term of scolding.
Kannada is a Dravidian language (as opposed to the Indo-European language family) mainly spoken in the southwestern region of India.
See also (Relevant definitions)
Starts with: Pisacin, Pishacika, Pishacikarana, Pishacike, Pishaciki, Pishacini, Pishacitavare.
Ends with: Amtarapishaci, Ayudhapishaci, Brahmapishaci, Cincinipishaci, Dhanapishaci, Jvalapishaci, Karnapishaci, Kollipishaci, Mahapishaci, Pamsupishaci, Raudrapishaci, Stripishaci, Ulkapishaci.
Full-text (+50): Karnapishaci, Stripishaci, Dhanapishaci, Pishacika, Haripingala, Kambugriva, Pishangabhrishti, Agrodika, Purnabhadrika, Upamada, Citrapishacika, Mitrakalika, Kaki, Rakshitika, Agnirakshitika, Preti, Madotkata, Rishirakshitika, Harikeshi, Olamba.
Relevant text
Search found 18 books and stories containing Pishaci, Piśācī, Pisaci, Piśāci, Piśaci; (plurals include: Pishacis, Piśācīs, Pisacis, Piśācis, Piśacis). You can also click to the full overview containing English textual excerpts. Below are direct links for the most relevant articles:
Rig Veda (translation and commentary) (by H. H. Wilson)
Guhyagarbha Tantra (with Commentary) (by Gyurme Dorje)
Text 15.6 (Commentary) < [Chapter 15 (Text and Commentary)]
Text 20.19 (Commentary) < [Chapter 20 (Text And Commentary)]
Text 20.15 (Commentary) < [Chapter 20 (Text And Commentary)]
Bodhisattvacharyavatara (by Andreas Kretschmar)
Text Section 136 < [Khenpo Chöga’s Oral Explanations]
Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu (by Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī)
Verse 1.2.22 < [Part 2 - Devotional Service in Practice (sādhana-bhakti)]
Women in the Atharva-veda Samhita (by Pranab Jyoti Kalita)
9. Goddess Grāhi < [Chapter 4 - Female Deities and the Glorification of Women in the Atharvaveda]
11. Goddess Kṛtyā < [Chapter 4 - Female Deities and the Glorification of Women in the Atharvaveda]
Lankavatara Sutra (by Daisetz Teitaro Suzuki)