In Hinduism

Purana and Itihasa (epic history)

Source: archive.org: Puranic Encyclopedia

Prāṇaka (प्राणक).—Son of an agni called Prāṇa. (Śloka 1, Chapter 22, Vana Parva).

context information

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.

In Buddhism

Mahayana (major branch of Buddhism)

Source: De Gruyter: A Buddhist Ritual Manual on Agriculture

Prāṇaka (प्राणक) refers to “pests” ([?] causing crop destruction [?]), according to the Vajratuṇḍasamayakalparāja, an ancient Buddhist ritual manual on agriculture from the 5th-century (or earlier), containing various instructions for the Sangha to provide agriculture-related services to laypeople including rain-making, weather control and crop protection.—Accordingly, [As the Bhagavān teaches an offering manual]: “[...] All crops, all flowers and fruits will be well protected. [...] All pests (sarva-prāṇaka) will be destroyed. Snakes, mice, mongooses, porcupines, goats, frogs, stinging insects, mosquitos, locusts and so on, flocks of birds will perish. All worms will be destroyed. Furthermore, flying insects and so on do not occur. They are never able to destroy. [...]”.

context information

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: DDSA: The practical Sanskrit-English dictionary

Prāṇaka (प्राणक).—

1) A living being, an animate or sentient being.

2) Myrrh.

Derivable forms: prāṇakaḥ (प्राणकः).

Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Edgerton Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit Dictionary

Prāṇaka (प्राणक).—m. (= Pali pāṇaka; compare prec.), (1) allegedly = prāṇa 1, living being in general: ko nu so bhavam upetya prāṇako, yo na mṛtyuvaśam āgamiṣyati Mahāvastu i.67.5 (verse), so Senart, but mss. (besides sā for so) prāṇanta, un- metrical(ly), for the em. prāṇako; highly questionable; (2) = prāṇa 2, animal: Lalitavistara 197.1 (verse), see s.v. śubha 3, white; tatra (sc. in the kuṇapa hell) kṛṣṇehi prāṇakehi ayomukhehi khajjanti Mahāvastu i.7.2, there they are devoured by black beasts with iron jaws; kṛṣṇa-prāṇakā i.11.7, by em.; prāṇaka i.16.14; 24.16, etc., common; ii.95.10 and 99.17, see prāṇa 2; Mahāvyutpatti 4827 = Tibetan srog chags, living being, but in a list of animals; °ka-jātaḥ Mahāvyutpatti 4908, (various) sort(s) of animals; (kākair) vā khādyamānāni kurarair vā…anyair vā nānāvidhaiḥ prāṇaka-jātaiḥ Śikṣāsamuccaya 211.5 (also °jāti, Mahāvastu ii.95.10, 99.17, above, and see under 3 below); prāṇaku saumya tadā ca yadāsīt Rāṣṭrapālaparipṛcchā 26.10 (verse), a gracious animal (? Finot, p. viii, takes Saumya as n. pr. (proper name); the story referred to is not identified); Mahāvastu ii.417.6 (perhaps to 3); (3) more specifically, = prāṇa 3, insect: Mahāvastu i.270.13; of an insect called lohitaka, q.v., Mahāvastu ii.137.4; 138.19; °ka-jātayaḥ (n. pl.) (Ārya-)Mañjuśrīmūlakalpa 37.15, (any) kinds of insects (on a designated spot of ground); °kā(ḥ) Kāraṇḍavvūha 47.1, referring to worms and the like; of insects found in water, sa- prāṇakam etat pānīyam Karmavibhaṅga (and Karmavibhaṅgopadeśa) 160.13; niṣprāṇakenoda- kena (or niḥ°) (Ārya-)Mañjuśrīmūlakalpa 37.6 (text corrupt); 56.8; 58.18, etc., with water free from insects; Mūla-Sarvāstivāda-Vinaya ii.31.6 ff.

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

Prāṇaka (प्राणक).—m.

(-kaḥ) 1. An animal or sentient being. 2. Cloth, clothes. 3. A plant, (Celtis orientalis.) E. prāṇa life, kan aff.

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

1) Prāṇaka (प्राणक):—[from prān] m. a living being. animal, worm, [Kāraṇḍa-vyūha]

2) [v.s. ...] Terminalia Tomentosa or Coccinia Grandis, [cf. Lexicographers, esp. such as amarasiṃha, halāyudha, hemacandra, etc.]

3) [v.s. ...] myrrh (bola) or a jacket (cola), [cf. Lexicographers, esp. such as amarasiṃha, halāyudha, hemacandra, etc.]

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

Prāṇaka (प्राणक):—(kaḥ) 1. m. An animal or sentient being; cloth.

[Sanskrit to German]

Pranaka 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)

Starts with: Pranakamtaka, Pranakamte, Pranakanta, Pranakara, Pranakarman, Pranakarmman, Pranakarshin, Pranakashta.

Ends with: Anapranaka, Sarvapranaka.

Full-text: Prana, Pranika, Jivantaka, Kapalamocani, Appanaka, Tapa, Shubha, Jati, Pranada.

Relevant text

Search found 2 books and stories containing Pranaka, Prāṇaka; (plurals include: Pranakas, Prāṇakas). You can also click to the full overview containing English textual excerpts. Below are direct links for the most relevant articles:

Kautilya Arthashastra (by R. Shamasastry)

Chapter 18 - Defamation < [Book 3 - Concerning Law]

show preview

The Mahavastu (great story) (by J. J. Jones)

Chapter XIV - The great renunciation < [Volume II]

show preview