In Hinduism

Shaktism (Shakta philosophy)

Source: Brill: Śaivism and the Tantric Traditions (shaktism)

Raktanayanā (रक्तनयना) refers to “she who has red eyes” and is used to describe Kālarātri, according to the Mahābhārata 10.8.64–68.—Accordingly, “Good sir, they saw her, Kālarātri, standing, smiling, alone, blue-black in hue, with red mouth and eyes (raktanayanā), garlands and unguents of crimson, red robes, a noose in one hand, a peacock feather [in her hair], binding men, horses and elephants with her horrifying fetters while she stood, capturing many headless ghosts trapped in her noose, leading those asleep in their dreams to other Nights. And at all times the best soldiers saw the son of Droṇa slaughtering. From the time when the battle between the Kuru and Pāṇḍava armies began, they saw [both] that evil spirit and the son of Droṇa. The son of Droṇa later felled those who had first been struck by this divinity [Kālarātri], terrorizing all creatures while shouting out ferocious bellows”.

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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.

Kavya (poetry)

Source: Brill: Śaivism and the Tantric Traditions (kavya)

Raktanayana (रक्तनयन) refers to “red eyes”, according to Bāṇa’s Kādambarī (p. 225-226).—Accordingly, while describing the shire of the Goddess Caṇḍikā, “[Then follows the image of the Goddess Caṇḍikā, which matches the conception of Kālarātri in the passage from the Mahābhārata:] [...] she bore the coquettish apparel of a woman going out to meet Mahākāla at night, with a vine-like body furnished with a raiment reddened with saffron-dye, with a face with red eyes (raktanayana), whose brows were furrowed into a frown, whose lip was crimsoned with betel that was blood, whose cheeks were reddened by the light shed from ear-ornaments of pomegranate flowers, with a forehead on which there was a tilaka dot of vermillion made by a Śabara beauty, covered by a magnificent gold turban. She was worshipped by goats... mice... antelope and black serpents... She was praised on all sides by flocks of old crows; [...]”.

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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’.

Languages of India and abroad

Sanskrit dictionary

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

Raktanayana (रक्तनयन).—mfn.

(-naḥ-nī-naṃ) Red-eyed. m.

(-naḥ) The Greek partridge, “cakore” (Perdix rufa.) E. rakta red, and nayana the eye, red-eyed.

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

1) Raktanayana (रक्तनयन):—[=rakta-nayana] [from rakta > raj] mfn. red-eyed

2) [v.s. ...] m. Perdix Rufa, [cf. Lexicographers, esp. such as amarasiṃha, halāyudha, hemacandra, etc.]

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

Raktanayana (रक्तनयन):—[rakta-nayana] (naḥ-nī-naṃ) a. Red-eyed. 1. m. 3. f. The Greek partridge.

[Sanskrit to German]

Raktanayana 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: Nayana, Rakta.

Ends with: Araktanayana, Samraktanayana.

Full-text: Samraktanayana.

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Search found 2 books and stories containing Raktanayana, Raktanayanā, Rakta-nayana, Rakta-nayanā; (plurals include: Raktanayanas, Raktanayanās, nayanas, nayanās). You can also click to the full overview containing English textual excerpts. Below are direct links for the most relevant articles:

Malatimadhava (study) (by Jintu Moni Dutta)

Part 1.3c - Raudra Rasa (The Furious Sentiment) < [Chapter 2 - Literary Study of the Mālatīmādhava]

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The Devi Bhagavata Purana (by Swami Vijñanananda)

Chapter 6 - On the one thousand and eight names of the Gāyatrī < [Book 12]

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