Raktavarna, Rakta-varna, Raktavarṇā, Raktavarṇa: 19 definitions
Introduction:
Raktavarna means something in Buddhism, Pali, Hinduism, Sanskrit, Marathi, biology. 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.
Images (photo gallery)
In Hinduism
Ayurveda (science of life)
Raktavarṇa (रक्तवर्ण):—Colour of blood, Red
Āyurveda (आयुर्वेद, ayurveda) is a branch of Indian science dealing with medicine, herbalism, taxology, anatomy, surgery, alchemy and related topics. Traditional practice of Āyurveda in ancient India dates back to at least the first millenium BC. Literature is commonly written in Sanskrit using various poetic metres.
Jyotisha (astronomy and astrology)
Raktavarṇa (रक्तवर्ण) or simply Rakta refers to the “blood colour” (of the disc of Jupiter), according to the Bṛhatsaṃhitā (chapter 8), an encyclopedic Sanskrit work written by Varāhamihira mainly focusing on the science of ancient Indian astronomy astronomy (Jyotiṣa).—Accordingly, “If the disc of Jupiter should appear of the colour of fire, there will be fear from fire; if yellow, there will be disease in the land; if dark-blue, there will be wars; if green, suffering from thieves, and if of blood color [i.e., raktavarṇa—analavarṇe ... rakte], suffering from weapons. If the disc of Jupiter should appear of the colour of smoke, there will be drought; if it should be visible during day, rulers will perish and if it should appear large and clear at night, mankind will be happy”.
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.
Shaivism (Shaiva philosophy)
1) Raktavarṇā (रक्तवर्णा) refers to “she who is red” and is used to describe Vijayā (Vijayādevī), according to the Netratantra of Kṣemarāja: a Śaiva text from the 9th century in which Śiva (Bhairava) teaches Pārvatī topics such as metaphysics, cosmology, and soteriology.—Accordingly, [verse 11.1-24ab, while describing the appearance and worship of Tumburu]—“[...] The Devīs are white, red, yellow, and black, four-faced, four armed, three eyed, and in [their] hands bear golden hatchets, sticks and rosaries. [...] Mounted on a corpse, Jayā Devī shines forth [in white]; four-armed, four-faced, three-eyed, red Vijayā [e.g., raktavarṇā—vijayā raktavarṇā] holds grass, a bow, a shield and a sword, [while] standing upon an owl, O Devī. [...] [When one] worships and meditates on [the Devīs, as they] stand in the cardinal directions, [the Devīs grant the practitioner] the fruits of siddhi. [...]”.
2) Raktavarṇa (रक्तवर्ण) or “having a red complexion” is also used to describe Brahmā.—Accordingly, [verse 13.29-36, while describing the appearance and worship of Rudra]—“The auspicious Brahmā [has] four faces, four arms, beautiful eyes, and a red complexion (raktavarṇa). [He holds] a bundle of very sharp grass [that] hangs down [from his hands]. [Brahmā is] mounted on Haṃsa, holds a stick and rudrākṣa, carries a water jar for protection, [and] the four Vedas. [He] gives the fruits of all siddhis”.
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.
Purana and Itihasa (epic history)
Raktavarṇa (रक्तवर्ण) refers to “one who is red in colour”, and is used to describe Śiva assuming the form of Brahmā, according to the Śivapurāṇa 2.3.30 (“The Celebration of Pārvatī’s Return”).—Accordingly, as Brahmā narrated to Nārada: “[...] In the meantime the lord of mountains returned from the Gaṅgā. He saw the mendicant in the human form in his court-yard. [...] Then the lord of mountains saw the four-faced deity, the creator of worlds, red in colour (raktavarṇa) and reciting the Vedic hymns. Then the lord of mountains saw the form of the sun, the eye of the universe, much to his enthusiastic amazement. Then, O dear one, he saw him in the wonderful form of Śiva accompanied by Pārvatī. He was smiling and shining beautifully. [...]”.
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)
Raktavarṇā (रक्तवर्णा) refers to one of the “thousand names of Kumārī”, as mentioned in the Kumārīsahasranāma, which is included in the 10th chapter of the first part (prathamabhāga) of the Rudrayāmala-Uttaratantra: an ancient Tantric work primarily dealing with the practice of Kuṇḍalinī-yoga, the worship of Kumārī and discussions regarding the Cakras. This edition is said to be derived of the Rudrayāmalatantra and consists of 6000 verses in 90 chapters (paṭalas) together with the Saralā-Hindīvyākhyopetam (i.e., the Rudrayamalam Uttaratantram with Sarala Hindi translation).—Raktavarṇā is mentioned in śloka 1.10.91.—The chapter notes that one is granted the rewards obtained by reciting the text even without the performance of pūjā (worship), japa, snāna (bathing) and puraścaryā
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.
Shilpashastra (iconography)
Raktavarṇa (रक्तवर्ण) refers to a “blood-red hue”, which is associated with the ten Daśamudrā Devīs whose Pratimālakṣaṇa (Śakti-based iconographical details) are discussed in verse 1.8 of the Śrītattvanidhi of Śrī Kṛṣṇarāja Uḍaiyar (in its Tañcāvūr Sarasvatī Mahal Library edition).—Daśamudrās refers to the ritualized and stylized mudrās (symbolic hand postures). The ten Devīs are named by citing the Lalitopākhyāna of the Brahmāṇḍa Purāṇa. All the goddesses are uniformly blood-red, dāḍimipuṣpa-varṇa, i.e. in the colour of pomegranate flower. They have four hands that resemble (lotus-like, kamalakānti). The rear hands carry the kṛpāṇa “knife” and carma, and the other ones are two-mudrās. The eyes are red-hued due to the consumption of alcoholic drink. The eyes can also be red due to fury. When the divine female is irritated, the hue of her eyes is raktavarṇa (blood red).
Shilpashastra (शिल्पशास्त्र, śilpaśāstra) represents the ancient Indian science (shastra) of creative arts (shilpa) such as sculpture, iconography and painting. Closely related to Vastushastra (architecture), they often share the same literature.
In Buddhism
Tibetan Buddhism (Vajrayana or tantric Buddhism)
Raktavarṇa (रक्तवर्ण) refers to “(having) a red color”, according to the Guru-maṇḍala-arcana [i.e., “Guru Mandala Worship]” ritual often performed in combination with the Cakrasaṃvara Samādhi, which refers to the primary pūjā and sādhanā practice of Newah Mahāyāna-Vajrayāna Buddhists in Nepal.—Accordingly, “[...] Six joyful seals, the foremost of them (being) her holiness, Colored red (raktavarṇa), with one face, two arms, and three eyes, Naked with loose hair, (and) partly adorned with a girdle, The left arm embracing, holding in a skull bowl, sin and death for eating, On the right a threatening finger pointing in the direction of all defilement, Sounding the thunder of an impending kalpa-fire of great majesty, With the bloody opening (between) both hips penetrated by (her) hero, One who loves great pleasure, belonging to the nature of compassion”.
Raktavarṇā (रक्तवर्णा) refers to “she who is red in color”, according to the 10th-century Ḍākārṇava-tantra: one of the last Tibetan Tantric scriptures belonging to the Buddhist Saṃvara tradition consisting of 51 chapters.—Accordingly, “[Vajravārāhī holds] an adamantine knife in the right [hand] and a skull bowl in the left hand; hugs the Blessed One (Heruka) around [his] hips with [her] two shanks and loves [him]; [has] one face; [has her] hair untied; is naked; is red in color (raktavarṇā); wears a garland of hairless heads [as a necklace]; is adorned with sexually attractive ornaments; is crowned with a string of skulls on [her] head; [...]”.
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.
Biology (plants and animals)
Raktavarna in India is the name of a plant defined with Nymphaea rubra in various botanical sources. This page contains potential references in Ayurveda, modern medicine, and other folk traditions or local practices It has the synonym Nymphaea rubra Roxb. ex Salisb..
Example references for further research on medicinal uses or toxicity (see latin names for full list):
· Cytologia (1980)
If you are looking for specific details regarding Raktavarna, for example chemical composition, pregnancy safety, side effects, health benefits, extract dosage, diet and recipes, have a look at these references.
This sections includes definitions from the five kingdoms of living things: Animals, Plants, Fungi, Protists and Monera. It will include both the official binomial nomenclature (scientific names usually in Latin) as well as regional spellings and variants.
Languages of India and abroad
Marathi-English dictionary
raktavarṇa (रक्तवर्ण).—a (S) pop. raktavarṇī a Blood-colored, blood-red.
raktavarṇa (रक्तवर्ण) [-varṇī, -वर्णी].—a Blood-coloured.
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
Raktavarṇa (रक्तवर्ण).—a. red-coloured. (-rṇaḥ) 1 redcolour.
2) cochineal insect. (-rṇam) gold.
Raktavarṇa is a Sanskrit compound consisting of the terms rakta and varṇa (वर्ण).
Raktavarṇa (रक्तवर्ण).—mfn.
(-rṇaḥ-rṇā-rṇaṃ) Red, of a red colour. m.
(-rṇaḥ) 1. An earth-worm. “kellui”. 2. Red, (the colour.) n.
(-rṇaṃ) Gold. E. rakta red, varṇa colour.
Raktavarṇa (रक्तवर्ण).—1. [masculine] red colour.
--- OR ---
Raktavarṇa (रक्तवर्ण).—2. [adjective] red-coloured.
1) Raktavarṇa (रक्तवर्ण):—[=rakta-varṇa] [from rakta > raj] m. red colour or the c° of blood, [Catalogue(s)]
2) [v.s. ...] mfn. red-coloured, [Suśruta]
3) [v.s. ...] the cochineal insect, [cf. Lexicographers, esp. such as amarasiṃha, halāyudha, hemacandra, etc.]
4) [v.s. ...] n. gold, [cf. Lexicographers, esp. such as amarasiṃha, halāyudha, hemacandra, etc.]
Raktavarṇa (रक्तवर्ण):—[rakta-varṇa] (rṇaḥ-rṇā-rṇaṃ) a. Red. m. An earth-worm; red colour.
Raktavarṇa (रक्तवर्ण):—1. m. die rothe Farbe oder die Farbe des Blutes [Oxforder Handschriften 98,a,6.]
--- OR ---
Raktavarṇa (रक्तवर्ण):—2.
1) adj. rothfarbig [Suśruta 1, 199, 7.] maṇi [AMṚTAN. Upakośā] in [Weber’s Indische Studien 9, 37.] —
2) m. Coccinelle (indragopa) [Rājanirghaṇṭa im Śabdakalpadruma] —
3) n. Gold [Hemacandra’s Abhidhānacintāmaṇi 162.]
Raktavarṇa (रक्तवर्ण):—1. m. die rothe Farbe oder die Farbe des Blutes.
--- OR ---
Raktavarṇa (रक्तवर्ण):—2. —
1) Adj. rothfarbig. —
2) m. Coccinelle [Rājan 19,126.] —
3) n. Gold.
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.
Nepali dictionary
Raktavarṇa (रक्तवर्ण):—adj. red/of reddish color; n. 1. red; 2. a type of insect appearing in summer season; 3. → मसगा [masagā]
Nepali is the primary language of the Nepalese people counting almost 20 million native speakers. The country of Nepal is situated in the Himalaya mountain range to the north of India.
See also (Relevant definitions)
Partial matches (+0): Varna, Rakta.
Starts with (+0): Raktavarnaka.
Full-text (+6): Raktavarnaka, Angaramanjari, Angaramanji, Gavi, Bala Ganapati, Mataci, Tarunaganapati, Mangala, Kripana, Dadimi, Dadimipushpavarna, Dadimipushpa, Sarvabija, Sarvamahankusha, Sarvayoni, Sarvavidravini, Sarvakarshini, Sarvonmadini, Sarvakhecari, Sarvatrikanthika.
Relevant text
Search found 34 books and stories containing Raktavarna, Rakta-varna, Rakta-varṇa, Rakta-varṇā, Raktavarṇā, Raktavarṇa; (plurals include: Raktavarnas, varnas, varṇas, varṇās, Raktavarṇās, Raktavarṇas). You can also click to the full overview containing English textual excerpts. Below are direct links for the most relevant articles:
The Saurasaṃhitā: The Earliest Surviving Tantra on Sun-Worship < [Volume 80 (2020)]
Dictionaries of Indian languages (Kosha)
Page 783 < [Hindi-Bengali-English Volume 2]
Page 286 < [Hindi-Malayalam-English Volume 3]
Page 783 < [Hindi-Sindhi-English Volume 2]
Journal of Ayurveda and Integrated Medical Sciences
Effect of Virechana and Raktamokshan in Vicharchika: A Single Case Study < [Vol. 8 No. 5 (2023)]
Clinical understanding of Ashtasthana Pareeksha < [Vol. 8 No. 1 (2023)]
To Evaluate the role of Somaraji Taila Lepa in Switra Kusta- A Pilot Study < [Vol. 1 No. 04 (2016)]
Canons of Orissan Architecture (by R. Chatterjee)
Some Important Aspects of Mutra Pariksha- From Basava Rajiyam < [Volume 20 (issue 1-2), Jul-Dec 2000]
An integrated approach in the treatment of varicose ulcer < [Volume 32 (issue 3), Jan-Mar 2013]
International Ayurvedic Medical Journal
A conceptual study of samhanana as a measuring tool < [2013, Issue 6 Nov- Dec]
Asthavidha pariksha: a diagnostic method < [2022, Issue 3, March]
Standardization of laghu suta shekhara rasa – an analytical study < [2016, Issue XII December]