Introduction

Rashi means something in Hinduism, Sanskrit, Buddhism, Pali, the history of ancient India, 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 Rāśi and Rāśī can be transliterated into English as Rasi or Rashi, using the IAST transliteration scheme (?).

Images (photo gallery)

In Hinduism

Purana and Itihasa (epic history)

Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: The Purana Index

Rāśi (राशि).—Three-fold, as Brahmā, Rudra and Viṣṇu; (fourfold, according to another reading; see Wilson's translation).^*

• * Viṣṇu-purāṇa VI. 8. 7.

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.

Vastushastra (architecture)

Source: McGill: The architectural theory of the Mānasāra

Rāśī (राशी).—Besides āyādiṣaḍvarga, three other astrological principles are also mentioned in passing in the text (Mānasāra chapter 9), without always giving their full list or the formula to ascertain them: rāśī, “zodiacal sign”, gaṇa, literally, “cluster”, and nayana, literally, “eye”. The twelve rāśīs are, of course, familiar:

1. Meṣa, Aries;
2. Vṛṣabha, Taurus;
3. Mithuna, Gemini;
4. Kulīra, Cancer;
5. Siṃha, Leo;
6. Kanyā, Virgo;
7. Tulā, Libra;
8. Vṛścika, Scorpio;
9. Dhanus, Sagittarius;
10. Makara, Capricorn;
11. Kumbha, Aquarius;
12. Mīna, Pisces.

The text states that all of them except the eighth, Vṛścika, are auspicious.

context information

Vastushastra (वास्तुशास्त्र, vāstuśāstra) refers to the ancient Indian science (shastra) of architecture (vastu), dealing with topics such architecture, sculpture, town-building, fort building and various other constructions. Vastu also deals with the philosophy of the architectural relation with the cosmic universe.

Vyakarana (Sanskrit grammar)

Source: Wikisource: A dictionary of Sanskrit grammar

Rāśi (राशि).—Usually used in the sense of a collection or a heap or a lunar constellation; the word is often used after the word वर्ण (varṇa) when it means the traditional collection of letters or the alphabet. The words अक्षरराशि, ब्रह्मराशि (akṣararāśi, brahmarāśi) and अक्षरसमाम्नाय (akṣarasamāmnāya) are also used in the same sense.

context information

Vyakarana (व्याकरण, vyākaraṇa) refers to Sanskrit grammar and represents one of the six additional sciences (vedanga) to be studied along with the Vedas. Vyakarana concerns itself with the rules of Sanskrit grammar and linguistic analysis in order to establish the correct context of words and sentences.

Jyotisha (astronomy and astrology)

Source: Wikibooks (hi): Sanskrit Technical Terms

Rāśi (राशि).—Zodiacal sign or 30 °. Note: Rāśi is a Sanskrit technical term used in ancient Indian sciences such as Astronomy, Mathematics and Geometry.

context information

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.

Vaishnavism (Vaishava dharma)

Source: Pure Bhakti: Arcana-dipika - 3rd Edition

Rāśī (राशी) refers to “sun sign” or the “Vedic zodiac sign”:—The different signs of the zodiac through which the sun travels are mentioned below, and the approximate dates are given as well. For precise dates, please refer to a Vedic calendar.

1. Meṣa or “aries” — (mid April to mid May);
2. Vṛṣabha or “taurus” — (mid May to mid June);
3. Mithuna or “gemini” — (mid June to mid July);
4. Karkaṭa or “cancer” — (mid July to mid August);
5. Siṃha or “leo” — (mid August to mid September);
6. Kanyā or “virgo” — (mid September to mid October);
7. Tulā or “libra” — (mid October to mid November);
8. Vṛścika or “Scorpio” — (mid November to mid December);
9. Dhanur or “Sagittarius” — (mid December to mid January);
10. Makara or “capricorn” — (mid January to mid February);
11. Kumbha or “aquarius” — (mid February to mid March);
12. Mīna or “pisces” — (mid March to mid April );

In accordance with the zodiac sign the sun is situated in, one would utter, for example, meṣa-rāśī sthite bhāskare.

context information

Vaishnava (वैष्णव, vaiṣṇava) or vaishnavism (vaiṣṇavism) represents a tradition of Hinduism worshipping Vishnu as the supreme Lord. Similar to the Shaktism and Shaivism traditions, Vaishnavism also developed as an individual movement, famous for its exposition of the dashavatara (‘ten avatars of Vishnu’).

India history and geogprahy

Source: Project Gutenberg: Castes and Tribes of Southern India, Volume 1

Rasi (“zodiacal sign”) refers to a factor taken into consideration, by consulting an astrologer, before marriage among the Agamudaiyans (a cultivating case foundin all the Tamil districts).—Beginning from the girl’s zodiacal sign, the young man’s should be beyond the sixth.

Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Indian Epigraphical Glossary

Rāśi.—(IA 17), a sign of the zodiac. (IE 7-1-2), ‘twelve’. Cf. rāśi-ppon (SITI), also called rāśi-paṇam; explained as ‘pure gold’; probably, ‘current good coin.’ Note: rāśi is defined in the “Indian epigraphical glossary” as it can be found on ancient inscriptions commonly written in Sanskrit, Prakrit or Dravidian languages.

context information

The history of India traces the identification of countries, villages, towns and other regions of India, as well as royal dynasties, rulers, tribes, local festivities and traditions and regional languages. Ancient India enjoyed religious freedom and encourages the path of Dharma, a concept common to Buddhism, Hinduism, and Jainism.

Languages of India and abroad

Pali-English dictionary

Source: BuddhaSasana: Concise Pali-English Dictionary

rāsi : (m.) a heap; quantity.

Source: Sutta: The Pali Text Society's Pali-English Dictionary

Rāsi, (Vedic rāśi) 1. heap, quantity, mass It. 17; usually —°, e.g. aṅgāra° heap of cinders J. I, 107; kaṇikārapuppha° of k. flowers VvA. 65; kahāpaṇa° of money PvA. 162, tila° of seeds VvA. 54; dhañña° of corn A. IV, 163, 170; etc.—rāsiṃ karoti to make a heap, to pile up Mhvs 29, 28; VvA. 157.—2. (store of) wealth, riches; in °agga-dāna gift of the best treasures (of one’s property), one of the 5 “donations of the best, ” viz. khett°, rās°, koṭṭh°, kumbhi°, bhojan°: SnA 270. See also °vaḍḍhaka — 3. a sign of the Zodiac (the 12, as given at Abhp 61 are: mesa, usabha, methuna, kakkata, sīha, kaññā, tulā, vicchikā, dhanu, makara, kumbha, mīna; or the ram, bull, twins, crab, lion, virgin, balance, scorpion bow, capricorn, waterpot, fish) PvA. 198.—4. (fig.) at t. t. in logic: group, aggregate, category, congery; frequent in Abhidhamma-literature, where 3 “accumulations” are spoken of, viz. micchatta-niyato rāsi, sammatta-niyato r. , anivato r. or “wrong doing entailing immutable evil results, that of well-doing entailing immutable good results, and that of everything not so determined” (Dialogues III, 210); D. III, 217; Kvu 611; Nett 96; cp. Kvu trsl. 356 Dhs. trsl. 26, 253. In the 5 factors of individuality (body and mind) khandhā are explained as meaning rāsi, e.g. Asl. 141; B. Psy. 42. In other connections: S. V, 146 (kusala°, akusala°), 186; A. III, 65 (akusala°); Tikp 45.—Note. In BSk. we find only 2 of the 3 categories mentioned at MVastu I. 175, viz. mithyātvaniyato & aniyato rāśih.

context information

Pali is the language of the Tipiṭaka, which is the sacred canon of Theravāda Buddhism and contains much of the Buddha’s speech. Closeley related to Sanskrit, both languages are used interchangeably between religions.

Marathi-English dictionary

Source: DDSA: The Molesworth Marathi and English Dictionary

rāśi (राशि).—m (S) A sign of the zodiac. 2 f A heap or pile; any accumulation or mass. In this sense are numerous valuable compounds; as puṇyarāśi, pāparāśi, tējōrāśi, tapōrāśi, guṇarāśi. 3 An undistinguished multitude or mass; a promiscuous assemblage. 4 The figures or figure set down for an arithmetical operation; the addendum, multiplicand, dividend &c. 5 Sum, amount, total. 6 (As disting. from ākaṇa, nikaṇa, maṇī) The heap of corn, the produce of the first treading of the ears. See under madana. rāśī puñjīsa yēṇēṃ To fall to the heap or hoard; to arise as clear profit (after all expenses and costs are paid); to be bagged; to go to the stocking. rāśīvara At the heap (of thrashed corn); upon the thrashing floor. Ex. adamaṇa dāṇē kēlē karāra || tē mī dēīna rā0 ॥. rāśīsa basaṇēṃ or lāgaṇēṃ g. of o. To stand in inimical attitude against;--said of a planet. 2 To follow with inappeasable hostility, in order to accomplish the ruin of. 3 To sit (at the door &c.) with determined and dogged persistence in exaction of compliance with some demand; to hang upon assiduously in enforcement, injunction, or entreaty: also to study closely and intently.

--- OR ---

rāśī (राशी).—f The popular form or derivative of rāśi.

--- OR ---

rāśī (राशी).—a (rāśi or rāsa) Of the heap or mass; of the middling quality; middling. 2 Of the middle grade, neither male nor female, i. e neuter;--applied to an impotent.

Source: DDSA: The Aryabhusan school dictionary, Marathi-English

rāśi (राशि).—m rāsa f A sign of the zodiac. f A heap. A sum. rāśīsa basaṇēṃ-lāgaṇēṃ Stand in inimical attitude against; hang upon assiduously in enforcement.

--- OR ---

rāśī (राशी).—a Of the heap; middling.

context information

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-English dictionary

Source: DDSA: The practical Sanskrit-English dictionary

Rāśi (राशि).—m., f. [aśnute vyāpnoti, aś-iñ dhātoruḍāgamaśca; cf. Uṇ.4.132]

1) A heap, mass, collection, quantity, multitude; मृदुनि मृगशरीरे तूलराशाविवाग्निः (mṛduni mṛgaśarīre tūlarāśāvivāgniḥ) Ś1; धनराशिः, तोयराशिः, यशोराशिः (dhanarāśiḥ, toyarāśiḥ, yaśorāśiḥ) &c.

2) The numbers or figures put down for any arithmetical operation (such as adding, multiplying &c.)

3) A sign of the zodiac.

4) Mathematics; Ch. Up.7.1.2.

5) One-twelfth part of the ecliptic.

6) An astrological house.

Derivable forms: rāśiḥ (राशिः).

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

Rāśi (राशि).—m., group, collection; (1) (= Pali rāsi) applied to three groups or categories of (human) beings, called mithyātva-(or mithyatva-)-niyata, samyaktva-ni°, and aniyata, respectively (= Pali micchatta-niyata, sam- matta-ni°, ani°); Childers, PTSD, and Senart Mv i.517 (on 175.13—16) all wrongly apply the term to views or behavior instead of creatures. Very clear is LV 400.2: trīn sattvarāśīn, ekaṃ mithyatvaniyatam, ekaṃ samyaktvani- yatam, ekam aniyatam; it is then explained that the first is fixed in falsity, permanently unable to know the doc- trine; the second in truth (they will learn the doctrine whether a Buddha preaches it to them or not); while the third is undetermined (they will learn the doctrine if they hear it preached, not otherwise); substantially the same is said in Mv iii.318.5 (reading mithyātva°); in Mv i.175.13—16 (verses), the group fixed in falsehood (mithyātva- niyato rāśiḥ) will fill up the undetermined group (aniyataṃ rāśiṃ) on Buddha's appearance, and the aniyato rāśiḥ will fill up the rāśiṃ samyak (= samyaktva-niyataṃ rāśiṃ); similarly Mv iii.347.4 ff.; saṃvarṇitaḥ samyaktvaniyato rāśir vivarṇito mithyātva-ni° rāśiḥ parigṛhīto (embraced, brought into the fold) 'niyata-rāśir LV 351.9; in Mv i.316.17 read mithyatva-niyato rāśi(ṃ ? n. sg.) for corrupt mss. nityatva-; [Page455-a+ 71] samyaktva-niyata-rāśiḥ, mithyātva°, aniyata-r° Mvy 1737- 39; mithyātva° also Mvy 6830; sattva-rāśīnāṃ samyaktva- niyata-tāṃ ca, mithyātva-niyatatāṃ ca, ubhayatvāni- yatatāṃ ca yathābhūtaṃ prajānāti Dbh 76.1; the aniyata and mithyātvaniyata rāśi do not exist in Sukhāvatī, Sukh 44.15 f. (in 14 the people there are called niyatāḥ samyaktve); the 3 rāśi listed (with spelling mithyatva-) Hoernle MR 21.1 (from Saṃgīti Sūtra); (2) there are also three rāśi, groups, of dharmas which are abhisaṃbuddha by a Tathāgata: Bbh 404.23, defined 24 ff. as arthopasaṃ- hitā dharmāḥ, anarthopasaṃhitāḥ, and naivārthopasaṃ- hitā nānarthopasaṃhitāḥ.

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

Rāśi (राशि).—m.

(-śiḥ) 1. A heap, a quantity. 2. A sign of the zodiac. 3. Arithmetical or algebraic quantity. 4. A part and its divisor or numerator and denominator. 5. A congeries of number or quantity. E. aś to pervade, iṇ Unadi aff., and ruṭ initial augment; or raś to sound, with the same aff.

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

Rāśi (राशि).—[masculine] heap, mass, multitude.

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

1) Rāśi (राशि):—a m. ([cf. Lexicographers, esp. such as amarasiṃha, halāyudha, hemacandra, etc.] also f.; once [metri causa] in [Rāmāyaṇa] f(ī). ; derivation doubtful, but cf. [Uṇādi-sūtra iv, 32]) a heap, mass, pile, group, multitude, quantity, number, [Ṛg-veda] etc. etc.

2) (in [arithmetic]) a sum or the figure or figures put down for an operation (such as multiplying, dividing etc.), [Colebrooke]

3) a measure of quantity (= droṇa), [Śārṅgadhara-saṃhitā]

4) a sign of the zodiac (as being a certain sum or quantity of degrees), one-twelfth part of the ecliptic, an astrological house, [Mahābhārata; Varāha-mihira’s Bṛhat-saṃhitā] etc. (cf. [Indian Wisdom, by Sir M. Monier-Williams 178])

5) b a division of beings, [Sukhāvatī-vyūha i].

6) a heap of corn, [cf. Lexicographers, esp. such as amarasiṃha, halāyudha, hemacandra, etc.]

7) Name of an Ekāha, [???]

8) Rāśī (राशी):—[from rāśi] in [compound] for rāśi.

context information

Sanskrit, also spelled संस्कृतम् (saṃskṛtam), is an ancient language of India commonly seen as the grandmother of the Indo-European language family. 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 (+14): Rashi-mitra, Rashi-pana, Rashi-panam, Rashi-ppon, Rashibhaga, Rashibhaganubandha, Rashibhagapavaha, Rashibheda, Rashibhoga, Rashibhu, Rashibhuta, Rashicakra, Rashichakra, Rashigata, Rashighatita, Rashijanmanakshatragrahanashanti, Rashikarana, Rashikri, Rashikrita, Rashikuta.

Ends with (+82): Agnirashi, Alarashi, Allarashi, Ambhorashi, Amburashi, Anantarashi, Ankarashi, Anurashi, Aranyarashi, Arashi, Artharashi, Avyaktarashi, Bahirashi, Bahurashi, Bara Rashi, Barashi, Baravarashi Solavarashi, Bevarashi, Bhavamburashi, Bhurashi.

Full-text (+176): Rashikarana, Vyaktarashi, Amburashi, Makara, Vrishcika, Tula, Mithuna, Mesha, Kanya, Mina, Rashibhu, Rashibhaga, Rashikri, Kshetrarashi, Ekarashi, Pancagrahi, Rashicakra, Rashitraya, Jalarashi, Varirashi.

Relevant text

Search found 29 books and stories containing Rashi, Rāsi, Rasi, Rāśi, Rāśī; (plurals include: Rashis, Rāsis, Rasis, Rāśis, Rāśīs). You can also click to the full overview containing English textual excerpts. Below are direct links for the most relevant articles:

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

Chapter XVIII - Attributes of the Buddhas < [Volume I]

Chapter XXX - The story of Mālinī < [Volume I]

Chapter XXIX - From Uruvilvā to Benares < [Volume III]

show preview

The Garuda Purana (by Manmatha Nath Dutt)

Chapter LXII - Discourses on Lagnamana < [Agastya Samhita]

Chapter LIX - Discourses on Astrology < [Agastya Samhita]

show preview

The Devi Bhagavata Purana (by Swami Vijñanananda)

Chapter 16 - On the motion of the planets < [Book 8]

show preview

Vimalakirti Nirdesa Sutra (by Charles Luk)

Chapter 1 - The Buddha Land

show preview

The Indian Buddhist Iconography (by Benoytosh Bhattachacharyya)

Figure 246-248 - Zodiacal sings Deities: Tulā, Kumbha and Mīna

show preview

Maha Prajnaparamita Sastra (by Gelongma Karma Migme Chödrön)

Altruism in the practice of the faculties (indriya) < [Part 3 - The auxiliaries according to the Mahāyāna]

II. ‘Position’ and ‘Position of Salvation’ < [IX. Entering into the assurance of Bodhisattva]

VI. The knowledge of acquired dispositions (dhātu-jñānabala) < [Part 2 - The ten powers in particular]

show preview

 

Click here for all 29 books