Samkranti, Saṅkrānti, Saṃkrānti, Sankranti, Samkramti: 21 definitions
Introduction:
Samkranti means something in Buddhism, Pali, Hinduism, Sanskrit, the history of ancient India, Marathi, Tamil. 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.
In Hinduism
Dharmashastra (religious law)
Source: Wisdom Library: Dharma-śāstraSaṅkrānti (सङ्क्रान्ति) is a Sanskrit word referring to the “first day of the solar month”. The word is used throughout Dharmaśāstra literature such as the Manusmṛti.

Dharmashastra (धर्मशास्त्र, dharmaśāstra) contains the instructions (shastra) regarding religious conduct of livelihood (dharma), ceremonies, jurisprudence (study of law) and more. It is categorized as smriti, an important and authoritative selection of books dealing with the Hindu lifestyle.
Jyotisha (astronomy and astrology)
Source: Wikibooks (hi): Sanskrit Technical TermsSaṃkrānti (संक्रान्ति).—1. The moment when the Sun enters a zodiacal constellation (rāśi). 2. Last day of solar month. Note: Saṃkrānti is a Sanskrit technical term used in ancient Indian sciences such as Astronomy, Mathematics and Geometry.
Source: Shodhganga: Ajanta’s antiquity (jyotisha)Saṃkrānti (संक्रान्ति).—There are 12 saṃkrāntis (passages or transitions) in a year according to the 12 rāśis (zodiacs), and importance is attached to each of them. Makara-Saṃkrānti falls on January 13 or 1490 while Karkaṭa-Saṃkrānti falls on July 15 or 16. In Rajamārtaṇḍa, there are two ślokas on the benefit and religious merit of performing almsgiving and propitious acts on saṇkrānti—“The virtue of donation performed on Ayana-Saṇkrāntis is many times greater than the alms given on ordinary days […]”.
For the Hindus the importance of the Ayana-Saṇkrāntis (Makara-Saṇkrānti and Karkaṭa-Saṇkrānti) is ‘unparalleled’. Uttarāyana is most preferred because it is situated in the path of the devayāna-mārga (the path to the world of Gods leading finally to emancipation or salvation). Dakṣiṇāyana is less preferred because it lies on the pitṛyāna-mārga, the path to the world of ancestors leading to the eventual comeback into the world.
Source: Notices of Sanskrit Manuscripts: Volume 1 (1871) (jyo)Saṅkrānti (सङ्क्रान्ति) refers to one of the topics discussed in the Śiśuhitā, a Sanskrit manuscript collected in volume 1 of the catalogue “Notices of Sanskrit Manuscripts (first series)” by Rajendralal Mitra (1822–1891), who was one of the first English-writing historians dealing with Indian culture and heritage.— The Śiśuhitā manuscript authored by Kṛṣṇarāma represents a primer on astrology, giving rules for calculation of nativities and most of the topics usually treated of in Indian astrological. It contains 2,457 ślokas.—The catalogue includes the term—Saṅkrānti in its ‘subject-matter list’ or Viṣaya (which lists topics, chapters and technical terms). The complete entry reads: saṅkrāntiḥ.

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.
Shaktism (Shakta philosophy)
Source: Google Books: ManthanabhairavatantramSaṃkrānti (संक्रान्ति) refers to the “transference/transmission” (of power—the deity’s energy) according to the Kubjikāmatatantra 4.71-72ab.—(Cf. Tantrasadbhāva 3.92-93ab)

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
Mahayana (major branch of Buddhism)
Source: academia.edu: A Study and Translation of the GaganagañjaparipṛcchāSaṃkrānti (संक्रान्ति) (Cf. Asaṃkrānti) refers to “transmigration”, according to the Gaganagañjaparipṛcchā: the eighth chapter of the Mahāsaṃnipāta (a collection of Mahāyāna Buddhist Sūtras).—Accordingly, “[Vigour (vīrya), similes]—[...] Just as open space raises herbs, trees, and crops without root and basis, in the same way, the vigour of the Bodhisattvas generates the qualities of the Buddha, not being established in the root view that the transitory collection [is a real self]. Just as open space is all-pervasive while there is no transmigration of nature (asaṃkrānti-lakṣaṇa), in the same way, the vigour of the Bodhisattva is in accordance with all good qualities while there is no transmigration of nature”

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.
Tibetan Buddhism (Vajrayana or tantric Buddhism)
Source: WikiPedia: Tibetan BuddhismSaṃkrānti (संक्रान्ति) (in Sanskrit) refers to the Tibetan pho ba (“the yoga of the transference of consciousness to a pure Buddha-field”) which represents one of the Six Dharmas of Naropa, a set of advanced Tibetan Buddhist tantric practices compiled by the Indian Mahasiddhas Tilopa and Naropa (1016–1100 CE).—Saṃkrānti (=pho ba) refers to practices meant to eject one’s consciousness out of the body into a state of Awakening at the time of death (or into a Buddha’s pure land). Tilopa states: “By means of these Yogas, at the time of transference and also of forceful projection into another body, the yogi can utilize the mantric seed syllable of the deity and train in the deity yoga practice in conjunction with the exhalation and inhalation [of the breath], long and short, and project consciousness to wherever is desired. Alternatively, those desiring to transfer to a higher realm can apply themselves to two syllables of YAM, and also HI-KA, and HUM-HUM. Consciousness is thrown to the heart of the deity inseparable from the Guru, and from there to whatever Buddha-field is desired. This too is the instruction of Sukhasiddhi”.

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.
India history and geography
Source: archive.org: South Indian FestivitiesThe name Sankranti is a general one given to the day on which the sun passes from one sign of the Zodiac (Rasi) to another; yet it has a restricted application and special reference to the day on which the sun enters the house called Makara (Capricornus) in the Tamil month of Tai corresponding to the English month January-February. The occasion is called ‘Makara-sankranti’ though the Tamil-speaking people have given the festival day the name “Pongak Pandigai” for the reason that the newly harvested rice is first cooked and the preparation goes by the name “Pongal”.
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Indian Epigraphical GlossarySaṅkrānti.—(CII 3; IA 17), same as saṅkramaṇa (q. v.). (IE 7-1-2), ‘twelve’. Note: saṅkrānti is defined in the “Indian epigraphical glossary” as it can be found on ancient inscriptions commonly written in Sanskrit, Prakrit or Dravidian languages.

The history of India traces the identification of countries, villages, towns and other regions of India, as well as mythology, zoology, 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
Marathi-English dictionary
Source: DDSA: The Molesworth Marathi and English DictionarySaṅkrānti (सङ्क्रान्ति).—f (S) pop. saṅkrānta f Transit or passage (of the sun or a planet from one sign of the zodiac into another). 2 Passage from one time or one condition in life to another: also passage from one place to another; and, in learned style, passage or proceeding in general. saṃ0 basaṇēṃ in. con. To suffer the alighting or affecting of some malign influence of a planet. Used in speaking of the wasting away or corrupting of a person, animal, or thing; also of the ruin or decline of a business, of the failure of a counsel or plan &c.
Source: DDSA: The Aryabhusan school dictionary, Marathi-EnglishSaṅkrānti (सङ्क्रान्ति).—f Transit or passage (of the sun or a planet from one sign of the zodiac into another). Passage from one time or condition in life to another. Colloq. Anyone adversely affecting one's interests. saṅkrānta basaṇēṃ To suffer the alighting or affecting of some malign influence of a planet. To suffer harm or injury from.
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 dictionarySaṃkrānti (संक्रान्ति).—f.
1) Going together, union.
2) Passage from one point to another, transition.
3) The passage of the sun or any planetary body from one zodiacal sign into another.
4) Transference, giving over (to another); संपातिताः (saṃpātitāḥ) ... पयसो गण्डूषसंक्रान्तयः (payaso gaṇḍūṣasaṃkrāntayaḥ) Uttararāmacarita 3.16.
5) Transferring or communicating (one's knowledge to another), power of imparting (instruction to another); विवादे दर्शयिष्यन्तं क्रियासंक्रान्तिमात्मनः (vivāde darśayiṣyantaṃ kriyāsaṃkrāntimātmanaḥ) M.1.19; शिष्टा क्रिया कस्यचिदात्मसंस्था संक्रान्तिरन्यस्य विशेषयुक्ता (śiṣṭā kriyā kasyacidātmasaṃsthā saṃkrāntiranyasya viśeṣayuktā) 1.16.
6) Image, reflection.
7) Depicting.
Derivable forms: saṃkrāntiḥ (संक्रान्तिः).
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Shabda-Sagara Sanskrit-English DictionarySaṅkrānti (सङ्क्रान्ति).—f.
(-ntiḥ) 1. The actual passage of the sun or other planetary bodies from one sign of the zodiac into another. 2. Passage in general, proceeding from one time or condition or life to another, from one place to another, &c. 3. Going, proceeding in general. 4. Meeting together, union. 5. Transference, imparting. 6. The power of teaching or transference. 7. Imitation, reflection. E. sam before kram to go, aff. ktin .
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Benfey Sanskrit-English DictionarySaṃkrānti (संक्रान्ति).—i. e. sam-kram + ti, f. 1. Union, [Mālatīmādhava, (ed. Calc.)] 153, 17; [Uttara Rāmacarita, 2. ed. Calc., 1862.] 63, 4 (imbibing). 2. Passage from one point to another. 3. The passage of the sun or planetary bodies from one sign of the zodiac to another. 4. Proceeding, [Mālavikāgnimitra, (ed. Tullberg.)] [distich] 15; 18. 5. Imitation. 6. Reflection.
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Cappeller Sanskrit-English DictionarySaṃkrānti (संक्रान्ति).—[feminine] passage or entrance into; transfer, transition.
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary1) Saṃkrānti (संक्रान्ति):—[=saṃ-krānti] [from saṃ-kram] f. going from one place to another, course or passage or entry into, transference to ([locative case] or [compound]), [Kāvya literature; Mārkaṇḍeya-purāṇa]
2) [v.s. ...] (in [astronomy]) passage of the sun or a planet from one sign or position in the heavens into another (e.g. uttarāyaṇa-s, ‘passage of the sun to its northern course’ cf. kūṭa-s; a day on which a principal Saṃkrānti occurs is kept as a festival, See, [Religious Thought and Life in India 428]), [Sūryasiddhānta]
3) [v.s. ...] transference of an art (from a teacher to a pupil), [Mālavikāgnimitra i, 15, 18]
4) [v.s. ...] transferring to a picture, image, reflection, [Horace H. Wilson]
5) [v.s. ...] = -vādin, [Buddhist literature]
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Yates Sanskrit-English DictionarySaṅkrānti (सङ्क्रान्ति):—[sa-ṅkrānti] (ntiḥ) 2. f. Passage of the sun, &c. from one sign to another; passing on; mental process.
Source: DDSA: Paia-sadda-mahannavo; a comprehensive Prakrit Hindi dictionary (S)Saṃkrānti (संक्रान्ति) in the Sanskrit language is related to the Prakrit word: Saṃkaṃti.
[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 corpusSaṃkrāṃti (ಸಂಕ್ರಾಂತಿ):—[noun] = ಸಂಕ್ರಮಣ - [samkramana -] 5, 6 & 7.
Kannada is a Dravidian language (as opposed to the Indo-European language family) mainly spoken in the southwestern region of India.
Tamil dictionary
Source: DDSA: University of Madras: Tamil LexiconSaṅkrānti (ஸங்க்ராந்தி) noun < saṅkrānti. See சங்கிராந்தி. [sangiranthi.]
Tamil is an ancient language of India from the Dravidian family spoken by roughly 250 million people mainly in southern India and Sri Lanka.
See also (Relevant definitions)
Partial matches: Kranti, Sam, Cam, Sha, Ca.
Starts with: Samkranticakra, Samkrantidrishti, Samkrantijananashanti, Samkrantikaumudi, Samkrantilakshana, Samkrantinirnaya, Samkrantipatala, Samkrantiphala, Samkrantiprakarana, Samkrantishanti, Samkrantivadin, Samkrantiviveka, Samkrantivyavasthanirnaya.
Full-text (+171): Ravisamkranti, Makarasankranti, Kutasamkranti, Vishuvasamkranti, Suryasamkranti, Samkrantilakshana, Samkrantishanti, Upasamkranti, Samkrantiviveka, Samkrantikaumudi, Samkrantiphala, Samkrantiprakarana, Samkrantinirnaya, Samkrantipatala, Pishtakasamkranti, Vishuvatsamkranti, Bhavasamkranti, Mahasamkranti, Samkrantivadin, Samkranticakra.
Relevant text
Search found 45 books and stories containing Samkranti, Sa-ṅkrānti, Sa-nkranti, Saṃ-krānti, Sam-kranti, Samkramti, Saṃkrāṃti, Saṃkrānti, Samkrantis, Sangraanthi, Sangranthi, Sankranthi, Saṅkrānti, Sankrānti, Sankrantis; (plurals include: Samkrantis, ṅkrāntis, nkrantis, krāntis, krantis, Samkramtis, Saṃkrāṃtis, Saṃkrāntis, Samkrantises, Sangraanthis, Sangranthis, Sankranthis, Saṅkrāntis, Sankrāntis, Sankrantises). You can also click to the full overview containing English textual excerpts. Below are direct links for the most relevant articles:
Vratas depicted in the Gangajala (study) (by Maitreyee Goswami)
Part 3.6 - A study on the Saṃkrānti-vrata < [Chapter 4]
Part 2.1 - A study on the Agastyārghya-vrata < [Chapter 4]
Part 2 - The Vratas dealt with in the Gaṅgājala (II) < [Chapter 3]
Taittiriya Upanishad Bhashya Vartika (by R. Balasubramanian)
Verse 2.328 < [Book 2 - Brahmavallī]
Verse 2.587 < [Book 2 - Brahmavallī]
Verse 2.580 < [Book 2 - Brahmavallī]
Narada Purana (English translation) (by G. V. Tagare)
Chapter 56.19 - Description of Saṅkrānti (Sun’s transit into a sign) < [Part 2 - Dvitīya-pāda]
Chapter 29 - Determination of Tithis (Lunar days) < [Part 1 - Prathama-pāda]
Chapter 56.11 - Description of the Year (Saṃvatsara) < [Part 2 - Dvitīya-pāda]
Notices of Sanskrit Manuscripts (by Rajendralala Mitra)
Matsya Purana (critical study) (by Kushal Kalita)
Part 4.2c - Saṃkrānti-vrata < [Chapter 4 - Religious aspects of the Matsyapurāṇa]
Part 5.2 - The ten Merudānas < [Chapter 4 - Religious aspects of the Matsyapurāṇa]
Part 4.2g - Ādityaśayana-vrata < [Chapter 4 - Religious aspects of the Matsyapurāṇa]
Kathasaritsagara (the Ocean of Story) (by Somadeva)