Samskrita, Saṃskṛta, Saṃskṛtā: 24 definitions
Introduction:
Samskrita means something in Buddhism, Pali, Hinduism, Sanskrit, the history of ancient India, Marathi, Hindi. 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 Saṃskṛta and Saṃskṛtā can be transliterated into English as Samskrta or Samskrita, using the IAST transliteration scheme (?).
Alternative spellings of this word include Sanskrat.
In Hinduism
Jyotisha (astronomy and astrology)
Saṃskṛta (संस्कृत).—Corrected. Note: Saṃskṛta is a Sanskrit technical term used in ancient Indian sciences such as Astronomy, Mathematics and Geometry.
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.
Purana and Itihasa (epic history)
1) Saṃskṛtā (संस्कृता) refers to “(being) sanctified” (by austerities), according to the Śivapurāṇa 2.3.21 (“Nārada instructs Pārvatī”).—Accordingly, as Nārada said to Pārvatī: “[...] O Śivā, after burning Kāma, lord Śiva though favourably disposed to His devotees, left you, since the lord is a great Yogin and so unattached to you. Hence you shall propitiate Him by performing a great penance. Śiva will take you as His wife, after you have been sanctified [i.e., saṃskṛtā] by austerities. You will never forsake the auspicious Śiva. O goddess, you will not take any one other than Śiva as your husband”.
2) Saṃskṛta (संस्कृत) refers to the “sweeping (clean) (of the roads)” [?], according to the Śivapurāṇa 2.3.38 (“Description of the dais or maṇḍapa”).—Accordingly, as Himavat prepared the wedding of Menā and Śiva: “Then the lord of mountains, O excellent sage, attended to the decoration of the entire city befitting the great festivities ahead. The roads were watered and swept clean (saṃskṛta—siktamārgaṃ saṃskṛtaṃ ca śobhitaṃ). At every door, stumps of plantain trees and other auspicious symbols were fixed. The courtyard was embellished with plantain trees tied with silken cords. There were festoons of mango leaves. [...]”.
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.
Pancaratra (worship of Nārāyaṇa)
Saṃskṛta (संस्कृत) or “purified” refers to “that fire which has been purified” (which used for preparing food-offerings), as discussed in chapter 22 of the Viṣṇusaṃhitā: a Sanskrit text written in 2600 verses which covers typical Pāñcarātra topics through a narrative dialogue between Aupagāyana and Siddha Sumati.—Description of the chapter [bali-karmavidhi]: During utsava-festivals, bali-offerings are to be made three times each day. When offerings of food are presented to the Lord, they should have been prepared in a “purified” fire (saṃskṛta-vahni); when offerings are to be made simply to the directional deities and others (19 et. seq.), it is enough to prepare this food without mantra-chants and in an ordinary fire (1-8). [...]
Pancaratra (पाञ्चरात्र, pāñcarātra) represents a tradition of Hinduism where Narayana is revered and worshipped. Closeley related to Vaishnavism, the Pancaratra literature includes various Agamas and tantras incorporating many Vaishnava philosophies.
General definition (in Hinduism)
Saṃskṛta (संस्कृत) is a Sanskrit word referring to “sanctified” or “purified”.
Saṃskṛta (संस्कृत).—The Saṃskṛta alphabets are of Tāntric origin. They are not called simply ‘alphabet’ but Varṇamālā. Its fifty letters, from a to kṣa, arc the fifty basic vibrations of the Cosmos. Each letter is bīja-mantra of fifty human instincts. Here bīja-mantra means the acoustic root of different psychic expressions. It is said that the divine nectar that secretes from the pineal gland (Sahasrāra) takes different forms of letters in six different cakras or Padains. These six cakras arc : Mūlādhāra, Svādhiṣṭhāna, Maṇipūra, Anāhata, Viśudha and Ājñā. They are called Padmas (Lotuses) because they are in the form of a lotus with a distinct colour and petals. The different petals of the respective cakras represent the different basic human longings and instincts.
In Buddhism
Mahayana (major branch of Buddhism)
Saṃskṛta (संस्कृत) refers to “conditioned dharmas” and represents one of the two main divisions of dharmas (things), according to the 2nd century Mahāprajñāpāramitāśāstra chapter XLVIII. Dharmas or things occur in two main categories: unconditioned (asaṃskṛta) dharmas and conditioned (saṃskṛta) dharmas. The saṃskṛtas, also called saṃskāras, formations, are dependently originated (pratītya-samutpanna) from causes and conditions (hetupratyaya) and furnished with three (or four) conditioned characteristics: birth (utpāda), extinction (vyaya) and duration-change (sthityanyathātva) as a function of which they arise, endure and disappear: cf. Nidānasaṃyukta.
The canonical texts arrange the saṃskṛtas into three classes, all three covering one single grouping:
(Saṃskṛta group I). The five skandhas or aggregates: 1) matter or corporeality (rūpa). 2) sensation (vedanā), 3) concept (saṃjñā), 4) volition (saṃskāra), 5) consciousness (vijñāna).
(Saṃskṛta group II). The twelve āyatanas or bases of consciousness, namely, the six inner bases (ādhyātmika-āyatana): 1) eye (cakṣus), 2) ear (śrotra). 3) nose (ghrāṇa), 4) tongue (jihvā), 5) body (kāya), 6) mind (manas); and the six outer bases (bāhya-āyatana): 7) matter (rūpa), 8) sound (śabda), 9) odor (gandha), 10) taste (rasa), 11) touch (sparṣṭavya), 12) dharma.
(Saṃskṛta group III). The eighteen dhātus or elements, namely the six organs and the six objects in the previous list, plus: 13) eye consciousness (cakṣurvijñāna). 14) ear consciousness (śrotravijñāna). 15) nose consciousness (grāṇavijñāna), 16) tongue consciousness (jihvāvijñāna), 17) body consciousness (kāyavijñāna), 18) mental consciousness (manovijñāna).
The grouping of conditioned dharmas defined by each of the three classes is called sarvam, ‘everything’.
Saṃskṛta (संस्कृत) (Cf. Asaṃskṛta) refers to “conditioned”, according to the Gaganagañjaparipṛcchā: the eighth chapter of the Mahāsaṃnipāta (a collection of Mahāyāna Buddhist Sūtras).—Accordingly, “[...] The Bodhisattva Gaganagañja then sustained the jewel-canopy of ten thousand yojanas high over the Lord’s lion throne in the sky, joined the palms of his hands, saluted, and praised the Lord with these suitable verses: ‘[...] (10) The dharmas are devoid of a living being (satva), a life principle (jīva), and a person (pudgala). They are pure and beyond words (nāma) like the sameness of open space. Understanding the fact that there is no real self, he awakens living beings to the unconditioned (asaṃskṛta) ambrosia (amṛta). [...]”.
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.
Buddhist philosophy
Saṃskṛta (संस्कृत) (Sanskrit; in Tibetan: ’dus byas) refers to “compounded objects”, representing one of the six types of “objects” (viṣaya) (i.e., ‘that which is to be comprehended or known’).—Accordingly, “That which is to be understood through valid cognition is ‘the knowable’. The terms ‘object’ (viṣaya; yul), ‘knowable’ (jñeya; shes bya), and ‘appraisable’ (prameya; gzhal bya) are all essentially equivalent, but it is the defining characteristic of the ‘object’ that it is to be comprehended or known, [...]. When objects (viṣaya) are analyzed in terms of their essential nature, they may be: [i.e., “compounded objects” (saṃskṛta; ’dus byas) can be produced from their own primary causes and secondary conditions;] [...]
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General definition (in Buddhism)
Saṃskṛta (संस्कृत) or saṃskṛtaśūnyatā refers to “emptiness of the conditioned” one of the “twenty emptinesses” (śūnyatā) as defined in the Dharma-saṃgraha (section 41). The Dharma-samgraha (Dharmasangraha) is an extensive glossary of Buddhist technical terms in Sanskrit (e.g., saṃskṛta). The work is attributed to Nagarjuna who lived around the 2nd century A.D.
“Conditioned phenomena” (Skt., samskrita; Pali, sankhate) means everything that exists is mutually conditioned owing to causes and conditions; things come into existence, persist for some time, and then disintegrate, thus suggesting the impermanent nature of the empirical world.
India history and geography
Saṃskṛta.—see Sanskrit. Note: saṃskṛta 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
saṃskṛta (संस्कृत).—p (S) That has been the subject of a Sanskar or of an operation or a work; wrought, worked, elaborated. 2 Hence s n & a Language formed by perfect grammatical rules; the classical and sacred language of the Hindus,--the Sanskrit: also relating to Sanskrit;--as a word, a composition &c. 3 p Decorated or embellished; dressed or cooked; cleansed, purified, finished, perfected; done or made in general throughly or well.
saṃskṛta (संस्कृत).—p Wrought. Decorated; purified. n The Sanskrit language.
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
Saṃskṛta (संस्कृत).—p. p.
1) Made perfect, refined, polished, cultivated.
2) Artificially made, highly wrought, carefully or accurately formed, elaborated.
3) Made ready, dressed, prepared; cooked.
4) Consecrated, hallowed; संस्कृतश्चापि रामेण जगाम गतिमुत्तमाम् (saṃskṛtaścāpi rāmeṇa jagāma gatimuttamām) Rām.4.57.11.
5) Initiated into worldly life, married.
6) Cleansed, purified.
7) Adorned, decorated.
8) Excellent, best.
-taḥ 1 A word formed regularly according to the rules of grammar, a regular derivative.
2) A man of any one of the first three castes over whom all the purificatory rites have been performed.
3) A learned man.
-tam 1 Refined or highly polished speech, the Sanskṛt language; संस्कृतं नाम दैवी वागन्वाख्याता महर्षिभिः (saṃskṛtaṃ nāma daivī vāganvākhyātā maharṣibhiḥ) Kāv.1. 33.
2) A sacred usage.
3) An offering, oblation (mostly Vedic).
Saṃskṛta (संस्कृत).—ppp. (Sanskrit id., Pali saṃkhata), in the special sense belonging to saṃskāra (2), conditioned; in nt. substantially = saṃskāra (2): dṛṣṭījālaṃ uddharī °tātaḥ Lalitavistara 195.12 (verse), thou hast (wilt have) removed the net of wrong views from the conditioned (state of existence); similarly 196.2 (verse); see anarthika for Lalitavistara 180.12; tāny etāni catvāry api °ta-lakṣaṇāny abhisamasya saṃskārāṇāṃ samāsato dvayāvasthā-prabhāvitāni Bodhisattvabhūmi 278.25; Gaṇḍavyūha 496.6, see s.v. avacara; the Buddha's doctrine (dharma) is a-saṃ- skṛtaḥ (unconditioned) ṣaḍviṣayasamatikrāntaḥ Lalitavistara 392.13 (prose); prāpto mi dharmo hy amṛto 'saṃskṛtaḥ (read with v.l. asaṃ-, m.c.) 393.1 (verse); uncertain, kalpākoṭī saṃskṛtā me anantā, bodhīmārgo śodhito me praṇītaḥ Lalitavistara 196.7 (verse), shortly after 196.2 (above), but here Tibetan ḥkhor bar (= saṃskṛtā; this Tibetan word regularly = saṃsāra! whereas saṃskṛta is ḥdus byas in Lalitavistara 195.12 and 196.2, as regularly, Mahāvyutpatti 940, 2187 etc., compare ḥdu byed = saṃskāra; Foucaux for Tib…kalpas d'une vie émigrante, for [Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit]…kalpas dans le monde de la trans- migration, following Tibetan, and suggesting em. to saṃsṛtā in his Notes 144, where he cites a v.l. saṃbhṛtā) bskal pa bye ba mthaḥ yas su, during endless crores of kalpas in succession? did saṃskṛtā here mean conditioned = in the conditioned state of life, as in line 2 above? or perhaps complete(d)?; applied to samādhi and the like as taught by the imperfect teacher Rudraka, °tānāṃ sāśravāṇāṃ… dhyānasamādhi-samāpattīnāṃ Lalitavistara 244.2, and °ta-samā- dhīnām (asāratām upadarśayeyam) 7, in contrast with the Bodhisattva's own samādhi (sva-samādhi-guṇaviśeṣod- bhāvanārthaṃ, 6); in this context conditioned (by the sentient world), not absolute, as perhaps in Lalitavistara 196.7 above.
Saṃskṛta (संस्कृत).—mfn.
(-taḥ-tā-taṃ) 1. Wrought, made, artificially produced. 2. Excellent, best. 3. Decorated, ornamented. 4. Cooked, dressed. 5. Clean, cleansed. 6. Purified. 7. Finished, perfect, completed. 8. Consecrated. 9. Initiated. m.
(-taḥ) 1. A word regularly formed, a regular derivative. 2. A learned man. 3. A man of the three first classes who have received all the purificatory rites. n.
(-taṃ) 1. Language formed by perfect grammatical rules, the classical and sacred language of the Hindus. 2. Offering oblation. E. sam implying completion or perfection, kṛta made, and suṭ augment.
Saṃskṛta (संस्कृत).—[adjective] put together, composed, prepared, arranged; consecrated, initiated, married; adorned, polished, cultivated, Sanskritic; [neuter] arrangement, preparation; the Sanskrit language.
1) Saṃskṛta (संस्कृत):—[=saṃ-skṛta] [from saṃs-kṛ] mfn. (or saṃ-skṛta) put together, constructed, well or completely formed, perfected, [Lalita-vistara]
2) [v.s. ...] made ready, prepared, completed, finished, [Ṛg-veda] etc. etc.
3) [v.s. ...] dressed, cooked (as food), [Mahābhārata; Rāmāyaṇa; Bhāgavata-purāṇa]
4) [v.s. ...] purified, consecrated, sanctified, hallowed, initiated, [Śatapatha-brāhmaṇa] etc. etc.
5) [v.s. ...] refined, adorned, ornamented, polished, highly elaborated ([especially] applied to highly wrought speech, such as the Sanskṛt language as opp. to the vernaculars), [Manu-smṛti; Mahābhārata] etc.
6) [v.s. ...] m. a man of one of the three classes who has been sanctified by the purificatory rites, [Horace H. Wilson]
7) [v.s. ...] a learned man, [Monier-Williams’ Sanskrit-English Dictionary]
8) [v.s. ...] a word formed according to accurate rules, a regular derivation, [ib.]
9) [v.s. ...] n. making ready, preparation or a prepared place, sacrifice, [Ṛg-veda; Taittirīya-saṃhitā; Śatapatha-brāhmaṇa; Gṛhya-sūtra and śrauta-sūtra]
10) [v.s. ...] a sacred usage or custom, [Monier-Williams’ Sanskrit-English Dictionary]
11) [v.s. ...] the Sanskṛt language (cf. above), [Śikṣā; Bharata-nāṭya-śāstra; Daśarūpa] etc.
Saṃskṛta (संस्कृत):—[(taḥ-tā-taṃ) a.] Prepared, made; excellent; perfect; decorated; cooked; cleansed; purified; consecrated. m. A regular derivative; a pandit. n. The Sanscrit language.
[Sanskrit to German]
Saṃskṛta (संस्कृत) in the Sanskrit language is related to the Prakrit words: Saṃkhaya, Sakkaya.
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.
Hindi dictionary
Saṃskṛta (संस्कृत) [Also spelled sanskrat]:—(a) cultured, refined; Sanskrit (language); ~[mūlaka] derived from or born of the Sanskrit language; —, [laukika] classical Sanskrit; —, [vaidika] vedic Sanskrit; [saṃskṛtikaraṇa] sanskritisation.
...
Kannada-English dictionary
Saṃskṛta (ಸಂಸ್ಕೃತ):—
1) [adjective] well and completely formed.
2) [adjective] perfected; made flawless, defectless.
3) [adjective] refined in speech, behaviour, etc.; refined.
4) [adjective] made ready; prepared.
5) [adjective] cooked.
6) [adjective] decorated; ornamented; embellished.
7) [adjective] purified; made holy; sanctified.
8) [adjective] cleaned; freed from dust, dirt, etc.
9) [adjective] excellent; superior; fine.
--- OR ---
Saṃskṛta (ಸಂಸ್ಕೃತ):—
1) [noun] that which is well formed or done.
2) [noun] a word, sentence or speech that is grammatically correct.
3) [noun] one of the classical Indo-European languages that flourished since pre-Christian era, and still existent in use extensively esp. in religious worships and rituals, and is regarded for its remarkable literature; Saṃskṛta (usu. written in English as Sanskrit).
4) [noun] a cultured, well-behaved man.
5) [noun] a learned man; a scholar.
6) [noun] (sarc.) an abusive language.
Kannada is a Dravidian language (as opposed to the Indo-European language family) mainly spoken in the southwestern region of India.
Nepali dictionary
1) Saṃskṛta (संस्कृत):—adj. 1. made perfect; cultured; refined; polished; cultivated; 2. highly wrought; carefully or accurately formed; 3. made ready; dressed; prepared; cooked;
2) Saṃskṛta (संस्कृत):—n.1. a word formed regularly (according to the rules/grammar); 2. refined or highly polished speech; 3. a man of any one of the first three castes over whom all the purificatory rites have been performed; 4. Sanskrit language;
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: Sam.
Starts with: Samskritadharma, Samskritadhrma, Samskritakathavali, Samskritamala, Samskritamanjari, Samskritamaya, Samskritapada, Samskritaratnakara, Samskritaratnamala, Samskritashabda, Samskritashunyata, Samskritatman, Samskritatra, Samskritatva, Samskritavadi, Samskritavahni, Samskritavakyaratnavali, Samskritavat, Samskritokti.
Full-text (+197): Asamskrita, Susamskrita, Samskritatman, Samskritokti, Samskritamanjari, Samskritamala, Punahsamskrita, Samskritaratnamala, Pratisamskrita, Abhisamskrita, Sadhusamskrita, Atisamskrita, Snehasamskrita, Upasamskrita, Samskritatva, Samskritamaya, Samskritavat, Samskritashunyata, Samasamskrita, Vaidika-samskrita.
Relevant text
Search found 126 books and stories containing Samskrita, Sam-skrita, Saṃ-skṛta, Sam-skrta, Saṃ-skṛtā, Saṃskṛta, Samskrta, Saṃskṛtā, Samskṛta; (plurals include: Samskritas, skritas, skṛtas, skrtas, skṛtās, Saṃskṛtas, Samskrtas, Saṃskṛtās, Samskṛtas). You can also click to the full overview containing English textual excerpts. Below are direct links for the most relevant articles:
Maha Prajnaparamita Sastra (by Gelongma Karma Migme Chödrön)
Emptinesses 7-8: Emptiness of the conditioned unconditioned < [Chapter XLVIII - The Eighteen Emptinesses]
A. Sattvaśūnyatā or Pudgalanairātmya < [I. The twofold emptiness in the canonical sūtras]
Note (2): The Mahāyānist dharmatā < [Part 2 - Understanding dharmatā and its synonyms]
Informal Education of Sanskrit in Kerala (by Jayasree M.)
4.3. Malayalam Periodicals < [Chapter 4 - The Informal Education of Sanskrit in Kerala: Modern Streams]
15. Conclusion and Notes < [Chapter 4 - The Informal Education of Sanskrit in Kerala: Modern Streams]
27. Conclusion and Notes < [Chapter 3 - Informal Education of Sanskrit in Kerala: the Traditional Streams]
Elephantology and its Ancient Sanskrit Sources (by Geetha N.)
Tilakamanjari of Dhanapala (study) (by Shri N. M. Kansara)
4. Summary of the Vira-stuti Viruddha-vacaniya < [Chapter 2 - The works of Dhanapala]
Appendix 6 - Dhanapala in Anthologies
11. Dhanapla re-invited by Bhoja to save the honour of his court < [Chapter 1 - The Author (biography of Dhanapala)]
Abhidharmakośa (by Leo M. Pruden)
Isanasivagurudeva Paddhati (study) (by J. P. Prajith)
23. Notes for chapter 1 < [Chapter 1 - History and scope of Tantric Literature]
11. Notes for chapter 2 < [Chapter 2 - A Textual analysis]
18. Tantric tradition in Kerala < [Chapter 1 - History and scope of Tantric Literature]
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