Shanku, aka: Sanku, Saṅku, Śaṅku; 11 Definition(s)

Introduction

Shanku means something in Hinduism, Sanskrit, Buddhism, Pali, 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 term Śaṅku can be transliterated into English as Sanku or Shanku, using the IAST transliteration scheme (?).

In Hinduism

Vastushastra (architecture)

Śaṅku (शङ्कु) refers to a type of temple (prāsāda) classified under the group named Triviṣṭapa, according to Samarāṅgaṇasūtradhāra chapter 49. The Triviṣṭapa group contains ten out of a sixty-four total prāsādas (temples) classified under five prime vimānas (aerial car/palace), which were created by Brahmā for as many gods (including himself). This group represents temples (eg. Śaṅku) that are to be octangular in shape. The prāsādas, or ‘temples’, represent the dwelling place of God and are to be built in towns. The Samarāṅgaṇasūtradhāra is an 11th-century encyclopedia dealing with various topics from the Vāstuśāstra.

Śaṅku is mentioned in another list from the Samarāṅgaṇasūtradhāra chapter 56, being part of the group named Lalita, containing 25 unique temple varieties.

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.

Purana and Itihasa (epic history)

1) Śaṅku (शङ्कु).—A son of Hiraṇyākṣa. Śambara, Śakuni, Dvimūrdhā, Śaṅku and Ārya were the sons of Hiraṇyāksa (Agni Purāṇa, Chapter 19).

2) Śaṅku (शङ्कु).—A Yādava King who was present at the wedding of Draupadī. (Ādi Parva, Chapter 185, Verse 19).

2) He was a member of the company of Yādavas, who carried Subhadrā’s dowry at her wedding with Arjuna. He was a mahārathī also. (Sabhā Parva, Chapter 14 and Ādi Parva, Chapter 220).

1a) Śaṅku (शङ्कु).—A son of Ugrasena;¹ a follower of Bali.²

• 1) Bhāgavata-purāṇa IX. 24. 24; Brahmāṇḍa-purāṇa III. 71. 33; Matsya-purāṇa 44. 74; Viṣṇu-purāṇa IV. 14. 20.
• 2) Matsya-purāṇa 245. 31.

1b) A son of Kṛṣṇa and Satyā.^*

• * Bhāgavata-purāṇa X. 61. 13.

1c) A son of Ūrjā and Vasiṣṭha.^*

• * Brahmāṇḍa-purāṇa II. 11. 42.

1d) One hundred thousand crores.^*

• * Vāyu-purāṇa 101. 97.

Śaṅku (शङ्कु) is a name mentioned in the Mahābhārata (cf. I.90.94) and represents one of the many proper names used for people and places. Note: The Mahābhārata (mentioning Śaṅku) is a Sanskrit epic poem consisting of 100,000 ślokas (metrical verses) and is over 2000 years old.

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.

Jyotisha (astronomy and astrology)

Śaṅku (शङ्कु).—1. Gnomon. 2. The R sine of the altitude of a heavenly body. Note: Śaṅku is a Sanskrit technical term used in ancient Indian sciences such as Astronomy, Mathematics and Geometry.

context information

Jyotiṣa (ज्योतिष, jyotisha or jyotish) basically refers to ‘astronomy’ or “Vedic astrology” and represents one of the six additional sciences to be studied along with the Vedas. Jyotiṣa concerns itself with the study and prediction of the movements of celestial bodies, in order to calculate the auspicious time for rituals and ceremonies.

General definition (in Hinduism)

Śaṅku (शङ्कु) in the Rigveda and later denotes a ‘wooden peg’. Thus the term is used of the pegs by which a skin is stretched out in the Śatapatha-brāhmaṇa (ii, 1, 1, 10), and of the pin of hobbles (paḍbīśa). In the Chāndogya-upaniṣad it may mean ‘stalk’ or ’fibre of a leaf’.

Languages of India and abroad

Pali-English dictionary

saṅku : (m.) a stake; a spike.

Saṅku, (cp. Vedic śaṅku) a stake, spike; javelin M. I, 337; S. IV, 168; J. VI, 112; DhA. I, 69.—ayo° an iron stake A. IV, 131.

—patha a path full of stakes & sticks Vv 84¹¹; J. III, 485, 541; Miln. 280; Vism. 305. —sata a hundred sticks, hundreds of sticks J. VI, 112; Vism. 153 (both passages same simile with the beating of an ox-hide). —samāhata set with iron spikes, N. of a purgatory M. I, 337; J. VI, 453. (Page 663)

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

śaṅku (शंकु).—m S The gnomon or style of a dial. 2 A spike, nail, prong, pin, peg, stake, pale &c. generally. 3 A number, ten billions. 4 In modern translations. A cone. 5 The sine of the altitude of a heavenly body.

--- OR ---

sāṅkū (सांकू).—m ( H) A bridge, yet understood esp. of a bridge or a float of rude materials and hasty construction.

śaṅku (शंकु).—m The style of a dial. A spike. 10 billions. A cone.

--- OR ---

sāṅkū (सांकू).—m A bridge of rude materials.

Sanskrit-English dictionary

Śaṅku (शङ्कु).—[śaṅk-uṇ Uṇ.1.36]

1) A dart, spear, spike, javelin, dagger; oft. at the end of comp; शोकशङ्कुः (śokaśaṅkuḥ) 'the dart of grief', i. e. sharp or poignant grief; तथैव तीव्रो हृदि शोकशङ्कुर्मर्माणि कृन्तन्नपि किं न सोढः (tathaiva tīvro hṛdi śokaśaṅkurmarmāṇi kṛntannapi kiṃ na soḍhaḥ) U.3.35; R.8.93; Ki.16.15.

2) A stake, pillar, post, pale; महासुहयः सैन्धवः पड्वीशशङ्कून् संवृहेत् (mahāsuhayaḥ saindhavaḥ paḍvīśaśaṅkūn saṃvṛhet) Bri. Up.6.1.13; निखातशङ्कुसंबद्धसैन्धवश्रेणिसंयुतम् (nikhātaśaṅkusaṃbaddhasaindhavaśreṇisaṃyutam) Siva B.2. 53.

3) A nail, pin, peg; बभूवु सप्त दुर्धर्षाः खादिरैः शङ्कुभि- श्चिताः (babhūvu sapta durdharṣāḥ khādiraiḥ śaṅkubhi- ścitāḥ) Mb.3.284.3; अयःशङ्कुचितां रक्षः शतघ्नीमथ शत्रवे (ayaḥśaṅkucitāṃ rakṣaḥ śataghnīmatha śatrave) (akṣipat) R.12.95.

4) The sharp head or point of an arrow, barb; Dk.1.1.

5) The trunk (of a lopped tree), stump, pollard.

6) The pin of a dial.

7) A measure of twelve fingers.

8) A measuring-rod.

9) The sine of altitude (in astr.).

1) Ten billions.

11) The fibres of a leaf; यथा शङ्कुना सर्वाणि पर्णानि संतृण्णानि (yathā śaṅkunā sarvāṇi parṇāni saṃtṛṇṇāni) Ch. Up. 2.23.3.

12) An ant-hill.

13) The penis.

14) The skate-fish.

15) A demon.

16) Poison.

17) Sin; crime.

18) An aquatic animal, particularly, a goose.

19) Name of Śiva.

2) The Sāla tree.

21) A kind of perfume (nakhī).

22) Name of Kāma, the god of love.

Derivable forms: śaṅkuḥ (शङ्कुः).

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