Tarpana, Tarpaṇa: 25 definitions
Introduction:
Tarpana means something in Hinduism, Sanskrit, 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.
Alternative spellings of this word include Tarpan.
In Hinduism
Ayurveda (science of life)
Source: Wisdom Library: Āyurveda and botanyTarpaṇa (तर्पण, “swelling”) refers to “meal” or “grain”, and is used throughout Ayurvedic literature such as the Caraka-saṃhitā and the Suśruta-saṃhitā.
Source: archive.org: Vagbhata’s Ashtanga Hridaya Samhita (first 5 chapters)Tarpaṇa (तर्पण) refers to “refreshing”, as mentioned in verse 5.1-2, 26 of the Aṣṭāṅgahṛdayasaṃhitā (Sūtrasthāna) by Vāgbhaṭa.—Accordingly, “[...] vitalizing, refreshing [viz., tarpaṇa], pleasing one’s stomach, satisfying, stimulating one’s intellect, thin, of indistinct taste, savoury, cold, light, (and) nectar-like (is) Ganges water fallen from the sky; (as it is), however, touched by sun, moon, and wind (in falling), it is largely dependent upon place and time so far as its wholesomeness and unwholesomeness are concerned”.
Source: gurumukhi.ru: Ayurveda glossary of termsTarpaṇa (तर्पण):—That which satiates
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.
Purana and Itihasa (epic history)
Source: archive.org: Shiva Purana - English Translation1) Tarpaṇa (तर्पण, “propitiation”) refers to one of the sixteen upacāra, or “sixteen types of homage and services”, as described while explaining the mode of worshipping the phallic form (liṅga) of Śiva in the Śivapurāṇa 1.11. Accordingly, “[...] the devotee shall install the phallic emblem (liṅga) and it will accord directly the region of Śiva. Or the devotee need perform the rites from water-offering to food offering alone duly. Or the devotee shall daily perform, as he can, ablution (abhiṣeka); food offering (naivedya); and obeisance (namaskāra) and propitiation (tarpaṇa),—all these in order. It will accord him the region of Śiva”.
2) Tarpaṇa (तर्पण) refers to the rite of “offering water oblation to the manes”, according to the Śivapurāṇa 1.20 while explaining the mode of worshipping an earthen phallic image (pārthiva-liṅga) according to the Vedic rites:—“[...] the devotee shall take bath in accordance with the rules prescribed in the sacred code. He shall duly perform his Sandhyā prayers. After performing the Brahma Yajña, one of the five daily sacrifices, he shall perform Tarpaṇa (a rite of offering water oblation to the manes). After finishing the daily rites he shall apply ashes and wear Rudrākṣa, all along remembering Lord Śiva. With great devotion he shall then worship the excellent earthen phallic image according to Vedic injunctions in order to realise the full benefit”.
3) Tarpaṇa (तर्पण) refers to “water libation”, to be performed after taking a bath (snāna), according to the Śivapurāṇa 2.1.13, while explaining the mode of worshipping Śiva:—“[...] after bath (snāna) he shall perform water libation (tarpaṇa) propitiating gods (Devas), sages (Ṛṣis) and the manes (Pitṛs). Thereafter washed and dried clothes (dhauta-vastra) shall be worn and Ācamana performed again”.
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)
Source: Wisdom Library: ŚāktismTarpaṇa (तर्पण, “libation”) refers to one of the ten purifying rites of mantras, according to the 11th century Kulārṇava-tantra: an important scripture of the Kaula school of Śāktism traditionally stated to have consisted of 125.000 Sanskrit verses.—Accordingly, as Īśvara says to Śrī Devī: “For those who do japa without knowing these [sixty defects: ...], there is no realization even with millions and billions of japa. Oh My Beloved! there are ten processes [i.e., tarpaṇa—libation] for eradicating defects in Mantras as described. [...] Just as the weapons rubbed on the stone are sharp, so the Mantras subjected to these ten processes acquire power”.
Source: Google Books: ManthanabhairavatantramTarpaṇa (तर्पण) refers to a “libation” (i.e., that which has been offered as a libation), according to the Kularatnoddyota, one of the earliest Kubjikā Tantras.—Accordingly, “[...] I am that Path of Meru and the omnipresent supreme space. O great goddess , that beginningless Transmission originated from its presence. That is called the Primordial Seat, the beginningless Kramamaṇḍala. These two are Kailāśa and Malaya. There, they are said to be sacred seats. My merger takes place there (and so) is called ‘Malaya’. Again, O goddess, (the meaning of) Kailāśa is explained as (it should be) understood. O goddess, dear one, it is (so called as it relates) to the blood that I have placed in that (sacrificial) vessel. Kailāśa originates where that has been offered as a libation [i.e., tarpaṇa]”.
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.
Mantrashastra (the science of Mantras)
Source: Wisdom Library: MantrashastraTarpaṇa (तर्पण) refers to “offering water” and represents one of the mantra-defect elimination methods which consist in performing purification rites (saṃskāra), according to the Kulārṇava-tantra verse 15.71-2 and Śaradātilaka verse 2.114-22.—Offering water (tarpaṇa) is described as:—After reciting the mantra, the practitioner offers water to it, saying, “I offer water to mantra [#]”. [unverified translation!]
Mantrashastra (शिल्पशास्त्र, mantraśāstra) refers to the ancient Indian science of mantras—chants, incantations, spells, magical hymns, etc. Mantra Sastra literature includes many ancient books dealing with the methods reciting mantras, identifying and purifying its defects and the science behind uttering or chanting syllables.
Pancaratra (worship of Nārāyaṇa)
Source: archive.org: Catalogue of Pancaratra Agama TextsTarpaṇa (तर्पण) refers to “offering water to the various gods” (during snāna), as discussed in chapter 2 (Kriyākāṇḍa) of the Pārameśvarasaṃhitā: an important Pāñcarātra text of 8700 verses followed closely by the Ranganathaswamy temple at Srirangam—dealing with priestly concerns such as their daily routines, occasional liturgies and expiatory services.—Description of the chapter [snāna-vidhi]: Śāṇḍilya offers to give in detail the procedure that makes one eligible to do yāga and homa. [...] Once the aspirant gets into the water and prays that all holy waters converge there to cleanse him, he does certain mudrās and commences to wash himself doing ācamana-sippings at several points. When he emerges from the water, he does an informal tarpaṇa-rite, offering water to the various gods, etc. (71-121).
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)
Source: Wisdom Library: HinduismTarpana is a medical term used in Ayurveda referring to powdered wheat soaked in water.
Languages of India and abroad
Marathi-English dictionary
Source: DDSA: The Molesworth Marathi and English Dictionarytarpaṇa (तर्पण).—n S Pleasing, gratifying, satisfying: also pleasedness or satisfaction. 2 Satiety or fullness. 3 Presenting water to the manes of the deceased. 4 In medicine. Injecting copiously (ghee and medicaments) into the eyes &c.
Source: DDSA: The Aryabhusan school dictionary, Marathi-Englishtarpaṇa (तर्पण).—n Satisfying. Satiety. Presenting water to the manes of the deceased. In medicine, injecting copiously.
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 dictionaryTarpaṇa (तर्पण).—See under तृप् (tṛp).
Derivable forms: tarpaṇam (तर्पणम्).
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Tarpaṇa (तर्पण).—a. [tṛp-ṇic vā lyuṭ] Satisfying, pleasing, refreshing.
-ṇam 1 Pleasing, satisfying.
2) Satisfaction, pleasure.
3) Satiety, fulness.
4) One of the five daily Yajñas (performed by men), presenting libations of water to the manes of the deceased ancestors (pitṛyajña).
5) Fuel for the sacred fire.
6) Food.
7) Filling the eyes with oil &c.
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Edgerton Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit DictionaryTarpaṇa (तर्पण).—nt. (in Sanskrit food, sustenance, in general), a particular kind of food, dough, paste, meal (?): Mahāvyutpatti 5753 = Tibetan skyo ma, pap, paste, dough; bhaktāni vā tarpaṇāni vā (ya)vāgūpānāni vā…Bhikṣuṇī-karmavācanā 23a.2 (in list similar to that of Mahāvyutpatti).
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Shabda-Sagara Sanskrit-English DictionaryTarpaṇa (तर्पण).—n.
(-ṇaṃ) 1. Satisfaction given or received; either the act of pleasing, or the state of being pleased. 2. Satiety, fulness. 3. A religious rite, presenting water to the manes of the deceased or to the Pitris collectively; also to the gods either generally or individually. 4. Fuel used on sacrificial occasions. f. (-ṇī) A plant; also guruskandha. E. tṛp to satisfy or be satisfied, affixes ṇic and lyuṭ .
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Benfey Sanskrit-English DictionaryTarpaṇa (तर्पण).—i. e. tṛp + ana, n. 1. Satisfaction given or received, [Kathāsaritsāgara, (ed. Brockhaus.)] 26, 236; Mahābhārata 14, 673. 2. An oblation to the deities or Manes, [Yājñavalkya, (ed. Stenzler.)] 1, 46; [Mānavadharmaśāstra] 3, 70. 3. Pleasing, [Bhāgavata-Purāṇa, (ed. Burnouf.)] 3, 1, 27. 4. A sweetmeat(?), Mahābhārata 18, 269.
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Cappeller Sanskrit-English DictionaryTarpaṇa (तर्पण).—[feminine] ī satiating, refreshing, comforting. [neuter] the action of satiating etc.; satiety, fulness, comfort, pleasure, satisfaction; restorative, nourishment, food.
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Aufrecht Catalogus Catalogorum1) Tarpaṇa (तर्पण) as mentioned in Aufrecht’s Catalogus Catalogorum:—[dharma] Fl. 147.
2) Tarpaṇa (तर्पण):—[dharma] See Bṛhattarpaṇa.
—of the chandogāḥ. Ak 356.
1) Tarpaṇa (तर्पण):—[from tarpaka] mf(ī)n. idem, [Suśruta] (cf. ghrāṇa-)
2) [v.s. ...] mn. Name of a plant, iv, 5, 13 and 18; 16, 3
3) [v.s. ...] n. satiety, [Mahābhārata xiv, 673]
4) [v.s. ...] satiating, refreshing ([especially] of gods and deceased persons cf. ṛṣi-, pitṛby presenting to them libations of water; a particular ceremony performed with a magical Mantra, [Sarvadarśana-saṃgraha]; cf. [Religious Thought and Life in India p.394 and 409]), [Pāraskara-gṛhya-sūtra iii, 3, 11; Manu-smṛti iii, 70; Yājñavalkya i, 46; Mahābhārata xiii etc.]
5) [v.s. ...] gladdening (ifc.), [Bhāgavata-purāṇa iii, 1, 27]
6) [v.s. ...] n. refreshment, food, [Atharva-veda ix, 6, 6; Mahābhārata xviii, 269 and 275; Caraka; Pāṇini 2-3, 14; Kāśikā-vṛtti; Hemādri’s Caturvarga-cintāmaṇi] (ifc. f(ā). )
7) [v.s. ...] n. fuel, [cf. Lexicographers, esp. such as amarasiṃha, halāyudha, hemacandra, etc.]
8) [v.s. ...] (satiating id est.) filling the eyes (with oil etc.), [Suśruta]
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Yates Sanskrit-English DictionaryTarpaṇa (तर्पण):—(ṇaṃ) 1. n. Satisfaction given or received; satiety; the rite of presenting water to the manes; sacrificial wood. f. (ṇī) A plant.
Source: DDSA: Paia-sadda-mahannavo; a comprehensive Prakrit Hindi dictionary (S)Tarpaṇa (तर्पण) in the Sanskrit language is related to the Prakrit word: Tappaṇa.
[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.
Hindi dictionary
Source: DDSA: A practical Hindi-English dictionaryTarpaṇa (तर्पण) [Also spelled tarpan]:—(nm) gratification; libation of water to deceased ancestors or the manes.
...
Kannada-English dictionary
Source: Alar: Kannada-English corpusTarpaṇa (ತರ್ಪಣ):—
1) [noun] the act, process or an instance of satisfying, pleasing or propitiating.
2) [noun] the fact or condition of being satisfied; satisfaction.
3) [noun] an offering of something (usu. water, gingili seeds) to one’s ancestor or ancestors; an oblation.
4) [noun] (collectively) sticks, twigs used as fuel in a religious sacrifice; faggot.
Kannada is a Dravidian language (as opposed to the Indo-European language family) mainly spoken in the southwestern region of India.
Nepali dictionary
Source: unoes: Nepali-English DictionaryTarpaṇa (तर्पण):—n. 1. offering water to the spirits of dead; 2. complete satisfaction; pleasure; satiety; contentment; gratification;
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)
Starts with: Tarpanacandrika, Tarpanagaisu, Tarpanagodu, Tarpanam, Tarpanapindavidhi, Tarpanaprakasha, Tarpanaprayoga, Tarpanavidhi, Tarpanecchu, Tarpanechchhu.
Ends with (+22): Abhitarpana, Acaryatarpana, Adharashaktitarpana, Agnisamtarpana, Annasantarpana, Apatarpana, Ashrutarpana, Atarpana, Atharvanatarpana, Atyapatarpana, Avatarpana, Bharitarpana, Bhishmatarpana, Bhutatarpana, Brahmanasamtarpana, Brahmanatarpana, Brahmayajnadevarshipitritarpana, Brahmayajnatarpana, Brihattarpana, Caturavartitatarpana.
Full-text (+83): Pitritarpana, Samtarpana, Apatarpana, Ghranatarpana, Tarpanecchu, Paritarpana, Atarpana, Avatarpana, Rishitarpana, Yamatarpana, Devatarpana, Tilatarpana, Nityatarpana, Vishnutarpana, Mantranushthanangatarpana, Brahmayajnadevarshipitritarpana, Brahmanatarpana, Shlokatarpana, Udakatarpana, Brahmayajnatarpana.
Relevant text
Search found 72 books and stories containing Tarpana, Tarpaṇa, Tarpanas; (plurals include: Tarpanas, Tarpaṇas, Tarpanases). You can also click to the full overview containing English textual excerpts. Below are direct links for the most relevant articles:
Devi Bhagavata Purana (by Swami Vijñanananda)
Chapter 44 - On the story of Svadhā Devī in the discourse between Nārada and Nārāyaṇa < [Book 9]
Chapter 20 - On the description of Brahmā Yajñā, Sandhyās, etc. < [Book 11]
Chapter 19 - On the midday Sandhyā < [Book 11]
Amarakoshodghatana of Kshirasvamin (study) (by A. Yamuna Devi)
Customs, Belief and Rituals (Introduction) < [Chapter 4 - Cultural Aspects]
Isanasivagurudeva Paddhati (study) (by J. P. Prajith)
31. Description of Shasta (rites and rituals) < [Chapter 4 - Worship of Gods and Goddesses]
12. Description of Nityotsava-vidhi (festival rites) < [Chapter 4 - Worship of Gods and Goddesses]
11. Description of Pratishtha-vidhi (installation rites) < [Chapter 4 - Worship of Gods and Goddesses]
Linga Purana (by J. L. Shastri)
Chapter 26 - Procedure of Sacred Ablution < [Section 1 - Uttarabhāga]
Chapter 104 - The eulogy of the lord (devastuti) < [Section 1 - Uttarabhāga]
Chapter 26 - The mode of worshipping Aghora < [Section 2 - Pūrvabhāga]
Atithi or Guest Reception (study) (by Sarika. P.)
Part 2 - Pañcamahāyajñas (The five daily great observances) < [Chapter 7 - Pañcamahāyajñas]
Part 2 - Introduction to the Dharmasūtra Literature < [Chapter 5 - The Dharmaśāstra Literature]
Notices of Sanskrit Manuscripts (by Rajendralala Mitra)
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