Upamshu, Upāṃśu: 16 definitions
Introduction:
Upamshu means something in Hinduism, Sanskrit, 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 Upāṃśu can be transliterated into English as Upamsu or Upamshu, using the IAST transliteration scheme (?).
In Hinduism
Vyakarana (Sanskrit grammar)
Source: Wikisource: A dictionary of Sanskrit grammarUpāṃśu (उपांशु).—lit. inaudible. The word is explained in the technical sense as the first place or stage in the utterance of speech where it is perfectly inaudible although produced; cf. उपांशु इति प्रथमं वाचः स्थानम् (upāṃśu iti prathamaṃ vācaḥ sthānam) Com. on T. Pr. XXIII, 5.

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.
Dharmashastra (religious law)
Source: Sacred Texts: The Grihya Sutras, Part 2 (SBE30)Upāṃśu (उपांशु) refers to “murmering”, according to the Āpastamba-yajña-paribhāṣā-sūtras.—“with the Yajur-veda the performance takes place by murmuring (upāṃśu). With the exception of addresses, replies, choosing of priests (pravara), dialogues, and commands”.
This murmuring, upāṃśu, is described as a mere opus operatum, the words being repeated without voice and without thought. One may see the movements of the vocal organs in murmuring, but one should not hear them at a distance. If verses from the Ṛg-veda or Sāma-veda occur in the Yajur-veda, they also have to be murmured. See Kāty. I, 3, 10.

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.
Mantrashastra (the science of Mantras)
Source: Shodhganga: Kasyapa Samhita—Text on Visha Chikitsa (mantra)Upāṃśu (उपांशु) refers to “audible mantras” (i.e.., that which is audible to the aspirant as a whisper”) and represents a particular classification of mantras (“that which is chanted by people to obtain their spiritual aspirations”).—Mantras having 1, 2 and 3 syllables and alligned scientifically with synchronised sounds for a specific purpose, are said to be highly potent. These have the least number of bījākāṣaras and do not include the name of the devatā. They are threefold—mānasa, mental, which is not heard by anyone and which is the most effective, upāṃśu, audible to the aspirant as a whisper, and vācika, clearly audible to all.
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 TextsUpāṃśu (उपांशु) refers to “repeating mantras in a low voice” which represents one of the three aids in doing Japa (repetition of mantras), according to the fourteenth chapter of the Jayākhyasaṃhitā: a Pāñcarātra Āgama text composed of 4500 verses in 33 chapters dealing with topics such as mantra (formulas), japa (repetitions), dhyāna (meditations), mudrā (gesticulations), nyāsa (concentrations) etc.—Description of the chapter [japa-vidhāna]:—[...] There are three aids to doing japa-repetitions—employing a rosary [akṣamālā], saying them aloud [vācika] or by repeating them in a low voice [upāṃśu]—and each of these is of varying value depending upon the motives of the aspirant (1-5a). The akṣamālā-rosary is then described and its uses discussed (5b-76a, 90-95a), whereupon the narrative turns to consider what determines which mantras under various circumstances should be employed for japa (766-89).

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.
Languages of India and abroad
Marathi-English dictionary
Source: DDSA: The Molesworth Marathi and English Dictionaryupāṃśu (उपांशु).—ad S In a whisper or subdued tone.
Source: DDSA: The Aryabhusan school dictionary, Marathi-Englishupāṃśu (उपांशु).—ad In a whisper or subdued tone.
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 dictionaryUpāṃśu (उपांशु).—ind.
1) In low voice or whisper; ववर्ष पर्जन्य उपांशुगर्जितः (vavarṣa parjanya upāṃśugarjitaḥ) Bhāgavata 1.3.5.
2) Secretly, in secret or private; परिचेतुमुपांशु धारणाम् (paricetumupāṃśu dhāraṇām) R.8.18; cf. also तस्मात् यत् किंचित् प्राजापत्यं क्रियते उपांश्वेव तत् क्रियते इति (tasmāt yat kiṃcit prājāpatyaṃ kriyate upāṃśveva tat kriyate iti) | ŚB. on MS. 1.8.57. °व्रतम् (vratam) a vow observed in secret; भिन्द्यामहं तस्य शिर इत्युपांशुव्रतं मम (bhindyāmahaṃ tasya śira ityupāṃśuvrataṃ mama) Mahābhārata (Bombay) 8.69.1.
-śuḥ 1 A prayer uttered in a low voice, muttering of prayers; जिह्वोष्ठौ चालयेत् किंचिद् देवतागतमानसः । निजश्रवणयोग्यः स्यादुपांशुः स जपः स्मृतः (jihvoṣṭhau cālayet kiṃcid devatāgatamānasaḥ | nijaśravaṇayogyaḥ syādupāṃśuḥ sa japaḥ smṛtaḥ) ||; विधियज्ञाज्जपयज्ञो विशिष्टो दशभिर्गुणैः । उपांशुः स्याच्छतगुणः साहस्रो मानसः स्मृतः (vidhiyajñājjapayajño viśiṣṭo daśabhirguṇaiḥ | upāṃśuḥ syācchataguṇaḥ sāhasro mānasaḥ smṛtaḥ) || Manusmṛti 2.85.
2) (Hence) silence itself.
3) Name of a Soma offering.
-tvam Silence. उपांशुत्वं प्रजापते- धर्मः (upāṃśutvaṃ prajāpate- dharmaḥ) | ŚB. on MS.1.8.52.
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Shabda-Sagara Sanskrit-English DictionaryUpāṃśu (उपांशु).—m.
(-śuḥ) Muttering prayers, reciting them in a low voice so as not to be overheard. ind. 1. Solitary, private. 2. Secretely, in a whisper. E. upa, aṃśu a ray.
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Benfey Sanskrit-English DictionaryUpāṃśu (उपांशु).—i. e. upa-aṃśu, I. m. A low muttered prayer, [Mānavadharmaśāstra] 2, 8. Ii. adv. Secretly, Mahābhārata 3, 17309.
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Cappeller Sanskrit-English DictionaryUpāṃśu (उपांशु).—[adverb] in a low voice, inaudibly; [masculine] an inaudible prayer.
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary1) Upāṃśu (उपांशु):—ind. ([from] √aṃś, ‘to divide’, with upa and affix u, [Tārānātha tarkavācaspati’s Vācaspatyam, Sanskrit dictionary] (?) [gana] svar-ādi, [Pāṇini 1-1, 37]), secretly, in secret, [Ṛg-veda x, 83, 7; Mahābhārata; Raghuvaṃśa] etc.
2) in a low voice, in a whisper, [Śatapatha-brāhmaṇa; Aitareya-brāhmaṇa]
3) m. a prayer uttered in a low voice (so as not to be overheard), [Manu-smṛti ii, 85; Mārkaṇḍeya-purāṇa] etc.
4) a particular Soma oblation = upāṃśu-graha below, [Vājasaneyi-saṃhitā; Taittirīya-saṃhitā; Śatapatha-brāhmaṇa; Kātyāyana-śrauta-sūtra etc.]
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Yates Sanskrit-English DictionaryUpāṃśu (उपांशु):—(śuḥ) 1. m. Muttering prayers. a. Solitary; secretly.
[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 corpusUpāṃśu (ಉಪಾಂಶು):—
1) [noun] that which is kept from others' knowledge; a secret.
2) [noun] a prayer uttered in a low voice; muttering of prayers.
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Upāṃsu (ಉಪಾಂಸು):—[noun] something purposely kept from the knowledge of others; a secret.
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 DictionaryUpāṃśu (उपांशु):—n. recitation of a prayer in a secluded place; recitation of sacred hymn;
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: Upamshudanda, Upamshughataka, Upamshugraha, Upamshuhavis, Upamshujapa, Upamshukridita, Upamshupatra, Upamshusavana, Upamshuta, Upamshutva, Upamshuvadha, Upamshuvadhe, Upamshuvadhegey, Upamshuvrata, Upamshuyaja.
Full-text (+28): Upamshuvrata, Upamshuvadha, Upamshudanda, Upamshugraha, Upamshuyaja, Upamshupatra, Upamshuhavis, Upamshuta, Upamshukridita, Upamshusavana, Upamshughataka, Upamshutva, Upancu, Dhvana, Upamcu, Caritavya, Yaja, Upanshu, Antara, Upabdimant.
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Search found 37 books and stories containing Upamshu, Upāṃśu, Upamsu, Upāmśu, Upāṃsu, Upāmsu; (plurals include: Upamshus, Upāṃśus, Upamsus, Upāmśus, Upāṃsus, Upāmsus). You can also click to the full overview containing English textual excerpts. Below are direct links for the most relevant articles:
Satapatha-brahmana (by Julius Eggeling)
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2. The Vishnu Smriti and the Manusamhita < [Chapter 2]
Manusmriti with the Commentary of Medhatithi (by Ganganatha Jha)
Verse 2.85 < [Section XVII - Rules of Study]
Verse 3.70 < [Section VII - Duties of the Householder]
A Descriptive Catalogue of the Sanskrit Manuscripts, Madras (by M. Seshagiri Sastri)