Vatsyayana, aka: Vātsyāyana; 5 Definition(s)
Introduction
Vatsyayana means something in Hinduism, Sanskrit. 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
Nyaya (school of philosophy)
Vātsyāyana (वात्स्यायन).—The first commentator of the Nyāyasūtra is Vātsyāyana and the name of his work is Nyāyabhāṣya. Vātsyāyana is also known as Pakṣilasvāmin who mentioned in his work the views of the earlier Naiyāyikas. According to S.N. Dasgupta, his date is about 4th century A.D.29 Rādhākrishnan also accepts the same date.
Source: Shodhganga: A study of Nyāya-vaiśeṣika categoriesNyaya (न्याय, nyaya) refers to a school of Hindu philosophy (astika), drawing its subject-matter from the Upanishads. The Nyaya philosophy is known for its theories on logic, methodology and epistemology, however, it is closely related with Vaisheshika in terms of metaphysics.
Purana and Itihasa (epic history)
Vātsyāyana (वात्स्यायन).—Kāśyapa gotrakāras.*
- * Matsya-purāṇa 199. 6.
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.
General definition (in Hinduism)
Vātsyāyana is the name of a Hindu philosopher in the Vedic tradition who is believed to have lived around 3rd century CE in India. His name appears as the author of the Kama Sutra and of Nyāya Sutra Bhāṣya, the first commentary on Gotama's Nyāya Sutras. His name is sometimes confused with Mallanaga, the prophet of the Asuras, to whom the origin of erotic science is attributed.
Hardly anything is known about him, although it is believed that his disciples went on his instructions, on the request of the Hindu Kings in the Himalayan range to influence the hill tribals to give up the pagan cult of sacrifices. He is said to have created the legend of Tara among the hill tribes as a tantric goddess. Later as the worship spread to the east Garo hills,the goddess manifest of a 'yoni' goddess Kamakhya was created. His interest in human sexual behavior as a medium of attaining spirituality was recorded in his treatise Kama Sutra.
It is impossible to fix the exact date either of the life of Vatsyayana or of his work. It is believed that he must have lived between the 1st and 6th century AD, on the following grounds: He mentions that Satakarni Satavahana, a king of Kuntal, killed Malayevati his wife with an instrument called Katamari by striking her in the passion of love.
Source: WikiPedia: HinduismLanguages of India and abroad
Sanskrit-English dictionary
Vātsyāyana (वात्स्यायन).—
1) Name of the author of the Kāmasūtras (a work on erotic subjects).
2) Name of the author of a commentary on the Nyāya Sūtras.
Derivable forms: vātsyāyanaḥ (वात्स्यायनः).
Source: DDSA: The practical Sanskrit-English dictionaryVātsyāyana (वात्स्यायन).—m.
(-naḥ) The name of a Muni. E. vātsya the father of the sage, and phak aff. of descent.
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Shabda-Sagara Sanskrit-English DictionarySanskrit, also spelled संस्कृतम् (saṃskṛtam), is an ancient language of India commonly seen as the grandmother of the Indo-European language family. 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.
Relevant definitions
Starts with: Vatsyayanamukha, Vatsyayanasutrasara.
Ends with: Pancakarnavatsyayana, Panchakarnavatsyayana.
Full-text (+19): Pakshila, Mallanaga, Uddesha, Kautalya, Canakatmaja, Lakshana, Svamin, Padartha, Pariksha, Udakakshvedika, Vacaspati Mishra, Udakavadya, Kamasutra, Canakya, Sadrishya, Angula, Jayamangala, Varnikabhanga, Bhava, Pramana.
Relevant text
Search found 20 books and stories containing Vatsyayana, Vātsyāyana; (plurals include: Vatsyayanas, Vātsyāyanas). You can also click to the full overview containing English textual excerpts. Below are direct links for the most relevant articles:
A History of Indian Philosophy Volume 1 (by Surendranath Dasgupta)
Part 2 - Nyāya and Vaiśeṣika sūtras < [Chapter VIII - The Nyāya-Vaiśeṣika Philosophy]
Part 18 - Upamāna and Sabda < [Chapter VIII - The Nyāya-Vaiśeṣika Philosophy]
Part 5 - Philosophy in the Nyāya sūtras < [Chapter VIII - The Nyāya-Vaiśeṣika Philosophy]
Kathasaritsagara (the Ocean of Story) (by Somadeva)
Note on nail-marks and tooth-bites < [Notes]
The ten stages of love-sickness < [Notes]
Vetāla 21: Anaṅgamañjarī, her Husband Maṇivarman and the Brāhman Kamalākara < [Appendix 6.1 - The Twenty-five Tales of a Vetāla]
The Tattvasangraha [with commentary] (by Ganganatha Jha)
Verse 1526-1527 < [Chapter 19b - (B) On analogical cognition]
Verse 1869-1871 < [Chapter 22 - Lokāyata—Materialism]
Verse 880 < [Chapter 16 - Examination of the Import of Words]
A History of Indian Philosophy Volume 2 (by Surendranath Dasgupta)
Part 14 - Did Logic Originate in the Discussions of Āyurveda Physicians < [Chapter XIII - Speculations in the Medical Schools]
Part 16 - Springs of action in the Caraka-samhitā < [Chapter XIII - Speculations in the Medical Schools]
Part 15 - Mahā-vidyā and the Development of Logical Formalism < [Chapter XI - The Śaṅkara School of Vedānta (continued)]
Kautilya Arthashastra (by R. Shamasastry)
The Padma Purana (by N.A. Deshpande)
Chapter 1 - Rāma Sees Nandigrāma from Puṣpaka < [Section 5 - Pātāla-Khaṇḍa (Section on the Nether World)]
Chapter 38 - Getting Back the Horse from the Possession of an Under-Water Female < [Section 5 - Pātāla-Khaṇḍa (Section on the Nether World)]
Chapter 8 - Agastya Advises Rāma to Perform a Horse-Sacrifice < [Section 5 - Pātāla-Khaṇḍa (Section on the Nether World)]