Vicitratva, Vicitra-tva: 2 definitions

Introduction:

Vicitratva 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.

Alternative spellings of this word include Vichitratva.

In Hinduism

Vastushastra (architecture)

Source: academia.edu: Bhoja’s Mechanical Garden (vastu)

Vicitratva (विचित्रत्व) refers to “strangeness”, representing a desirable characteristic of machines (yantra), according to the Samarāṅganasūtradhāra.—Machines, and particularly automata, are consistently associated with a cluster of terms in Sanskrit denoting wonder, marvel, surprise, strangeness, and curiosity (e.g., kautuka, āścarya, vicitra, adbhūta, and vismaya). The best machine, according to Bhoja, is one that fulfills various uses, one whose principal action is concealed (alakṣya), and one that creates astonishment (vismaya) among men (31.12). He reminds the planner that the most admired qualities of a machine are the invisibility (alakṣatā) of its workings and its strangeness (vicitratva; 31.14). Indeed, Bhoja pines, “What else in the world is more strange? What else is more satisfying? And what creates [such] fascination?”

Vastushastra book cover
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.

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Languages of India and abroad

Sanskrit dictionary

[«previous next»] — Vicitratva in Sanskrit glossary
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary

Vicitratva (विचित्रत्व):—[=vi-citra-tva] [from vi-citra] n. variegation, variety, wonderfulness, [Kāvya literature; Sāhitya-darpaṇa]

context information

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.

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