Vikshepa, Vikṣepa: 24 definitions
Introduction:
Vikshepa means something in Buddhism, Pali, Hinduism, Sanskrit, the history of ancient India, 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.
The Sanskrit term Vikṣepa can be transliterated into English as Viksepa or Vikshepa, using the IAST transliteration scheme (?).
Alternative spellings of this word include Vikshep.
In Hinduism
Natyashastra (theatrics and dramaturgy)
Source: Wisdom Library: Nāṭya-śāstraVikṣepa (विक्षेप) refers to one of the twenty aspects of tāla (time-measure), according to the Nāṭyaśāstrahapter chapter 28. In musical performance, tāla refers to any rhythmic beat or strike that measures musical time. It is an important concept in ancient Indian musical theory (gāndharvaśāstra) traceable to the Vedic era.
According to the Nāṭyaśāstra chapter 31, vikṣepa is one of the four varieties of the silent tāla. Accordingly, “swiftly moving that (i.e. the palm turned downwards) to the right side is the vikṣepa”, and “after showing the āvāpa (lit. the curving the fingers) one should be making the niṣkrāma and then the vikṣepa and next the praveśana (praveśa)”. The tāla is so called because it measures time by a division of songs into kalās”.

Natyashastra (नाट्यशास्त्र, nāṭyaśāstra) refers to both the ancient Indian tradition (shastra) of performing arts, (natya—theatrics, drama, dance, music), as well as the name of a Sanskrit work dealing with these subjects. It also teaches the rules for composing Dramatic plays (nataka), construction and performance of Theater, and Poetic works (kavya).
Jyotisha (astronomy and astrology)
Source: Wikibooks (hi): Sanskrit Technical TermsVikṣepa (विक्षेप).—Celestial latitude. Note: Vikṣepa is a Sanskrit technical term used in ancient Indian sciences such as Astronomy, Mathematics and Geometry.

Jyotisha (ज्योतिष, jyotiṣa or jyotish) refers to ‘astronomy’ or “Vedic astrology” and represents the fifth of the six Vedangas (additional sciences to be studied along with the Vedas). Jyotisha concerns itself with the study and prediction of the movements of celestial bodies, in order to calculate the auspicious time for rituals and ceremonies.
Ayurveda (science of life)
Source: gurumukhi.ru: Ayurveda glossary of termsVikṣepā (विक्षेपा):—[vikṣepāḥ] Seizures; Irregular movement or sudden spasm

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.
Shaktism (Shakta philosophy)
Source: Google Books: ManthanabhairavatantramVikṣepa (विक्षेप) refers to “ejection”, according to Abhinavagupta’s Tantrāloka:—Accordingly, “Then, by attaining (the pure) consciousness of (Śiva's and one's own) essential nature, the basic state of Bindu (the fifteenth vowel, is established). Then within (that consciousness of Bindu), whose form is filled with the entire aggregate (of energies), the empowered emission (visarga) (takes place) that is called ‘ejection
’ (vikṣepa) (of the energies within Śiva into the outer domain). The release (viśleṣa) of (that) emission itself (which impels the outpouring of these energies) is the seventeenth energy. The eighteenth (energy mentioned) in some places (in the scriptures) is that same (seventeenth energy that develops) due to (its) association with the (cosmogenic) arousal (prakṣobha) (of its energy)”.
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.
Yoga (school of philosophy)
Source: ORA: Amanaska (king of all yogas): A Critical Edition and Annotated Translation by Jason BirchVikṣepa (विक्षेप, “distraction”) refers to one of the “four obstacles to Rājayoga”, according to the Yuktabhavadeva.—Similar instances of laya as an obstacle to Yoga are also seen in late medieval yoga texts, such as the Yuktabhavadeva (1.38-39), which lists sleep, distraction (vikṣepa), defilements and the enjoyment of pleasure as the four obstacles to Rājayoga. These obstacles were derived from two verses of Gauḍapāda’s Māṇḍūkyopaniṣatkārikā (3.44-45), which Bhavadevamiśra quoted without attribution.

Yoga is originally considered a branch of Hindu philosophy (astika), but both ancient and modern Yoga combine the physical, mental and spiritual. Yoga teaches various physical techniques also known as āsanas (postures), used for various purposes (eg., meditation, contemplation, relaxation).
In Buddhism
Mahayana (major branch of Buddhism)
Source: Wisdom Library: Maha Prajnaparamita SastraVikṣepa (विक्षेप, “distraction”) is of two kinds according to the 2nd century Mahāprajñāpāramitāśāstra (chapter XXVIII). Accordingly, “There are two kinds of distraction, subtle (sūkṣma) and coarse (sthūla). Subtle distraction (sūkṣma-vikṣepa) is of three types according to whether it abounds in attachment (āsaṅgabahula), pride (abhimānabahula) or wrong view (dṛṣṭibahula). These three distractions are subtle distractions. Because of that, one falls out of the concentrations and produces the threefold poison (rāga, dveṣa and moha) that constitutes the coarse distraction (sthūla-vikṣepa)”.
Vikṣepa (विक्षेप) (Cf Vikṣepacitta) refers to “distraction”, according to chapter L.—Accordingly, “[...] the Bodhisattva-Mahāsattva who wishes to not produce thoughts of avarice, immorality, malice, laziness, distraction (vikṣepa) or false wisdom should practice the perfection of wisdom”.
Source: academia.edu: A Study and Translation of the GaganagañjaparipṛcchāVikṣepa (विक्षेप) refers to “(one who is) beyond distraction”, according to the Gaganagañjaparipṛcchā: the eighth chapter of the Mahāsaṃnipāta (a collection of Mahāyāna Buddhist Sūtras).—Accordingly, “Then, the Lord went on to speak these verses: ‘[...] (49) With the basis of morality, they reflect on verses (pāda) supporting liberation. Thus they remain in the way of happiness and liberation as adorned with morality. (50) They are beyond distraction (vikṣepa) and conceited thoughts (manyanā) by cutting off the afflicted view, and they attain the ultimate perfection after having spread friendliness just as the expense of the sky. (51) Never having abandoned the certainty of reaching awakening (bodhi), they never make false discrimination of awakening. The wise people who are content in that way attain the perfection of the morality’”.

Mahayana (महायान, mahāyāna) is a major branch of Buddhism focusing on the path of a Bodhisattva (spiritual aspirants/ enlightened beings). Extant literature is vast and primarely composed in the Sanskrit language. There are many sūtras of which some of the earliest are the various Prajñāpāramitā sūtras.
Buddhist philosophy
Source: Google Books: The Treasury of Knowledge: Book six, parts one and two (philosophy)Vikṣepa (विक्षेप) refers to “distracting”, or ‘the ten aspects of distracting false imagination’ (daśa-vikṣepa-vikalpa), according to Khewang Yeshe Gyatso, Exegetical Memorandum chapter 5 (Cf. Mahāyānasūtrālaṃkārakārikā, chapter 11). These [e.g., Vikṣepa] are related to the imaginary nature (parikalpita). These ten are enumerated as aspects of false imagination which may be imputed in all sorts of contexts, and it is on this basis that the process of reification actually comes to partake of the imaginary nature.
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General definition (in Buddhism)
Source: Wisdom Library: Dharma-samgrahaVikṣepa (विक्षेप, “scatteredness”) refers to one of the “twenty-four minor defilements” (upakleśa) as defined in the Dharma-saṃgraha (section 69). The Dharma-samgraha (Dharmasangraha) is an extensive glossary of Buddhist technical terms in Sanskrit (e.g., vikṣepa). The work is attributed to Nagarjuna who lived around the 2nd century A.D.
India history and geography
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Indian Epigraphical GlossaryVikṣepa.—(IA 7, 13), cf. vijaya-vikṣepa used as an epithet of the place whence a royal charter was issued; cf. vijaya-vikṣepāt Bha- rukaccha-vāsakāt; wrongly interpreted as ‘a camp or cantonment’ (IA 17). See also Vaikṣepika. Note: vikṣepa is defined in the “Indian epigraphical glossary” as it can be found on ancient inscriptions commonly written in Sanskrit, Prakrit or Dravidian languages.

The history of India traces the identification of countries, villages, towns and other regions of India, as well as mythology, zoology, royal dynasties, rulers, tribes, local festivities and traditions and regional languages. Ancient India enjoyed religious freedom and encourages the path of Dharma, a concept common to Buddhism, Hinduism, and Jainism.
Languages of India and abroad
Marathi-English dictionary
Source: DDSA: The Molesworth Marathi and English Dictionaryvikṣēpa (विक्षेप).—m S Throwing up, out, forth, around, about. 2 Dissipation (of the mind or attention); scattered state (of the wits or thoughts). Ex. javaḷa gaḍabaḍa asalī mhaṇajē citta ēkāgra hōta nāhīṃ vi0 hōtō; also gṛhakalaha vāīṭa jāṇā || vi0 vāḍhē kṣaṇakṣaṇā ||. 3 Bewilderment, amazement, great astonishment. Ex. aisī aikūṇa vipravārttā || vi0 cittāṃ vāṭalā ||; also hēṃ kīrttanāmājī yētāci vighna || vi0 pāvalēṃ sakaḷāñcēṃ mana ||. 4 Crazedness; confusion of intellect; esp. that arising from demoniac possession, or that induced by incantations and charms. 5 In Hindu philosophy. One of the two (viz. vikṣēpa & āvaraṇa) sources of error or erroneous apprehension. See at large under ā- varaṇa. 6 Celestial latitude.
Source: DDSA: The Aryabhusan school dictionary, Marathi-Englishvikṣēpa (विक्षेप).—m Throwing up. Bewilderment. Crazedness.
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 dictionaryVikṣepa (विक्षेप).—1 Throwing away or asunder, scattering about.
2) Casting, throwing, discharging (opp. saṃhāra); संहारविक्षेपसहस्रकोटीस्तिष्ठन्ति जीवाः (saṃhāravikṣepasahasrakoṭīstiṣṭhanti jīvāḥ) Mahābhārata (Bombay) 12.28.3; संहारविक्षेप- लघुक्रियेण (saṃhāravikṣepa- laghukriyeṇa) R.5.45.
3) Waving, moving about, shaking, moving to and fro; बाहुविक्षेपकरणां समुद्यम्य महागदाम् (bāhuvikṣepakaraṇāṃ samudyamya mahāgadām) Rām. 7.32.41. लाङ्गूल° (lāṅgūla°) Kumārasambhava 1.13.
4) Sending, despatching.
5) Distraction, confusion, perplexity; Mālatīmādhava (Bombay) 1.
6) Alarm, fear.
7) Refutation of an argument.
8) Polar latitude.
9) Looking about vaguely or wildly.
1) Neglecting (time).
11) Extension, projection.
12) A kind of weapon.
Derivable forms: vikṣepaḥ (विक्षेपः).
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Edgerton Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit DictionaryVikṣepa (विक्षेप).—m., (1) a putting off, excuse (for not acceding to a request); in American slang, a brush-off: Avadāna-śataka i.94.4 prasenajitā tasya vikṣepaḥ kṛtaḥ (Speyer refusal; but he did not precisely refuse, as the sequel shows, only put the other off, temporarily); (2) in vikṣepādhipati, m., Mahāvyutpatti [Page482-b+ 71] 3688, Tibetan khyab bdag, or dmag dpon, both commander, general; [Boehtlingk] 7.374 suggests vikṣepa = camp, cantonment; (3) vikṣepa-lipi, a kind of script: Lalitavistara 126.5, see s.v. utkṣepa-lipi.
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Shabda-Sagara Sanskrit-English DictionaryVikṣepa (विक्षेप).—m.
(-paḥ) 1. Casting, or throwing away. 2. Sending, dispatching. 3. Confusion, perplexity, fear proceeding from ignorance or error. 4. Looking about vaguely or wildly, as of a woman for her absent lover. 5. Refuting an argument, establishing its falsehood. 6. Celestial latitude. E. vi before, kṣip to throw, aff. ghañ .
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Benfey Sanskrit-English DictionaryVikṣepa (विक्षेप).—i. e. vi-kṣip + a, m. 1. Casting, or throwing away (caraṇa-, Casting asunder of the feet, i. e. striding, [Vikramorvaśī, (ed. Bollensen.)] 60, 14). 2. Dispatching. 3. Refuting an argument. 4. Confusion, perplexity, fear, proceeding from ignorance or error, [Vedāntasāra, (in my Chrestomathy.)] in
Vikṣepa (विक्षेप).—[masculine] throwing, scattering, tossing, sending, dispatching; turning off, diversion, distraction; projection (ph.).
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary1) Vikṣepa (विक्षेप):—[=vi-kṣepa] [from vi-kṣip] m. the act of throwing asunder or away or about, scattering, dispersion, [Mārkaṇḍeya-purāṇa; Dhātupāṭha]
2) [v.s. ...] casting, throwing, discharging, [Raghuvaṃśa; Viṣṇu-purāṇa]
3) [v.s. ...] moving about or to and fro, waving, shaking, tossing, [Mahābhārata; Kāvya literature] etc.
4) [v.s. ...] drawing (a bow-string), [Harivaṃśa]
5) [v.s. ...] letting loose, indulging (opp. to saṃyama), [Bhāgavata-purāṇa]
6) [v.s. ...] letting slip, neglecting (time), [cf. Lexicographers, esp. such as amarasiṃha, halāyudha, hemacandra, etc.]
7) [v.s. ...] inattention, distraction, confusion, perplexity, [Maitrī-upaniṣad; Yoga-sūtra; Mālatīmādhava]
8) [v.s. ...] extension, projection, [Vedāntasāra] (See -śakti)
9) [v.s. ...] abusing, reviling, [Bharata-nāṭya-śāstra]
10) [v.s. ...] compassion, pity, [Daśarūpa]
11) [v.s. ...] celestial or polar latitude, [Sūryasiddhānta]
12) [v.s. ...] a kind of weapon, [Mahābhārata] ([Nīlakaṇṭha])
13) [v.s. ...] a camp, cantonment (?), [Buddhist literature]
14) [v.s. ...] a kind of disease, [Catalogue(s)]
15) [v.s. ...] sending, dispatching, [Horace H. Wilson]
16) [v.s. ...] refuting an argument, [ib.]
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Yates Sanskrit-English DictionaryVikṣepa (विक्षेप):—[vi-kṣepa] (paḥ) 1. m. Casting, throwing; bewilderment; refutation; celestial latitude.
Source: DDSA: Paia-sadda-mahannavo; a comprehensive Prakrit Hindi dictionary (S)Vikṣepa (विक्षेप) in the Sanskrit language is related to the Prakrit word: Vikkheva.
[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 dictionaryVikṣepa (विक्षेप) [Also spelled vikshep]:—(nm) deflection; madness; perplexity; bewilderment; ~[ka] deflector; —[karanā] to deflect.
...
Kannada-English dictionary
Source: Alar: Kannada-English corpusVikṣēpa (ವಿಕ್ಷೇಪ):—
1) [noun] the act of throwing asunder or away or about; a scattering.
2) [noun] the act of casting, throwing, discharging, hurling, etc.
3) [noun] the act of sending, despatching or conveying to another place.
4) [noun] the act of placing (something) at, on, etc.
5) [noun] the act of moving (either regular or irregular); movement.
6) [noun] a diverting or turning aside; diversion.
7) [noun] the act of refuting or proving false; refutation.
8) [noun] fear; fright; alarm; apprehension.
9) [noun] confusion; bewilderment; perplexity.
10) [noun] anything or a situation that impedes, prevents, obstructs or is unfavourable; an impediment.
11) [noun] unsteadiness, fickleness of the mind; the condition or quality of not firmly sticking to a decision, opinion or attitude.
12) [noun] the act or an instance of causing a person’s mind become unsteady, fickle.
13) [noun] a striking with a mace by stretching one’s arm; its impact.
14) [noun] (dance.) a stretching of one leg forward (above the floor) and drawing it suddenly back.
15) [noun] (phil.) the power of the Nature causing illusion or hiding the truth behind the veil of ignorance; confusion proceeding from error.
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 DictionaryVikṣepa (विक्षेप):—n. 1. throwing asunder; scattering about; 2. casting; discharging; 3. moving to and fro; 4. distraction; confusion; 5. fear; fright; alarm; 6. restlessness; impatience; 7. obstacles; impediments; 8. deflection;
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: Vikshepacitta, Vikshepadhipati, Vikshepadhruva, Vikshepajya, Vikshepakendra, Vikshepalipi, Vikshepaliptika, Vikshepam, Vikshepamandala, Vikshepamsha, Vikshepan, Vikshepana, Vikshepani, Viksheparahita, Vikshepashakti, Vikshepashaktimat, Vikshepatmika, Vikshepavikalpa, Vikshepavritta.
Full-text (+96): Drishtivikshepa, Angavikshepa, Bhruvikshepa, Vikshepashakti, Cittavikshepa, Padavikshepa, Vikshepadhruva, Bahuvikshepa, Vikshepavritta, Bhruvikshepam, Vikshepam, Vikshepalipi, Langulavikshepa, Ishuvikshepa, Kramavikshepa, Bhujavikshepa, Vikshepana, Vikshepamandala, Sphutavikshepa, Vikshepamsha.
Relevant text
Search found 56 books and stories containing Vikshepa, Vi-kṣepa, Vi-ksepa, Vi-kshepa, Vikṣepa, Viksepa, Vikṣēpa, Vikṣepā; (plurals include: Vikshepas, kṣepas, ksepas, kshepas, Vikṣepas, Viksepas, Vikṣēpas, Vikṣepās). You can also click to the full overview containing English textual excerpts. Below are direct links for the most relevant articles:
Jainism and Patanjali Yoga (Comparative Study) (by Deepak bagadia)
Part 4.5 - Obstacles on the path of Yoga (citta-viksepa) < [Chapter 2 - Yoga philosophy and practices]
Part 4.6 - Methods of Purification of Mind (citta-prasadana) < [Chapter 2 - Yoga philosophy and practices]
Part 5 - Spirituality in Yoga and Jainism < [Chapter 4 - A Comparative Study]
Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu (by Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī)
Verse 2.5.121 < [Part 5 - Permanent Ecstatic Mood (sthāyī-bhāva)]
Verse 2.5.120 < [Part 5 - Permanent Ecstatic Mood (sthāyī-bhāva)]
Verse 2.2.17 < [Part 2 - Ecstatic Expressions (anubhāva)]
Yoga-sutras (Vedanta Commentaries)
Sūtras 30-31 < [Part I - Yoga and its Aims]
Vivekachudamani (by Shankara)
Yoga-sutra with Bhashya Vivarana (study) (by Susmi Sabu)
Distractions of Mind (cittaviksepa) < [Chapter 4 - Textual Examination of the Text]
Accompaniments of distraction (viksepa-sahabhu) < [Chapter 4 - Textual Examination of the Text]
Notes and References for chapter 4 < [Chapter 4 - Textual Examination of the Text]
Brihad Bhagavatamrita (commentary) (by Śrī Śrīmad Bhaktivedānta Nārāyana Gosvāmī Mahārāja)
Verse 1.7.45 < [Chapter 7 - Pūrṇa (pinnacle of excellent devotees)]
Verse 1.4.20 < [Chapter 4 - Bhakta (the devotee)]
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