Visheshana, Viśeṣaṇa, Visesana: 26 definitions
Introduction:
Visheshana means something in Hinduism, Sanskrit, Jainism, Prakrit, Buddhism, Pali, 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 Viśeṣaṇa can be transliterated into English as Visesana or Visheshana, using the IAST transliteration scheme (?).
Alternative spellings of this word include Visheshan.
In Hinduism
Natyashastra (theatrics and dramaturgy)
Viśeṣana (विशेषन, “recognition”) refers to one of the thirty-six “characteristic features” (lakṣaṇa) of perfect ‘poetic compositions’ (kāvyabandha) and ‘dramatic compositions’ (dṛśyakāvya, or simply kāvya). According to the Nāṭyaśāstra chapter 17, these thirty-six lakṣaṇas act as instructions for composing playwrights. The term is used throughout nāṭyaśāstra literature.
Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण, “distinction”).—One of the thirty-six lakṣaṇa, or “excellent points of a dramatic composition”;—Description of viśeṣaṇa: When after mentioning many well-known great objects something is said to distinguish a thing from them, it is an instance of Distinction (viśeṣaṇa).
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).
Vyakarana (Sanskrit grammar)
Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण).—Adjective; a qualifying word which generally agrees with the substantive in number, gender and case-ending.
Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण).—Attribute; adjective; any word which qualifies another; hence, subordinate; cf. विशेषणानां चाजातेः । जातिर्यद्विशेषणम्, आहोस्वित् जातेर्यानि विशेषणानि । (viśeṣaṇānāṃ cājāteḥ | jātiryadviśeṣaṇam, āhosvit jāteryāni viśeṣaṇāni |) M.Bh. on P.I.2.52.
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.
Shaktism (Shakta philosophy)
Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण) refers to “special (meditations)”, according to the Kularatnoddyota, one of the earliest Kubjikā Tantras.—Accordingly, “O beloved, one should recollect that you and I are present in the Six Wheels by means of special, individual meditations [i.e., pṛthak-dhyāna-viśeṣaṇa] beginning with the one without form. The supreme form is flawless, pervasive and facing everywhere. It can be perceived as the bliss of contemplation, the mark of which is supreme bliss. Free of the qualities of form and the rest and devoid of limiting adjuncts and meditation—this, O fair one, is the non-dual vision of you directly apparent. [...]”.
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.
Shaiva philosophy
Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण) refers to an “exclusion” [?], according to the Utpaladeva’s Vivṛti on Īśvarapratyabhijñākārikā 1.5.8-9.—Accordingly, “[...] And [one should rather consider that] within this [notion of causality that is present in the perception of the clay] as well as [in that of the seed], a [process of] particularization leads to an exclusion (viśeṣaṇa—viśeṣaṇaṃ prayujyate) [that takes the form]: “it is the clay that is the cause of the pot, not the seed”; [and this exclusion eliminates from the general notion of cause] that which [the particular cause] is not but which is intrinsically linked [with the notion of cause in general]”.
Shaiva philosophy is a spritiual tradition within Hinduism that includes theories such as the relationship between the Atman (individual soul) and Siva, the nature of liberation (moksha), and the concepts of maya (illusion) and shakti (divine energy). Saiva philosophy teaches that union with Shiva can be achieved through knowledge, devotion, and spiritual practice. It encompasses major branches like Shaiva Siddhanta and Kashmir Shaivism.
In Jainism
Jain philosophy
Viśeṣana (विशेषन) refers to the “predicate”, as explained in the Anekāntajayapatākā-prakaraṇa, a Śvetāmbara Jain philosophical work written by Haribhadra Sūri.—[Cf. Vol. I, P. 12, ll 4-5]—the Jainas hold that dharmas are not absolutely other than the dharmin, otherwise, there could be no such relation between them as predicate (viśeṣana) and subject (viśeṣya) For, no two absolutely distinct realities (say a camel and a donkey) can be ever related as subject and predicate Further, if dharmas are absolutely distinct from the dharmin i.e. the substratum m which they inhere, there will be as many distinct entities m a dharmin as there are dharmas, since every dharmin has infinite dharmas.
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General definition (in Jainism)
Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण) refers to “attributes”, according to the 11th century Jñānārṇava, a treatise on Jain Yoga in roughly 2200 Sanskrit verses composed by Śubhacandra.—Accordingly, “There is nothing like the doctrine which is productive of all prosperity, the root of the tree of bliss, beneficial, venerable and grants liberation.—[com.—This trio of attributes (viśeṣaṇatrayaṃ) is easily understood]”.
Jainism is an Indian religion of Dharma whose doctrine revolves around harmlessness (ahimsa) towards every living being. The two major branches (Digambara and Svetambara) of Jainism stimulate self-control (or, shramana, ‘self-reliance’) and spiritual development through a path of peace for the soul to progess to the ultimate goal.
Languages of India and abroad
Pali-English dictionary
visesana : (nt.) distinction; attribute; an adjective.
Visesana, (nt.) (fr. viseseti) distinguishing, distinction, qualification, attribute Vv 1610; J. III, 11; VI, 63; SnA 181, 365, 399; VvA. 13.—Instr. avisesena (adv.) without distinction, at all events, anyhow PvA. 116. (Page 641)
Pali is the language of the Tipiṭaka, which is the sacred canon of Theravāda Buddhism and contains much of the Buddha’s speech. Closeley related to Sanskrit, both languages are used interchangeably between religions.
Marathi-English dictionary
viśēṣaṇa (विशेषण).—n S In grammar. A word that distinguishes or marks; an attribute, an epithet, an adjective. 2 An affirmation or a declaration concerning any subject, a predicate.
viśēṣaṇa (विशेषण).—n An adjective. A predicate.
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
Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण).—a.
1) Attributive.
2) Distinctive; सूक्ष्मं विशेषणं तेषामवेक्षेच्छास्त्रचक्षुषा (sūkṣmaṃ viśeṣaṇaṃ teṣāmavekṣecchāstracakṣuṣā) Mahābhārata (Bombay) 12.217.28.
-ṇam 1 Distinguishing, discrimination, particularization; भावनं ब्रह्मणः स्थानं धारणं सद्विशेषणम् (bhāvanaṃ brahmaṇaḥ sthānaṃ dhāraṇaṃ sadviśeṣaṇam) Bhāgavata 3.26.46.
2) Distinction, difference; स्वानुभूत्या तिरोभूतमायागुणविशेषणम् (svānubhūtyā tirobhūtamāyāguṇaviśeṣaṇam) Bhāgavata 3.33.25.
3) A word which particularizes, qualifies, or defines another, an adjective, attribute, epithet (opp. viśeṣya); भक्षयतिश्च नञ्विशेषणम् (bhakṣayatiśca nañviśeṣaṇam) ŚB. on MS.6.2.19; उपपन्नमिदं विशेषणं वायोः (upapannamidaṃ viśeṣaṇaṃ vāyoḥ) V.3; विशेषणैर्यत् साकूतैरुक्तिः परिकरस्तु सः (viśeṣaṇairyat sākūtairuktiḥ parikarastu saḥ) K. P.1. (viśeṣaṇa is said to be of three kinds vyāvartaka, vidheya, and hetugarbha).
4) A distinguishing feature or mark.
5) Species, kind.
6) Surpassing, excelling; अस्य काव्यस्य कवयो न समर्था विशेषणे (asya kāvyasya kavayo na samarthā viśeṣaṇe) Mahābhārata (Bombay) 1.1.73; पराक्रमेऽन्योन्य- विशेषणेन (parākrame'nyonya- viśeṣaṇena) Kirātārjunīya 17.32.
Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण).—m. (recorded only as nt.), distinction, distinguishing trait: (yasmāc ca jāter na) viśeṣaṇo 'sti tasmān na vai varṇacatuṣka eva Divyāvadāna 630.11 (verse, printed as prose; °ṣaṇam asti would be unmetrical(ly)), and since there is no distinction of birth, therefore the four castes simply do not exist.
Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण).—mfn.
(-ṇaḥ-ṇā-ṇaṃ) Discriminative, attributive. 2. Distinctive, (as a property, &c.) n.
(-ṇaṃ) 1. Distinguishing, discriminating. 2. An epithet, an attributive, an adjective, (opposed to viśeṣya.) E. vi before śiṣ to distinguish by attributes, aff. lyuṭ or yuc .
Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण).—i. e. vi-śiṣ + ana, I. adj. 1. Discriminative. 2. Distinctive. Ii. n. 1. Distinguishing, discriminating. 2. An attribute, epithet, [Vikramorvaśī, (ed. Bollensen.)] 20, 3.
Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण).—[adjective] & [neuter] distinguishing, specializing; [neuter] also doing better, surpassing; kind, species; the specializing word i.e. attribute, adjective, adverb, or predicate.
1) Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण):—[=vi-śeṣaṇa] [from vi-śiṣ] mfn. distinguishing, discriminative, specifying, qualifying, [cf. Lexicographers, esp. such as amarasiṃha, halāyudha, hemacandra, etc.]
2) [v.s. ...] distinctive (as a property), [Horace H. Wilson]
3) [v.s. ...] n. the act of distinguishing etc., distinction, discrimination, particularization, [Bhāgavata-purāṇa; Sarvadarśana-saṃgraha; Sāhitya-darpaṇa]
4) [v.s. ...] a distinguishing mark or attribute, [Mahābhārata]
5) [v.s. ...] (in gram.) ‘differencer’, a word which particularizes or defines (another word which is called vi-śeṣya q.v.), attribute, adjective, adverb, apposition, predicate, [Pāṇini; Tarkasaṃgraha; Sāhitya-darpaṇa] etc.
6) [v.s. ...] a species, kind, [Mahābhārata vii, 1124]
7) [v.s. ...] surpassing, excelling, [ib. i, 73]
8) [v.s. ...] (in [rhetoric]) = viśeṣokti, [Sāhitya-darpaṇa]
Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण):—[(ṇaḥ-ṇā-ṇaṃ)] 1. n. A defining or specifying; an epithet. a. Characteristic.
Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण):—(vom caus. von śiṣ mit vi)
1) adj. unterscheidend, einen Unterschied ausdrückend, specialisirend; n. das näher Bestimmende, Attribut, Adjectiv, Apposition, Prädicat: viśeṣāḥ pañca bhūtānāṃ teṣāṃ cittaṃ viśeṣaṇam [Mahābhārata 14, 1404.] etadviśeṣaṇaṃ tāta manobuddhyoryadantaram [3, 12515.] sa me bhavān śaṃsatu sarvametatsāmānyaśabdaiśca viśeṣaṇaiśca [12, 7374.] tacca svaśabdākārasya viśeṣaṇam [Pāṇini’s acht Bücher 7, 3, 47, Scholiast] [TARKAS. 26.] karma [Suśruta.1,247,4.] [Scholiast] zu [Kātyāyana’s Śrautasūtrāṇi.1,4,19.4,3,9.] [Vedānta lecture No. 96. 98.] [SARVADARŚANAS. 62,19. 101,22. 104,9. 119,22.] [Oxforder Handschriften 193,a,29.] [Vopadeva’s Grammatik.5,9.] [Bhāgavatapurāṇa.5,18,30.] [Pāṇini’s acht Bücher.1,2,52.2,1,57.3,35.] [WEBER, Rāmatāpanīya Upaniṣad 343.] [Vikramorvaśī 20,3.] saviśeṣaṇamākhyātaṃ vākyam ein Verbum finitum mit seinen Ergänzungen und näheren Bestimmungen heisst Satz [Hemacandra’s Abhidhānacintāmaṇi 242.] viśeṣaṇatā [Bhāṣāpariccheda 60.] [KUSUM. 40,13.] [Oxforder Handschriften 240,a, No. 581.] —
2) n. Art, Species (= viśeṣa): nānāpraharaṇairnānāyuddhaviśeṣaṇaiḥ [Mahābhārata 7, 1124.] [Pāṇini’s acht Bücher 2, 2, 8, Vārttika von Kātyāyana. 3.] —
3) n. das Unterscheiden, Unterscheidung [Sāhityadarpana 4, 1. 452.] kakāro naḥ kya iti viśeṣaṇārthaḥ [Pāṇini’s acht Bücher 3, 1, 8, Scholiast 4, 1, 2, Scholiast] [Bhāgavatapurāṇa 3, 26, 46. 33, 25.] [SARVADARŚANAS. 127, 17.fg.] das Specialisiren, genauere Angabe [Oxforder Handschriften 49,a,5. 56,a,13.] hi syādviśeṣaṇe [Halāyudha 5, 95.] —
4) n. das Bessermachen, Uebertreffen: asya kāvyasya kavayo na samarthā viśeṣaṇe . viśeṣaṇe gṛhasthasya śeṣāstraya ivāśramāḥ .. [Mahābhārata 1, 73. 653.] —
5) n. = viśeṣokti [Sāhityadarpana 434.] — Vgl. kriyā, nirviśeṣaṇa .
Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण) in the Sanskrit language is related to the Prakrit word: Visesaṇa.
Viśesana (in Sanskrit) can be associated with the following Chinese terms:
1) 差別 [chà bié]: “distinction”.
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
Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण) [Also spelled visheshan]:—(nm) an adjective; attribute, epithet; —[pada] attributive; -[viparyaya] transferred epithet.
...
Prakrit-English dictionary
Visesaṇa (विसेसण) in the Prakrit language is related to the Sanskrit word: Viśeṣaṇa.
Prakrit is an ancient language closely associated with both Pali and Sanskrit. Jain literature is often composed in this language or sub-dialects, such as the Agamas and their commentaries which are written in Ardhamagadhi and Maharashtri Prakrit. The earliest extant texts can be dated to as early as the 4th century BCE although core portions might be older.
Kannada-English dictionary
Viśēṣaṇa (ವಿಶೇಷಣ):—
1) [noun] something that is peculiar, as a trait or habit; peculiarity; speciality.
2) [noun] (gram.) any of a class of words used to modify a noun or other substantive; an adjective.
Kannada is a Dravidian language (as opposed to the Indo-European language family) mainly spoken in the southwestern region of India.
Nepali dictionary
Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण):—n. adjective; adj. attributive;
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)
Partial matches (+0): Sheshana, Vi.
Starts with (+5): Visheshana-padavali, Visheshanadvayavaiyarthya, Visheshanajnanavadartha, Visheshanakhandana, Visheshanam, Visheshanama, Visheshanamatraprayoga, Visheshanapada, Visheshanartha, Visheshanarupa, Visheshanasamasa, Visheshanasheshaniya, Visheshanasiddha, Visheshanata, Visheshanatasambandha, Visheshanati, Visheshanatraya, Visheshanatrayavaiyarthya, Visheshanatva, Visheshanavant.
Full-text (+99): Kriyavisheshana, Nirvisheshana, Savisheshana, Prativisheshana, Arthavisheshana, Visheshanakhandana, Visheshanapada, Visheshanavat, Visheshanata, Visheshanavisheshyabhava, Lingavisheshana, Kimvisheshana, Evamvisheshana, Shabdavisheshana, Visheshanavarga, Visheshanatva, Visheshanam, Visheshanasheshaniya, Visheshya, Bhedaka-visheshana.
Relevant text
Search found 84 books and stories containing Visheshana, Vi-sesana, Vi-śeṣaṇa, Vi-sheshana, Viśeṣana, Viśeṣaṇa, Viśēṣaṇa, Visesaṇa, Visesana, Visēsaṇa, Viśesana, Vishesana; (plurals include: Visheshanas, sesanas, śeṣaṇas, sheshanas, Viśeṣanas, Viśeṣaṇas, Viśēṣaṇas, Visesaṇas, Visesanas, Visēsaṇas, Viśesanas, Vishesanas). You can also click to the full overview containing English textual excerpts. Below are direct links for the most relevant articles:
Studies on Samasa of Sanskrit grammar (by Mridula Goswami)
Part 2.3.2e - Discussion on the Karmadhāraya-samāsa type of compound < [Chapter 2 - The concept of Samāsa and its classification]
Part 3.3 - Philosophy of Karmadhāraya-samāsa < [Chapter 3 - Samāsa and its Philosophy]
Dictionaries of Indian languages (Kosha)
Page 175 < [Hindi-Bengali-English Volume 3]
Page 326 < [Hindi-English-Nepali (1 volume)]
Page 174 < [Hindi-Malayalam-English Volume 3]
Tattvasangraha [with commentary] (by Ganganatha Jha)
Verse 1238 < [Chapter 17 - Examination of the Definition of Sense-perception]
Verse 949 < [Chapter 16 - Examination of the Import of Words]
Verse 47-48 < [Chapter 2 - Examination of the Doctrine of God (theism)]
Mimamsa in Medhatithi (study) (by A. R. Joshi)
Introduction to Graham sammarsti < [Part 2.12 - Graham sammarsti or Uddesyagatam visesanam avivaksitam]
Part 2.15 - Nimittagatam visesanam avivaksitam or Artyadhikarana Nyaya
Part 2.12 - Graham sammarsti or Uddesyagatam visesanam avivaksitam
Vakyapadiya of Bhartrihari (by K. A. Subramania Iyer)
Verse 3.14.7 < [Book 3 - Pada-kāṇḍa (14): Vṛtti-samuddeśa (On Ccomplex Formation)]
Verse 3.14.27 < [Book 3 - Pada-kāṇḍa (14): Vṛtti-samuddeśa (On Ccomplex Formation)]
Verse 3.9.99 < [Book 3 - Pada-kāṇḍa (9): Kāla-samuddeśa (On Time)]
Siddhanta Sangraha of Sri Sailacharya (by E. Sowmya Narayanan)