Water: 14 definitions

Introduction:

Water means something in Buddhism, Pali, Hinduism, Sanskrit, Christianity, Jainism, Prakrit, the history of ancient India, 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.

Images (photo gallery)

In Hinduism

Ayurveda (science of life)

Veterinary Medicine (The study and treatment of Animals)

Water (in Sanskrit: toya) is used in the various Anupāna (“drink take”), according to sections on the treatment of Horses (Gajāyurveda or Aśvāyurveda) in the Garuḍapurāṇa.—The Anupāna i.e. the drink take along with or after medicine was important in treatment. Because it may help in carrying, absorption, assimilation and enhancing action of the drugs. Normally the selection of anupāna is done depends upon disease, doṣa etc.—[...] In diseases of the deranged and aggravated vāyu the medicine should be administered through the taila (oil), or in combination with śarkarā (sugar), ājya/ghṛita (ghee) or toya (water).

Source: Asian Agri-History: Paśu Āyurvēda (Veterinary Medicine) in Garuḍapurāṇa
Ayurveda book cover
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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.

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Yoga (school of philosophy)

Water refers to one of the “five elemental powers” and represents one of the various signs and paranormal powers (siddhi) experienced by the Yoga practicioner, according to the Amanaska Yoga treatise (presented in the form of a dialogue between Īśvara and Vāmadeva).—The last fifty-two verses of the Amanaska’s first chapter describe a temporal sequence of psychosomatic signs and paranormal powers (siddhi) brought about by absorption (laya). In the Amanaska, The five elemental powers are, [e.g., water (toya-tattva )], [...].

Source: ORA: Amanaska (king of all yogas): A Critical Edition and Annotated Translation by Jason Birch
Yoga book cover
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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).

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Natyashastra (theatrics and dramaturgy)

The Water colour (in Indian Dramas) is reserved for Vāsuki, as conveyed through the Aṅgaracanā division of Āhāryābhinaya: one of the four divisions of Abhinaya or “ways to convey or represent one’s emotion to others”, according to the Viṣṇudharmottarapurāṇa, an ancient Sanskrit text which (being encyclopedic in nature) deals with a variety of cultural topics such as arts, architecture, music, grammar and astronomy.—Aṅgaracanā meaning painting of limbs of different characters, also falls under the category of makeover. The Viṣṇudharmottarapurāṇa speaks that it should be done according to the caste, position, superiority and country of respective characters. As for example, this book suggests that Demons, Kuvera and Piṣācas should have the colour of water; [...] etc. The Nāṭyaśāstra also agrees on it. This is important to note that this type of notes and rules give a social implication of the performance.

Source: Shodhganga: Elements of Art and Architecture in the Trtiyakhanda of the Visnudharmottarapurana (natya)
Natyashastra book cover
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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).

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Vastushastra (architecture)

Water (and moss) was traditionally mixed with Clay after having dried it on auspicious ground, in the process of creating Bricks which is an important Material used for the Construction of Walls and Temples, according to the Viṣṇudharmottarapurāṇa, an ancient Sanskrit text which (being encyclopedic in nature) deals with a variety of cultural topics such as arts, architecture, music, grammar and astronomy.—The Viṣṇudharmottarapurāṇa explains that in the brick making process in the first stage all the clay should be dried up in an auspicious ground and thereafter it should be gently mixed with water and moss. After that the dough of the clay should be shaped in a machine which should be one hand in length, half a hand in breadth and one forth hand in height. In that machine the clay should be baked in the fire of wood, cow-dung and grass and thus bricks got prepared. These bricks should be made in proper shape and be arranged skillfully in proper place.

Source: Shodhganga: Elements of Art and Architecture in the Trtiyakhanda of the Visnudharmottarapurana (vastu)
Vastushastra book cover
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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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Shilpashastra (iconography)

Water in a painting follow specific guidelines in the ancient Indian tradition of Painting (citra), according to the Viṣṇudharmottarapurāṇa, an ancient Sanskrit text which (being encyclopedic in nature) deals with a variety of cultural topics such as arts, architecture, music, grammar and astronomy.—According to the Viṣṇudharmottarapurāṇa, a picture having water or so to say showing water sources should be drawn with numerous fishes, tortoises and aquatic animals. Moreover, the picture of the autumn season should include the water-ponds along with lots of swans and lotuses. [...] Thus, the Viṣṇudharmottarapurāṇa addresses various elements of nature, such as water sources, since painting has much connection with time, mood and activity.

Source: Shodhganga: Elements of Art and Architecture in the Trtiyakhanda of the Visnudharmottarapurana (shilpa)
Shilpashastra book cover
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Shilpashastra (शिल्पशास्त्र, śilpaśāstra) represents the ancient Indian science (shastra) of creative arts (shilpa) such as sculpture, iconography and painting. Closely related to Vastushastra (architecture), they often share the same literature.

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In Buddhism

Tibetan Buddhism (Vajrayana or tantric Buddhism)

1) Water refers to the “Four Great Elements” which are known in Tibetan as 'byung ba chen po bzhi.—Accordingly, [while describing the history of philosophical systems in the holy land of India], [regarding the standpoint of the Lokāyatas]: [...] At the time of death, the body dissolves into the Four Great Elements [e.g., Water], and the sense faculties dissolve into space; they are destroyed. Since body and mind are one substance, when the body is destroyed the mind is also destroyed, just as when the wall is destroyed its mural is also destroyed, and there is no transition from this life to a future life. Thus they deny both past and future lives, and so also completely deny liberation.

2) Water refers to one of the “Five Elements” (Tibetan: 'byung ba lnga) in both the Indo-Tibetan tradition and the Chinese tradition.

Source: Google Books: The Crystal Mirror of Philosophical Systems
Tibetan Buddhism book cover
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Tibetan Buddhism includes schools such as Nyingma, Kadampa, Kagyu and Gelug. Their primary canon of literature is divided in two broad categories: The Kangyur, which consists of Buddha’s words, and the Tengyur, which includes commentaries from various sources. Esotericism and tantra techniques (vajrayāna) are collected indepently.

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In Jainism

General definition (in Jainism)

Water is suitable for ascetics only if purified by some means, according to chapter 1.1 [ādīśvara-caritra] of Hemacandra’s 11th century Triṣaṣṭiśalākāpuruṣacaritra: an ancient Sanskrit epic poem narrating the history and legends of sixty-three illustrious persons in Jainism. Accordingly, “[...] The Ācārya [Dharmaghoṣa] said [to Dhana], ‘Food, etc., which has not been made nor caused to be made, nor intended (for them) is suitable for ascetics. Water too that has come from tanks, wells, ponds, etc., is prohibited unless it is purified by some means, according to the teaching of the Jinas, O caravan-chief’.”

Source: archive.org: Trisastisalakapurusacaritra
General definition book cover
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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.

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India history and geography

Water is known as “kan” and represents one of the “Eight Bagua” which refers to the trigrams of the Classic of Changes; they are known in Tibetan as pā bkwa brgyad.—Accordingly, [while describing the non-Buddhist Chinese traditions and confucian divination]: [...] At the time of the first Huang monarch, King Fu Xi, there emerged from the great Huang He (Yellow River) in the province now called Henan, a dragon-horse, with a midsection like a horse and a head and tail like a dragon. On its back were the bagua or eight designs (trigrams) [e.g., kan (water)]. Seeing them, Fu Xi created the bagua emblems. He expanded the eight bagua to sixty-four [hexagrams] by combining the eight trigrams with each other and explained them in a text he composed called Lianshan. [...]

Source: Google Books: The Crystal Mirror of Philosophical Systems (h)
India history book cover
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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.

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Languages of India and abroad

Hindi dictionary

Water in Hindi refers in English to:—(nm); -[kalara] watercolour; -[pemntimga] water painting; ~[prupha] water-proof; -[marka] watermark; ~[mena] the watermain; ~[varksa] waterworks..—water (वाटर) is alternatively transliterated as Vāṭara.

Source: DDSA: A practical Hindi-English dictionary
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Nepali dictionary

Water is another spelling for वाटर [vāṭara].—n. water;

Source: unoes: Nepali-English Dictionary
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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.

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