Yajaka, Yājaka, Yajāka: 17 definitions
Introduction:
Yajaka means something in Hinduism, Sanskrit, 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.
Alternative spellings of this word include Yajak.
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In Hinduism
Jyotisha (astronomy and astrology)
Yājaka (याजक) refers to the “officiating priests in sacrificial rites”, according to the Bṛhatsaṃhitā (chapter 10), an encyclopedic Sanskrit work written by Varāhamihira mainly focusing on the science of ancient Indian astronomy astronomy (Jyotiṣa).—Accordingly, “If the course of Saturn should lie through the constellation of Mṛgaśīrṣa, the people of Vatsa, the officiating priests in sacrificial rites [i.e., yājaka] as well as the persons that perform them, revered men and the people of Madhyadeśa will suffer miseries; if through Ārdrā, the people of Pārata, of Ramaṭha, oil-mongers, washermen and thieves will suffer. If the course of Saturn should lie through the constellation of Punarvasu, the Pāñcālas, the border Mlecchas and the people of Saurāṣṭra, of Sindh and of Sauvīraka will suffer miseries; if his course should lie through the constellation of Puṣya, bell ringers, criers, the Yavanas tradesmen, deceitful men and flowers will suffer”.
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.
Languages of India and abroad
Pali-English dictionary
yājaka : (m.) one who causes to sacrifice.
Yājaka, (adj.) (fr. yaj in its Caus. form yājeti) sacrificing, one who sacrifices, a priest Sn. 312, 313 (=yanna-yājino janā SnA 324), 618 (of a purohita; v. l. BB yācaka). (Page 552)
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
yājaka (याजक).—m S yājī m S A sacrificer; i. e. a procurer or effecter of a sacrifice, or an officiating priest at a sacrifice for another.
yājaka (याजक).—m A sacrificer.
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
Yajāka (यजाक).—a.
1) Liberal.
2) Worshipping.
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Yājaka (याजक).—[yaj-ṇvul]
1) A sacrificer, a sacrificing priest; अयाजयन् महाराजं याजका देववर्चसः (ayājayan mahārājaṃ yājakā devavarcasaḥ) Bhāgavata 1.74.16.
2) A royal elephant.
3) An elephant in rut.
Derivable forms: yājakaḥ (याजकः).
Yajāka (यजाक).—m.
(-kaḥ) A donor, a benefector, a liberal giver of presents, &c. E. yaj to present, Unadi aff. ākan .
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Yājaka (याजक).—m.
(-kaḥ) 1. An officiating priest, a Brahamana who conducts any part of a sacrifice. 2. A royal elephant. 3. A furious elephant. E. yaj to worship, ṇvul aff.
Yājaka (याजक).—i. e. yaj + aka, m. 1. A sacrificer, [Mānavadharmaśāstra] 3, 164. 2. A royal elephant. 3. A furious elephant.
Yājaka (याजक).—[masculine] sacrificing priest.
1) Yajāka (यजाक):—[from yaj] mfn. making offerings, munificent, liberal, [cf. Lexicographers, esp. such as amarasiṃha, halāyudha, hemacandra, etc.]
2) Yājaka (याजक):—[from yāj] m. ([from] [Causal]) a sacrificer, (ifc.) one who offers sacrifices or oblations for or to (cf. grāma-, nakṣatra-y), [Manu-smṛti; Mahābhārata] etc. (-tva n.)
3) [v.s. ...] a royal elephant (also -gaja), [cf. Lexicographers, esp. such as amarasiṃha, halāyudha, hemacandra, etc.]
4) [v.s. ...] an elephant in rut, [cf. Lexicographers, esp. such as amarasiṃha, halāyudha, hemacandra, etc.]
1) Yajāka (यजाक):—(kaḥ) 1. m. Donor, benefactor.
2) Yājaka (याजक):—(kaḥ) 1. m. An officiating priest; a royal or a furious elephant.
Yajāka (यजाक):—(wie eben) adj. = dānakartar Spender [Uṇādikoṣa im Śabdakalpadruma]
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Yājaka (याजक):—(vom caus. von 1. yaj) m.
1) Opferpriester [Amarakoṣa 2, 7, 17.] [Hemacandra’s Abhidhānacintāmaṇi 817] (= yajamāna!). [Anekārthasaṃgraha 3, 85.] [Medinīkoṣa k. 142.] [Manu’s Gesetzbuch 3, 172.] [Spr. 3068.] [Mahābhārata 1, 2032. 8113. 2, 179] [?(= Rāmāyaṇa Gorresio 2, 109, 36). 3, 10494. 7, 3027. 13, 4818] (nach der Lesart der ed. Bomb.). [?14, 260. 15, 516. Rāmāyaṇa 1, 13, 3. 59, 13 (61, 14 Gorresio). 60, 8. 2, 76, 13. Rāmāyaṇa Gorresio 1, 13, 2. 38. Varāhamihira’s Bṛhajjātaka S. 10, 5. 48, 18. Kathāsaritsāgara 41, 18. Bhāgavatapurāṇa 10, 74, 16. Pāṇini’s acht Bücher 1, 3, 72, Scholiast Vopadeva’s Grammatik 23, 58.] gaṇānām [Manu’s Gesetzbuch 3, 164.] in Comp. mit dem Veranstalter des Opfers (das comp. ein Oxytonon) [Pāṇini’s acht Bücher 2, 2, 9. 6, 2, 151.] brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya [Scholiast] śūdra [Manu’s Gesetzbuch 3, 178.] vrātya [Yājñavalkya’s Gesetzbuch 3, 289.] asura [Mahābhārata 1, 2544.] daitya [Bhāgavatapurāṇa 7, 5, 8.] patita [Mārkāṇḍeyapurāṇa 15, 1.] nakṣatragrāmayājakāḥ diejenigen, welche den Gestirnen Opfer darbringen und für eine ganze Gemeinde als Opferpriester fungiren, [Mahābhārata 12, 2874.] rāja der einen Fürsten (Krieger) zum Opferpriester erwählt (vgl. [Rāmāyaṇa 1, 59,
13) 8, 1846. 2095. fg.] Davon nom. abstr. yājakatva n. [Oxforder Handschriften 267,a,28. 30.] Vgl. grāma, nakṣatra . —
2) ein königlicher Elephant [Hemacandra’s Anekārthasaṃgraha] [Medinīkoṣa] gaja [Hārāvalī 49.] ein brünstiger Elephant [Jaṭādhara im Śabdakalpadruma]
Yajāka (यजाक):—Adj. spendend.
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Yājaka (याजक):—m. —
1) Opferpriester. In Comp. mit dem Veranstalter des Opfers und mit der Gottheit , der geopfert wird. Nom.abstr. tva n. —
2) *ein königlicher Elephant. Auch gaja m. —
3) *ein brünstiger Elephant.
Yājaka (याजक) in the Sanskrit language is related to the Prakrit word: Jāyaga.
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
Yājaka (याजक) [Also spelled yajak]:—(nm) one who performs a '[yajña]'.
...
Kannada-English dictionary
Yājaka (ಯಾಜಕ):—
1) [noun] = ಯಾಜ [yaja].
2) [noun] the priest who conducts a religious sacrifice.
3) [noun] a priest or a pontiff (in gen.).
Kannada is a Dravidian language (as opposed to the Indo-European language family) mainly spoken in the southwestern region of India.
Nepali dictionary
Yājaka (याजक):—n. a sacrificing priest; a sacrificer;
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: Yajakadi, Yajakatva.
Full-text (+5): Gramayajaka, Shudrayajaka, Nakshatragramayajaka, Nakshatrayajaka, Rajayajaka, Yajnaka, Yajakatva, Vrishalayajaka, Shudrarthayajaka, Vratyayajaka, Yajak, Yajnika, Yajakadi, Shudrayajakaprayashcitta, Parikartri, Jayaga, Vrishalapacaka, Yacakan, Parivinna, Parivettri.
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Search found 20 books and stories containing Yajaka, Yājaka, Yajāka, Yajakas; (plurals include: Yajakas, Yājakas, Yajākas, Yajakases). You can also click to the full overview containing English textual excerpts. Below are direct links for the most relevant articles:
Studies in the Upapuranas (by R. C. Hazra)
Manusmriti with the Commentary of Medhatithi (by Ganganatha Jha)
Verse 3.164 < [Section VIII - Śrāddhas]
Dictionaries of Indian languages (Kosha)
Page 194 < [Bengali-Hindi-English, Volume 2]
Page 675 < [Hindi-Bengali-English Volume 2]
Page 326 < [Bengali-Hindi-English, Volume 1]
Notices of Sanskrit Manuscripts (by Rajendralala Mitra)
Page 78 < [Volume 15 (1911)]
Rig Veda (translation and commentary) (by H. H. Wilson)
Rig Veda 3.53.7 < [Sukta 53]
Sucindrasthala-mahatmya (critical edition and study) (by Anand Dilip Raj)
Chapter 4 - Cartutha Adhyaya (cartutho'dhyayah) < [Chapter 5 - Sucindrasthalamahatmya: Sanskrit critical edition]