Yantra: 18 definitions

Introduction

Introduction
In Hinduism
In Buddhism
1. General definition
India history
Languages
1. Marathi
2. Sanskrit
See also

Introduction:

Yantra means something in Buddhism, Pali, Hinduism, Sanskrit, the history of ancient India, Marathi. 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.

In Hinduism

Ayurveda (science of life)

Source: Google Books: Exploring Mantric Ayurveda

Yantras or the geomentrical symbols for the mantras can be used along with mantras and also to empower the gemstone, for both the Deity and Planet which gives them a better energy (one can place the sones on an energised yantra for empowering gemstones for healing).

context information

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.

Rasashastra (chemistry and alchemy)

Source: Academia.edu: Ayurveda and Pharmaceutics (rasashastra)

Yantra.—The production of herbo-mineral or mineral medicines needs immense power that cannot be generated by hitherto techniques. Therefore, the ayurvedic physicians have devised special yantras that generate immense heat to treat the minerals at high temperatures. Yantra is an appliance or mechanical contrivance that helps ‘purify’ raw minerals and formulate medicines of bio-mineral or mineral substances. Tens of varieties of yantras were described in the medieval ayurvedic texts. These yantras are made out of simple earthen ware, but subjected to intense heat during few days. The mercury and other alchemical products that are bound within the yantras undergo metamorphosis under duress and yield final product in very fine form.

context information

Rasashastra (रसशास्त्र, rasaśāstra) is an important branch of Ayurveda, specialising in chemical interactions with herbs, metals and minerals. Some texts combine yogic and tantric practices with various alchemical operations. The ultimate goal of Rasashastra is not only to preserve and prolong life, but also to bestow wealth upon humankind.

Purana and Itihasa (epic history)

Source: archive.org: Shiva Purana - English Translation

Yantra (यन्त्र) refers to a type of ritualistic worship, as mentioned in the Śivapurāṇa 1.10. The rites of worship are performed in accompaniment with Tantra, Yantra and Mantra appliances. Yantra is a mystical diagram possessed of occult powers. Tantra is a ritual, the chief peculiarity of which is the worship of the female energy of Śiva. personified in the person of his Śakti. This special energy, the Śakti of Śiva is concerned with sexual intercourse and magic power. Mantra is a magical formula.

Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: The Purana Index

Yantra (यन्त्र).—A mechanical contrivance used by Tvaṣṭā to diminish the tejas of the sun; the surplus tejas became Viṣṇu's cakra, Rudra's trident and Indra's thunder bolt.^*

* Matsya-purāṇa 11. 27-9.

context information

The Purana (पुराण, purāṇas) refers to Sanskrit literature preserving ancient India’s vast cultural history, including historical legends, religious ceremonies, various arts and sciences. The eighteen mahapuranas total over 400,000 shlokas (metrical couplets) and date to at least several centuries BCE.

Ganapatya (worship of Ganesha)

Source: Google Books: Ganapati: Song of the Self

Yantra (यन्त्र) refers to a “geometrical design” and is associated with the worship of a deity (pūjā).—Yantra (or cakra) is a geometrical design with mystic significance for every part of it. The deity is believed to reside in the yantra.

context information

Ganapatya (गाणपत्य, gāṇapatya) represents a tradition of Hinduism where Ganesha is revered and worshipped as the prime deity (ishta-devata). Being a minor though influential movement, Ganapatya evovled, llike Shaktism and Shaivism, as a separate movement leaving behind a large body of literature.

Kavya (poetry)

Source: archive.org: Naisadhacarita of Sriharsa

Yantra (यन्त्र) refers to a “device” (viz., for extracting oil from mustard and sesamum seeds), and is mentioned in the Naiṣadha-carita 10.6; 22.87.—In verse 22.150, yantra means “a boring instrument”.

Source: academia.edu: Bhoja’s Mechanical Garden

Yantra (यन्त्र) (“machines” or “mechanical devices”) were also known in India from early times. Treatises on polity and war described the use of different types of yantras in warfare. Many yantras were particularly associated with gardens (lending further credence to the garden as a place of human artifice), because the manipulation of water flows formed one of the chief sources of power for mechanical devices. In gardens it was most often used to create fountains and water jets—the fountain (jalayantra) and fountain house (yantradhārāgṛha) were themselves considered mechanical devices, as their very names make plain. Even animal and human automata-like objects were apparently not unknown.

context information

Kavya (काव्य, kavya) refers to Sanskrit poetry, a popular ancient Indian tradition of literature. There have been many Sanskrit poets over the ages, hailing from ancient India and beyond. This topic includes mahakavya, or ‘epic poetry’ and natya, or ‘dramatic poetry’.

Vastushastra (architecture)

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

Yantra (यन्त्र) (“mechanical devices”) is dealt with in he Samarāṅganasūtradhāra: a prescriptive treatise on architecture attributed, like the Śṛṅgāramañjarīkathā, to king Bhoja of Dhārā. It includes a substantial chapter, of some 220 verses, on the classification, construction, and use of a wide variety of mechanical devices (yantras), including a number of automata that appear to closely match the literary descriptions from the Śṛṅgāramañjarīkathā and Yaśastilakacampū. [...] We have, in other words, the appearance of a common literary/practical theme in texts composed within an approximately 150-year span (ca. 950–1100 CE) all in central/western India. Moreover, it suggests that the descriptions of the Yaśastilakacampū and Śṛṅgāramañjarīkathā were likely part of a wider interest in automata that was not simply literary but included, at least notionally, the possibility of real-world technologies.

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.

General definition (in Hinduism)

Source: Hindupedia: The Hindu Encyclopedia

One of the three parts of the agamas. Yantra in general, is a contrivance inspired by the power of a mantra. In many cases it is a geometric shape, carved on a metal plate or stone or crystal or floor. In case of Śrī-Vidyā, it is Śrī Cakra.

In Buddhism

General definition (in Buddhism)

Source: Knowledge Traditions & Practices of India: Painting: A Survey (buddhism)

Yantra (यन्त्र) refers to “graphic symbols” and represent some of the earliest extant examples of ancient Indian miniature paintings.—Buddhist yantras, graphic symbols which were visual aids to the mantras and the dhāraṇīs (types of ritual speech). Conforming to the canons of iconography, these Buddhist miniatures portray Buddhist deities such as Prajñāpāramitā, who, as the mother of all the Buddhas, was the personification of esoteric knowledge. The Buddhist paintings were drawn in red and white, forming colour planes.

India history and geogprahy

Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Indian Epigraphical Glossary

Yantra.—(SITI), a mechanical contrivance, as for diverting water. (HA), a mystic diagram. Note: yantra is defined in the “Indian epigraphical glossary” as it can be found on ancient inscriptions commonly written in Sanskrit, Prakrit or Dravidian languages.

context information

The history of India traces the identification of countries, villages, towns and other regions of India, as well as 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 Dictionary

yantra (यंत्र).—n (S) An engine or a machine in general; any apparatus or implement. 2 A plate or paper on which are written the names of certain deities &c., and which is worshiped, or suspended around the neck (for the accomplishment of some desire or purpose). 3 A diagram of a mystical nature or astrological character.

--- OR ---

yantra (यंत्र) [or यंत्रमंत्र लावणें -मांडणें -चालविणें -करणें, yantramantra lāvaṇēṃ -māṇḍaṇēṃ -cālaviṇēṃ -karaṇēṃ].—with bhōvatāṃ or barōbara or śīṃ of o. To make machinations or fabrications against.

Source: DDSA: The Aryabhusan school dictionary, Marathi-English

yantra (यंत्र).—n An engine, a machine. A diagram of a mystical nature.

context information

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 dictionary

Yantra (यन्त्र).—[yantr-ac]

1) That which restrains or fastens, any prop or support, a stay; as in गृहयन्त्र (gṛhayantra) (see the quotation under this word.).

2) A fetter, band, fastening, tie, thong, rein; छेदने चैव यन्त्राणाम् (chedane caiva yantrāṇām) Ms.8.292.

3) A surgical instrument, especially a blunt instrument (opp. śastra).

4) Any instrument or machine, an appliance, a contrivance, implement in general; कूपयन्त्र (kūpayantra) Mk.1.6 'a machine for drawing up water from a well'; so तैल° (taila°) (cf. yantraṃ tilapīḍanakam Chandu Paṇdita on N.1.6;22.87); जल° (jala°) &c.

5) A bolt, lock, key; यन्त्रैरुद्घाटयामास सोऽपश्यत् तत्र बालकम् (yantrairudghāṭayāmāsa so'paśyat tatra bālakam) Mb.3.39.6.

6) Restraint, force.

7) An amulet, a mystical or astronomical diagram used as an amulet.

8) A boring machine; दन्तौघयन्त्रोद्भवश्वभ्राली (dantaughayantrodbhavaśvabhrālī) N.22.15.

Derivable forms: yantram (यन्त्रम्).

Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Shabda-Sagara Sanskrit-English Dictionary

Yantra (यन्त्र).—n.

(-ntraṃ) 1. A machine in general, any implement or apparatus. 2. A diagram of a mystical nature, or astrological character. 3. A sort of vessel. 4. Restraining, checking, controlling. 5. A fetter, a cord. 6. A lock, a bolt. E. yam to check, Unadi aff. tra; or yatri-ac .

Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Benfey Sanskrit-English Dictionary

Yantra (यन्त्र).—i. e. yam + tra, n. 1. An engine or machine in general, any implement, or apparatus, [Mānavadharmaśāstra] 7, 75; [Johnson's Selections from the Mahābhārata.] 39, 30; [Rājataraṅgiṇī] 5, 104. 2. A thong, [Mānavadharmaśāstra] 8, 292. 3. A sort of vessel, [Hitopadeśa] iii. [distich] 52. 4. A mystical diagram, Rāmatap. Up. 1, 13. 5. Restraining.

Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Cappeller Sanskrit-English Dictionary

Yantra (यन्त्र).—[neuter] hold i.e. means for holding, prop, support, fence, barrier; trace (of a carriage); i.[grammar] any instrument or machine.

Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary

1) Yantra (यन्त्र):—[from yantr] a See [column]3.

2) [from yam] b n. any instrument for holding or restraining or fastening, a prop, support, barrier, [Ṛg-veda] etc. etc.

3) [v.s. ...] a fetter, band, tie, thong, rein, trace, [Manu-smṛti; Mahābhārata]

4) [v.s. ...] a surgical instrument ([especially] a blunt one, such as tweezers, a vice etc., opp. to śastra), [Suśruta; Vāgbhaṭālaṃkāra]

5) [v.s. ...] any instrument or apparatus, mechanical contrivance, engine, machine, implement, appliance (as a bolt or lock on a door, oars or sails in a boat, etc.), [Mahābhārata; Kāvya literature] etc. (cf. kūpa-, jala-, taila-y; [in the beginning of a compound] or ifc. often = mechanical, magical)

6) [v.s. ...] restraint, force (treṇa ind. forcibly, violently), [Monier-Williams’ Sanskrit-English Dictionary]

7) [v.s. ...] an amulet, mystical diagram supposed to possess occult powers, [Kathāsaritsāgara; Pañcarātra] (cf. [Religious Thought and Life in India 203]).

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.

Relevant text

Search found 44 books and stories containing Yantra; (plurals include: Yantras). You can also click to the full overview containing English textual excerpts. Below are direct links for the most relevant articles:

Chapter VII - Surgical appliances

Plate II

Plate I

+ 2 more chapters / show preview

Part 1 - Alchemical apparatus (yantra) < [Chapter VI - Laboratory equipment]

Part 17 - Mercurial operations (15): Killing of mercury (marana) < [Chapter IV-V - Mercurial operations]

Part 7 - Mercurial operations (5): Sublimation of Mercury (patana) < [Chapter IV-V - Mercurial operations]

+ 15 more chapters / show preview

Chapter 23 - Description of the Power of Devotion < [Section 2.2 - Rudra-saṃhitā (2): Satī-khaṇḍa]

Chapter 14 - The Praṇava in the form of Śiva < [Section 6 - Kailāsa-saṃhitā]

Chapter 10 - The five-fold activities (pañcakṛtya) and the Oṃkāra-mantra < [Section 1 - Vidyeśvara-saṃhitā]

+ 6 more chapters / show preview