Ajya, Ājya: 21 definitions
Introduction:
Ajya means something in Hinduism, Sanskrit, 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
Purana and Itihasa (epic history)
Source: archive.org: Nilamata Purana: a cultural and literary studyĀjya (आज्य) refers to “purified butter”, forming part of a common diet in ancient Kashmir (Kaśmīra) as mentioned in the Nīlamatapurāṇa.—Ājya is mentioned as an unguent for Viṣṇu’s image and a gift for the Brāhmaṇas (verse 421). Most of the references to the articles of diet occur in the Nīlamata in connection with the offerings made to the gods but it is not difficult to infer from them the food and drink of the common people because “what a man eats his gods eat”.
Source: archive.org: Shiva Purana - English TranslationĀjya (आज्य) refers to “ghee” (i.e., clarified butter), as defined in the Śivapurāṇa 1.15. Accordingly, “a charitable gift given to a needy person yields the utmost benefit. If it is given after entreaties it yields only half the benefit. [...] Gift of ghee (ājya-dāna) is nourishing and that of cloth is conducive to long life”.
Ājya (ghee) is mentioned as one of the five Pañcagavya (five cow-products), according to the Śivapurāṇa 1.16. Accordingly, “[...] the ceremonial ablution of the phallic emblem (liṅga) with Pañcagavya on Sundays is specially recommended. Pañcagavya is the compound of cow’s urine (gojala), dung (gomaya), milk (kṣīra), curd (dadhi) and ghee (ājya). Milk, curd and ghee can severally be used with honey and molasses. The offering of rice cooked in cow’s milk must be made with the syllable Om”.
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: The Purana Index1a) Ājya (आज्य).—Good to be seen first after rising from one's bed;1 as a sacrificial offering.2
- 1) Bhāgavata-purāṇa X. 70. 12; Vāyu-purāṇa 29. 30.
- 2) Brahmāṇḍa-purāṇa IV. 1. 98; Vāyu-purāṇa 100. 103.
1b) One of the nine sons of Sāvarṇi.*
- * Vāyu-purāṇa 100. 22.
1c) Four kinds of.*
- * Brahmāṇḍa-purāṇa IV. 1. 98-100.
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.
Dharmashastra (religious law)
Source: Sacred Texts: The Grihya Sutras, Part 2 (SBE30)Ājya (आज्य) refers to “any kind of substance made of fresh butter”, according to the Āpastamba-yajña-paribhāṣā-sūtras.—“If it is said, juhoti, ‘he sacrifices’, it should be known that sarpir ājya, melted butter, is meant”. Commentary: “Sarpis is here taken as an adjective, running; yad asarpat tat sarpir abhavat”. Ājya is explained as navanītavikāradravyajātīyavacanaḥ sabdaḥ, i.e. a word signifying any kind of substance made of fresh butter.
According to the Aitareya-Brāhmaṇa I, 3, “Ājya is sweet or fragrant to the gods, ghṛta to men, ayuta to the manes, navanīta to children”. Here the commentator explains that ājya is butter, when melted (vilīnaṃ sarpis), ghṛta, when hardened. Ayuta, sometimes called astu, is butter, when slightly melted, niṣpakva, when thoroughly melted. According to Kātyāyana I, 8, 37, ājya is of different kinds. It may be simple ghṛta, which, as a rule, should be made of the milk of cows. But in the absence of ājya, the milk of buffaloes (māhiṣa), or oil (taila), or sesam-oil (jārtila), or linseed oil (atasīsneha), &c., may be taken.
Dharmashastra (धर्मशास्त्र, dharmaśāstra) contains the instructions (shastra) regarding religious conduct of livelihood (dharma), ceremonies, jurisprudence (study of law) and more. It is categorized as smriti, an important and authoritative selection of books dealing with the Hindu lifestyle.
Ayurveda (science of life)
Dietetics and Culinary Art (such as household cooking)
Source: Shodhganga: Dietetics and culinary art in ancient and medieval IndiaĀjya (आज्य) refers to “ghee” according to the 17th century Bhojanakutūhala (dravyaguṇāguṇa-kathana), and is commonly found in literature dealing with the topics of dietetics and culinary art, also known as Pākaśāstra or Pākakalā.—In the Ājya or “ghee” group of foodstuffs, the following substances are beneficial (hita) to the body: Gobhava (ghee derived from cow-milk).
Ājya (ghee) when prepared from goat’s milk is mutually incompatible (viruddhāhāra) with fruit of Lakuca (the fruit of bread-fruit tree).
Veterinary Medicine (The study and treatment of Animals)
Source: Asian Agri-History: Paśu Āyurvēda (Veterinary Medicine) in GaruḍapurāṇaĀjya (आज्य) or Ghṛta refers to “ghee” or “clarified butter”, and 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).
Toxicology (Study and Treatment of poison)
Source: Shodhganga: Kasyapa Samhita—Text on Visha ChikitsaĀjya (आज्य) or “ghee” is used in the treatment of snake-bites such as those caused by the Uṣṇa, Śopha, Pītta or Ghoṇasa varietes of Maṇḍalī-snakes, according to the Kāśyapa Saṃhitā: an ancient Sanskrit text from the Pāñcarātra tradition dealing with both Tantra and Viṣacikitsā—an important topic from Āyurveda which deals with the study of Toxicology (Viṣavidyā or Sarpavidyā).—Accordingly, the treatment is mentioned as follows: “A drink prepared from butter, curd, salt, honey and Kaṭutraya is the generic treatment for Maṇḍalī snakes. Cooked Kadamba mixed with ghee (ājya) and water must be consumed. White sesame also helps in alleviating this poison. Paste made out of ginger, pepper, long pepper, and salt in equal measures mixed with butter , when applied , forms an efficacious antidote”.
Agriculture (Krishi) and Vrikshayurveda (study of Plant life)
Source: Shodhganga: Drumavichitrikarnam—Plant mutagenesis in ancient IndiaĀjya (आज्य) refers to “clarified butter” and is used in certain bio-organical recipes for plant mutagenesis, such as dwarfing a plant, according to the Vṛkṣāyurveda by Sūrapāla (1000 CE): an encyclopedic work dealing with the study of trees and the principles of ancient Indian agriculture.—Accordingly, “A plant which is not too tender should be cut at its stem and then slightly burnt. Thereafter it should be smeared with the mixture of clarified butter (ājya), cow dung, rock salt, honey and flesh. A nail should then be driven in the root in a slanting manner. The plant then should be watered beautiful branches and without fail produces fruits even in a dwarf state”.
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.
Kavya (poetry)
Source: Brill: Śaivism and the Tantric Traditions (kavya)Ājya (आज्य) refers to “clarified butter”, according to Kālidāsa’s Raghuvaṃśa verse 7.20.—Accordingly: “There lord Bhoja’s venerable chaplain, who was like fire, offered clarified butter (ājya) and other things to the fire, and having made the same [fire] witness to the marriage he wed the bride and the groom”.
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’.
Languages of India and abroad
Marathi-English dictionary
Source: DDSA: The Molesworth Marathi and English Dictionaryājya (आज्य).—n S Clarified butter of ajā or She-goat. Hence, clarified butter gen.
--- OR ---
ājya (आज्य).—a S Relating to the goat.
Source: DDSA: The Aryabhusan school dictionary, Marathi-Englishājya (आज्य).—n Clarified butter. a Relating to the goat.
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 dictionaryĀjya (आज्य).—[ājyate, ā-añj-kyap]
1) Clarified butter, ghee; मन्त्रोऽहमहमेवाज्यम् (mantro'hamahamevājyam) Bhagavadgītā (Bombay) 9.16. आज्यधूमोद्गमेन (ājyadhūmodgamena) Ś.1.15; (it is often distinguished from ghṛta; sarpirvilīnamājyaṃ syād ghanībhūtam ghṛtaṃ bhavet).
2) (In a wider sense) Oil, milk &c used instead of clarified butter; घृतं वा यदि वा तैलं पयो वा दधि यावकम् । आज्यस्थाने नियुक्तानामाज्यशब्दो विधीयते (ghṛtaṃ vā yadi vā tailaṃ payo vā dadhi yāvakam | ājyasthāne niyuktānāmājyaśabdo vidhīyate) ||
3) Name of a sort of chant or religious service (sāmastomabhedaḥ); आजिमीयुस्तस्मादाज्यानामाज्यत्वम् (ājimīyustasmādājyānāmājyatvam) Nir.
4) Turpentine.
Derivable forms: ājyam (आज्यम्).
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Benfey Sanskrit-English DictionaryĀjya (आज्य).—i. e. ā-añj + ya, n. Butter in a liquid state, which is poured on a sacrificial fire.
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Cappeller Sanskrit-English DictionaryĀjya (आज्य).—[neuter] melted or clarified butter; also oil and milk (used for religious purposes).
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary1) Ājya (आज्य):—[from āja] 1. ājya m. a descendant of Aja, ([gana] gargādi q.v.)
2) 2. ājya n. (√añj [vArttika] on [Pāṇini 3-1, 109]), melted or clarified butter (used for oblations, or for pouring into the holy fire at the sacrifice, or for anointing anything sacrificed or offered), [Ṛg-veda x; Atharva-veda; Vājasaneyi-saṃhitā] etc.
3) (in a wider sense) oil and milk used instead of clarified butter at a sacrifice
4) Name of a sort of chant (śastra) connected with the morning sacrifice, [Aitareya-brāhmaṇa; Śatapatha-brāhmaṇa; ???]
5) Name of the Sūkta contained in the aforesaid śastra, [???]
6) Name of a Stotra connected with that śastra, [Tāṇḍya-brāhmaṇa]
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Yates Sanskrit-English DictionaryĀjya (आज्य):—(jyaṃ) 1. n. Ghee or oiled butter.
Source: DDSA: Paia-sadda-mahannavo; a comprehensive Prakrit Hindi dictionary (S)Ājya (आज्य) in the Sanskrit language is related to the Prakrit word: Ajja.
[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.
Kannada-English dictionary
Source: Alar: Kannada-English corpusĀjya (ಆಜ್ಯ):—[noun] clarified butter; ghee.
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 DictionaryĀjya (आज्य):—n. 1. purified butter; ghee; 2. name of the sort of chant/religious service; 3. turpentine;
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 (+16): Ajyabhaga, Ajyabhagapurvatantra, Ajyabhamda, Ajyabhasa, Ajyabhisheka, Ajyabhuj, Ajyadana, Ajyadhani, Ajyadhanvan, Ajyadipa, Ajyadoha, Ajyagatti, Ajyagraha, Ajyahavis, Ajyahoma, Ajyahuti, Ajyaishthineya, Ajyakunda, Ajyalepa, Ajyalipta.
Ends with (+231): Abhaishajya, Abhajya, Adarsharajya, Adhirajya, Adhivajya, Adhyajya, Agharajya, Agrajya, Aikarajya, Aindralajya, Airāvata-go-rājya, Akshajya, Aksibhaisajya, Alpajya, Anamgarajya, Angarajya, Antyajya, Antyaphalajya, Anuvrajya, Apajya.
Full-text (+96): Prishadajya, Ajyapa, Ajja, Ajyabhuj, Ajyam, Ajyabhaga, Patnisamyaja, Ajyapatra, Ajyadoha, Ajyabhasa, Ajyasthali, Yathajyagana, Ajyavari, Ajyagraha, Traishringa, Mashajya, Dhrauva, Ghrita, Tanunaptra, Sarpis.
Relevant text
Search found 38 books and stories containing Ajya, Ājya, Aajya; (plurals include: Ajyas, Ājyas, Aajyas). You can also click to the full overview containing English textual excerpts. Below are direct links for the most relevant articles:
Khadira-grihya-sutra (by Hermann Oldenberg)
Rig Veda (translation and commentary) (by H. H. Wilson)
Atithi or Guest Reception (study) (by Sarika. P.)
Part 1 - Introduction to Madhuparka (ceremonial reception) < [Chapter 8 - Madhuparka]
Gobhila-grihya-sutra (by Hermann Oldenberg)
The Agnistoma Somayaga in the Shukla Yajurveda (by Madan Haloi)
Part 2.1: Introductory Iṣṭi (prāyaṇīyeṣṭi) < [Chapter 4 - The Agniṣṭoma Ritual]
Part 2.6: The performance of the Upasadiṣṭi < [Chapter 4 - The Agniṣṭoma Ritual]
Part 2.5: The Pravargya rite < [Chapter 4 - The Agniṣṭoma Ritual]
Apastamba Yajna-paribhasa-sutras (by Hermann Oldenberg)
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