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{{Short description|Sanskrit term}}
{{About|Hindu philosophy|the actress|Lakshana (actress)}}
{{Hindu philosophy}}
'''Lakshana''' ({{langx|sa|लक्षण}} ''{{Transliteration|sa|lakṣaṇa}}'') – derived from the combination of words ''lakshya'' and ''kshana'' – means 'indication' or 'symptom'.<ref>{{cite web|title=Sanskrit Dictionary|publisher=Spokensanskrit.de|url=http://spokensanskrit.de/index.php?script=HK&beginning=0+&tinput=+lakshana&trans=Translate&direction=AU|access-date=2014-01-24|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160814063457/http://spokensanskrit.de/index.php?script=HK&beginning=0+&tinput=+lakshana&trans=Translate&direction=AU|archive-date=2016-08-14|url-status=dead}}</ref> It also means 'an auspicious mark', 'attribute' or 'quality'.<ref>{{cite book|title=The Courts of Pre-colonial South India|author=Jennifer Howes|year=2003|publisher=Psychology Press|page=231|isbn=9780700715855|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=aex_vpsu3gwC&q=Lakshana&pg=PA231}}</ref>

==Grammatical implication==

In [[Varadarāja]]'s ''Laghukaumudi'' (St.210), on the following ''Paniniya Sukta'' I.i.62 on [[Sanskrit grammar]], which reads:

:प्रत्ययलोपे प्रत्ययलक्षणम् |

states that when [[elision]] (''lopa'') of an [[affix]] has taken place, the affix shall still exert its influence, and the operations dependent upon it will take place as if it were present. He explains that the word, ''Lakshana'', signifies that by which a thing is recognized, and the word, ''Lopa'' signifies the elision i.e. substitution of a blank, in which regard Sakalya had suggested certain optional substitutions as stated in Sukta VIII.iii.19. Vardaraja draws attention to Panini’s statement referred to at St.152 to the effect that after whatsoever there is an affix (pratyaya) enjoined, let what begins therewith, in the form in which it appears when the affix follows it, be called an inflective base (anga) e.g. in the case of addressing two or more persons of the same name, say - Rama, the Ramas need not be addressed as ''Oh two Ramas'' but the '' -s'' is to be dropped without change in meaning (intention) and addressed as ''Oh Rama'' which would suffice the intended purpose.<ref>{{cite book|title=Laghukaumudi of Vardaraja|author=Vardaraja|year=2005|publisher=Motilal Banarsidass|pages=15, 47, 65|isbn=9788120809161|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=NFm2t-GoUNgC&q=anga+lakshana&pg=PA65}}</ref>

==Religious and ethical implication==

''Vyasa-bhashya'' (VIII.13) explains that in the smallest particle of time or ''kshana'' the whole universe undergoes a change. Each moment or particle of time is only the manifestation of that change, and time does not have a separate existence. Appearance is called [[Dharma]], and the arrangement of objects or qualities is called ''Dharmin''; the change of appearance is called ''Dharma-parinama'' which has two aspects – ''Lakshana-parinama'' and ''Avastha-parinama'', which are not intrinsically different. ''Lakshana-parinama'' considers three stages of an appearance viz. a) the unmanifested when it exists in the future, b) the manifested moment of the present and c) the past when it has been manifested, lost to view but preserved and retained in all the onwards stages of evolution. ''Avastha-parinama'' is change of condition which is not materially different from ''Lakshana-parinama'' and hence its mode; it is on account of this that an object is called new or old, grown or decayed. It is the nature of the [[Guṇa]]s that there cannot remain even a moment without the evolutionary changes of ''dharma'', ''lakshana'' and ''avastha'', for movement is the characteristic of the ''gunas'' whose nature is the cause of constant movement, which changes the mind also experiences in accordance with its two qualities visible and invisible; the visible qualities are those whose changes can be noticed as conscious states or thought-products or precepts, whereas the invisible qualities are those whose changes can only be established by inference. There is an order in all successive changes ([[Vācaspati Miśra|Vacaspati]] in his ''Tattva–vaivasaradi'' (III.15).<ref>{{cite book|title=Yoga as Philosophy and Religion|author=Surendranath Dasgupta|date=8 October 2013|publisher=Routledge|pages=71–75|isbn=9781136389450|url= https://books.google.com/books?id=yXFHAQAAQBAJ&q=Lakshana&pg=PA74}}</ref>

Dharma, which provides security, peace and well-being, is concerned equally to the individual and his other worldly interests and to the worldly interest of the individual, family and society. Dharma embraces man’s life as a whole. The two goals of man’s individual and collective existence signified by the words ''abhyudaya'' ('prosperity') and ''nihsreyasa'' ('necessaries') are attained by following a two-fold dharma – 1) ''Pravritti Lakshana Dharma'' ('religion of action') that is characterized by action and 2) ''Nivritti Lakshana Dharma'' ('religion of renunciation') which is characterized by freedom from action.<ref>{{cite book|title=Hinduism and Secularism: A Critical Study|author=R.S.Mishra|year=1996|publisher=Motilal Banarsidass|pages=69–70|isbn=9788120813540|url= https://books.google.com/books?id=9fMBv6cvn94C&q=Lakshana&pg=PA70}}</ref>

==Philosophical implication==

[[Advaita Vedanta]] refers to the three meanings that all words and sentences carry – the primary or direct meaning, the implied meaning and the suggested meaning. The implied meaning, known as ''Lakshana'', is of three kinds – ''Jahallakshana'' which consists in discarding the direct meaning in favour of the indirect or implied meaning, ''Ajahallakshana'' in which the direct meaning is not completely given up and the real meaning is hinted, and ''Jahadjahallakshana'' which consists in giving up a part of the direct meaning and retaining the other part. Thus, the word "that" of the [[Mahavakyas|mahavakya]] – [[Tat Tvam Asi|tat tvam asi]] (that thou art) primarily refers to the [[Saguna Brahman]] or [[Ishvara]], and the word "thou" primarily to the [[Jiva]], the individual soul. The direct sense points to the identity of between [[Ishvara]] and [[Jiva]]. The implied meaning reveals that Ishvara and Jiva are the result of ignorance and the imposition of the unreal on the real when "that" refers to the [[Nirguna Brahman]], the pure consciousness who is absolute and without attributes and "thou" refers to self or [[Atman (Hinduism)|atman]], the pure consciousness which is the reality underlying the mind-body complex. It is according to the third ''Lakshana'' that the identity of Brahman and Atman is established, that these two words in their implicit sense point to the same reality, that ''Brahma-anubhava'' is the non-dual experience of the sole reality.<ref>{{cite book|title=Authentic Human Destiny: The Paths Of Shankara Heidegger|author=Vensus A.George|year=1998|publisher=CRVP|pages=55–59|isbn=9781565181199|url= https://books.google.com/books?id=kO8-980xGk8C&q=Lakshana&pg=PA55}}</ref>

==Lakshana Jnanam of classical music==

The student of [[Indian classical music|classical music]] – after faithfully evaluating the effect of listening and observation as aids for [[Sādhanā|sadhana]] – strives to study the role of acquiring ''Lakshana Jnanam'' ('theoretical knowledge') as an aid to ''Lakshya Sadhana'' ('practical attainment') in order to uplift knowledge of music gained and realizing its practical utilities/applications. Mere theoretical knowledge, the ''arohana'' and ''avarohana'' of a [[raga]] is not ''Lakshana Jnanam'', for the body is first formed and only thereafter infused with life. Lakshya (target or aim to be accomplished) is based on ''[[Kalpana (imagination)|Kalpana]]'' ('imagination','inspiration') and ''Lakshana'' is like [[grammar]], the former is not clear without the latter. The knowledge of ''Lakshana'' is essential for ''Lakshya sadhana''.{{citation needed|date=July 2015}}

==Prognostic implication==

In matters pertaining to the prediction of future events, the word, ''Lakshana'', means a mark or an [[omen]]. In this system, eight different methods are employed:
* ''Anga'' ('Limbs') (''Anga [[Shastra]]''), which takes into account different parts of the body,
* ''Svapna'' ('Dream'), by which ones press dreams,
* ''Svara'' ('Sound') attaches importance to utterances by birds and animals,
* ''Bhomi'' ('Attitude') refers to one’s behaviour, walk, posture etc.;
* ''Vyanjana'' ('Birth-marks') refers to [[birthmarks]] such as moles, spots etc.;
* ''Lakshana'' ('Omen'),
* ''Utpatha'' ('Catastrophe') refers to phenomena such as earth-quake, volcanic eruption etc.; and
* ''Antariksha'' ('Heavenly'), on the appearance of comets, circle round the Moon, etc.
According to [[numerology]], numbers pregnant with more than one meaning and significance, indicate the course of future events.<ref>{{cite book|title=Miracles of Numerology|author=M.Katakkar|date=January 1989|publisher=Jaico Publishing House|page=34|isbn=9788172241001|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=YMczNcCnDcIC&q=anga+lakshana&pg=PP34}}</ref> According to ''Anga Ranga'', a very ancient method, women are divided into four distinct classes of temperament that correspond to the four phases of liberation (''[[moksa]]'').<ref>{{cite book|title=Prenatal Kriya yoga|author=Camell Nair Ryt|date=August 2009|publisher=AuthorHouse|page=xxviii|isbn=9781438996356|url= https://books.google.com/books?id=NUVPvA5oUX8C&q=Anga+Ranga&pg=PR28}}</ref>

== See also ==
* ''[[mahā-lakṣaṇa]]'' ("great ''{{Transliteration|sa|lakṣaṇa}}''"), physical characteristics of the Buddha

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* [https://www.wisdomlib.org/hinduism/book/the-natyashastra/d/doc210086.html Diction of a Play (lakṣaṇa)], Chapter XVII of the Nāṭyaśāstra

{{Indian philosophy|state=collapsed}}

[[Category:Hindu philosophical concepts]]
[[Category:Buddhist philosophical concepts]]
[[Category:Sanskrit words and phrases]]
[[Category:Vedanta]]
[[Category:Yoga concepts]]

Lakshana - Revision history

Beefurb at 03:21, 5 May 2025