# आगम (āgama)

Canonical page: https://sanskritlexicon.com/word/agama

आगम (āgama) is a Sanskrit word meaning coming near, approaching, arrival, coming, approach, origin, appearance or reappearance, course of a fluid or issue of blood, lawful acquisition of property. Its 23 recorded definitions are grouped into 10 contexts, among them Arrival, Coming, Appearance, Sacred Texts or Traditional Doctrines, Knowledge, Learning, or Study.

- **Etymology:** E. आङ before गम to go, to come, अच् aff — E. āṅa before gama to go, to come, ac aff
- **SLP1:** `Agama`  **IAST:** āgama  **Devanagari:** आगम
- **Wikipedia:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agama_%28Hinduism%29
- **Declensions:** 48 forms — https://sanskritlexicon.com/word/agama/declensions.md
- **Other headwords romanised the same way:** अगम (agama)

## Meanings by context

### Arrival, Coming, Appearance (11 definitions)
- coming near, approaching  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > (H2) [Printed book page 129,3] आ (ā)- गम (ā-gama) mf( आ (ā) )n. coming near, approaching, Atharva-veda (Title) vi, 81, 2; xix, 35, 3 [ ID=22572 ]
- arrival, coming, approach  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > आ (ā)- गम (ā-gama) m. ( ifc. f( आ (ā) ). ) arrival, coming, approach, Rāmāyaṇa (Title) &c. [ ID=22573 ]
- appearance or reappearance  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > appearance or reappearance, Mahābhārata (Title) ii, 547 [ ID=22575 ]
- 1. Coming up or arrival. 2. Occurrence. 3. Origin. 4. Course of streams. 5. Affluence, revenue, or property. 6. Acquisition. 7. Learning, knowledge, or science. 8. Precept, tradition, manual, or code. 9. Augment.  
  *Macdonell Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > आगम (āgama) [Printed book page 037-2 ] आगम (āgama) ā́-gama a. coming up; m. arrival, occurrence; origin; course ( of streams ); affluence, revenue, property; acquisition; learning, knowledge; science; precept, tradition; manual, code; augment ( gr. ); -na, n. coming, arrival; origin; sexual intercourse; -vat, a. having sexual intercourse; -śruti, f. tradition; -apāyin, a. coming and going. [ ID=3418 ]
- 1. Arrival, coming, or approach. 2. A sacred text or Tantra. 3. A grammatical augment. 4. A record, title deed, or legal testimony.  
  *Wilson Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > आगम (gama) (āgama) [Printed book page 105 ] आगम (gama) (āgama) m. ( - मः (-maḥ) ) 1 Arrival, coming, approach. 2 A Śāstra or work on sacred science in general, supposed to be of divine origin. A Tantra or any work inculcating the mystical worship of SIVA and ŚAKTI. 4 A grammatical augment, a syllable or letter inserted in any part of the radical word. 5 Record, title deed, legal title, a voucher or written testimony, &c. E. आङ (āṅa) before गम (gama) to go, to come, अच् (ac) aff. [ ID=5061 ]
- 1. Coming. 2. A shastra on sacred science. 3. A grammatical augment. 4. A record.  
  *Yates Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > आगम (āgama) [Printed book page 083-a ] आ - गम (ā-gama) ( मः ) ((maḥ)) 1. m. Coming; a shāstra on sacred science; grammatical augment, a record. [ ID=4426 ]
- 1. Arrival or appearance. 2. Addition. 3. Birth or origin. 4. The study of scriptures. 5. Lawful acquisition. 6. A system of philosophy or science. 7. A traditional doctrine or precept. 8. The Vedas. 9. Verbal testimony or authority as a means of proof. 10. Knowledge. 11. Theory as opposed to practice. 12. An affix. 13. The interposition of a letter. 14. A grammatical augment. 15. A voucher or written testimony.  
  *Vaidya Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > आगम (āgama) [Printed book page 094-17 ] आगम (āgama) m. 1. Arrival, appearance, e.g. अव्यक्ताद् व्यक्त्यः सर्वाः प्रभवन्त्यहरागमे रात्र्यागमे प्रलीयन्ते (avyaktād vyaktyaḥ sarvāḥ prabhavantyaharāgame rātryāgame pralīyante) Bg. viii.18, R. xiv.80; 2. addition; 3. birth, origin, आगम (āgama) ापायिनोऽनित्यास्तांस्तितिक्षस्व भारत (āgamāpāyino'nityāstāṃstitikṣasva bhārata) Bg. ii.14; 4. the study of Śāstras, R. i.15; 5. lawful acquisition of anything, आगम (āgama) ेऽपि फलं नैव भुक्तिः स्तोकाऽपि (āgame'pi phalaṃ naiva bhuktiḥ stokā'pi) Yaj. ii.27, also 28; 6. science, a system of philosophy, बहुधाप्यागमैर्भिन्नाः (bahudhāpyāgamairbhinnāḥ) R. x.26; 7. a traditional doctrine or precept, अनुमानेन न चागमः क्षतः (anumānena na cāgamaḥ kṣataḥ) Kir. ii.28; 8. the Vedas, न्यायनिर्णीतसारत्वान्निरपेक्षामिवाग मे (nyāyanirṇītasāratvānnirapekṣāmivāga me) Kir. ii.39; 9. the last of the four kinds of proof of the Naiyāyikas, otherwise called श्ब्द (śbda) (the word of a trustworthy man, the Vedas being considered as such); 10. knowledge; 11. theory, as op. to practice ( प्रयोग (prayoga) ); 12. affix.; 13. interposition of a letter (in gram.); 14. a grammatical augment; 14. voucher or written testimony. [ ID=4760 ]
- 1. Arrival or approach. 2. A sacred text or scripture of divine origin. 3. A Tantra or work on the mystical worship of Shiva and Shakti. 4. A grammatical augment. 5. A legal title, deed, or written voucher.  
  *Shabda-Sagara Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > आगम (āgama) [Printed book page 086-b ] आगम (āgama) m. ( - मः (-maḥ) ) 1. Arrival, coming, approach. 2. A Sastra or work on sacred science in general, supposed to be of divine origin. 3. A Tantra or any work inculcating the mystical worship of SIVA and SAKTI. 4. A grammatical augment, a syllable or letter inserted in any part of the radical word. 5. Record, title deed, legal title, a voucher or written testimony, &c. E. आङ् (āṅ) before गम् (gam) to go, to come, अच् (ac) aff. [ ID=5059 ]
- 1. Arrival. 2. Occurrence. 3. Stream. 4. Afflux of wealth. 5. Report. 6. Knowledge. 7. Art. 8. Sacred science. 9. A work on sacred science. 10. A precept. 11. A legal title.  
  *Benfey Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > आगम (āgama) [Printed book page 0070-b ] आगम (āgama) ā-gam + a, m. 1. Arrival, Rām. 2, 25, 19. 2. Occurrence, Yājñ. 2, 92. 3. Stream, Man. 8, 252. 4. Afflux of wealth, Bhartṛ. 2, 39. 5. Report, Yājñ. 2, 212. 6. Knowledge, Rām. 6, 4, 30. 7. Art, Mālav. 15, d. 16. 8. Sacred science, Kir. 5, 22. 9. A work on sacred science, Kir. 5, 18. 10. A precept, MBh. 3, 1163. 11. A legal title, Man. 8, 202. — Comp. An-, m. not returning, MBh. 3, 8868. Artha-, m. revenue, Hit. Pr. d. 18. Jalada-, m. the approach of the rainy season, Nal. 21, 4. Dina-, m. day- break, Hariv. 4287. Dus-, m. illegal afflux of wealth, MBh. 5, 1513. Dhana-, m. afflux of wealth, Man. 8, 347. Dhar- ma-, m. a code of law, Mārk. P. 23, 36. Puṣpa-, m. spring, Ṛt. 6, 34. Hima-, m. winter. [ ID=1394 ]
- 1. Coming, approaching, or being added. 2. Approach, arrival, appearance, or origin. 3. Income, revenue, possession, or title. 4. Knowledge, science, or doctrine.  
  *Cappeller Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > आगम (āgama) [Printed book page 058 ] आगम (āgama) a. coming to, approaching, being added. m. approach, arrival, going to (—°); course (of a river), appearance, origin; income, revenue, possession, title; knowledge, science, doctrine; augment ( g. ). [ ID=4035 ]
- 1. Arrival, approach, or appearance. 2. Income, revenue, or lawful acquisition. 3. Knowledge, science, or traditional scripture. 4. A grammatical augment or inserted letter. 5. A legal title, record, or voucher. 6. A sacred work teaching the mystical worship of Shiva and Shakti.  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1872)*
  > आगम (āgama) [Printed book page 0113-b ] Ā-gama, as, ā, am, coming near, approaching, supplying; ( as ), m. arrival, appearance; coming, approach; addition; course; the mouth of a river; supply of money, income, revenue; increase of pro- perty (especially in the compound arthāgama ), lawful acquisition of anything; increase of knowledge (espe- cially in the compound vidyāgama ); knowledge, science, intelligence; a traditional doctrine or precept, a collection of such doctrines or precepts, a sacred work, scripture; a manual; an affix; the interpola- tion of a letter in grammar, a grammatical augment, a meaningless syllable or letter inserted in any part of the radical word; record, title-deed, legal title, a voucher or written testimony; ( am ), n. a Tantra or any work inculcating the mystical worship of Śiva and Śakti. —Āgama-nirapekṣa, as, ā, am, inde- pendent of a written voucher or title. —Āgama-nīta, as, ā, am, studied, read, examined. —Āgama-rahita, as, ā, am, devoid of a written title or a voucher; without a Śāstra. —Āgama-vat, ān, atī, at, having an augment or addition of any kind; having approached for sexual intercourse. —Āgama-sāpekṣa, as, ā, am, with or supported by legal vouchers. —Āgamā- pāyin (°ma-ap°), ī, inī, i, transient, of short dura- tion. —Āgamāvartā (°ma-āv°), f., N. of the plant Tragia Involucrata Lin. [ ID=8028 ]

### Sacred Texts or Traditional Doctrines (3 definitions)
- 1. A traditional doctrine or precept. 2. A sacred work or Brahmana.  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > a traditional doctrine or precept, collection of such doctrines, sacred work, Brāhmaṇa, Manu-smṛti (Title) xii, 105; Mahābhārata (Title) &c. [ ID=22580 ]
- a work teaching the mystical worship of Shiva and Shakti  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > आ - गम (ā-gama) n. a Tantra or work inculcating the mystical worship of Śiva and Śakti. [ ID=22585 ]
- rules for digging wells, constructing tanks and gardens, and for sacrifices using seeds instead of animals  
  *The Purana Index*
  > आगम (āgama) [Printed book page 1-145 ] Āgama 1 — the rules of; 2 for digging wells, constructing tanks and gardens; 3 cited for yajñas where paśu was not involved and where bīja (seeds) served the purpose of the animal. 4 [ Footnote: 1) Vi. I. 17. 58.] [ Footnote: 2) Br. II. 30. 19 and 27; III. 21. 46.] [ Footnote: 3) M. 58. 55; 143. 13.] [ Footnote: 4) Vā. 53. 122; 57. 100.] [ ID=1144 ]

### Knowledge, Learning, or Study (2 definitions)
- reading, studying  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > reading, studying, Patañjali (Author) [ ID=22578 ]
- acquisition of knowledge, science  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > acquisition of knowledge, science, Mahābhārata (Title); Yājñavalkya (Author) &c. [ ID=22579 ]

### Addition (general) (1 definition)
- addition  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > addition, Nirukta, by Yāska (Title) i, 4 [ ID=22582 ]

### Flow or Course of Fluid (1 definition)
- course of a fluid or issue of blood  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > course (of a fluid), issue ( e.g. of blood), Manu-smṛti (Title) viii, 252; Suśruta (Title) [ ID=22576 ]

### Grammatical Augment (1 definition)
- a grammatical augment or meaningless syllable inserted into a word  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > a grammatical augment, a meaningless syllable or letter inserted in any part of the radical word, Prātiśākhya (Literary category); Pāṇini (Author) Comm. [ ID=22583 ]

### Income or Acquisition of Wealth (1 definition)
- lawful acquisition of property  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > income, lawful acquisition (of property, अर्थ (artha), धन (dhana), वित्त (vitta), द्रविण (draviṇa) ), Manu-smṛti (Title); Mahābhārata (Title) &c. [ ID=22577 ]

### Origin or Source (1 definition)
- origin  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > आ - गम (ā-gama) m. origin, Manu-smṛti (Title) viii, 401; Rāmāyaṇa (Title) &c. [ ID=22574 ]

### Rhetorical Figure (1 definition)
- a rhetorical figure  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > N. of a rhetorical figure [ ID=22584 ]

### Traditional Record or Legal Document (1 definition)
- anything handed down and fixed by tradition  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > anything handed down and fixed by tradition (as the reading of a text or a record, title-deed, &c.) [ ID=22581 ]

## Sources

Definitions from Benfey Sanskrit-English Dictionary; Cappeller Sanskrit-English Dictionary; Macdonell Sanskrit-English Dictionary; Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1872); Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899); Shabda-Sagara Sanskrit-English Dictionary; The Purana Index; Vaidya Sanskrit-English Dictionary; Wilson Sanskrit-English Dictionary; Yates Sanskrit-English Dictionary.
Text from the Cologne Digital Sanskrit Lexicon, University of Cologne.

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