# भूमिका (bhūmikā)

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

भूमिका (bhūmikā) is a Sanskrit word meaning earth, ground, or soil, a spot or place for, a story or floor, a step, degree, an actor's part or character, decoration. Its 24 recorded definitions are grouped into 8 contexts, among them Theatrical Attire or Decoration, Earth, Ground, Soil, Actor's Part or Character.

- **Etymology:** E. भूमि place of being, and कन् aff — E. bhūmi place of being, and kan aff
- **SLP1:** `BUmikA`  **IAST:** bhūmikā  **Devanagari:** भूमिका
- **Wikipedia:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bhumika
- **Declensions:** 24 forms — https://sanskritlexicon.com/word/bhumika/declensions.md

## Meanings by context

### Theatrical Attire or Decoration (7 definitions)
- decoration  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > decoration (as of an image), Lexicographers, esp. such as Amarasiṃha, Halāyudha, Hemacandra, etc. (Author) [ ID=152263 ]
- Theatrical dress or an actor's costume  
  *Apte Practical Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > भूमिका (bhūmikā) [Printed book page 0823-a ] 7 Theatrical dress, an actor's costume. [ ID=22258 ]
- Decoration of an image  
  *Apte Practical Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > भूमिका (bhūmikā) [Printed book page 0823-a ] 8 Decoration (as of an image). [ ID=22258 ]
- 1. Theatrical costume. 2. Decorating images, temples, and gateways.  
  *Wilson Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > भूमि (bhūmi) का (bhūmikā) [Printed book page 624 ] भूमि (bhūmi) का (bhūmikā) f. ( - का (-kā) ) 1 Theatrical dress, the costume of any character, represented on the stage. 2 Decorating images, temples, gateways, &c. E. भूमि (bhūmi) place of being, and कन् (kan) aff. [ ID=28760 ]
- 1. Theatrical dress. 2. Decorating images.  
  *Yates Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > भूमिका (bhūmikā) [Printed book page 560-a ] भूमिका (bhūmikā) ( का ) ((kā)) 1. f. Theatrical dress; decorating images, &c. [ ID=28269 ]
- 1. Theatrical costume or character role. 2. Decorating images, temples, and gateways. 3. A writing board. 4. A preface or introduction. 5. A floor. 6. A place. 7. A step or degree. 8. Earth or soil.  
  *Shabda-Sagara Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > भूमि (bhūmi) का (bhūmikā) [Printed book page 535-a ] भूमि (bhūmi) का (bhūmikā) f. ( - का (-kā) ) 1. Theatrical dress, the costume of any character, represented on the stage. 2. Decorating images, temples, gateways, &c. 3. A board for writing. 4. A preface, an introduction. 5. A floor. 6. A place. 7. A step, a degree. 8. Earth, soil. E. भूमि (bhūmi) place of being, and कन् (kan) aff. [ ID=29669 ]
- 1. Change of costume for a stage character. 2. Decorating images, temples, or gateways. 3. A building story. 4. A book preface.  
  *Benfey Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > भूमिका (bhūmikā) [Printed book page 0664-a ] भूमिका (bhūmikā) bhūmi + kā, f. 1. Change-of costume in order to represent a dif- ferent character on the stage. 2. De- corating images, temples, gateways, etc. 3. A story; grihoparibhūmikāyām āruḍhaḥ, He mounted to the upper story of the house, Śukas. cod. Petersb. p. 31, b. 4. A preface to a book. — Comp. Catur-bhūmika, adj. having four stories, Pañc. 228, 11. Sapta(n)-, adj. having seven stories, 44, 28. [ ID=10647 ]

### Earth, Ground, Soil (6 definitions)
- earth, ground, or soil  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > (H2) [Printed book page 763,2] भूमिका (bhūmikā) f. earth, ground, soil, Kāśikā-vṛtti (Title); Kathāsaritsāgara (Title) &c. [ ID=152258 ]
- earth, ground, or soil  
  *Apte Practical Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > भूमिका (bhūmikā) [Printed book page 0823-a ] 1 Earth, ground, soil. [ ID=22258 ]
- 1. Earth, ground, or soil. 2. A tablet for writing. 3. A spot or place. 4. A storey or floor. 5. A stage or degree. 6. A character in a play. 7. A preface or introduction.  
  *Macdonell Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > भूमिका (bhūmikā) [Printed book page 208-3 ] भूमिका (bhūmikā) bhūmi-kā, f. earth, ground, soil; tablet for writing ( —° ); spot, place, for ( —° ); storey, floor; stage, degree; part or character ( of an actor ); preface, introduction. [ ID=13317 ]
- 1. Earth or soil. 2. A step or degree. 3. A place or spot. 4. A story or floor. 5. A preface or introduction. 6. Decoration. 7. A writing board. 8. A character in a play.  
  *Vaidya Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > भूमिका (bhūmikā) [Printed book page 534-01 ] भूमिका (bhūmikā) f. 1. Earth, soil; 2. a step, a degree, e.g. नैय्यायिकादिभिरात्मा प्रथमभूमिका (bhūmikā) यामवतारितः (naiyyāyikādibhirātmā prathamabhūmikāyāmavatāritaḥ); 3. a place, a spot; 4. a story, a floor; 5. a preface, an introduction; 6. decoration of images, temples &c. 7. board for writing, R. xviii.46; See अक्षरभूमिका (bhūmikā) (akṣarabhūmikā); 8. a character in a play, लक्ष्मीभूमिका (bhūmikā) यां वर्तमानोर्वशो वारुणीभूमिका (bhūmikā) यां वर्तमानया मेनकया पृष्टा (lakṣmībhūmikāyāṃ vartamānorvaśo vāruṇībhūmikāyāṃ vartamānayā menakayā pṛṣṭā) Vikr. iii., या यस्य युज्यते भूमिका (bhūmikā) तां खलु तथैव भावेन सर्वे वर्ग्याः पाठिताः (yā yasya yujyate bhūmikā tāṃ khalu tathaiva bhāvena sarve vargyāḥ pāṭhitāḥ) M.M. i. [ ID=27853 ]
- 1. The earth, ground, or a place for something. 2. A floor or story of a house. 3. A step or degree. 4. A theatrical role, character, or costume.  
  *Cappeller Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > भूमिका (bhūmikā) [Printed book page 383 ] भूमिका (bhūmikā) f. the earth, ground, place for (—°); floor or story of a house, step, degree ( fig. ), part, character, costume ( d. ). [ ID=23118 ]
- 1. Earth, ground, or soil. 2. A place or spot. 3. The floor of a building. 4. A story or flat roof of a house. 5. A step or degree. 6. A character in a play or an actor's part. 7. Theatrical costume or change of costume. 8. Decoration of images, temples, or gateways. 9. A book preface.  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1872)*
  > भूमिका (bhūmikā) [Printed book page 0718-a ] Bhūmikā, f. earth, ground, soil; a place, sport; the floor of a building [cf. maṇi-bh° ]; a story, flat roof of a house; a step, degree (as in the Yoga phil.); an actor's part, character in a play; theatrical dress, the costume of any character represented on the stage, change of costume (to represent different cha- racters); decorating images or temples, adorning gateways, decoration; a preface to a book. [ ID=35685 ]

### Actor's Part or Character (2 definitions)
- an actor's part or character  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > (in dram. ) an actor's part or character, Vikramorvaśī (Title); Mālatīmādhava (Title) &c. [ ID=152262 ]
- A part or character in a play  
  *Apte Practical Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > भूमिका (bhūmikā) [Printed book page 0823-a ] 6 A part or character in a play; या यस्य (yā yasya) युज्यते भूमिका (bhūmikā) तां खलु तथैव भवेन सर्वे (yujyate bhūmikā tāṃ khalu tathaiva bhavena sarve) वर्ग्याः पाठिताः; कामंदक्याः प्रथमां (vargyāḥ pāṭhitāḥ; kāmaṃdakyāḥ prathamāṃ) भूमिका (bhūmikā) ं भाव एवाधीते (bhūmikāṃ bhāva evādhīte) Mālatīmādhava (Bombay) 1; or लक्ष्मीभूमिका (bhūmikā) यां वर्तमानोर्वशी वारुणीभूमिका (bhūmikā) यां (lakṣmībhūmikāyāṃ vartamānorvaśī vāruṇībhūmikāyāṃ) वर्तमानया मेनकया पृष्टा (vartamānayā menakayā pṛṣṭā) Vikramorvaśīyam (Bombay) 3; Śiśupālavadha 1. 69; ( अन्यरूपैर्यदन्यस्य प्रवेशः स तु भूमिका (bhūmikā) (anyarūpairyadanyasya praveśaḥ sa tu bhūmikā) Bharata ). [ ID=22258 ]

### Place, Spot, Region (2 definitions)
- a spot or place for  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > ( ifc. ) a spot, place for ( e.g. आहार - भ् (āhāra-bh) ° (°), an eating-place, Kathāsaritsāgara (Title); अक्षर - भ् (akṣara-bh) ° (°), a place i.e. a tablet for writing, Raghuvaṃśa (Title) ) [ ID=152259 ]
- A place, region, or spot of ground  
  *Apte Practical Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > भूमिका (bhūmikā) [Printed book page 0823-a ] 2 A place, region, spot (of ground), [ ID=22258 ]

### Preface or Introduction to a Work (2 definitions)
- preface, introduction  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > preface, introduction, Chāndogya-upaniṣad (Title), Sch.; Kāvyādarśa (Title) [ ID=152264 ]
- A preface or introduction to a book.  
  *Apte Practical Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > भूमिका (bhūmikā) [Printed book page 0823-a ] 9 A preface or introduction to a book. [ ID=22258 ]

### Step, Degree, or Stage (2 definitions)
- a step, degree  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > a step, degree, Yoga-sūtra (Title) [ ID=152261 ]
- Step, degree  
  *Apte Practical Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > भूमिका (bhūmikā) [Printed book page 0823-a ] 4 Step, degree; मधुततीसंज्ञां भूमिका (bhūmikā) ं (madhutatīsaṃjñāṃ bhūmikāṃ) साक्षात्कुर्वतः (sākṣātkurvataḥ) Yoga. S.; or नैयायिकादिभिरात्मा प्रथमभूमिका (bhūmikā) यामवतारितः (naiyāyikādibhirātmā prathamabhūmikāyāmavatāritaḥ) Sāṅkhyapravacanabhāṣya. [ ID=22258 ]

### Story or Floor of a Building (2 definitions)
- A story or floor.  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > a story, floor, Inscriptions [Cologne Addition] (Title); Pañcatantra (Title) (with गृहोपरि (gṛhopari), the flat roof of a house, Śukasaptati (Title) ) [ ID=152260 ]
- A story or floor of a house.  
  *Apte Practical Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > भूमिका (bhūmikā) [Printed book page 0823-a ] 3 A story, floor (of a house). [ ID=22258 ]

### Tablet or Board for Writing (1 definition)
- A tablet or board for writing  
  *Apte Practical Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > भूमिका (bhūmikā) [Printed book page 0823-a ] 5 A tablet or board, as for writing; see अक्षरभूमिका (bhūmikā) (akṣarabhūmikā). [ ID=22258 ]

## Sources

Definitions from Apte Practical Sanskrit-English Dictionary; 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; 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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