# दीक्षा (dīkṣā)

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

दीक्षा (dīkṣā) is a Sanskrit word meaning dedication, initiation, any serious preparation, devotion to a person or god, or exclusive occupation with, consecration or preparation for a religious ceremony, initiation, dedication, or receiving the initiatory mantra, undertaking religious observances for a special purpose. Its 20 recorded definitions are grouped into 5 contexts, among them Religious Initiation and Consecration, Personification as a Deity, Self-Devotion and Dedication.

- **SLP1:** `dIkzA`  **IAST:** dīkṣā  **Devanagari:** दीक्षा
- **Wikipedia:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diksha
- **Declensions:** 24 forms — https://sanskritlexicon.com/word/diksha/declensions.md
- **Other headwords romanised the same way:** दीक्ष (dīkṣa)

## Meanings by context

### Religious Initiation and Consecration (14 definitions)
- consecration for a religious ceremony or undertaking religious observances  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > (H2) [Printed book page 480,3] दीक्षा (dīkṣā) f. preparation or consecration for a religious ceremony, undertaking religious observances for a partic. purpose and the observances themselves, Atharva-veda (Title); Vājasaneyi-saṃhitā (Title); Brāhmaṇa (Literary category); Śrauta-sūtra (Literary category) &c. [ ID=92700 ]
- dedication, initiation  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > dedication, initiation (personified as the wife of Soma, Ṛg-veda (Title) 25, 26, of Rudra Ugra or R° Vāmadeva, Purāṇas (Literary category) ) [ ID=92701 ]
- 1. Consecration for a religious ceremony or initiation. 2. Receiving the initiatory mantra.  
  *Apte Practical Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > दीक्षा (dīkṣā) [Printed book page 0567-b ] दीक्षा (dīkṣā) [ दीक्ष् - भावे अ (dīkṣ-bhāve a) ] 1 ( a ) Consecration for a religious ceremony, initiation in general; Raghuvaṃśa (Bombay) 3. 44, 65. ( b ) Receiving the initiatory mantra
- A ceremony preliminary to a sacrifice  
  *Apte Practical Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > दीक्षा (dīkṣā) [Printed book page 0567-b ] दीक्षा (dīkṣā) [ दीक्ष् - भावे अ (dīkṣ-bhāve a) ] 2 A ceremony preliminary to a sacrifice
- A ceremony or religious rite in general  
  *Apte Practical Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > दीक्षा (dīkṣā) [Printed book page 0567-b ] दीक्षा (dīkṣā) [ दीक्ष् - भावे अ (dīkṣ-bhāve a) ] 3 A ceremony or religious rite in general; विवाहदीक्षा (dīkṣā) ं (vivāhadīkṣāṃ) Raghuvaṃśa (Bombay) 3. 33; Kumārasambhava (Bombay) 7. 1, 8, 24
- Investiture with the sacred thread  
  *Apte Practical Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > दीक्षा (dīkṣā) [Printed book page 0567-b ] दीक्षा (dīkṣā) [ दीक्ष् - भावे अ (dīkṣ-bhāve a) ] 4 Investiture with the sacred thread
- 1. Consecration or solemn preparation. 2. A religious observance for a specific purpose. 3. Devotion to. 4. First acquaintance with. 5. Personified as the wife of Soma.  
  *Macdonell Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > दीक्षा (dīkṣā) [Printed book page 120-3 ] दीक्षा (dīkṣā) dīkṣ-ā́, f. consecration; (undergoing) a religious observance for a particular purpose; solemn preparation; devotion to ( —° ); first acquaintance with ( —° ); personified as wife of Soma. [ ID=9339 ]
- 1. Sacrificing or offering oblations. 2. Worshipping. 3. Engaging in austerities. 4. Preliminary ceremonies for a sacrifice. 5. Receiving an initiatory incantation.  
  *Wilson Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > दीक्ष (dīkṣa) ा (dīkṣā) [Printed book page 410 ] दीक्ष (dīkṣa) ा (dīkṣā) f. ( - क्षा (-kṣā) ) 1 Sacrificing, offering oblations. 2 Worshipping in general. 3 Engaging in a course of austerities. 4 Certain ceremonies preliminary to a sacrifice. 5 Receiving the initiatory Mantra or incantation. E. दा (dā) to give, (knowledge,) and क्षि (kṣi) to destroy, (sin;) deriv. irr. or दीक्ष (dīkṣa) to initiate, &c. affix अङ् (aṅ) and टाप् (ṭāp). [ ID=19053 ]
- 1. A sacrificing, ceremony, or worship. 2. Durga.  
  *Yates Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > दीक्षा (dīkṣā) [Printed book page 365-a ] दीक्षा (dīkṣā) ( क्षा ) ((kṣā)) 1. f. A sacrificing; ceremony, worship; Durgā. [ ID=18525 ]
- 1. Consecration for a religious ceremony. 2. A ceremony preliminary to a sacrifice. 3. Investiture with the sacred thread. 4. A ceremony in general.  
  *Vaidya Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > दीक्षा (dīkṣā) [Printed book page 334-06 ] दीक्षा (dīkṣā) f. 1. Consecration for a religious ceremony, R. iii.44, 65; 2. a ceremony preliminary to a sacrifice; 3. investiture with the sacred thread; 4. a ceremony in general, R. iii.33, K.S. viii.24. [ ID=16944 ]
- 1. Sacrificing or offering oblations. 2. Worshipping in general. 3. Engaging in a course of austerities. 4. Ceremonies preliminary to a sacrifice. 5. Receiving an initiatory mantra.  
  *Shabda-Sagara Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > दीक्षा (dīkṣā) [Printed book page 342-a ] दीक्षा (dīkṣā) f. ( - क्षा (-kṣā) ) 1. Sacrificing, offering oblations. 2. Worshipping in general. 3. Engaging in a course of austerities. 4. Certain ceremonies preliminary to a cacrifice. 5. Receiving the initiatory Mantra or incantation. E. दा (dā) to give, (knowledge,) and क्षि (kṣi) to destroy, (sin;) deriv. irr. or दीक्ष् (dīkṣ) to initiate, &c. affixes अ (a) and टाप् । (ṭāp.) [ ID=19038 ]
- 1. Consecration. 2. Engaging in religious observances or austerities. 3. Devotion.  
  *Benfey Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > दीक्षा (dīkṣā) [Printed book page 0403-a ] दीक्षा (dīkṣā) dīkṣ + ā, f. 1. Consecration, MBh. 1, 8135. 2. Undergoing religious observances, engaging in a course of austerities, Rām. 1, 32, 4. 3. Religious observances, Man. 6, 29. 4. Devotion, Bhāg. P. 4, 2, 29. — Comp. Yathā-dīkṣa + m, adv. according to the religious observances, MBh. 14, 1270. [ ID=6506 ]
- 1. Consecration for a religious ceremony or initiation. 2. Dedication or devotion. 3. Personified as the wife of Soma.  
  *Cappeller Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > दीक्षा (dīkṣā) [Printed book page 227 ] दीक्षा (dīkṣā) f. preparation or consecration for a religious ceremony, initiation; dedication, devotion to (—°); personif. as the wife of Soma. [ ID=13782 ]
- 1. Consecration or preparation for a religious ceremony. 2. Initiation, dedication, or receiving the initiatory mantra. 3. Undertaking religious observances for a special purpose. 4. Sacrificing, offering oblations, or self-devotion. 5. Initiation personified as the wife of Soma or Rudra.  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1872)*
  > दीक्षा (dīkṣā) [Printed book page 0415-c ] Dīkṣā, f. preparation or consecration for a reli- gious ceremony; a ceremony preliminary to a sacrifice, initiation, dedication; receiving the initiatory Mantra; undertaking religious observances for the attainment of a certain object, religious rites for a special purpose; sacrificing, offering oblations, dedicating one's self to a particular object (as to battle) or to a person (as to a god), self-devotion; Initiation personified as the wife of Soma or of Rudra Ugra (one of the eight manifestations of Rudra) or of Rudra Vāma-deva. —Dīkṣā-krama-ratna, am, n. ‘the jewel of the regular order of initiation,’ N. of a work treating of initiation. —Dīkṣā-tattva, am, n. ‘the essence of initiation,’ N. of another work on consecration or initiation. —Dīkṣānta (°ṣā-an°), as, m. ‘the end of a Dīkṣā,’ = ava-bhṛtha, a supplementary sacri- fice made to atone for any defects in a preceding one. —Dīkṣā-pati, is, m., Ved. ‘the lord of Page0416-a+ 75 consecration,’ i. e. the Soma. —Dīkṣā-pāla, as, m., Ved. ‘guardian of initiation,’ epithet of Agni and Viṣṇu. —Dīkṣā-phala, am, n. ‘the fruit of initiation,’ N. of a chapter of the Purāṇa-sarva-sva. —Dīkṣā-maya, as, ī, am, consisting in initiation. [ ID=22422 ]

### Personification as a Deity (2 definitions)
- wife of Ugra  
  *The Purana Index*
  > दीक्षा (dīkṣā) [Printed book page 2-094 ] Dīkṣā (I) — wife of Ugra, (Dīkṣita) son Santāna. Br. II. 10. 83; Vā. 27. 55. [ ID=6019 ]
- as the consort of the Brahmana Soma  
  *The Purana Index*
  > [Printed book page 2-095 ] Dīkṣā (III) — as consort of a Brahmana Soma. Vi. I. 8. 8. [ ID=6021 ]

### Self-Devotion and Dedication (2 definitions)
- devotion to a person or god, or exclusive occupation with  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > self-devotion to a person or god, complete resignation or restriction to, exclusive occupation with ( comp.; cf. विरह - (viraha-), शाक - (śāka-), शृङ्गार (śṛṅgāra).). [ ID=92703 ]
- Dedicating oneself to a particular object, or self-devotion.  
  *Apte Practical Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > दीक्षा (dīkṣā) [Printed book page 0567-b ] दीक्षा (dīkṣā) [ दीक्ष् - भावे अ (dīkṣ-bhāve a) ] 5 Dedicating oneself to a particular object, selfdevotion

### General Serious Preparation (1 definition)
- any serious preparation  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > any serious preparation (as for battle), Mahābhārata (Title); Harivaṃśa (Title); Kāvya literature (Literary category) [ ID=92702 ]

### Specific Types and Doctrines of Dīkṣā (1 definition)
- 1. Shambhavi initiation is knowledge gained instantly through the Guru's look, speech, or touch. 2. Manasi initiation is secret initiation granted by a pleased Guru based on conduct. 3. Kriya initiation involves a purificatory bath, recitation of sacred hymns, offerings, and meditation.  
  *The Purana Index*
  > Dīkṣā (II) — in connection with Lalitā's worship; Śām- bhavī Dīkṣā is the knowledge that comes at once by the Guru's look, speech or touch; Mānasi Dīkṣā where the disciple is initiated by the Guru in secret being pleased with his conduct; first was Kriyā Dīkṣā which consists of purificatory bath and recital of Devīsūkta and Puruṣasūkta with 16 upacāras; offering of the Puṣpāñjali with sahasrākṣara vidya; samādhi; the poor and disabled worship with bhāvanadravyas (i.e.) meditation in mind as if doing all of them; place of meditation or japasthāna; thinking of Bhaitrarī, then the Śa- Ṣa-Sa group of 42 letters, Pañcākṣara, Caturakṣara, etc.; con- template on Varamūrtis and then Svaraśaktis and Varṇa- śaktis; installation of Cakreśvarī and of Ananga Kusuma- devī in the heart seeing the Mudrā; meditation of Manuja- pam pleases Devī. Br. IV. 43 (whole) and 44, 1 to 151. [ ID=6020 ]

## 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; 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.

The Sanskrit Lexicon app for iPhone, iPad and Mac: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/sanskrit-lexicon-dictionary/id6746787546