# ज्ञान (jñāna)

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

ज्ञान (jñāna) is a Sanskrit word meaning knowledge or becoming acquainted with, knowledge about anything, cognizance, conscience, engaging in, an epithet of a Shakti, an organ of intelligence or sense. Its 17 recorded definitions are grouped into 8 contexts, among them General Knowledge & Understanding, Spiritual/Philosophical/Higher Knowledge, Consciousness, Cognizance, Awareness.

- **Root:** ज्ञा (jñā)
- **Etymology:** E. ज्ञा to know, aff. भावे ल्युट् — E. jñā to know, aff. bhāve lyuṭ
- **SLP1:** `jYAna`  **IAST:** jñāna  **Devanagari:** ज्ञान
- **Wikipedia:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/J%C3%B1%C4%81na
- **Declensions:** 48 forms — https://sanskritlexicon.com/word/jnana/declensions.md
- **Other headwords romanised the same way:** ज्ञाना (jñānā)

## Meanings by context

### General Knowledge & Understanding (4 definitions)
- Knowledge in general  
  *Yates Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > ज्ञान (jñāna) [Printed book page 312-a ] ज्ञान (jñāna) ( नं ) ((naṃ)) 1. n. Knowledge in general. [ ID=16000 ]
- 1. Knowledge or understanding. 2. Sacred knowledge leading to spiritual liberation. 3. Consciousness. 4. A sense or organ of intelligence. 5. Learning.  
  *Vaidya Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > ज्ञान (jñāna) [Printed book page 294-05 ] ज्ञान (jñāna) n. 1. Knowing, understanding, knowledge, ज्ञान (jñāna) े मौनं क्षमा शक्तौ (jñāne maunaṃ kṣamā śaktau) R. i.22, M. vii.211; 2. sacred knowledge derived from meditation which enables man to understand his own nature and to see the way to be reunited to the supreme spirit (as op. to कर्मन् (karman) ), Bg. iii.3; 3. cognizance, consciousness; 4. the organ of intelligence, sense; 5. learning. [ ID=14842 ]
- 1. Knowledge in general. 2. Religious and philosophical knowledge leading to spiritual emancipation. 3. Cognizance or consciousness. 4. An organ of sense. 5. Learning.  
  *Shabda-Sagara Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > ज्ञा (jñā) न (jñāna) [Printed book page 294-a ] ज्ञा (jñā) न (jñāna) n. ( - नं (-naṃ) ) 1. Knowledge in general. 2. Knowledge of a specific and religious kind, that which is derived from meditation, and the study of philosophy, which teaches man the divine nature and origin of his immaterial part, with the unreality of corporal enjoyments or worldly forms, and which, separating him during life from terrestrial objects, secures him, after death, a final emancipation from existence, and reunion with the universal spirit. 3. Cognizance, consciousness. 4. The organ of intelligence, sense. 5. Learning. E. ज्ञा (jñā) to know, aff. भावे ल्युट् (bhāve lyuṭ). [ ID=16504 ]
- 1. Knowing, understanding, or becoming acquainted with knowledge. 2. Sacred or religious knowledge derived from meditation on higher truths, teaching man his own nature and reunion with the supreme spirit. 3. Cognizance, consciousness, or conscience. 4. An organ of intelligence or sense.  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1872)*
  > ज्ञान (jñāna) [Printed book page 0352-a ] Jñāna, am, n. knowing, understanding, becoming acquainted with, knowledge; sacred or religious knowledge, especially that which is derived from meditation on the higher truths of religion and philosophy and which teaches man his own nature and how he may be reunited to the supreme spirit; knowledge about anything, cognizance, consciousness (e. g. tasya jñānāt, with his knowledge; a-jñānāt tasya, without his knowledge or cognizance; jñā- nād a-jñānād vā, knowingly or ignorantly; vigata- jñāna, one who has lost consciousness); conscience; organ of intelligence, sense. —Jñāna-kanda, as, m., N. of a pupil of Śaṅkarācārya. —Jñāna-kāṇḍa, as, am, m. n. that inner or esoteric portion of the Veda which relates to true spiritual knowledge or the knowledge of the supreme spirit as distinguished from the knowledge of ceremonies; [cf. karma- kāṇḍa. ] —Jñāna-kīrtti, is, m., N. of a Buddhist preceptor. —Jñāna-ketu, us, m. a mark of intelli- gence; ( us, us, u ), furnished with marks of in- telligence. —Jñānaketu-dhvaja, as, m., N. of a divine being. —Jñāna-khaṇḍa, title of a part of the Śiva-Purāṇa. —Jñāna-gamya, as, ā, am, attainable by the understanding. —Jñāna-garbha, as, m. ‘filled with knowledge,’ N. of a scholar; also of a Bodhi- sattva. —Jñāna-cakṣus, us, n. the eye of intelligence, inner eye, mind's eye, intellectual vision. —Jñāna- tattva, am, n. true knowledge, knowledge of God. —Jñāna-tapas, as, n. penance consisting in the cul- tivation of true knowledge. —Jñāna-tas, ind. know- ingly, intuitively, designedly; jñānato'jñānato vā, knowingly or unknowingly. —Jñāna-da, as, m. an imparter of knowledge. —Jñāna-datta, as, m. ‘given by knowledge,’ N. of a scholar. —Jñāna-darpaṇa, Page0352-b+ 81 as, m. ‘mirror of true knowledge,’ a N. of Mañju- śrī. —Jñāna-dīpa, as, m. the lamp of knowledge, knowledge. —Jñāna-durbala, as, ā, am, de- ficient in knowledge, ignorant. —Jñāna-niścaya, as, m. soundness of knowledge, certainty, ascertain- ment. —Jñāna-niṣṭha, as, ā, am, engaged in cultivating true knowledge. —Jñānapata, as, ī, am, an adj. derived from the next. —Jñāna-pati, is, m. the lord of knowledge. —Jñāna-para, as, ā, am, versed in spiritual wisdom. —Jñāna-pāvana, as, ā, am, purifying knowledge, refining the understanding; ( am ), n., N. of a Tīrtha. —Jñāna-pūrva, as, ā, am, preceded by knowledge or wisdom. —Jñāna-pra- kāśa, as, m. title of a poem by Jagajjīvana-dāsa. —Jñāna-pradīpa, as, m. title of the second book of the Yoga-sāra-saṅgraha. —Jñāna-prabha, as, m., N. of a man; also of a Bodhi-sattva. —Jñāna-pra- vāda, am, n. title of one of the fourteen Pūrvas or older writings of the Jainas. —Jñāna-prasthāna, am, n. ‘system or method of knowledge,’ title of a Buddhist work. —Jñāna-bodhinī, f. ‘awakening knowledge,’ title of a philosophical treatise composed by Śaṅkara. —Jñāna-bhāskara, as, m. ‘sun of knowledge,’ title of a medical compilation. —Jñāna- maṇḍapa, as, am, m. n. ‘temple of knowledge,’ N. of a temple. —Jñāna-maya, as, ī, am, consisting of knowledge, containing knowledge. —Jñāna- muktāvalī, f. ‘necklace of knowledge,’ title of an astronomical work. —Jñāna-mudra, as, ā, am, having the impress of wisdom, wise. —Jñāna-mūla, as, ā, am, founded on spiritual knowledge. —Jñāna- meru, us, m., N. of a man. —Jñāna-ratnāvalī, f. title of a book. —Jñāna-rāja, as, m. ‘king of know- ledge,’ N. of the author of the Siddhānta-sundara. —Jñānarṣi-bhāskarācārya (°na-ṛṣ°, °ra-āc°), as, m., N. of an author. —Jñāna-lakṣaṇa, am, ā, n. f. indication, sign, means of knowing or inferring; (in logic) sign or proof or characteristic of knowledge; subsequent derived from antecedent knowledge. —Jñāna-vajra, as, m., N. of a Buddhist author. —Jñāna-vat, ān, atī, at, endowed with knowledge or science, knowing, familiar with, intelligent, wise, learned, having spiritual knowledge; ( ān ), m., N. of a Bodhi-sattva. —Jñāna-varman, ā, m., N. of a poet. —Jñāna-vāpī, f. ‘pool of divine knowledge,’ N. of a Tīrtha. —Jñāna-vijñāna, am, n. sacred and miscellaneous knowledge; the Vedas with the sup- plementary branches of knowledge, medicine, arms, &c. —Jñāna-vibhūti-garbha, as, m. ‘filled with superhuman knowledge,’ N. of a Bodhi-sattva. —Jñāna-vilāsa-kāvya, am, n. title of a poem. —Jñāna-śakti, is, f. capacity of knowing. —Jñā- na-śāstra, am, n. ‘the science of knowing the future,’ a manual of fortune-telling. —Jñāna- śreṣṭha, as, ā, am, pre-eminent in wisdom. —Jñā- na-hastika, as, m., N. of a man. —Jñānākara (°na-āk°), as, m. ‘mine of knowledge,’ N. of a son of Buddha Mahābhijñājñānābhibhū; N. of a Buddha. —Jñānātman (°na-āt°), ā, ā, a, all-wise. —Jñānānanda (°na-ān°), as, m. ‘joy of know- ledge,’ N. of an author. —Jñānānutpāda (°na-an°), as, m. non-production of knowledge, folly, ignorance. —Jñānāmṛta (°na-am°), am, n. ‘nectar of knowledge,’ title of a grammar. —Jñānārṇava (°na- ar°), as, m. ‘ocean of knowledge,’ title of a manual of medicine composed by Yama-rāja; title of a prayer-book. —Jñānāvaraṇīya (°na-āv°), as, ā, am, to be covered or obstructed by knowledge, (an act which is considered) to be impeded by knowledge; also written jñānavaraṇīya. —Jñānāvalokālaṅkā- ra (°na-avaloka-al°), as, m. title of a Buddhist work. —Jñānāvasthita (°na-av°), as, ā, am, engaged in cultivating wisdom. —Jñānendra-sarasvatī (°na- in°), m., N. of a scholiast on the Siddhānta-kaumudī. —Jñānendriya (°na-in°), am, n. an organ of per- ception or sensation, of which there are five, viz. the skin, tongue, eye, ear, and nose; see indriya. —Jñānoda-tīrtha (°na-ud°), am, n., N. of a Tīrtha; ‘the Tīrtha of the waters of knowledge.’ —Jñānolkā (°na-ul°), f. ‘the meteor of know- ledge,’ N. of a Samādhi. [ ID=19926 ]

### Spiritual/Philosophical/Higher Knowledge (4 definitions)
- 1. Knowledge or becoming acquainted with. 2. Higher knowledge derived from meditation on the Universal Spirit.  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > (H2) [Printed book page 426,1] ज्ञान (jñāna) n. knowing, becoming acquainted with, knowledge, ( esp. ) the higher knowledge (derived from meditation on the one Universal Spirit), Śāṅkhāyana-śrauta-sūtra (Title) xiii; Gobhila-śrāddha-kalpa (Title); Manu-smṛti (Title) &c. [ ID=80379 ]
- 1. General knowledge. 2. Higher spiritual knowledge derived from meditation and philosophy that leads to final emancipation and reunion with the universal spirit.  
  *Wilson Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > ज्ञा (jñā) न (jñāna) [Printed book page 355 ] ज्ञा (jñā) न (jñāna) n. ( - नं (-naṃ) ) 1 Knowledge in general. 2 Knowledge of a specific and religious kind, that which is derived from meditation, and the study of philosophy, which teaches man the divine nature and origin of his immaterial part, with the unreality of corporal enjoyments or worldly forms, and which, separating him during life from terrestrial objects, secures him, after death, a final emancipation from existence, and reunion with the universal spirit. E. ज्ञा (jñā) to know, aff. ल्युट् (lyuṭ). [ ID=16532 ]
- 1. Knowledge, understanding, or wisdom. 2. Conscience or a sense organ.  
  *Cappeller Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > ज्ञान (jñāna) [Printed book page 189 ] ज्ञान (jñāna) n. knowing, understanding, knowledge, Page190 esp. higher knowledge, science, wisdom; conscience, organ of intelligence or sense. Abstr. ° त्व (°tva) n. [ ID=11541 ]
- 1. Knowledge or wisdom. 2. Knowledge of the higher truths of religion and philosophy.  
  *Lanman's Sanskrit Reader Vocabulary*
  > ज्ञान (jñāna) [Printed book page 160-a ] jñāna, n. knowledge; wisdom; esp. knowledge of the higher truths of religion and philosophy. [ √jñā, 1150. ] [ ID=1645 ]

### Consciousness, Cognizance, Awareness (2 definitions)
- knowledge about anything, cognizance  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > ‘knowledge about anything, cognizance’, see - तस् (-tas) & अ - (a-) ( ज्ञानाद् अ - (a-) ज्ञानाद् वा (jñānād a-jñānād vā), knowingly or ignorantly, xi, 233 ) [ ID=80380 ]
- conscience  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > conscience, Mahābhārata (Title) [ ID=80381 ]

### Intention or Assumption (2 definitions)
- 1. Knowledge or wisdom. 2. True or superior knowledge. 3. Intention. 4. Assumption. 5. Consciousness. 6. Sense organ.  
  *Macdonell Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > ज्ञान (jñāna) [Printed book page 103-1 ] ज्ञान (jñāna) jñā-na, n. knowledge; true or superior knowledge ( sts. pl. ); wisdom; intention; assumption; consciousness; organ of sense: -kāṇḍa, n. the part of revelation treating of the higher knowledge; -cakṣus, n. eye of knowledge; a. seeing with the eye of knowledge; -da, m. imparter of knowledge; -pūrva, a. preceded by knowledge, i. e. well-considered; -maya, a. ( ī ) consisting in or containing knowledge; -mārga, m. path of knowledge; -yoga, m. the theoretical Yoga; -vat, a. knowing; learned; possessed of superior knowledge; -śakti-mat, a. having the faculty of knowing; -siddhi, m. N.. [ ID=8149 ]
- 1. Knowledge. 2. Superior knowledge. 3. Consciousness. 4. Intention.  
  *Benfey Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > ज्ञान (jñāna) [Printed book page 0340-b ] ज्ञान (jñāna) jñāna, i. e. jñā + ana, n. 1. Knowledge, Man. 2, 13. 2. Superior knowledge, Bhag. 3, 3. 3. Conscious- ness, MBh. 1, 5827. 4. Intention, Man. 11, 145. — Comp. A-, I. n. 1. ignorance, Pañc. ii. d. 34. 2. inadvertence, Man. 11, 145. Abl. °nāt, without one's know- ledge, Man. 8, 243. II. adj., f. nā, igno- rant. Ātmajnāna, i. e. ātman-, n. the knowledge of the universal soul, Man. 12, 85. Dus-, adj. difficult to be known, MBh. 12, 4026. [ ID=5506 ]

### Proper Noun (e.g., Name of a Śakti) (2 definitions)
- an epithet of a Shakti  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > N. of a Śakti, Rasikaramaṇa (Title) xiv, 36; Rāmatāpanīya-upaniṣad (Title) i, 90, Sch. [ ID=80384 ]
- knowledge  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > (H2B) [Printed book page 426,1] ज्ञाना (jñānā) f. id., Pañcarātra (Title) iii, 2, 30; Rāmapūjāsaraṇi (Title) [ ID=80385 ]

### Organ of Intelligence/Sense (1 definition)
- See nendriya for the definition.  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > = ° ने (°ne) न्द्रिय (ndriya), Kaṭha-upaniṣad (Title) vi, 10 [ ID=80382 ]

### Path/System Component (e.g., Jñāna Yoga) (1 definition)
- yoga for the ascetic and detached  
  *The Purana Index*
  > ज्ञान (jñāna) [Printed book page 1-659 ] Jñāna yoga — for the ascetic and the detached. A true jñāni forgets himself; 1 resultant of Karma Yoga. 2 [ Footnote: 1) Bhā. XI. 20. 6-7; 28. 9 and 31.] [ Footnote: 2) M. 52. 5-11.] [ ID=5252 ]

### Technical Usage (Engaging in) (1 definition)
- engaging in  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > engaging in ( gen., e.g. सर्पिषस् (sarpiṣas), ‘in sacrifice with clarified butter’), Pāṇini (Author) ii, 2, 10, Vārtt., Patañjali (Author) [ ID=80383 ]

## Sources

Definitions from Benfey Sanskrit-English Dictionary; Cappeller Sanskrit-English Dictionary; Lanman's Sanskrit Reader Vocabulary; 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