# कषाय (kaṣāya)

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

कषाय (kaṣāya) is a Sanskrit word meaning astringent, fragrant, red, dull red, or yellowish red, a yellowish red colour, any healing or medicinal potion, exudation from a tree, juice, gum, resin. Its 53 recorded definitions are grouped into 15 contexts, among them Astringent quality or flavor, Reddish/Brownish Color or Dyed Garment, Passion, Emotion, or Worldly Attachment.

- **Etymology:** E. कष् to injure, आय aff — E. kaṣ to injure, āya aff
- **SLP1:** `kazAya`  **IAST:** kaṣāya  **Devanagari:** कषाय
- **Wikipedia:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kashaya_%28Jainism%29
- **Declensions:** 48 forms — https://sanskritlexicon.com/word/kashaya/declensions.md
- **Other headwords romanised the same way:** काशाय (kāśāya), काशय (kāśaya), काषाय (kāṣāya), कशाय (kaśāya), कषाया (kaṣāyā)

## Meanings by context

### Astringent quality or flavor (13 definitions)
- astringent  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > (H1) [Printed book page 265,3] कषाय (kaṣāya) mfn. astringent, Mahābhārata (Title) xiv, 1280 and 1411; Rāmāyaṇa (Title); Suśruta (Title); Pañcatantra (Title); Bhāgavata-purāṇa (Title) [ ID=46755 ]
- an astringent taste  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > कषाय (kaṣāya) m. n. ( g. अर्धर्चा (ardharcā) दि (di) ) an astringent flavour or taste, Suśruta (Title) [ ID=46758 ]
- Astringent  
  *Apte Practical Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > कषाय (kaṣāya) [Printed book page 0390-b ] कषाय (kaṣāya) a. 1 Astringent; Śakuntalā (Bombay) 2
- Astringent flavour or taste  
  *Apte Practical Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > — यः, - यं (yaḥ, -yaṃ) 1 Astringent flavour or taste (one of the six rasas ): see कटु; यो वक्त्रं (kaṭu; yo vaktraṃ) परिशोषयति जिह्वां स्तंभयति कंठं बध्नाति हृदयं (pariśoṣayati jihvāṃ staṃbhayati kaṃṭhaṃ badhnāti hṛdayaṃ) कषति पीडयति च स कषायः (kaṣati pīḍayati ca sa kaṣāyaḥ) Suśr
- 1. Astringent taste, red or yellowish-red, and fragrant. 2. Red color, passion, astringent juice, decoction, medicinal potion, ointment, dirt, taint, or moral decline. 3. A yellow garment.  
  *Macdonell Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > कषाय (kaṣāya) [Printed book page 065-2 ] कषाय (kaṣāya) kaṣāya, a. astringent ( taste ); fragrant; red, yellowish red; m. red colour; passion; m. n. astringent juice; decoction; medicinal potion; ointment; dirt; taint; deterioration, moral decline; n. yellow garment; -ya, den. P. dirty; molest; i-ta, pp. coloured red; dirtied, stained; penetrated w., full of ( —° ). [ ID=5674 ]
- 1. Astringent. 2. Fragrant. 3. Red or brownish-red. 4. An astringent taste. 5. A decoction or infusion. 6. Plant resin or extract. 7. Plastering or anointing. 8. Colouring or perfuming the body. 9. Attachment to worldly objects. 10. The plant Bignonia Indica. 11. Passion or emotion. 12. A small sort of Hedysarum.  
  *Wilson Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > कष (kaṣa) ाय (kaṣāya) [Printed book page 205 ] कष (kaṣa) ाय (kaṣāya) mfn. ( - यः (-yaḥ)- या (-yā)- यं (-yaḥ-yā-yaṃ) ) 1 Astringent. 2 Fragrant. 3 Red, dull red. 4 Brown, of a colour composed of red and yellow. mn. ( - यः (-yaḥ)- यं (-yaḥ-yaṃ) ) 1 An astringent flavour or taste. 2 A decoction or infusion. 3 Gum, resin, extract, exudation from a tree, &c. 4 Plastering, anointing. 5 Colouring or perfuming the person. 6 Attachment to worldly objects. m. ( - यः (-yaḥ) ) 1 A plant, ( Bignonia Indica.) 2 Passion, emotion. f. ( - या (-yā) ) A plant, a small sort of Hedysarum. E. कष (kaṣa) to injure, आय (āya) aff. [ ID=9690 ]
- 1. An astringent taste, decoction, gum, anointment, attachment, or plant. 2. Astringent, fragrant, dull red, or brown, red and yellow.  
  *Yates Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > कषाय (kaṣāya) [Printed book page 172-b ] कषाय (kaṣāya) ( यः - यं ) ((yaḥ-yaṃ)) 1. m. n. An astringent taste; a decoction; gum; anointing; attachment; a plant. a. Astringent; fragrant; dullred; brown, red and yellow. [ ID=9126 ]
- 1. Astringent. 2. Fragrant. 3. Red or dark red. 4. Brown. 5. Improper or dirty.  
  *Vaidya Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > कषाय (kaṣāya) [Printed book page 177-10 ] कषाय (kaṣāya) (I) a. (f. या (yā) ) 1. Astringent; 2. fragrant, स्फुटितकमलामोदमैत्रीकषाय (kaṣāya) ः (sphuṭitakamalāmodamaitrīkaṣāyaḥ) Megh. i.31; 3. red, dark-red, चूतांकुरास्वादकषाय (kaṣāya) कंठः (cūtāṃkurāsvādakaṣāyakaṃṭhaḥ) K.S. iii.32; 4. brown; 5. improper, dirty. [ ID=8736 ]
- 1. An astringent flavour. 2. The red colour. 3. A medicinal decoction. 4. Gum, resin, or extract. 5. Plastering or anointing. 6. Perfuming the body. 7. Dirt or uncleanliness. 8. Attachment to worldly objects.  
  *Vaidya Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > कषाय (kaṣāya) (II) m.n. 1. Astringent flavour; 2. the red colour; 3. a decoction which has one part of a drug with 8 or 16 parts of water, the whole being boiled down until one quarter is left, M. xi.153; 4. gum, resin, extract; 5. plastering, anointing; 6. perfuming the person, Rt. i.4; 7. dirt, uncleanliness; 8. attachment to worldly objects. [ ID=8737 ]
- 1. Astringent. 2. Fragrant. 3. Red or dull red. 4. Brown. 5. An astringent taste. 6. A decoction or infusion. 7. Tree resin or extract. 8. Plastering or anointing. 9. Colouring or perfuming the body. 10. Attachment to worldly objects. 11. The Bignonia Indica plant. 12. Passion or emotion. 13. A small variety of the Hedysarum plant.  
  *Shabda-Sagara Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > कषाय (kaṣāya) [Printed book page 168-b ] कषाय (kaṣāya) mfn. ( - यः (-yaḥ)- या (-yā)- यं (-yaḥ-yā-yaṃ) ) 1. Astringent. 2. Fragrant. 3. Red, dull red. 4. Brown, of a colour composed of red and yellow. mn. ( - यः (-yaḥ)- यं (-yaḥ-yaṃ) ) 1. An astringent flavour or taste. 2. A decoction or infusion. 3. Gum, resin, extract, exudation from a tree, &c. 4. Plastering, anointing. 5. Colouring or perfuming the person. 6. Attachment to worldly objects. m. ( - यः (-yaḥ) ) 1. A plant, (Bignonia Indica.) 2. Passion, emotion. f. ( - या (-yā) ) A plant, a small sort of Hedysarum. E. कष् (kaṣ) to injure, आय (āya) aff. [ ID=9685 ]
- 1. Astringent in taste. 2. Fragrant. 3. Red or a reddish-yellow color. 4. An astringent juice. 5. A decoction. 6. An ointment. 7. Dirt or impurity. 8. Stupor.  
  *Benfey Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > कषाय (kaṣāya) [Printed book page 0171-b ] कषाय (kaṣāya) kaṣāya (probably vb. kṛṣ ), I. adj., f. yā. 1. Being of an astringent taste, MBh. 14, 1411. 2. Fragrant, Megh. 32. 3. Red, subst. m. and n., red colour, Yājñ. 1, 272; MBh. 14, 1263; of a colour composed of red and yellow, Mṛcch. 113, 3. II. m. and n. 1. An astringent juice, Man. 11, 153. 2. A decoction, Suśr. 2, 175, 9. 3. Ointment, MBh. 13, 5970. 4. Dirt, Bhāg. P. 2, 6, 45; impurity, 4, 22, 20. 5. Stupor, Vedāntas. in Chr. 218, 1. — Comp. a-niṣkaṣāya, i. e. a-nis-, adj. full of impure passions, MBh. 12, 568. [ ID=3153 ]
- 1. Astringent, sharp, fragrant, red, or dark-red. 2. Red color, passion, emotion, decoction, extract, or ointment. 3. A yellowish-red garment.  
  *Cappeller Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > कषाय (kaṣāya) [Printed book page 114 ] कषाय (kaṣāya) a. astringent, sharp (of taste), fragrant, red, dark-red. m. red colour, passion, emotion; decoct, extract, ointment (also n. ); n. a yellowish-red garment. [ ID=7378 ]
- 1. Astringent, fragrant, red, dark-red, or brown. 2. An astringent taste, the red color, or a decoction or infusion. 3. Ointment, gum, resin, or plant exudation. 4. Plastering, anointing, or perfuming the body. 5. Dirt, dullness, stupidity, decay, or ruin. 6. Attachment to worldly objects, passion, or emotion. 7. The Kali-yuga. 8. The tree Bignonia Indica or Grislea Tomentosa. 9. A teacher.  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1872)*
  > कषाय (kaṣāya) [Printed book page 0215-a ] कषाय (kaṣāya) kaṣāya, as, ā, am (fr. rt. kaṣ? ), astringent; fragrant; red, dark-red; brown, of a colour composed of red and yellow; ( as, am ), m. n. an astringent flavour or taste; the red colour; a de- coction or infusion, that form of a decoction which has one part of a drug combined with four or (according to other authorities) with eight or sixteen Page0215-b+ 75 parts of water, the whole being then boiled down until only one quarter is left; a kind of ointment, gum, resin, extract, exudation from a tree; plaster- ing, anointing; colouring or perfuming the person; dirt, uncleanness, dulness, stupidity; decay, ruin; a mark of decay (of which, according to Buddhists, there are five, viz. āyus-kaṣāya, dṛṣṭi°, kleśa°, sattva°, kalpa° ); attachment to worldly objects; ( as ), m. passion, emotion; the Kali-yuga; the tree Bignonia Indica; N. of a teacher; ( as, ā, am ), m. f. n. the tree Grislea Tomentosa; ( ā ), f., N. of a plant, a small sort of Hedysarum; [cf. kāṣāya and pañca-kaṣāya. ] —Kaṣāya-kṛt, t, m. the tree Symplocos Racemosa, the bark of which is used in dyeing; also rakta-lodhra. —Kaṣāya-citra, as, ā, am, dyed or stained of a dull red colour. —Kaṣā- ya-tā, f. contraction. —Kaṣāya-pāṇa, ās, m. pl. a nickname of the Gāndhāras (‘drinking decoctions’). —Kaṣāya-yāvanāla, as, m. a sort of grain. —Kaṣāya-vāsika, as, m. a kind of poisonous insect. —Kaṣāyānvita (°ya-an°), as, ā, am, as- tringent, harsh, styptic. [ ID=14139 ]

### Reddish/Brownish Color or Dyed Garment (7 definitions)
- red, dull red, or yellowish red  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > red, dull red, yellowish red (as the garment of a Buddhist Bhikṣu), Mahābhārata (Title); Harivaṃśa (Title); Mṛcchakaṭikā (Title); Yājñavalkya (Author) [ ID=46757 ]
- a yellowish red colour  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > a yellowish red colour, Yājñavalkya (Author) i, 272, Kāśikā-vṛtti (Title) on Pāṇini (Author) iv, 2, 1 [ ID=46759 ]
- Redness  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > कषाय (kaṣāya) m. red, redness [ ID=46771 ]
- a dull or yellowish red garment or robe  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > कषाय (kaṣāya) n. a dull or yellowish red garment or robe, Mahābhārata (Title) ii, 675 ( cf. काषाय (kāṣāya), पञ्च - कषाय (kaṣāya) (pañca-kaṣāya); अ - निष्कषाय (kaṣāya) (a-niṣkaṣāya), full of impure passions, Mahābhārata (Title) xii, 568. ) [ ID=46779 ]
- Red or dark-red  
  *Apte Practical Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > कषाय (kaṣāya) [Printed book page 0390-b ] कषाय (kaṣāya) a. 3 Red, dark-red; चूतांकुरास्वादकषाय (kaṣāya) कंठः (cūtāṃkurāsvādakaṣāyakaṃṭhaḥ) Kumārasambhava (Bombay) 3. 32
- Brown  
  *Apte Practical Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > कषाय (kaṣāya) [Printed book page 0390-b ] कषाय (kaṣāya) a. 5 Brown
- The red colour  
  *Apte Practical Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > — यः, - यं (yaḥ, -yaṃ) 2 The red colour

### Passion, Emotion, or Worldly Attachment (5 definitions)
- attachment to worldly objects  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > attachment to worldly objects, Horace H. Wilson, author of first Sanskrit-English dictionary in 1819 (Author) [ ID=46770 ]
- emotion or passion  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > emotion, passion ( राग (rāga), of which the Jainas reckon four kinds, Hemacandra’s Yoga-śāstra (Title) iv, 6 and 77 ) [ ID=46773 ]
- Attachment to worldly objects  
  *Apte Practical Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > — यः, - यं (yaḥ, -yaṃ) 9 Attachment to worldly objects
- Passion, emotion  
  *Apte Practical Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > — यः (yaḥ) 1 Passion, emotion
- 1. Passion or emotion. 2. The Kaliyuga.  
  *Vaidya Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > कषाय (kaṣāya) (III) m. 1. Passion, emotion; 2. the Kaliyuga. [ ID=8738 ]

### Decoction, Potion, or Prepared Liquid (4 definitions)
- an astringent juice or plant extract  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > an astringent juice, extract of juice, Śatapatha-brāhmaṇa (Title); Kātyāyana-śrauta-sūtra (Title); Manu-smṛti (Title) xi, 153 [ ID=46760 ]
- a medicinal decoction or infusion obtained by boiling a drug in water until reduced  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > a decoction or infusion, Suśruta (Title) (the result of boiling down a mixture consisting of one part of a drug and four or, according to some, eight or sixteen parts of water until only one quarter is left, Suśruta (Title) ) [ ID=46761 ]
- any healing or medicinal potion  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > any healing or medicinal potion, Bhāvaprakāśa (Title) [ ID=46762 ]
- A decoction made by boiling a drug in water until one quarter remains  
  *Apte Practical Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > — यः, - यं (yaḥ, -yaṃ) 3 A decoction with one part of a drug mixed with four, eight, or sixteen parts of water (the whole being boiled down until one quarter is left); Manusmṛti 11. 154

### Impurity, Stain, or Taint (4 definitions)
- dirt, filth  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > dirt, filth [ ID=46766 ]
- stain, impurity, or sin cleaving to the soul  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > stain or impurity or sin cleaving to the soul, Chāndogya-upaniṣad (Title); Bhāgavata-purāṇa (Title) [ ID=46767 ]
- Improper, dirty  
  *Apte Practical Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > कषाय (kaṣāya) [Printed book page 0390-b ] कषाय (kaṣāya) a. 6 Improper, dirty
- Dirt or uncleanness.  
  *Apte Practical Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > — यः, - यं (yaḥ, -yaṃ) 7 Dirt, uncleanness

### Ointment or Cosmetic Application (4 definitions)
- ointment, smearing, and anointing  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > ointment, smearing, anointing, Lexicographers, esp. such as Amarasiṃha, Halāyudha, Hemacandra, etc. (Author) [ ID=46764 ]
- colouring, perfuming, or anointing the person with cosmetics  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > colouring or perfuming or anointing the person with cosmetics, Mahābhārata (Title) [ ID=46765 ]
- Plastering or smearing, anointing.  
  *Apte Practical Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > — यः, - यं (yaḥ, -yaṃ) 4 Plastering, smearing; Kumārasambhava (Bombay) 7. 17; anointing
- perfuming the body with unguents  
  *Apte Practical Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > — यः, - यं (yaḥ, -yaṃ) 5 Perfuming the body with unguents; Ṛtusaṃhāra (Bombay) 1. 4

### Specific Plants or Trees (3 definitions)
- the tree Bignonia Indica  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > the tree Bignonia Indica, Rāmāyaṇa (Title) ii, 28, 21 [ ID=46775 ]
- the tree Grislea tomentosa  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > कषाय (kaṣāya) mfn. ( अस् (as), आ (ā), अम् (am) ) the tree Grislea tomentosa, Lexicographers, esp. such as Amarasiṃha, Halāyudha, Hemacandra, etc. (Author) [ ID=46777 ]
- a thorny shrub  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > (H1B) [Printed book page 265,3] कषाया (kaṣāyā) f. a thorny shrub, a species of small Hedysarum, Lexicographers, esp. such as Amarasiṃha, Halāyudha, Hemacandra, etc. (Author) [ ID=46778 ]

### Defect, Decay, or Ruin (2 definitions)
- defect, decay, or degeneracy  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > defect, decay, degeneracy (of which, according to Buddhists, there are five marks, viz. आयुस् - क् (āyus-k) ° (°), दृष्टि - क् (dṛṣṭi-k) ° (°), क्लेश - क् (kleśa-k) ° (°), सत्त्व - क् (sattva-k) ° (°), कल्प - क् (kalpa-k) ° (°) ) [ ID=46769 ]
- Decay, ruin  
  *Apte Practical Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > — यः, - यं (yaḥ, -yaṃ) 10 Decay, ruin

### Dulness or Stupidity (2 definitions)
- dulness, stupidity  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > dulness, stupidity, Vedāntasāra (Title) [ ID=46768 ]
- Dulness, stupidity  
  *Apte Practical Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > — यः, - यं (yaḥ, -yaṃ) 8 Dulness, stupidity

### Fragrant quality (2 definitions)
- fragrant  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > fragrant, Meghadūta (Title) 31 [ ID=46756 ]
- Fragrant  
  *Apte Practical Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > कषाय (kaṣāya) [Printed book page 0390-b ] कषाय (kaṣāya) a. 2 Fragrant; स्फुटितकमलामोदमैत्रीकषाय (kaṣāya) ः (sphuṭitakamalāmodamaitrīkaṣāyaḥ) Meghadūta (Bombay) 31; Uttararāmacarita 2. 21; Mahāvīracarita (Borooah’s Edition), 5. 41

### Gum, Resin, or Tree Exudation (2 definitions)
- exudation from a tree, juice, gum, resin  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > exudation from a tree, juice, gum, resin, Lexicographers, esp. such as Amarasiṃha, Halāyudha, Hemacandra, etc. (Author) [ ID=46763 ]
- Gum, resin, or exudation from a tree  
  *Apte Practical Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > — यः, - यं (yaḥ, -yaṃ) 6 Gum, resin, extract or exudation from a tree

### The Kali Yuga (2 definitions)
- the Kali-yuga  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > the Kali-yuga, Lexicographers, esp. such as Amarasiṃha, Halāyudha, Hemacandra, etc. (Author) [ ID=46774 ]
- Kali Yuga  
  *Apte Practical Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > — यः (yaḥ) 2 Kali yuga. [ ID=10585 ]

### A Kind of Snake (1 definition)
- a kind of snake  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > a kind of snake, Suśruta (Title) ii, 265, 14 [ ID=46772 ]

### Name of a Teacher (1 definition)
- Name of a teacher  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > N. of a teacher ( v.l. कशाय (kaśāya) ) g. शौनका (śaunakā) दि (di) [ ID=46776 ]

### Sweet-sounding (Figurative) (1 definition)
- Sweet-sounding  
  *Apte Practical Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > कषाय (kaṣāya) [Printed book page 0390-b ] कषाय (kaṣāya) a. 4 (Hence) Sweet-sounding; Mālatīmādhava (Bombay) 7

## 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.

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