# क्षमा (kṣamā)

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

क्षमा (kṣamā) is a Sanskrit word meaning patient, enduring, suffering, bearing, or submissive, able, competent, or fit for, favourable to, bearable, fit, appropriate, suitable, proper. Its 42 recorded definitions are grouped into 9 contexts, among them Deities, Mythological & Named Figures, Adjectival Qualities (patient, able, fit, etc.), Patience, Forbearance, Forgiveness (Noun).

- **Roots:** कृ (kṛ), 1. क्षम् (1. kṣam)
- **SLP1:** `kzamA`  **IAST:** kṣamā  **Devanagari:** क्षमा
- **Wikipedia:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kshama
- **Declensions:** 48 forms — https://sanskritlexicon.com/word/kshama/declensions.md
- **Other headwords romanised the same way:** क्षामा (kṣāmā), क्षाम (kṣāma), क्षम (kṣama)

## Meanings by context

### Deities, Mythological & Named Figures (10 definitions)
- an epithet of Shiva  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > क्षम (kṣama) ( अस् (as) ), m. ‘the patient’, N. of Śiva [ ID=59047 ]
- Patience personified as a daughter of Daksha and wife of Pulaha.  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > ‘Patience’ (personified as a daughter of Dakṣa and wife of Pulaha, VP. ), Harivaṃśa (Title) 14035; Prab. [ ID=59051 ]
- an epithet of Durga  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > N. of Durgā, DevīP. [ ID=59056 ]
- an epithet of a female shepherd  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > N. of a female shepherd, BrahmaP. [ ID=59059 ]
- of a Shakta authoress of Mantras  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > of a Śākta authoress of Mantras [ ID=59060 ]
- an epithet of Durga  
  *Apte Practical Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > क्षमा (kṣamā) [Printed book page 0435-b ] क्षमा (kṣamā) [ क्षम् - अङ् (kṣam-aṅ) ] 3 An epithet of Durgā
- a Brahmarakshasi  
  *The Purana Index*
  > क्षमा (kṣamā) [Printed book page 1-488 ] Kṣamā (I) — a Brahmarākṣasī. Br. III. 7. 99. [ ID=3841 ]
- a shakti  
  *The Purana Index*
  > Kṣamā (II) — a Śakti. Br. IV. 44. 91. [ ID=3842 ]
- a daughter of Daksha and wife of Pulaha Prajapati  
  *The Purana Index*
  > Kṣamā (III) — a daughter of Dakṣa; wife of Pulaha Prajāpati; 1 mother of sons Kardama, U(A)rvarīvān, Sahiṣṇu, Kanakapīṭha and daughter Pīvari. 2 [ Footnote: 1) Vā. 10. 28, 31; 28. 25; Vi. I. 7. 25.] [ Footnote: 2) Br. II. 9. 52; 11. 30.] [ ID=3843 ]
- the wife of Kratu  
  *The Purana Index*
  > Kṣamā (IV) — the wife of Kratu. Vi. I. 7. 7. [ ID=3844 ]

### Adjectival Qualities (patient, able, fit, etc.) (8 definitions)
- patient  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > (H2) [Printed book page 326,2] क्षम (kṣama) mf( आ (ā) )n. ( g. पचा (pacā) दि (di) ) patient (said of the earth, perhaps with reference to 2. क्षम (kṣama) ् (kṣam) ), Atharva-veda (Title) xii, 1, 29 [ ID=59041 ]
- enduring, suffering, bearing, or submissive  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > ifc. ( Pāṇini (Author) iii, 2, 1, Vārtt. 8) enduring, suffering, bearing, submissive, resisting, MBh.; Śak.; Kumāra-sambhava (Title) v, 40 [ ID=59042 ]
- Able, competent, or fit for.  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > adequate, competent, able, fit for ( loc. or inf. or in comp., e.g. वयं त्यक्तुं क्षमाः (vayaṃ tyaktuṃ kṣamāḥ), ‘we are able to quit’, Śāntiś. ), Nal.; R.; Ragh. &c. [ ID=59043 ]
- favourable to  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > favourable to ( gen. ), Rāmāyaṇa (Title) ii, 35, 31 [ ID=59044 ]
- bearable  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > bearable, tolerable, Śak.; Pañcat. (= Subh. ) [ ID=59045 ]
- fit, appropriate, suitable, proper  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > fit, appropriate, becoming, suitable, proper for ( gen. dat., loc. inf. or in comp. ), MBh. ( e.g. क्षमं कौरवाणाम् (kṣamaṃ kauravāṇām), ‘proper for the Kauravas’, iii, 252 ), R. ( e.g. न स क्षमः कोपयितुम् (na sa kṣamaḥ kopayitum), ‘he is not a fit object, for anger’, iv, 32, 20 ) &c. [ ID=59046 ]
- propriety, fitness  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > (H2B) [Printed book page 326,3] क्षम (kṣama) ( अम् (am) ), n. propriety fitness, W. [ ID=59062.1 ]
- 1. Patient and enduring. 2. Competent and able. 3. Friendly and favorable. 4. Tolerable. 5. Appropriate and suitable. 6. Fit.  
  *Vaidya Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > क्षम (kṣama) ा (kṣamā) [Printed book page 219-10 ] क्षम (kṣama) a. (f. मा (mā) ) 1. Patient, enduring, submissive; 2. adequate, competent, able, (with loc. or inf.), e.g. मलिनो हि यथादर्शो रूपालोकस्य न क्षम (kṣama) ः (malino hi yathādarśo rūpālokasya na kṣamaḥ) Yaj. iii.141, हृदयं न त्ववलंबितुं क्षम (kṣama) ा (kṣamā) ः (hṛdayaṃ na tvavalaṃbituṃ kṣamāḥ) R. viii.59, xi.6, K.S. iii.16; 3. friendly, favourable; 4. bearble, tolerable; 5. appropriate, suitable, आत्मकर्मक्षम (kṣama) ं देहं क्षात्रो धर्म इवाश्रितः (ātmakarmakṣamaṃ dehaṃ kṣātro dharma ivāśritaḥ) R. i.13; 6. fit for, इदं वपुस्तपःक्षम (kṣama) ं साधयितुं य इच्छति (idaṃ vapustapaḥkṣamaṃ sādhayituṃ ya icchati) Sak. i. [ ID=10841.1 ]

### Patience, Forbearance, Forgiveness (Noun) (7 definitions)
- patience, forbearance, and indulgence  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > (H2B) [Printed book page 326,2] क्षमा (kṣamā) a ( आ (ā) ), f. patience, forbearance, indulgence (one of the सामान्य - धर्मास् (sāmānya-dharmās) i.e. an obligation to all castes, Viṣṇ. ), Mn.; MBh. &c. [ ID=59049 ]
- to be indulgent to or bear with  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > क्षमां (kṣamāṃ ) √ कृ (√kṛ), to be indulgent to, have patience or bear with ( प्रति (prati), Mahābhārata (Title) iii, 1027; or gen., Śāntiś. ) [ ID=59050 ]
- tameness  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > [Printed book page 326,3] tameness (as of an antelope), Rāmāyaṇa (Title) iii, 49, 25 [ ID=59052 ]
- 1. Patience. 2. Forbearance. 3. Forgiveness.  
  *Apte Practical Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > क्षमा (kṣamā) [Printed book page 0435-b ] क्षमा (kṣamā) [ क्षम् - अङ् (kṣam-aṅ) ] 1 Patience, forbearance, forgiveness; क्षमा (kṣamā) शत्रौ च (kṣamā śatrau ca) मित्रे च यतीनामेव भूषणं (mitre ca yatīnāmeva bhūṣaṇaṃ) Hitopadeśa (Nirṇaya Sāgara Edition) 2; Raghuvaṃśa (Bombay) 1. 22; 18. 9; तेजः क्षमा (kṣamā) वा नैकांतं कालज्ञस्य (tejaḥ kṣamā vā naikāṃtaṃ kālajñasya) महीपतेः (mahīpateḥ) Śiśupālavadha 2. 83
- 1. Patience, forbearance, indulgence, or tameness. 2. Earth.  
  *Macdonell Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > क्षमा (kṣamā) [Printed book page 077-3 ] क्षमा (kṣamā) kṣam-ā, f. patience, forbearance, indulgence Page78-1 (towards, lc. or prati); tameness; earth: -pati, m. king; -bhṛt, m. mountain; king; -maṇḍada, n. orbis terrarum, whole earth; -liṅga‿ātma-piḍā-vat, a. in which proof of forbearance and loss on oneʼs own part is adduced ( leg. ); -vat, -śila, a. patient, indulgent, forbearing; compassionate. [ ID=6538 ]
- 1. Patience, forbearance, or forgiveness. 2. The earth. 3. An epithet of Durga.  
  *Vaidya Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > [Printed book page 219-11 ] क्षमा (kṣamā) f. 1. Patience, forbearance, forgiveness, तेजाः क्षमा (kṣamā) वा नैकांतं कालज्ञस्य महीपतेः (tejāḥ kṣamā vā naikāṃtaṃ kālajñasya mahīpateḥ) Sis. ii.83, R. i.22, xviii.9, Sant.S. iii.9; 2. the earth; 3. an epithet of Durgā. [ ID=10842 ]
- patience, long-suffering  
  *Lanman's Sanskrit Reader Vocabulary*
  > क्षमा (kṣamā) [Printed book page 146-b ] kṣamā, f. patience; long-suffering. [do.] [ ID=1272 ]

### Etymological & Grammatical Notes (4 definitions)
- strong, mighty, powerful, brave  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > क्षम (kṣama) [ cf. Hib. cam, ‘strong, mighty; power’; cama, ‘brave’.] [ ID=59062.55 ]
- Compare with the Greek words chamaze and chamathen.  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > [ cf. Gk. χαμᾶ-ζε, χαμά-θεν.] [ ID=59068.1 ]
- feminine  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > (H2) [Printed book page 326,3] 2. क्षमा (kṣamā) ( f. of ° म (°ma), q.v. ) [ ID=59070 ]
- See ksham  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > (H1) [Printed book page 327,1] क्षमा (kṣamā) b &c. See √ 1. क्षम् (kṣam). [ ID=59131 ]

### Miscellaneous & Technical Meanings (4 definitions)
- resistance  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > resistance, Pāṇini (Author) i, 3, 33, Sch. [ ID=59053 ]
- the number one  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > (hence) the number ‘one’ [ ID=59055 ]
- a species of the Atijagati metre  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > N. of a species of the Atijagatī metre [ ID=59058 ]
- night  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > for क्षपा (kṣapā) (night), L. [ ID=59062 ]

### The Earth (Noun or Adverbial) (4 definitions)
- the earth  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > (= 2. क्षम् (kṣam) ) the earth, VarBṛS.; Pañcat. &c. [ ID=59054 ]
- on the earth or on the floor  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > (H2) [Printed book page 326,3] 1. क्षमा (kṣamā) ( instr. of 2. क्षम् (kṣam), q.v. ), ind. on the earth, on the floor g. स्वर् - आदि (svar-ādi) [ ID=59068 ]
- The earth  
  *Apte Practical Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > क्षमा (kṣamā) [Printed book page 0435-b ] क्षमा (kṣamā) [ क्षम् - अङ् (kṣam-aṅ) ] 2 The earth
- on the earth, on the floor  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1872)*
  > क्षमा (kṣamā) [Printed book page 0265-c ] Kṣamā (inst. case of 2. kṣam ), on the earth, on the floor (included by Pāṇini among the indeclinables with svar, divā, &c.); [cf. Gr. χαμαί, χαμᾶ-ζε, χαμά-θεν, χθαμαλός.] —Kṣamā-cara, as, ā, am, Ved. being in the ground or under the earth. [ ID=16386 ]

### Flora and Fauna Names (2 definitions)
- a kind of sparrow  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > a kind of sparrow, L. [ ID=59048 ]
- the Khadira tree  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > the Khadira tree ( Acacia Catechu ), L. [ ID=59057 ]

### Geographical Feature: A River (2 definitions)
- of the Vetravati river  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > of a river (= वेत्रवती (vetravatī) ), Gal. [ ID=59061 ]
- a river from the Rishyavat hills  
  *The Purana Index*
  > Kṣamā (V) — a R. from the Ṛsyavat hills. M. 114. 25. [ ID=3845 ]

### Earth-Related Compounds & Derivatives (1 definition)
- the planet Mars  
  *Apte Practical Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > — जः (jaḥ) the planet Mars

## Sources

Definitions from Apte Practical Sanskrit-English Dictionary; Lanman's Sanskrit Reader Vocabulary; Macdonell Sanskrit-English Dictionary; Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1872); Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899); The Purana Index; Vaidya 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