# साधक (sādhaka)

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

साधक (sādhaka) is a Sanskrit word meaning effective, accomplishing, or perfecting, energizing, useful or advantageous, magical, conclusive, an assistant. Its 28 recorded definitions are grouped into 11 contexts, among them Quality of Accomplishing, Being Effective or Skilful, Adept, Skilful or Efficient Person, Assisting, Helping, Useful.

- **Etymology:** E. साघ to finish, ण्वुल् aff — E. sāgha to finish, ṇvul aff
- **SLP1:** `sADaka`  **IAST:** sādhaka  **Devanagari:** साधक
- **Declensions:** 48 forms — https://sanskritlexicon.com/word/sadhaka/declensions.md

## Meanings by context

### Quality of Accomplishing, Being Effective or Skilful (12 definitions)
- effective, accomplishing, or perfecting  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > (H2) [Printed book page 1201,1] साधक (sādhaka) mf( इका (ikā) )n. effective, efficient, productive of ( gen. or comp. ), accomplishing, fulfilling, completing, perfecting, finishing, MBh.; Kāv. &c. [ ID=241503 ]
- Accomplishing, fulfilling  
  *Apte Practical Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > साधक (sādhaka) [Printed book page 1114-c ] साधक (sādhaka) a. [ साध् - ण्वुल्, सिध् - णिच् ण्वुल् (sādh-ṇvul, sidh-ṇic ṇvul) साधादेशः वा (sādhādeśaḥ vā) Tv. ] ( धका (dhakā) or धिका (dhikā) f. ) 1 Accomplishing, fulfilling, effecting, completing
- Efficient  
  *Apte Practical Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > साधक (sādhaka) [Printed book page 1114-c ] साधक (sādhaka) a. [ साध् - ण्वुल्, सिध् - णिच् ण्वुल् (sādh-ṇvul, sidh-ṇic ṇvul) साधादेशः वा (sādhādeśaḥ vā) Tv. ] ( धका (dhakā) or धिका (dhikā) f. ) 2 Efficient, effective; Kumārasambhava (Bombay) 3. 12
- Skilful, adept  
  *Apte Practical Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > साधक (sādhaka) [Printed book page 1114-c ] साधक (sādhaka) a. [ साध् - ण्वुल्, सिध् - णिच् ण्वुल् (sādh-ṇvul, sidh-ṇic ṇvul) साधादेशः वा (sādhādeśaḥ vā) Tv. ] ( धका (dhakā) or धिका (dhikā) f. ) 3 Skilful, adept
- 1. Accomplishing or bringing about. 2. Effective or useful. 3. Magical. 4. An assistant. 5. A worshipper. 6. A magician.  
  *Macdonell Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > साधक (sādhaka) [Printed book page 346-1 ] साधक (sādhaka) sādh-aka, a. ( ikā ) accomplishing, bringing about, effecting, productive of ( g., —° ); effective, efficient; adapted to the purpose, useful; magical; proving; m. assistant; worshipper; magician: -tva, n. magic; -varti, f. magical wick. [ ID=19181 ]
- Completing, perfecting, or effecting  
  *Wilson Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > साधक (sādhaka) [Printed book page 916 ] साधक (sādhaka) mfn. ( - कः - का - कं (-kaḥ-kā-kaṃ) ) Completing, perfecting, finishing, who or what effects or completes. E. साघ (sāgha) to finish, ण्वुल् (ṇvul) aff. [ ID=41513 ]
- Completing  
  *Yates Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > साधक (sādhaka) [Printed book page 837-b ] साधक (sādhaka) ( कः - का - कं ) ((kaḥ-kā-kaṃ)) a. Completing. [ ID=41256 ]
- 1. Effecting or accomplishing. 2. Magical. 3. Efficient or skilful. 4. Aiding.  
  *Vaidya Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > साधक (sādhaka) [Printed book page 771-17 ] साधक (sādhaka) a. (f. धका (dhakā) or धिका (dhikā) ) 1. Effecting, accomplishing, fulfilling; 2. effecting by magic, magical; 3. efficient, skilful, adept; 4. aiding, helping. [ ID=40383 ]
- 1. Completing or effecting. 2. Fulfilling. 3. Effecting by magic. 4. Skillful or adept. 5. Aiding or helping.  
  *Shabda-Sagara Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > साधक (sādhaka) [Printed book page 779-b ] साधक (sādhaka) mfn. ( - कः - का - कं (-kaḥ-kā-kaṃ) ) Completing, perfecting, finishing, who or what effects or completes. f. ( - धका (-dhakā) or धिका (dhikā) ) 1. Fulfilling. 2. Effecting by magic. 3. Skilful, adept. 4. Aiding, helping. E. साध् (sādh) to finish, ण्वुल् (ṇvul) aff. [ ID=43618 ]
- 1. Accomplishing. 2. Helping. 3. Magical or an adept. 4. Deep sleep.  
  *Benfey Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > साधक (sādhaka) [Printed book page 1033-a ] साधक (sādhaka) sādh + aka, I. adj., f. dhikā, 1. Accomplishing. 2. Helping, Indr. 5, 56. 3. Magical, Pañc. 241, 2; an adept, Mālat. 74, 6; 9, 7 ( Prākṛ. ). II. f. ikā, Deep sleep (= suṣupti, a vedantic term). — Comp. Uttara-, m. one who ac- complishes what remains, an assistant, Lass. 3, 20. Kārya-, adj., f. dhikā, accomplishing one's aim, Hit. i. d. 34, M.M. [ ID=15993 ]
- 1. Accomplishing, effecting, helping, or useful. 2. An assistant, worshipper, or sorcerer.  
  *Cappeller Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > साधक (sādhaka) [Printed book page 612 ] साधक (sādhaka) f. ° धिका (°dhikā) accomplishing, effecting ( gen. or —°); helping, useful; m. assistant, worshipper, sorcerer. [ ID=36522 ]
- 1. Effective, accomplishing, or fulfilling. 2. Magical or effecting by magic. 3. An efficient person or adept. 4. An assistant or helper.  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1872)*
  > साधक (sādhaka) [Printed book page 1104-c ] Sādhaka, as, akā or ikā, am, effective, accom- plishing, fulfilling, completing, perfecting, finishing; effecting by magic, magical; an efficient or skilful person, adept; aiding, helping, an assistant; ( akā ), f. epithet of Durgā; ( ikā ), f. a skilful or efficient woman; [cf. sādhikā, s. v.] [ ID=51818 ]

### Adept, Skilful or Efficient Person (2 definitions)
- an efficient or skilful person, especially an adept or magician  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > an efficient or skilful person, ( esp. ) an adept, magician, Kathās. [ ID=241509 ]
- a skilful or efficient woman  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > a skilful or efficient woman, MW. [ ID=241513 ]

### Assisting, Helping, Useful (2 definitions)
- useful or advantageous  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > adapted to any purpose, useful, advantageous, MBh.; Pur. [ ID=241505 ]
- Assisting, helping  
  *Apte Practical Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > साधक (sādhaka) [Printed book page 1114-c ] साधक (sādhaka) a. [ साध् - ण्वुल्, सिध् - णिच् ण्वुल् (sādh-ṇvul, sidh-ṇic ṇvul) साधादेशः वा (sādhādeśaḥ vā) Tv. ] ( धका (dhakā) or धिका (dhikā) f. ) 5 Assisting, helping

### Magical, Effecting by Magic (2 definitions)
- magical  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > effecting by magic, magical, Pañcat.; Rājat. [ ID=241506 ]
- Effecting by magic  
  *Apte Practical Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > साधक (sādhaka) [Printed book page 1114-c ] साधक (sādhaka) a. [ साध् - ण्वुल्, सिध् - णिच् ण्वुल् (sādh-ṇvul, sidh-ṇic ṇvul) साधादेशः वा (sādhādeśaḥ vā) Tv. ] ( धका (dhakā) or धिका (dhikā) f. ) 4 Effecting by ( pb ) magic, magical

### Name of Goddess Durgā (2 definitions)
- an epithet of Durga  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > (H2B) [Printed book page 1201,1] साधका (sādhakā) f. N. of Durgā, L. [ ID=241511 ]
- an epithet of Durga  
  *Apte Practical Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > — का (kā) N. of Durgā. [ ID=30038 ]

### Proving, Proof, Argument (2 definitions)
- conclusive  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > demonstrating, conclusive, proving, Sarvad. [ ID=241507 ]
- proof or argument  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > (H2B) [Printed book page 1201,1] साधक (sādhaka) n. ( prob. ) = साधन (sādhana), proof, argument, Kap. [ ID=241514 ]

### Specific Conceptual Meanings (2 definitions)
- energizing  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > energizing (said of the fire supposed to burn within the heart and direct the faculty of volition), Suśr. [ ID=241504 ]
- very deep sleep  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > साधिका (sādhikā) ( ओका (okā) ), f. very deep or profound sleep (= सु - षुप्ति (su-ṣupti) ), L. [ ID=241512 ]

### A Worshipper (1 definition)
- A worshipper  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > a worshipper, Mālatīm. [ ID=241510 ]

### An Assistant (1 definition)
- an assistant  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > साधक (sādhaka) m. an assistant, Kāv. [ ID=241508 ]

### Magician, Yogi, Sorcerer (1 definition)
- A magician, one possessed of supernatural powers, or a yogin  
  *Apte Practical Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > — कः (kaḥ) A magician, one possessed of supernatural powers, a yogin; Mālatīmādhava (Bombay) 5. 1

### Mythological Group of Beings (1 definition)
- a class of divine beings, specifically Daksha and other sons of Brahma, residing above Maharloka  
  *The Purana Index*
  > साधक (sādhaka) [Printed book page 3-580 ] Sādhakas — Dakṣa and other sons of Brahmā live in a place two crores of Yojanas above Maharloka. Vā. 101. 139. [ ID=15755 ]

## 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.

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