# विचार (vicāra)

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

विचार (vicāra) is a Sanskrit word meaning mode of acting or proceeding, change of place, deliberation or investigation, doubt, hesitation, a probable conjecture, dispute or discussion. Its 18 recorded definitions are grouped into 7 contexts, among them Consideration, Investigation, Judgment, Cross-references / Etymological Notes, Doubt, Hesitation, Conjecture.

- **Root:** चर् (car)
- **Etymology:** E. वि before, चर् to go, aff. घञ् । — E. vi before, car to go, aff. ghañ
- **SLP1:** `vicAra`  **IAST:** vicāra  **Devanagari:** विचार
- **Wikipedia:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vichara
- **Declensions:** 48 forms — https://sanskritlexicon.com/word/vichara/declensions.md
- **Other headwords romanised the same way:** विचर (vicara)

## Meanings by context

### Consideration, Investigation, Judgment (9 definitions)
- deliberation or investigation  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > pondering, deliberation, consideration, reflection, examination, investigation, RPrāt.; MBh. &c. [ ID=194716 ]
- 1. Consideration, reflection, or deliberation. 2. Discrimination, investigation, or examination. 3. Hesitation. 4. Procedure.  
  *Macdonell Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > विचार (vicāra) [Printed book page 281-1 ] विचार (vicāra) vi-cāra, m. [√car] procedure ( S., E. ); consideration, reflexion, deliberation; discrimination, investigation, examination; hesitation: -jña, m. one skilled in discrimination, competent judge; -cāraṇa, n. consideration, reflection; investigation, discussion; hesitation: ā, f. distinction; kind; -cāraṇīya, fp. needing careful consideration; -cāra-dṛś, a. employing no spies as eyes and regarding the matter with deliberation; -cāra-mūḍha, pp. deficient in discretion; -cārayitavya, fp. needing careful consideration; -cāra-vat, a. acting with deliberation, circumspect; -cārita, cs. pp. √car; -cārin, a. (ṇ -ī ) having wide ways ( earth; RV.¹ ); wandering about; acting; dissolute; reflecting, considering, examining; -cārya, fp. needing ( long ) reflexion; n. imps. one should reflect or hesitate; -cālana, a. ( ī ) destroying ( —° ). [ ID=16490 ]
- 1. Investigation, consideration, or deliberation. 2. Dispute or discussion.  
  *Wilson Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > वि (vi) चार (vicāra) [Printed book page 762 ] वि (vi) चार (vicāra) m. ( - रः (-raḥ) ) 1 The exercise of judgment or reason on a present object, investigation, consideration, deliberation. 2 Dispute, discussion. E. वि (vi) before चर (cara) to go, aff. घञ् (ghañ). [ ID=34867 ]
- The exercise of judgment or reason, investigation, or discussion.  
  *Yates Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > विचार (vicāra) [Printed book page 683-b ] वि - चार (vi-cāra) ( रः ) ((raḥ)) 1. m. The exercise of judgment or reason; investigation; discussion. [ ID=34460 ]
- 1. Deliberation, investigation, or examination. 2. Judging, discrimination, or reason. 3. Selection. 4. Doubt or hesitation. 5. Prudence.  
  *Vaidya Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > विचार (vicāra) [Printed book page 660-22 ] विचार (vicāra) m. 1. Deliberation, discussion, investigation, examination, न मृणालानि विचार (vicāra) पेशलानि (na mṛṇālāni vicārapeśalāni) Bh.V. ii.2; 2. judging, discrimination, reason, विचार (vicāra) मूढः प्रतिभासि मे त्वम् (vicāramūḍhaḥ pratibhāsi me tvam) R. ii.47, K.S. v.42; 3. selection; 4. doubt, heistation; 5. prudence. [ ID=34770 ]
- 1. Investigation, consideration, or deliberation. 2. Dispute or discussion. 3. Selection. 4. Doubt or hesitation. 5. Prudence.  
  *Shabda-Sagara Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > वि (vi) चार (vicāra) [Printed book page 653-a ] वि (vi) चार (vicāra) m. ( - रः (-raḥ) ) 1. The exercise of judgment or reason on a present object, investigation, consideration, deliberation. 2. Dispute, discussion. 3. Selection. 4. Doubt, hesitation. 5. Prudence. E. वि (vi) before, चर् (car) to go, aff. घञ् । (ghañ.) [ ID=36467 ]
- 1. Consideration, deliberation, or doubt. 2. Discrimination or selection. 3. Discussion. 4. Judging, judgment, or decision. 5. Prudence.  
  *Benfey Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > विचार (vicāra) [Printed book page 0848-b ] विचार (vicāra) vicāra, i. e. vi-car + a, m. 1. Consideration, Hit. ii. d. 42; de- liberation, Pañc. i. d. 417 (doubt). 2. Discrimination, selection, Hit. 104, 7 (read sārāsāravicāraḥ ). 3. Discus- sion. 4. Judging, Hit. ii. d. 72; judgment, Hit. 116, 10; decision. 5. Prudence, Böhtl. Ind. Spr. 2891. — Comp. A-vicāra + m, adv. without long consideration, Daśak. in Chr. 188, 13. Nis-, adj. not reflecting, Rājat. 6, 323. °ram, adv. without long reflec- tion, Rām. 2, 23, 10 Gorr. Su-, m. due consideration. Svapna-, m. interpre- tation of dreams. [ ID=13229 ]
- 1. Deliberation, discussion, consideration, reflection, investigation, or examination. 2. Trial, dispute, or disputation. 3. The exercise of judgment, reasoning, discrimination, selection, or decision. 4. Doubt or hesitation. 5. Prudence.  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1872)*
  > विचार (vicāra) [Printed book page 0913-c ] Vi-cāra, as, m. deliberation, discussion, consider- ation, reflection, investigation, examination, trial, disputation, dispute; the exercise of judgment or reason, discriminating, distinguishing, judging, dis- crimination, judgment, selection, decision, determin- ation; doubt, hesitation; prudence. —Vicāra-kartṛ, tā, m. one who makes investigation, a judge, investi- gator. —Vicāra-cintāmaṇi, N. of a work on gram- mar. —Vicāra-jña, as, ā, am, knowing how to discriminate or judge, able to decide on the merits of a case, a judge. —Vicāra-bhū, ūs, f. a place for discussion, any place for deliberation or judicial in- vestigation, a tribunal; the judgment-seat of Yama (judge of the dead). —Vicāra-mūḍha, as, ā, am, foolish or mistaken in judgment. —Vicāra-śāstra, am, n., N. of a work. —Vicāra-śīla, as, ā, am, disposed to deliberation or reflection, considerate, deliberative, reflective, thoughtful. —Vicāra-sthala, am, n. a place for discussion or investigation, tribunal; a logical disputation. —Vicārārtha-samāgama (°ra- ar°), as, m. assembling for the sake of trial or judg- ment, an assembly for investigation or discussion. [ ID=42435 ]
- the importance of good consultation and its success  
  *The Purana Index*
  > विचार (vicāra) [Printed book page 3-217 ] Vicāra — the importance of good consultation and its success — the words of Viṣanga to Bhaṇḍa. Br. IV. 21. 50-51. [ ID=12736 ]

### Cross-references / Etymological Notes (2 definitions)
- See under vi-car.  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > (H1) [Printed book page 958,3] वि - (vi-) चार (vi-cāra) b &c. See under वि - (vi-) √ चर् (√car). [ ID=194789 ]
- See page 913, column 3  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1872)*
  > [Printed book page 0914-a ] विचार (vicāra) vi-cāra. See p. 913, col. 3. [ ID=42455 ]

### Doubt, Hesitation, Conjecture (2 definitions)
- doubt, hesitation  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > doubt, hesitation, R.; Kathās.; BhP. [ ID=194717 ]
- A probable conjecture  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > a probable conjecture, Sāh. [ ID=194718 ]

### Procedure, Mode of Action (2 definitions)
- mode of acting or proceeding  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > (H2) [Printed book page 958,2] वि - चार (vi-cāra) a m. ( ifc. f( आ (ā) ). ) mode of acting or proceeding, procedure (also = a single or particular case), ŚrS. [ ID=194714 ]
- mode of procedure  
  *Cappeller Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > विचार (vicāra) [Printed book page 491 ] विचार (vicāra) m. proceeding, mode of procedure ( = a single case), also = seq. [ ID=29276 ]

### Change of Place (1 definition)
- change of place  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > change of place, Gobh. [ ID=194715 ]

### Dispute, Contention (1 definition)
- dispute or discussion  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > dispute, discussion, W. [ ID=194719 ]

### Prudence, Sagacity (1 definition)
- prudence  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > prudence, MW. [ ID=194720 ]

## Sources

Definitions from 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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