# विशाखा (viśākhā)

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

विशाखा (viśākhā) is a Sanskrit word meaning branched, forked, branchless, handless, born under the constellation Vishakha, a beggar, a spindle. Its 25 recorded definitions are grouped into 7 contexts, among them Branched/Forked or Lacking Branches, Names of Persons and Other Figures, The Lunar Asterism/Nakshatra Viśākhā.

- **SLP1:** `viSAKA`  **IAST:** viśākhā  **Devanagari:** विशाखा
- **Wikipedia:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vishakha
- **Declensions:** 24 forms — https://sanskritlexicon.com/word/vishakha/declensions.md
- **Other headwords romanised the same way:** विशाख (viśākha), विषखा (viṣakhā)

## Meanings by context

### Branched/Forked or Lacking Branches (5 definitions)
- branched, forked  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > (H3) [Printed book page 952,3] वि (vi) — शाख (—śākha) ( वि (vi)- (vi-); once वि (vi)- (vi-) साख (vi-sākha), Atharva-veda (Title) xix, 7, 3 ), mf( आ (ā) )n. branched, forked, Atharva-veda (Title); TS.; GṛŚrS. [ ID=193577 ]
- branchless  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > branchless, Hariv. [ ID=193577.02 ]
- handless  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > handless, ib. [ ID=193577.04 ]
- a forked stick  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > (H3B) [Printed book page 952,3] वि (vi) — शाखी (—śākhī) ( ई (ī) ), f. a forked stick, ŚrS. [ ID=193577.38 ]
- a fork or ramification  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > वि (vi) — शाख (—śākha) n. a fork, ramification, Gobh. [ ID=193577.40 ]

### Names of Persons and Other Figures (5 definitions)
- of a Devarshi  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > of a Devarṣi, ib. [ ID=193577.24 ]
- name of a Danava  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > of a Dānava, Kathās. [ ID=193577.26 ]
- not available  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > of a Daśa-pūrvin and other persons, Bhadrab.; Rājat. &c. [ ID=193577.28 ]
- Vishakhadatta  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > = विशाख - दत्त (viśākha-datta) below, L. [ ID=193577.30 ]
- The name of a woman  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > N. of a woman, Buddh. [ ID=193577.36 ]

### The Lunar Asterism/Nakshatra Viśākhā (5 definitions)
- the fourteenth or sixteenth lunar asterism  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > (also du. or pl. ) the 14th (later 16th) lunar asterism (figured by a decorated arch and containing four or originally two stars under the regency of a dual divinity, Indra and Agni; it is probably to be connected with the quadrangle of stars ι, α, β, γ Librae; see नक्षत्र (nakṣatra) ), AV. &c. &c. [ ID=193577.34 ]
- Name of the sixteenth lunar mansion consisting of two stars  
  *Apte Practical Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > विशाखा (viśākhā) [Printed book page 0994-c ] विशाखा (viśākhā) (usually in the dual) N. of the 16th lunar mansion consisting of two stars; किमत्र (kimatra) चित्रं यदि विशाखे शशांकलेखामनुवर्तेते (citraṃ yadi viśākhe śaśāṃkalekhāmanuvartete) Śakuntalā (Bombay) 3. [ ID=26534 ]
- Name of a lunar asterism consisting of two stars  
  *Vaidya Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > विशाखा (viśākhā) [Printed book page 677-14 ] विशाखा (viśākhā) f. (generally used in the dual) Name of a lunar asterism consisting of two stars, किमत्र चित्रं यदि विशाखे शशांकलेखामनुवर्तेते (kimatra citraṃ yadi viśākhe śaśāṃkalekhāmanuvartete) Sak. iii. [ ID=35571 ]
- name of a lunar mansion  
  *Index to the Names in the Mahabharata*
  > विशाखा (viśākhā) [Printed book page 727-1 ] Viśākhā, name of a nakṣatra, v. Su. Si. § 546 (Kuṇḍalā- haraṇap.): III, 301, 16970 (dual, °ayor madhyagataḥ śaśīva ). —§ 574 (Jambūkh.): VI, 3, 95 (sg., °āyāḥ samīpasihau Bṛhaspati-Śanaiścarau, omens).—§ 605 (Karṇap.): VIII, 20, †817 (dual, °ayor madhyagataḥ śaśī yathā ).—§ 746 (Ānuśāsanik.): XIII, 64 α, 3270 (sg., result of making gifts under the constellation of V.).—§ 749 (do.): XIII, 89 α, 4262 (pl., result of performing śrāddhas under the constellation of V.).—§ 759 (do.): XIII, 110, 5392 (description of the cāndravrata). [ ID=11861 ]
- a constellation  
  *The Purana Index*
  > विशाखा (viśākhā) [Printed book page 3-264 ] Viśākhā — a constellation: Śrāddha performance on that day leads to birth of sons. Br. III. 18. 8; Vā. 66. 50; 82. 9. [ ID=13142 ]

### Names of Deities and Divine Manifestations (4 definitions)
- an epithet of Skanda  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > N. of Skanda, MBh. [ ID=193577.16 ]
- a manifestation of Skanda  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > a manifestation of Skanda (regarded as his son), ib.; Hariv.; VarBṛS. &c. [ ID=193577.18 ]
- A demon dangerous to children  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > N. of a demon dangerous to, children (held to be a manifestation of Sk° ), Suśr.; ŚārṅgS.; Hcat. [ ID=193577.20 ]
- of Shiva  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > of Śiva, MBh. [ ID=193577.22 ]

### Specific Objects, Roles, or Techniques (3 definitions)
- a beggar  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > वि (vi) — शाख (—śākha) m. a beggar, L. [ ID=193577.08 ]
- a spindle  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > a spindle, L. [ ID=193577.10 ]
- a particular attitude in shooting  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > a partic. attitude in shooting, L. [ ID=193577.12 ]

### Names of Plants (2 definitions)
- Boerhavia procumbens  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > Boerhavia Procumbens, L. [ ID=193577.14 ]
- a species of plant  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > (H3B) [Printed book page 952,3] वि (vi) — शाखा (—śākhā) ( आ (ā) ), f. a species of plant, KātyŚr. (Dūrvā grass Comm.; = कठिल्लक (kaṭhillaka), L. ) [ ID=193577.32 ]

### Born under the Nakshatra Viśākhā (1 definition)
- born under the constellation Vishakha  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > born under the constellation Viśākhā, Pāṇini (Author) iv, 3, 34 [ ID=193577.06 ]

## Sources

Definitions from Apte Practical Sanskrit-English Dictionary; Index to the Names in the Mahabharata; Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899); The Purana Index; Vaidya Sanskrit-English Dictionary.
Text from the Cologne Digital Sanskrit Lexicon, University of Cologne.

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