संस्कारः [saṃskārḥ] 1 Making perfect, refining, polishing; (मणिः) प्रयुक्तसंस्कार इवाधिकं बभौ
[R.3.18.] Refinement, perfection, grammatical purity (as of words); संस्कार- वत्येव गिरा मनीषी
[Ku.1.28] (where Malli, renders the word by व्याकरणजन्या शुद्धिः);
[R.15.76.] Education, cultivation, training (as of the mind); निसर्ग- संस्कारविनीत इत्यसौ नृपेण चक्रे युवराजशब्दभाक्
[R.3.35;] [Ku. 7.1.] Making ready, preparation.
Cooking, dressing (as of food &c.).
Embellishment, decoration, ornament; स्वभावसुन्दरं वस्तु न संस्कारमपेक्षते
[Dṛi. Ś. 49;] [Ś.7.23;] [Mu.2.1.] Consecration, sanctification, hallowing; संस्कारो नाम स भवति यस्मिञ्जाते पदार्थो भवति योग्यः कस्यचिदर्थस्य ŚB. on
[MS.3.1.3.] Impression, form, mould, operation, influence; यन्नवे भोजने लग्नः संस्कारो नान्यथा भवेत्
[H. Pr.8;] [Bh.3.84.] Idea, notion, conception.
Any faculty or capacity.
Effect of work, merit of action; फलानुमेयाः प्रारम्भाः संस्काराः प्राक्तना इव
[R.1.2.] The self-reproductive quality, faculty of impression; one of the 24 qualities or guṇas recognised by the Vaiśeṣikas; it is of three kinds: भावना, वेग, and स्थितिस्थापकता q .q. v. v.
The faculty of recollection, impression on the memory; संस्कारमात्रजन्यं ज्ञानं स्मृतिः
[T. S.] A purificatory rite, a sacred rite or ceremony; संस्कारार्थं शरीरस्य
[Ms.2.66;] [R.1.78;] (Manu
[mentions 12] such Saṃskāras viz. 1. गर्भाधान, 2. पुंसवन, 3. सीमन्तोन्नयन, 4. जातकर्मन्, 5. नामकर्मन्, 6. निष्क्रमण, 7. अन्नप्राशन, 8. चूडाकर्मन्, 9. उपनयन, 1. केशान्त, 11. समावर्तन, and 12. विवाह; see
[Ms.2.26] &c.; some writers increase the number to sixteen).
Purification, purity.
A rite or ceremony in general.
Investiture with the sacred thread; मांसं मूत्रं पुरीषं च प्राश्य संस्कारमर्हति
[Mb.12.165.76.] Obsequial ceremonies.
A polishing stone; संस्कारोल्लिखितो महामणिरिव क्षीणोऽपि नालक्ष्यते
[Ś.6.5] (where संस्कार may mean 'polishing' also). -Comp.
-पूत a.
purified by sacred rites.
purified by refinement or education.
-भूषणम् (speech) adorned by correctness.
-रहित, -वर्जित, -हीन a. a. (a person of one of the three higher castes) over whom the purificatory ceremonies, particularly the threadceremony, have not been performed and who therefore becomes a Vrātya or outcast; cf. व्रात्य.
-शब्दः a word which gains its currency owing to संस्कार; संस्कारशब्दा एते आहवनीयादयः ŚB. on
[MS.5.3.21.]