संस्कारः _saṃskārḥ

संस्कारः 1 Making perfect, refining, polishing; (मणिः) प्रयुक्तसंस्कार इवाधिकं बभौ R.3.18.

-2 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.

-3 Educa- tion, cultivation, training (as of the mind); निसर्ग- संस्कारविनीत इत्यसौ नृपेण चक्रे युवराजशब्दभाक् R.3.35; Ku. 7.1.

-4 Making ready, preparation.

-5 Cooking, dressing (as of food &c.).

-6 Embellishment, decora- tion, ornament; स्वभावसुन्दरं वस्तु न संस्कारमपेक्षते Dṛi. Ś. 49; Ś.7.23; Mu.2.1.

-7 Consecration, sanctifica- tion, hallowing; संस्कारो नाम स भवति यस्मिञ्जाते पदार्थो भवति योग्यः कस्यचिदर्थस्य ŚB. on MS.3.1.3.

-3 Impression, form, mould, operation, influence; यन्नवे भोजने लग्नः संस्कारो नान्यथा भवेत् H. Pr.8; Bh.3.84.

-9 Idea, no- tion, conception.

-1 Any faculty or capacity.

-11 Effect of work, merit of action; फलानुमेयाः प्रारम्भाः संस्काराः प्राक्तना इव R.1.2.

-12 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.

-13 The faculty of recollection, impression on the memory; संस्कारमात्रजन्यं ज्ञानं स्मृतिः T. S.

-14 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).

-15 Purifica- tion, purity.

-16 A rite or ceremony in general.

-17 Investiture with the sacred thread; मांसं मूत्रं पुरीषं च प्राश्य संस्कारमर्हति Mb.12.165.76.

-18 Obsequial ceremonies.

-19 A polishing stone; संस्कारोल्लिखितो महामणिरिव क्षीणो$पि नालक्ष्यते Ś.6.5 (where संस्कार may mean 'polishing' also).

-Comp. -पूत a.

1 purified by sacred rites.

-2 purified by refinement or education.

-भूषणम् (speech) adorned by correctness.

-रहित, -वर्जित, -हीन a. (a person of one of the three higher castes) over whom the purificatory ceremonies, particularly the thread- ceremony, 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.