Alternative spellings of this word include Vyaghracharman.

In Hinduism

Shaktism (Shakta philosophy)

Source: Google Books: Manthanabhairavatantram

Vyāghracarma (व्याघ्रचर्म) refers to a “tiger skin”, according to the Manthānabhairavatantra, a vast sprawling work that belongs to a corpus of Tantric texts concerned with the worship of the goddess Kubjikā.—Accordingly, “(Kubjikā) is the colour of (dark) blue collyrium. [...] She wears a tiger skin [i.e., vyāghracarma-parīdhānā] and a cloak of lion skin. Her limbs are adorned with divine ornaments and she laughs loudly. Her western face is yellow and the one in the north is dark blue. (The one) in the south is black. The eastern one, displayed in front, is red while the one born in the north-east (i.e. above) is (white) as crystal. The uppermost face, worshipped as Parā, (shines) like a thousand suns. Śambhu has said that all the faces have fierce gaping mouths with protruding teeth”.

context information

Shakta (शाक्त, śākta) or Shaktism (śāktism) represents a tradition of Hinduism where the Goddess (Devi) is revered and worshipped. Shakta literature includes a range of scriptures, including various Agamas and Tantras, although its roots may be traced back to the Vedas.

Purana and Itihasa (epic history)

Source: archive.org: Shiva Purana - English Translation

Vyāghracarman (व्याघ्रचर्मन्) refers to “one who is clad in the hide of a tiger” and is used to describe Śiva, according to the Śivapurāṇa 2.3.27 (“Description of the fraudulent words of the Brahmacārin”).—Accordingly, as Śiva (in guise of a Brahmacārin) said to Pārvatī: “If you are stopping me with devotion, truly desirous of hearing then I shall explain everything whereby you may gain some wisdom. I know Śiva through and through with all His weighty attributes. I shall tell you the truth. Listen with attention. The great lord is bull-bannered. His body is smeared with ashes. His hair is matted. He is clad in the hide of a tiger [i.e., vyāghracarman-ambaradhara]. He has covered His body with the hide of an elephant. [...]”.

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The Purana (पुराण, purāṇas) refers to Sanskrit literature preserving ancient India’s vast cultural history, including historical legends, religious ceremonies, various arts and sciences. The eighteen mahapuranas total over 400,000 shlokas (metrical couplets) and date to at least several centuries BCE.

Shaivism (Shaiva philosophy)

Source: Brill: Śaivism and the Tantric Traditions

Vyāghracarman (व्याघ्रचर्मन्) refers to the “skin of a tiger”, according to the Kiraṇatantra chapter 49 (dealing with vratacaryā).—Accordingly, “Garuḍa spoke: ‘You have taught me, O great Lord, the activities of the Neophyte, the Putraka and the Ācārya. Tell me those of the Sādhaka’. The Lord spoke: ‘[...] This is the auspicious Raudra-vrata: imposing with a chignon of matted locks, marked by a trident and khaṭvāṅga, equipped with a clean half skull, awe-inspiring with a third eye, clothed in the skin of a tiger (vyāghracarman-ambara), peaceful. For one firm [in this observance], the highest siddhi will arise in six months; middling [powers] in four months; the lowest [powers] will arise in three months. [...]’”.

Source: SOAS University of London: Protective Rites in the Netra Tantra

Vyāghracarman (व्याघ्रचर्मन्) refers to “tiger skin”, according to the Netratantra of Kṣemarāja: a Śaiva text from the 9th century in which Śiva (Bhairava) teaches Pārvatī topics such as metaphysics, cosmology, and soteriology.—Accordingly, [verse 9.19cd-26, while instructing to visualize Sadāśiva in order to worship the formless Amṛteśa]—“[He] resembles the swelling moon, a heap of mountain snow. Five-faced, large-eyed, ten-armed, [and] three-armed, [he] has a serpent as a sacred thread. He is covered in a garment made of tiger skin (vyāghracarman-ambaracchada). [He] sits in the bound lotus pose atop a white lotus, [holding] a trident, blue lotus, arrow, rudrākṣa, [and] a mallet. [...]”.

context information

Shaiva (शैव, śaiva) or Shaivism (śaivism) represents a tradition of Hinduism worshiping Shiva as the supreme being. Closely related to Shaktism, Shaiva literature includes a range of scriptures, including Tantras, while the root of this tradition may be traced back to the ancient Vedas.

In Buddhism

Tibetan Buddhism (Vajrayana or tantric Buddhism)

Source: OSU Press: Cakrasamvara Samadhi

Vyāghracarma (व्याघ्रचर्म) refers to a “tiger skin” which is used to describe Cakrasaṃvara, according to the Saṃvaramaṇḍala of Abhayākaragupta’s Niṣpannayogāvalī, p. 45 and n. 145; (Cf. Cakrasaṃvaratantra, Gray, David B., 2007).—Accordingly, [while describing the iconography of Cakrasaṃvara]: “In the Saṃvara Maṇḍala atop Mount Sumera within a vajra-canopy there is a variegated lotus, on top of that a palace, in the middle of which is the Blessed Lord, standing in ālīḍhāsana, "archer's pose", [...] possessing a vyāghracarma, "tiger skin" and twelve arms, the foremost arms holding a vajra and ghaṇṭā, embracing Vajravārāhī, the uppermost arms holding a gajacarman, "elephant skin", dripping with blood, the remaining arms holding, starting second from the top, on the right, a ḍamaru, "double-headed drum", paraśu, "ax", kartika, "flaying knife", triśūla, "trident", on the left, a khaṭvāṅga, "staff", kapāla, "skull bowl", pāśa, "noose", and brahmamuṇḍa, "lopped head of Brahma", [...]”.

The tiger skin (vyāghracarma) symbolizes a fully developed Yogī, able to route the Buddhist devil Māra, and save those overcome by the Pañcakleśa, "The Five Afflictions", (the Mahāyāna version of the Triviṣa, "Three Poisons").

1. moha, "delusion",
2. rāga, "passion",
3. dveṣa, "hatred",
4. māna, "pride",
5. īrṣyā, "jealousy.

Source: MDPI Books: The Ocean of Heroes

Vyāghracarman (व्याघ्रचर्मन्) refers to “tiger skin”, according to the 10th-century Ḍākārṇava-tantra: one of the last Tibetan Tantric scriptures belonging to the Buddhist Saṃvara tradition consisting of 51 chapters.—Accordingly, “[...] [He should visualize Heruka] [...] The weaponry in the seventy-two hands is thus to be discerned in order. A decoration (headband) made of five hairless heads, an ornament of the six seals, a garland of a hundred hairless heads [as a necklace], sounding armlets and anklets, a garment [made of] some tiger skin (vyāghracarman), and a romāvalī (or line of bodily hair) are on [his] body. Before him is a great goddess [named] Vajravārāhī, [who is] as previously. [...]”.

context information

Tibetan Buddhism includes schools such as Nyingma, Kadampa, Kagyu and Gelug. Their primary canon of literature is divided in two broad categories: The Kangyur, which consists of Buddha’s words, and the Tengyur, which includes commentaries from various sources. Esotericism and tantra techniques (vajrayāna) are collected indepently.

India history and geography

Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Indian Epigraphical Glossary

Vyāghra-carman.—(IE 8-5; EI 12, 28), tiger's skin [which was the king's monopoly]; tax probably payable by hunters in tiger's skin; refers to the right to keep tiger's skins without surrendering them to the king. Note: vyāghra-carman is defined in the “Indian epigraphical glossary” as it can be found on ancient inscriptions commonly written in Sanskrit, Prakrit or Dravidian languages.

context information

The history of India traces the identification of countries, villages, towns and other regions of India, as well as mythology, zoology, royal dynasties, rulers, tribes, local festivities and traditions and regional languages. Ancient India enjoyed religious freedom and encourages the path of Dharma, a concept common to Buddhism, Hinduism, and Jainism.

Languages of India and abroad

Sanskrit dictionary

Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Cappeller Sanskrit-English Dictionary

Vyāghracarman (व्याघ्रचर्मन्).—[neuter] a tiger’s skin.

Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary

Vyāghracarman (व्याघ्रचर्मन्):—[=vyāghra-carman] [from vyāghra > vyā-ghrā] n. a tiger’s skin, [Aitareya-brāhmaṇa; Kātyāyana-śrauta-sūtra; Pañcatantra]

Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Yates Sanskrit-English Dictionary

Vyāghracarman (व्याघ्रचर्मन्):—[vyāghra-carman] (rmma) 5. n. Tiger’s skin.

[Sanskrit to German]

Vyaghracarman in German

context information

Sanskrit, also spelled संस्कृतम् (saṃskṛtam), is an ancient language of India commonly seen as the grandmother of the Indo-European language family (even English!). Closely allied with Prakrit and Pali, Sanskrit is more exhaustive in both grammar and terms and has the most extensive collection of literature in the world, greatly surpassing its sister-languages Greek and Latin.

See also (Relevant definitions)

Partial matches: Carman, Vyaghra.

Full-text (+11): Vyaghra, Carman, Vyaghracarmamaya, Ambara, Nidhy-upanidhi-hastidanta-vyaghracarma-nanavanacara-sameta, Pancaklesha, Moha, Mana, Irshya, Dvesha, Raga, Ambaradhara, Chada, Ambarachada, Ghanta, Nivesana, Kati, Katisthala, Damaru, Parashu.

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Search found 2 books and stories containing Vyaghracarman, Vyaghra-carman, Vyaghracarma, Vyaghra-carma, Vyāghracarman, Vyāghra-carman, Vyāghracarma; (plurals include: Vyaghracarmans, carmans, Vyaghracarmas, carmas, Vyāghracarmans, Vyāghracarmas). You can also click to the full overview containing English textual excerpts. Below are direct links for the most relevant articles:

Cosmetics, Costumes and Ornaments in Ancient India (by Remadevi. O.)

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Harshacharita (socio-cultural Study) (by Mrs. Nandita Sarmah)

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