Vanacara, Vana-cara, Vanacāra: 14 definitions
Introduction:
Vanacara means something in Hinduism, Sanskrit, Buddhism, Pali, the history of ancient India, Marathi. If you want to know the exact meaning, history, etymology or English translation of this term then check out the descriptions on this page. Add your comment or reference to a book if you want to contribute to this summary article.
Alternative spellings of this word include Vanachara.
In Hinduism
Purana and Itihasa (epic history)
Source: valmikiramayan.net: Srimad Valmiki RamayanaVanacara (वनचर) refers to the “dwellers of forest”, according to the Rāmāyaṇa chapter 2.28. Accordingly:—“[...] soothening with kind words to Sītā, when eyes were blemished with tears, the virtuous Rāma spoke again as follows, for the purpose of waking her turn back: ‘[...] Oh, Sītā the princess of Mithila! The dwellers of forest (vanacara) are to be satisfied with whatever is obtained there, the restricted food. Hence, living in forest is a misery’”.

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.
Jyotisha (astronomy and astrology)
Source: Wisdom Library: Brihat Samhita by VarahamihiraVanacara (वनचर) refers to “wild beasts”, according to the Bṛhatsaṃhitā (chapter 15) (“On the nakṣatras—‘asterisms’”), an encyclopedic Sanskrit work written by Varāhamihira mainly focusing on the science of ancient Indian astronomy astronomy (Jyotiṣa).—Accordingly, “[...] Those who are born on the lunar day of Mṛgaśirṣa will delight or deal in perfumes, dress, pearls, flowers, fruits, precious stones, wild beasts (vanacara), birds and deer; will be Somayajis or singers; will be lascivious; will be good writers or painters. Those who are born on the lunar day of Ārdrā will delight in killing, torturing, lying, in adultery, thieving, cheating and tale-bearing; will deal in pod-grains, black magic, sorcery and exorcism. [...]”.

Jyotisha (ज्योतिष, jyotiṣa or jyotish) refers to ‘astronomy’ or “Vedic astrology” and represents the fifth of the six Vedangas (additional sciences to be studied along with the Vedas). Jyotisha concerns itself with the study and prediction of the movements of celestial bodies, in order to calculate the auspicious time for rituals and ceremonies.
India history and geography
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Indian Epigraphical GlossaryVanacara.—(EI 12), an animal. Note: vanacara is defined in the “Indian epigraphical glossary” as it can be found on ancient inscriptions commonly written in Sanskrit, Prakrit or Dravidian languages.

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
Pali-English dictionary
Source: BuddhaSasana: Concise Pali-English Dictionaryvanacara : (adj.) a forester.

Pali is the language of the Tipiṭaka, which is the sacred canon of Theravāda Buddhism and contains much of the Buddha’s speech. Closeley related to Sanskrit, both languages are used interchangeably between religions.
Marathi-English dictionary
Source: DDSA: The Molesworth Marathi and English Dictionaryvanacara (वनचर).—a (S) That lives in woods and wilds.
Source: DDSA: The Aryabhusan school dictionary, Marathi-Englishvanacara (वनचर).—a That lives in woods and wilds.
Marathi is an Indo-European language having over 70 million native speakers people in (predominantly) Maharashtra India. Marathi, like many other Indo-Aryan languages, evolved from early forms of Prakrit, which itself is a subset of Sanskrit, one of the most ancient languages of the world.
Sanskrit dictionary
Source: DDSA: The practical Sanskrit-English dictionaryVanacara (वनचर).—a. living in a forest, haunting woods, sylvan. (-raḥ) 1 a forester, forest-dweller, woodman; उपतस्थुरास्तितविषादधियः शतयज्वनो वनचरा वसतिम् (upatasthurāstitaviṣādadhiyaḥ śatayajvano vanacarā vasatim) Kirātārjunīya 6.29; Meghadūta 12.
2) a wild animal.
3) the fabulous eight-legged animal called Śarabha.
Vanacara is a Sanskrit compound consisting of the terms vana and cara (चर).
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Shabda-Sagara Sanskrit-English DictionaryVanacara (वनचर).—m.
(-raḥ) 1. A forester, a woodman. 2. A wild animal. 3. The fabulous animal called Sarabha.
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Benfey Sanskrit-English DictionaryVanacara (वनचर).—[vana-cara], m. 1. A wild beast, [Pañcatantra] 255, 17. 2. A forester, [Kirātārjunīya] 6, 29.
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Cappeller Sanskrit-English DictionaryVanacara (वनचर).—[feminine] ī wandering in a forest; [masculine] inhabitant of a forest (man or animal).
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary1) Vanacara (वनचर):—[=vana-cara] [from vana > van] mf(ī)n. roaming in woods, living in a forest, [Mahābhārata; Kāvya literature] etc.
2) [v.s. ...] m. a woodman, forester, [ib.]
3) [v.s. ...] a wild animal, [ib.]
4) [v.s. ...] the fabulous eight legged animal Sarabha, [Monier-Williams’ Sanskrit-English Dictionary]
[Sanskrit to German]
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.
Kannada-English dictionary
Source: Alar: Kannada-English corpusVanacara (ವನಚರ):—
1) [noun] a man wandering in forests.
2) [noun] a man living in a forest.
3) [noun] a hunter by profession.
4) [noun] any wild animal living in a forest.
5) [noun] any aquatic animal.
Kannada is a Dravidian language (as opposed to the Indo-European language family) mainly spoken in the southwestern region of India.
Nepali dictionary
Source: unoes: Nepali-English DictionaryVanacara (वनचर):—n. 1. wild animal; 2. monkey; 3. any animal;
Nepali is the primary language of the Nepalese people counting almost 20 million native speakers. The country of Nepal is situated in the Himalaya mountain range to the north of India.
See also (Relevant definitions)
Partial matches: Vana, A, Cara, Na.
Starts with: Vanacarai, Vanacaraka, Vanacaram, Vanacarar, Vanacaravritti.
Query error!
Full-text: Vanacaram, Vanacarin, Vanacarya, Vanchar, Vanacarar, Padapasha, Vanecara, Yatahara, Gopa, Cara.
Relevant text
Search found 4 books and stories containing Vanacara, Vana-cara, Vana-cara-a, Vana-cara-na, Vana-cara-ṇa, Vanacāra; (plurals include: Vanacaras, caras, as, nas, ṇas, Vanacāras). You can also click to the full overview containing English textual excerpts. Below are direct links for the most relevant articles:
Bhagavata Purana (by G. V. Tagare)
Chapter 35 - Gopīs’ Song (in pairs of verses) < [Book 10 - Tenth Skandha]
Vasudevahindi (cultural history) (by A. P. Jamkhedkar)
32. Types of Gods and Goddesses in Jainism < [Chapter 5 - Religion and Philosophy]
Abhijnana Shakuntala (synthetic study) (by Ramendra Mohan Bose)
Chapter 2 - Dvitiya-anka (dvitiyo'nkah) < [Abhijnana Sakuntalam, text and commentary]
Abhijnana Shakuntalam (Sanskrit and English) (by Saradaranjan Ray)
Chapter 2 - Dvitiya-anka (dvitiyo'nkah) < [Abhijnana Shakuntalam (text, translation, notes)]