Pakṣa

By Swami Harshananda

Pakṣa literally means ‘that which is accepted’.

This word is used in several senses. A period of a fortnight between a new-moon day and a full-moon day is also called as ‘pakṣa’. That which ends in the former is called kṛṣṇapakṣa and the latter is called as śuklapakṣa. Logically, the word indicates the minor term like the hill from which smoke is being emitted. As per philosophical disputations, it indicates a view logically presented. For e.g., purvapakṣa^[1] and uttara-pakṣa.^[2] In Vedic sacrifices, it indicates the two rectangular aisles or sides of an altar, to the north and the south.

References[edit]

↑ Purvapakṣa means prima face view.
↑ Uttara-pakṣa means the final view.

The Concise Encyclopedia of Hinduism, Swami Harshananda, Ram Krishna Math, Bangalore

[1] Purvapakṣa means prima face view.

[2] Uttara-pakṣa means the final view.

[1]

[2]