Vikara (Sanskrit: विकर) and more commonly Vikāra (Sanskrit: विकार) are terms with deep roots in Indian philosophical, medical, and linguistic traditions. The term is well-established across Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, Ayurveda, and Sanskrit grammar.
Etymology and Core Meaning
The word is derived from the Sanskrit prefix vi- (meaning "change," "apart," or "distinction") combined with the root kṛ (meaning "to make" or "to do"). Its fundamental meaning is change, transformation, or alteration — particularly a deviation from a natural or original state.
Primary Meanings
1. Change of Form or Nature (Transformation) In its most general sense, vikāra refers to any modification or altered mode of being. For example, curds (dahi) are described as a vikāra of milk; steam and hail are vikāras of water; ornaments are vikāras of gold; a pot is a vikāra of clay.
2. Disease, Disorder, or Sickness (Ayurveda & Medicine) In Ayurveda and medical contexts, vikāra denotes a disease, ailment, or any pathological change from the state of health. It is used extensively in texts such as the Suśruta Saṃhitā and Aṣṭāṅgahṛdayasaṃhitā to describe various disorders (e.g., śirasaḥ vikāra — disorders of the head; vātavikāra — disorders of the wind humor).
3. Emotion, Passion, or Mental Perturbation Vikāra also refers to emotional or mental agitation — any disturbance of the natural quiescent state of the soul. This includes passions such as desire (kāma), anger (krodha), greed (lobha), and delusion (moha). In Sanskrit literature, it is frequently used to describe the stirring of love or romantic feeling (e.g., manmathavikāra — the agitation of love).
4. In Sāṃkhya Philosophy (Cosmological Derivative) In the Sāṃkhya school of Hindu philosophy, vikāra denotes a production or derivative from Prakṛti (primordial nature). There are said to be seven vikāras that are both products and producers (buddhi/intellect, ahaṃkāra/ego, and the five tanmātras/subtle elements), and sixteen vikāras that are only products (the five mahābhūtas/gross elements and the eleven organs of sense, action, and mind).
5. In Sanskrit Grammar In Vyākaraṇa (Sanskrit grammar), vikāra refers to a modification of a word-base or affix caused by the addition of suffixes, or a phonetic substitution. The Prātiśākhyas (phonetic treatises) use the term to describe phonic changes in Vedic recitation.
6. In Buddhism (Theravāda and Mahāyāna) In Pāli and Buddhist Sanskrit, vikāra means change, alteration, distortion, or perturbation. In the Pāli canon, it appears in contexts such as hatthavikāra (gesturing with the hands), kucchivikāra (stomach ache), and bhūtavikāra (natural blemish). In Mahāyāna texts, the term is often contrasted with nirvikāra (changeless), a quality attributed to the body of a Buddha.
7. In Indian Epigraphy and History In historical inscriptions, vikara (or vikara-padāni) appears to refer to a small present, bonus, or miscellaneous expenses, possibly related to the Gujarati term pān-sopārī (a customary gift).
Related Forms
- Vikara (विकर) — can mean sickness, disease, or a particular mode of fighting; also "deprived of hands" as a punishment.
- Vikārā (विकारा) — a feminine form used in Purāṇic contexts to refer to derivatives from Prakṛti.
- Nirvikāra (निर्विकार) — "changeless," a key term in Vedānta and Yoga describing the ultimate reality (Brahman or Śiva) as free from all modification.
Usage Across Languages
The term appears in numerous Indian languages including Sanskrit, Pāli, Prakrit, Hindi, Marathi, Kannada, and Nepali, generally carrying the core meanings of change, disorder, or transformation. In modern Hindi, vikār (विकार) is used for deformation, perversion, or disorder, and appears in compound terms such as vyaktitva vikār (personality disorder).
