antarikṣayānī

 Antarikṣayānī (अन्तरिक्षयानी) is a feminine Sanskrit noun referring to a specific type of brick mentioned in ancient Sanskrit texts such as the Taittirīya-saṃhitā.

Definition and Etymology

The word Antarikṣayānī is formed as a compound from antarikṣa (अन्तरिक्ष), meaning "space" or "sky," and the suffix -yānī, which in this context denotes a particular object, specifically a brick

Wisdom Library+3

. It is a feminine noun (f.) in Sanskrit grammar

Yogawiki

. The term appears historically in the Taittirīya-saṃhitā, which is a part of the Krishna Yajurveda corpus and details rituals where different types of bricks are named and used for sacrificial altars

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Usage in Texts

Antarikṣayānī is not a commonly used term outside ritual and Vedic contexts. It refers to a brick with a symbolic or designated purpose in ritual construction. Ancient Vedic texts often specify bricks with unique names, layouts, and functions in altar constructions, signifying their ritual importance rather than purely their material form

Yogawiki

. In other words, Antarikṣayānī is not a generic term for all bricks but a specific, ritual brick.

Transliteration and Variants

Using the International Alphabet of Sanskrit Transliteration (IAST), it is rendered as antarikṣayānī. Simplified anglicized variants include Antariksayani or Antarikshayani

Wisdom Library+1

. The original Devanāgarī spelling is अन्तरिक्षयानी.

Summary

• Term: Antarikṣayānī (अन्तरिक्षयानी)
• Gender: Feminine
• Meaning: Name of a specific brick used in Vedic rituals
• Source Text: Taittirīya-saṃhitā (part of the Krishna Yajurveda)
• Transliteration: Antariksayani, Antarikshayani (IAST)
• Context: Ritual / Vedic architectural terminology

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This term illustrates the precision and specificity of Sanskrit vocabulary in Vedic literature, particularly in the context of religious rites and sacrificial constructions.