Svacchanda, Svacchamda: 17 definitions

Introduction:

Svacchanda means something in Buddhism, Pali, Hinduism, Sanskrit, 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 Svachchhanda.

In Hinduism

Shilpashastra (iconography)

Source: Wisdom Library: Śilpa-śāstra

Svacchanda (स्वच्छन्द) is a Sanskrit name referring to one of the eight manifestations of Asitāṅga, who is a form of Bhairava. According to the Rudrayāmala, there are eight main forms of Bhairava who control the eight directions of this universe. Each form (e.g., Asitāṅga) has a further eight sub-manifestations (e.g., Svacchanda), thus resulting in a total of 64 Bhairavas.

When depicting Svacchanda according to traditional iconographic rules (śilpaśāstra), one should depcit him (and other forms of Asitāṅga) with golden complexion and having good looking limbs; he should carry the triśūla, the ḍamaru, the pāśa and the khaḍga. The word Śilpaśāstra refers to an ancient Hindu science of arts and crafts, dealing with subjects such as painting, sculpture and iconography.

Shilpashastra book cover
context information

Shilpashastra (शिल्पशास्त्र, śilpaśāstra) represents the ancient Indian science (shastra) of creative arts (shilpa) such as sculpture, iconography and painting. Closely related to Vastushastra (architecture), they often share the same literature.

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Shaivism (Shaiva philosophy)

[«previous next»] — Svacchanda in Shaivism glossary
Source: Shodhganga: Mantra-sādhana: Chapter One of the Kakṣapuṭatantra

Svacchanda (स्वच्छन्द) is the name of an Āgama or Tantra mentioned in the Kakṣapuṭatantra  verse 1.5-7.—“At a previous time, when Pārvatī asked him, Śaṅkara told of the attainments of vidyā in the wide worldly life, in various ways. I observed each teaching taught also by the troops of Gods, Siddhas (those who have attained supernatural power), Munis (saints), Deśikas (spiritual teachers), and Sādhakas (tantric practicioners). They are [, for example]: Svacchanda... I shall carefully extract all the above-mentioned āgamas, which are transmitted from mouth to mouth, like butter extracted from coagulated milk”.

Source: Brill: Śaivism and the Tantric Traditions

1) Svacchanda (स्वच्छन्द) or Svacchandabhairava (in Jayantika) refers to one of the “seven Bhairavas”, according to the Vārāṇasīmāhātmya 1.53-54.—Cf. The “eight Bhairavas” (originating from the blood of Andhaka when Śiva strikes him correspond with a set of eight Bhairavas), according to the Vāmanapurāṇa 44.23-38ff.

2) Svacchanda (स्वच्छन्द) refers to “arbitrary (endeavour)”, according to Utpaladeva’s Vivṛti on Īśvarapratyabhijñākārikā 1.5.6.—Accordingly, “To begin with, as far as agents of ordinary human practice are concerned, it is on [the basis of] mere phenomena that [they] manage to an ascertainment in which [they necessarily] engage [in their ordinary activities]; so this pondering over an unperceived reality that is [supposedly] something more [than phenomena and the consciousness manifesting them] is a [purely] arbitrary endeavour (svacchanda-ceṣṭita). [...]”.

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

Svacchanda (स्वच्छन्द) refers to “one’s own will”, 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 10.7cd-17ab, while describing the worship of Bhairavī and Bhairava]—“[Bhairavī] has the appearance of vermillion or lac. [...] [She is] called Icchāśakti [and she] moves toward union with one’s own will (svacchanda-utsaṅga-gāminī). Having celebrated this form, [the mantrin] thinks of her as Aghoreśī. In all Tantras [this] is taught and secret. It is not made clear. My abode is visible by anyone on earth, [but] difficult to obtain. [...]”.

Shaivism book cover
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.

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Shaktism (Shakta philosophy)

[«previous next»] — Svacchanda in Shaktism glossary
Source: Google Books: Manthanabhairavatantram

1) Svacchanda (स्वच्छन्द) refers to “one who is free”, representing an aspect of Mahādeva, according to the Devīpañcaśataka, an important source of the Kālīkrama that developed in Kashmir after the Kālī Mata of the Jayadrathayāmala.—Accordingly, “The Great God—Mahādeva—is beyond Śakti, supreme bliss, free of qualities and supports, unchanging, supreme, pure, free of cause and (without) example, present within all existing things, beyond the Void, free of defects, omnipresent, the doer of all things, free [i.e., svacchanda], full of nectar and, unconditioned, is present in all living beings. [...]”.

2) Svacchanda (स्वच्छन्द) refers to one of the spiritual disciplines (darśana—systems) issued from the limbs of the body of the Goddess, according to the Manthānabhairavatantra, a vast sprawling work that belongs to a corpus of Tantric texts concerned with the worship of the goddess Kubjikā.—[...] All spiritual disciplines, whatever the tradition, are necessarily grounded in the same energy of the Śāmbhava state. They issue, as the texts put it, from the limbs of the body of the goddess who is this energy. These range from the lowest extremity—the left big toe—where Buddhism originates, to the highest—the End of Sixteen—where the Śāmbhava state is attained which is the source of the Kubjikā tradition. The systems (darśana) and their corresponding places of origin in the Goddess’s body are as follows: [7) Svacchanda (school)—middle of the mouth—mukhamadhya, ...].

Source: Brill: Śaivism and the Tantric Traditions (shaktism)

Svacchanda (स्वच्छन्द) refers to “(that light which shimmers) spontaneously”, according to the King Vatsarāja’s Pūjāstuti called the Kāmasiddhistuti (also Vāmakeśvarīstuti), guiding one through the worship of the Goddess Nityā.—Accordingly, “[...] I seek refuge with the glorious goddess Sundarī, the benefactress of prosperity, the secret heart, whose heart is soaked with compassion. She is blazing with an utmost tenacity steeped in joy, and consequently beaming with plenteous light that shimmers spontaneously (svacchanda-saṃsphurat). [...]”.

Shaktism book cover
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.

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Sports, Arts and Entertainment (wordly enjoyments)

[«previous next»] — Svacchanda in Arts glossary
Source: archive.org: Syainika Sastra of Rudradeva with English Translation (art)

Svacchanda (स्वच्छन्द) refers to “wilfulness” (in matters relating to carnality), according to the Śyainika-śāstra: a Sanskrit treatise dealing with the divisions and benefits of Hunting and Hawking, written by Rājā Rudradeva (or Candradeva) in possibly the 13th century.—Accordingly, “[...] Wise men speak of that wife as a wife who has auspicious marks and who knows the fine arts, who is clever, who is loved by her husband, and who is young and modest. [...] Wealth is obtained by virtue; from wealth emanate desires, and the fulfilment of all desires can be obtained by means of a good wife alone and of nobody else. Therefore, a loving wife is the best fruit of the tree of virtue. Therefore one should by all means try to keep her in good humour by giving up wilfulness (svacchanda) in matters relating to carnality [svacchandācaraṇaṃ hitvā kāmasaṃvedanādiṣu]. [...]”.

Arts book cover
context information

This section covers the skills and profiencies of the Kalas (“performing arts”) and Shastras (“sciences”) involving ancient Indian traditions of sports, games, arts, entertainment, love-making and other means of wordly enjoyments. Traditionally these topics were dealt with in Sanskrit treatises explaing the philosophy and the justification of enjoying the pleasures of the senses.

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In Buddhism

Tibetan Buddhism (Vajrayana or tantric Buddhism)

Source: OSU Press: Cakrasamvara Samadhi

Svacchanda (स्वच्छन्द) is the name of a Bhairava deity [i.e., oṃ svacchandabhairavāya svāhā], according to the Vāruṇī Pūjā [i.e., Varuni Worship] ritual often performed in combination with the Cakrasaṃvara Samādhi, which refers to the primary pūjā and sādhanā practice of Newah Mahāyāna-Vajrayāna Buddhists in Nepal.

Tibetan Buddhism book cover
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.

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Languages of India and abroad

Marathi-English dictionary

[«previous next»] — Svacchanda in Marathi glossary
Source: DDSA: The Molesworth Marathi and English Dictionary

svacchanda (स्वच्छंद).—m (S) One's own will or fancy. The implication in the several uses of this word is, that this will is wayward or devious. Mostly used in the oblique cases. Ex. tyācē svacchandāsa ālēṃ tara tō karīla dusaṛyācē sāṅgaṇyānēṃ karāyācā nāhīṃ. 2 It is also used both as a & ad. Ex. kāya tō gulāma svacchanda tyāsīṃ bōlūñca nayē; hā alīkaḍē svacchanda vāgūṃ lāgalā; i.e. wilful, heady, set upon following his own inclination; or wilfully, headlong, perversely &c. The Maraṭhi pronoun āpalā, although the pleonasm is in no measure elegant, is constantly used and by all classes of speakers both with this compound of sva and with numerous others. (See svanāma,svabhāva, svarupa, svahita &c.) Ex. hā ātāṃ āpalyāca svacchandānēṃ vāgūṃ lāgalā lavakara nāśa pāvēla.

Source: DDSA: The Aryabhusan school dictionary, Marathi-English

svacchanda (स्वच्छंद).—m One's own will or fancy. a, ad Wilful, headlong.

context information

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.

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Sanskrit dictionary

[«previous next»] — Svacchanda in Sanskrit glossary
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Shabda-Sagara Sanskrit-English Dictionary

Svacchanda (स्वच्छन्द).—mfn.

(-ndaḥ-ndā-ndaṃ) 1. Unrestrained, uncontrolled, self-willed. 2. Spontaneous. 2. Uncultivated. m.

(-ndaḥ) Own fancy, own choice, independence. E. sva own, and chanda inclination; also svacchandaka mfn.

(-kaḥ-kā-kaṃ).

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

Svacchanda (स्वच्छन्द).—1. [masculine] one’s own will or choice, independence; °— & tas at will, spontaneously, freely.

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Svacchanda (स्वच्छन्द).—2. [adjective] independent, spontaneous, free, [neuter] [adverb]

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

1) Svacchanda (स्वच्छन्द):—[=sva-cchanda] [from sva] a m. o°’s own or free will, o°’s own choice of fancy ([in the beginning of a compound], dāt, dena, or da-tas, ‘at o°’s own will or pleasure’, ‘spontaneously’, ‘independently’, ‘freely’), [Upaniṣad; Mahābhārata; Kāvya literature] etc.

2) [v.s. ...] Name of [work]

3) [v.s. ...] mf(ā)n. following o°’s own will, acting at pleasure, independent, uncontrolled, spontaneous (am ind.), [Yājñavalkya; Kāvya literature; Varāha-mihira’s Bṛhat-saṃhitā] etc.

4) [v.s. ...] mf(ā)n. uncultivated, wild, [Horace H. Wilson]

5) [v.s. ...] m. Name of Skanda, [Atharva-veda.Pariś.]

6) [=sva-cchanda] b etc. See p. 1275, col. 2.

Source: DDSA: Paia-sadda-mahannavo; a comprehensive Prakrit Hindi dictionary (S)

Svacchanda (स्वच्छन्द) in the Sanskrit language is related to the Prakrit word: Sacchaṃda.

[Sanskrit to German]

Svacchanda 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.

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Kannada-English dictionary

[«previous next»] — Svacchanda in Kannada glossary
Source: Alar: Kannada-English corpus

Svacchaṃda (ಸ್ವಚ್ಛಂದ):—

1) [adjective] subject to caprices; tending to change abruptly and without apparent reason; erratic; flighty; capricious.

2) [adjective] self-motivated; inspired from within.

3) [adjective] that is not processed, not refined; crude; coarse; uncultured.

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Svacchaṃda (ಸ್ವಚ್ಛಂದ):—

1) [noun] the tendency of behaving at one’s will or capriciously.

2) [noun] the power, right or liberty of choosing; option.

3) [noun] a man who is not under another’s arbitrary control.

context information

Kannada is a Dravidian language (as opposed to the Indo-European language family) mainly spoken in the southwestern region of India.

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Nepali dictionary

[«previous next»] — Svacchanda in Nepali glossary
Source: unoes: Nepali-English Dictionary

Svacchanda (स्वच्छन्द):—adj. 1. following one's own will; self-willed; 2. unrestrained; uncontrolled; free; independent; spontaneous; wild (as emotions;);

context information

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.

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