Anantasana, Ananta-asana, Anantāsana: 10 definitions

Introduction
In Hinduism
Languages
1. Sanskrit
See also

Introduction:

Anantasana means something in Hinduism, Sanskrit. 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.

In Hinduism

Shilpashastra (iconography)

Source: Google Books: Elements of Hindu iconography

Anantāsana (अनन्तासन).—When used as a pītha (seat or pedestal), this Āsana should be used as the seat for the image when it has to witness amusements, according to the Suprabhedāgama. According to the Candrajñānāgama, the seat is of a triangular shape.

Source: Shodhganga: The significance of the mūla-beras (śilpa)

Anantāsana (अनन्तासन) refers to a type of Āsana (sitting poses), according to T. A. G. Rao in his text ‘Elements of Hindu Iconography’, as defined according to texts dealing with śilpa (arts and crafs), known as śilpaśāstras.—Rao refers to five different kinds of such āsanas as mentioned in the Suprabhedāgama. They are anantāsana, siṃhāsana, yogāsana, padmāsana and vimalāsana. Anantāsana is a triangular seat and should be used as the seat for the image when it has to witness amusements.

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.

Yoga (school of philosophy)

Source: Wisdom Library: Yoga

Anantāsana (अनन्तासन, “Ananta posture”) is a Sanskrit word referring to a type of posture (āsana) used in Yoga. It is composed of the words Ananta (endless bed of Viṣṇu) and and āsana (posture).

Source: archive.org: Yoga Tradition of the Mysore Palace

Anantāsana (अनन्तासन) is a type of posture (āsana), according to the 19th-century Śrītattvanidhi verse 1.—Accordingly, “Lie down on the back. Place either foot behind the head. Take the toes with the opposite hand and stretch the other hand and foot out. This is anantāsana, the āsana of the endless”.

The word “ananta” is also the name of the legendary cosmic serpent. The word is used in Patañjali’s sūtra 2.47 in descriptive reference to āsanas. Vyāsa states that, the mind, engrossed in ananta, completes the āsana. Vācaspati says it refers to the cosmic serpent as a “steady” object of meditation. Vijñāna Bhikṣu gives this interpretation and the alternative interpretation, namely, the endless or the inconceivable object (adṛṣṭa).

Iyengar has an anantāsana that is not like the illustration in this text. This āsana appears to be like Iyengar’s suptapādāṅguṣṭhāsana and his bhairavāsana. It is slightly different from both.

context information

Yoga is originally considered a branch of Hindu philosophy (astika), but both ancient and modern Yoga combine the physical, mental and spiritual. Yoga teaches various physical techniques also known as āsanas (postures), used for various purposes (eg., meditation, contemplation, relaxation).

Shaivism (Shaiva philosophy)

Source: Wisdom Library: Śaivism

Anantāsana (अनन्तासन) is one of five pedestals that makes up the Śivāsana, unto which Śiva is installed and invoked during the ritualistic process of śivārcana, according to the Sakalāgamasāra-saṃgraha. In the process of invocation (āvāhana) Lord Śiva is contemplated as seated on Yogāsana: “in the (fifth) process of praising singing and dancing, he is contemplated upon as seated on anantāsana”. This particular āsana is associated with the shape of a triangle and is connected with the element Earth.

Source: Google Books: Manthanabhairavatantram (shaivism)

Anantāsana (अनन्तासन) refers to the “posture of Ananta”, according to the Śrīmatottara-tantra, an expansion of the Kubjikāmatatantra: the earliest popular and most authoritative Tantra of the Kubjikā cult. Accordingly, “O goddess, Svacchanda is in the middle, within the abode of the triangle. Very powerful, he has five faces with three times five flaming eyes. [...] He sits on a great lotus and is adorned with a belt on his hips. He is adorned with small bells and a garland of gems. There are anklets on his feet and they are well adorned with necklaces of pearls. He sits on Ananta as a seat [i.e., anantāsana-samāsīna] and is like heated gold. On Ananta’s seat are seventy billion mantras. He is beautiful, divine, (white) like the stars, snow and the moon.]. [...]”.

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.

Pancaratra (worship of Nārāyaṇa)

Source: archive.org: Isvara Samhita Vol 5

Anantāsana (अनन्तासन) or Anantāsanamudrā is the name of a mudrā described in the Īśvarasaṃhitā 47-50.—Accordingly, “it is now the formation of mudrā stated for the mantas of the seats. The ring finger and forefinger, both the left hand are to be turned downwards and bent. They are to be kept with the middle finger firmly on the back of the hand. The mudrā must be made straight and turned downwards with the middle fingers below those two. O Sage! the little finger must be stretched with the thumb. This is anantāsanamudrā stated here. This encompasses this world”.

Mūdra (eg., Anantāsana-mudrā) is so called as it gives joy to the tattvas in the form of karman for those who offer spotless worship, drive out the defects which move about within and without and sealing up of what is done.

Source: archive.org: Catalogue of Pancaratra Agama Texts

1) Anantāsana (अनन्तासन) is the name of a Mudrā (“ritual hand-gestures”), discussed in the twenty-fourth chapter of the Īśvarasaṃhitā (printed edition), a Pāñcarātra work in 8200 verses and 24 chapters dealing with topics such as routines of temple worship, major and minor festivals, temple-building and initiation.—Description of the chapter [mudrā-lakṣaṇa-bhagavaddhyāna-ādi-prakāra]: Nārada tells how one prepares himself for the practice of mudrā-gestures—washing the hands with sandal-paste, doing certain exercises with the fingers, ritually touching the chest with the thumbs and forefingers of both hands, executing certain motions with the palms joined, etc. (3-11). Different mudrā-gestures are named and described (12-72): [e.g., anantāsana (49b)] [...]

2) Anantāsana (अनन्तासन) or Anantāsanamudrā is the name of a Mudrā (“ritual hand-gestures”) mentioned in in chapter 13 of the Viśvāmitrasaṃhitā: a Pāñcarātra text comprising some 2600 Sanskrit verses covering topics such as initiation (dīkṣā) and the construction, decoration and consecration of temples and icons, as well as routines of regular and special worship cycles.—Description of the chapter [mudrā-adhyāya]: Kāśyapa asks what are the various types of mudrā-gestures, and Viśvāmitra complies by first defining mudrā as that by seeing which one derives pleasure (“mu-”) and then by counseling that whoever practices these mudrās must do so in secrecy (1-6). Thereupon he names and briefly describes how to perform a number of mudrās [e.g., ananta-āsana]

context information

Pancaratra (पाञ्चरात्र, pāñcarātra) represents a tradition of Hinduism where Narayana is revered and worshipped. Closeley related to Vaishnavism, the Pancaratra literature includes various Agamas and tantras incorporating many Vaishnava philosophies.

Vastushastra (architecture)

Source: Google Books: Consecration Rituals In South Asia

Anantāsana (अनन्तासन) refers to one of the chapters of the Devyāmata: an Early Śaiva Pratiṣṭhātantra dating back to the 5th century CE dealing with topics related to temple construction, consecration rituals, and iconography.—The Devyāmata is written in the form of a dialogue between Śiva and the Goddess. It begins with the praśnapaṭala, ‘the chapter on questions’, in which Devī tells Śiva what topics she would like to learn about. The answers are provided in the following chapters [e.g., anantāsana], of which each is dedicated to one specific subject.

context information

Vastushastra (वास्तुशास्त्र, vāstuśāstra) refers to the ancient Indian science (shastra) of architecture (vastu), dealing with topics such architecture, sculpture, town-building, fort building and various other constructions. Vastu also deals with the philosophy of the architectural relation with the cosmic universe.

Languages of India and abroad

Sanskrit dictionary

Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Edgerton Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit Dictionary

Anantāsana (अनन्तासन).—name of a Bodhisattva: Gaṇḍavyūha 443.4.

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.

Relevant text

Search found 8 books and stories containing Anantasana, Ananta-asana, Ananta-āsana, Anantāsana; (plurals include: Anantasanas, asanas, āsanas, Anantāsanas). You can also click to the full overview containing English textual excerpts. Below are direct links for the most relevant articles:

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